WorldWideScience

Sample records for pyramid wavefront sensors

  1. Performance analysis of coherent free space optical communications with sequential pyramid wavefront sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wei; Yao, Kainan; Chen, Lu; Huang, Danian; Cao, Jingtai; Gu, Haijun

    2018-03-01

    Based-on the previous study on the theory of the sequential pyramid wavefront sensor (SPWFS), in this paper, the SPWFS is first applied to the coherent free space optical communications (FSOC) with more flexible spatial resolution and higher sensitivity than the Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor, and with higher uniformity of intensity distribution and much simpler than the pyramid wavefront sensor. Then, the mixing efficiency (ME) and the bit error rate (BER) of the coherent FSOC are analyzed during the aberrations correction through numerical simulation with binary phase shift keying (BPSK) modulation. Finally, an experimental AO system based-on SPWFS is setup, and the experimental data is used to analyze the ME and BER of homodyne detection with BPSK modulation. The results show that the AO system based-on SPWFS can increase ME and decrease BER effectively. The conclusions of this paper provide a new method of wavefront sensing for designing the AO system for a coherent FSOC system.

  2. Sparse aperture differential piston measurements using the pyramid wave-front sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arcidiacono, Carmelo; Chen, Xinyang; Yan, Zhaojun; Zheng, Lixin; Agapito, Guido; Wang, Chaoyan; Zhu, Nenghong; Zhu, Liyun; Cai, Jianqing; Tang, Zhenghong

    2016-07-01

    In this paper we report on the laboratory experiment we settled in the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) to investigate the pyramid wave-front sensor (WFS) ability to measure the differential piston on a sparse aperture. The ultimate goal is to verify the ability of the pyramid WFS work in close loop to perform the phasing of the primary mirrors of a sparse Fizeau imaging telescope. In the experiment we installed on the optical bench we performed various test checking the ability to flat the wave-front using a deformable mirror and to measure the signal of the differential piston on a two pupils setup. These steps represent the background from which we start to perform full close loop operation on multiple apertures. These steps were also useful to characterize the achromatic double pyramids (double prisms) manufactured in the SHAO optical workshop.

  3. Combined shearing interferometer and hartmann wavefront sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hutchin, R. A.

    1985-01-01

    A sensitive wavefront sensor combining attributes of both a Hartmann type of wavefront sensor and an AC shearing interferometer type of wavefront sensor. An incident wavefront, the slope of which is to be detected, is focussed to first and second focal points at which first and second diffraction gratings are positioned to shear and modulate the wavefront, which then diverges therefrom. The diffraction patterns of the first and second gratings are positioned substantially orthogonal to each other to shear the wavefront in two directions to produce two dimensional wavefront slope data for the AC shearing interferometer portion of the wavefront sensor. First and second dividing optical systems are positioned in the two diverging wavefronts to divide the sheared wavefront into an array of subapertures and also to focus the wavefront in each subaperture to a focal point. A quadrant detector is provided for each subaperture to detect the position of the focal point therein, which provides a first indication, in the manner of a Hartmann wavefront sensor, of the local wavefront slope in each subaperture. The total radiation in each subaperture, as modulated by the diffraction grating, is also detected by the quadrant detector which produces a modulated output signal representative thereof, the phase of which relative to modulation by the diffraction grating provides a second indication of the local wavefront slope in each subaperture, in the manner of an AC shearing interferometer wavefront sensor. The data from both types of sensors is then combined by long term averaging thereof to provide an extremely sensitive wavefront sensor

  4. Coded Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensor

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Congli

    2016-12-01

    Wavefront sensing is an old yet fundamental problem in adaptive optics. Traditional wavefront sensors are limited to time-consuming measurements, complicated and expensive setup, or low theoretically achievable resolution. In this thesis, we introduce an optically encoded and computationally decodable novel approach to the wavefront sensing problem: the Coded Shack-Hartmann. Our proposed Coded Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor is inexpensive, easy to fabricate and calibrate, highly sensitive, accurate, and with high resolution. Most importantly, using simple optical flow tracking combined with phase smoothness prior, with the help of modern optimization technique, the computational part is split, efficient, and parallelized, hence real time performance has been achieved on Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), with high accuracy as well. This is validated by experimental results. We also show how optical flow intensity consistency term can be derived, using rigor scalar diffraction theory with proper approximation. This is the true physical law behind our model. Based on this insight, Coded Shack-Hartmann can be interpreted as an illumination post-modulated wavefront sensor. This offers a new theoretical approach for wavefront sensor design.

  5. A modified phase diversity wavefront sensor with a diffraction grating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo Qun; Huang Lin-Hai; Gu Nai-Ting; Rao Chang-Hui

    2012-01-01

    The phase diversity wavefront sensor is one of the tools used to estimate wavefront aberration, and it is often used as a wavefront sensor in adaptive optics systems. However, the performance of the traditional phase diversity wavefront sensor is limited by the accuracy and dynamic ranges of the intensity distribution at the focus and defocus positions of the CCD camera. In this paper, a modified phase diversity wavefront sensor based on a diffraction grating is proposed to improve the ability to measure the wavefront aberration with larger amplitude and higher spatial frequency. The basic principle and the optics construction of the proposed method are also described in detail. The noise propagation property of the proposed method is also analysed by using the numerical simulation method, and comparison between the diffraction grating phase diversity wavefront sensor and the traditional phase diversity wavefront sensor is also made. The simulation results show that the diffraction grating phase diversity wavefront sensor can obviously improve the ability to measure the wavefront aberration, especially the wavefront aberration with larger amplitude and higher spatial frequency

  6. A zonal wavefront sensor with multiple detector planes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathak, Biswajit; Boruah, Bosanta R.

    2018-03-01

    A conventional zonal wavefront sensor estimates the wavefront from the data captured in a single detector plane using a single camera. In this paper, we introduce a zonal wavefront sensor which comprises multiple detector planes instead of a single detector plane. The proposed sensor is based on an array of custom designed plane diffraction gratings followed by a single focusing lens. The laser beam whose wavefront is to be estimated is incident on the grating array and one of the diffracted orders from each grating is focused on the detector plane. The setup, by employing a beam splitter arrangement, facilitates focusing of the diffracted beams on multiple detector planes where multiple cameras can be placed. The use of multiple cameras in the sensor can offer several advantages in the wavefront estimation. For instance, the proposed sensor can provide superior inherent centroid detection accuracy that can not be achieved by the conventional system. It can also provide enhanced dynamic range and reduced crosstalk performance. We present here the results from a proof of principle experimental arrangement that demonstrate the advantages of the proposed wavefront sensing scheme.

  7. Ultra-high resolution coded wavefront sensor

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Congli

    2017-06-08

    Wavefront sensors and more general phase retrieval methods have recently attracted a lot of attention in a host of application domains, ranging from astronomy to scientific imaging and microscopy. In this paper, we introduce a new class of sensor, the Coded Wavefront Sensor, which provides high spatio-temporal resolution using a simple masked sensor under white light illumination. Specifically, we demonstrate megapixel spatial resolution and phase accuracy better than 0.1 wavelengths at reconstruction rates of 50 Hz or more, thus opening up many new applications from high-resolution adaptive optics to real-time phase retrieval in microscopy.

  8. CMOS optical centroid processor for an integrated Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor

    OpenAIRE

    Pui, Boon Hean

    2004-01-01

    A Shack Hartmann wavefront sensor is used to detect the distortion of light in an optical wavefront. It does this by sampling the wavefront with an array of lenslets and measuring the displacement of focused spots from reference positions. These displacements are linearly related to the local wavefront tilts from which the entire wavefront can be reconstructed. In most Shack Hartmann wavefront sensors, a CCD is used to sample the entire wavefront, typically at a rate of 25 to 60 Hz, and a who...

  9. Ultra-high resolution coded wavefront sensor

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Congli; Dun, Xiong; Fu, Qiang; Heidrich, Wolfgang

    2017-01-01

    Wavefront sensors and more general phase retrieval methods have recently attracted a lot of attention in a host of application domains, ranging from astronomy to scientific imaging and microscopy. In this paper, we introduce a new class of sensor

  10. Model wavefront sensor for adaptive confocal microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Booth, Martin J.; Neil, Mark A. A.; Wilson, Tony

    2000-05-01

    A confocal microscope permits 3D imaging of volume objects by the inclusion of a pinhole in the detector path which eliminates out of focus light. This configuration is however very sensitive to aberrations induced by the specimen or the optical system and would therefore benefit from an adaptive optics approach. We present a wavefront sensor capable of measuring directly the Zernike components of an aberrated wavefront and show that it is particularly applicable to the confocal microscope since only those wavefronts originating in the focal region contribute to the measured aberration.

  11. X-ray digital wavefront sensor development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Idir, Mourad; Fricker, Sebastien; Modi, Mohammed H.; Potier, Jonathan

    2010-01-01

    Phase contrast imaging (PCI) is a wavefront sensing method that uses a series of intensity images to reconstruct the wavefront. The lateral resolution of PCI is limited mainly by the resolution of the intensity images. PCI provides a simple and efficient technique for characterizing X-ray mirrors. A simulation experiment was conducted to demonstrate the performances of PCI. The results of these experiments have shown the feasibility and potential performances of this method. The use of phase retrieval presents opportunities for greatly simplifying the techniques and apparatus used for characterizing optical surfaces and systems, particularly aspherical surfaces. This paper addresses the design, implementation and performances of an integrated at wavelength digital wavefront sensor.

  12. An Optical Wavefront Sensor Based on a Double Layer Microlens Array

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsiang-Chun Wei

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available In order to determine light aberrations, Shack-Hartmann optical wavefront sensors make use of microlens arrays (MLA to divide the incident light into small parts and focus them onto image planes. In this paper, we present the design and fabrication of long focal length MLA with various shapes and arrangements based on a double layer structure for optical wavefront sensing applications. A longer focal length MLA could provide high sensitivity in determining the average slope across each microlens under a given wavefront, and spatial resolution of a wavefront sensor is increased by numbers of microlenses across a detector. In order to extend focal length, we used polydimethysiloxane (PDMS above MLA on a glass substrate. Because of small refractive index difference between PDMS and MLA interface (UV-resin, the incident light is less refracted and focused in further distance. Other specific focal lengths could also be realized by modifying the refractive index difference without changing the MLA size. Thus, the wavefront sensor could be improved with better sensitivity and higher spatial resolution.

  13. The AOLI low-order non-linear curvature wavefront sensor: laboratory and on-sky results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crass, Jonathan; King, David; MacKay, Craig

    2014-08-01

    Many adaptive optics (AO) systems in use today require the use of bright reference objects to determine the effects of atmospheric distortions. Typically these systems use Shack-Hartmann Wavefront sensors (SHWFS) to distribute incoming light from a reference object between a large number of sub-apertures. Guyon et al. evaluated the sensitivity of several different wavefront sensing techniques and proposed the non-linear Curvature Wavefront Sensor (nlCWFS) offering improved sensitivity across a range of orders of distortion. On large ground-based telescopes this can provide nearly 100% sky coverage using natural guide stars. We present work being undertaken on the nlCWFS development for the Adaptive Optics Lucky Imager (AOLI) project. The wavefront sensor is being developed as part of a low-order adaptive optics system for use in a dedicated instrument providing an AO corrected beam to a Lucky Imaging based science detector. The nlCWFS provides a total of four reference images on two photon-counting EMCCDs for use in the wavefront reconstruction process. We present results from both laboratory work using a calibration system and the first on-sky data obtained with the nlCWFS at the 4.2 metre William Herschel Telescope, La Palma. In addition, we describe the updated optical design of the wavefront sensor, strategies for minimising intrinsic effects and methods to maximise sensitivity using photon-counting detectors. We discuss on-going work to develop the high speed reconstruction algorithm required for the nlCWFS technique. This includes strategies to implement the technique on graphics processing units (GPUs) and to minimise computing overheads to obtain a prior for a rapid convergence of the wavefront reconstruction. Finally we evaluate the sensitivity of the wavefront sensor based upon both data and low-photon count strategies.

  14. Accuracy of Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor using a coherent wound fibre image bundle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Jessica R.; Goodwin, Michael; Lawrence, Jon

    2018-03-01

    Shack-Hartmannwavefront sensors using wound fibre image bundles are desired for multi-object adaptive optical systems to provide large multiplex positioned by Starbugs. The use of a large-sized wound fibre image bundle provides the flexibility to use more sub-apertures wavefront sensor for ELTs. These compact wavefront sensors take advantage of large focal surfaces such as the Giant Magellan Telescope. The focus of this paper is to study the wound fibre image bundle structure defects effect on the centroid measurement accuracy of a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. We use the first moment centroid method to estimate the centroid of a focused Gaussian beam sampled by a simulated bundle. Spot estimation accuracy with wound fibre image bundle and its structure impact on wavefront measurement accuracy statistics are addressed. Our results show that when the measurement signal-to-noise ratio is high, the centroid measurement accuracy is dominated by the wound fibre image bundle structure, e.g. tile angle and gap spacing. For the measurement with low signal-to-noise ratio, its accuracy is influenced by the read noise of the detector instead of the wound fibre image bundle structure defects. We demonstrate this both with simulation and experimentally. We provide a statistical model of the centroid and wavefront error of a wound fibre image bundle found through experiment.

  15. BER Analysis of Coherent Free-Space Optical Communication Systems with a Focal-Plane-Based Wavefront Sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Jingtai; Zhao, Xiaohui; Liu, Wei; Gu, Haijun

    2018-03-01

    A wavefront sensor is one of most important units for an adaptive optics system. Based on our previous works, in this paper, we discuss the bit-error-rate (BER) performance of coherent free space optical communication systems with a focal-plane-based wavefront sensor. Firstly, the theory of a focal-plane-based wavefront sensor is given. Then the relationship between the BER and the mixing efficiency with a homodyne receiver is discussed on the basis of binary-phase-shift-keying (BPSK) modulation. Finally, the numerical simulation results are shown that the BER will be decreased obviously after aberrations correction with the focal-plane-based wavefront sensor. In addition, the BER will decrease along with increasing number of photons received within a single bit. These analysis results will provide a reference for the design of the coherent Free space optical communication (FSOC) system.

  16. The AOLI Non-Linear Curvature Wavefront Sensor: High sensitivity reconstruction for low-order AO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crass, Jonathan; King, David; Mackay, Craig

    2013-12-01

    Many adaptive optics (AO) systems in use today require bright reference objects to determine the effects of atmospheric distortions on incoming wavefronts. This requirement is because Shack Hartmann wavefront sensors (SHWFS) distribute incoming light from reference objects into a large number of sub-apertures. Bright natural reference objects occur infrequently across the sky leading to the use of laser guide stars which add complexity to wavefront measurement systems. The non-linear curvature wavefront sensor as described by Guyon et al. has been shown to offer a significant increase in sensitivity when compared to a SHWFS. This facilitates much greater sky coverage using natural guide stars alone. This paper describes the current status of the non-linear curvature wavefront sensor being developed as part of an adaptive optics system for the Adaptive Optics Lucky Imager (AOLI) project. The sensor comprises two photon-counting EMCCD detectors from E2V Technologies, recording intensity at four near-pupil planes. These images are used with a reconstruction algorithm to determine the phase correction to be applied by an ALPAO 241-element deformable mirror. The overall system is intended to provide low-order correction for a Lucky Imaging based multi CCD imaging camera. We present the current optical design of the instrument including methods to minimise inherent optical effects, principally chromaticity. Wavefront reconstruction methods are discussed and strategies for their optimisation to run at the required real-time speeds are introduced. Finally, we discuss laboratory work with a demonstrator setup of the system.

  17. Correlator optical wavefront sensor COWS

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-02-01

    This report documents the significant upgrades and improvements made to the correlator optical wavefront sensor (COWS) optical bench during this phase of the program. Software for the experiment was reviewed and documented. Flowcharts showing the program flow are included as well as documentation for programs which were written to calculate and display Zernike polynomials. The system was calibrated and aligned and a series of experiments to determine the optimum settings for the input and output MOSLM polarizers were conducted. In addition, design of a simple aberration generation is included.

  18. X-ray active mirror coupled with a Hartmann wavefront sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Idir, Mourad; Mercere, Pascal; Modi, Mohammed H.; Dovillaire, Guillaume; Levecq, Xavier; Bucourt, Samuel; Escolano, Lionel; Sauvageot, Paul

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports on the design and performances of a test prototype active X-ray mirror (AXM) which has been designed and manufactured in collaboration with the French Small and Medium Enterprise mechanical company ISP System for the national French storage ring SOLEIL. Coupled with this active X-ray mirror and also in collaboration with another French Small and Medium Enterprise (Imagine Optic) a lot of efforts have been done in order to design and fabricate a wavefront X-ray analyzer based on the Hartmann principle (Hartman wavefront sensor, HWS).

  19. Rapid and highly integrated FPGA-based Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor for adaptive optics system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yi-Pin; Chang, Chia-Yuan; Chen, Shean-Jen

    2018-02-01

    In this study, a field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS) programmed on LabVIEW can be highly integrated into customized applications such as adaptive optics system (AOS) for performing real-time wavefront measurement. Further, a Camera Link frame grabber embedded with FPGA is adopted to enhance the sensor speed reacting to variation considering its advantage of the highest data transmission bandwidth. Instead of waiting for a frame image to be captured by the FPGA, the Shack-Hartmann algorithm are implemented in parallel processing blocks design and let the image data transmission synchronize with the wavefront reconstruction. On the other hand, we design a mechanism to control the deformable mirror in the same FPGA and verify the Shack-Hartmann sensor speed by controlling the frequency of the deformable mirror dynamic surface deformation. Currently, this FPGAbead SHWS design can achieve a 266 Hz cyclic speed limited by the camera frame rate as well as leaves 40% logic slices for additionally flexible design.

  20. High-QE fast-readout wavefront sensor with analog phase reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Jeffrey T.; Loos, Gary C.; Restaino, Sergio R.; Percheron, Isabelle; Finkner, Lyle G.

    1998-09-01

    The contradiction inherent in high temporal bandwidth adaptive optics wavefront sensing at low-light-levels (LLL) has driven many researchers to consider the use of high bandwidth high quantum efficiency (QE) CCD cameras with the lowest possible readout noise levels. Unfortunately, the performance of these relatively expensive and low production volume devices in the photon counting regime is inevitably limited by readout noise, no matter how arbitrarily close to zero that specification may be reduced. Our alternative approach is to optically couple a new and relatively inexpensive Ultra Blue Gen III image intensifier to an also relatively inexpensive high bandwidth CCD camera with only moderate QE and high rad noise. The result is a high bandwidth broad spectral response image intensifier with a gain of 55,000 at 560 nm. Use of an appropriately selected lenslet array together with coupling optics generates 16 X 16 Shack-Hartmann type subapertures on the image intensifier photocathode, which is imaged onto the fast CCD camera. An integral A/D converter in the camera sends the image data pixel by pixel to a computer data acquisition system for analysis, storage and display. Timing signals are used to decode which pixel is being rad out and the wavefront is calculated in an analog fashion using a least square fit to both x and y tilt data for all wavefront sensor subapertures. Finally, we present system level performance comparisons of these new concept wavefront sensors versus the more standard low noise CCD camera based designs in the low-light-level limit.

  1. Development of a hard x-ray wavefront sensor for the EuXFEL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berujon, Sebastien; Ziegler, Eric; Cojocaru, Ruxandra; Martin, Thierry

    2017-05-01

    We present developments on a hard X-ray wavefront sensing instrument for characterizing and monitoring the beam of the European X-ray Free Electron Lasers (EuXFEL). The pulsed nature of the intense X-ray beam delivered by this new class of facility gives rise to strong challenges for the optics and their diagnostic. In the frame of the EUCALL project Work Package 7, we are developing a sensor able to observe the beam in the X-ray energy range [8-40] keV without altering it. The sensor is based on the speckle tracking principle and employs two semi-transparent optics optimized such that their X-ray absorption is reduced. Furthermore, this instrument requires a scattering object with small random features placed in the beam and two cameras to record images of the beam at two different propagation distances. The analysis of the speckle pattern and its distortion from one image to the other allows absolute or differential wavefront recovery from pulse to pulse. Herein, we introduce the stakes and challenges of wavefront sensing at an XFEL source and explain the strategies adopted to fulfil the high requirements set by such a source.

  2. Automatic centroid detection and surface measurement with a digital Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin, Xiaoming; Zhao, Liping; Li, Xiang; Fang, Zhongping

    2010-01-01

    With the breakthrough of manufacturing technologies, the measurement of surface profiles is becoming a big issue. A Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS) provides a promising technology for non-contact surface measurement with a number of advantages over interferometry. The SHWS splits the incident wavefront into many subsections and transfers the distorted wavefront detection into the centroid measurement. So the accuracy of the centroid measurement determines the accuracy of the SHWS. In this paper, we have presented a new centroid measurement algorithm based on an adaptive thresholding and dynamic windowing method by utilizing image-processing techniques. Based on this centroid detection method, we have developed a digital SHWS system which can automatically detect centroids of focal spots, reconstruct the wavefront and measure the 3D profile of the surface. The system has been tested with various simulated and real surfaces such as flat surfaces, spherical and aspherical surfaces as well as deformable surfaces. The experimental results demonstrate that the system has good accuracy, repeatability and immunity to optical misalignment. The system is also suitable for on-line applications of surface measurement

  3. Comparison between iterative wavefront control algorithm and direct gradient wavefront control algorithm for adaptive optics system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng Sheng-Yi; Liu Wen-Jin; Chen Shan-Qiu; Dong Li-Zhi; Yang Ping; Xu Bing

    2015-01-01

    Among all kinds of wavefront control algorithms in adaptive optics systems, the direct gradient wavefront control algorithm is the most widespread and common method. This control algorithm obtains the actuator voltages directly from wavefront slopes through pre-measuring the relational matrix between deformable mirror actuators and Hartmann wavefront sensor with perfect real-time characteristic and stability. However, with increasing the number of sub-apertures in wavefront sensor and deformable mirror actuators of adaptive optics systems, the matrix operation in direct gradient algorithm takes too much time, which becomes a major factor influencing control effect of adaptive optics systems. In this paper we apply an iterative wavefront control algorithm to high-resolution adaptive optics systems, in which the voltages of each actuator are obtained through iteration arithmetic, which gains great advantage in calculation and storage. For AO system with thousands of actuators, the computational complexity estimate is about O(n 2 ) ∼ O(n 3 ) in direct gradient wavefront control algorithm, while the computational complexity estimate in iterative wavefront control algorithm is about O(n) ∼ (O(n) 3/2 ), in which n is the number of actuators of AO system. And the more the numbers of sub-apertures and deformable mirror actuators, the more significant advantage the iterative wavefront control algorithm exhibits. (paper)

  4. Sorting method to extend the dynamic range of the Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Junwon; Shack, Roland V.; Descour, Michael R.

    2005-01-01

    We propose a simple and powerful algorithm to extend the dynamic range of a Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensor. In a conventional Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensor the dynamic range is limited by the f-number of a lenslet, because the focal spot is required to remain in the area confined by the single lenslet. The sorting method proposed here eliminates such a limitation and extends the dynamic range by tagging each spot in a special sequence. Since the sorting method is a simple algorithm that does not change the measurement configuration, there is no requirement for extra hardware, multiple measurements, or complicated algorithms. We not only present the theory and a calculation example of the sorting method but also actually implement measurement of a highly aberrated wave front from nonrotational symmetric optics

  5. Wavefront sensorless adaptive optics ophthalmoscopy in the human eye

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofer, Heidi; Sredar, Nripun; Queener, Hope; Li, Chaohong; Porter, Jason

    2011-01-01

    Wavefront sensor noise and fidelity place a fundamental limit on achievable image quality in current adaptive optics ophthalmoscopes. Additionally, the wavefront sensor ‘beacon’ can interfere with visual experiments. We demonstrate real-time (25 Hz), wavefront sensorless adaptive optics imaging in the living human eye with image quality rivaling that of wavefront sensor based control in the same system. A stochastic parallel gradient descent algorithm directly optimized the mean intensity in retinal image frames acquired with a confocal adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO). When imaging through natural, undilated pupils, both control methods resulted in comparable mean image intensities. However, when imaging through dilated pupils, image intensity was generally higher following wavefront sensor-based control. Despite the typically reduced intensity, image contrast was higher, on average, with sensorless control. Wavefront sensorless control is a viable option for imaging the living human eye and future refinements of this technique may result in even greater optical gains. PMID:21934779

  6. Wavefront-sensor-induced beam size error: physical mechanism, sensitivity-analysis and correction method

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koek, W.D.; Zwet, E.J. van

    2015-01-01

    When using a commonly-used quadri-wave lateral shearing interferometer wavefront sensor (QWLSI WFS) for beam size measurements on a high power CO2 laser, artefacts have been observed in the measured irradiance distribution. The grating in the QWLSI WFS not only generates the diffracted first orders

  7. Least-squares wave-front reconstruction of Shack-Hartmann sensors and shearing interferometers using multigrid techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baker, K.L.

    2005-01-01

    This article details a multigrid algorithm that is suitable for least-squares wave-front reconstruction of Shack-Hartmann and shearing interferometer wave-front sensors. The algorithm detailed in this article is shown to scale with the number of subapertures in the same fashion as fast Fourier transform techniques, making it suitable for use in applications requiring a large number of subapertures and high Strehl ratio systems such as for high spatial frequency characterization of high-density plasmas, optics metrology, and multiconjugate and extreme adaptive optics systems

  8. Correction of the wavefront using the irradiance transport equation

    Science.gov (United States)

    García, M.; Granados, F.; Cornejo, A.

    2008-07-01

    The correction of the wavefront in optical systems implies the use of wavefront sensors, software, and auxiliary optical systems. We propose evaluated the wavefront using the fact that the wavefront and its intensity are related in the mathematical expression the irradiance transport equation (ITE)

  9. The size effect of searching window for measuring wavefront of laser beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Seung Kyu; Baik, Sung Hoon; Lim, Chang Hwan; Kim, Jung Cheol; Yi, Seung Jun; Ra, Sung Woong

    2003-01-01

    We investigated the size effect of the searching window for measuring of a laser beam using a Shack-Hartmann sensor. The shapes of spot images on an acquired wavefront image by using a Shack-Hartmann sensor are usually imbalanced. Also, the distributed intensity pattern of each spot image is varied according to successively acquired wavefront image. We studied on the optimized size of searching window to get wavefront with high measurement resolution. We experimented on the various size effect of searching window on an acquired wavefront image to get fine wavefront information using a Shack-Hartmann sensor. As the experimental results, we proposed the optimum size of searching window to measure improved wavefront.

  10. Comparison between iterative wavefront control algorithm and direct gradient wavefront control algorithm for adaptive optics system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Sheng-Yi; Liu, Wen-Jin; Chen, Shan-Qiu; Dong, Li-Zhi; Yang, Ping; Xu, Bing

    2015-08-01

    Among all kinds of wavefront control algorithms in adaptive optics systems, the direct gradient wavefront control algorithm is the most widespread and common method. This control algorithm obtains the actuator voltages directly from wavefront slopes through pre-measuring the relational matrix between deformable mirror actuators and Hartmann wavefront sensor with perfect real-time characteristic and stability. However, with increasing the number of sub-apertures in wavefront sensor and deformable mirror actuators of adaptive optics systems, the matrix operation in direct gradient algorithm takes too much time, which becomes a major factor influencing control effect of adaptive optics systems. In this paper we apply an iterative wavefront control algorithm to high-resolution adaptive optics systems, in which the voltages of each actuator are obtained through iteration arithmetic, which gains great advantage in calculation and storage. For AO system with thousands of actuators, the computational complexity estimate is about O(n2) ˜ O(n3) in direct gradient wavefront control algorithm, while the computational complexity estimate in iterative wavefront control algorithm is about O(n) ˜ (O(n)3/2), in which n is the number of actuators of AO system. And the more the numbers of sub-apertures and deformable mirror actuators, the more significant advantage the iterative wavefront control algorithm exhibits. Project supported by the National Key Scientific and Research Equipment Development Project of China (Grant No. ZDYZ2013-2), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11173008), and the Sichuan Provincial Outstanding Youth Academic Technology Leaders Program, China (Grant No. 2012JQ0012).

  11. Prototype of a laser guide star wavefront sensor for the Extremely Large Telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patti, M.; Lombini, M.; Schreiber, L.; Bregoli, G.; Arcidiacono, C.; Cosentino, G.; Diolaiti, E.; Foppiani, I.

    2018-06-01

    The new class of large telescopes, like the future Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), are designed to work with a laser guide star (LGS) tuned to a resonance of atmospheric sodium atoms. This wavefront sensing technique presents complex issues when applied to big telescopes for many reasons, mainly linked to the finite distance of the LGS, the launching angle, tip-tilt indetermination and focus anisoplanatism. The implementation of a laboratory prototype for the LGS wavefront sensor (WFS) at the beginning of the phase study of MAORY (Multi-conjugate Adaptive Optics Relay) for ELT first light has been indispensable in investigating specific mitigation strategies for the LGS WFS issues. This paper presents the test results of the LGS WFS prototype under different working conditions. The accuracy within which the LGS images are generated on the Shack-Hartmann WFS has been cross-checked with the MAORY simulation code. The experiments show the effect of noise on centroiding precision, the impact of LGS image truncation on wavefront sensing accuracy as well as the temporal evolution of the sodium density profile and LGS image under-sampling.

  12. Precise starshade stationkeeping and pointing with a Zernike wavefront sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bottom, Michael; Martin, Stefan; Seubert, Carl; Cady, Eric; Zareh, Shannon Kian; Shaklan, Stuart

    2017-09-01

    Starshades, large occulters positioned tens of thousands of kilometers in front of space telescopes, offer one of the few paths to imaging and characterizing Earth-like extrasolar planets. However, for a starshade to generate a sufficiently dark shadow on the telescope, the two must be coaligned to just 1 meter laterally, even at these large separations. The principal challenge to achieving this level of control is in determining the position of the starshade with respect to the space telescope. In this paper, we present numerical simulations and laboratory results demonstrating that a Zernike wavefront sensor coupled to a WFIRST-type telescope is able to deliver the stationkeeping precision required, by measuring light outside of the science wavelengths. The sensor can determine the starshade lateral position to centimeter level in seconds of open shutter time for stars brighter than eighth magnitude, with a capture range of 10 meters. We discuss the potential for fast (ms) tip/tilt pointing control at the milli-arcsecond level by illuminating the sensor with a laser mounted on the starshade. Finally, we present early laboratory results.

  13. Semiconductor sensor for optically measuring polarization rotation of optical wavefronts using rare earth iron garnets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duncan, Paul G.

    2002-01-01

    Described are the design of a rare earth iron garnet sensor element, optical methods of interrogating the sensor element, methods of coupling the optical sensor element to a waveguide, and an optical and electrical processing system for monitoring the polarization rotation of a linearly polarized wavefront undergoing external modulation due to magnetic field or electrical current fluctuation. The sensor element uses the Faraday effect, an intrinsic property of certain rare-earth iron garnet materials, to rotate the polarization state of light in the presence of a magnetic field. The sensor element may be coated with a thin-film mirror to effectively double the optical path length, providing twice the sensitivity for a given field strength or temperature change. A semiconductor sensor system using a rare earth iron garnet sensor element is described.

  14. Photon counting arrays for AO wavefront sensors

    CERN Document Server

    Vallerga, J; McPhate, J; Mikulec, Bettina; Clark, Allan G; Siegmund, O; CERN. Geneva

    2005-01-01

    Future wavefront sensors for AO on large telescopes will require a large number of pixels and must operate at high frame rates. Unfortunately for CCDs, there is a readout noise penalty for operating faster, and this noise can add up rather quickly when considering the number of pixels required for the extended shape of a sodium laser guide star observed with a large telescope. Imaging photon counting detectors have zero readout noise and many pixels, but have suffered in the past with low QE at the longer wavelengths (>500 nm). Recent developments in GaAs photocathode technology, CMOS ASIC readouts and FPGA processing electronics have resulted in noiseless WFS detector designs that are competitive with silicon array detectors, though at ~40% the QE of CCDs. We review noiseless array detectors and compare their centroiding performance with CCDs using the best available characteristics of each. We show that for sub-aperture binning of 6x6 and greater that noiseless detectors have a smaller centroid error at flu...

  15. Wavefront error sensing for LDR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tubbs, Eldred F.; Glavich, T. A.

    1988-01-01

    Wavefront sensing is a significant aspect of the LDR control problem and requires attention at an early stage of the control system definition and design. A combination of a Hartmann test for wavefront slope measurement and an interference test for piston errors of the segments was examined and is presented as a point of departure for further discussion. The assumption is made that the wavefront sensor will be used for initial alignment and periodic alignment checks but that it will not be used during scientific observations. The Hartmann test and the interferometric test are briefly examined.

  16. Wavefront Measurement for Laser-Guiding Diagnostic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shiraishi, S.; Gonsalves, A.J.; Lin, C.; Nakamura, K.; Osterhoff, J.; Sokollik, T.; van Tilborg, J.; Geddes, C.G.R.; Schroeder, C.B.; Toth, Cs.; Esarey, E.; Leemans, W.P.

    2010-01-01

    The wavefront of a short laser pulse after interaction in a laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) was measured to diagnose laser-guiding quality. Experiments were performed on a 100 TW class laser at the LOASIS facility of LBNL using a hydrogenfilled capillary discharge waveguide. Laser-guiding with a pre-formed plasma channel allows the laser pulse to propagate over many Rayleigh lengths at high intensity and is crucial to accelerate electrons to the highest possible energy. Efficient coupling of laser energy into the plasma is realized when the laser and the channel satisfy a matched guiding condition, in which the wavefront remains flat within the channel. Using a wavefront sensor, the laser-guiding quality was diagnosed based on the wavefront of the laser pulse exiting the plasma channel. This wavefront diagnostic will contribute to achieving controlled, matched guiding in future experiments.

  17. Hough transform used on the spot-centroiding algorithm for the Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chia, Chou-Min; Huang, Kuang-Yuh; Chang, Elmer

    2016-01-01

    An approach to the spot-centroiding algorithm for the Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS) is presented. The SHWS has a common problem, in that while measuring high-order wavefront distortion, the spots may exceed each of the subapertures, which are used to restrict the displacement of spots. This artificial restriction may limit the dynamic range of the SHWS. When using the SHWS to measure adaptive optics or aspheric lenses, the accuracy of the traditional spot-centroiding algorithm may be uncertain because the spots leave or cross the confined area of the subapertures. The proposed algorithm combines the Hough transform with an artificial neural network, which requires no confined subapertures, to increase the dynamic range of the SHWS. This algorithm is then explored in comprehensive simulations and the results are compared with those of the existing algorithm.

  18. A video Hartmann wavefront diagnostic that incorporates a monolithic microlens array

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toeppen, J.S.; Bliss, E.S.; Long, T.W.; Salmon, J.T.

    1991-07-01

    we have developed a video Hartmann wavefront sensor that incorporates a monolithic array of microlenses as the focusing elements. The sensor uses a monolithic array of photofabricated lenslets. Combined with a video processor, this system reveals local gradients of the wavefront at a video frame rate of 30 Hz. Higher bandwidth is easily attainable with a camera and video processor that have faster frame rates. When used with a temporal filter, the reconstructed wavefront error is less than 1/10th wave

  19. Adaptive thresholding and dynamic windowing method for automatic centroid detection of digital Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin Xiaoming; Li Xiang; Zhao Liping; Fang Zhongping

    2009-01-01

    A Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SWHS) splits the incident wavefront into many subsections and transfers the distorted wavefront detection into the centroid measurement. The accuracy of the centroid measurement determines the accuracy of the SWHS. Many methods have been presented to improve the accuracy of the wavefront centroid measurement. However, most of these methods are discussed from the point of view of optics, based on the assumption that the spot intensity of the SHWS has a Gaussian distribution, which is not applicable to the digital SHWS. In this paper, we present a centroid measurement algorithm based on the adaptive thresholding and dynamic windowing method by utilizing image processing techniques for practical application of the digital SHWS in surface profile measurement. The method can detect the centroid of each focal spot precisely and robustly by eliminating the influence of various noises, such as diffraction of the digital SHWS, unevenness and instability of the light source, as well as deviation between the centroid of the focal spot and the center of the detection area. The experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm has better precision, repeatability, and stability compared with other commonly used centroid methods, such as the statistical averaging, thresholding, and windowing algorithms.

  20. Design of pre-optics for laser guide star wavefront sensor for the ELT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muslimov, Eduard; Dohlen, Kjetil; Neichel, Benoit; Hugot, Emmanuel

    2017-12-01

    In the present paper, we consider the optical design of a zoom system for the active refocusing in laser guide star wavefront sensors. The system is designed according to the specifications coming from the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT)-HARMONI instrument, the first-light, integral field spectrograph for the European (E)-ELT. The system must provide a refocusing of the laser guide as a function of telescope pointing and large decentring of the incoming beam. The system considers four moving lens groups, each of them being a doublet with one aspherical surface. The advantages and shortcomings of such a solution in terms of the component displacements and complexity of the surfaces are described in detail. It is shown that the system can provide the median value of the residual wavefront error of 13.8-94.3 nm and the maximum value <206 nm, while the exit pupil distortion is 0.26-0.36% for each of the telescope pointing directions.

  1. Closed-loop focal plane wavefront control with the SCExAO instrument

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinache, Frantz; Jovanovic, Nemanja; Guyon, Olivier

    2016-09-01

    Aims: This article describes the implementation of a focal plane based wavefront control loop on the high-contrast imaging instrument SCExAO (Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics). The sensor relies on the Fourier analysis of conventional focal-plane images acquired after an asymmetric mask is introduced in the pupil of the instrument. Methods: This absolute sensor is used here in a closed-loop to compensate for the non-common path errors that normally affects any imaging system relying on an upstream adaptive optics system.This specific implementation was used to control low-order modes corresponding to eight zernike modes (from focus to spherical). Results: This loop was successfully run on-sky at the Subaru Telescope and is used to offset the SCExAO deformable mirror shape used as a zero-point by the high-order wavefront sensor. The paper details the range of errors this wavefront-sensing approach can operate within and explores the impact of saturation of the data and how it can be bypassed, at a cost in performance. Conclusions: Beyond this application, because of its low hardware impact, the asymmetric pupil Fourier wavefront sensor (APF-WFS) can easily be ported in a wide variety of wavefront sensing contexts, for ground- as well space-borne telescopes, and for telescope pupils that can be continuous, segmented or even sparse. The technique is powerful because it measures the wavefront where it really matters, at the level of the science detector.

  2. Zonal wavefront sensing using a grating array printed on a polyester film

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pathak, Biswajit; Boruah, Bosanta R., E-mail: brboruah@iitg.ernet.in [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039 (India); Kumar, Suraj [Department of Applied Sciences, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam 781014 (India)

    2015-12-15

    In this paper, we describe the development of a zonal wavefront sensor that comprises an array of binary diffraction gratings realized on a transparent sheet (i.e., polyester film) followed by a focusing lens and a camera. The sensor works in a manner similar to that of a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. The fabrication of the array of gratings is immune to certain issues associated with the fabrication of the lenslet array which is commonly used in zonal wavefront sensing. Besides the sensing method offers several important advantages such as flexible dynamic range, easy configurability, and option to enhance the sensing frame rate. Here, we have demonstrated the working of the proposed sensor using a proof-of-principle experimental arrangement.

  3. Zonal wavefront sensing using a grating array printed on a polyester film

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathak, Biswajit; Kumar, Suraj; Boruah, Bosanta R.

    2015-12-01

    In this paper, we describe the development of a zonal wavefront sensor that comprises an array of binary diffraction gratings realized on a transparent sheet (i.e., polyester film) followed by a focusing lens and a camera. The sensor works in a manner similar to that of a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. The fabrication of the array of gratings is immune to certain issues associated with the fabrication of the lenslet array which is commonly used in zonal wavefront sensing. Besides the sensing method offers several important advantages such as flexible dynamic range, easy configurability, and option to enhance the sensing frame rate. Here, we have demonstrated the working of the proposed sensor using a proof-of-principle experimental arrangement.

  4. Real-time wavefront correction system using a zonal deformable mirror and a Hartmann sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salmon, J.T.; Bliss, E.S.; Long, T.W.; Orham, E.L.; Presta, R.W.; Swift, C.D.; Ward, R.S.

    1991-07-01

    We have developed an adaptive optics system that corrects up to five waves of 2nd-order and 3rd-order aberrations in a high-power laser beam to less than 1/10th wave RMS. The wavefront sensor is a Hartmann sensor with discrete lenses and position-sensitive photodiodes; the deformable mirror uses piezoelectric actuators with feedback from strain gauges bonded to the stacks. The controller hardware uses a VME bus. The system removes thermally induced aberrations generated in the master-oscillator-power-amplifier chains of a dye laser, as well as aberrations generated in beam combiners and vacuum isolation windows for average output powers exceeding 1 kW. The system bandwidth is 1 Hz, but higher bandwidths are easily attainable

  5. Deep Tissue Wavefront Estimation for Sensorless Aberration Correction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahimovic Emina

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The multiple light scattering in biological tissues limits the measurement depth for traditional wavefront sensor. The attenuated ballistic light and the background noise caused by the diffuse light give low signal to noise ratio for wavefront measurement. To overcome this issue, we introduced a wavefront estimation method based on a ray tracing algorithm to overcome this issue. With the knowledge of the refractive index of the medium, the wavefront is estimated by calculating optical path length of rays from the target inside of the samples. This method can provide not only the information of spherical aberration from the refractive-index mismatch between the medium and biological sample but also other aberrations caused by the irregular interface between them. Simulations based on different configurations are demonstrated in this paper.

  6. Iterative wave-front reconstruction in the Fourier domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bond, Charlotte Z; Correia, Carlos M; Sauvage, Jean-François; Neichel, Benoit; Fusco, Thierry

    2017-05-15

    The use of Fourier methods in wave-front reconstruction can significantly reduce the computation time for large telescopes with a high number of degrees of freedom. However, Fourier algorithms for discrete data require a rectangular data set which conform to specific boundary requirements, whereas wave-front sensor data is typically defined over a circular domain (the telescope pupil). Here we present an iterative Gerchberg routine modified for the purposes of discrete wave-front reconstruction which adapts the measurement data (wave-front sensor slopes) for Fourier analysis, fulfilling the requirements of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) and providing accurate reconstruction. The routine is used in the adaptation step only and can be coupled to any other Wiener-like or least-squares method. We compare simulations using this method with previous Fourier methods and show an increase in performance in terms of Strehl ratio and a reduction in noise propagation for a 40×40 SPHERE-like adaptive optics system. For closed loop operation with minimal iterations the Gerchberg method provides an improvement in Strehl, from 95.4% to 96.9% in K-band. This corresponds to ~ 40 nm improvement in rms, and avoids the high spatial frequency errors present in other methods, providing an increase in contrast towards the edge of the correctable band.

  7. Wavefront Derived Refraction and Full Eye Biometry in Pseudophakic Eyes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinjie Mao

    Full Text Available To assess wavefront derived refraction and full eye biometry including ciliary muscle dimension and full eye axial geometry in pseudophakic eyes using spectral domain OCT equipped with a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor.Twenty-eight adult subjects (32 pseudophakic eyes having recently undergone cataract surgery were enrolled in this study. A custom system combining two optical coherence tomography systems with a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor was constructed to image and monitor changes in whole eye biometry, the ciliary muscle and ocular aberration in the pseudophakic eye. A Badal optical channel and a visual target aligning with the wavefront sensor were incorporated into the system for measuring the wavefront-derived refraction. The imaging acquisition was performed twice. The coefficients of repeatability (CoR and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC were calculated.Images were acquired and processed successfully in all patients. No significant difference was detected between repeated measurements of ciliary muscle dimension, full-eye biometry or defocus aberration. The CoR of full-eye biometry ranged from 0.36% to 3.04% and the ICC ranged from 0.981 to 0.999. The CoR for ciliary muscle dimensions ranged from 12.2% to 41.6% and the ICC ranged from 0.767 to 0.919. The defocus aberrations of the two measurements were 0.443 ± 0.534 D and 0.447 ± 0.586 D and the ICC was 0.951.The combined system is capable of measuring full eye biometry and refraction with good repeatability. The system is suitable for future investigation of pseudoaccommodation in the pseudophakic eye.

  8. High order dark wavefront sensing simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ragazzoni, Roberto; Arcidiacono, Carmelo; Farinato, Jacopo; Viotto, Valentina; Bergomi, Maria; Dima, Marco; Magrin, Demetrio; Marafatto, Luca; Greggio, Davide; Carolo, Elena; Vassallo, Daniele

    2016-07-01

    Dark wavefront sensing takes shape following quantum mechanics concepts in which one is able to "see" an object in one path of a two-arm interferometer using an as low as desired amount of light actually "hitting" the occulting object. A theoretical way to achieve such a goal, but in the realm of wavefront sensing, is represented by a combination of two unequal beams interferometer sharing the same incoming light, and whose difference in path length is continuously adjusted in order to show different signals for different signs of the incoming perturbation. Furthermore, in order to obtain this in white light, the path difference should be properly adjusted vs the wavelength used. While we incidentally describe how this could be achieved in a true optomechanical setup, we focus our attention to the simulation of a hypothetical "perfect" dark wavefront sensor of this kind in which white light compensation is accomplished in a perfect manner and the gain is selectable in a numerical fashion. Although this would represent a sort of idealized dark wavefront sensor that would probably be hard to match in the real glass and metal, it would also give a firm indication of the maximum achievable gain or, in other words, of the prize for achieving such device. Details of how the simulation code works and first numerical results are outlined along with the perspective for an in-depth analysis of the performances and its extension to more realistic situations, including various sources of additional noise.

  9. Advances in detector technologies for visible and infrared wavefront sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feautrier, Philippe; Gach, Jean-Luc; Downing, Mark; Jorden, Paul; Kolb, Johann; Rothman, Johan; Fusco, Thierry; Balard, Philippe; Stadler, Eric; Guillaume, Christian; Boutolleau, David; Destefanis, Gérard; Lhermet, Nicolas; Pacaud, Olivier; Vuillermet, Michel; Kerlain, Alexandre; Hubin, Norbert; Reyes, Javier; Kasper, Markus; Ivert, Olaf; Suske, Wolfgang; Walker, Andrew; Skegg, Michael; Derelle, Sophie; Deschamps, Joel; Robert, Clélia; Vedrenne, Nicolas; Chazalet, Frédéric; Tanchon, Julien; Trollier, Thierry; Ravex, Alain; Zins, Gérard; Kern, Pierre; Moulin, Thibaut; Preis, Olivier

    2012-07-01

    The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the state of the art wavefront sensor detectors developments held in Europe for the last decade. The success of the next generation of instruments for 8 to 40-m class telescopes will depend on the ability of Adaptive Optics (AO) systems to provide excellent image quality and stability. This will be achieved by increasing the sampling, wavelength range and correction quality of the wave front error in both spatial and time domains. The modern generation of AO wavefront sensor detectors development started in the late nineties with the CCD50 detector fabricated by e2v technologies under ESO contract for the ESO NACO AO system. With a 128x128 pixels format, this 8 outputs CCD offered a 500 Hz frame rate with a readout noise of 7e-. A major breakthrough has been achieved with the recent development by e2v technologies of the CCD220. This 240x240 pixels 8 outputs EMCCD (CCD with internal multiplication) has been jointly funded by ESO and Europe under the FP6 programme. The CCD220 and the OCAM2 camera that operates the detector are now the most sensitive system in the world for advanced adaptive optics systems, offering less than 0.2 e readout noise at a frame rate of 1500 Hz with negligible dark current. Extremely easy to operate, OCAM2 only needs a 24 V power supply and a modest water cooling circuit. This system, commercialized by First Light Imaging, is extensively described in this paper. An upgrade of OCAM2 is foreseen to boost its frame rate to 2 kHz, opening the window of XAO wavefront sensing for the ELT using 4 synchronized cameras and pyramid wavefront sensing. Since this major success, new developments started in Europe. One is fully dedicated to Natural and Laser Guide Star AO for the E-ELT with ESO involvement. The spot elongation from a LGS Shack Hartman wavefront sensor necessitates an increase of the pixel format. Two detectors are currently developed by e2v. The NGSD will be a 880x840 pixels CMOS

  10. Optimal Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensing For Low-Light-Levels

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Solomon, Christopher

    1997-01-01

    .... He will analyze the sensitivity gains achievable in shack-hartmann wavefront sensors using bayesian estimators and compare the results with those achieved using a standard least squares approach...

  11. LASER APPLICATIONS AND OTHER TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS: Measurement of wavefront distortions by the method of aperture sounding with spatially separated channels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prilepskiy, Boris V.; Alikhanov, Alexey N.; Berchenko, Evgeniy A.; Kiselev, Vladimir Yu; Narusbek, Ernest A.; Filatov, Aleksander S.

    2005-08-01

    Features of the formation of signals in wavefront sensors with the single-frequency light wave phase modulation and spatial separation of control channels are considered. Analysis is performed for sensors in which phase modulation is governed by a controlled element located in the pupil of the optical system of a sensor or in the focal plane of the objective of this system. Peculiarities of the signal formation for a tilted wavefront are considered separately for internal points of the exit pupil in the case of light wave phase modulation in the pupil. It is shown that a signal at the modulation frequency in these wavefront sensors for points located far from the pupil boundaries is determined by the wavefront curvature.

  12. SCExAO: First Results and On-Sky Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Currie, Thayne; Guyon, Olivier; Martinache, Frantz; Clergeon, Christophe; McElwain, Michael; Thalmann, Christian; Jovanovic, Nemanja; Singh, Garima; Kudo, Tomoyuki

    2013-01-01

    We present new on-sky results for the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics imager (SCExAO) verifying and quantifying the contrast gain enabled by key components: the closed-loop coronagraphic low-order wavefront sensor (CLOWFS) and focal plane wavefront control ("speckle nulling"). SCExAO will soon be coupled with a high-order, Pyramid wavefront sensor which will yield greater than 90% Strehl ratio and enable 10(exp 6) -10(exp 7) contrast at small angular separations allowing us to image gas giant planets at solar system scales. Upcoming instruments like VAMPIRES, FIRST, and CHARIS will expand SCExAO's science capabilities.

  13. Improvement of correlation-based centroiding methods for point source Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xuxu; Li, Xinyang; wang, Caixia

    2018-03-01

    This paper proposes an efficient approach to decrease the computational costs of correlation-based centroiding methods used for point source Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors. Four typical similarity functions have been compared, i.e. the absolute difference function (ADF), ADF square (ADF2), square difference function (SDF), and cross-correlation function (CCF) using the Gaussian spot model. By combining them with fast search algorithms, such as three-step search (TSS), two-dimensional logarithmic search (TDL), cross search (CS), and orthogonal search (OS), computational costs can be reduced drastically without affecting the accuracy of centroid detection. Specifically, OS reduces calculation consumption by 90%. A comprehensive simulation indicates that CCF exhibits a better performance than other functions under various light-level conditions. Besides, the effectiveness of fast search algorithms has been verified.

  14. Wavefront measurement of plastic lenses for mobile-phone applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Li-Ting; Cheng, Yuan-Chieh; Wang, Chung-Yen; Wang, Pei-Jen

    2016-08-01

    In camera lenses for mobile-phone applications, all lens elements have been designed with aspheric surfaces because of the requirements in minimal total track length of the lenses. Due to the diffraction-limited optics design with precision assembly procedures, element inspection and lens performance measurement have become cumbersome in the production of mobile-phone cameras. Recently, wavefront measurements based on Shack-Hartmann sensors have been successfully implemented on injection-molded plastic lens with aspheric surfaces. However, the applications of wavefront measurement on small-sized plastic lenses have yet to be studied both theoretically and experimentally. In this paper, both an in-house-built and a commercial wavefront measurement system configured on two optics structures have been investigated with measurement of wavefront aberrations on two lens elements from a mobile-phone camera. First, the wet-cell method has been employed for verifications of aberrations due to residual birefringence in an injection-molded lens. Then, two lens elements of a mobile-phone camera with large positive and negative power have been measured with aberrations expressed in Zernike polynomial to illustrate the effectiveness in wavefront measurement for troubleshooting defects in optical performance.

  15. Measurement and statistical analysis of the wavefront distortions induced by atmospheric turbulence using two-channel moiré deflectometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dashti, Mohsen; Rasouli, Saifollah

    2012-01-01

    Recently, an adjustable, high-sensitivity, wide dynamic range, two-channel wavefront sensor based on moiré deflectometry was proposed by Rasouli et al (2010 Opt. Express 18 23906). In this work we have used this sensor on a telescope for measuring turbulence-induced wavefront distortions. A slightly divergent laser beam passes through turbulent ground level atmosphere and enters the telescope’s aperture. The laser beam is collimated behind the telescope’s focal point by means of a collimator and the beam enters the wavefront sensor. First, from deviations in the moiré fringes we calculate the two orthogonal components of the angle of arrival at each location across the wavefront. The deviations have been deduced in successive frames which allows evolution of the wavefront shape and Fried’s seeing parameter r 0 to be determined. Mainly, statistical analysis of the reconstructed wavefront distortions are presented. The achieved accuracy in the measurements and comparison between the measurements and the theoretical models are presented. Owing to the use of the sensor on a telescope, and using sub-pixel accuracy for the measurement of the moiré fringe displacements, the sensitivity of the measurements is improved by more than one order of magnitude. In this work we have achieved a minimum measurable angle of arrival fluctuations equal to 3.7 × 10 −7 rad or 0.07 arc s. Besides, because of the large area of the telescope’s aperture, a high spatial resolution is achieved in detecting the spatial perturbations of the atmospheric turbulence. (paper)

  16. Measurement of nonlinear refractive index and ionization rates in air using a wavefront sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwarz, Jens; Rambo, Patrick; Kimmel, Mark; Atherton, Briggs

    2012-04-09

    A wavefront sensor has been used to measure the Kerr nonlinear focal shift of a high intensity ultrashort pulse beam in a focusing beam geometry while accounting for the effects of plasma-defocusing. It is shown that plasma-defocusing plays a major role in the nonlinear focusing dynamics and that measurements of Kerr nonlinearity and ionization are coupled. Furthermore, this coupled effect leads to a novel way that measures the laser ionization rates in air under atmospheric conditions as well as Kerr nonlinearity. The measured nonlinear index n₂ compares well with values found in the literature and the measured ionization rates could be successfully benchmarked to the model developed by Perelomov, Popov, and Terentev (PPT model) [Sov. Phys. JETP 50, 1393 (1966)].

  17. Wavefront optimized nonlinear microscopy of ex vivo human retinas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gualda, Emilio J.; Bueno, Juan M.; Artal, Pablo

    2010-03-01

    A multiphoton microscope incorporating a Hartmann-Shack (HS) wavefront sensor to control the ultrafast laser beam's wavefront aberrations has been developed. This instrument allowed us to investigate the impact of the laser beam aberrations on two-photon autofluorescence imaging of human retinal tissues. We demonstrated that nonlinear microscopy images are improved when laser beam aberrations are minimized by realigning the laser system cavity while wavefront controlling. Nonlinear signals from several human retinal anatomical features have been detected for the first time, without the need of fixation or staining procedures. Beyond the improved image quality, this approach reduces the required excitation power levels, minimizing the side effects of phototoxicity within the imaged sample. In particular, this may be important to study the physiology and function of the healthy and diseased retina.

  18. On distributed wavefront reconstruction for large-scale adaptive optics systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Visser, Cornelis C; Brunner, Elisabeth; Verhaegen, Michel

    2016-05-01

    The distributed-spline-based aberration reconstruction (D-SABRE) method is proposed for distributed wavefront reconstruction with applications to large-scale adaptive optics systems. D-SABRE decomposes the wavefront sensor domain into any number of partitions and solves a local wavefront reconstruction problem on each partition using multivariate splines. D-SABRE accuracy is within 1% of a global approach with a speedup that scales quadratically with the number of partitions. The D-SABRE is compared to the distributed cumulative reconstruction (CuRe-D) method in open-loop and closed-loop simulations using the YAO adaptive optics simulation tool. D-SABRE accuracy exceeds CuRe-D for low levels of decomposition, and D-SABRE proved to be more robust to variations in the loop gain.

  19. Novel Detecting Methods of Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensor at Low Light Levels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, A; Rao, C H; Zhang, Y D; Jiang, W H

    2006-01-01

    A study of novel detecting methods of Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor at low light levels has been made. Three methods of images processing before slope estimating are presented: Linear Enhancing (LE), Exponential Enhancing (EE) and Fourier Spectrum Filtering (FSF). The idea of LE method is to time the image intensity with a special coefficient before slope estimation. The image points are powered by a selected exponent in EE method. The FSF method is based on the spectrum difference between signal and noise. Most of noise spectrum is filtered and the noise is restrained. The simulated and experimental results show that the LE method does not work effectively, and the other two methods can improve the slope estimation when the Signal-to-noise ratio is higher than 3.0. When the Signal-to-noise ratio is less than 3.0, especially when it is less than 1.0, the FSF is the only method that can overcome the readout noise of the CCD detector

  20. Detection and Classification of Multiple Objects using an RGB-D Sensor and Linear Spatial Pyramid Matching

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dimitriou, Michalis; Kounalakis, Tsampikos; Vidakis, Nikolaos

    2013-01-01

    , connected components detection and filtering approaches, in order to design a complete image processing algorithm for efficient object detection of multiple individual objects in a single scene, even in complex scenes with many objects. Besides, we apply the Linear Spatial Pyramid Matching (LSPM) [1] method......This paper presents a complete system for multiple object detection and classification in a 3D scene using an RGB-D sensor such as the Microsoft Kinect sensor. Successful multiple object detection and classification are crucial features in many 3D computer vision applications. The main goal...... is making machines see and understand objects like humans do. To this goal, the new RGB-D sensors can be utilized since they provide real-time depth map which can be used along with the RGB images for our tasks. In our system we employ effective depth map processing techniques, along with edge detection...

  1. Wavefront-guided versus wavefront-optimized laser in situ keratomileusis: contralateral comparative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padmanabhan, Prema; Mrochen, Michael; Basuthkar, Subam; Viswanathan, Deepa; Joseph, Roy

    2008-03-01

    To compare the outcomes of wavefront-guided and wavefront-optimized treatment in fellow eyes of patients having laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for myopia. Medical and Vision Research Foundation, Tamil Nadu, India. This prospective comparative study comprised 27 patients who had wavefront-guided LASIK in 1 eye and wavefront-optimized LASIK in the fellow eye. The Hansatome (Bausch & Lomb) was used to create a superior-hinged flap and the Allegretto laser (WaveLight Laser Technologie AG), for photoablation. The Allegretto wave analyzer was used to measure ocular wavefront aberrations and the Functional Acuity Contrast Test chart, to measure contrast sensitivity before and 1 month after LASIK. The refractive and visual outcomes and the changes in aberrations and contrast sensitivity were compared between the 2 treatment modalities. One month postoperatively, 92% of eyes in the wavefront-guided group and 85% in the wavefront-optimized group had uncorrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better; 93% and 89%, respectively, had a postoperative spherical equivalent refraction of +/-0.50 diopter. The differences between groups were not statistically significant. Wavefront-guided LASIK induced less change in 18 of 22 higher-order Zernike terms than wavefront-optimized LASIK, with the change in positive spherical aberration the only statistically significant one (P= .01). Contrast sensitivity improved at the low and middle spatial frequencies (not statistically significant) and worsened significantly at high spatial frequencies after wavefront-guided LASIK; there was a statistically significant worsening at all spatial frequencies after wavefront-optimized LASIK. Although both wavefront-guided and wavefront-optimized LASIK gave excellent refractive correction results, the former induced less higher-order aberrations and was associated with better contrast sensitivity.

  2. Wavefront Measurement in Ophthalmology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molebny, Vasyl

    Wavefront sensing or aberration measurement in the eye is a key problem in refractive surgery and vision correction with laser. The accuracy of these measurements is critical for the outcome of the surgery. Practically all clinical methods use laser as a source of light. To better understand the background, we analyze the pre-laser techniques developed over centuries. They allowed new discoveries of the nature of the optical system of the eye, and many served as prototypes for laser-based wavefront sensing technologies. Hartmann's test was strengthened by Platt's lenslet matrix and the CCD two-dimensional photodetector acquired a new life as a Hartmann-Shack sensor in Heidelberg. Tscherning's aberroscope, invented in France, was transformed into a laser device known as a Dresden aberrometer, having seen its reincarnation in Germany with Seiler's help. The clinical ray tracing technique was brought to life by Molebny in Ukraine, and skiascopy was created by Fujieda in Japan. With the maturation of these technologies, new demands now arise for their wider implementation in optometry and vision correction with customized contact and intraocular lenses.

  3. Extended use of two crossed Babinet compensators for wavefront sensing in adaptive optics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Lancelot; Kumar Saxena, Ajay

    2010-12-01

    An extended use of two crossed Babinet compensators as a wavefront sensor for adaptive optics applications is proposed. This method is based on the lateral shearing interferometry technique in two directions. A single record of the fringes in a pupil plane provides the information about the wavefront. The theoretical simulations based on this approach for various atmospheric conditions and other errors of optical surfaces are provided for better understanding of this method. Derivation of the results from a laboratory experiment using simulated atmospheric conditions demonstrates the steps involved in data analysis and wavefront evaluation. It is shown that this method has a higher degree of freedom in terms of subapertures and on the choice of detectors, and can be suitably adopted for real-time wavefront sensing for adaptive optics.

  4. Hybrid wavefront sensing and image correction algorithm for imaging through turbulent media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Chensheng; Robertson Rzasa, John; Ko, Jonathan; Davis, Christopher C.

    2017-09-01

    It is well known that passive image correction of turbulence distortions often involves using geometry-dependent deconvolution algorithms. On the other hand, active imaging techniques using adaptive optic correction should use the distorted wavefront information for guidance. Our work shows that a hybrid hardware-software approach is possible to obtain accurate and highly detailed images through turbulent media. The processing algorithm also takes much fewer iteration steps in comparison with conventional image processing algorithms. In our proposed approach, a plenoptic sensor is used as a wavefront sensor to guide post-stage image correction on a high-definition zoomable camera. Conversely, we show that given the ground truth of the highly detailed image and the plenoptic imaging result, we can generate an accurate prediction of the blurred image on a traditional zoomable camera. Similarly, the ground truth combined with the blurred image from the zoomable camera would provide the wavefront conditions. In application, our hybrid approach can be used as an effective way to conduct object recognition in a turbulent environment where the target has been significantly distorted or is even unrecognizable.

  5. An Efficient Pipeline Wavefront Phase Recovery for the CAFADIS Camera for Extremely Large Telescopes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Magdaleno

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we show a fast, specialized hardware implementation of the wavefront phase recovery algorithm using the CAFADIS camera. The CAFADIS camera is a new plenoptic sensor patented by the Universidad de La Laguna (Canary Islands, Spain: international patent PCT/ES2007/000046 (WIPO publication number WO/2007/082975. It can simultaneously measure the wavefront phase and the distance to the light source in a real-time process. The pipeline algorithm is implemented using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA. These devices present architecture capable of handling the sensor output stream using a massively parallel approach and they are efficient enough to resolve several Adaptive Optics (AO problems in Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs in terms of processing time requirements. The FPGA implementation of the wavefront phase recovery algorithm using the CAFADIS camera is based on the very fast computation of two dimensional fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs. Thus we have carried out a comparison between our very novel FPGA 2D-FFTa and other implementations.

  6. Multigrid preconditioned conjugate-gradient method for large-scale wave-front reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilles, Luc; Vogel, Curtis R; Ellerbroek, Brent L

    2002-09-01

    We introduce a multigrid preconditioned conjugate-gradient (MGCG) iterative scheme for computing open-loop wave-front reconstructors for extreme adaptive optics systems. We present numerical simulations for a 17-m class telescope with n = 48756 sensor measurement grid points within the aperture, which indicate that our MGCG method has a rapid convergence rate for a wide range of subaperture average slope measurement signal-to-noise ratios. The total computational cost is of order n log n. Hence our scheme provides for fast wave-front simulation and control in large-scale adaptive optics systems.

  7. Correcting the wavefront aberration of membrane mirror based on liquid crystal spatial light modulator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Bin; Wei, Yin; Chen, Xinhua; Tang, Minxue

    2014-11-01

    Membrane mirror with flexible polymer film substrate is a new-concept ultra lightweight mirror for space applications. Compared with traditional mirrors, membrane mirror has the advantages of lightweight, folding and deployable, low cost and etc. Due to the surface shape of flexible membrane mirror is easy to deviate from the design surface shape, it will bring wavefront aberration to the optical system. In order to solve this problem, a method of membrane mirror wavefront aberration correction based on the liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LCSLM) will be studied in this paper. The wavefront aberration correction principle of LCSLM is described and the phase modulation property of a LCSLM is measured and analyzed firstly. Then the membrane mirror wavefront aberration correction system is designed and established according to the optical properties of a membrane mirror. The LCSLM and a Hartmann-Shack sensor are used as a wavefront corrector and a wavefront detector, respectively. The detected wavefront aberration is calculated and converted into voltage value on LCSLM for the mirror wavefront aberration correction by programming in Matlab. When in experiment, the wavefront aberration of a glass plane mirror with a diameter of 70 mm is measured and corrected for verifying the feasibility of the experiment system and the correctness of the program. The PV value and RMS value of distorted wavefront are reduced and near diffraction limited optical performance is achieved. On this basis, the wavefront aberration of the aperture center Φ25 mm in a membrane mirror with a diameter of 200 mm is corrected and the errors are analyzed. It provides a means of correcting the wavefront aberration of membrane mirror.

  8. Comparison of wavefront aberrations under cycloplegic, scotopic and photopic conditions using WaveScan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rong Fan

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To evaluate the differences of wavefront aberrations under cycloplegic, scotopic and photopic conditions. METHODS: A total of 174 eyes of 105 patients were measured using the wavefront sensor (WaveScan® 3.62 under different pupil conditions: cycloplegic 8.58 ± 0.54 mm (6.4 mm - 9.5 mm, scotopic 7.53 ± 0.69 mm (5.7 mm - 9.1 mm and photopic 6.08 ± 1.14 mm (4.1 mm - 8.8 mm. The pupil diameter, standard Zernike coefficients, root mean square of higher-order aberrations and dominant aberrations were compared between cycloplegic and scotopic conditions, and between scotopic and photopic conditions. RESULTS: The pupil diameter was 7.53 ± 0.69 mm under the scotopic condition, which reached the requirement of about 6.5 mm optical zone design in the wavefront-guided surgery and prevented measurement error due to the pupil centroid shift caused by mydriatics. Pharmacological pupil dilation induced increase of standard Zernike coefficients Z3-3, Z4(0 and Z5-5. The higher-order aberrations, third-order aberration, fourth-order aberration, fifth-order aberration, sixth-order aberration, and spherical aberration increased statistically significantly, compared to the scotopic condition (P<0.010. When the scotopic condition shifted to the photopic condition, the standard Zernike coefficients Z4(0, Z4², Z6-4, Z6-2, Z6² decreased and all the higher-order aberrations decreased statistically significantly (P<0.010, demonstrating that accommodative miosis can significantly improve vision under the photopic condition. Under the three conditions, the vertical coma aberration appears the most frequently within the dominant aberrations without significant effect by pupil size variance, and the proportion of spherical aberrations decreased with the decrease of the pupil size. CONCLUSIONS: The wavefront aberrations are significantly different under cycloplegic, scotopic and photopic conditions. Using the wavefront sensor (VISX WaveScan to measure scotopic

  9. Optically sensitive Medipix2 detector for adaptive optics wavefront sensing

    CERN Document Server

    Vallerga, John; Tremsina, Anton; Siegmund, Oswald; Mikulec, Bettina; Clark, Allan G; CERN. Geneva

    2005-01-01

    A new hybrid optical detector is described that has many of the attributes desired for the next generation adaptive optics (AO) wavefront sensors. The detector consists of a proximity focused microchannel plate (MCP) read out by multi-pixel application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chips developed at CERN ("Medipix2") with individual pixels that amplify, discriminate and count input events. The detector has 256 x 256 pixels, zero readout noise (photon counting), can be read out at 1 kHz frame rates and is abutable on 3 sides. The Medipix2 readout chips can be electronically shuttered down to a temporal window of a few microseconds with an accuracy of 10 ns. When used in a Shack-Hartmann style wavefront sensor, a detector with 4 Medipix chips should be able to centroid approximately 5000 spots using 7 x 7 pixel sub-apertures resulting in very linear, off-null error correction terms. The quantum efficiency depends on the optical photocathode chosen for the bandpass of interest.

  10. Optically sensitive Medipix2 detector for adaptive optics wavefront sensing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vallerga, John; McPhate, Jason; Tremsin, Anton; Siegmund, Oswald; Mikulec, Bettina; Clark, Allan

    2005-01-01

    A new hybrid optical detector is described that has many of the attributes desired for the next generation adaptive optics (AO) wavefront sensors. The detector consists of a proximity focused microchannel plate (MCP) read out by multi-pixel application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chips developed at CERN ('Medipix2') with individual pixels that amplify, discriminate and count input events. The detector has 256x256 pixels, zero readout noise (photon counting), can be read out at 1 kHz frame rates and is abutable on 3 sides. The Medipix2 readout chips can be electronically shuttered down to a temporal window of a few microseconds with an accuracy of 10 ns. When used in a Shack-Hartmann style wavefront sensor, a detector with 4 Medipix chips should be able to centroid approximately 5000 spots using 7x7 pixel sub-apertures resulting in very linear, off-null error correction terms. The quantum efficiency depends on the optical photocathode chosen for the bandpass of interest

  11. An imaging method of wavefront coding system based on phase plate rotation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Rigui; Chen, Xi; Dong, Liquan; Liu, Ming; Zhao, Yuejin; Liu, Xiaohua

    2018-01-01

    Wave-front coding has a great prospect in extending the depth of the optical imaging system and reducing optical aberrations, but the image quality and noise performance are inevitably reduced. According to the theoretical analysis of the wave-front coding system and the phase function expression of the cubic phase plate, this paper analyzed and utilized the feature that the phase function expression would be invariant in the new coordinate system when the phase plate rotates at different angles around the z-axis, and we proposed a method based on the rotation of the phase plate and image fusion. First, let the phase plate rotated at a certain angle around the z-axis, the shape and distribution of the PSF obtained on the image surface remain unchanged, the rotation angle and direction are consistent with the rotation angle of the phase plate. Then, the middle blurred image is filtered by the point spread function of the rotation adjustment. Finally, the reconstruction images were fused by the method of the Laplacian pyramid image fusion and the Fourier transform spectrum fusion method, and the results were evaluated subjectively and objectively. In this paper, we used Matlab to simulate the images. By using the Laplacian pyramid image fusion method, the signal-to-noise ratio of the image is increased by 19% 27%, the clarity is increased by 11% 15% , and the average gradient is increased by 4% 9% . By using the Fourier transform spectrum fusion method, the signal-to-noise ratio of the image is increased by 14% 23%, the clarity is increased by 6% 11% , and the average gradient is improved by 2% 6%. The experimental results show that the image processing by the above method can improve the quality of the restored image, improving the image clarity, and can effectively preserve the image information.

  12. In vivo imaging of human photoreceptor mosaic with wavefront sensorless adaptive optics optical coherence tomography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Kevin S K; Jian, Yifan; Cua, Michelle; Bonora, Stefano; Zawadzki, Robert J; Sarunic, Marinko V

    2015-02-01

    Wavefront sensorless adaptive optics optical coherence tomography (WSAO-OCT) is a novel imaging technique for in vivo high-resolution depth-resolved imaging that mitigates some of the challenges encountered with the use of sensor-based adaptive optics designs. This technique replaces the Hartmann Shack wavefront sensor used to measure aberrations with a depth-resolved image-driven optimization algorithm, with the metric based on the OCT volumes acquired in real-time. The custom-built ultrahigh-speed GPU processing platform and fast modal optimization algorithm presented in this paper was essential in enabling real-time, in vivo imaging of human retinas with wavefront sensorless AO correction. WSAO-OCT is especially advantageous for developing a clinical high-resolution retinal imaging system as it enables the use of a compact, low-cost and robust lens-based adaptive optics design. In this report, we describe our WSAO-OCT system for imaging the human photoreceptor mosaic in vivo. We validated our system performance by imaging the retina at several eccentricities, and demonstrated the improvement in photoreceptor visibility with WSAO compensation.

  13. Wavefront sensing and adaptive control in phased array of fiber collimators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lachinova, Svetlana L.; Vorontsov, Mikhail A.

    2011-03-01

    A new wavefront control approach for mitigation of atmospheric turbulence-induced wavefront phase aberrations in coherent fiber-array-based laser beam projection systems is introduced and analyzed. This approach is based on integration of wavefront sensing capabilities directly into the fiber-array transmitter aperture. In the coherent fiber array considered, we assume that each fiber collimator (subaperture) of the array is capable of precompensation of local (onsubaperture) wavefront phase tip and tilt aberrations using controllable rapid displacement of the tip of the delivery fiber at the collimating lens focal plane. In the technique proposed, this tip and tilt phase aberration control is based on maximization of the optical power received through the same fiber collimator using the stochastic parallel gradient descent (SPGD) technique. The coordinates of the fiber tip after the local tip and tilt aberrations are mitigated correspond to the coordinates of the focal-spot centroid of the optical wave backscattered off the target. Similar to a conventional Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor, phase function over the entire fiber-array aperture can then be retrieved using the coordinates obtained. The piston phases that are required for coherent combining (phase locking) of the outgoing beams at the target plane can be further calculated from the reconstructed wavefront phase. Results of analysis and numerical simulations are presented. Performance of adaptive precompensation of phase aberrations in this laser beam projection system type is compared for various system configurations characterized by the number of fiber collimators and atmospheric turbulence conditions. The wavefront control concept presented can be effectively applied for long-range laser beam projection scenarios for which the time delay related with the double-pass laser beam propagation to the target and back is compared or even exceeds the characteristic time of the atmospheric turbulence change

  14. Wavefront sensing in space: flight demonstration II of the PICTURE sounding rocket payload

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas, Ewan S.; Mendillo, Christopher B.; Cook, Timothy A.; Cahoy, Kerri L.; Chakrabarti, Supriya

    2018-01-01

    A NASA sounding rocket for high-contrast imaging with a visible nulling coronagraph, the Planet Imaging Concept Testbed Using a Rocket Experiment (PICTURE) payload, has made two suborbital attempts to observe the warm dust disk inferred around Epsilon Eridani. The first flight in 2011 demonstrated a 5 mas fine pointing system in space. The reduced flight data from the second launch, on November 25, 2015, presented herein, demonstrate active sensing of wavefront phase in space. Despite several anomalies in flight, postfacto reduction phase stepping interferometer data provide insight into the wavefront sensing precision and the system stability for a portion of the pupil. These measurements show the actuation of a 32 × 32-actuator microelectromechanical system deformable mirror. The wavefront sensor reached a median precision of 1.4 nm per pixel, with 95% of samples between 0.8 and 12.0 nm per pixel. The median system stability, including telescope and coronagraph wavefront errors other than tip, tilt, and piston, was 3.6 nm per pixel, with 95% of samples between 1.2 and 23.7 nm per pixel.

  15. Measurement of M2-Curve for Asymmetric Beams by Self-Referencing Interferometer Wavefront Sensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongzhao Du

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available For asymmetric laser beams, the values of beam quality factor M x 2 and M y 2 are inconsistent if one selects a different coordinate system or measures beam quality with different experimental conditionals, even when analyzing the same beam. To overcome this non-uniqueness, a new beam quality characterization method named as M2-curve is developed. The M2-curve not only contains the beam quality factor M x 2 and M y 2 in the x-direction and y-direction, respectively; but also introduces a curve of M x α 2 versus rotation angle α of coordinate axis. Moreover, we also present a real-time measurement method to demonstrate beam propagation factor M2-curve with a modified self-referencing Mach-Zehnder interferometer based-wavefront sensor (henceforth SRI-WFS. The feasibility of the proposed method is demonstrated with the theoretical analysis and experiment in multimode beams. The experimental results showed that the proposed measurement method is simple, fast, and a single-shot measurement procedure without movable parts.

  16. Atmospheric turbulence temperature on the laser wavefront properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Contreras López, J. C.; Ballesteros Díaz, A.; Tíjaro Rojas, O. J.; Torres Moreno, Y.

    2017-06-01

    Temperature is a physical magnitude that if is higher, the refractive index presents more important random fluctuations, which produce a greater distortion in the wavefront and thus a displacement in its centroid. To observe the effect produced by the turbulent medium strongly influenced by temperature on propagation laser beam, we experimented with two variable and controllable temperature systems designed as optical turbulence generators (OTG): a Turbulator and a Parallelepiped glass container. The experimental setup use three CMOS cameras and four temperature sensors spatially distributed to acquire synchronously information of the laser beam wavefront and turbulence temperature, respectively. The acquired information was analyzed with MATLAB® software tool, that it allows to compute the position, in terms of the evolution time, of the laser beam center of mass and their deviations produced by different turbulent conditions generated inside the two manufactured systems. The results were reflected in the statistical analysis of the centroid shifting.

  17. Atmospheric turbulence temperature on the laser wavefront properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    López, J C Contreras; Rojas, O J Tíjaro; Díaz, A Ballesteros; Moreno, Y Torres

    2017-01-01

    Temperature is a physical magnitude that if is higher, the refractive index presents more important random fluctuations, which produce a greater distortion in the wavefront and thus a displacement in its centroid. To observe the effect produced by the turbulent medium strongly influenced by temperature on propagation laser beam, we experimented with two variable and controllable temperature systems designed as optical turbulence generators (OTG): a Turbulator and a Parallelepiped glass container. The experimental setup use three CMOS cameras and four temperature sensors spatially distributed to acquire synchronously information of the laser beam wavefront and turbulence temperature, respectively. The acquired information was analyzed with MATLAB® software tool, that it allows to compute the position, in terms of the evolution time, of the laser beam center of mass and their deviations produced by different turbulent conditions generated inside the two manufactured systems. The results were reflected in the statistical analysis of the centroid shifting. (paper)

  18. Multi-optical-axis measurement of freeform progressive addition lenses using a Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Huazhong; Guo, Hang; Fu, Dongxiang; Zheng, Gang; Zhuang, Songlin; Chen, JiaBi; Wang, Cheng; Wu, Jie

    2018-05-01

    To precisely measure the whole-surface characterization of freeform progressive addition lenses (PALs), considering the multi-optical-axis conditions is becoming particularly important. Spherical power and astigmatism (cylinder) measurements for freeform PALs, using a Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor (HSWFS) are proposed herein. Conversion formulas for the optical performance results were provided as HSWFS Zernike polynomial expansions. For each selected zone, the studied PALs were placed and tilted to simulate the multi-optical-axis conditions. The results of two tested PALs were analyzed using MATLAB programs and represented as contour plots of the spherical equivalent and cylinder of the whole-surface. The proposed experimental setup can provide a high accuracy as well as a possibility of choosing 12 lines and positions of 193 measurement zones on the entire surface. This approach to PAL analysis is potentially an efficient and useful method to objectively evaluate the optical performances, in which the full lens surface is defined and expressed as the contour plots of power in different regions (i.e., the distance region, progressive region, and near region) of the lens for regions of interest.

  19. Wavefront division digital holography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wenhui; Cao, Liangcai; Li, Rujia; Zhang, Hua; Zhang, Hao; Jiang, Qiang; Jin, Guofan

    2018-05-01

    Digital holography (DH), mostly Mach-Zehnder configuration based, belongs to non-common path amplitude splitting interference imaging whose stability and fringe contrast are environmental sensitive. This paper presents a wavefront division DH configuration with both high stability and high-contrast fringes benefitting from quasi common path wavefront-splitting interference. In our proposal, two spherical waves with similar curvature coming from the same wavefront are used, which makes full use of the physical sampling capacity of the detectors. The interference fringe spacing can be adjusted flexibly for both in-line and off-axis mode due to the independent modulation to these two waves. Only a few optical elements, including the mirror-beam splitter interference component, are used without strict alignments, which makes it robust and easy-to-implement. The proposed wavefront division DH promotes interference imaging physics into the practical and miniaturized a step forward. The feasibility of this method is proved by the imaging of a resolution target and a water flea.

  20. Image system analysis of human eye wave-front aberration on the basis of HSS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Ancheng

    2017-07-01

    Hartmann-Shack sensor (HSS) has been used in objective measurement of human eye wave-front aberration, but the research on the effects of sampling point size on the accuracy of the result has not been reported. In this paper, point spread function (PSF) of the whole system mathematical model was obtained via measuring the optical imaging system structure of human eye wave-front aberration measurement. The impact of Airy spot size on the accuracy of system was analyzed. Statistics study show that the geometry of Airy spot size of the ideal light source sent from eye retina formed on the surface of HSS is far smaller than the size of the HSS sample point image used in the experiment. Therefore, the effect of Airy spot on the precision of the system can be ignored. This study theoretically and experimentally justifies the reliability and accuracy of human eye wave-front aberration measurement based on HSS.

  1. Preliminary results of a high-resolution refractometer using the Hartmann-Shack wave-front sensor: part I Resultados preliminares com refratrômetro de alta resolução, usando sensor de frente de onda de Hartmann-Shack: parte I

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Alberto Carvalho

    2003-06-01

    Full Text Available In this project we are developing an instrument for measuring the wave-front aberrations of the human eye using the Hartmann-Shack sensor. A laser source is directed towards the eye and its diffuse reflection at the retina generates an approximately spherical wave-front inside the eye. This wave-front travels through the different components of the eye (vitreous humor, lens, aqueous humor, and cornea and then leaves the eye carrying information about the aberrations caused by these components. Outside the eye there is an optical system composed of an array of microlenses and a CCD camera. The wave-front hits the microlens array and forms a pattern of spots at the CCD plane. Image processing algorithms detect the center of mass of each spot and this information is used to calculate the exact wave-front surface using least squares approximation by Zernike polynomials. We describe here the details of the first phase of this project, i. e., the construction of the first generation of prototype instruments and preliminary results for an artificial eye calibrated with different ametropias, i. e., myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.Neste projeto estamos desenvolvendo instrumento para medidas das aberrações de frente de onda do olho humano usando um sensor Hartmann-Shack. Uma fonte de luz laser é direcionada ao olho e sua reflexão difusa na retina gera frente de onda aproximadamente esférica dentro do olho. Esta frente de onda atravessa os diferentes componentes do olho (humor vítreo, lente, humor aquoso e córnea trazendo informações sobre as aberrações ópticas causadas por estes componentes. No meio externo ao olho existe sistema óptico formado por uma matriz de microlentes e uma câmera CCD. A frente de onda incide nesta matriz e forma um padrão aproximadamente matricial de "spots" no plano do CCD. Algoritmos de processamento de imagens são utilizados para detectar os centróides de cada "spot" e esta informação é utilizada para

  2. Wavefront error budget development for the Thirty Meter Telescope laser guide star adaptive optics system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilles, Luc; Wang, Lianqi; Ellerbroek, Brent

    2008-07-01

    This paper describes the modeling effort undertaken to derive the wavefront error (WFE) budget for the Narrow Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS), which is the facility, laser guide star (LGS), dual-conjugate adaptive optics (AO) system for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). The budget describes the expected performance of NFIRAOS at zenith, and has been decomposed into (i) first-order turbulence compensation terms (120 nm on-axis), (ii) opto-mechanical implementation errors (84 nm), (iii) AO component errors and higher-order effects (74 nm) and (iv) tip/tilt (TT) wavefront errors at 50% sky coverage at the galactic pole (61 nm) with natural guide star (NGS) tip/tilt/focus/astigmatism (TTFA) sensing in J band. A contingency of about 66 nm now exists to meet the observatory requirement document (ORD) total on-axis wavefront error of 187 nm, mainly on account of reduced TT errors due to updated windshake modeling and a low read-noise NGS wavefront sensor (WFS) detector. A detailed breakdown of each of these top-level terms is presented, together with a discussion on its evaluation using a mix of high-order zonal and low-order modal Monte Carlo simulations.

  3. Wavefront correction system based on an equilateral triangular arrangement of actuators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salmon, J.T.; Bergum, J.W.; Kartz, M.W.; Presta, R.W.; Swift, C.D.

    1993-02-01

    Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) requires the copropagation of multiple beams at different wavelengths and at average powers exceeding 1 kW. Although mirror coatings are used that absorb less than one part in 10 5 , the beams still suffer from thermally induced phase distortions, both in the dye amplifiers and in transmissive optics, such as beam combiners and vacuum windows. These aberrations are 2nd-order and 3rd-order and can reach 5 waves peak-to-valley (p-v), which causes the beam to distort and break up when propagated over large distances. The magnitude of the aberrations scales with power, with time constants on the order of 30 seconds. Previous adaptive systems that have been developed corrected these thermally induced phase distortions of both 2nd-order and 3rd-order; however, these systems had limited spatial resolution and in some cases marginal stability. The authors have developed a new adaptive optics system where both the actuators of the deformable mirror and the lenslets of the Hartmann sensor are arranged with centers at the vertices of equilateral triangles. The wavefront sensor is a video Hartmann sensor that also uses an equilateral array of lenslets. The controller hardware uses a VME bus. The design minimizes the generation of reflected wavefronts higher than first order across each lenslet for large excursions of actuators from positions where the mirror is flat and, thus maximizes the precision of the slopes measured by the Hartmann sensor. The design is also immune to the waffle mode that is present in the reconstructors of adaptive optics systems where actuators are arranged in a square array

  4. A hybrid system for beam steering and wavefront control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikulin, Vladimir V.

    2004-06-01

    Performance of long-range mobile laser systems operating within Earth's atmosphere is generally limited by several factors. Movement of the communicating platforms, such as aircraft, terrain vehicles, etc., complemented by mechanical vibrations, is the main cause of pointing errors. In addition, atmospheric turbulence causes changes of the refractive index along the propagation path that lead to phase distortions (aberrations), thus creating random redistribution of optical energy in the spatial domain. The combined effect of these factors leads to an increased bit-error probability under adverse operation conditions. While traditional approaches provide separate treatment of these problems, suggesting the development of high-bandwidth beam steering systems to perform tracking and jitter rejection, and wavefront control for the mitigation of atmospheric effects, the two tasks could be integrated. In this paper we present a hybrid laser beam steering/wavefront control system comprising an electrically addressed spatial light modulator (SLM) installed on the Omni-Wrist sensor mount platform. The function of the Omni-Wrist is to provide coarse steering over a wide range of pointing angles, while the purpose of the SLM is twofold: it performs wavefront correction and fine steering. The control law for the Omni-Wrist is synthesized using the decentralized approach that provides independent access to the azimuth and declination channels, while the algorithm for calculating the required phase profile for the SLM is optimization-based. This paper presents the control algorithms, the approach to coordinating the operation of the both systems and the simulation results.

  5. Quantitative comparison of different-shaped wavefront sensors and preliminary results for defocus aberrations on a mechanical eye Comparações quantitativas entre o sensor Hartmann-Shack e o sensor de Castro e resultados preliminares para um olho mecânico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Alberto Carvalho

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: There is a general acceptance among the scientific community of Cartesian symmetry wavefront sensors (such as the Hartmann-Shack (HS sensor as a standard in the field of optics and vision science. In this study it is shown that sensors of different symmetries and/or configurations should also be tested and analyzed in order to quantify and compare their effectiveness when applied to visual optics. Three types of wave-aberration sensors were developed and tested here. Each sensor has a very different configuration and/or symmetry (dodecagonal (DOD, cylindrical (CYL and conventional Hartmann-Shack (HS. METHODS: All sensors were designed and developed in the Physics Department of the Universidade de São Paulo - São Carlos. Each sensor was mounted on a laboratory optical bench used in a previous study. A commercial mechanical eye was used as control. This mechanical eye has a rotating mechanism that allows the retinal plane to be positioned at different axial distances. Ten different defocus aberrations were generated: 5 cases of myopia from -1D to -5D and 5 cases of hyperopia, from +1D to +5D, in steps of 1D following the scale printed on the mechanical eye. For each wavefront sensor a specific image-processing and fitting algorithm was implemented. For all three cases, the wavefront information was fit using the first 36 VSIA standard Zernike polynomials. Results for the mechanical eye were also compared to the absolute Zernike surface generated from coefficients associated with the theoretical sphere-cylinder aberration value. RESULTS: Precision was analyzed using two different methods: first, a theoretical approach was used by generating synthetic Zernike coefficients from the known sphere-cylinder aberrations, simply by applying sphere-cylinder equations in the backward direction. Then comparisons were made of these coefficients with the ones obtained in practice. Results for DOD, HS and CYL sensors were, respectively, as follows

  6. Wavefront correction and high-resolution in vivo OCT imaging with an objective integrated multi-actuator adaptive lens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonora, Stefano; Jian, Yifan; Zhang, Pengfei; Zam, Azhar; Pugh, Edward N; Zawadzki, Robert J; Sarunic, Marinko V

    2015-08-24

    Adaptive optics is rapidly transforming microscopy and high-resolution ophthalmic imaging. The adaptive elements commonly used to control optical wavefronts are liquid crystal spatial light modulators and deformable mirrors. We introduce a novel Multi-actuator Adaptive Lens that can correct aberrations to high order, and which has the potential to increase the spread of adaptive optics to many new applications by simplifying its integration with existing systems. Our method combines an adaptive lens with an imaged-based optimization control that allows the correction of images to the diffraction limit, and provides a reduction of hardware complexity with respect to existing state-of-the-art adaptive optics systems. The Multi-actuator Adaptive Lens design that we present can correct wavefront aberrations up to the 4th order of the Zernike polynomial characterization. The performance of the Multi-actuator Adaptive Lens is demonstrated in a wide field microscope, using a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor for closed loop control. The Multi-actuator Adaptive Lens and image-based wavefront-sensorless control were also integrated into the objective of a Fourier Domain Optical Coherence Tomography system for in vivo imaging of mouse retinal structures. The experimental results demonstrate that the insertion of the Multi-actuator Objective Lens can generate arbitrary wavefronts to correct aberrations down to the diffraction limit, and can be easily integrated into optical systems to improve the quality of aberrated images.

  7. THE MORPHOLOGICAL PYRAMID AND ITS APPLICATIONS TO REMOTE SENSING: MULTIRESOLUTION DATA ANALYSIS AND FEATURES EXTRACTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laporterie Florence

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available In remote sensing, sensors are more and more numerous, and their spatial resolution is higher and higher. Thus, the availability of a quick and accurate characterisation of the increasing amount of data is now a quite important issue. This paper deals with an approach combining a pyramidal algorithm and mathematical morphology to study the physiographic characteristics of terrestrial ecosystems. Our pyramidal strategy involves first morphological filters, then extraction at each level of resolution of well-known landscapes features. The approach is applied to a digitised aerial photograph representing an heterogeneous landscape of orchards and forests along the Garonne river (France. This example, simulating very high spatial resolution imagery, highlights the influence of the parameters of the pyramid according to the spatial properties of the studied patterns. It is shown that, the morphological pyramid approach is a promising attempt for multi-level features extraction by modelling geometrical relevant parameters.

  8. Advanced Imaging Optics Utilizing Wavefront Coding.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scrymgeour, David [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Boye, Robert [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Adelsberger, Kathleen [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2015-06-01

    Image processing offers a potential to simplify an optical system by shifting some of the imaging burden from lenses to the more cost effective electronics. Wavefront coding using a cubic phase plate combined with image processing can extend the system's depth of focus, reducing many of the focus-related aberrations as well as material related chromatic aberrations. However, the optimal design process and physical limitations of wavefront coding systems with respect to first-order optical parameters and noise are not well documented. We examined image quality of simulated and experimental wavefront coded images before and after reconstruction in the presence of noise. Challenges in the implementation of cubic phase in an optical system are discussed. In particular, we found that limitations must be placed on system noise, aperture, field of view and bandwidth to develop a robust wavefront coded system.

  9. Thermoluminescence of pyramid stones

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gomaa, M.A.; Eid, A.M.

    1982-01-01

    It is the aim of the present study to investigate some thermoluminescence properties of pyramid stones. Using a few grammes of pyramid stones from Pyramids I and II, the TL glow peaks were observed at 250 and 310 0 C, respectively. The TL glow peaks of samples annealed at 600 0 C, then exposed to 60 Co γ-rays were observed at 120, 190 and 310 0 C, respectively. The accumulated dose of natural samples is estimated to be around 310 Gray (31 krad). By assuming an annual dose is 1 mGy, the estimated age of pyramid stones is 0.31 M year. (author)

  10. Thermoluminescence of pyramid stones

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gomaa, M A; Eid, A M [Atomic Energy Establishment, Cairo (Egypt)

    1982-01-01

    It is the aim of the present study to investigate some thermoluminescence properties of pyramid stones. Using a few grammes of pyramid stones from Pyramids I and II, the TL glow peaks were observed at 250 and 310/sup 0/C, respectively. The TL glow peaks of samples annealed at 600/sup 0/C, then exposed to /sup 60/Co ..gamma..-rays were observed at 120, 190 and 310/sup 0/C, respectively. The accumulated dose of natural samples is estimated to be around 310 Gray (31 krad). By assuming an annual dose is 1 mGy, the estimated age of pyramid stones is 0.31 M year.

  11. Wavefront-Guided and Wavefront-Optimised Laser Treatments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Canan Aslı Utine

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Optical aberrations of the eye are the errors of the optical system that limit the resolution, contrast and amount of detail in the image formed on the retina. Wavefront technology allows us to measure these optical aberrations, calculate mathematically, and transfer this information into excimer laser system to perform customized treatment on the cornea. Two treatment algorithms developed to create low aberration-corneal profile are wavefront-optimised (WF-O and wavefront-guided (WF-G treatments. WF-O treatment, aims not to increase the existing spherical aberration while treatment is based on manifest refractive error as in conventional laser treatments. By increasing the number of laser spots applied peripherally in order to optimize the corneal asphericity, the preoperative central:peripheral keratometry ratio is preserved and optic zone shrinkage is prevented. On the other hand, WF-G treatment is based on aberrometry measurements and aims to correct the existing high-order aberrations in the eye. Thus, retinal image with high spatial details can be achieved. However, presence of postoperative defocus can abolish the successful results obtained with WF-G treatment. Clinical randomized controlled trials showed that in patients with preoperative RMS value of <0.3 μm, higher order aberration outcomes are similar after WF-G and WF-O treatments, but WF-G treatment yields better results when it is ≥0.4 μm. In normal eyes, very limited visual advantage can be achieved with WF-G treatment and preservation of asphericity value with WF-O treatment carries greater importance. On the other hand, in case of high astigmatism or higher order aberrations other than spherical aberration, decreasing aberrations with WF-G treatment becomes more important. In this study, we aimed to make a comparative analysis of characteristics and outcomes of the two treatment algorithms. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2012; 42: 474-8

  12. The Pyramidal Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lysgaard, Jens

    This paper introduces the Pyramidal Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (PCVRP) as a restricted version of the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP). In the PCVRP each route is required to be pyramidal in a sense generalized from the Pyramidal Traveling Salesman Problem (PTSP). A pyramidal...

  13. The pyramidal capacitated vehicle routing problem

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lysgaard, Jens

    2010-01-01

    This paper introduces the pyramidal capacitated vehicle routing problem (PCVRP) as a restricted version of the capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP). In the PCVRP each route is required to be pyramidal in a sense generalized from the pyramidal traveling salesman problem (PTSP). A pyramidal...

  14. Asymmetric wavefront aberrations and pupillary shapes induced by electrical stimulation of ciliary nerve in cats measured with compact wavefront aberrometer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suguru Miyagawa

    Full Text Available To investigate the changes in the wavefront aberrations and pupillary shape in response to electrical stimulation of the branches of the ciliary nerves in cats. Seven eyes of seven cats were studied under general anesthesia. Trains of monophasic pulses (current, 0.1 to 1.0 mA; duration, 0.5 ms/phase; frequency, 5 to 40 Hz were applied to the lateral or medial branch of the short ciliary nerve near the posterior pole of the eye. A pair of electrodes was hooked onto one or both branch of the short ciliary nerve. The electrodes were placed about 5 mm from the scleral surface. The wavefront aberrations were recorded continuously for 2 seconds before, 8 seconds during, and for 20 seconds after the electrical stimulation. The pupillary images were simultaneously recorded during the stimulation period. Both the wavefront aberrations and the pupillary images were obtained 10 times/sec with a custom-built wavefront aberrometer. The maximum accommodative amplitude was 1.19 diopters (D produced by electrical stimulation of the short ciliary nerves. The latency of the accommodative changes was very short, and the accommodative level gradually increased up to 4 seconds and reached a plateau. When only one branch of the ciliary nerve was stimulated, the pupil dilated asymmetrically, and the oblique astigmatism and one of the asymmetrical wavefront terms was also altered. Our results showed that the wavefront aberrations and pupillary dilations can be measured simultaneously and serially with a compact wavefront aberrometer. The asymmetric pupil dilation and asymmetric changes of the wavefront aberrations suggest that each branch of the ciliary nerve innervates specific segments of the ciliary muscle and dilator muscle of the pupil.

  15. Wavefront Propagation and Fuzzy Based Autonomous Navigation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adel Al-Jumaily

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available Path planning and obstacle avoidance are the two major issues in any navigation system. Wavefront propagation algorithm, as a good path planner, can be used to determine an optimal path. Obstacle avoidance can be achieved using possibility theory. Combining these two functions enable a robot to autonomously navigate to its destination. This paper presents the approach and results in implementing an autonomous navigation system for an indoor mobile robot. The system developed is based on a laser sensor used to retrieve data to update a two dimensional world model of therobot environment. Waypoints in the path are incorporated into the obstacle avoidance. Features such as ageing of objects and smooth motion planning are implemented to enhance efficiency and also to cater for dynamic environments.

  16. Whole eye wavefront aberrations in Mexican male subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantú, Roberto; Rosales, Marco A; Tepichín, Eduardo; Curioca, Andrée; Montes, Victor; Bonilla, Julio

    2004-01-01

    To analyze the characteristics, incidence, and appearance of wavefront aberrations in undilated, normal, unoperated eyes. Eighty-eight eyes of 44 healthy male Mexican subjects (mean age 25.32 years, range 18 to 36 yr) were divided into three groups based on uncorrected visual acuity of greater than or equal to 20/20, 20/30, or 20/40. UCVA measurements were obtained using an Acuity Max computer screen chart. Wavefront aberrations were measured with the Nidek OPD-Scan ARK 10000, Ver. 1.11b. All measurements were carried out at the same center by the same technician during a single session, following manufacturer instructions. Background illumination was 3 Lux. Wavefront aberration measurements for each group were statistically analyzed using StatView; an average eye was characterized and the resulting aberrations were simulated using MATLAB. We obtained wavefront aberration maps for the 20/20 undilated normal unoperated eyes for total, low, and high order aberration coefficients. Wavefront maps for right eyes were practically the same as those for left eyes. Higher aberrations did not contribute substantially to total wavefront analysis. Average aberrations of this "normal eye" will be used as criteria to decide the necessity of wavefront-guided ablation in our facilities. We will focus on the nearly zero average of high order aberrations in this normal whole eye as a reference to be matched.

  17. Design and realization of adaptive optical principle system without wavefront sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaobin; Niu, Chaojun; Guo, Yaxing; Han, Xiang'e.

    2018-02-01

    In this paper, we focus on the performance improvement of the free space optical communication system and carry out the research on wavefront-sensorless adaptive optics. We use a phase only liquid crystal spatial light modulator (SLM) as the wavefront corrector. The optical intensity distribution of the distorted wavefront is detected by a CCD. We develop a wavefront controller based on ARM and a software based on the Linux operating system. The wavefront controller can control the CCD camera and the wavefront corrector. There being two SLMs in the experimental system, one simulates atmospheric turbulence and the other is used to compensate the wavefront distortion. The experimental results show that the performance quality metric (the total gray value of 25 pixels) increases from 3037 to 4863 after 200 iterations. Besides, it is demonstrated that our wavefront-sensorless adaptive optics system based on SPGD algorithm has a good performance in compensating wavefront distortion.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2016-08-01

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

  19. Correlations between corneal and total wavefront aberrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mrochen, Michael; Jankov, Mirko; Bueeler, Michael; Seiler, Theo

    2002-06-01

    Purpose: Corneal topography data expressed as corneal aberrations are frequently used to report corneal laser surgery results. However, the optical image quality at the retina depends on all optical elements of the eye such as the human lens. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the correlations between the corneal and total wavefront aberrations and to discuss the importance of corneal aberrations for representing corneal laser surgery results. Methods: Thirty three eyes of 22 myopic subjects were measured with a corneal topography system and a Tschernig-type wavefront analyzer after the pupils were dilated to at least 6 mm in diameter. All measurements were centered with respect to the line of sight. Corneal and total wavefront aberrations were calculated up to the 6th Zernike order in the same reference plane. Results: Statistically significant correlations (p the corneal and total wavefront aberrations were found for the astigmatism (C3,C5) and all 3rd Zernike order coefficients such as coma (C7,C8). No statistically significant correlations were found for all 4th to 6th order Zernike coefficients except for the 5th order horizontal coma C18 (p equals 0.003). On average, all Zernike coefficients for the corneal aberrations were found to be larger compared to Zernike coefficients for the total wavefront aberrations. Conclusions: Corneal aberrations are only of limited use for representing the optical quality of the human eye after corneal laser surgery. This is due to the lack of correlation between corneal and total wavefront aberrations in most of the higher order aberrations. Besides this, the data present in this study yield towards an aberration balancing between corneal aberrations and the optical elements within the eye that reduces the aberration from the cornea by a certain degree. Consequently, ideal customized ablations have to take both, corneal and total wavefront aberrations, into consideration.

  20. Wavefront compensation applied to AVLIS laser systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonsiorowski, T.; Wirth, A.

    1995-01-01

    The efficiency of an AVLIS system depends upon the power density and uniformity of the laser system. Because of wavefront aberrations the realized beam quality is not ideal. Wavefront compensation provides a means to improve beam quality and system efficiency. (author)

  1. Spatial-temporal-covariance-based modeling, analysis, and simulation of aero-optics wavefront aberrations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogel, Curtis R; Tyler, Glenn A; Wittich, Donald J

    2014-07-01

    We introduce a framework for modeling, analysis, and simulation of aero-optics wavefront aberrations that is based on spatial-temporal covariance matrices extracted from wavefront sensor measurements. Within this framework, we present a quasi-homogeneous structure function to analyze nonhomogeneous, mildly anisotropic spatial random processes, and we use this structure function to show that phase aberrations arising in aero-optics are, for an important range of operating parameters, locally Kolmogorov. This strongly suggests that the d5/3 power law for adaptive optics (AO) deformable mirror fitting error, where d denotes actuator separation, holds for certain important aero-optics scenarios. This framework also allows us to compute bounds on AO servo lag error and predictive control error. In addition, it provides us with the means to accurately simulate AO systems for the mitigation of aero-effects, and it may provide insight into underlying physical processes associated with turbulent flow. The techniques introduced here are demonstrated using data obtained from the Airborne Aero-Optics Laboratory.

  2. Top-down cellular pyramids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, A Y; Rosenfeld, A

    1983-10-01

    A cellular pyramid is an exponentially tapering stack of arrays of processors (cells), where each cell is connected to its neighbors (siblings) on its own level, to a parent on the level above, and to its children on the level below. It is shown that in some situations, if information flows top-down only, from fathers to sons, then a cellular pyramid may be no faster than a one-level cellular array; but it may be possible to use simpler cells in the pyramid case. 23 references.

  3. Wavefront-ray grid FDTD algorithm

    OpenAIRE

    ÇİYDEM, MEHMET

    2016-01-01

    A finite difference time domain algorithm on a wavefront-ray grid (WRG-FDTD) is proposed in this study to reduce numerical dispersion of conventional FDTD methods. A FDTD algorithm conforming to a wavefront-ray grid can be useful to take into account anisotropy effects of numerical grids since it features directional energy flow along the rays. An explicit and second-order accurate WRG-FDTD algorithm is provided in generalized curvilinear coordinates for an inhomogeneous isotropic medium. Num...

  4. Visual optics under the wavefront perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sidney Júlio Faria-E-Sousa

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Some intriguing concepts of visual optics cannot be explained by ray tracing. However, they can be clarified using wavefront formalism. Its main advantage is in the use of the concept of vergence, which is very helpful in interpreting the optical phenomena involved in the neutralization of the ametropias. In this line of thinking, the major role of a lens is in the creation of a new light source (the image point that orientates the refracted waves. Once the nature and position of this source is known, one can easily predict the behavior of the wavefronts. The formalism also allows for an easier understanding on how wavefronts relate to light rays and on how algebraic signs are assigned to optical distances.

  5. Urban public health: is there a pyramid?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Meirong; Chen, Bin; Yang, Zhifeng; Cai, Yanpeng; Wang, Jiao

    2013-01-28

    Early ecologists identified a pyramidal trophic structure in terms of number, biomass and energy transfer. In 1943, the psychologist Maslow put forward a pyramid model to describe layers of human needs. It is indicated that the pyramid principle is universally applicable in natural, humanistic and social disciplines. Here, we report that a pyramid structure also exists in urban public health (UPH). Based on 18 indicators, the UPH states of four cities (Beijing, Tokyo, New York, and London) are compared from the point of view of five aspects, namely physical health, living conditions, social security, environmental quality, and education and culture. A pyramid structure was found in each city when focusing on 2000-2009 data. The pyramid of Beijing is relatively similar to that of Tokyo, and the pyramids of New York and London are similar to each other. A general development trend in UPH is proposed and represented by different pyramid modes. As a basic conjecture, the UPH pyramid model can be verified and developed with data of more cities over a longer period, and be used to promote healthy urban development.

  6. MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTIONS USING THREE-DIMENSIONAL WAVEFRONTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean Serra

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available The present study deals with the analysis of three-dimensional binary objects whose structure is not obvious nor generally clearly visible. Our approach is illustrated through three examples taken from biological microscopy. In one of our examples, we need to extract the osteocytes contained in sixty confocal sections. The cells are not numerous, but are characterized by long branches, hence they will be separated using a directional wavefront The two other objects are more complex and will be analysed by means of a spherical wavefront In the first case, a kidney of a rat embryo, the tissue grows like a tree, where we want to detect the branches, their extremities,and their spatial arrangement. The wavefront method enables us to define precisely branches and extremities, and gives flexible algorithms. The last example deals with the embryonic growth of the chicken shinbone. The central part of the bone (or shaft is structured as a series of nested cylinders following the same axis, and connected by more or less long bridges. Using wavefronts, we show that it is possible to separate the cylinders,and to extract and count the bridges that connect them.

  7. Implementation of a Wavefront-Sensing Algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Jeffrey S.; Dean, Bruce; Aronstein, David

    2013-01-01

    A computer program has been written as a unique implementation of an image-based wavefront-sensing algorithm reported in "Iterative-Transform Phase Retrieval Using Adaptive Diversity" (GSC-14879-1), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 31, No. 4 (April 2007), page 32. This software was originally intended for application to the James Webb Space Telescope, but is also applicable to other segmented-mirror telescopes. The software is capable of determining optical-wavefront information using, as input, a variable number of irradiance measurements collected in defocus planes about the best focal position. The software also uses input of the geometrical definition of the telescope exit pupil (otherwise denoted the pupil mask) to identify the locations of the segments of the primary telescope mirror. From the irradiance data and mask information, the software calculates an estimate of the optical wavefront (a measure of performance) of the telescope generally and across each primary mirror segment specifically. The software is capable of generating irradiance data, wavefront estimates, and basis functions for the full telescope and for each primary-mirror segment. Optionally, each of these pieces of information can be measured or computed outside of the software and incorporated during execution of the software.

  8. Dynamic wavefront creation for processing units using a hybrid compactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Puthoor, Sooraj; Beckmann, Bradford M.; Yudanov, Dmitri

    2018-02-20

    A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a processor for repacking dynamic wavefronts during program code execution on a processing unit, each dynamic wavefront including multiple threads are presented. If a branch instruction is detected, a determination is made whether all wavefronts following a same control path in the program code have reached a compaction point, which is the branch instruction. If no branch instruction is detected in executing the program code, a determination is made whether all wavefronts following the same control path have reached a reconvergence point, which is a beginning of a program code segment to be executed by both a taken branch and a not taken branch from a previous branch instruction. The dynamic wavefronts are repacked with all threads that follow the same control path, if all wavefronts following the same control path have reached the branch instruction or the reconvergence point.

  9. JWFront: Wavefronts and Light Cones for Kerr Spacetimes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frutos Alfaro, Francisco; Grave, Frank; Müller, Thomas; Adis, Daria

    2015-04-01

    JWFront visualizes wavefronts and light cones in general relativity. The interactive front-end allows users to enter the initial position values and choose the values for mass and angular momentum per unit mass. The wavefront animations are available in 2D and 3D; the light cones are visualized using the coordinate systems (t, x, y) or (t, z, x). JWFront can be easily modified to simulate wavefronts and light cones for other spacetime by providing the Christoffel symbols in the program.

  10. Urban Public Health: Is There a Pyramid?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meirong Su

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Early ecologists identified a pyramidal trophic structure in terms of number, biomass and energy transfer. In 1943, the psychologist Maslow put forward a pyramid model to describe layers of human needs. It is indicated that the pyramid principle is universally applicable in natural, humanistic and social disciplines. Here, we report that a pyramid structure also exists in urban public health (UPH. Based on 18 indicators, the UPH states of four cities (Beijing, Tokyo, New York, and London are compared from the point of view of five aspects, namely physical health, living conditions, social security, environmental quality, and education and culture. A pyramid structure was found in each city when focusing on 2000–2009 data. The pyramid of Beijing is relatively similar to that of Tokyo, and the pyramids of New York and London are similar to each other. A general development trend in UPH is proposed and represented by different pyramid modes. As a basic conjecture, the UPH pyramid model can be verified and developed with data of more cities over a longer period, and be used to promote healthy urban development.

  11. Asymmetric cryptography based on wavefront sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Xiang; Wei, Hengzheng; Zhang, Peng

    2006-12-15

    A system of asymmetric cryptography based on wavefront sensing (ACWS) is proposed for the first time to our knowledge. One of the most significant features of the asymmetric cryptography is that a trapdoor one-way function is required and constructed by analogy to wavefront sensing, in which the public key may be derived from optical parameters, such as the wavelength or the focal length, while the private key may be obtained from a kind of regular point array. The ciphertext is generated by the encoded wavefront and represented with an irregular array. In such an ACWS system, the encryption key is not identical to the decryption key, which is another important feature of an asymmetric cryptographic system. The processes of asymmetric encryption and decryption are formulized mathematically and demonstrated with a set of numerical experiments.

  12. Advanced wavefront measurement and analysis of laser system modeling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wolfe, C.R.; Auerback, J.M. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

    1994-11-15

    High spatial resolution measurements of the reflected or transmitted wavefronts of large aperture optical components used in high peak power laser systems is now possible. These measurements are produced by phase shifting interferometry. The wavefront data is in the form of 3-D phase maps that reconstruct the wavefront shape. The emphasis of this work is on the characterization of wavefront features in the mid-spatial wavelength range (from 0.1 to 10.0 mm) and has been accomplished for the first time. Wavefront structure from optical components with spatial wavelengths in this range are of concern because their effects in high peak power laser systems. At high peak power, this phase modulation can convert to large magnitude intensity modulation by non-linear processes. This can lead to optical damage. We have developed software to input the measured phase map data into beam propagation codes in order to model this conversion process. We are analyzing this data to: (1) Characterize the wavefront structure produced by current optical components, (2) Refine our understanding of laser system performance, (3) Develop a database from which future optical component specifications can be derived.

  13. Fusion of adaptive beam steering and optimization-based wavefront control for laser communications in atmosphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikulin, Vladimir V.

    2005-10-01

    The performance of mobile laser communication systems operating within Earth's atmosphere is generally limited by the pointing errors due to movement of the platforms and mechanical vibrations. In addition, atmospheric turbulence causes changes of the refractive index along the propagation path, creating random redistribution of the optical energy in the spatial domain. Under adverse conditions these effects lead to increased bit error rate. While traditional approaches provide separate treatment of these problems, suggesting high-bandwidth beam steering systems for tracking and wavefront control for the mitigation of atmospheric effects, the two tasks can be integrated. This paper presents a hybrid laser beam-steering-wavefront-control system comprising an electrically addressed spatial light modulator (SLM) installed on the Omni-Wrist sensor mount. The function of the Omni-Wrist is to provide coarse steering over a wide range of pointing angles, while that of the SLM is twofold: wavefront correction and fine steering. The control law for the Omni-Wrist is synthesized using a decentralized approach that provides independent access to the azimuth and declination channels; calculation of the required phase profile for the SLM is optimization-based. This paper presents the control algorithms, the approach to coordinating the operation of the two systems, and the results.

  14. INSTABILITY MODELING OF FINANCIAL PYRAMIDS

    OpenAIRE

    Girdzijauskas, Stasys; Moskaliova, Vera

    2005-01-01

    The financial structures that make use of money flow for “easy money” or cheating purpose are called financial pyramids. Recently financial pyramids intensively penetrates IT area. It is rather suitable way of the fraud. Money flow modeling and activity analysis of such financial systems allows identifying financial pyramids and taking necessary means of precautions. In the other hand even investing companies that function normally when market conditions changes (e.g. interest rates) eventual...

  15. Pyramiding for Resistance Durability: Theory and Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mundt, Chris

    2018-04-12

    Durable disease resistance is a key component of global food security, and combining resistance genes into "pyramids" is an important way to increase durability of resistance. The mechanisms by which pyramids impact durability are not well known. The traditional view of resistance pyramids considers the use of major resistance gene (R-gene) combinations deployed against pathogens that are primarily asexual. Interestingly, published examples of the successful use of pyramids in the traditional sense are rare. In contrast, most published descriptions of durable pyramids in practice are for cereal rusts, and tend to indicate an association between durability and cultivars combining major R-genes with incompletely expressed, adult plant resistance genes. Pyramids have been investigated experimentally for a diversity of pathogens, and many reduce disease levels below that of the single best gene. Resistance gene combinations have been identified through phenotypic reactions, molecular markers, and challenge against effector genes. As resistance genes do not express equally in all genetic backgrounds, however, a combination of genetic information and phenotypic analyses provide the ideal scenario for testing of putative pyramids. Not all resistance genes contribute equally to pyramids, and approaches have been suggested to identify the best genes and combinations of genes for inclusion. Combining multiple resistance genes into a single plant genotype quickly is a challenge that is being addressed through alternative breeding approaches, as well as through genomics tools such as resistance gene cassettes and gene editing. Experimental and modeling tests of pyramid durability are in their infancy, but have promise to help direct future studies of pyramids. Several areas for further work on resistance gene pyramids are suggested.

  16. Pyramid Comet Sampler, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Based on the sampling requirements, we propose an Inverted Pyramid sampling system. Each face of the pyramid includes a cutting blade which is independently actuated...

  17. WFIRST: Managing Telescope Wavefront Stability to Meet Coronagraph Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noecker, Martin; Poberezhskiy, Ilya; Kern, Brian; Krist, John; WFIRST System Engineering Team

    2018-01-01

    The WFIRST coronagraph instrument (CGI) needs a stable telescope and active wavefront control to perform coronagraph science with an expected sensitivity of 8x10-9 in the exoplanet-star flux ratio (SNR=10) at 200 milliarcseconds angular separation. With its subnanometer requirements on the stability of its input wavefront error (WFE), the CGI employs a combination of pointing and wavefront control loops and thermo-mechanical stability to meet budget allocations for beam-walk and low-order WFE, which enable stable starlight speckles on the science detector that can be removed by image subtraction. We describe the control strategy and the budget framework for estimating and budgeting the elements of wavefront stability, and the modeling strategy to evaluate it.

  18. Pyramid solar micro-grid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Bin-Juine; Hsu, Po-Chien; Wang, Yi-Hung; Tang, Tzu-Chiao; Wang, Jia-Wei; Dong, Xin-Hong; Hsu, Hsin-Yi; Li, Kang; Lee, Kung-Yen

    2018-03-01

    A novel pyramid solar micro-grid is proposed in the present study. All the members within the micro-grid can mutually share excess solar PV power each other through a binary-connection hierarchy. The test results of a 2+2 pyramid solar micro-grid consisting of 4 individual solar PV systems for self-consumption are reported.

  19. A wavefront analyzer for terahertz time-domain spectrometers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abraham, E.; Brossard, M.; Fauche, P.

    2017-01-01

    the terahertz wavefront and calculate its Zernike coefficients. In particular, we especially show that the focus spot of the spectrometer suffers from optical aberrations such as remaining defocus, first and second order astigmatisms, as well as spherical aberration. This opens a route to wavefront correction...

  20. Climbing the Needs Pyramids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. C. Lomas

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Abraham Maslow’s theory of human adult motivation is often represented by a pyramid image showing two proposals: First, the five needs stages in emergent order of hierarchical ascension and second, a percentage of the adult population suggested to occupy each needs tier. Specifically, Maslow proposed that adults would be motivated to satisfy their unfilled needs until they reached the hierarchy’s apex and achieved self-transcendence. Yet how adults can purposefully ascend Maslow’s pyramid through satisfying unfilled needs remains elusive. This brief article challenges this on the theory’s 70th anniversary by presenting a new image of the needs hierarchy, based on ecological design principles to support adults’ purposeful endeavors to climb the needs pyramid.

  1. Investigation of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peace, Nigel; And Others

    1997-01-01

    Describes an activity in which geometry and trigonometry are studied using pyramids. Identical model pyramids are constructed from card stock, along with pyramids of different proportions and cuboids to use as controls. Also includes an investigation of some apparently non-scientific claims. (DDR)

  2. Imaging a Pyramid Interior by ERT-3D Methods, Preliminar Results at El Castillo Pyramid, Chichen Itza, Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavez, R. E.; Tejero, A.; Cifuentes, G.; HernaNdez-Quintero, J. E.; Garcia-Serrano, A.

    2016-12-01

    The well known Pyramid El Castillo, located in the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, in the Yucatan Peninsula is the emblematic structure of this archaeological site and elected as one of the man-made world seven wonders. The archaeological team that restored this structure during the 1920's discovered a smaller pyramid inside this prehispanic body, which corresponded to an older Mayan period. The possibility of finding other constructive periods inside this edifice should be important to reconstruct the Mayan history. Previous geophysical studies carried out by us in 2014, employed novel Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) arrays that surrounded the pyramids surface with flat electrodes to obtain a 3D image of the subsoil. At that time, a low resistivity body was found beneath the pyramid, which was associated to a sinkhole filled with sweet water. Employing the same technique, a series of flat electrodes were deployed on each body conforming the pyramid, a total of 10 bodies were covered, employing a different number of electrodes trying to keep the distance between each electrode constant ( 3 m). Each body was treated as a single observation cube, where the apparent resistivity data measured was later inverted. A precise topographic control for each electrode was realized and introduced in the inversion process. 45,000 observation points within the pyramid were obtained. Initially, each working cube corresponding to a given pyramid's body was inverted. A composition of each inversion was assembled to form the resistivity distribution within the pyramid using a smooth interpolation method. A high resistivity anomaly was found towards the northern portion of the model that could be associated to the main stairway of the inner pyramid. The cavity detected during the 2014 survey was observed as a low resistivity anomaly found at the pyramid's base. At the moment, we are assembling the full observed resistivity data as a single file to compute an integrated

  3. Identified state-space prediction model for aero-optical wavefronts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faghihi, Azin; Tesch, Jonathan; Gibson, Steve

    2013-07-01

    A state-space disturbance model and associated prediction filter for aero-optical wavefronts are described. The model is computed by system identification from a sequence of wavefronts measured in an airborne laboratory. Estimates of the statistics and flow velocity of the wavefront data are shown and can be computed from the matrices in the state-space model without returning to the original data. Numerical results compare velocity values and power spectra computed from the identified state-space model with those computed from the aero-optical data.

  4. Uniform Local Binary Pattern for Fingerprint Liveness Detection in the Gaussian Pyramid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yujia Jiang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Fingerprint recognition schemas are widely used in our daily life, such as Door Security, Identification, and Phone Verification. However, the existing problem is that fingerprint recognition systems are easily tricked by fake fingerprints for collaboration. Therefore, designing a fingerprint liveness detection module in fingerprint recognition systems is necessary. To solve the above problem and discriminate true fingerprint from fake ones, a novel software-based liveness detection approach using uniform local binary pattern (ULBP in spatial pyramid is applied to recognize fingerprint liveness in this paper. Firstly, preprocessing operation for each fingerprint is necessary. Then, to solve image rotation and scale invariance, three-layer spatial pyramids of fingerprints are introduced in this paper. Next, texture information for three layers spatial pyramids is described by using uniform local binary pattern to extract features of given fingerprints. The accuracy of our proposed method has been compared with several state-of-the-art methods in fingerprint liveness detection. Experiments based on standard databases, taken from Liveness Detection Competition 2013 composed of four different fingerprint sensors, have been carried out. Finally, classifier model based on extracted features is trained using SVM classifier. Experimental results present that our proposed method can achieve high recognition accuracy compared with other methods.

  5. High signal-to-noise ratio sensing with Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor based on auto gain control of electron multiplying CCD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Zhao-Yi; Li Da-Yu; Hu Li-Fa; Mu Quan-Quan; Yang Cheng-Liang; Cao Zhao-Liang; Xuan Li

    2016-01-01

    High signal-to-noise ratio can be achieved with the electron multiplying charge-coupled-device (EMCCD) applied in the Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor (S–H WFS) in adaptive optics (AO). However, when the brightness of the target changes in a large scale, the fixed electron multiplying (EM) gain will not be suited to the sensing limitation. Therefore an auto-gain-control method based on the brightness of light-spots array in S–H WFS is proposed in this paper. The control value is the average of the maximum signals of every light spot in an array, which has been demonstrated to be kept stable even under the influence of some noise and turbulence, and sensitive enough to the change of target brightness. A goal value is needed in the control process and it is predetermined based on the characters of EMCCD. Simulations and experiments have demonstrated that this auto-gain-control method is valid and robust, the sensing SNR reaches the maximum for the corresponding signal level, and especially is greatly improved for those dim targets from 6 to 4 magnitude in the visual band. (special topic)

  6. Virtual Reality Tumor Resection: The Force Pyramid Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawaya, Robin; Bugdadi, Abdulgadir; Azarnoush, Hamed; Winkler-Schwartz, Alexander; Alotaibi, Fahad E; Bajunaid, Khalid; AlZhrani, Gmaan A; Alsideiri, Ghusn; Sabbagh, Abdulrahman J; Del Maestro, Rolando F

    2017-09-05

    The force pyramid is a novel visual representation allowing spatial delineation of instrument force application during surgical procedures. In this study, the force pyramid concept is employed to create and quantify dominant hand, nondominant hand, and bimanual force pyramids during resection of virtual reality brain tumors. To address 4 questions: Do ergonomics and handedness influence force pyramid structure? What are the differences between dominant and nondominant force pyramids? What is the spatial distribution of forces applied in specific tumor quadrants? What differentiates "expert" and "novice" groups regarding their force pyramids? Using a simulated aspirator in the dominant hand and a simulated sucker in the nondominant hand, 6 neurosurgeons and 14 residents resected 8 different tumors using the CAE NeuroVR virtual reality neurosurgical simulation platform (CAE Healthcare, Montréal, Québec and the National Research Council Canada, Boucherville, Québec). Position and force data were used to create force pyramids and quantify tumor quadrant force distribution. Force distribution quantification demonstrates the critical role that handedness and ergonomics play on psychomotor performance during simulated brain tumor resections. Neurosurgeons concentrate their dominant hand forces in a defined crescent in the lower right tumor quadrant. Nondominant force pyramids showed a central peak force application in all groups. Bimanual force pyramids outlined the combined impact of each hand. Distinct force pyramid patterns were seen when tumor stiffness, border complexity, and color were altered. Force pyramids allow delineation of specific tumor regions requiring greater psychomotor ability to resect. This information can focus and improve resident technical skills training. Copyright © 2017 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons

  7. PYRAMID LAKE RENEWEABLE ENERGY PLAN

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    HIGH DESERT GEOCULTURE, LLC

    2009-06-06

    The Pyramid Lake Renewable Energy Plan covers these areas: energy potential (primarily focusing on geothermal resource potential, but also more generally addressing wind energy potential); renewable energy market potential; transmission system development; geothermal direct use potential; and business structures to accomplish the development objectives of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe.

  8. Manipulating Acoustic Wavefront by Inhomogeneous Impedance and Steerable Extraordinary Reflection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Jiajun; Li, Baowen; Chen, Zhining; Qiu, Cheng-Wei

    2013-08-01

    We unveil the connection between the acoustic impedance along a flat surface and the reflected acoustic wavefront, in order to empower a wide wariety of novel applications in acoustic community. Our designed flat surface can generate double reflections: the ordinary reflection and the extraordinary one whose wavefront is manipulated by the proposed impedance-governed generalized Snell's law of reflection (IGSL). IGSL is based on Green's function and integral equation, instead of Fermat's principle for optical wavefront manipulation. Remarkably, via the adjustment of the designed specific acoustic impedance, extraordinary reflection can be steered for unprecedented acoustic wavefront while that ordinary reflection can be surprisingly switched on or off. The realization of the complex discontinuity of the impedance surface has been proposed using Helmholtz resonators.

  9. The relativistic titls of Giza pyramids' entrance-passages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aboulfotouh, H.

    The tilts of Giza pyramids' entrance-passages have never been considered as if they were the result of relativistic mathematical equations, and never been thought to encode the Earth's obliquity parameters. This paper presents an attempt to retrieve the method of establishing the equations that the pyramids' designer used to quantify the entrance-passages' tilts of these architectonic masterpieces. It proves that the pyramids' designer was able to include the geographic, astronomical and time parameters in one relativistic equation, encoding the date of the design of the Giza pyramids in the tilt of the entrance passage of the great pyramid.

  10. Wavefront Sensing for WFIRST with a Linear Optical Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jurling, Alden S.; Content, David A.

    2012-01-01

    In this paper we develop methods to use a linear optical model to capture the field dependence of wavefront aberrations in a nonlinear optimization-based phase retrieval algorithm for image-based wavefront sensing. The linear optical model is generated from a ray trace model of the system and allows the system state to be described in terms of mechanical alignment parameters rather than wavefront coefficients. This approach allows joint optimization over images taken at different field points and does not require separate convergence of phase retrieval at individual field points. Because the algorithm exploits field diversity, multiple defocused images per field point are not required for robustness. Furthermore, because it is possible to simultaneously fit images of many stars over the field, it is not necessary to use a fixed defocus to achieve adequate signal-to-noise ratio despite having images with high dynamic range. This allows high performance wavefront sensing using in-focus science data. We applied this technique in a simulation model based on the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) Intermediate Design Reference Mission (IDRM) imager using a linear optical model with 25 field points. We demonstrate sub-thousandth-wave wavefront sensing accuracy in the presence of noise and moderate undersampling for both monochromatic and polychromatic images using 25 high-SNR target stars. Using these high-quality wavefront sensing results, we are able to generate upsampled point-spread functions (PSFs) and use them to determine PSF ellipticity to high accuracy in order to reduce the systematic impact of aberrations on the accuracy of galactic ellipticity determination for weak-lensing science.

  11. Beam geometry, alignment, and wavefront aberration effects on interferometric differential wavefront sensing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Xiangzhi; Gillmer, S R; Ellis, J D

    2015-01-01

    Heterodyne interferometry is a widely accepted methodology with high resolution in many metrology applications. As a functionality enhancement, differential wavefront sensing (DWS) enables simultaneous measurement of displacement, pitch, and yaw using a displacement interferometry system and a single beam incident on a plane mirror target. The angular change is measured using a weighted phase average between symmetrically adjacent quadrant photodiode pairs. In this paper, we present an analytical model to predict the scaling of differential phase signals based on fundamental Gaussian beams. Several numerical models are presented to discuss the effects of physical beam parameters, detector size, system alignment errors, and beam wavefront aberrations on the DWS technique. The results of our modeling predict rotational scaling factors and a usable linear range. Furthermore, experimental results show the analytically predicted scaling factor is in good agreement with empirical calibration. Our three degree-of-freedom interferometer can achieve a resolution of 0.4 nm in displacement and 0.2 μrad in pitch and yaw simultaneously. (paper)

  12. Iterative-Transform Phase Diversity: An Object and Wavefront Recovery Algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, J. Scott

    2011-01-01

    Presented is a solution for recovering the wavefront and an extended object. It builds upon the VSM architecture and deconvolution algorithms. Simulations are shown for recovering the wavefront and extended object from noisy data.

  13. Integrated Wavefront Corrector, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — One of the critical issues for NASA missions requiring high contrast astrophysical imaging such as Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) is wavefront control. Without use...

  14. Wavefront-error evaluation by mathematical analysis of experimental Foucault-test data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, R. G.

    1975-01-01

    The diffraction theory of the Foucault test provides an integral formula expressing the complex amplitude and irradiance distribution in the Foucault pattern of a test mirror (lens) as a function of wavefront error. Recent literature presents methods of inverting this formula to express wavefront error in terms of irradiance in the Foucault pattern. The present paper describes a study in which the inversion formulation was applied to photometric Foucault-test measurements on a nearly diffraction-limited mirror to determine wavefront errors for direct comparison with ones determined from scatter-plate interferometer measurements. The results affirm the practicability of the Foucault test for quantitative wavefront analysis of very small errors, and they reveal the fallacy of the prevalent belief that the test is limited to qualitative use only. Implications of the results with regard to optical testing and the potential use of the Foucault test for wavefront analysis in orbital space telescopes are discussed.

  15. Geometry of fast magnetosonic rays, wavefronts and shock waves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Núñez, Manuel, E-mail: mnjmhd@am.uva.es

    2016-11-25

    Fast magnetosonic waves in a two-dimensional plasma are studied in the geometrical optics approximation. The geometry of rays and wavefronts influences decisively the formation and ulterior evolution of shock waves. It is shown that the curvature of the curve where rays start and the angle between rays and wavefronts are the main parameters governing a wide variety of possible outcomes. - Highlights: • Magnetosonic waves are studied in a genuinely multidimensional setting. • Curvature and the angle between rays and wavefronts are the main parameters. • Shock waves may exist or not, depending on initial conditions. • Both velocity and shape of those waves present a large variety of possible outcomes.

  16. X-ray wavefront characterization using a rotating shearing interferometer technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hongchang; Sawhney, Kawal; Berujon, Sébastien; Ziegler, Eric; Rutishauser, Simon; David, Christian

    2011-08-15

    A fast and accurate method to characterize the X-ray wavefront by rotating one of the two gratings of an X-ray shearing interferometer is described and investigated step by step. Such a shearing interferometer consists of a phase grating mounted on a rotation stage, and an absorption grating used as a transmission mask. The mathematical relations for X-ray Moiré fringe analysis when using this device are derived and discussed in the context of the previous literature assumptions. X-ray beam wavefronts without and after X-ray reflective optical elements have been characterized at beamline B16 at Diamond Light Source (DLS) using the presented X-ray rotating shearing interferometer (RSI) technique. It has been demonstrated that this improved method allows accurate calculation of the wavefront radius of curvature and the wavefront distortion, even when one has no previous information on the grating projection pattern period, magnification ratio and the initial grating orientation. As the RSI technique does not require any a priori knowledge of the beam features, it is suitable for routine characterization of wavefronts of a wide range of radii of curvature. © 2011 Optical Society of America

  17. Wavefront reconstruction using computer-generated holograms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulze, Christian; Flamm, Daniel; Schmidt, Oliver A.; Duparré, Michael

    2012-02-01

    We propose a new method to determine the wavefront of a laser beam, based on modal decomposition using computer-generated holograms (CGHs). Thereby the beam under test illuminates the CGH with a specific, inscribed transmission function that enables the measurement of modal amplitudes and phases by evaluating the first diffraction order of the hologram. Since we use an angular multiplexing technique, our method is innately capable of real-time measurements of amplitude and phase, yielding the complete information about the optical field. A measurement of the Stokes parameters, respectively of the polarization state, provides the possibility to calculate the Poynting vector. Two wavefront reconstruction possibilities are outlined: reconstruction from the phase for scalar beams and reconstruction from the Poynting vector for inhomogeneously polarized beams. To quantify single aberrations, the reconstructed wavefront is decomposed into Zernike polynomials. Our technique is applied to beams emerging from different kinds of multimode optical fibers, such as step-index, photonic crystal and multicore fibers, whereas in this work results are exemplarily shown for a step-index fiber and compared to a Shack-Hartmann measurement that serves as a reference.

  18. Egyptian pyramid or Aztec pyramid: How should we describe the industrial architecture of automotive supply chains in Europe?

    OpenAIRE

    Vincent FRIGANT (GREThA, CNRS, UMR 5113)

    2011-01-01

    This article questions a terminology that is frequently used to describe automotive supply chains’ industrial architecture. Since vertical disintegration became a trend in the 1980s, this architecture has been represented using the image of the pyramid. Implicitly, authors have had the image of an Egyptian pyramid in mind, one that is pointed at the top and broad at the base. We will demonstrate that even if pyramids are an appropriate image, in the auto industry the Aztec variant, with its s...

  19. On the astronomical orientation of the IV dynasty Egyptian pyramids and the dating of the second Giza pyramid

    OpenAIRE

    Magli, Giulio

    2003-01-01

    The data on the astronomical orientation of the IV dynasty Egyptian pyramids are re-analyzed and it is shown that such data suggest an inverse chronology between the `first` and the `second` Giza pyramid.

  20. Ocular aberrations with ray tracing and Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensors: Does polarization play a role?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcos, Susana; Diaz-Santana, Luis; Llorente, Lourdes; Dainty, Chris

    2002-06-01

    Ocular aberrations were measured in 71 eyes by using two reflectometric aberrometers, employing laser ray tracing (LRT) (60 eyes) and a Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensor (S-H) (11 eyes). In both techniques a point source is imaged on the retina (through different pupil positions in the LRT or a single position in the S-H). The aberrations are estimated by measuring the deviations of the retinal spot from the reference as the pupil is sampled (in LRT) or the deviations of a wave front as it emerges from the eye by means of a lenslet array (in the S-H). In this paper we studied the effect of different polarization configurations in the aberration measurements, including linearly polarized light and circularly polarized light in the illuminating channel and sampling light in the crossed or parallel orientations. In addition, completely depolarized light in the imaging channel was obtained from retinal lipofuscin autofluorescence. The intensity distribution of the retinal spots as a function of entry (for LRT) or exit pupil (for S-H) depends on the polarization configuration. These intensity patterns show bright corners and a dark area at the pupil center for crossed polarization, an approximately Gaussian distribution for parallel polarization and a homogeneous distribution for the autofluorescence case. However, the measured aberrations are independent of the polarization states. These results indicate that the differences in retardation across the pupil imposed by corneal birefringence do not produce significant phase delays compared with those produced by aberrations, at least within the accuracy of these techniques. In addition, differences in the recorded aerial images due to changes in polarization do not affect the aberration measurements in these reflectometric aberrometers.

  1. Nanopore formation on Au coated pyramid under electron beam irradiations (plasmonic nanopore on pyramid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seong Soo Choi

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available There have been tremendous interests about the single molecule analysis using a sold-state nanopore. The solid-state nanopore can be fabricated either by drilling technique, or diffusion technique by using electron beam irradiations. The solid-state SiN nanopore device with electrical detection technique recently fabricated, however, the solid-state Au nanopore with optical detection technique can be better utilized as the next generation single molecule sensor. In this report, the nanometer size openings with its size less than 10 nm on the diffused membrane on the 200 nm Au pyramid were fabricated by using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM electron beam irradiations, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, etc. After the sample was being kept under a room environment for several months, several Au (111 clusters with ~6 nm diameter formed via Ostwald ripening are observed using a high resolution TEM imaging. The nanopore with Au nanoclusters on the diffused membrane can be utilized as an optical nanopore device. Keywords: Electron beam irradiation, Surface diffusion, Carbon contamination, Au cluster, Ostwald ripening

  2. Parallel-Computing Architecture for JWST Wavefront-Sensing Algorithms

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-01

    results due to the increasing cost and complexity of each test. 2. ALGORITHM OVERVIEW Phase retrieval is an image-based wavefront-sensing...broadband illumination problems we have found that hand-tuning the right matrix sizes can account for a speedup of 86x faster. This comes from hand-picking...Wavefront Sensing and Control”. Proceedings of SPIE (2007) vol. 6687 (08). [5] Greenhouse, M. A., Drury , M. P., Dunn, J. L., Glazer, S. D., Greville, E

  3. Peak-locking centroid bias in Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anugu, Narsireddy; Garcia, Paulo J. V.; Correia, Carlos M.

    2018-05-01

    Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing relies on accurate spot centre measurement. Several algorithms were developed with this aim, mostly focused on precision, i.e. minimizing random errors. In the solar and extended scene community, the importance of the accuracy (bias error due to peak-locking, quantization, or sampling) of the centroid determination was identified and solutions proposed. But these solutions only allow partial bias corrections. To date, no systematic study of the bias error was conducted. This article bridges the gap by quantifying the bias error for different correlation peak-finding algorithms and types of sub-aperture images and by proposing a practical solution to minimize its effects. Four classes of sub-aperture images (point source, elongated laser guide star, crowded field, and solar extended scene) together with five types of peak-finding algorithms (1D parabola, the centre of gravity, Gaussian, 2D quadratic polynomial, and pyramid) are considered, in a variety of signal-to-noise conditions. The best performing peak-finding algorithm depends on the sub-aperture image type, but none is satisfactory to both bias and random errors. A practical solution is proposed that relies on the antisymmetric response of the bias to the sub-pixel position of the true centre. The solution decreases the bias by a factor of ˜7 to values of ≲ 0.02 pix. The computational cost is typically twice of current cross-correlation algorithms.

  4. Housing under the pyramid reduces susceptibility of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons to prenatal stress in the developing rat offspring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murthy, Krishna Dilip; George, Mitchel Constance; Ramasamy, Perumal; Mustapha, Zainal Arifin

    2013-12-01

    Mother-offspring interaction begins before birth. The foetus is particularly vulnerable to environmental insults and stress. The body responds by releasing excess of the stress hormone cortisol, which acts on glucocorticoid receptors. Hippocampus in the brain is rich in glucocorticoid receptors and therefore susceptible to stress. The stress effects are reduced when the animals are placed under a model wooden pyramid. The present study was to first explore the effects of prenatal restraint-stress on the plasma corticosterone levels and the dendritic arborisation of CA3 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus of the offspring. Further, to test whether the pyramid environment would alter these effects, as housing under a pyramid is known to reduce the stress effects, pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were restrained for 9 h per day from gestation day 7 until parturition in a wire-mesh restrainer. Plasma corticosterone levels were found to be significantly increased. In addition, there was a significant reduction in the apical and the basal total dendritic branching points and intersections of the CA3 hippocampal pyramidal neurons. The results thus suggest that, housing in the pyramid dramatically reduces prenatal stress effects in rats.

  5. A study on radiation energy of Pyramidal shape 1- Effect of housing within a Pyramid model on cancer growth and some blood parameters of mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Abiad, N.M.; Lotfi, S.A.; El Hadary, A.A.; Nagi, G.A.

    2010-01-01

    A study of solid tumor growth retardation by impaling the pyramid energy radiation in a pyramidal model shape was carried out. The great Pyramid of Egypt has evoked a keen interest since 1920, both for its architectural, marvel and mystical significance. Its strange thing (via shaping of razers, longer shelf life of vegetables, alerted states of consciousnesses, sleeping in hum and, wound healing). Power energy radiations are said to occur within a pyramid constructed in the exact geometric properties of Giza pyramid. The effect of housing in two different pyramidal shapes on cancer growth and some blood physiological indices in mice infected with cancer were observed. The results obtained that housing in pyramid shape cage significantly reduced the development of cancer, significant increase in liver enzymes activity and α feto proteins, however, no effect was observed in levels of thyroid hormones concentration when compared with their matched value in ordinary 2 inverted pyramid cages. It could be concluded that the radiation energy of pyramidal shapes might improve certain biochemical and physiological indices leading to tumor growth retardation

  6. Exciton binding energy in a pyramidal quantum dot

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    A ANITHA

    2018-03-27

    Mar 27, 2018 ... screening function on exciton binding energy in a pyramid-shaped quantum dot of ... tures may generate unique properties and they show .... where Ee is the ground-state energy of the electron in ... Figure 1. The geometry of the pyramidal quantum dot. base and H is the height of the pyramid which is taken.

  7. Imaging the Cheops Pyramid

    CERN Document Server

    Bui, H D

    2012-01-01

    In this book Egyptian Archeology  and Mathematics meet. The author is an expert in theories and applications in Solid Mechanics and Inverse Problems, a former professor at Ecole Polytechnique and now works with Electricité de France on maintenance operations on nuclear power plants. In the Autumn of 1986, after the end of the operation on the King’s chamber conducted under the Technological and Scientific Sponsorship of EDF, to locate a cavity, he was called to solve a mathematical inverse problem, to find the unknown tomb of the King and the density structure of the whole pyramid based on measurements of microgravity made inside and outside of the pyramid. This book recounts the various search operations on the pyramid of Cheops made at the request of the Egyptian and French authorities in 1986-1987. After the premature end of the Cheops operation in the Autumn of 1986, following the fiasco of unsuccessful drillings in the area suspected by both architects G. Dormion and J.P. Goidin and microgravity aus...

  8. Sonographic findings in primary diseases of renal pyramids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rao, B.K.

    1987-01-01

    Primary pathologic processes involving the renal pyramids such as papillary necrosis, drug-induced necrosis or calcinosis, cysts, neoplasms, and medullary nephrocalcinosis are rare. Thirty-four patients with primary renal pyramid diseases underwent US evaluation for altered morphology; a 5-MHz transducer was used. In 20 patients site-specific changes in the pyramid (e.g., papillary necrosis at the apex, small cysts at the base in medullary cystic disease, tubular calcification in MSK, corticomedullary hyperechogenicity in oxalosis) were noted on US. Sonographic delineation of the site and pattern of pathologic changes in the renal pyramid may help to identify specific diseases

  9. The Formation and Characterization of GaN Hexagonal Pyramids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shi-Ying; Xiu, Xiang-Qian; Lin, Zeng-Qin; Hua, Xue-Mei; Xie, Zi-Li; Zhang, Rong; Zheng, You-Dou

    2013-05-01

    GaN with hexagonal pyramids is fabricated using the photo-assisted electroless chemical etching method. Defective areas of the GaN substrate are selectively etched in a mixed solution of KOH and K2S2O8 under ultraviolet illumination, producing submicron-sized pyramids. Hexagonal pyramids on the etched GaN with well-defined {101¯1¯} facets and very sharp tips are formed. High-resolution x-ray diffraction shows that etched GaN with pyramids has a higher crystal quality, and micro-Raman spectra reveal a tensile stress relaxation in GaN with pyramids compared with normal GaN. The cathodoluminescence intensity of GaN after etching is significantly increased by three times, which is attributed to the reduction in the internal reflection, high-quality GaN with pyramids and the Bragg effect.

  10. Traveling wavefront solutions to nonlinear reaction-diffusion-convection equations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Indekeu, Joseph O.; Smets, Ruben

    2017-08-01

    Physically motivated modified Fisher equations are studied in which nonlinear convection and nonlinear diffusion is allowed for besides the usual growth and spread of a population. It is pointed out that in a large variety of cases separable functions in the form of exponentially decaying sharp wavefronts solve the differential equation exactly provided a co-moving point source or sink is active at the wavefront. The velocity dispersion and front steepness may differ from those of some previously studied exact smooth traveling wave solutions. For an extension of the reaction-diffusion-convection equation, featuring a memory effect in the form of a maturity delay for growth and spread, also smooth exact wavefront solutions are obtained. The stability of the solutions is verified analytically and numerically.

  11. Traveling wavefront solutions to nonlinear reaction-diffusion-convection equations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Indekeu, Joseph O; Smets, Ruben

    2017-01-01

    Physically motivated modified Fisher equations are studied in which nonlinear convection and nonlinear diffusion is allowed for besides the usual growth and spread of a population. It is pointed out that in a large variety of cases separable functions in the form of exponentially decaying sharp wavefronts solve the differential equation exactly provided a co-moving point source or sink is active at the wavefront. The velocity dispersion and front steepness may differ from those of some previously studied exact smooth traveling wave solutions. For an extension of the reaction-diffusion-convection equation, featuring a memory effect in the form of a maturity delay for growth and spread, also smooth exact wavefront solutions are obtained. The stability of the solutions is verified analytically and numerically. (paper)

  12. Relevance of the pyramidal syndrome in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Álvarez, N; Díez, L; Avellaneda, C; Serra, M; Rubio, M Á

    Pyramidal signs (hyperreflexia, spasticity, Babinski sign) are essential for the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, these signs are not always present at onset and may vary over time, besides which their role in disease evolution is controversial. Our goal was to describe which pyramidal signs were present and how they evolved in a cohort of patients with ALS, as well as their role in prognosis. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected patients diagnosed with ALS in our centre from 1990 to 2015. Of a total of 130 patients with ALS, 34 (26.1%) patients showed no pyramidal signs at the first visit while 15 (11.5%) had a complete pyramidal syndrome. Of those patients without initial pyramidal signs, mean time of appearance of the first signs was 4.5 months. Babinski sign was positive in 64 (49.2%) patients, hyperreflexia in 90 (69.2%) and 22 (16.9%) patients had spasticity. Pyramidal signs tended to remain unchanged over time, although they seem to appear at later stages or even disappear with time in some patients. We found no association between survival and the presence of changes to pyramidal signs, although decreased spasticity was associated with greater clinical deterioration (ALSFR scale) (P<.001). A quarter of patients with ALS initially showed no pyramidal signs and in some cases they even disappear over time. These data support the need for tools that assess the pyramidal tract. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  13. High-resolution wavefront control of high-power laser systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brase, J.; Brown, C.; Carrano, C.; Kartz, M.; Olivier, S.; Pennington, D.; Silva, D.

    1999-01-01

    Nearly every new large-scale laser system application at LLNL has requirements for beam control which exceed the current level of available technology. For applications such as inertial confinement fusion, laser isotope separation, laser machining, and laser the ability to transport significant power to a target while maintaining good beam quality is critical. There are many ways that laser wavefront quality can be degraded. Thermal effects due to the interaction of high-power laser or pump light with the internal optical components or with the ambient gas are common causes of wavefront degradation. For many years, adaptive optics based on thing deformable glass mirrors with piezoelectric or electrostrictive actuators have be used to remove the low-order wavefront errors from high-power laser systems. These adaptive optics systems have successfully improved laser beam quality, but have also generally revealed additional high-spatial-frequency errors, both because the low-order errors have been reduced and because deformable mirrors have often introduced some high-spatial-frequency components due to manufacturing errors. Many current and emerging laser applications fall into the high-resolution category where there is an increased need for the correction of high spatial frequency aberrations which requires correctors with thousands of degrees of freedom. The largest Deformable Mirrors currently available have less than one thousand degrees of freedom at a cost of approximately $1M. A deformable mirror capable of meeting these high spatial resolution requirements would be cost prohibitive. Therefore a new approach using a different wavefront control technology is needed. One new wavefront control approach is the use of liquid-crystal (LC) spatial light modulator (SLM) technology for the controlling the phase of linearly polarized light. Current LC SLM technology provides high-spatial-resolution wavefront control, with hundreds of thousands of degrees of freedom, more

  14. Phase-preserving wavefront amplification at 590 nm by stimulated Raman scattering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wick, D. V.; Gruneisen, M. T.; Peterson, P. R.

    1998-03-01

    This paper presents an experimental demonstration of high-gain optical-wavefront amplification by stimulated Raman scattering near the D 1 resonance in atomic sodium vapor. Single-pass weak-field gain of nearly 400 is achieved with only 800 mW of pump power. Through judicious focusing, the weak wavefront is confined to the central region of the focused pump wave where saturation of the dispersion profile minimizes phase distortions due to self-focusing effects. Phase-preserving amplification is demonstrated by interferometric measurements of an amplified TEM 00 wavefront.

  15. [Pyramidal syndrome in lateral amyotrophic sclerosis: clinico-morphological analysis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musaeva, L S; Zavalishin, I A; Gulevskaia, T S

    2003-01-01

    Retrospective clinical analysis with a special focus on pyramidal syndrome expression in the disease course as well as morphological study of brain and spinal structures in all levels of cortical-spinal projection (from brain motor cortex to spinal lumbar segments) have been conducted for 11 section cases of lateral amyotrophic sclerosis (LAS), sporadic type. Two groups of patients were studied: with pronounced pyramidal syndrome (spasticity, hyperreflexia, etc)--7 cases and with some signs of pyramidal deficiency (anisoreflexia, stability of peritoneal reflexes)--4 cases. Pyramidal syndrome in LAS is considered as an emergence of current neurodegenerative process, embracing a significant part of upper motor neurons of both precentral convolution and its axons along the whole length of cerebrospinal axis in the form of cytoplasmic inclusions and axonal spheroids. A presence of pathomorphological changes in other upper segmental structures of motor control reveals their role in pyramidal deficiency. Comparative analysis showed that expression of pyramidal syndrome signs and its correlation to atrophic paresis appearances is specifically determined by the severity of upper and lower motor neurons lesions. With regard to morphological changes in CNS structures, the peculiarities of some pyramidal syndrome appearances in LAS are analyzed.

  16. Adaptable Diffraction Gratings With Wavefront Transformation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iazikov, Dmitri; Mossberg, Thomas W.; Greiner, Christoph M.

    2010-01-01

    Diffraction gratings are optical components with regular patterns of grooves, which angularly disperse incoming light by wavelength. Traditional diffraction gratings have static planar, concave, or convex surfaces. However, if they could be made so that they can change the surface curvature at will, then they would be able to focus on particular segments, self-calibrate, or perform fine adjustments. This innovation creates a diffraction grating on a deformable surface. This surface could be bent at will, resulting in a dynamic wavefront transformation. This allows for self-calibration, compensation for aberrations, enhancing image resolution in a particular area, or performing multiple scans using different wavelengths. A dynamic grating gives scientists a new ability to explore wavefronts from a variety of viewpoints.

  17. Wavefront analysis for plenoptic camera imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luan Yin-Sen; Xu Bing; Yang Ping; Tang Guo-Mao

    2017-01-01

    The plenoptic camera is a single lens stereo camera which can retrieve the direction of light rays while detecting their intensity distribution. In this paper, to reveal more truths of plenoptic camera imaging, we present the wavefront analysis for the plenoptic camera imaging from the angle of physical optics but not from the ray tracing model of geometric optics. Specifically, the wavefront imaging model of a plenoptic camera is analyzed and simulated by scalar diffraction theory and the depth estimation is redescribed based on physical optics. We simulate a set of raw plenoptic images of an object scene, thereby validating the analysis and derivations and the difference between the imaging analysis methods based on geometric optics and physical optics are also shown in simulations. (paper)

  18. Wave optics modeling of real-time holographic wavefront compensation systems using OSSim

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carbon, Margarita A.; Guthals, Dennis M.; Logan, Jerry D.

    2005-08-01

    OSSim (Optical System Simulation) is a wave-optics, time-domain simulation toolbox with both optical and data processing components developed for adaptive optics (AO) systems. Diffractive wavefront control elements have recently been added that accurately model optically and electrically addressed spatial light modulators as real time holographic (RTH) devices in diffractive wavefront control systems. The developed RTH toolbox has found multiple applications for a variety of Boeing programs in solving problems of AO system analysis and design. Several complex diffractive wavefront control systems have been modeled for compensation of static and dynamic aberrations such as imperfect segmented primary mirrors and atmospheric and boundary layer turbulence. The results of OSSim simulations of RTH wavefront compensation show very good agreement with available experimental data.

  19. Teacher Acquisition of Functional Analysis Methods Using Pyramidal Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pence, Sacha T.; St. Peter, Claire C.; Giles, Aimee F.

    2014-01-01

    Pyramidal training involves an experienced professional training a subset of individuals who, in turn, train additional individuals. Pyramidal training is effective for training a variety of behavior-analytic skills with direct-care staff, parents, and teachers. As teachers' roles in behavioral assessment increase, pyramidal training may be…

  20. Evaluating noise performance of the IUCAA sidecar drive electronics controller (ISDEC) based system for TMT on-instrument wavefront sensing (OIWFS) application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burse, Mahesh; Chattopadhyay, Sabyasachi; Ramaprakash, A. N.; Sinha, Sakya; Prabhudesai, Swapnil; Punnadi, Sujit; Chordia, Pravin; Kohok, Abhay

    2016-07-01

    As a part of a design study for the On-Instrument Low Order Wave-front Sensor (OIWFS) for the TMT Infra-Red Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), we recently evaluated the noise performance of a detector control system consisting of IUCAA SIDECAR DRIVE ELECRONICS CONTROLLER (ISDEC), SIDECAR ASIC and HAWAII-2RG (H2RG) MUX. To understand and improve the performance of this system to serve as a near infrared wavefront sensor, we implemented new read out modes like multiple regions of interest with differential multi-accumulate readout schemes for the HAWAII-2RG (H2RG) detector. In this system, the firmware running in SIDECAR ASIC programs the detector for ROI readout, reads the detector, processes the detector output and writes the digitized data into its internal memory. ISDEC reads the digitized data from ASIC, performs the differential multi-accumulate operations and then sends the processed data to a PC over a USB interface. A special loopback board was designed and used to measure and reduce the noise from SIDECAR ASIC DC biases2. We were able to reduce the mean r.m.s read noise of this system down to 1-2 e. for any arbitrary window frame of 4x4 size at frame rates below about 200 Hz.

  1. Transmitted wavefront testing with large dynamic range based on computer-aided deflectometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Daodang; Xu, Ping; Gong, Zhidong; Xie, Zhongmin; Liang, Rongguang; Xu, Xinke; Kong, Ming; Zhao, Jun

    2018-06-01

    The transmitted wavefront testing technique is demanded for the performance evaluation of transmission optics and transparent glass, in which the achievable dynamic range is a key issue. A computer-aided deflectometric testing method with fringe projection is proposed for the accurate testing of transmitted wavefronts with a large dynamic range. Ray tracing of the modeled testing system is carried out to achieve the virtual ‘null’ testing of transmitted wavefront aberrations. The ray aberration is obtained from the ray tracing result and measured slope, with which the test wavefront aberration can be reconstructed. To eliminate testing system modeling errors, a system geometry calibration based on computer-aided reverse optimization is applied to realize accurate testing. Both numerical simulation and experiments have been carried out to demonstrate the feasibility and high accuracy of the proposed testing method. The proposed testing method can achieve a large dynamic range compared with the interferometric method, providing a simple, low-cost and accurate way for the testing of transmitted wavefronts from various kinds of optics and a large amount of industrial transmission elements.

  2. [Monochromatic aberration in accommodation. Dynamic wavefront analysis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fritzsch, M; Dawczynski, J; Jurkutat, S; Vollandt, R; Strobel, J

    2011-06-01

    Monochromatic aberrations may influence the visual acuity of the eye. They are not stable and can be affected by different factors. The subject of the following paper is the dynamic investigation of the changes in wavefront aberration with accommodation. Dynamic measurement of higher and lower order aberrations was performed with a WASCA Wavefront Analyzer (Carl-Zeiss-Meditec) and a specially constructed target device for aligning objects in far and near distances on 25 subjects aged from 15 to 27 years old. Wavefront aberrations showed some significant changes in accommodation. In addition to the characteristic sphere reaction accompanying miosis and changes in horizontal prism (Z(1) (1)) in the sense of a convergence movement of the eyeball also occurred. Furthermore defocus rose (Z(2) (0)) and astigmatism (Z(2) (-2)) changed. In higher-order aberrations a decrease in coma-like Zernike polynomials (Z(3) (-1), Z(3) (1)) was found. The most obvious change appeared in spherical aberration (Z(4) (0)) which increased and changed from positive to negative. In addition the secondary astigmatism (Z(4) (-2)) and quadrafoil (Z(4) (4)) rise also increased. The total root mean square (RMS), as well as the higher-order aberrations (RMS-HO) significantly increased in accommodation which is associated with a theoretical reduction of visual acuity. An analysis of the influence of pupil size on aberrations showed significant increases in defocus, spherical aberration, quadrafoil, RMS and RMS HO by increasing pupil diameter. By accommodation-associated miosis, the growing aberrations are partially compensated by focusing on near objects. Temporal analysis of the accommodation process with dynamic wavefront analysis revealed significant delays in pupil response and changing of prism in relation to the sphere reaction. In accommodation to near objects a discrete time ahead of third order aberrations in relation to the sphere response was found. Using dynamic wavefront measurement

  3. A study on high speed wavefront control algorithm for an adaptive optics system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Seung Kyu; Baik, Sung Hoon; Kim, Cheol Jung; Seo, Young Seok

    2000-01-01

    We developed a high speed control algorithm and system for measuring and correcting the wavefront distortions based on Windows operating system. To get quickly the information of wavefront distortion from the Hartman spot image, we preprocessed the image to remove background noises and extracted the centroid position by finding the center of weights. We moved finely the centroid position with sub-pixel resolution repeatedly to get the wavefront information with more enhanced resolution. We designed a differential data communication driver and an isolated analog driver to have robust system control. As the experimental results, the measurement resolution of the wavefront was 0.05 pixels and correction speed was 5Hz

  4. Phase Diversity Wavefront Sensing for Control of Space Based Adaptive Optics Systems

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Schgallis, Richard J

    2007-01-01

    Phase Diversity Wavefront Sensing (PD WFS) is a wavefront reconstruction technique used in adaptive optics, which takes advantage of the curvature conjugating analog physical properties of a deformable mirror (MMDM or Bi-morph...

  5. Intraoperative tractography and neuronavigation of the pyramidal tract

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nimsky, C.; Ganslandt, O.; Weigel, D.; Keller, B. von; Stadlbauer, A.; Akutsu, H.; Hammen, T.; Buchfelder, M.

    2008-01-01

    Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) based fiber tracking was applied to visualize the course of the pyramidal tract in the surgical field by microscope-based navigation. In 70 patients with lesions adjacent to the pyramidal tract, DTI data were integrated in a navigational setup. Diffusion data (b=0) were rigidly registered with standard T1-weighted 3-D images. Fiber tracking was performed applying a tensor-deflection algorithm using a multiple volume of interest approach as seed regions for tracking. fMRI data identifying the motor gyrus were applied as selection criteria to define the fibers of interest. After tracking, a 3-D object was generated representing the pyramidal tract. In selected cases, the intraoperative image data (1.5 T intraoperative MRI) were used to update the navigation system. In all patients the pyramidal tract could be visualized in the operative field applying the heads-up display of the operating microscope. In 8 patients (11%) a new or aggravated postoperative paresis could be observed, which was transient in 5 of them; thus, only in 3 patients (4.2%) was there a new permanent neurological deficit. Intraoperative imaging depicted a shifting of the pyramidal tract which amounted up to 15 mm; even the direction of shifting was variable and could not be predicted before surgery, so that mathematical models trying to predict brain shift behaviour are of restricted value only. DTI fiber tracking data can be reliably integrated into navigational systems providing intraoperative visualization of the pyramidal tract. This technique allowed the resection of lesions adjacent to the pyramidal tract with low morbidity. (author)

  6. Military target task performance after wavefront-guided (WFG) and wavefront-optimized (WFO) photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurer, Tana; Deaver, Dawne; Howell, Christopher; Moyer, Steve; Nguyen, Oanh; Mueller, Greg; Ryan, Denise; Sia, Rose K.; Stutzman, Richard; Pasternak, Joseph; Bower, Kraig

    2014-06-01

    Major decisions regarding life and death are routinely made on the modern battlefield, where visual function of the individual soldier can be of critical importance in the decision-making process. Glasses in the combat environment have considerable disadvantages: degradation of short term visual performance can occur as dust and sweat accumulate on lenses during a mission or patrol; long term visual performance can diminish as lenses become increasingly scratched and pitted; during periods of intense physical trauma, glasses can be knocked off the soldier's face and lost or broken. Although refractive surgery offers certain benefits on the battlefield when compared to wearing glasses, it is not without potential disadvantages. As a byproduct of refractive surgery, elevated optical aberrations can be induced, causing decreases in contrast sensitivity and increases in the symptoms of glare, halos, and starbursts. Typically, these symptoms occur under low light level conditions, the same conditions under which most military operations are initiated. With the advent of wavefront aberrometry, we are now seeing correction not only of myopia and astigmatism but of other, smaller optical aberrations that can cause the above symptoms. In collaboration with the Warfighter Refractive Eye Surgery Program and Research Center (WRESP-RC) at Fort Belvoir and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), the overall objective of this study is to determine the impact of wavefront guided (WFG) versus wavefront-optimized (WFO) photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) on military task visual performance. Psychophysical perception testing was conducted before and after surgery to measure each participant's performance regarding target detection and identification using thermal imagery. The results are presented here.

  7. Effect of housing rats within a pyramid on stress parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhat, Surekha; Rao, Guruprasad; Murthy, K Dilip; Bhat, P Gopalakrishna

    2003-11-01

    The Giza pyramids of Egypt have been the subject of much research. Pyramid models with the same base to height ratio as of the Great Pyramid of Giza, when aligned on a true north-south axis, are believed to generate, transform and transmit energy. Research done with such pyramid models has shown that they induced greater relaxation in human subjects, promoted better wound healing in rats and afforded protection against stress-induced neurodegnerative changes in mice. The present study was done to assess the effects of housing Wistar rats within the pyramid on the status of oxidative damage and antioxidant defense in their erythrocytes and cortisol levels in their plasma. Rats were housed in cages under standard laboratory conditions. Cages were left in the open (normal control), under a wooden pyramid model (experimental rats) or in a cubical box of comparable dimensions (6 hr/day for 14 days). Erythrocyte malondialdehyde and plasma cortisol levels were significantly decreased in rats kept within the pyramid as compared to the normal control and those within the square box. Erythrocyte reduced glutathione levels, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly increased in the rats kept in the pyramid as compared to the other two groups. There was no significant difference in any of the parameters between the normal control and rats kept in the square box. The results showed that exposure of adult female Wistar rats to pyramid environment reduces stress oxidative stress and increases antioxidant defense in them.

  8. The cradle of pyramids in satellite images

    OpenAIRE

    Sparavigna, Amelia Carolina

    2011-01-01

    We propose the use of image processing to enhance the Google Maps of some archaeological areas of Egypt. In particular we analyse that place which is considered the cradle of pyramids, where it was announced the discovery of a new pyramid by means of an infrared remote sensing.

  9. Partial coherence and imperfect optics at a synchrotron radiation source modeled by wavefront propagation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laundy, David; Alcock, Simon G.; Alianelli, Lucia; Sutter, John P.; Sawhney, Kawal J. S.; Chubar, Oleg

    2014-09-01

    A full wave propagation of X-rays from source to sample at a storage ring beamline requires simulation of the electron beam source and optical elements in the beamline. The finite emittance source causes the appearance of partial coherence in the wave field. Consequently, the wavefront cannot be treated exactly with fully coherent wave propagation or fully incoherent ray tracing. We have used the wavefront code Synchrotron Radiation Workshop (SRW) to perform partially coherent wavefront propagation using a parallel computing cluster at the Diamond Light Source. Measured mirror profiles have been used to correct the wavefront for surface errors.

  10. The wavefront of the radio signal emitted by cosmic ray air showers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Apel, W.D.; Bekk, K.; Blümer, J.; Bozdog, H.; Daumiller, K.; Doll, P.; Engel, R. [Institut für Kernphysik, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Arteaga-Velázquez, J.C. [Instituto de Física y Matemáticas, Universidad Michoacana, Edificio C-3, Cd. Universitaria, C.P. 58040 Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico); Bähren, L.; Falcke, H. [ASTRON, Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4, 7991 PD Dwingeloo (Netherlands); Bertaina, M.; Cantoni, E.; Chiavassa, A.; Pierro, F. Di [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Giuria 1, 10125 Torino (Italy); Biermann, P.L. [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn (Germany); Brancus, I.M. [National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Str. Reactorului no. 30, P.O. Box MG-6, Bucharest-Magurele (Romania); De Souza, V. [Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense 400, Pq. Arnold Schmidt, São Carlos (Brazil); Fuchs, B. [Institut für Experimentelle Kernphysik, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Gemmeke, H. [Institut für Prozessdatenverarbeitung und Elektronik, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Grupen, C., E-mail: frank.schroeder@kit.edu [Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Universität Siegen, Walter-Flex-Straße 3, 57072 Siegen (Germany); and others

    2014-09-01

    Analyzing measurements of the LOPES antenna array together with corresponding CoREAS simulations for more than 300 measured events with energy above 10{sup 17} eV and zenith angles smaller than 45{sup o}, we find that the radio wavefront of cosmic-ray air showers is of approximately hyperbolic shape. The simulations predict a slightly steeper wavefront towards East than towards West, but this asymmetry is negligible against the measurement uncertainties of LOPES. At axis distances ∼> 50 m, the wavefront can be approximated by a simple cone. According to the simulations, the cone angle is clearly correlated with the shower maximum. Thus, we confirm earlier predictions that arrival time measurements can be used to study the longitudinal shower development, but now using a realistic wavefront. Moreover, we show that the hyperbolic wavefront is compatible with our measurement, and we present several experimental indications that the cone angle is indeed sensitive to the shower development. Consequently, the wavefront can be used to statistically study the primary composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. At LOPES, the experimentally achieved precision for the shower maximum is limited by measurement uncertainties to approximately 140 g/c {sup 2}. But the simulations indicate that under better conditions this method might yield an accuracy for the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum, X{sub max}, better than 30 g/c {sup 2}. This would be competitive with the established air-fluorescence and air-Cherenkov techniques, where the radio technique offers the advantage of a significantly higher duty-cycle. Finally, the hyperbolic wavefront can be used to reconstruct the shower geometry more accurately, which potentially allows a better reconstruction of all other shower parameters, too.

  11. Using Pyramids Effects as a method of nuclear and radiation protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdullayev, I.E.

    2011-01-01

    Results most of experiments fixed that When radioactive waste is placed inside the pyramids, there is a decrease in their level of radioactivity Based on result of these experiments we suggest - Using Pyramids Effects as a method of nuclear and radiation protection. Explanation of this method based on 3 factors. (2 of them - internal factors, 1 of them - external factor) Factor I. Based o the Theory of the Pyramids Effects we know, that Pyramid construction separate the normal geomagnetic field of the Earth to 2 parts, which have difference vise verse physical characteristics. Cause of the energetic barrier of side of Pyramid, internal space of the Pyramid isolate from the influence of the external normal geomagnetic field of Earth. Therefore, internal space of the Pyramid is fulfilling only by the attractive power of the Earth (pic.1)

  12. X-ray pulse wavefront metrology using speckle tracking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berujon, Sebastien; Ziegler, Eric; Cloetens, Peter

    2015-01-01

    The theoretical description and experimental implementation of a speckle-tracking-based instrument which permits the characterisation of X-ray pulse wavefronts. An instrument allowing the quantitative analysis of X-ray pulsed wavefronts is presented and its processing method explained. The system relies on the X-ray speckle tracking principle to accurately measure the phase gradient of the X-ray beam from which beam optical aberrations can be deduced. The key component of this instrument, a semi-transparent scintillator emitting visible light while transmitting X-rays, allows simultaneous recording of two speckle images at two different propagation distances from the X-ray source. The speckle tracking procedure for a reference-less metrology mode is described with a detailed account on the advanced processing schemes used. A method to characterize and compensate for the imaging detector distortion, whose principle is also based on speckle, is included. The presented instrument is expected to find interest at synchrotrons and at the new X-ray free-electron laser sources under development worldwide where successful exploitation of beams relies on the availability of an accurate wavefront metrology

  13. Differences between wavefront and subjective refraction for infrared light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teel, Danielle F W; Jacobs, Robert J; Copland, James; Neal, Daniel R; Thibos, Larry N

    2014-10-01

    To determine the accuracy of objective wavefront refractions for predicting subjective refractions for monochromatic infrared light. Objective refractions were obtained with a commercial wavefront aberrometer (COAS, Wavefront Sciences). Subjective refractions were obtained for 30 subjects with a speckle optometer validated against objective Zernike wavefront refractions on a physical model eye (Teel et al., Design and validation of an infrared Badal optometer for laser speckle, Optom Vis Sci 2008;85:834-42). Both instruments used near-infrared (NIR) radiation (835 nm for COAS, 820 nm for the speckle optometer) to avoid correction for ocular chromatic aberration. A 3-mm artificial pupil was used to reduce complications attributed to higher-order ocular aberrations. For comparison with paraxial (Seidel) and minimum root-mean-square (Zernike) wavefront refractions, objective refractions were also determined for a battery of 29 image quality metrics by computing the correcting lens that optimizes retinal image quality. Objective Zernike refractions were more myopic than subjective refractions for 29 of 30 subjects. The population mean discrepancy was -0.26 diopters (D) (SEM = 0.03 D). Paraxial (Seidel) objective refractions tended to be hyperopically biased (mean discrepancy = +0.20 D, SEM = 0.06 D). Refractions based on retinal image quality were myopically biased for 28 of 29 metrics. The mean bias across all 31 measures was -0.24 D (SEM = 0.03). Myopic bias of objective refractions was greater for eyes with brown irises compared with eyes with blue irises. Our experimental results are consistent with the hypothesis that reflected NIR light captured by the aberrometer originates from scattering sources located posterior to the entrance apertures of cone photoreceptors, near the retinal pigment epithelium. The larger myopic bias for brown eyes suggests that a greater fraction of NIR light is reflected from choroidal melanin in brown eyes compared with blue eyes.

  14. A new class of morphological pyramids for multiresolution image analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roerdink, Jos B.T.M.; Asano, T; Klette, R; Ronse, C

    2003-01-01

    We study nonlinear multiresolution signal decomposition based on morphological pyramids. Motivated by a problem arising in multiresolution volume visualization, we introduce a new class of morphological pyramids. In this class the pyramidal synthesis operator always has the same form, i.e. a

  15. 5-D interpolation with wave-front attributes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Yujiang; Gajewski, Dirk

    2017-11-01

    Most 5-D interpolation and regularization techniques reconstruct the missing data in the frequency domain by using mathematical transforms. An alternative type of interpolation methods uses wave-front attributes, that is, quantities with a specific physical meaning like the angle of emergence and wave-front curvatures. In these attributes structural information of subsurface features like dip and strike of a reflector are included. These wave-front attributes work on 5-D data space (e.g. common-midpoint coordinates in x and y, offset, azimuth and time), leading to a 5-D interpolation technique. Since the process is based on stacking next to the interpolation a pre-stack data enhancement is achieved, improving the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of interpolated and recorded traces. The wave-front attributes are determined in a data-driven fashion, for example, with the Common Reflection Surface (CRS method). As one of the wave-front-attribute-based interpolation techniques, the 3-D partial CRS method was proposed to enhance the quality of 3-D pre-stack data with low S/N. In the past work on 3-D partial stacks, two potential problems were still unsolved. For high-quality wave-front attributes, we suggest a global optimization strategy instead of the so far used pragmatic search approach. In previous works, the interpolation of 3-D data was performed along a specific azimuth which is acceptable for narrow azimuth acquisition but does not exploit the potential of wide-, rich- or full-azimuth acquisitions. The conventional 3-D partial CRS method is improved in this work and we call it as a wave-front-attribute-based 5-D interpolation (5-D WABI) as the two problems mentioned above are addressed. Data examples demonstrate the improved performance by the 5-D WABI method when compared with the conventional 3-D partial CRS approach. A comparison of the rank-reduction-based 5-D seismic interpolation technique with the proposed 5-D WABI method is given. The comparison reveals that

  16. Computational wavelength resolution for in-line lensless holography: phase-coded diffraction patterns and wavefront group-sparsity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katkovnik, Vladimir; Shevkunov, Igor; Petrov, Nikolay V.; Egiazarian, Karen

    2017-06-01

    In-line lensless holography is considered with a random phase modulation at the object plane. The forward wavefront propagation is modelled using the Fourier transform with the angular spectrum transfer function. The multiple intensities (holograms) recorded by the sensor are random due to the random phase modulation and noisy with Poissonian noise distribution. It is shown by computational experiments that high-accuracy reconstructions can be achieved with resolution going up to the two thirds of the wavelength. With respect to the sensor pixel size it is a super-resolution with a factor of 32. The algorithm designed for optimal superresolution phase/amplitude reconstruction from Poissonian data is based on the general methodology developed for phase retrieval with a pixel-wise resolution in V. Katkovnik, "Phase retrieval from noisy data based on sparse approximation of object phase and amplitude", http://www.cs.tut.fi/ lasip/DDT/index3.html.

  17. Athermalization of infrared dual field optical system based on wavefront coding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Kai; Jiang, Bo; Liu, Kai; Yan, Peipei; Duan, Jing; Shan, Qiu-sha

    2017-02-01

    Wavefront coding is a technology which combination of the optical design and digital image processing. By inserting a phase mask closed to the pupil plane of the optical system the wavefront of the system is re-modulated. And the depth of focus is extended consequently. In reality the idea is same as the athermalization theory of infrared optical system. In this paper, an uncooled infrared dual field optical system with effective focal as 38mm/19mm, F number as 1.2 of both focal length, operating wavelength varying from 8μm to 12μm was designed. A cubic phase mask was used at the pupil plane to re-modulate the wavefront. Then the performance of the infrared system was simulated with CODEV as the environment temperature varying from -40° to 60°. MTF curve of the optical system with phase mask are compared with the outcome before using phase mask. The result show that wavefront coding technology can make the system not sensitive to thermal defocus, and then realize the athermal design of the infrared optical system.

  18. The measurement and analysis of wavefront structure from large aperture ICF optics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolfe, C.R.; Lawson, J.K.

    1995-01-01

    This paper discusses the techniques, developed over the past year, for high spatial resolution measurement and analysis of the transmitted and/or reflected wavefront of large aperture ICF optical components. Parts up to 400 mm x 750 mm have been measured and include: laser slabs, windows, KDP crystals and lenses. The measurements were performed using state-of-the-art commercial phase shifting interferometers at a wavelength of 633 μm. Both 1 and 2-D Fourier analysis have been used to characterize the wavefront; specifically the Power Spectral Density, (PSD), function was calculated. The PSDs of several precision optical components will be shown. The PSD(V) is proportional to the (amplitude) 2 of components of the Fourier frequency spectrum. The PSD describes the scattered intensity and direction as a function of scattering angle in the wavefront. The capability of commercial software is limited to 1-D Fourier analysis only. We are developing our own 2-D analysis capability in support of work to revise specifications for NIF optics. 2-D analysis uses the entire wavefront phase map to construct 2D PSD functions. We have been able to increase the signal-to-noise relative to 1-D and can observe very subtle wavefront structure

  19. David Macaulay's Pyramid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frew, Andrew W.

    1997-01-01

    Integrating literature and mathematics can be meaningful using David Macaulay's "Pyramid." This article provides an annotated bibliography of picture books, fiction, folk tales, nonfiction, videotapes, audio books, and CD-ROMs for grades 1-12 to support a unit on Egypt. Describes related math activities; and highlights a catalog of…

  20. Wavefront propagation from one plane to another with the use of Zernike polynomials and Taylor monomials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Guang-ming; Campbell, Charles E; Chen, Li; Zhao, Huawei; Chernyak, Dimitri

    2009-01-20

    In wavefront-driven vision correction, ocular aberrations are often measured on the pupil plane and the correction is applied on a different plane. The problem with this practice is that any changes undergone by the wavefront as it propagates between planes are not currently included in devising customized vision correction. With some valid approximations, we have developed an analytical foundation based on geometric optics in which Zernike polynomials are used to characterize the propagation of the wavefront from one plane to another. Both the boundary and the magnitude of the wavefront change after the propagation. Taylor monomials were used to realize the propagation because of their simple form for this purpose. The method we developed to identify changes in low-order aberrations was verified with the classical vertex correction formula. The method we developed to identify changes in high-order aberrations was verified with ZEMAX ray-tracing software. Although the method may not be valid for highly irregular wavefronts and it was only proven for wavefronts with low-order or high-order aberrations, our analysis showed that changes in the propagating wavefront are significant and should, therefore, be included in calculating vision correction. This new approach could be of major significance in calculating wavefront-driven vision correction whether by refractive surgery, contact lenses, intraocular lenses, or spectacles.

  1. Performance analysis of multidimensional wavefront algorithms with application to deterministic particle transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoisie, A.; Lubeck, O.; Wasserman, H.

    1998-01-01

    The authors develop a model for the parallel performance of algorithms that consist of concurrent, two-dimensional wavefronts implemented in a message passing environment. The model, based on a LogGP machine parameterization, combines the separate contributions of computation and communication wavefronts. They validate the model on three important supercomputer systems, on up to 500 processors. They use data from a deterministic particle transport application taken from the ASCI workload, although the model is general to any wavefront algorithm implemented on a 2-D processor domain. They also use the validated model to make estimates of performance and scalability of wavefront algorithms on 100-TFLOPS computer systems expected to be in existence within the next decade as part of the ASCI program and elsewhere. In this context, the authors analyze two problem sizes. Their model shows that on the largest such problem (1 billion cells), inter-processor communication performance is not the bottleneck. Single-node efficiency is the dominant factor

  2. Linear-constraint wavefront control for exoplanet coronagraphic imaging systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, He; Eldorado Riggs, A. J.; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Vanderbei, Robert J.; Groff, Tyler Dean

    2017-01-01

    A coronagraph is a leading technology for achieving high-contrast imaging of exoplanets in a space telescope. It uses a system of several masks to modify the diffraction and achieve extremely high contrast in the image plane around target stars. However, coronagraphic imaging systems are very sensitive to optical aberrations, so wavefront correction using deformable mirrors (DMs) is necessary to avoid contrast degradation in the image plane. Electric field conjugation (EFC) and Stroke minimization (SM) are two primary high-contrast wavefront controllers explored in the past decade. EFC minimizes the average contrast in the search areas while regularizing the strength of the control inputs. Stroke minimization calculates the minimum DM commands under the constraint that a target average contrast is achieved. Recently in the High Contrast Imaging Lab at Princeton University (HCIL), a new linear-constraint wavefront controller based on stroke minimization was developed and demonstrated using numerical simulation. Instead of only constraining the average contrast over the entire search area, the new controller constrains the electric field of each single pixel using linear programming, which could led to significant increases in speed of the wavefront correction and also create more uniform dark holes. As a follow-up of this work, another linear-constraint controller modified from EFC is demonstrated theoretically and numerically and the lab verification of the linear-constraint controllers is reported. Based on the simulation and lab results, the pros and cons of linear-constraint controllers are carefully compared with EFC and stroke minimization.

  3. Broadband manipulation of acoustic wavefronts by pentamode metasurface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tian, Ye; Wei, Qi; Cheng, Ying; Xu, Zheng; Liu, Xiaojun

    2015-01-01

    An acoustic metasurface with a sub-wavelength thickness can manipulate acoustic wavefronts freely by the introduction of abrupt phase variation. However, the existence of a narrow bandwidth and a low transmittance limits further applications. Here, we present a broadband and highly transparent acoustic metasurface based on a frequency-independent generalized acoustic Snell's law and pentamode metamaterials. The proposal employs a gradient velocity to redirect refracted waves and pentamode metamaterials to improve impedance matching between the metasurface and the background medium. Excellent wavefront manipulation based on the metasurface is further demonstrated by anomalous refraction, generation of non-diffracting Bessel beam, and sub-wavelength flat focusing

  4. Evaluation of the Green Egyptian Pyramid

    OpenAIRE

    Ammar, Mohamed Gamal

    2012-01-01

    In January 2009 was established the Egyptian Council for evaluating green building, then the Board issue a primary version of the Egyptian pyramid in 2010, and as a result of economic, social and political changes that happened in Egypt after the Arab spring period, the study of regional experiences of neighboring countries in Africa and Asia in the development of evaluation system for green buildings of global systems that can contribute to the development of the Egyptian pyramid to promote ...

  5. Tiling a Pyramidal Polycube with Dominoes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olivier Bodini

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available The notion of pyramidal polycubes, namely the piling-up of bricks of a non-increasing size, generalizes in ℝ n the concept of trapezoidal polyominoes. In the present paper, we prove that n-dimensional dominoes can tile a pyramidal polycube if and only if the latter is balanced, that is, if the number of white cubes is equal to the number of black ones for a chessboard-like coloration, generalizing the result of [BC92] when n=2

  6. Tunneling and propping : a justification for pyramidal ownership

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Riyanto, Y.E.; Toolsema-Veldman, Linda

    2004-01-01

    This paper presents a formal model of tunneling and propping in a pyramidal ownership structure. Tunneling refers to controlling shareholders shifting resources from one firm to another in the same pyramid. Propping is tunneling that is done to save the receiving firm from bankruptcy. We compare the

  7. Focusing light through dynamical samples using fast continuous wavefront optimization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blochet, B; Bourdieu, L; Gigan, S

    2017-12-01

    We describe a fast continuous optimization wavefront shaping system able to focus light through dynamic scattering media. A micro-electro-mechanical system-based spatial light modulator, a fast photodetector, and field programmable gate array electronics are combined to implement a continuous optimization of a wavefront with a single-mode optimization rate of 4.1 kHz. The system performances are demonstrated by focusing light through colloidal solutions of TiO 2 particles in glycerol with tunable temporal stability.

  8. Optimization of scanning strategy of digital Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Wenjiang; Zhao, Liping; Li, Xiang; Chen, I-Ming

    2012-01-01

    In the traditional Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing (SHWS) system, a lenslet array with a bigger configuration is desired to achieve a higher lateral resolution. However, practical implementation limits the configuration and this parameter is contradicted with the measurement range. We have proposed a digital scanning technique by making use of the high flexibility of a spatial light modulator to sample the reflected wavefront [X. Li, L. P. Zhao, Z. P. Fang, and C. S. Tan, "Improve lateral resolution in wavefront sensing with digital scanning technique," in Asia-Pacific Conference of Transducers and Micro-Nano Technology (2006)]. The lenslet array pattern is programmed to laterally scan the whole aperture. In this paper, the methodology to optimize the scanning step for the purpose of form measurement is proposed. The correctness and effectiveness are demonstrated in numerical simulation and experimental investigation. © 2012 Optical Society of America

  9. Tunneling and propping : A justification for pyramidal ownership

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Riyanto, Y.E.; Toolsema-Veldman, Linda

    2008-01-01

    This paper links existence of the pyramidal ownership structure to tunneling and propping. Tunneling refers to a transfer of resources from a lower-level firm to a higher-level firm in the pyramidal chain, whereas propping concerns a transfer in the opposite direction intended to bail out the

  10. Content-adaptive pyramid representation for 3D object classification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kounalakis, Tsampikos; Boulgouris, Nikolaos; Triantafyllidis, Georgios

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we introduce a novel representation for the classification of 3D images. Unlike most current approaches, our representation is not based on a fixed pyramid but adapts to image content and uses image regions instead of rectangular pyramid scales. Image characteristics, such as depth...... and color, are used for defining regions within images. Multiple region scales are formed in order to construct the proposed pyramid image representation. The proposed method achieves excellent results in comparison to conventional representations....

  11. Space Station view of the Pyramids at Giza

    Science.gov (United States)

    2002-01-01

    One of the world's most famous archaeological sites has been photographed in amazing detail by the astronauts onboard Space Station Alpha. This image, taken 15 August, 2001, represents the greatest detail of the Giza plateau captured from a human-occupied spacecraft (approximate 7 m resolution). Afternoon sun casts shadows that help the eye make out the large pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. Sets of three smaller queens' pyramids can be seen to the east of the Pyramid of Khufu and south of the Pyramid of Menkaure. The light-colored causeway stretching from the Mortuary Temple at the Pyramid of Khafre to the Valley Temple near the Sphinx (arrow) can also be seen. Because it is not tall enough to cast a deep shadow, the Sphinx itself cannot readily be distinguished. Although some commercial satellites, such as IKONOS, have imaged the Pyramids at Giza in greater detail (1 m resolution), this image highlights the potential of the International Space Station as a remote sensing platform. A commercial digital camera without space modifications was used to obtain this picture. Similarly, a variety of remote sensing instruments developed for use on aircraft can potentially be used from the Space Station. Currently, all photographs of Earth taken by astronauts from the Space Shuttle and Space Station are released to the public for scientific and educational benefit and can be accessed on the World Wide Web through the NASA-JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth (http://eol/jsc.nasa.gov/sseop). Image ISS003-ESC-5120 was provided by the Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Laboratory at Johnson Space Center (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov).

  12. A possible explanation of the void discovered in the pyramid of Khufu on the basis of the pyramid texts

    OpenAIRE

    Magli, Giulio

    2017-01-01

    A recent exploration has shown the presence of a significant void in the pyramid of Khufu at Giza. A possible explanation of this space, interpreted as a chamber connected to the lower north channel and aimed to contain a specific funerary equipment is tentatively proposed. According to the Pyramid Texts, this equipment might consist of a Iron throne, actually a wooden throne endowed with meteoritic Iron sheets.

  13. Through-flow cell of immersion sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svandelik, J.

    1986-01-01

    The cell consists of a jacket in shape of a triangular pyramid whose two opposite and skew edges are truncated. It is provided with inlet and outlet openings. The measuring immersion sensor is inserted through the outlet opening or through an opening provided in one of the jacket side walls. The immersion sensor cell is mainly used for in-service inspection of radioactivity of the ion exchanger at the output of the elution column in the manufacture of chemical concentrates of uranium from ores. (J.B.). 4 figs

  14. Multiresolution, Multi-Scale Target Identification and Tracking using the Anisotropic Diffusion Pyramid

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Acton, Scott

    1998-01-01

    ...: the anisotropic diffusion pyramid and the morphological pyramid. Coarse-to-fine target searches are implemented within the image pyramids, providing a lOOX improvement in computational expense over standard correlation-based approaches...

  15. Low-resistance gateless high electron mobility transistors using three-dimensional inverted pyramidal AlGaN/GaN surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    So, Hongyun; Senesky, Debbie G.

    2016-01-01

    In this letter, three-dimensional gateless AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were demonstrated with 54% reduction in electrical resistance and 73% increase in surface area compared with conventional gateless HEMTs on planar substrates. Inverted pyramidal AlGaN/GaN surfaces were microfabricated using potassium hydroxide etched silicon with exposed (111) surfaces and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition of coherent AlGaN/GaN thin films. In addition, electrical characterization of the devices showed that a combination of series and parallel connections of the highly conductive two-dimensional electron gas along the pyramidal geometry resulted in a significant reduction in electrical resistance at both room and high temperatures (up to 300 °C). This three-dimensional HEMT architecture can be leveraged to realize low-power and reliable power electronics, as well as harsh environment sensors with increased surface area

  16. Low-resistance gateless high electron mobility transistors using three-dimensional inverted pyramidal AlGaN/GaN surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    So, Hongyun, E-mail: hyso@stanford.edu [Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Senesky, Debbie G. [Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 (United States)

    2016-01-04

    In this letter, three-dimensional gateless AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were demonstrated with 54% reduction in electrical resistance and 73% increase in surface area compared with conventional gateless HEMTs on planar substrates. Inverted pyramidal AlGaN/GaN surfaces were microfabricated using potassium hydroxide etched silicon with exposed (111) surfaces and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition of coherent AlGaN/GaN thin films. In addition, electrical characterization of the devices showed that a combination of series and parallel connections of the highly conductive two-dimensional electron gas along the pyramidal geometry resulted in a significant reduction in electrical resistance at both room and high temperatures (up to 300 °C). This three-dimensional HEMT architecture can be leveraged to realize low-power and reliable power electronics, as well as harsh environment sensors with increased surface area.

  17. Intraocular straylight and contrast sensitivity after contralateral wavefront-guided LASIK and wavefront-guided PRK for myopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barreto, Jackson; Barboni, Mirella T S; Feitosa-Santana, Claudia; Sato, João R; Bechara, Samir J; Ventura, Dora F; Alves, Milton Ruiz

    2010-08-01

    To compare intraocular straylight measurements and contrast sensitivity after wavefront-guided LASIK (WFG LASIK) in one eye and wavefront-guided photorefractive keratectomy (WFG PRK) in the fellow eye for myopia and myopic astigmatism correction. A prospective, randomized study of 22 eyes of 11 patients who underwent simultaneous WFG LASIK and WFG PRK (contralateral eye). Both groups were treated with the NIDEK Advanced Vision Excimer Laser System, and a microkeratome was used for flap creation in the WFG LASIK group. High and low contrast visual acuity, wavefront analysis, contrast sensitivity, and retinal straylight measurements were performed preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. A third-generation straylight meter, C-Quant (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH), was used for measuring intraocular straylight. Twelve months postoperatively, mean uncorrected distance visual acuity was -0.06 +/- 0.07 logMAR in the WFG LASIK group and -0.10 +/- 0.10 logMAR in the WFG PRK group. Mean preoperative intraocular straylight was 0.94 +/- 0.12 logs for the WFG LASIK group and 0.96 +/- 0.11 logs for the WFG PRK group. After 12 months, the mean straylight value was 1.01 +/- 0.1 log s for the WFG LASIK group and 0.97 +/- 0.12 log s for the WFG PRK group. No difference was found between techniques after 12 months (P = .306). No significant difference in photopic and mesopic contrast sensitivity between groups was noted. Intraocular straylight showed no statistically significant increase 1 year after WFG LASIK and WFG PRK. Higher order aberrations increased significantly after surgery for both groups. Nevertheless, WFG LASIK and WFG PRK yielded excellent visual acuity and contrast sensitivity performance without significant differences between techniques.

  18. Performance and scalability analysis of teraflop-scale parallel architectures using multidimensional wavefront applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoisie, A.; Lubeck, O.; Wasserman, H.

    1998-01-01

    The authors develop a model for the parallel performance of algorithms that consist of concurrent, two-dimensional wavefronts implemented in a message passing environment. The model, based on a LogGP machine parameterization, combines the separate contributions of computation and communication wavefronts. They validate the model on three important supercomputer systems, on up to 500 processors. They use data from a deterministic particle transport application taken from the ASCI workload, although the model is general to any wavefront algorithm implemented on a 2-D processor domain. They also use the validated model to make estimates of performance and scalability of wavefront algorithms on 100-TFLOPS computer systems expected to be in existence within the next decade as part of the ASCI program and elsewhere. In this context, they analyze two problem sizes. The model shows that on the largest such problem (1 billion cells), inter-processor communication performance is not the bottleneck. Single-node efficiency is the dominant factor

  19. Stability of therapeutic retreatment of corneal wavefront customized ablation with the SCHWIND CAM: 4-year data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aslanides, Ioannis M; Kolli, Sai; Padroni, Sara; Padron, Sara; Arba Mosquera, Samuel

    2012-05-01

    To evaluate the long-term outcomes of aspheric corneal wavefront ablation profiles for excimer laser retreatment. Eighteen eyes that had previously undergone LASIK or photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) were retreated with LASIK using the corneal wavefront ablation profile. Custom Ablation Manager (SCHWIND eye-tech-solutions, Kleinostheim, Germany) software and the ESIRIS flying spot excimer laser system (SCHWIND) were used to perform the ablations. Refractive outcomes and wavefront data are reported up to 4 years after retreatment. Pre- and postoperative data were compared with Student t tests and (multivariate) correlation tests. P<.05 was considered statistically significant. A bilinear correlation of various postoperative wavefront aberrations versus planned correction and preoperative aberration was performed. Mean manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE) before retreatment was -0.38±1.85 diopters (D) and -0.09±0.22 D at 6 months and -0.10±0.38 D at 4 years postoperatively. The reduction in MRSE was statistically significant at both postoperative time points (P<.005). Postoperative aberrations were statistically lower (spherical aberration P<.05; coma P<.005; root-mean-square higher order aberration P<.0001) at 4 years postoperatively. Distribution of the postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity (P<.0001) and corrected distance visual acuity (P<.01) were statistically better than preoperative values. Aspheric corneal wavefront customization with the ESIRIS yields visual, optical, and refractive results comparable to those of other wavefront-guided customized techniques for the correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism. The corneal wavefront customized approach shows its strength in cases where abnormal optical systems are expected. Systematic wavefront customized corneal ablation appears safe and efficacious for retreatment cases. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

  20. Exploiting the speckle-correlation scattering matrix for a compact reference-free holographic image sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, KyeoReh; Park, YongKeun

    2016-10-31

    The word 'holography' means a drawing that contains all of the information for light-both amplitude and wavefront. However, because of the insufficient bandwidth of current electronics, the direct measurement of the wavefront of light has not yet been achieved. Though reference-field-assisted interferometric methods have been utilized in numerous applications, introducing a reference field raises several fundamental and practical issues. Here we demonstrate a reference-free holographic image sensor. To achieve this, we propose a speckle-correlation scattering matrix approach; light-field information passing through a thin disordered layer is recorded and retrieved from a single-shot recording of speckle intensity patterns. Self-interference via diffusive scattering enables access to impinging light-field information, when light transport in the diffusive layer is precisely calibrated. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate direct holographic measurements of three-dimensional optical fields using a compact device consisting of a regular image sensor and a diffusor.

  1. A Shack-Hartmann Sensor for Single-Shot Multi-Contrast Imaging with Hard X-rays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomy dos Santos Rolo

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available An array of compound refractive X-ray lenses (CRL with 20 × 20 lenslets, a focal distance of 20cm and a visibility of 0.93 is presented. It can be used as a Shack-Hartmann sensor for hard X-rays (SHARX for wavefront sensing and permits for true single-shot multi-contrast imaging the dynamics of materials with a spatial resolution in the micrometer range, sensitivity on nanosized structures and temporal resolution on the microsecond scale. The object’s absorption and its induced wavefront shift can be assessed simultaneously together with information from diffraction channels. In contrast to the established Hartmann sensors the SHARX has an increased flux efficiency through focusing of the beam rather than blocking parts of it. We investigated the spatiotemporal behavior of a cavitation bubble induced by laser pulses. Furthermore, we validated the SHARX by measuring refraction angles of a single diamond CRL, where we obtained an angular resolution better than 4 μ rad.

  2. Focal plane based wavefront sensing with random DM probes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pluzhnik, Eugene; Sirbu, Dan; Belikov, Ruslan; Bendek, Eduardo; Dudinov, Vladimir N.

    2017-09-01

    An internal coronagraph with an adaptive optical system for wavefront control is being considered for direct imaging of exoplanets with upcoming space missions and concepts, including WFIRST, HabEx, LUVOIR, EXCEDE and ACESat. The main technical challenge associated with direct imaging of exoplanets is to control of both diffracted and scattered light from the star so that even a dim planetary companion can be imaged. For a deformable mirror (DM) to create a dark hole with 10-10 contrast in the image plane, wavefront errors must be accurately measured on the science focal plane detector to ensure a common optical path. We present here a method that uses a set of random phase probes applied to the DM to obtain a high accuracy wavefront estimate even for a dynamically changing optical system. The presented numerical simulations and experimental results show low noise sensitivity, high reliability, and robustness of the proposed approach. The method does not use any additional optics or complex calibration procedures and can be used during the calibration stage of any direct imaging mission. It can also be used in any optical experiment that uses a DM as an active optical element in the layout.

  3. Gene pyramiding as a Bt resistance management strategy: How ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Reports on the emergence of insect resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis delta endotoxins have raised doubts on the sustainability of Bt-toxin based pest management technologies. Corporate industry has responded to this challenge with innovations that include gene pyramiding among others. Pyramiding entails stacking ...

  4. Wavefront-Error Performance Characterization for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) Science Instruments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aronstein, David L.; Smith, J. Scott; Zielinski, Thomas P.; Telfer, Randal; Tournois, Severine C.; Moore, Dustin B.; Fienup, James R.

    2016-01-01

    The science instruments (SIs) comprising the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) were tested in three cryogenic-vacuum test campaigns in the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)'s Space Environment Simulator (SES). In this paper, we describe the results of optical wavefront-error performance characterization of the SIs. The wavefront error is determined using image-based wavefront sensing (also known as phase retrieval), and the primary data used by this process are focus sweeps, a series of images recorded by the instrument under test in its as-used configuration, in which the focal plane is systematically changed from one image to the next. High-precision determination of the wavefront error also requires several sources of secondary data, including 1) spectrum, apodization, and wavefront-error characterization of the optical ground-support equipment (OGSE) illumination module, called the OTE Simulator (OSIM), 2) plate scale measurements made using a Pseudo-Nonredundant Mask (PNRM), and 3) pupil geometry predictions as a function of SI and field point, which are complicated because of a tricontagon-shaped outer perimeter and small holes that appear in the exit pupil due to the way that different light sources are injected into the optical path by the OGSE. One set of wavefront-error tests, for the coronagraphic channel of the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) Longwave instruments, was performed using data from transverse translation diversity sweeps instead of focus sweeps, in which a sub-aperture is translated andor rotated across the exit pupil of the system.Several optical-performance requirements that were verified during this ISIM-level testing are levied on the uncertainties of various wavefront-error-related quantities rather than on the wavefront errors themselves. This paper also describes the methodology, based on Monte Carlo simulations of the wavefront-sensing analysis of focus-sweep data, used to establish the

  5. The Heeger & Bergen Pyramid Based Texture Synthesis Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thibaud Briand

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available This contribution deals with the Heeger-Bergen pyramid-based texture analysis/synthesis algorithm. It brings a detailed explanation of the original algorithm tested on many characteristic examples. Our analysis reproduces the original results, but also brings a minor improvement concerning non-periodic textures. Inspired by visual perception theories, Heeger and Bergen proposed to characterize a texture by its first-order statistics of both its color and its responses to multiscale and multi-orientation filters, namely the steerable pyramid. The Heeger-Bergen algorithm consists in the following procedure: starting from a white noise image, histogram matchings are performed to the noise alternatively in both the image domain and steerable pyramid domain, so that the corresponding histograms match the ones of the input texture.

  6. Transformation of a Plane Wavefront in Hemispherical Lenses Made of Leuco-Sapphire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vetrov, V. N.; Ignatenkov, B. A.; Yakobson, V. E.

    2018-01-01

    An algorithm for wavefront calculation of ordinary and extraordinary waves after propagation through hemispherical components made of a uniaxial crystal is developed. The influence of frequency dispersion of n o and n e , as well as change in the direction of the optic axis of the crystal, on extraordinary wavefront in hemispheres made of from leuco-sapphire and a plastically deformed analog thereof is determined.

  7. Probe beam deflection technique as acoustic emission directionality sensor with photoacoustic emission source.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnes, Ronald A; Maswadi, Saher; Glickman, Randolph; Shadaram, Mehdi

    2014-01-20

    The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the unique capability of measuring the vector or angular information of propagating acoustic waves using an optical sensor. Acoustic waves were generated using photoacoustic interaction and detected by the probe beam deflection technique. Experiments and simulations were performed to study the interaction of acoustic emissions with an optical sensor in a coupling medium. The simulated results predict the probe beam and wavefront interaction and produced simulated signals that are verified by experiment.

  8. Wavefront picking for 3D tomography and full-waveform inversion

    KAUST Repository

    AlTheyab, Abdullah

    2016-09-08

    We have developed an efficient approach for picking firstbreak wavefronts on coarsely sampled time slices of 3D shot gathers. Our objective was to compute a smooth initial velocity model for multiscale full-waveform inversion (FWI). Using interactive software, first-break wavefronts were geometrically modeled on time slices with a minimal number of picks. We picked sparse time slices, performed traveltime tomography, and then compared the predicted traveltimes with the data in-between the picked slices. The picking interval was refined with iterations until the errors in traveltime predictions fell within the limits necessary to avoid cycle skipping in early arrivals FWI. This approach was applied to a 3D ocean-bottom-station data set. Our results indicate that wavefront picking has 28% fewer data slices to pick compared with picking traveltimes in shot gathers. In addition, by using sparse time samples for picking, data storage is reduced by 88%, and therefore allows for a faster visualization and quality control of the picks. Our final traveltime tomogram is sufficient as a starting model for early arrival FWI. © 2016 Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

  9. Wavefront improvement in an end-pumped high-power Nd:YAG zigzag slab laser.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Jae Sung; Cha, Yong-Ho; Lim, Gwon; Kim, Yonghee; Kwon, Seong-Ouk; Cha, Byung Heon; Lee, Hyeon Cheor; Kim, Sangin; Koh, Kwang Uoong; Kim, Hyun Tae

    2017-08-07

    Techniques for wavefront improvement in an end-pumped Nd:YAG zigzag slab laser amplifier were proposed and demonstrated experimentally. First, a study on the contact materials was conducted to improve the heat transfer between the slab and cooling blocks and to increase the cooling uniformity. Among many attempts, only the use of silicon oil showed an improvement in the wavefront. Thus, the appropriate silicone oil was applied to the amplifier as a contact material. In addition, the wavefront compensation method using a glass rod array was also applied to the amplifier. A very low wavefront distortion was obtained through the use of a silicone-oil contact and glass rod array. The variance of the optical path difference for the entire beam height was 3.87 μm at a pump power of 10.6 kW, and that for the 80% section was 1.69 μm. The output power from the oscillator was 3.88 kW, which means the maximum output extracted from the amplifier at a pump power of 10.6 kW.

  10. Fabrication of micromirrors with pyramidal shape using anisotropic etching of silicon

    OpenAIRE

    Moktadir, Z.; Vijaya Prakash, G.; Trupke, M.; Koukharenko, E.; Kraft, M.; Baumberg, J.J.; Eriksson, S.; Hinds, E.A.

    2005-01-01

    Gold micro-mirrors have been formed in silicon in an inverted pyramidal shape. The pyramidal structures are created in the (100) surface of a silicon wafer by anisotropic etching in potassium hydroxide. High quality micro-mirrors are then formed by sputtering gold onto the smooth silicon (111) faces of the pyramids. These mirrors show great promise as high quality optical devices suitable for integration into MOEMS systems.

  11. Wavefront Control and Image Restoration with Less Computing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyon, Richard G.

    2010-01-01

    PseudoDiversity is a method of recovering the wavefront in a sparse- or segmented- aperture optical system typified by an interferometer or a telescope equipped with an adaptive primary mirror consisting of controllably slightly moveable segments. (PseudoDiversity should not be confused with a radio-antenna-arraying method called pseudodiversity.) As in the cases of other wavefront- recovery methods, the streams of wavefront data generated by means of PseudoDiversity are used as feedback signals for controlling electromechanical actuators of the various segments so as to correct wavefront errors and thereby, for example, obtain a clearer, steadier image of a distant object in the presence of atmospheric turbulence. There are numerous potential applications in astronomy, remote sensing from aircraft and spacecraft, targeting missiles, sighting military targets, and medical imaging (including microscopy) through such intervening media as cells or water. In comparison with prior wavefront-recovery methods used in adaptive optics, PseudoDiversity involves considerably simpler equipment and procedures and less computation. For PseudoDiversity, there is no need to install separate metrological equipment or to use any optomechanical components beyond those that are already parts of the optical system to which the method is applied. In Pseudo- Diversity, the actuators of a subset of the segments or subapertures are driven to make the segments dither in the piston, tilt, and tip degrees of freedom. Each aperture is dithered at a unique frequency at an amplitude of a half wavelength of light. During the dithering, images on the focal plane are detected and digitized at a rate of at least four samples per dither period. In the processing of the image samples, the use of different dither frequencies makes it possible to determine the separate effects of the various dithered segments or apertures. The digitized image-detector outputs are processed in the spatial

  12. THE DIGITAL VON FAHRENHEID PYRAMID

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Bura

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available 3D Scanners Lab from Digital Humanities Laboratory at the University of Warsaw initiated the scientific project, the purpose of which was to call attention to systematically penetrated and devastated pyramid-shaped tomb from the XVIII/XIX century, of family von Fahrenheid in Rapa in Banie Mazurskie commune (NE Poland. By conducting a series of non-invasive studies, such as 3D inventory using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS, thermal imaging, georadar measurements (around and inside the tomb and anthropological research of mummified remains as well - the complete dataset was collected. Through the integration of terrestrial (TLS and airborne laser scanning (ALS authors managed to analyse the surroundings of Fahrenheid pyriamid and influence of some objects (like trees on the condition and visibility of the Pyramids in the landscape.

  13. Inclinations of Egyptian pyramids and finding of the divine essence

    OpenAIRE

    GRIGORIEV STANISLAV ARKADIEVICH

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this research is discovery of astronomical reasons in orientation of slopes of Egyptian pyramids used as tombs for pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. The article contains results of statistical analysis of change in inclination of slopes of the pyramids (3rd 2nd millennia BC) depending on time of their building. The first year of the corresponding pharaoh’s reign has been accepted, as usually it is considered that building of pyramids ones started during either the first or second year of ...

  14. Alignment and qualification of the Gaia telescope using a Shack-Hartmann sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dovillaire, G.; Pierot, D.

    2017-09-01

    Since almost 20 years, Imagine Optic develops, manufactures and offers to its worldwide customers reliable and accurate wavefront sensors and adaptive optics solutions. Long term collaboration between Imagine Optic and Airbus Defence and Space has been initiated on the Herschel program. More recently, a similar technology has been used to align and qualify the GAIA telescope.

  15. Wavefront control performance modeling with WFIRST shaped pupil coronagraph testbed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Hanying; Nemati, Bijian; Krist, John; Cady, Eric; Kern, Brian; Poberezhskiy, Ilya

    2017-09-01

    NASA's WFIRST mission includes a coronagraph instrument (CGI) for direct imaging of exoplanets. Significant improvement in CGI model fidelity has been made recently, alongside a testbed high contrast demonstration in a simulated dynamic environment at JPL. We present our modeling method and results of comparisons to testbed's high order wavefront correction performance for the shaped pupil coronagraph. Agreement between model prediction and testbed result at better than a factor of 2 has been consistently achieved in raw contrast (contrast floor, chromaticity, and convergence), and with that comes good agreement in contrast sensitivity to wavefront perturbations and mask lateral shear.

  16. Análise comparativa entre a refração clínica subjetiva e a automatizada obtida por sensor de frentes de onda Comparative analyses between clinical refraction and automatic refraction obtained through a wave front sensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wilson de Freitas

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar e comparar os resultados obtidos da refração estática clínica com a obtida por sensor de frentes de onda. MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivo, não seqüencial, de 279 olhos de 147 pacientes. Todos os pacientes foram examinados sob cicloplegia. Primeiro realizamos a refração clínica e a seguir a automatizada por sensor de frentes de onda. Os dados refracionais obtidos foram decompostos para análise vetorial. Foram analisados separadamente os dados de um olho por paciente e dos dois olhos. RESULTADOS: A diferença entre a refração clínica e a automatizada foi de -0,19 DE combinada com -0,06 DC no eixo de 15º para os dados de um olho por paciente e -0,17 DE combinada com -0,05 DC no eixo de 3º para todos os olhos da amostra. CONCLUSÃO: Os dados da refração clínica são comparáveis com os da refração obtida por um sensor de frentes de onda.PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare refractive errors obtained through clinical subjective and automatized wavefront refraction analyses in eyes under cycloplegia. METHODS: Prospective study of 147 patients, 279 eyes, undergoing preoperative examination for refractive surgery. Clinical subjective refraction was performed first followed by wavefront refraction. Results on astigmatism obtained from refraction were decomposed in power vectors for statistical analyses. Data were first analyzed in one eye and then in both eyes. RESULTS: The mean difference between clinical subjective refraction and automatized wavefront refraction on cycloplegic eyes was of -0.19 SD combined with -0.06 CD in the 15º axis for data in one eye, and -0.17 SD combined with -0.05 CD in the 3º axis for data in both eyes of the same patient. CONCLUSION: In the present study clinical subjective refraction and automatized wavefront refraction under cycloplegia had similar numerical values.

  17. Generation of Optical Vortex Arrays Using Single-Element Reversed-Wavefront Folding Interferometer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brijesh Kumar Singh

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Optical vortex arrays have been generated using simple, novel, and stable reversed-wavefront folding interferometer. Two new interferometric configurations were used for generating a variety of optical vortex lattices. In the first interferometric configuration one cube beam splitter (CBS was used in one arm of Mach-Zehnder interferometer for splitting and combining the collimated beam, and one mirror of another arm is replaced by second CBS. At the output of interferometer, three-beam interference gives rise to optical vortex arrays. In second interferometric configuration, a divergent wavefront was made incident on a single CBS which splits and combines wavefronts leading to the generation of vortex arrays due to four-beam interference. It was found that the orientation and structure of the optical vortices can be stably controlled by means of changing the rotation angle of CBS.

  18. Exciton binding energy in a pyramidal quantum dot

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anitha, A.; Arulmozhi, M.

    2018-05-01

    The effects of spatially dependent effective mass, non-parabolicity of the conduction band and dielectric screening function on exciton binding energy in a pyramid-shaped quantum dot of GaAs have been investigated by variational method as a function of base width of the pyramid. We have assumed that the pyramid has a square base with area a× a and height of the pyramid H=a/2. The trial wave function of the exciton has been chosen according to the even mirror boundary condition, i.e. the wave function of the exciton at the boundary could be non-zero. The results show that (i) the non-parabolicity of the conduction band affects the light hole (lh) and heavy hole (hh) excitons to be more bound than that with parabolicity of the conduction band, (ii) the dielectric screening function (DSF) affects the lh and hh excitons to be more bound than that without the DSF and (iii) the spatially dependent effective mass (SDEM) affects the lh and hh excitons to be less bound than that without the SDEM. The combined effects of DSF and SDEM on exciton binding energy have also been calculated. The results are compared with those available in the literature.

  19. Propagation and wavefront ambiguity of linear nondiffracting beams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grunwald, R.; Bock, M.

    2014-02-01

    Ultrashort-pulsed Bessel and Airy beams in free space are often interpreted as "linear light bullets". Usually, interconnected intensity profiles are considered a "propagation" along arbitrary pathways which can even follow curved trajectories. A more detailed analysis, however, shows that this picture gives an adequate description only in situations which do not require to consider the transport of optical signals or causality. To also cover these special cases, a generalization of the terms "beam" and "propagation" is necessary. The problem becomes clearer by representing the angular spectra of the propagating wave fields by rays or Poynting vectors. It is known that quasi-nondiffracting beams can be described as caustics of ray bundles. Their decomposition into Poynting vectors by Shack-Hartmann sensors indicates that, in the frame of their classical definition, the corresponding local wavefronts are ambiguous and concepts based on energy density are not appropriate to describe the propagation completely. For this reason, quantitative parameters like the beam propagation factor have to be treated with caution as well. For applications like communication or optical computing, alternative descriptions are required. A heuristic approach based on vector field based information transport and Fourier analysis is proposed here. Continuity and discontinuity of far field distributions in space and time are discussed. Quantum aspects of propagation are briefly addressed.

  20. Pyramid Algorithm Framework for Real-Time Image Effects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sangüesa, Adriá Arbués; Ene, Andreea-Daniela; Jørgensen, Nicolai Krogh

    2016-01-01

    Pyramid methods are useful for certain image processing techniques due to their linear time complexity. Implementing them using compute shaders provides a basis for rendering image effects with reduced impact on performance compared to conventional methods. Although pyramid methods are used...... in the game industry, they are not easily accessible to all developers because many game engines do not include built-in support. We present a framework for a popular game engine that allows users to take advantage of pyramid methods for developing image effects. In order to evaluate the performance...... and to demonstrate the framework, a few image effects were implemented. These effects were compared to built-in effects of the same game engine. The results showed that the built-in image effects performed slightly better. The performance of our framework could potentially be improved through optimisation, mainly...

  1. Space-Variant Post-Filtering for Wavefront Curvature Correction in Polar-Formatted Spotlight-Mode SAR Imagery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DOREN,NEALL E.

    1999-10-01

    Wavefront curvature defocus effects occur in spotlight-mode SAR imagery when reconstructed via the well-known polar-formatting algorithm (PFA) under certain imaging scenarios. These include imaging at close range, using a very low radar center frequency, utilizing high resolution, and/or imaging very large scenes. Wavefront curvature effects arise from the unrealistic assumption of strictly planar wavefronts illuminating the imaged scene. This dissertation presents a method for the correction of wavefront curvature defocus effects under these scenarios, concentrating on the generalized: squint-mode imaging scenario and its computational aspects. This correction is accomplished through an efficient one-dimensional, image domain filter applied as a post-processing step to PF.4. This post-filter, referred to as SVPF, is precalculated from a theoretical derivation of the wavefront curvature effect and varies as a function of scene location. Prior to SVPF, severe restrictions were placed on the imaged scene size in order to avoid defocus effects under these scenarios when using PFA. The SVPF algorithm eliminates the need for scene size restrictions when wavefront curvature effects are present, correcting for wavefront curvature in broadside as well as squinted collection modes while imposing little additional computational penalty for squinted images. This dissertation covers the theoretical development, implementation and analysis of the generalized, squint-mode SVPF algorithm (of which broadside-mode is a special case) and provides examples of its capabilities and limitations as well as offering guidelines for maximizing its computational efficiency. Tradeoffs between the PFA/SVPF combination and other spotlight-mode SAR image formation techniques are discussed with regard to computational burden, image quality, and imaging geometry constraints. It is demonstrated that other methods fail to exhibit a clear computational advantage over polar-formatting in conjunction

  2. Coronagraphic Wavefront Control for the ATLAST-9.2m Telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyon, RIchard G.; Oegerle, William R.; Feinberg, Lee D.; Bolcar, Matthew R.; Dean, Bruce H.; Mosier, Gary E.; Postman, Marc

    2010-01-01

    The Advanced Technology for Large Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAST) concept was assessed as one of the NASA Astrophysics Strategic Mission Concepts (ASMC) studies. Herein we discuss the 9.2-meter diameter segmented aperture version and its wavefront sensing and control (WFSC) with regards to coronagraphic detection and spectroscopic characterization of exoplanets. The WFSC would consist of at least two levels of sensing and control: (i) an outer coarser level of sensing and control to phase and control the segments and secondary mirror in a manner similar to the James Webb Space Telescope but operating at higher temporal bandwidth, and (ii) an inner, coronagraphic instrument based, fine level of sensing and control for both amplitude and wavefront errors operating at higher temporal bandwidths. The outer loop would control rigid-body actuators on the primary and secondary mirrors while the inner loop would control one or more segmented deformable mirror to suppress the starlight within the coronagraphic field-of view. Herein we discuss the visible nulling coronagraph (VNC) and the requirements it levies on wavefront sensing and control and show the results of closed-loop simulations to assess performance and evaluate the trade space of system level stability versus control bandwidth.

  3. Coronagraphic wavefront control for the ATLAST 9.2m telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyon, Richard G.; Oegerle, William R.; Feinberg, Lee D.; Bolcar, Matthew R.; Dean, Bruce H.; Mosier, Gary E.; Postman, Marc

    2010-07-01

    The Advanced Technology for Large Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAST) concept was assessed as one of the NASA Astrophysics Strategic Mission Concepts (ASMC) studies. Herein we discuss the 9.2-meter diameter segmented aperture version and its wavefront sensing and control (WFSC) with regards to coronagraphic detection and spectroscopic characterization of exoplanets. The WFSC would consist of at least two levels of sensing and control: (i) an outer coarser level of sensing and control to phase and control the segments and secondary mirror in a manner similar to the James Webb Space Telescope but operating at higher temporal bandwidth, and (ii) an inner, coronagraphic instrument based, fine level of sensing and control for both amplitude and wavefront errors operating at higher temporal bandwidths. The outer loop would control rigid-body actuators on the primary and secondary mirrors while the inner loop would control one or more segmented deformable mirror to suppress the starlight within the coronagraphic field-of-view. Herein we discuss the visible nulling coronagraph (VNC) and the requirements it levies on wavefront sensing and control and show the results of closed-loop simulations to assess performance and evaluate the trade space of system level stability versus control bandwidth.

  4. Control algorithms and applications of the wavefront sensorless adaptive optics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Liang; Wang, Bin; Zhou, Yuanshen; Yang, Huizhen

    2017-10-01

    Compared with the conventional adaptive optics (AO) system, the wavefront sensorless (WFSless) AO system need not to measure the wavefront and reconstruct it. It is simpler than the conventional AO in system architecture and can be applied to the complex conditions. Based on the analysis of principle and system model of the WFSless AO system, wavefront correction methods of the WFSless AO system were divided into two categories: model-free-based and model-based control algorithms. The WFSless AO system based on model-free-based control algorithms commonly considers the performance metric as a function of the control parameters and then uses certain control algorithm to improve the performance metric. The model-based control algorithms include modal control algorithms, nonlinear control algorithms and control algorithms based on geometrical optics. Based on the brief description of above typical control algorithms, hybrid methods combining the model-free-based control algorithm with the model-based control algorithm were generalized. Additionally, characteristics of various control algorithms were compared and analyzed. We also discussed the extensive applications of WFSless AO system in free space optical communication (FSO), retinal imaging in the human eye, confocal microscope, coherent beam combination (CBC) techniques and extended objects.

  5. Ischemic stroke of the pyramidal decussation causing quadriplegia and anarthria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkins, Emilia G; Kamel, Hooman; Johnson, Eric C B; Shalev, Sarah M; Josephson, S Andrew

    2012-10-01

    A 52-year-old man with a history of hypertension and previously irradiated head and neck cancer presented with quadriplegia and anarthria sparing the face and sensory functions. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated acute infarction of the pyramidal decussation. We describe the clinical and radiological characteristics of infarction at the pyramidal decussation and review the arterial supply to this region in the lower brainstem. Although rare, infarction of the pyramidal decussation should be considered in the differential diagnosis when patients present with atraumatic pure motor quadriplegia. Copyright © 2012 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Non-uniform dispersion of the source-sink relationship alters wavefront curvature.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucia Romero

    Full Text Available The distribution of cellular source-sink relationships plays an important role in cardiac propagation. It can lead to conduction slowing and block as well as wave fractionation. It is of great interest to unravel the mechanisms underlying evolution in wavefront geometry. Our goal is to investigate the role of the source-sink relationship on wavefront geometry using computer simulations. We analyzed the role of variability in the microscopic source-sink relationship in driving changes in wavefront geometry. The electrophysiological activity of a homogeneous isotropic tissue was simulated using the ten Tusscher and Panfilov 2006 action potential model and the source-sink relationship was characterized using an improved version of the Romero et al. safety factor formulation (SFm2. Our simulations reveal that non-uniform dispersion of the cellular source-sink relationship (dispersion along the wavefront leads to alterations in curvature. To better understand the role of the source-sink relationship in the process of wave formation, the electrophysiological activity at the initiation of excitation waves in a 1D strand was examined and the source-sink relationship was characterized using the two recently updated safety factor formulations: the SFm2 and the Boyle-Vigmond (SFVB definitions. The electrophysiological activity at the initiation of excitation waves was intimately related to the SFm2 profiles, while the SFVB led to several counterintuitive observations. Importantly, with the SFm2 characterization, a critical source-sink relationship for initiation of excitation waves was identified, which was independent of the size of the electrode of excitation, membrane excitability, or tissue conductivity. In conclusion, our work suggests that non-uniform dispersion of the source-sink relationship alters wavefront curvature and a critical source-sink relationship profile separates wave expansion from collapse. Our study reinforces the idea that the

  7. Recursive Pyramid Algorithm-Based Discrete Wavelet Transform for Reactive Power Measurement in Smart Meters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahin K. Atiq

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Measurement of the active, reactive, and apparent power is one of the most fundamental tasks of smart meters in energy systems. Recently, a number of studies have employed the discrete wavelet transform (DWT for power measurement in smart meters. The most common way to implement DWT is the pyramid algorithm; however, this is not feasible for practical DWT computation because it requires either a log N cascaded filter or O (N word size memory storage for an input signal of the N-point. Both solutions are too expensive for practical applications of smart meters. It is proposed that the recursive pyramid algorithm is more suitable for smart meter implementation because it requires only word size storage of L × Log (N-L, where L is the length of filter. We also investigated the effect of varying different system parameters, such as the sampling rate, dc offset, phase offset, linearity error in current and voltage sensors, analog to digital converter resolution, and number of harmonics in a non-sinusoidal system, on the reactive energy measurement using DWT. The error analysis is depicted in the form of the absolute difference between the measured and the true value of the reactive energy.

  8. Understanding political radicalization: The two-pyramids model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCauley, Clark; Moskalenko, Sophia

    2017-04-01

    This article reviews some of the milestones of thinking about political radicalization, as scholars and security officials struggled after 9/11 to discern the precursors of terrorist violence. Recent criticism of the concept of radicalization has been recognized, leading to a 2-pyramids model that responds to the criticism by separating radicalization of opinion from radicalization of action. Security and research implications of the 2-pyramids model are briefly described, ending with a call for more attention to emotional experience in understanding both radicalization of opinion and radicalization of action. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  9. Lithographic manufacturing of adaptive optics components

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, R. Phillip; Jean, Madison; Johnson, Lee; Gatlin, Ridley; Bronson, Ryan; Milster, Tom; Hart, Michael

    2017-09-01

    Adaptive optics systems and their laboratory test environments call for a number of unusual optical components. Examples include lenslet arrays, pyramids, and Kolmogorov phase screens. Because of their specialized application, the availability of these parts is generally limited, with high cost and long lead time, which can also significantly drive optical system design. These concerns can be alleviated by a fast and inexpensive method of optical fabrication. To that end, we are exploring direct-write lithographic techniques to manufacture three different custom elements. We report results from a number of prototype devices including 1, 2, and 3 wave Multiple Order Diffractive (MOD) lenslet arrays with 0.75 mm pitch and phase screens with near Kolmogorov structure functions with a Fried length r0 around 1 mm. We also discuss plans to expand our research to include a diffractive pyramid that is smaller, lighter, and more easily manufactured than glass versions presently used in pyramid wavefront sensors. We describe how these components can be produced within the limited dynamic range of the lithographic process, and with a rapid prototyping and manufacturing cycle. We discuss exploratory manufacturing methods, including replication, and potential observing techniques enabled by the ready availability of custom components.

  10. Pyramidal cell-interneuron interactions underlie hippocampal ripple oscillations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stark, Eran; Roux, Lisa; Eichler, Ronny; Senzai, Yuta; Royer, Sebastien; Buzsáki, György

    2014-07-16

    High-frequency ripple oscillations, observed most prominently in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal layer, are associated with memory consolidation. The cellular and network mechanisms underlying the generation, frequency control, and spatial coherence of the rhythm are poorly understood. Using multisite optogenetic manipulations in freely behaving rodents, we found that depolarization of a small group of nearby pyramidal cells was sufficient to induce high-frequency oscillations, whereas closed-loop silencing of pyramidal cells or activation of parvalbumin- (PV) or somatostatin-immunoreactive interneurons aborted spontaneously occurring ripples. Focal pharmacological blockade of GABAA receptors abolished ripples. Localized PV interneuron activation paced ensemble spiking, and simultaneous induction of high-frequency oscillations at multiple locations resulted in a temporally coherent pattern mediated by phase-locked interneuron spiking. These results constrain competing models of ripple generation and indicate that temporally precise local interactions between excitatory and inhibitory neurons support ripple generation in the intact hippocampus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. The mammalian neocortical pyramidal cell: a new theory on prenatal development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel eMarín-Padilla

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Mammals’ new cerebral cortex (neocortex and the new type of pyramidal neuron are mammalian innovations that have evolved for operating their increasing motor capabilities using essentially analogous anatomical and neural makeups. The human neocortex starts to develop in the 6-week-old embryo with the establishment of a primordial cortical organization that resembles the primitive cortices of amphibian and reptiles that operated his early motor activities. From the 8th to the 15th week of age, the new pyramidal neurons, of ependymal origin, are progressively incorporated within this primordial cortex forming a cellular plate that divide its components into those above it (neocortex first lamina and those below it (neocortex subplate elements. From the 16th week of age to birth and postnatally, the new pyramidal neurons continue to elongate functionally their apical dendrite by adding synaptic membrane to incorporate the needed sensory information for operating the animal muscular activities. The new pyramidal neuron’ distinguishing feature is the capacity of elongating anatomically and functionally its apical dendrite (its main receptive surface without losing its original attachment to first lamina or the location of its soma retaining its essential nature. The number of pyramidal cell functional strata established in the motor cortex increases and reflects each mammalian species motor capabilities: the hedgehog needs 2 pyramidal cell functional strata to carry out all its motor activities, the mouse three, cat four, primates 5 and humans 6. The presence of six pyramidal cell functional strata distinguish the human motor cortex from that of others primates. Homo sapiens represent a new evolutionary stage that have transformed his primate brain for operating his unique motor capabilities, such as speaking, writing, painting, sculpturing including thinking as a premotor activity.

  12. Receding-horizon adaptive contyrol of aero-optical wavefronts

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tesch, J.; Gibson, S.; Verhaegen, M.

    2013-01-01

    A new method for adaptive prediction and correction of wavefront errors in adaptive optics (AO) is introduced. The new method is based on receding-horizon control design and an adaptive lattice filter. Experimental results presented illustrate the capability of the new adaptive controller to predict

  13. A muon detector to be installed at the Pyramid of the Sun

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alfaro, R.; Belmont M, E.; Cervantes, A.; Grabski, V.; Lopez R, J.M.; Manzanilla, L.; Martinez D, A.; Moreno, M.; Menchaca R, A.

    2003-01-01

    Is the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan a mausoleum, or just a ceremonial monument? A similar question inspired Luis Alvarez over 30 years ago to carry out his famous muon detection experiment at the Chephren Pyramid, in Giza. A fortunate similarity between this monument and the Pyramid of the Sun is a tunnel, running 8 m below the base and ending close to the symmetry axis, which allows us to emulate Alvarez in a search for possible hidden chambers in one of the largest pyramids in Latin America. Here we elaborate on what is known about this monument, on a description of the proposed detector design, and its expected performance based on simulations. (Author)

  14. 110 °C range athermalization of wavefront coding infrared imaging systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Bin; Shi, Zelin; Chang, Zheng; Liu, Haizheng; Zhao, Yaohong

    2017-09-01

    110 °C range athermalization is significant but difficult for designing infrared imaging systems. Our wavefront coding athermalized infrared imaging system adopts an optical phase mask with less manufacturing errors and a decoding method based on shrinkage function. The qualitative experiments prove that our wavefront coding athermalized infrared imaging system has three prominent merits: (1) working well over a temperature range of 110 °C; (2) extending the focal depth up to 15.2 times; (3) achieving a decoded image being approximate to its corresponding in-focus infrared image, with a mean structural similarity index (MSSIM) value greater than 0.85.

  15. Renal pyramid echogenicity in ureteropelvic junction obstruction: correlation between altered echogenicity and differential renal function

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chavhan, Govind; Daneman, Alan; Lim, Ruth; Traubici, Jeffrey [University of Toronto, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto (Canada); Moineddin, Rahim [University of Toronto, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Toronto (Canada); Langlois, Valerie [University of Toronto, Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto (Canada)

    2008-10-15

    Improvement in resolution and use of high-frequency transducers in US has enabled visualization of previously unreported changes in medullary pyramid echogenicity in children with obstructive hydronephrosis. To determine whether these unreported changes in echogenicity and morphology of the renal pyramids in ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction correlate with differential renal function (DRF) of the kidney as determined by technetium-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine ({sup 99m}Tc-MAG3) scan. Renal sonograms in 60 children with UPJ obstruction were retrospectively reviewed. Children were divided into three groups based on the echogenicity of the pyramids: (1) normal echogenicity of the pyramids, (2) increased echogenicity of the pyramids with maintained corticomedullary differentiation (CMD), and (3) loss of CMD. DRF, as determined by {sup 99m}Tc-MAG3 scan, of the obstructed kidney of {>=}45% was considered normal and of {<=}44% was considered abnormal based on a published study correlating histological changes with DRF. Fisher's exact test was performed for assessing the association between DRF and altered echogenicity of the pyramids. In group 1, which consisted of 13 patients with normal pyramids on US, DRF was normal in 11 and abnormal in two. In group 2, which consisted of 33 patients with echogenic pyramids and preserved CMD, DRF was normal in 15 and abnormal in 18. In group 3, which consisted of 14 patients with complete loss of CMD, DRF was normal in 2 and abnormal in 12. There was a strong correlation between abnormal pyramids and DRF (P=0.0009). The risk ratio (RR) of DRF becoming abnormal for those kidneys with abnormal echogenicity of the pyramids with preserved CMD (group 2) compared to normal pyramid echogenicity (group 1) was 1.56 (95% CI 1.088-2.236). The RR of DRF becoming abnormal for those kidneys with loss of CMD (group 3) compared to normal pyramid echogenicity (group 1) was 5.571 (95% CI 1.530-20.294). We observed that in obstructed kidneys

  16. Study on the properties of infrared wavefront coding athermal system under several typical temperature gradient distributions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Huai-yu; Dong, Xiao-tong; Zhu, Meng; Huang, Zhan-hua

    2018-01-01

    Wavefront coding for athermal technique can effectively ensure the stability of the optical system imaging in large temperature range, as well as the advantages of compact structure and low cost. Using simulation method to analyze the properties such as PSF and MTF of wavefront coding athermal system under several typical temperature gradient distributions has directive function to characterize the working state of non-ideal temperature environment, and can effectively realize the system design indicators as well. In this paper, we utilize the interoperability of data between Solidworks and ZEMAX to simplify the traditional process of structure/thermal/optical integrated analysis. Besides, we design and build the optical model and corresponding mechanical model of the infrared imaging wavefront coding athermal system. The axial and radial temperature gradients of different degrees are applied to the whole system by using SolidWorks software, thus the changes of curvature, refractive index and the distance between the lenses are obtained. Then, we import the deformation model to ZEMAX for ray tracing, and obtain the changes of PSF and MTF in optical system. Finally, we discuss and evaluate the consistency of the PSF (MTF) of the wavefront coding athermal system and the image restorability, which provides the basis and reference for the optimal design of the wavefront coding athermal system. The results show that the adaptability of single material infrared wavefront coding athermal system to axial temperature gradient can reach the upper limit of temperature fluctuation of 60°C, which is much higher than that of radial temperature gradient.

  17. Wooden's pyramid: building a hierarchy of skills for successful communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Epner, Daniel E; Baile, Walter F

    2011-01-01

    John Wooden, the legendary college basketball coach, created the "Pyramid of Success", which he constructed from 14 timeless character traits and interpersonal skills that are critical to competitive greatness. Wooden's pyramid is a powerful symbol that he and others have used for several decades as an educational tool to promote leadership and teamwork. This article proposes the "Pyramid of Relational Excellence (PRE)", patterned after Wooden's pyramid, as a mnemonic-based educational symbol for communication skills training. Literature review, personal reflection. The PRE is constructed of four tiers with a total of 12 building blocks, with each successive tier built upon the one beneath it. The building blocks represent fundamental elements that are known to be critical to successful communication. The PRE is process oriented rather than task oriented and focuses exclusively on the face-to-face encounter. It therefore complements established communications curricula, such as the UK communication wheel and others, which are more comprehensive and task oriented. The PRE is constructed of timeless, fundamental principles. It is therefore particularly well suited for training medical students and residents.

  18. The azimuth-dependent offset-midpoint traveltime pyramid in 3D HTI media

    KAUST Repository

    Hao, Qi

    2013-09-22

    Analytical representation of offset-midpoint traveltime equation is very important for pre-stack Kirchhoff migration and velocity inversion in anisotropic media. For VTI media, the offset-midpoint traveltime resembles the shape of Cheop\\'s pyramid. In this study, we extend the offset-midpoint traveltime pyramid to the case of 3D HTI media. We employ the stationary phase method to derive the analytical representation of traveltime equation, and then use Shanks transformation to improve the accuracy of horizontal and vertical slownesses. The traveltime pyramid is derived in both the depth- and time-domain. Numerical examples indicate that the azimuthal characteristics of both the traveltime pyramid and the migration isochrones are very obvious in HTI media due to the effect of anisotropy.

  19. Manufacturing and testing of wavefront filters for DARWIN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flatscher, R.; Artjushenko, V.; Sakharova, T.; Pereira do Carmo, Joao

    2017-11-01

    Wavefront filtering is mandatory in the realisation of nulling interferometers with high star light suppression capability required to detect extrasolar planets, such as the one foreseen for the ESA Darwin mission. This paper presents the design, manufacturing, and test results of single mode fibres to be used as wavefront filters in mid-infrared range. Fibres made from chalcogenide glass and silver halide crystals were produced. The first class can serve as wavefront filters up to a wavelength of 11 microns, while silver halide fibres can be used over the full Darwin wavelength range from 6.5 to 18 micron. The chalcogenide glass fibres were drawn by double crucible method whereas polycrystalline fibres from silver halides were fabricated by multiple extrusion from a crystalline preform. Multi-layer AR-coatings for fibre ends were developed and environmentally tested for both types of fibres. Special fibre facet polishing procedures were established, in particular for the soft silver halide fibre ends. Cable design and assembly process were also developed, including termination by SMA-connectors with ceramic ferrules and fibre protection by loose PEEK-tubings to prevent excessive bending and chemical attacks for fibres. The wavefront filtering capability of the fibres was demonstrated on a high quality Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Two different groups of laser sources were used to measure the wavefront filtering of the fibres by using a CO-laser for testing in the lower sub-band and a CO2-laser to check the upper sub-band. Measurements of the fibres far field intensity distribution and transmission were performed for numerous cable samples. Single mode behaviour was observed in more than 25 silver halide fibre cables before AR-coating of their ends, while after that 17 cables were compliant with all technical requirements. Residual cladding modes existing in short single mode fibres were effectively removed by applying of a proper absorbing jacket to the fibre

  20. Climbing the Needs Pyramids

    OpenAIRE

    J. C. Lomas

    2013-01-01

    Abraham Maslow’s theory of human adult motivation is often represented by a pyramid image showing two proposals: First, the five needs stages in emergent order of hierarchical ascension and second, a percentage of the adult population suggested to occupy each needs tier. Specifically, Maslow proposed that adults would be motivated to satisfy their unfilled needs until they reached the hierarchy’s apex and achieved self...

  1. Pyramidal-Reflector Solar Heater

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-01-01

    Motor-driven reflector compensates for seasonal changes in Sun's altitude. System has flat-plate absorbers mounted on north side of attic interior. Skylight window on south-facing roof admits Sunlight into attic, lined with mirrors that reflect light to absorbers. Reflectors are inner surfaces of a pyramid lying on its side with window at its base and absorber plates in a cross-sectional plane near its apex.

  2. Vertically stacked nanocellulose tactile sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Minhyun; Kim, Kyungkwan; Kim, Bumjin; Lee, Kwang-Jae; Kang, Jae-Wook; Jeon, Sanghun

    2017-11-16

    Paper-based electronic devices are attracting considerable attention, because the paper platform has unique attributes such as flexibility and eco-friendliness. Here we report on what is claimed to be the firstly fully integrated vertically-stacked nanocellulose-based tactile sensor, which is capable of simultaneously sensing temperature and pressure. The pressure and temperature sensors are operated using different principles and are stacked vertically, thereby minimizing the interference effect. For the pressure sensor, which utilizes the piezoresistance principle under pressure, the conducting electrode was inkjet printed on the TEMPO-oxidized-nanocellulose patterned with micro-sized pyramids, and the counter electrode was placed on the nanocellulose film. The pressure sensor has a high sensitivity over a wide range (500 Pa-3 kPa) and a high durability of 10 4 loading/unloading cycles. The temperature sensor combines various materials such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to form a thermocouple on the upper nanocellulose layer. The thermoelectric-based temperature sensors generate a thermoelectric voltage output of 1.7 mV for a temperature difference of 125 K. Our 5 × 5 tactile sensor arrays show a fast response, negligible interference, and durable sensing performance.

  3. Measurement of wavefront structure from large aperture optical components by phase shifting interferometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolfe, C.R.; Lawson, J.K.; Kellam, M.; Maney, R.T.; Demiris, A.

    1995-01-01

    This paper discusses the results of high spatial resolution measurement of the transmitted or reflected wavefront of optical components using phase shifting interferometry with a wavelength of 6328 angstrom. The optical components studied range in size from approximately 50 mm x 100 mm to 400 mm x 750 mm. Wavefront data, in the form of 3-D phase maps, have been obtained for three regimes of scale length: ''micro roughness'', ''mid-spatial scale'', and ''optical figure/curvature.'' Repetitive wavefront structure has been observed with scale lengths from 10 mm to 100 mm. The amplitude of this structure is typically λ/100 to λ/20. Previously unobserved structure has been detected in optical materials and on the surfaces of components. We are using this data to assist in optimizing laser system design, to qualify optical components and fabrication processes under study in our component development program

  4. Manipulations of Wavefront Propagation: Useful Methods and Applications for Interferometric Measurements and Scanning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Avi Karsenty

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Phase measurements obtained by high-coherence interferometry are restricted by the 2π ambiguity, to height differences smaller than λ/2. A further restriction in most interferometric systems is for focusing the system on the measured object. We present two methods that overcome these restrictions. In the first method, different segments of a measured wavefront are digitally propagated and focused locally after measurement. The divergent distances, by which the diverse segments of the wavefront are propagated in order to achieve a focused image, provide enough information so as to resolve the 2π ambiguity. The second method employs an interferogram obtained by a spectrum constituting a small number of wavelengths. The magnitude of the interferogram’s modulations is utilized to resolve the 2π ambiguity. Such methods of wavefront propagation enable several applications such as focusing and resolving the 2π ambiguity, as described in the article.

  5. Clinical outcomes of wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis: 6-month follow-up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aizawa, Daisuke; Shimizu, Kimiya; Komatsu, Mari; Ito, Misae; Suzuki, Masanobu; Ohno, Koji; Uozato, Hiroshi

    2003-08-01

    To evaluate the clinical outcomes 6 months after wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for myopia in Japan. Department of Ophthalmology, Sanno Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. This prospective study comprised 22 eyes of 12 patients treated with wavefront-guided LASIK who were available for evaluation at 6 months. The mean patient age was 31.2 years +/- 8.4 (SD) (range 23 to 50 years), and the mean preoperative spherical equivalent refraction was -7.30 +/- 2.72 diopters (D) (range -2.75 to -11.88 D). In all cases, preoperative wavefront analysis was performed with a Hartmann-Shack aberrometer and the Technolas 217z flying-spot excimer laser system (Bausch & Lomb) was used with 1.0 mm and 2.0 mm spot sizes and an active eye tracker with a 120 Hz tracking rate. The clinical outcomes of wavefront-guided LASIK were evaluated in terms of safety, efficacy, predictability, stability, complications, and preoperative and postoperative aberrations. At 6 months, 10 eyes had no change in best spectacle-correct visual acuity and 10 gained 1 or more lines. The safety index was 1.11 and the efficacy index, 0.82. Slight undercorrections were observed in highly myopic eyes. In all eyes, the postoperative refraction tended slightly toward myopia for 3 months and stabilized after that. No complication such as epithelial ingrowth, diffuse lamellar keratitis, or infection was observed. Comparison of the preoperative and postoperative aberrations showed that 2nd-order aberrations decreased and higher-order aberrations increased. In the 3rd order, aberrations increased in the high-myopia group (-6.0 D or worse) and decreased in the low to moderate-myopia group (better than -6.0 D). Wavefront-guided LASIK was a good option for refractive surgery, although a longer follow-up in a larger study is required.

  6. Searching for possible hidden chambers in the Pyramid of the Sun

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alfaro, R.; Belmont, E.; Grabski, V.; Manzanilla, L.; Martinez-Davalos, A.; Menchaca-Rocha, A.; Moreno, M.; Sandoval, A.

    The Pyramid of the Sun, at Teotihuacan, Mexico, is being searched for possible hidden chambers, using a muon tracking technique inspired in the experiment carried out by Luis Alvarez over 30 years ago at the Chephren Pyramid, in Giza. A fortunate similarity between this monument and the Pyramid of the Sun is a tunnel, running 8 m below the base and ending close to the symmetry axis, which permits the use muon attenuation measurements. A brief account of the project, including planning, detector design, construction and simulations, as well as the current status of the project is presented

  7. Beam quality management by periodic reproduction of wavefront aberrations in end-pumped Nd:YVO4 laser amplifiers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bin; Liu, Chong; Shen, Lifeng; Wang, Chunhua; Ye, Zhibin; Liu, Dong; Xiang, Zhen

    2016-04-18

    A method for beam quality management is presented in a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) using Nd:YVO4 as the gain medium by extra-cavity periodic reproduction of wavefront aberrations. The wavefront aberration evolution of the intra-cavity beams is investigated for both symmetrical and asymmetrical resonators. The wavefront aberration reproduction process is successfully realized outside the cavity in four-stage amplifiers. In the MOPA with a symmetrical oscillator, the laser power increases linearly and the beam quality hardly changes. In the MOPA with an asymmetrical oscillator, the beam quality is deteriorated after the odd-stage amplifier and is improved after the even-stage amplifier. The wavefront aberration reproduction during the extra-cavity beam propagation in the amplifiers is equivalent to that during the intra-cavity propagation. This solution helps to achieve the effective beam quality management in laser amplifier chains.

  8. Tomographic flow cytometry assisted by intelligent wavefronts analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merola, F.; Memmolo, P.; Miccio, L.; Mugnano, M.; Ferraro, P.

    2017-06-01

    High-throughput single-cell analysis is a challenging target for implementing advanced biomedical applications. An excellent candidate for this aim is label-free tomographic phase microscopy. However, in-line tomography is very difficult to be implemented in practice, as it requires complex setup for rotating the sample and/or illuminate the cell along numerous directions [1]. We exploit random rolling of cells while they are flowing along a microfluidic channel demonstrating that it is possible to obtain in-line phase-contrast tomography by adopting strategies for intelligent wavefronts analysis thus obtaining complete retrieval of both 3D-position and orientation of rotating cells [2]. Thus, by numerical wavefront analysis a-priori knowledge of such information is no longer needed. This approach makes continuos-flow cyto-tomography suitable for practical operation in real-world, single-cell analysis and with substantial simplification of the optical system avoiding any mechanical/optical scanning of light source. Demonstration is given for different classes of biosamples, red-blood-cells (RBCs), diatom algae and fibroblast cells [3]. Accurate characterization of each type of cells is reported despite their very different nature and materials content, thus showing the proposed method can be extended, by adopting two alternate strategies of wavefront-analysis, to many classes of cells. In particular, for RBCs we furnish important parameters as 3D morphology, Corpuscular Hemoglobin (CH), Volume (V), and refractive index (RI) for each single cell in the total population [3]. This could open a new route in blood disease diagnosis, for example for the isolation and characterization of "foreign" cells in the blood stream, the so called Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC), early manifestation of metastasis.

  9. The Base of the Pyramid

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hutte, E.; Vermeulen, P.A.M.; Vermeulen, P.; Hutte, E.

    2014-01-01

    This chapter provides a brief background to the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) phenomenon. It begins with a discussion on what sets the BoP markets apart from more traditional markets and why companies have not identified them as a business opportunity. The chapter then provides an overview of how

  10. Evaluation of the Green Egyptian Pyramid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Gamal Ammar

    2012-12-01

    The research concluded to the need of developing the Egyptian pyramid system through studying more global systems, in addition to the need to benefit from the Egyptian experience stock of solutions and environmental treatments in ancient architecture.

  11. Longitudinal measurements of luminance and chromatic contrast sensitivity: comparison between wavefront-guided LASIK and contralateral PRK for myopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barboni, Mirella Telles Salgueiro; Feitosa-Santana, Claudia; Barreto Junior, Jackson; Lago, Marcos; Bechara, Samir Jacob; Alves, Milton Ruiz; Ventura, Dora Fix

    2013-10-01

    The present study aimed to compare the postoperative contrast sensitivity functions between wavefront-guided LASIK eyes and their contralateral wavefront-guided PRK eyes. The participants were 11 healthy subjects (mean age=32.4 ± 6.2 years) who had myopic astigmatism. The spatial contrast sensitivity functions were measured before and three times after the surgery. Psycho and a Cambridge graphic board (VSG 2/4) were used to measure luminance, red-green, and blue-yellow spatial contrast sensitivity functions (from 0.85 to 13.1 cycles/degree). Longitudinal analysis and comparison between surgeries were performed. There was no significant contrast sensitivity change during the one-year follow-up measurements neither for LASIK nor for PRK eyes. The comparison between procedures showed no differences at 12 months postoperative. The present data showed similar contrast sensitivities during one-year follow-up of wave-front guided refractive surgeries. Moreover, one year postoperative data showed no differences in the effects of either wavefront-guided LASIK or wavefront-guided PRK on the luminance and chromatic spatial contrast sensitivity functions.

  12. Study of wavefront aberration in DR patients with different degree of dry eye

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin-Ran Fang

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To compare the changes of wavefront aberrations in patients with diabetic retinopathy(DRand with different degrees of dry eye and to explore the reasons of visual quality decline in them. METHODS: We randomly selected 40 eyes in our hospital for treatment with DR and varying degrees of dry eye, and 40 eyes of normal control group. Topcon KR-1W visual quality analyzer was used to record the mean square the total high order corneal aberration, spherical aberration, comatic aberration and trefoil aberration of cornea with pupil diameters of 4mm and 6mm. Analysis of variance were used to compare the wavefront aberrations and the aberration values in the control group and in patients with diabetic retinopathy and with different degrees of dry eye. RESULTS: For 4mm and 6mm pupil diameters, nondiabetic retinopathy(NDRwith dry eye group, the nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy(NPDRwith dry eye group and proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDRdry eye group had significantly increased tHOA, coma and trefoil compared with the contrast group(PPCONCLUSION: Dry eye of diabetic retinopathy with different degrees is closely related to the increase of wavefront aberration. Increased wavefront aberration may be one of the reasons to reduced visual quality in patients with diabetic retinopathy and with dry eye, and provide the basis for the decline of visual function of diabetic patients with dry eye.

  13. High speed real-time wavefront processing system for a solid-state laser system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yuan; Yang, Ping; Chen, Shanqiu; Ma, Lifang; Xu, Bing

    2008-03-01

    A high speed real-time wavefront processing system for a solid-state laser beam cleanup system has been built. This system consists of a core2 Industrial PC (IPC) using Linux and real-time Linux (RT-Linux) operation system (OS), a PCI image grabber, a D/A card. More often than not, the phase aberrations of the output beam from solid-state lasers vary fast with intracavity thermal effects and environmental influence. To compensate the phase aberrations of solid-state lasers successfully, a high speed real-time wavefront processing system is presented. Compared to former systems, this system can improve the speed efficiently. In the new system, the acquisition of image data, the output of control voltage data and the implementation of reconstructor control algorithm are treated as real-time tasks in kernel-space, the display of wavefront information and man-machine conversation are treated as non real-time tasks in user-space. The parallel processing of real-time tasks in Symmetric Multi Processors (SMP) mode is the main strategy of improving the speed. In this paper, the performance and efficiency of this wavefront processing system are analyzed. The opened-loop experimental results show that the sampling frequency of this system is up to 3300Hz, and this system can well deal with phase aberrations from solid-state lasers.

  14. Effective lifetime of minority carriers in black silicon nano-textured by cones and pyramids

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Onyshchenko, V.F.; Karachevtseva, L.A.; Lytvynenko, O.O.

    2017-01-01

    We calculated the dependence of effective lifetime of minority carriers in black silicon nano-textured by cones and pyramids on the diameter of the cone base, the side of the pyramid base, the height of cone and pyramid. The numerical calculation shows that n-type polished plate of single crystal...

  15. Effect of varying durations of pyramid exposure - an indication towards a possibility of overexposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhat, Surekha; Rao, Guruprasad; Murthy, K Dilip; Bhat, P Gopalakrishna

    2009-10-01

    Miniature replicas modeled after the Great Pyramid of Giza are believed to concentrate geoelectromagnetic energy within their cavities and hence act as antistressors in humans and animals. Although there are not many reports of adverse effects of 'overexposure' in the pyramid, subjects have claimed to feel uneasy after certain duration of staying in the pyramid. The present study was aimed to analyze the effects of prolonged pyramid exposure on plasma cortisol level, markers of oxidative damage and antioxidant defense in erythrocytes of adult female Wistar rats. Rats were divided into three groups, normal controls (NC, n=6) that were maintained under standard laboratory conditions in their home cages, pyramid exposed group-2 (PE-2, n=6) & pyramid exposed group-4 (PE-4, n=6) where the rats were housed under the pyramid for 6 hours/day for 2 weeks and 4 weeks respectively. Plasma cortisol and erythrocyte TBARS levels were significantly lower in both PE-2 and PE-4 rats and erythrocyte GSH levels and GSH-Px activity were significantly higher in them as compared to the NC rats. There was no significant difference in the results for these parameters between the PE-2 and PE-4 rats except for erythrocyte GSH-Px activity which was significantly more in the PE-2 rats than in the PE-4 rats. Although these results don't confirm any adverse effects of prolonged exposure in pyramids, they indicate a possibility of such adverse effects.

  16. Pyramid shape of polymer solar cells: a simple solution to triple efficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia, Yuxin; Hou, Lintao; Ma, Kaijie; Wang, Biao; Xiong, Kang; Liu, Pengyi; Liao, Jihai; Wen, Shangsheng; Wang, Ergang

    2013-01-01

    Pyramid-shaped polymer solar cells fabricated on flexible substrates were investigated. Effective light trapping can be realized due to light reflection in all 360° directions, and 100% space utilization is achieved when assembled into arrays. The power conversion efficiency is enhanced by 200% ([60]PCBM as the acceptor) and 260% ([70]PCBM as the acceptor) with a dihedral angle of 30° between the opposite sides of the pyramid compared with a planar device, and a high V oc of 3.5 V in series connection is obtained. Considering the material utilization, an angle of 90° for pyramid-shaped polymer solar cells is proposed. Pyramid-shaped polymer solar cells are particularly suitable for installation on roof of vehicles and houses, which have limited surface area. (paper)

  17. Ancient Egyptian chronology and the astronomical orientation of pyramids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spence, Kate

    2000-11-01

    The ancient Egyptian pyramids at Giza have never been accurately dated, although we know that they were built approximately around the middle of the third millennium BC. The chronologies of this period have been reconstructed from surviving lists of kings and the lengths of their reigns, but the lists are rare, seldom complete and contain known inconsistencies and errors. As a result, the existing chronologies for that period (the Old Kingdom) can be considered accurate only to about +/-100 years, a figure that radiocarbon dating cannot at present improve. Here I use trends in the orientation of Old Kingdom pyramids to demonstrate that the Egyptians aligned them to north by using the simultaneous transit of two circumpolar stars. Modelling the precession of these stars yields a date for the start of construction of the Great Pyramid that is accurate to +/-5 yr, thereby providing an anchor for the Old Kingdom chronologies.

  18. Improved Visualization of Gastrointestinal Slow Wave Propagation Using a Novel Wavefront-Orientation Interpolation Technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayne, Terence P; Paskaranandavadivel, Niranchan; Erickson, Jonathan C; OGrady, Gregory; Cheng, Leo K; Angeli, Timothy R

    2018-02-01

    High-resolution mapping of gastrointestinal (GI) slow waves is a valuable technique for research and clinical applications. Interpretation of high-resolution GI mapping data relies on animations of slow wave propagation, but current methods remain as rudimentary, pixelated electrode activation animations. This study aimed to develop improved methods of visualizing high-resolution slow wave recordings that increases ease of interpretation. The novel method of "wavefront-orientation" interpolation was created to account for the planar movement of the slow wave wavefront, negate any need for distance calculations, remain robust in atypical wavefronts (i.e., dysrhythmias), and produce an appropriate interpolation boundary. The wavefront-orientation method determines the orthogonal wavefront direction and calculates interpolated values as the mean slow wave activation-time (AT) of the pair of linearly adjacent electrodes along that direction. Stairstep upsampling increased smoothness and clarity. Animation accuracy of 17 human high-resolution slow wave recordings (64-256 electrodes) was verified by visual comparison to the prior method showing a clear improvement in wave smoothness that enabled more accurate interpretation of propagation, as confirmed by an assessment of clinical applicability performed by eight GI clinicians. Quantitatively, the new method produced accurate interpolation values compared to experimental data (mean difference 0.02 ± 0.05 s) and was accurate when applied solely to dysrhythmic data (0.02 ± 0.06 s), both within the error in manual AT marking (mean 0.2 s). Mean interpolation processing time was 6.0 s per wave. These novel methods provide a validated visualization platform that will improve analysis of high-resolution GI mapping in research and clinical translation.

  19. Introduction of a pyramid guiding process for general musculoskeletal physical rehabilitation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stark Timothy W

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Successful instruction of a complicated subject as Physical Rehabilitation demands organization. To understand principles and processes of such a field demands a hierarchy of steps to achieve the intended outcome. This paper is intended to be an introduction to a proposed pyramid scheme of general physical rehabilitation principles. The purpose of the pyramid scheme is to allow for a greater understanding for the student and patient. As the respected Food Guide Pyramid accomplishes, the student will further appreciate and apply supported physical rehabilitation principles and the patient will understand that there is a progressive method to their functional healing process.

  20. Distinctive transcriptome alterations of prefrontal pyramidal neurons in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arion, D; Corradi, J P; Tang, S; Datta, D; Boothe, F; He, A; Cacace, A M; Zaczek, R; Albright, C F; Tseng, G; Lewis, D A

    2015-11-01

    Schizophrenia is associated with alterations in working memory that reflect dysfunction of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) circuitry. Working memory depends on the activity of excitatory pyramidal cells in DLPFC layer 3 and, to a lesser extent, in layer 5. Although many studies have profiled gene expression in DLPFC gray matter in schizophrenia, little is known about cell-type-specific transcript expression in these two populations of pyramidal cells. We hypothesized that interrogating gene expression, specifically in DLPFC layer 3 or 5 pyramidal cells, would reveal new and/or more robust schizophrenia-associated differences that would provide new insights into the nature of pyramidal cell dysfunction in the illness. We also sought to determine the impact of other variables, such as a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder or medication use at the time of death, on the patterns of gene expression in pyramidal neurons. Individual pyramidal cells in DLPFC layers 3 or 5 were captured by laser microdissection from 36 subjects with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and matched normal comparison subjects. The mRNA from cell collections was subjected to transcriptome profiling by microarray followed by quantitative PCR validation. Expression of genes involved in mitochondrial (MT) or ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) functions were markedly downregulated in the patient group (P-values for MT-related and UPS-related pathways were schizoaffective disorder subjects (diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder was the most significant covariate, Pschizoaffective disorder, providing a potential molecular-cellular basis of differences in clinical phenotypes.

  1. Chirped pulse digital holography for measuring the sequence of ultrafast optical wavefronts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karasawa, Naoki

    2018-04-01

    Optical setups for measuring the sequence of ultrafast optical wavefronts using a chirped pulse as a reference wave in digital holography are proposed and analyzed. In this method, multiple ultrafast object pulses are used to probe the temporal evolution of ultrafast phenomena and they are interfered with a chirped reference wave to record a digital hologram. Wavefronts at different times can be reconstructed separately from the recorded hologram when the reference pulse can be treated as a quasi-monochromatic wave during the pulse width of each object pulse. The feasibility of this method is demonstrated by numerical simulation.

  2. Wavefront modulation of water surface wave by a metasurface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Hai-Tao; Cheng Ying; Liu Xiao-Jun; Wang Jing-Shi

    2015-01-01

    We design a planar metasurface to modulate the wavefront of a water surface wave (WSW) on a deep sub-wavelength scale. The metasurface is composed of an array of coiling-up-space units with specially designed parameters, and can take on the work of steering the wavefront when it is pierced into water. Like their acoustic counterparts, the modulation of WSW is ascribed to the gradient phase shift of the coiling-up-space units, which can be perfectly tuned by changing the coiling plate length and channel number inside the units. According to the generalized Snell’s law, negative refraction and ‘driven’ surface mode of WSW are also demonstrated at certain incidences. Specially, the transmitted WSW could be efficiently guided out by linking a symmetrically-corrugated channel in ‘driven’ surface mode. This work may have potential applications in water wave energy extraction and coastal protection. (paper)

  3. Discovery of a big void in Khufu's Pyramid by observation of cosmic-ray muons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morishima, Kunihiro; Kuno, Mitsuaki; Nishio, Akira; Kitagawa, Nobuko; Manabe, Yuta; Moto, Masaki; Takasaki, Fumihiko; Fujii, Hirofumi; Satoh, Kotaro; Kodama, Hideyo; Hayashi, Kohei; Odaka, Shigeru; Procureur, Sébastien; Attié, David; Bouteille, Simon; Calvet, Denis; Filosa, Christopher; Magnier, Patrick; Mandjavidze, Irakli; Riallot, Marc; Marini, Benoit; Gable, Pierre; Date, Yoshikatsu; Sugiura, Makiko; Elshayeb, Yasser; Elnady, Tamer; Ezzy, Mustapha; Guerriero, Emmanuel; Steiger, Vincent; Serikoff, Nicolas; Mouret, Jean-Baptiste; Charlès, Bernard; Helal, Hany; Tayoubi, Mehdi

    2017-12-21

    The Great Pyramid, or Khufu's Pyramid, was built on the Giza plateau in Egypt during the fourth dynasty by the pharaoh Khufu (Cheops), who reigned from 2509 bc to 2483 bc. Despite being one of the oldest and largest monuments on Earth, there is no consensus about how it was built. To understand its internal structure better, we imaged the pyramid using muons, which are by-products of cosmic rays that are only partially absorbed by stone. The resulting cosmic-ray muon radiography allows us to visualize the known and any unknown voids in the pyramid in a non-invasive way. Here we report the discovery of a large void (with a cross-section similar to that of the Grand Gallery and a minimum length of 30 metres) situated above the Grand Gallery. This constitutes the first major inner structure found in the Great Pyramid since the nineteenth century. The void, named ScanPyramids' Big Void, was first observed with nuclear emulsion films installed in the Queen's chamber, then confirmed with scintillator hodoscopes set up in the same chamber and finally re-confirmed with gas detectors outside the pyramid. This large void has therefore been detected with high confidence by three different muon detection technologies and three independent analyses. These results constitute a breakthrough for the understanding of the internal structure of Khufu's Pyramid. Although there is currently no information about the intended purpose of this void, these findings show how modern particle physics can shed new light on the world's archaeological heritage.

  4. Wavefront correction for static and dynamic aberrations to within 1 second of the system shot in the NIF Beamlet demonstration facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hartley, R.; Kartz, M.; Behrendt, W.

    1996-10-01

    The laser wavefront of the NIF Beamlet demonstration system is corrected for static aberrations with a wavefront control system. The system operates closed loop with a probe beam prior to a shot and has a loop bandwidth of about 3 Hz. However, until recently the wavefront control system was disabled several minutes prior to the shot to allow time to manually reconfigure its attenuators and probe beam insertion mechanism to shot mode. Thermally-induced dynamic variations in gas density in the Beamlet main beam line produce significant wavefront error. After about 5-8 seconds, the wavefront error has increased to a new, higher level due to turbulence- induced aberrations no longer being corrected- This implies that there is a turbulence-induced aberration noise bandwidth of less than one Hertz, and that the wavefront controller could correct for the majority of turbulence-induced aberration (about one- third wave) by automating its reconfiguration to occur within one second of the shot, This modification was recently implemented on Beamlet; we call this modification the t 0 -1 system

  5. Activity of pyramidal I and II slip in Mg alloys as revealed by texture development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zecevic, Miroslav; Beyerlein, Irene J.; Knezevic, Marko

    2018-02-01

    Due to the geometry of the hexagonal close-packed (HCP) lattice, there are two types of pyramidal slip modes: { 10 1 bar 1 } 〈 11 2 bar 3 bar 〉 or type I and { 1 bar 1 bar 22 } 〈 11 2 bar 3 〉 or type II in HCP crystalline materials. Here we use crystal plasticity to examine the importance of crystallographic slip by pyramidal type I and type II on texture evolution. The study is applied to an Mg-4%Li alloy. An elastic-plastic polycrystal model is employed to elucidate the reorientation tendencies of these two slip modes in rolling of a textured polycrystal. Comparisons with experimental texture measurements indicate that both pyramidal I and II type slip were active during rolling deformation, with pyramidal I being the dominant mode. A single-slip-mode analysis is used to identify the orientations that prefer pyramidal I vs. II type slip when acting alone in a crystal. The analysis applies not only to Mg-4%Li, but identifies the key texture components in HCP crystals that would help distinguish the activity of pyramidal I from pyramidal II slip in rolling deformation.

  6. Building online genomics applications using BioPyramid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephenson, Liam; Wakeham, Yoshua; Seidenman, Nick; Choi, Jarny

    2018-03-29

    BioPyramid is a python package, which serves as a scaffold for building an online application for the exploration of gene expression data. It is designed for bioinformaticians wishing to quickly share transformed data and interactive analyses with collaborators. Current R-based tools similarly address the need to quickly share "omics"-data in an exploratory format, but these are generally small-scale, single-dataset solutions. Biopyramid is written in python pyramid framework and scalable to address longer-term or more complex projects. It contains a number of components designed to reduce the time and effort in building such an application from scratch, including gene annotation, dataset models and visualisation tools. Freely available at http://github.com/jarny/biopyramid. Implemented in python and javascript. jarnyc@unimelb.edu.au.

  7. Describing the Corneal Shape after Wavefront-Optimized Photorefractive Keratectomy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Jong, Tim; Wijdh, Robert H. J.; Koopmans, Steven A.; Jansonius, Nomdo M.

    2014-01-01

    PURPOSE: To develop a procedure for describing wavefront-optimized photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) corneas and to characterize PRK-induced changes in shape. METHODS: We analyzed preoperative and postoperative corneal elevation data of 41 eyes of 41 patients (mean [±SD] age, 38 [±11] years) who

  8. The Differences between Multilevel Marketing and the Financial Pyramids or “Pyramid Scheme”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa Braga Santos

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to analyze and understand the difference between the concept of Multilevel Marketing and the Financial Pyramids. The main objective of this work is to clarify the differences between these two business models that are growing worldwide and also present concepts that show the success of professionals in this kind of new business model. Multilevel Marketing shows a sustainable system, a direct selling business that includes recruiting distributors with a profit share and also by recruiting new members. In the Financial Pyramid concept, the problem is that business support is the network itself, and often there are no products to be commercialized, so this model is unsustainable and considered as an illegal business in several countries, including Brazil. Within this approach, a case study was conducted with one of the largest Multilevel Marketing companies in the world, Mary Kay. We conducted a direct interview with one of Mary Kay Independent Sales Directors from the city of Piracicaba, held in October 2016, and collected data surveys from the internet. The markets today are based on moving products, so we concluded that Multilevel Marketing is a great business opportunity to make an extra income by marketing services and products.

  9. Technique Based on Image Pyramid and Bayes Rule for Noise Reduction in Unsupervised Change Detection

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LI Zhi-qiang; HUO hong; FANG Tao; ZHU Ju-lian; GE Wei-li

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, a technique based on image pyramid and Bayes rule for reducing noise effects in unsupervised change detection is proposed. By using Gaussian pyramid to process two multitemporal images respectively, two image pyramids are constructed. The difference pyramid images are obtained by point-by-point subtraction between the same level images of the two image pyramids. By resizing all difference pyramid images to the size of the original multitemporal image and then making product operator among them, a map being similar to the difference image is obtained. The difference image is generated by point-by-point subtraction between the two multitemporal images directly. At last, the Bayes rule is used to distinguish the changed pixels. Both synthetic and real data sets are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed technique. Experimental results show that the map from the proposed technique is more robust to noise than the difference image.

  10. Pyramidal anchor stone from Baga waters of Goa, west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Tripati, S.

    . Pyramidal anchor stones have an apex hole which goes up to the round hole, however Goa anchor stone has no such perforation, but, instead has a rectangular cutting on the apex. The anchor stone is compared with Greek pyramidal anchor stones, and probably...

  11. High density micro-pyramids with silicon nanowire array for photovoltaic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rahman, Tasmiat; Navarro-Cía, Miguel; Fobelets, Kristel

    2014-01-01

    We use a metal assisted chemical etch process to fabricate silicon nanowire arrays (SiNWAs) onto a dense periodic array of pyramids that are formed using an alkaline etch masked with an oxide layer. The hybrid micro-nano structure acts as an anti-reflective coating with experimental reflectivity below 1% over the visible and near-infrared spectral regions. This represents an improvement of up to 11 and 14 times compared to the pyramid array and SiNWAs on bulk, respectively. In addition to the experimental work, we optically simulate the hybrid structure using a commercial finite difference time domain package. The results of the optical simulations support our experimental work, illustrating a reduced reflectivity in the hybrid structure. The nanowire array increases the absorbed carrier density within the pyramid by providing a guided transition of the refractive index along the light path from air into the silicon. Furthermore, electrical simulations which take into account surface and Auger recombination show an efficiency increase for the hybrid structure of 56% over bulk, 11% over pyramid array and 8.5% over SiNWAs. (paper)

  12. Control of Excitation/Inhibition Balance in a Hippocampal Circuit by Calcium Sensor Protein Regulation of Presynaptic Calcium Channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nanou, Evanthia; Lee, Amy; Catterall, William A

    2018-05-02

    Activity-dependent regulation controls the balance of synaptic excitation to inhibition in neural circuits, and disruption of this regulation impairs learning and memory and causes many neurological disorders. The molecular mechanisms underlying short-term synaptic plasticity are incompletely understood, and their role in inhibitory synapses remains uncertain. Here we show that regulation of voltage-gated calcium (Ca 2+ ) channel type 2.1 (Ca V 2.1) by neuronal Ca 2+ sensor (CaS) proteins controls synaptic plasticity and excitation/inhibition balance in a hippocampal circuit. Prevention of CaS protein regulation by introducing the IM-AA mutation in Ca V 2.1 channels in male and female mice impairs short-term synaptic facilitation at excitatory synapses of CA3 pyramidal neurons onto parvalbumin (PV)-expressing basket cells. In sharp contrast, the IM-AA mutation abolishes rapid synaptic depression in the inhibitory synapses of PV basket cells onto CA1 pyramidal neurons. These results show that CaS protein regulation of facilitation and inactivation of Ca V 2.1 channels controls the direction of short-term plasticity at these two synapses. Deletion of the CaS protein CaBP1/caldendrin also blocks rapid depression at PV-CA1 synapses, implicating its upregulation of inactivation of Ca V 2.1 channels in control of short-term synaptic plasticity at this inhibitory synapse. Studies of local-circuit function revealed reduced inhibition of CA1 pyramidal neurons by the disynaptic pathway from CA3 pyramidal cells via PV basket cells and greatly increased excitation/inhibition ratio of the direct excitatory input versus indirect inhibitory input from CA3 pyramidal neurons to CA1 pyramidal neurons. This striking defect in local-circuit function may contribute to the dramatic impairment of spatial learning and memory in IM-AA mice. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Many forms of short-term synaptic plasticity in neuronal circuits rely on regulation of presynaptic voltage-gated Ca 2+ (Ca V

  13. Wavefront reversal in a copper vapor active medium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bunkin, F.V.; Savranskii, V.V.; Shafeev, G.A.

    1981-09-01

    Wavefront reversal in the resonator of a copper vapor laser was observed. The frequencies of the signal and reversed waves were the same. The dependence of the reversed signal power on the input signal power had a threshold. Photographs were obtained of the reconstructed image of an object when a distorting phase plate was inserted in the resonator.

  14. Wavefront picking for 3D tomography and full-waveform inversion

    KAUST Repository

    AlTheyab, Abdullah; Schuster, Gerard T.

    2016-01-01

    We have developed an efficient approach for picking firstbreak wavefronts on coarsely sampled time slices of 3D shot gathers. Our objective was to compute a smooth initial velocity model for multiscale full-waveform inversion (FWI). Using

  15. Object-oriented wavefront correction in an asymmetric amplifying high-power laser system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Ying; Yuan, Qiang; Wang, Deen; Zhang, Xin; Dai, Wanjun; Hu, Dongxia; Xue, Qiao; Zhang, Xiaolu; Zhao, Junpu; Zeng, Fa; Wang, Shenzhen; Zhou, Wei; Zhu, Qihua; Zheng, Wanguo

    2018-05-01

    An object-oriented wavefront control method is proposed aiming for excellent near-field homogenization and far-field distribution in an asymmetric amplifying high-power laser system. By averaging the residual errors of the propagating beam, smaller pinholes could be employed on the spatial filters to improve the beam quality. With this wavefront correction system, the laser performance of the main amplifier system in the Shen Guang-III laser facility has been improved. The residual wavefront aberration at the position of each pinhole is below 2 µm (peak-to-valley). For each pinhole, 95% of the total laser energy is enclosed within a circle whose diameter is no more than six times the diffraction limit. At the output of the main laser system, the near-field modulation and contrast are 1.29% and 7.5%, respectively, and 95% of the 1ω (1053 nm) beam energy is contained within a 39.8 µrad circle (6.81 times the diffraction limit) under a laser fluence of 5.8 J cm-2. The measured 1ω focal spot size and near-field contrast are better than the design values of the Shen Guang-III laser facility.

  16. A Backward Pyramid Oriented Optical Flow Field Computing Method for Aerial Image

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LI Jiatian

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Aerial image optical flow field is the foundation for detecting moving objects at low altitude and obtaining change information. In general,the image pyramid structure is embedded in numerical procedure in order to enhance the convergence globally. However,more often than not,the pyramid structure is constructed using a bottom-up approach progressively,ignoring the geometry imaging process.In particular,when the ground objects moving it will lead to miss optical flow or the optical flow too small that could hardly sustain the subsequent modeling and analyzing issues. So a backward pyramid structure is proposed on the foundation of top-level standard image. Firstly,down sampled factors of top-level image are calculated quantitatively through central projection,which making the optical flow in top-level image represent the shifting threshold of the set ground target. Secondly,combining top-level image with its original,the down sampled factors in middle layer are confirmed in a constant proportion way. Finally,the image of middle layer is achieved by Gaussian smoothing and image interpolation,and meanwhile the pyramid is formed. The comparative experiments and analysis illustrate that the backward pyramid can calculate the optic flow field in aerial image accurately,and it has advantages in restraining small ground displacement.

  17. H2-optimal control of an adaptive optics system : Part I, data-driven modeling of the wavefront disturbance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hinnen, K.; Verhaegen, M.; Doelman, N.

    2005-01-01

    Even though the wavefront distortion introduced by atmospheric turbulence is a dynamic process, its temporal evolution is usually neglected in the adaptive optics (AO) control design. Most AO control systems consider only the spatial correlation in a separate wavefront reconstruction step. By

  18. Transmitted wavefront error of a volume phase holographic grating at cryogenic temperature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, David; Taylor, Gordon D; Baillie, Thomas E C; Montgomery, David

    2012-06-01

    This paper describes the results of transmitted wavefront error (WFE) measurements on a volume phase holographic (VPH) grating operating at a temperature of 120 K. The VPH grating was mounted in a cryogenically compatible optical mount and tested in situ in a cryostat. The nominal root mean square (RMS) wavefront error at room temperature was 19 nm measured over a 50 mm diameter test aperture. The WFE remained at 18 nm RMS when the grating was cooled. This important result demonstrates that excellent WFE performance can be obtained with cooled VPH gratings, as required for use in future cryogenic infrared astronomical spectrometers planned for the European Extremely Large Telescope.

  19. A pliocene cliff-line around the Giza Pyramids Plateau, Egypt

    OpenAIRE

    Aigner, Thomas

    1982-01-01

    Aigner, T., 1983. A Pliocene cliff-line around the Giza Pyramids Plateau, Egypt. Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol., 4 2 : 313—322. Escarpments bordering the Giza Pyramids Plateau represent the cliff-line of a Pliocene transgression up the pre-Nile ("Eonile") Valley. Geomorphologically, a limestone cliff can be distinguished from a slip-block shore associated with a distinct fining-up sequence. Differences in bedrock lithology and in structure (Joint pattern, faults) are morphogen...

  20. Layer-oriented multigrid wavefront reconstruction algorithms for multi-conjugate adaptive optics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilles, Luc; Ellerbroek, Brent L.; Vogel, Curtis R.

    2003-02-01

    Multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) systems with 104-105 degrees of freedom have been proposed for future giant telescopes. Using standard matrix methods to compute, optimize, and implement wavefront control algorithms for these systems is impractical, since the number of calculations required to compute and apply the reconstruction matrix scales respectively with the cube and the square of the number of AO degrees of freedom. In this paper, we develop an iterative sparse matrix implementation of minimum variance wavefront reconstruction for telescope diameters up to 32m with more than 104 actuators. The basic approach is the preconditioned conjugate gradient method, using a multigrid preconditioner incorporating a layer-oriented (block) symmetric Gauss-Seidel iterative smoothing operator. We present open-loop numerical simulation results to illustrate algorithm convergence.

  1. The force pyramid: a spatial analysis of force application during virtual reality brain tumor resection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azarnoush, Hamed; Siar, Samaneh; Sawaya, Robin; Zhrani, Gmaan Al; Winkler-Schwartz, Alexander; Alotaibi, Fahad Eid; Bugdadi, Abdulgadir; Bajunaid, Khalid; Marwa, Ibrahim; Sabbagh, Abdulrahman Jafar; Del Maestro, Rolando F

    2017-07-01

    OBJECTIVE Virtual reality simulators allow development of novel methods to analyze neurosurgical performance. The concept of a force pyramid is introduced as a Tier 3 metric with the ability to provide visual and spatial analysis of 3D force application by any instrument used during simulated tumor resection. This study was designed to answer 3 questions: 1) Do study groups have distinct force pyramids? 2) Do handedness and ergonomics influence force pyramid structure? 3) Are force pyramids dependent on the visual and haptic characteristics of simulated tumors? METHODS Using a virtual reality simulator, NeuroVR (formerly NeuroTouch), ultrasonic aspirator force application was continually assessed during resection of simulated brain tumors by neurosurgeons, residents, and medical students. The participants performed simulated resections of 18 simulated brain tumors with different visual and haptic characteristics. The raw data, namely, coordinates of the instrument tip as well as contact force values, were collected by the simulator. To provide a visual and qualitative spatial analysis of forces, the authors created a graph, called a force pyramid, representing force sum along the z-coordinate for different xy coordinates of the tool tip. RESULTS Sixteen neurosurgeons, 15 residents, and 84 medical students participated in the study. Neurosurgeon, resident and medical student groups displayed easily distinguishable 3D "force pyramid fingerprints." Neurosurgeons had the lowest force pyramids, indicating application of the lowest forces, followed by resident and medical student groups. Handedness, ergonomics, and visual and haptic tumor characteristics resulted in distinct well-defined 3D force pyramid patterns. CONCLUSIONS Force pyramid fingerprints provide 3D spatial assessment displays of instrument force application during simulated tumor resection. Neurosurgeon force utilization and ergonomic data form a basis for understanding and modulating resident force

  2. A dual triangular pyramidal indentation technique based on FEA solutions for Material property evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Minsoo; Hyun, Hong Chul [Sogana Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jin Haeng; Lee, Hyungyil [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-01-15

    In this study, we suggest a method for material property evaluation by dual triangular pyramidal indenters using the reverse analysis. First, we demonstrated that load displacement curves of conical and triangular pyramidal indenters are different for the same material. For this reason, an independent research on the triangular pyramidal indenter is needed. From FE indentation analyses on various materials, we then investigated the relationships among material properties, indentation parameters and load displacement curves. From this, we established property evaluation formula using dual triangular pyramidal indenters having two different half included angles. The approach provides the values of elastic modulus, yield strength and strain hardening exponent within an average error of 3% for various materials.

  3. Acoustic/seismic signal propagation and sensor performance modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, D. Keith; Marlin, David H.; Mackay, Sean

    2007-04-01

    Performance, optimal employment, and interpretation of data from acoustic and seismic sensors depend strongly and in complex ways on the environment in which they operate. Software tools for guiding non-expert users of acoustic and seismic sensors are therefore much needed. However, such tools require that many individual components be constructed and correctly connected together. These components include the source signature and directionality, representation of the atmospheric and terrain environment, calculation of the signal propagation, characterization of the sensor response, and mimicking of the data processing at the sensor. Selection of an appropriate signal propagation model is particularly important, as there are significant trade-offs between output fidelity and computation speed. Attenuation of signal energy, random fading, and (for array systems) variations in wavefront angle-of-arrival should all be considered. Characterization of the complex operational environment is often the weak link in sensor modeling: important issues for acoustic and seismic modeling activities include the temporal/spatial resolution of the atmospheric data, knowledge of the surface and subsurface terrain properties, and representation of ambient background noise and vibrations. Design of software tools that address these challenges is illustrated with two examples: a detailed target-to-sensor calculation application called the Sensor Performance Evaluator for Battlefield Environments (SPEBE) and a GIS-embedded approach called Battlefield Terrain Reasoning and Awareness (BTRA).

  4. Higher-Order Wavefront Aberrations for Populations of Young Emmetropes and Myopes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinhua Bao

    2009-01-01

    Conclusions: Human eyes have systematical higher order aberrations in population, and factors that cause bilateral symmetry of wavefront aberrations between the right and left eyes made important contribution to the systematical aberrations.

  5. The offset-midpoint traveltime pyramid of P-waves in homogeneous orthorhombic media

    KAUST Repository

    Hao, Qi

    2016-07-18

    The offset-midpoint traveltime pyramid describes the diffraction traveltime of a point diffractor in homogeneous media. We have developed an analytic approximation for the P-wave offset-midpoint traveltime pyramid for homogeneous orthorhombic media. In this approximation, a perturbation method and the Shanks transform were implemented to derive the analytic expressions for the horizontal slowness components of P-waves in orthorhombic media. Numerical examples were shown to analyze the proposed traveltime pyramid formula and determined its accuracy and the application in calculating migration isochrones and reflection traveltime. The proposed offset-midpoint traveltime formula is useful for Kirchhoff prestack time migration and migration velocity analysis for orthorhombic media.

  6. The offset-midpoint traveltime pyramid of P-waves in homogeneous orthorhombic media

    KAUST Repository

    Hao, Qi; Stovas, Alexey; Alkhalifah, Tariq Ali

    2016-01-01

    The offset-midpoint traveltime pyramid describes the diffraction traveltime of a point diffractor in homogeneous media. We have developed an analytic approximation for the P-wave offset-midpoint traveltime pyramid for homogeneous orthorhombic media. In this approximation, a perturbation method and the Shanks transform were implemented to derive the analytic expressions for the horizontal slowness components of P-waves in orthorhombic media. Numerical examples were shown to analyze the proposed traveltime pyramid formula and determined its accuracy and the application in calculating migration isochrones and reflection traveltime. The proposed offset-midpoint traveltime formula is useful for Kirchhoff prestack time migration and migration velocity analysis for orthorhombic media.

  7. The FINUT healthy lifestyles guide: Beyond the food pyramid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gil, Angel; Ruiz-Lopez, Maria Dolores; Fernandez-Gonzalez, Miguel; Martinez de Victoria, Emilio

    2014-05-01

    The WHO has proposed that health be promoted and protected through the development of an environment that enables sustainable actions at individual, community, national, and global levels. Indeed, food-based dietary guidelines, i.e., food pyramids, have been developed in numerous countries to disseminate nutritional information to the general population. However, wider recommendations are needed, with information on an active healthy lifestyle, not just healthy eating. The objective of the present work is to propose a three-dimensional pyramid as a new strategy for promoting adequate nutrition and active healthy lifestyles in a sustainable way. Indeed, the Iberoamerican Nutrition Foundation (FINUT) pyramid of healthy lifestyles has been designed as a tetrahedron, with its 3 lateral faces corresponding to the facets of food and nutrition, physical activity and rest, and education and hygiene. Each lateral face is divided into 2 triangles. These faces show the following: 1) food-based guidelines and healthy eating habits as related to a sustainable environment; 2) recommendations for rest and physical activity and educational, social, and cultural issues; and 3) selected hygiene and educational guidelines that, in conjunction with the other 2 faces, would contribute to better health for people in a sustainable planet. The new FINUT pyramid is addressed to the general population of all ages and should serve as a guide for living a healthy lifestyle within a defined social and cultural context. It includes an environmental and sustainability dimension providing measures that should contribute to the prevention of noncommunicable chronic diseases. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

  8. [The finut healthy lifestyles guide: beyond the food pyramid].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gil, Angel; Ruiz-Lopez, Maria Dolores; Fernandez-Gonzalez, Miguel; Martinez de Victoria, Emilio

    2015-05-01

    The World Health Organization has proposed that health be promoted and protected through the development of an environment that enables sustainable actions at individual, community, national and global levels. Indeed, food-based dietary guidelines, i.e., food pyramids, have been developed in numerous countries to disseminate nutritional information to the general population. However, wider recommendations are needed, with information on an active, healthy lifestyle, not just healthy eating. The objective of the present work is to propose a three-dimensional pyramid as a new strategy for promoting adequate nutrition and active healthy lifestyles in a sustainable way. Indeed, the Iberomerican Nutrition Foundation (FINUT) pyramid of healthy lifestyles has been designed as a tetrahedron, its three lateral faces corresponding to the binomials food and nutrition, physical activity and rest, and education and hygiene. Each lateral face is divided into two triangles. These faces show the following: 1. food-based guidelines and healthy eating habits as related to a sustainable environment; 2. recommendations for rest and physical activity and educational, social and cultural issues; 3. selected hygiene and educational guidelines that, in conjunction with the other two faces, would contribute to better health and provide measures to promote environmental sustainability. The new FINUT pyramid is addressed to the general population of all ages and should serve as a guide for living a healthy lifestyle within a defined social and cultural context. It includes an environmental and sustainability dimension providing measures that should contribute to the prevention of non-communicable chronic diseases. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  9. A novel double fine guide sensor design on space telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xu-xu; Yin, Da-yi

    2018-02-01

    To get high precision attitude for space telescope, a double marginal FOV (field of view) FGS (Fine Guide Sensor) is proposed. It is composed of two large area APS CMOS sensors and both share the same lens in main light of sight. More star vectors can be get by two FGS and be used for high precision attitude determination. To improve star identification speed, the vector cross product in inter-star angles for small marginal FOV different from traditional way is elaborated and parallel processing method is applied to pyramid algorithm. The star vectors from two sensors are then used to attitude fusion with traditional QUEST algorithm. The simulation results show that the system can get high accuracy three axis attitudes and the scheme is feasibility.

  10. Comparing Volumes of Prisms and Pyramids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinogradova, Natalya

    2012-01-01

    Students' experience in using formulas for volumes is often limited to substituting numbers into given formulas. An activity presented in this article may help students make connections between the formulas for volumes of prisms and volumes of pyramids. In addition, some interesting facts from number theory arise, demonstrating strong connections…

  11. Logical thinking in the pyramidal schema of concepts the logical and mathematical elements

    CERN Document Server

    Geldsetzer, Lutz

    2014-01-01

    This book proposes a new way of formalizing in logic and mathematics - a "pyramidal graph system," devised by the author and based on Porphyrian trees and modern concepts of classification, in both of which pyramids act as the organizing schema.

  12. Computing Homology Group Generators of Images Using Irregular Graph Pyramids

    OpenAIRE

    Peltier , Samuel; Ion , Adrian; Haxhimusa , Yll; Kropatsch , Walter; Damiand , Guillaume

    2007-01-01

    International audience; We introduce a method for computing homology groups and their generators of a 2D image, using a hierarchical structure i.e. irregular graph pyramid. Starting from an image, a hierarchy of the image is built, by two operations that preserve homology of each region. Instead of computing homology generators in the base where the number of entities (cells) is large, we first reduce the number of cells by a graph pyramid. Then homology generators are computed efficiently on...

  13. Wavefront sensing with all-digital Stokes measurements

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Dudley, Angela L

    2014-09-25

    Full Text Available to wavefront sensing [8] based on Stokes polarimetry which makes use of the amplitude and phase relationship between orthogonal states of polarization. With our approach a field of interest is generated by encoding an appropriate hologram on a spatial light... modulator (SLM). Since SLMs are diffraction-inefficient, we can exploit the amplitude relationship between the orthogonal polarization states allowing the execution of Stokes polarimetry of the co-linear superposition of the reference beam and the beam...

  14. Effective wavefront aberration measurement of spectacle lenses in as-worn status

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Zhigang; Xu, Kai; Fang, Fengzhou

    2018-04-01

    An effective wavefront aberration analysis method for measuring spectacle lenses in as-worn status was proposed and verified using an experimental apparatus based on an eye rotation model. Two strategies were employed to improve the accuracy of measurement of the effective wavefront aberrations on the corneal sphere. The influences of three as-worn parameters, the vertex distance, pantoscopic angle, and face form angle, together with the eye rotation and corresponding incident beams, were objectively and quantitatively obtained. The experimental measurements of spherical single vision and freeform progressive addition lenses demonstrate the accuracy and validity of the proposed method and experimental apparatus, which provide a potential means of achieving supernormal vision correction with customization and personalization in optimizing the as-worn status-based design of spectacle lenses and evaluating their manufacturing and imaging qualities.

  15. The architectonic encoding of the minor lunar standstills in the horizon of the Giza pyramids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hossam, M. K. Aboulfotouh

    The paper is an attempt to show the architectonic method of the ancient Egyptian designers for encoding the horizontal-projections of the moon's declinations during two events of the minor lunar standstills, in the design of the site-plan of the horizon of the Giza pyramids, using the methods of descriptive geometry. It shows that the distance of the eastern side of the second Giza pyramid from the north-south axis of the great pyramid encodes a projection of a lunar declination, when earth's obliquity-angle was ~24.10°. Besides, it shows that the angle of inclination of the causeway of the second Giza pyramid, of ~13.54° south of the cardinal east, encodes the projection of another lunar declination when earth's obliquity-angle reaches ~22.986°. In addition, it shows the encoded coordinate system in the site-plan of the horizon of the Giza pyramids.

  16. Dielectrophoresis-Assisted Raman Spectroscopy of Intravesicular Analytes on Metallic Pyramids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barik, Avijit; Cherukulappurath, Sudhir; Wittenberg, Nathan J; Johnson, Timothy W; Oh, Sang-Hyun

    2016-02-02

    Chemical analysis of membrane-bound containers such as secretory vesicles, organelles, and exosomes can provide insights into subcellular biology. These containers are loaded with a range of important biomolecules, which further underscores the need for sensitive and selective analysis methods. Here we present a metallic pyramid array for intravesicular analysis by combining site-selective dielectrophoresis (DEP) and Raman spectroscopy. Sharp pyramidal tips act as a gradient force generator to trap nanoparticles or vesicles from the solution, and the tips are illuminated by a monochromatic light source for concurrent spectroscopic detection of trapped analytes. The parameters suitable for DEP trapping were optimized by fluorescence microscopy, and the Raman spectroscopy setup was characterized by a nanoparticle based model system. Finally, vesicles loaded with 4-mercaptopyridine were concentrated at the tips and their Raman spectra were detected in real time. These pyramidal tips can perform large-area array-based trapping and spectroscopic analysis, opening up possibilities to detect molecules inside cells or cell-derived vesicles.

  17. WAVEFRONT TESTER: Un nuevo laboratorio virtual para el estudio de los sensores frente de onda.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vicente Ferrando Martín

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Se presenta un laboratorio virtual desarrollado en MATLAB GUI (Graphical User Interface para ser utilizado en la asignatura de "Tecnología de Sensores Optoelectrónicos" que se imparte en  "Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería del Diseño" de la Universitat Politècnica de València. El objetivo de este laboratorio es servir de herramienta informática para el estudio de un sensor Shack Hartman y los parámetros que determinan el rango dinámico del mismo en la medida de las aberraciones. Se presentan distintos ejemplos realizados con diferentes aberraciones (desenfoque, astigmatismo, coma y para diferentes configuraciones del sensor.

  18. The Conflict Pyramid: A Holistic Approach to Structuring Conflict Resolution in Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hakvoort, Ilse

    2010-01-01

    This paper examines how the conflict pyramid, originally defined and used by Richard Cohen, can be used as a model to describe the relations between different conflict resolution education programs and activities included in the programs. The central questions posed in the paper are: How can Richard Cohen's conflict pyramid be used as a model for…

  19. On higher order pyramidal finite elements

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Liu, L.; Davies, K.B.; Křížek, Michal; Guan, L.

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 3, č. 2 (2011), s. 131-140 ISSN 2070-0733 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA100190803 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10190503 Keywords : pyramidal polynomial basis functions * finite element method * composite elements * three-dimensional mortar elements Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.750, year: 2011

  20. Static Posturography and Falls According to Pyramidal, Sensory and Cerebellar Functional Systems in People with Multiple Sclerosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalron, Alon; Givon, Uri; Frid, Lior; Dolev, Mark; Achiron, Anat

    2016-01-01

    Balance impairment is common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and frequently impacts quality of life by decreasing mobility and increasing the risk of falling. However, there are only scarce data examining the contribution of specific neurological functional systems on balance measures in MS. Therefore, the primary aim of our study was to examine the differences in posturography parameters and fall incidence according to the pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory systems functional systems in PwMS. The study included 342 PwMS, 211 women and mean disease duration of 8.2 (S.D = 8.3) years. The study sample was divided into six groups according to the pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory functional system scores, derived from the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) data. Static postural control parameters were obtained from the Zebris FDM-T Treadmill (zebris® Medical GmbH, Germany). Participants were defined as "fallers" and "non-fallers" based on their fall history. Our findings revealed a trend that PwMS affected solely in the pyramidal system, have reduced stability compared to patients with cerebellar and sensory dysfunctions. Moreover, the addition of sensory impairments to pyramidal dysfunction does not exacerbate postural control. The patients in the pure sensory group demonstrated increased stability compared to each of the three combined groups; pyramidal-cerebellar, pyramidal-sensory and pyramidal-cerebellar-sensory groups. As for fall status, the percentage of fallers in the pure pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory groups were 44.3%, 33.3% and 19.5%, respectively. As for the combined functional system groups, the percentage of fallers in the pyramidal-cerebellar, pyramidal-sensory and pyramidal-cerebellar-sensory groups were 59.7%, 40.7% and 65%, respectively. This study confirms that disorders in neurological functional systems generate different effects on postural control and incidence of falls in the MS population. From a clinical standpoint, the

  1. Static Posturography and Falls According to Pyramidal, Sensory and Cerebellar Functional Systems in People with Multiple Sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalron, Alon; Givon, Uri; Frid, Lior; Dolev, Mark; Achiron, Anat

    2016-01-01

    Balance impairment is common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and frequently impacts quality of life by decreasing mobility and increasing the risk of falling. However, there are only scarce data examining the contribution of specific neurological functional systems on balance measures in MS. Therefore, the primary aim of our study was to examine the differences in posturography parameters and fall incidence according to the pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory systems functional systems in PwMS. The study included 342 PwMS, 211 women and mean disease duration of 8.2 (S.D = 8.3) years. The study sample was divided into six groups according to the pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory functional system scores, derived from the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) data. Static postural control parameters were obtained from the Zebris FDM-T Treadmill (zebris® Medical GmbH, Germany). Participants were defined as "fallers" and "non-fallers" based on their fall history. Our findings revealed a trend that PwMS affected solely in the pyramidal system, have reduced stability compared to patients with cerebellar and sensory dysfunctions. Moreover, the addition of sensory impairments to pyramidal dysfunction does not exacerbate postural control. The patients in the pure sensory group demonstrated increased stability compared to each of the three combined groups; pyramidal-cerebellar, pyramidal-sensory and pyramidal-cerebellar-sensory groups. As for fall status, the percentage of fallers in the pure pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory groups were 44.3%, 33.3% and 19.5%, respectively. As for the combined functional system groups, the percentage of fallers in the pyramidal-cerebellar, pyramidal-sensory and pyramidal-cerebellar-sensory groups were 59.7%, 40.7% and 65%, respectively. This study confirms that disorders in neurological functional systems generate different effects on postural control and incidence of falls in the MS population. From a clinical standpoint, the

  2. Travelling wavefronts of a generalized Fisher equation with spatio-temporal delay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin Chunhua; Yin Jingxue; Wang Yifu

    2009-01-01

    We discuss a generalized Fisher equation with a convolution term which introduces a time-delay in the nonlinearity. Special attention is paid to the existence and the asymptotic behavior of travelling wavefronts connecting two uniform steady states.

  3. The low-order wavefront control system for the PICTURE-C mission: high-speed image acquisition and processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hewawasam, Kuravi; Mendillo, Christopher B.; Howe, Glenn A.; Martel, Jason; Finn, Susanna C.; Cook, Timothy A.; Chakrabarti, Supriya

    2017-09-01

    The Planetary Imaging Concept Testbed Using a Recoverable Experiment - Coronagraph (PICTURE-C) mission will directly image debris disks and exozodiacal dust around nearby stars from a high-altitude balloon using a vector vortex coronagraph. The PICTURE-C low-order wavefront control (LOWC) system will be used to correct time-varying low-order aberrations due to pointing jitter, gravity sag, thermal deformation, and the gondola pendulum motion. We present the hardware and software implementation of the low-order ShackHartmann and reflective Lyot stop sensors. Development of the high-speed image acquisition and processing system is discussed with the emphasis on the reduction of hardware and computational latencies through the use of a real-time operating system and optimized data handling. By characterizing all of the LOWC latencies, we describe techniques to achieve a framerate of 200 Hz with a mean latency of ˜378 μs

  4. Usefulness of MR coronal imaging of the ''pyramidal line''. Predictive value in motor function of stroke patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Satoh, Kenichi; Matsuzaki, Takayuki; Shimazaki, Mitsunori

    1997-01-01

    A coronal image was obtained along a straight line between the front edge of the medulla and the deepest point of the interpeduncular cistern in the midsagittal plane (the ''pyramidal line''). This coronal image along the pyramidal line revealed the pyramidal tract extending from the internal capsule down to the medulla. Using this technique, we studied 25 patients with motor deficit associated with cerebrovascular disease. We predicted the possibility of their recovery in the subacute stage. We were able to predict the recovery in 23 patients (92%). We conclude that a coronal image along the pyramidal line is useful for the understanding of relation between pyramidal tract and lesion and for predicting motor function. (author)

  5. Usefulness of MR coronal imaging of the ``pyramidal line``. Predictive value in motor function of stroke patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Satoh, Kenichi; Matsuzaki, Takayuki; Shimazaki, Mitsunori [Hakodate Red Cross Hospital, Hokkaido (Japan)

    1997-06-01

    A coronal image was obtained along a straight line between the front edge of the medulla and the deepest point of the interpeduncular cistern in the midsagittal plane (the ``pyramidal line``). This coronal image along the pyramidal line revealed the pyramidal tract extending from the internal capsule down to the medulla. Using this technique, we studied 25 patients with motor deficit associated with cerebrovascular disease. We predicted the possibility of their recovery in the subacute stage. We were able to predict the recovery in 23 patients (92%). We conclude that a coronal image along the pyramidal line is useful for the understanding of relation between pyramidal tract and lesion and for predicting motor function. (author)

  6. Field emission properties of an array of pyramidal structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    De Assis, Thiago A [Departamento de QuImica, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Borondo, F [Departamento de QuImica, Instituto Mixto de Ciencias Matematicas CSIC-UAM-UC3M-UCM, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); De Castilho, C M C; Brito Mota, F [Grupo de Fisica de SuperfIcies e Materiais, Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Campus Universitario da Federacao, 40210-340, Salvador, BA (Brazil); Benito, R M, E-mail: t.albuquerque@uam.e, E-mail: f.borondo@uam.e, E-mail: caio@ufba.b, E-mail: fbmota@ufba.b, E-mail: rosamaria.benito@upm.e [Grupo de Sistemas Complejos, Departamento de Fisica y Mecanica, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieros Agronomos, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

    2009-10-07

    The properties and efficiency of the emission current density produced by a metallic array of pyramidal structures are investigated. The theoretical results obtained by numerical integration of the corresponding Laplace equation using a finite differences scheme offer useful information for the optimization of field emission devices based on cathodes with this geometry. Our study shows that the inter-pyramidal distance strongly affects the current density, and even more important for this issue is the protrusion characteristics of these structures. Another relevant, although less important, parameter determining this density is the anode-cathode distance. The effect of the array characteristics on the maximum local electric field intensity is also discussed.

  7. Manipulation of plasmonic wavefront and light–matter interaction in metallic nanostructures: A brief review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jia-Fang; Li Zhi-Yuan

    2014-01-01

    The control and application of surface plasmons (SPs), is introduced with particular emphasis on the manipulation of the plasmonic wavefront and light–matter interaction in metallic nanostructures. We introduce a direct design methodology called the surface wave holography method and show that it can be readily employed for wave-front shaping of near-infrared light through a subwavelength hole, it can also be used for designing holographic plasmonic lenses for SPs with complex wavefronts in the visible band. We also discuss several issues of light–matter interaction in plasmonic nanostructures. We show theoretically that amplification of SPs can be achieved in metal nanoparticles incorporated with gain media, leading to a giant reduction of surface plasmon resonance linewidth and enhancement of local electric field intensity. We present an all-analytical semiclassical theory to evaluate spaser performance in a plasmonic nanocavity incorporated with gain media described by the four-level atomic model. We experimentally demonstrate amplified spontaneous emission of SP polaritons and their amplification at the interface between a silver film and a polymer film doped with dye molecules. We discuss various aspects of microscopic and macroscopic manipulation of fluorescent radiation from gold nanorod hybrid structures in a system of either a single nanoparticle or an aligned group of nanoparticles. The findings reported and reviewed here could help others explore various approaches and schemes to manipulate plasmonic wavefront and light–matter interaction in metallic nanostructures for potential applications, such as optical displays, information integration, and energy harvesting technologies. (topical review - plasmonics and metamaterials)

  8. Self-assembly of the general membrane-remodeling protein PVAP into sevenfold virus-associated pyramids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daum, Bertram; Quax, Tessa E F; Sachse, Martin; Mills, Deryck J; Reimann, Julia; Yildiz, Özkan; Häder, Sabine; Saveanu, Cosmin; Forterre, Patrick; Albers, Sonja-Verena; Kühlbrandt, Werner; Prangishvili, David

    2014-03-11

    Viruses have developed a wide range of strategies to escape from the host cells in which they replicate. For egress some archaeal viruses use a pyramidal structure with sevenfold rotational symmetry. Virus-associated pyramids (VAPs) assemble in the host cell membrane from the virus-encoded protein PVAP and open at the end of the infection cycle. We characterize this unusual supramolecular assembly using a combination of genetic, biochemical, and electron microscopic techniques. By whole-cell electron cryotomography, we monitored morphological changes in virus-infected host cells. Subtomogram averaging reveals the VAP structure. By heterologous expression of PVAP in cells from all three domains of life, we demonstrate that the protein integrates indiscriminately into virtually any biological membrane, where it forms sevenfold pyramids. We identify the protein domains essential for VAP formation in PVAP truncation mutants by their ability to remodel the cell membrane. Self-assembly of PVAP into pyramids requires at least two different, in-plane and out-of-plane, protein interactions. Our findings allow us to propose a model describing how PVAP arranges to form sevenfold pyramids and suggest how this small, robust protein may be used as a general membrane-remodeling system.

  9. Discovery of a big void in Khufu’s Pyramid by observation of cosmic-ray muons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morishima, Kunihiro; Kuno, Mitsuaki; Nishio, Akira; Kitagawa, Nobuko; Manabe, Yuta; Moto, Masaki; Takasaki, Fumihiko; Fujii, Hirofumi; Satoh, Kotaro; Kodama, Hideyo; Hayashi, Kohei; Odaka, Shigeru; Procureur, Sébastien; Attié, David; Bouteille, Simon; Calvet, Denis; Filosa, Christopher; Magnier, Patrick; Mandjavidze, Irakli; Riallot, Marc; Marini, Benoit; Gable, Pierre; Date, Yoshikatsu; Sugiura, Makiko; Elshayeb, Yasser; Elnady, Tamer; Ezzy, Mustapha; Guerriero, Emmanuel; Steiger, Vincent; Serikoff, Nicolas; Mouret, Jean-Baptiste; Charlès, Bernard; Helal, Hany; Tayoubi, Mehdi

    2017-12-01

    The Great Pyramid, or Khufu’s Pyramid, was built on the Giza plateau in Egypt during the fourth dynasty by the pharaoh Khufu (Cheops), who reigned from 2509 BC to 2483 BC. Despite being one of the oldest and largest monuments on Earth, there is no consensus about how it was built. To understand its internal structure better, we imaged the pyramid using muons, which are by-products of cosmic rays that are only partially absorbed by stone. The resulting cosmic-ray muon radiography allows us to visualize the known and any unknown voids in the pyramid in a non-invasive way. Here we report the discovery of a large void (with a cross-section similar to that of the Grand Gallery and a minimum length of 30 metres) situated above the Grand Gallery. This constitutes the first major inner structure found in the Great Pyramid since the nineteenth century. The void, named ScanPyramids’ Big Void, was first observed with nuclear emulsion films installed in the Queen’s chamber, then confirmed with scintillator hodoscopes set up in the same chamber and finally re-confirmed with gas detectors outside the pyramid. This large void has therefore been detected with high confidence by three different muon detection technologies and three independent analyses. These results constitute a breakthrough for the understanding of the internal structure of Khufu’s Pyramid. Although there is currently no information about the intended purpose of this void, these findings show how modern particle physics can shed new light on the world’s archaeological heritage.

  10. Measuring and modeling intraocular light scatter with Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing and the effects of nuclear cataract on the measurement of wavefront error

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donnelly, William J., III

    Purpose. The purpose of this research is to determine if Shack/Hartmann (S/H) wavefront sensing (SHWS) can be used to objectively quantify ocular forward scatter. Methods. Patient S/H images from an study of nuclear cataract were analyzed to extract scattering data by examining characteristics of the lenslet point spread functions. Physical and computer eye models with simulated cataract were developed to control variables and to test the underlying assumptions for using SHWS to measure aberrations and light scatter from nuclear cataract. Results. (1) For patients with nuclear opalescence (NO) >=2.5, forward scatter metrics in a multiple regression analysis account for 33% of variance in Mesopic Low Contrast acuity. Prediction of visual acuity was improved by employing a multiple regression analysis that included both backscatter and forward scatter metrics (R2 = 51%) for Mesopic High Contrast acuity. (2) The physical and computer models identified areas of instrument noise (e.g., stray light and unwanted reflections) improving the design of a second generation SHWS for measuring both wavefront error and scatter. (3) Exposure time had the most influence on, and pupil size had negligible influence on forward scatter metrics. Scatter metric MAX_SD predicted changes in simulated cataract up to R2 = 92%. There were small but significant differences (alpha = 0.05) between 1.5-pass and 1-pass wavefront measurements inclusive of variable simulated nuclear cataract and exposure; however, these differences were not visually significant. Improvements to the SHWS imaging hardware, software, and test protocol were implemented in a second generation SHWS to be used in a longitudinal cataract study. Conclusions. Forward light scatter in real eyes can be quantified using a SHWS. In the presence of clinically significant nuclear opalescence, forward scatter metrics predicted acuity better than the LOCS III NO backscatter metric. The superiority of forward scatter metrics over back

  11. Pyramidal cell development: postnatal spinogenesis, dendritic growth, axon growth, and electrophysiology.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guy eElston

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Here we review recent findings related to postnatal spinogenesis, dendritic and axon growth, pruning and electrophysiology of neocortical pyramidal cells in the developing primate brain. Pyramidal cells in sensory, association and executive cortex grow dendrites, spines and axons at different rates, and vary in the degree of pruning. Of particular note is the fact that pyramidal cells in primary visual area (V1 prune more spines than they grow during postnatal development, whereas those in inferotemporal (TEO and TE and granular prefrontal cortex (gPFC; Brodmann’s area 12 grow more than they prune. Moreover, pyramidal cells in TEO, TE and the gPFC continue to grow larger dendritic territories from birth into adulthood, replete with spines, whereas those in V1 become smaller during this time. The developmental profile of intrinsic axons also varies between cortical areas: those in V1, for example, undergo an early proliferation followed by pruning and local consolidation into adulthood, whereas those in area TE tend to establish their territory and consolidate it into adulthood with little pruning. We correlate the anatomical findings with the electrophysiological properties of cells in the different cortical areas, including membrane time constant, depolarizing sag, duration of individual action potentials, and spike-frequency adaptation. All of the electrophysiological variables ramped up before 7 months of age in V1, but continued to ramp up over a protracted period of time in area TE. These data suggest that the anatomical and electrophysiological profiles of pyramidal cells vary among cortical areas at birth, and continue to diverge into adulthood. Moreover, the data reveal that the use it or lose it notion of synaptic reinforcement may speak to only part of the story, use it but you still might lose it may be just as prevalent in the cerebral cortex.

  12. High precision wavefront control in point spread function engineering for single emitter localization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siemons, M.; Hulleman, C. N.; Thorsen, R. Ø.; Smith, C. S.; Stallinga, S.

    2018-04-01

    Point Spread Function (PSF) engineering is used in single emitter localization to measure the emitter position in 3D and possibly other parameters such as the emission color or dipole orientation as well. Advanced PSF models such as spline fits to experimental PSFs or the vectorial PSF model can be used in the corresponding localization algorithms in order to model the intricate spot shape and deformations correctly. The complexity of the optical architecture and fit model makes PSF engineering approaches particularly sensitive to optical aberrations. Here, we present a calibration and alignment protocol for fluorescence microscopes equipped with a spatial light modulator (SLM) with the goal of establishing a wavefront error well below the diffraction limit for optimum application of complex engineered PSFs. We achieve high-precision wavefront control, to a level below 20 m$\\lambda$ wavefront aberration over a 30 minute time window after the calibration procedure, using a separate light path for calibrating the pixel-to-pixel variations of the SLM, and alignment of the SLM with respect to the optical axis and Fourier plane within 3 $\\mu$m ($x/y$) and 100 $\\mu$m ($z$) error. Aberrations are retrieved from a fit of the vectorial PSF model to a bead $z$-stack and compensated with a residual wavefront error comparable to the error of the SLM calibration step. This well-calibrated and corrected setup makes it possible to create complex `3D+$\\lambda$' PSFs that fit very well to the vectorial PSF model. Proof-of-principle bead experiments show precisions below 10~nm in $x$, $y$, and $\\lambda$, and below 20~nm in $z$ over an axial range of 1 $\\mu$m with 2000 signal photons and 12 background photons.

  13. Nano-pyramid arrays for nano-particle trapping

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sun, Xingwu; Veltkamp, Henk-Willem; Berenschot, Johan W.; Gardeniers, Johannes G.E.; Tas, Niels Roelof

    2016-01-01

    Abstract In this paper we present the drastic miniaturization of nano-wire pyramids fabricated by corner lithography. A particle trapping device was fabricated in a well-defined and symmetrical array. The entrance and exit hole-size can be tuned by adjusting fabrication parameters. We describe here

  14. Nanocomposite-Based Microstructured Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors for Low-Pressure Measurement Range

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasileios Mitrakos

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Piezoresistive pressure sensors capable of detecting ranges of low compressive stresses have been successfully fabricated and characterised. The 5.5 × 5 × 1.6 mm3 sensors consist of a planar aluminium top electrode and a microstructured bottom electrode containing a two-by-two array of truncated pyramids with a piezoresistive composite layer sandwiched in-between. The responses of two different piezocomposite materials, a Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT-elastomer composite and a Quantum Tunneling Composite (QTC, have been characterised as a function of applied pressure and effective contact area. The MWCNT piezoresistive composite-based sensor was able to detect pressures as low as 200 kPa. The QTC-based sensor was capable of detecting pressures as low as 50 kPa depending on the contact area of the bottom electrode. Such sensors could find useful applications requiring the detection of small compressive loads such as those encountered in haptic sensing or robotics.

  15. Wave-front reversal in a copper-vapor active medium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bunkin, F.V.; Savranskii, V.V.; Shafeev, G.A.

    1981-09-01

    The implementation of wave-front reversal in a copper-vapor laser resonator is reported. The frequencies of the signal wave and the reversed wave are the same, and the dependence of reversed-signal power on input-signal power has a threshold character. Photographs of the reconstructed object image upon insertion of a distorting phase plate into the resonator are presented.

  16. Study of wavefront error and polarization of a side mounted infrared window

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jiaguo; Li, Lin; Hu, Xinqi; Yu, Xin

    2008-03-01

    The wavefront error and polarization of a side mounted infrared window made of ZnS are studied. The Infrared windows suffer from temperature gradient and stress during their launch process. Generally, the gradient in temperature changes the refractive index of the material whereas stress produces deformation and birefringence. In this paper, a thermal finite element analysis (FEA) of an IR window is presented. For this purpose, we employed an FEA program Ansys to obtain the time-varying temperature field. The deformation and stress of the window are derived from a structural FEA with the aerodynamic force and the temperature field previously obtained as being the loads. The deformation, temperature field, stress field, ray tracing and Jones Calculus are used to calculate the wavefront error and the change of polarization state.

  17. Authentication via wavefront-shaped optical responses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eilers, Hergen; Anderson, Benjamin R.; Gunawidjaja, Ray

    2018-02-01

    Authentication/tamper-indication is required in a wide range of applications, including nuclear materials management and product counterfeit detection. State-of-the-art techniques include reflective particle tags, laser speckle authentication, and birefringent seals. Each of these passive techniques has its own advantages and disadvantages, including the need for complex image comparisons, limited flexibility, sensitivity to environmental conditions, limited functionality, etc. We have developed a new active approach to address some of these short-comings. The use of an active characterization technique adds more flexibility and additional layers of security over current techniques. Our approach uses randomly-distributed nanoparticles embedded in a polymer matrix (tag/seal) which is attached to the item to be secured. A spatial light modulator is used to adjust the wavefront of a laser which interacts with the tag/seal, and a detector is used to monitor this interaction. The interaction can occur in various ways, including transmittance, reflectance, fluorescence, random lasing, etc. For example, at the time of origination, the wavefront-shaped reflectance from a tag/seal can be adjusted to result in a specific pattern (symbol, words, etc.) Any tampering with the tag/seal would results in a disturbance of the random orientation of the nanoparticles and thus distort the reflectance pattern. A holographic waveplate could be inserted into the laser beam for verification. The absence/distortion of the original pattern would then indicate that tampering has occurred. We have tested the tag/seal's and authentication method's tamper-indicating ability using various attack methods, including mechanical, thermal, and chemical attacks, and have verified our material/method's robust tamper-indicating ability.

  18. Detection and Classification of Multiple Objects using an RGB-D Sensor and Linear Spatial Pyramid Matching

    OpenAIRE

    Dimitriou, Michalis; Kounalakis, Tsampikos; Vidakis, Nikolaos; Triantafyllidis, Georgios

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a complete system for multiple object detection and classification in a 3D scene using an RGB-D sensor such as the Microsoft Kinect sensor. Successful multiple object detection and classification are crucial features in many 3D computer vision applications. The main goal is making machines see and understand objects like humans do. To this goal, the new RGB-D sensors can be utilized since they provide real-time depth map which can be used along with the RGB images for our ...

  19. Degeneration of pyramidal tract of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamagami, Tatsuhito; Harada, Noboru; Gotoh, Yasunobu; Imataka, Kiyoharu; Kinuta, Yuji; Okumura, Teizo; Niijima, Kyo; Taki, Waro; Kikuchi, Haruhiko.

    1988-01-01

    MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) examinaion was performed on cases of hemiplegia and hemiparesis. These included seven cases of intracerebral hemorrhage, four cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage, one case of cerebral infarct, and two cases of head trauma. The pyramidal tract in the brain stem was studied in five patients with complete hemiplegia and in nine with incomplete hemiparesis. The scanner of the MRI was a resistive type operating at a field of 0.2 Tesla. The inversion recovery (IR) and saturation recovery (SR) techniques were utilized. The pyramidal tract at the level of the midbrain and the pons was recognized as a low intensity area on the T 1 image (IR 1500/43) in the cases of complete hemiplegia. However, it was recognized as a high intensity area on the SR image (SR 1000/60) and the T 2 image (SR 2000/100). No abnormal signal intensity was found in the cases of incomplete hemiparesis. A low intensity area on the T 1 image and a high intensity area on the T 2 image were recognized in the ventral portion of the midbrain and the pons on the affected side. These findings indicate a degeneration of the pyramidal tract at the level of the brain stem in patients with complete hemiplegia. (author)

  20. Design and implementation of a scene-dependent dynamically selfadaptable wavefront coding imaging system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carles, Guillem; Ferran, Carme; Carnicer, Artur; Bosch, Salvador

    2012-01-01

    A computational imaging system based on wavefront coding is presented. Wavefront coding provides an extension of the depth-of-field at the expense of a slight reduction of image quality. This trade-off results from the amount of coding used. By using spatial light modulators, a flexible coding is achieved which permits it to be increased or decreased as needed. In this paper a computational method is proposed for evaluating the output of a wavefront coding imaging system equipped with a spatial light modulator, with the aim of thus making it possible to implement the most suitable coding strength for a given scene. This is achieved in an unsupervised manner, thus the whole system acts as a dynamically selfadaptable imaging system. The program presented here controls the spatial light modulator and the camera, and also processes the images in a synchronised way in order to implement the dynamic system in real time. A prototype of the system was implemented in the laboratory and illustrative examples of the performance are reported in this paper. Program summaryProgram title: DynWFC (Dynamic WaveFront Coding) Catalogue identifier: AEKC_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEKC_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 10 483 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 2 437 713 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Labview 8.5 and NI Vision and MinGW C Compiler Computer: Tested on PC Intel ® Pentium ® Operating system: Tested on Windows XP Classification: 18 Nature of problem: The program implements an enhanced wavefront coding imaging system able to adapt the degree of coding to the requirements of a specific scene. The program controls the acquisition by a camera, the display of a spatial light modulator

  1. Conical wavefronts in optics and tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soroko, L.M.

    1990-01-01

    A wide range of techniques in which the information is transferred by conical (nonspherical and nonplanar) wave fronts is considered. This is the first summary of papers published in the field of mesooptics and optical tomography. After the introduction into the new branch of modern optics - mesooptics -the properties of conical wavefronts are treated in detail. Some possible applications of mesooptics in science and technology are considered. The long history of mesooptics treated in the last chapter of this review lecture goes from the early stage of our Universe, gravitational lens, first publications in the last century and up-to-date innovations in optics, mesooptics and optical tomography. 3 refs

  2. Measurement of wavefront aberrations in cortex and peripheral nerve using a two-photon excitation guidestar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Futia, Gregory L.; Fontaine, Arjun; McCullough, Connor; Ozbay, Baris N.; George, Nickolas M.; Caldwell, John; Restrepo, Diego; Weir, Richard; Gibson, Emily A.

    2018-02-01

    Neural-machine interfaces using optogenetics are of interest due to their minimal invasiveness and potential for parallel read in and read out of activity. One possible biological target for such an interface is the peripheral nerve, where axonlevel imaging or stimulation could greatly improve interfacing with artificial limbs or enable neuron/fascicle level neuromodulation in the vagus nerve. Two-photon imaging has been successful in imaging brain activity using genetically encoded calcium or voltage indicators, but in the peripheral nerve, this is severely limited by scattering and aberrations from myelin. We employ a Shack-Hartman wavefront sensor and two-photon excitation guidestar to quantify optical scattering and aberrations in peripheral nerves and cortex. The sciatic and vagus nerves, and cortex from a ChAT-Cre ChR-eYFP transgenic mouse were excised and imaged directly. In peripheral nerves, defocus was the strongest aberration followed by astigmatism and coma. Peripheral nerve had orders of magnitude higher aberration compared with cortex. These results point to the potential of adaptive optics for increasing the depth of two-photon access into peripheral nerves.

  3. From ¡°Double Pyramid¡± Thoughts to Corporate Social Responsibility for Enterprise Employees

    OpenAIRE

    Guiling Wei

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to study corporate social responsibility for staffs based on the pyramid of Maslow¡¯s hierarchy of human needs and the pyramid of Carroll¡¯s corporate social responsibility. This research takes advantage of ¡°double pyramid¡± thoughts to discuss some enterprises lack of corporate social responsibility for their employees. Today, we are building of a harmonious society, each enterprise should not only realize the profit maximization, but also to meet the individual...

  4. THE ARCHITECTONIC ENCODING OF THE MINOR LUNAR STANDSTILLS IN THE HORIZON OF THE GIZA PYRAMIDS

    OpenAIRE

    Aboulfotouh, Hossam M. K.

    2014-01-01

    The paper is an attempt to show the architectonic method of the ancient Egyptian designers for encoding the horizontal-projections of the moon’s declinations during two events of the minor lunar standstills, in the design of the site-plan of the horizon of the Giza pyramids, using the methods of descriptive geometry. It shows that the distance of the eastern side of the second Giza pyramid from the north-south axis of the great pyramid encodes a projection of a lunar declination, when earth’s...

  5. Fingerprint-Inspired Flexible Tactile Sensor for Accurately Discerning Surface Texture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Yudong; Li, Tie; Gu, Yang; Luo, Hui; Wang, Shuqi; Zhang, Ting

    2018-04-01

    Inspired by the epidermal-dermal and outer microstructures of the human fingerprint, a novel flexible sensor device is designed to improve haptic perception and surface texture recognition, which is consisted of single-walled carbon nanotubes, polyethylene, and polydimethylsiloxane with interlocked and outer micropyramid arrays. The sensor shows high pressure sensitivity (-3.26 kPa -1 in the pressure range of 0-300 Pa), and it can detect the shear force changes induced by the dynamic interaction between the outer micropyramid structure on the sensor and the tested material surface, and the minimum dimension of the microstripe that can be discerned is as low as 15 µm × 15 µm (interval × width). To demonstrate the texture discrimination capability, the sensors are tested for accurately discerning various surface textures, such as the textures of different fabrics, Braille characters, the inverted pyramid patterns, which will have great potential in robot skins and haptic perception, etc. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Two-years results of small-incision lenticule extraction and wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis for Myopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobashi, Hidenaga; Kamiya, Kazutaka; Igarashi, Akihito; Takahashi, Masahide; Shimizu, Kimiya

    2018-03-01

    To compare the 2-years visual and refractive outcomes between small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in eyes with myopia and myopic astigmatism. Our retrospective case-control study examined 30 eyes of 30 patients with the manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE) of -3.71 ± 1.83 dioptres (D) who underwent SMILE and 30 eyes of 30 patients with MRSE of -3.81 ± 1.40 D who underwent wavefront-guided LASIK. We assessed the 2-years clinical outcomes. Logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (LogMAR)-corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) was -0.23 ± 0.07 in the SMILE group and -0.24 ± 0.07 in the wavefront-guided LASIK group 2 years postoperatively (p = 0.82). Logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution-uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) was -0.18 ± 0.09 and -0.15 ± 0.11 (p = 0.30, respectively). In the SMILE and wavefront-guided LASIK groups 2 years postoperatively, 100% and 73% of eyes, respectively, were within 0.5 D of the prompted MRSE correction (p = 0.005). Changes in the MRSE of -0.10 ± 0.30 D and -0.23 ± 0.51 D occurred from 3 months to 2 years (p = 0.40, respectively). We found a significant correlation between myopic regression and the changes in the keratometric readings from 3 months to 2 years after wavefront-guided LASIK (r = -0.48, p = 0.002), but not after SMILE (r = -0.004, p = 0.90). Small-incision lenticule extraction offers better refractive outcomes than wavefront-guided LASIK during a 2-years follow-up for the correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism. © 2017 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Effect of Pyramidal Dome Geometry on the Acoustical Characteristics in A Mosque

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dg. H. Kassim

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available As an important symbol in Islam, a mosque is built with architectural grandeur. Among the characteristics is its high ceiling and it is usually constructed with a typical spherical dome shape. Some mosques, however, are influenced by the local culture and the dome can be of a different shape, such as pyramidal, as found in mosques in Malacca, Malaysia. This paper presents an assessment of the internal acoustical characteristics of a mosque having a pyramidal dome. The study is conducted by means of computer simulation using CATT indoor acoustic software. Reverberation time and clarity are taken to evaluate the intelligibility of speech. The effect of the angle and height of the dome on the acoustical parameters is discussed. It is found that a pyramidal dome with a steeper angle contributes to poor acoustic clarity.

  8. Optical design of a novel instrument that uses the Hartmann-Shack sensor and Zernike polynomials to measure and simulate customized refraction correction surgery outcomes and patient satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasuoka, Fatima M. M.; Matos, Luciana; Cremasco, Antonio; Numajiri, Mirian; Marcato, Rafael; Oliveira, Otavio G.; Sabino, Luis G.; Castro N., Jarbas C.; Bagnato, Vanderlei S.; Carvalho, Luis A. V.

    2016-03-01

    An optical system that conjugates the patient's pupil to the plane of a Hartmann-Shack (HS) wavefront sensor has been simulated using optical design software. And an optical bench prototype is mounted using mechanical eye device, beam splitter, illumination system, lenses, mirrors, mirrored prism, movable mirror, wavefront sensor and camera CCD. The mechanical eye device is used to simulate aberrations of the eye. From this device the rays are emitted and travelled by the beam splitter to the optical system. Some rays fall on the camera CCD and others pass in the optical system and finally reach the sensor. The eye models based on typical in vivo eye aberrations is constructed using the optical design software Zemax. The computer-aided outcomes of each HS images for each case are acquired, and these images are processed using customized techniques. The simulated and real images for low order aberrations are compared using centroid coordinates to assure that the optical system is constructed precisely in order to match the simulated system. Afterwards a simulated version of retinal images is constructed to show how these typical eyes would perceive an optotype positioned 20 ft away. Certain personalized corrections are allowed by eye doctors based on different Zernike polynomial values and the optical images are rendered to the new parameters. Optical images of how that eye would see with or without corrections of certain aberrations are generated in order to allow which aberrations can be corrected and in which degree. The patient can then "personalize" the correction to their own satisfaction. This new approach to wavefront sensing is a promising change in paradigm towards the betterment of the patient-physician relationship.

  9. Marker-assisted pyramiding of Thinopyrum-derived leaf rust ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Mona Singh

    2017-12-08

    Dec 8, 2017 ... Abstract. This study was undertaken to pyramid two effective leaf rust resistance genes (Lr19 and Lr24) derived from ... genes such as Lr9, Lr19, Lr26 and Lr28 became ineffective ..... Disease management recommendations.

  10. Housing in Pyramid Counteracts Neuroendocrine and Oxidative Stress Caused by Chronic Restraint in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Surekha Bhat

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The space within the great pyramid and its smaller replicas is believed to have an antistress effect. Research has shown that the energy field within the pyramid can protect the hippocampal neurons of mice from stress-induced atrophy and also reduce neuroendocrine stress, oxidative stress and increase antioxidant defence in rats. In this study, we have, for the first time, attempted to study the antistress effects of pyramid exposure on the status of cortisol level, oxidative damage and antioxidant status in rats during chronic restraint stress. Adult female Wistar rats were divided into four groups as follows: normal controls (NC housed in home cage and left in the laboratory; restrained rats (with three subgroups subject to chronic restraint stress by placing in a wire mesh restrainer for 6 h per day for 14 days, the restrained controls (RC having their restrainers kept in the laboratory; restrained pyramid rats (RP being kept in the pyramid; and restrained square box rats (RS in the square box during the period of restraint stress everyday. Erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA and plasma cortisol levels were significantly increased and erythrocyte-reduced glutathione (GSH levels, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px and superoxide dismutase (SOD activities were significantly decreased in RC and RS rats as compared to NC. However, these parameters were maintained to near normal levels in RP rats which showed significantly decreased erythrocyte MDA and plasma cortisol and significantly increased erythrocyte GSH levels, erythrocyte GSH-Px and SOD activities when compared with RS rats. The results showed that housing in pyramid counteracts neuroendocrine and oxidative stress caused by chronic restraint in rats.

  11. Provisions for the pyramid builders: new evidence from the ancient site of Giza

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary Anne Murray

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available The great pyramids of Giza are famous emblems of ancient Egyptian civilization, but until recently little was known about where and how the pyramid builders lived. The site of their large settlement has now been found, and excavation is revealing its complex layout and providing evidence of the plants and animals on which the builders depended for their food supply.

  12. Provisions for the pyramid builders: new evidence from the ancient site of Giza

    OpenAIRE

    Mary Anne Murray

    2004-01-01

    The great pyramids of Giza are famous emblems of ancient Egyptian civilization, but until recently little was known about where and how the pyramid builders lived. The site of their large settlement has now been found, and excavation is revealing its complex layout and providing evidence of the plants and animals on which the builders depended for their food supply.

  13. Implementation and on-sky results of an optimal wavefront controller for the MMT NGS adaptive optics system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powell, Keith B.; Vaitheeswaran, Vidhya

    2010-07-01

    The MMT observatory has recently implemented and tested an optimal wavefront controller for the NGS adaptive optics system. Open loop atmospheric data collected at the telescope is used as the input to a MATLAB based analytical model. The model uses nonlinear constrained minimization to determine controller gains and optimize the system performance. The real-time controller performing the adaptive optics close loop operation is implemented on a dedicated high performance PC based quad core server. The controller algorithm is written in C and uses the GNU scientific library for linear algebra. Tests at the MMT confirmed the optimal controller significantly reduced the residual RMS wavefront compared with the previous controller. Significant reductions in image FWHM and increased peak intensities were obtained in J, H and K-bands. The optimal PID controller is now operating as the baseline wavefront controller for the MMT NGS-AO system.

  14. Image-guided preoperative prediction of pyramidal tract side effect in deep brain stimulation: proof of concept and application to the pyramidal tract side effect induced by pallidal stimulation

    OpenAIRE

    Baumgarten, Clement; Zhao, Yulong; Sauleau, Paul; Malrain, Cecile; Jannin, Pierre; Haegelen, Claire

    2016-01-01

    Deep brain stimulation of the medial globus pallidus (GPm) is a surgical procedure for treating patients suffering from Parkinson���s disease. Its therapeutic effect may be limited by the presence of pyramidal tract side effect (PTSE). PTSE is a contraction time-locked to the stimulation when the current spreading reaches the motor fibers of the pyramidal tract within the internal capsule. The objective of the study was to propose a preoperative predictive model of PTSE. A machine learning-ba...

  15. Ultrafast Fabry-Perot fiber-optic pressure sensors for multimedia blast event measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Xiaotian; Wu, Nan; Tian, Ye; Zhang, Yang; Fitek, John; Maffeo, Michael; Niezrecki, Christopher; Chen, Julie; Wang, Xingwei

    2013-02-20

    A shock wave (SW) is characterized as a large pressure fluctuation that typically lasts only a few milliseconds. On the battlefield, SWs pose a serious threat to soldiers who are exposed to explosions, which may lead to blast-induced traumatic brain injuries. SWs can also be used beneficially and have been applied to a variety of medical treatments due to their unique interaction with tissues and cells. Consequently, it is important to have sensors that can quantify SW dynamics in order to better understand the physical interaction between body tissue and the incident acoustic wave. In this paper, the ultrafast fiber-optic sensor based on the Fabry-Perot interferometric principle was designed and four such sensors were fabricated to quantify a blast event within different media, simultaneously. The compact design of the fiber-optic sensor allows for a high degree of spatial resolution when capturing the wavefront of the traveling SW. Several blast event experiments were conducted within different media (e.g., air, rubber membrane, and water) to evaluate the sensor's performance. This research revealed valuable knowledge for further study of SW behavior and SW-related applications.

  16. Ancient Pyramids Help Students Learn Math Concepts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Courtney D.; Stump, Amanda M.; Lazaros, Edward J.

    2010-01-01

    This article presents an activity that allows students to use mathematics and critical-thinking skills to emulate processes used by the ancient Egyptians to prepare the site for the Pyramids of Giza. To accomplish this, they use three different methods. First, they create a square using only simple technological tools that were available to the…

  17. Involvement of intracellular Zn2+ signaling in LTP at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamano, Haruna; Nishio, Ryusuke; Takeda, Atsushi

    2017-07-01

    Physiological significance of synaptic Zn 2+ signaling was examined at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses. In vivo long-term potentiation (LTP) at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses was induced using a recording electrode attached to a microdialysis probe and the recording region was locally perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) via the microdialysis probe. Perforant pathway LTP was not attenuated under perfusion with CaEDTA (10 mM), an extracellular Zn 2+ chelator, but attenuated under perfusion with ZnAF-2DA (50 μM), an intracellular Zn 2+ chelator, suggesting that intracellular Zn 2+ signaling is required for perforant pathway LTP. Even in rat brain slices bathed in CaEDTA in ACSF, intracellular Zn 2+ level, which was measured with intracellular ZnAF-2, was increased in the stratum lacunosum-moleculare where perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses were contained after tetanic stimulation. These results suggest that intracellular Zn 2+ signaling, which originates in internal stores/proteins, is involved in LTP at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses. Because the influx of extracellular Zn 2+ , which originates in presynaptic Zn 2+ release, is involved in LTP at Schaffer collateral-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses, synapse-dependent Zn 2+ dynamics may be involved in plasticity of postsynaptic CA1 pyramidal cells. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. The PALM-3000 high-order adaptive optics system for Palomar Observatory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouchez, Antonin H.; Dekany, Richard G.; Angione, John R.; Baranec, Christoph; Britton, Matthew C.; Bui, Khanh; Burruss, Rick S.; Cromer, John L.; Guiwits, Stephen R.; Henning, John R.; Hickey, Jeff; McKenna, Daniel L.; Moore, Anna M.; Roberts, Jennifer E.; Trinh, Thang Q.; Troy, Mitchell; Truong, Tuan N.; Velur, Viswa

    2008-07-01

    Deployed as a multi-user shared facility on the 5.1 meter Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory, the PALM-3000 highorder upgrade to the successful Palomar Adaptive Optics System will deliver extreme AO correction in the near-infrared, and diffraction-limited images down to visible wavelengths, using both natural and sodium laser guide stars. Wavefront control will be provided by two deformable mirrors, a 3368 active actuator woofer and 349 active actuator tweeter, controlled at up to 3 kHz using an innovative wavefront processor based on a cluster of 17 graphics processing units. A Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor with selectable pupil sampling will provide high-order wavefront sensing, while an infrared tip/tilt sensor and visible truth wavefront sensor will provide low-order LGS control. Four back-end instruments are planned at first light: the PHARO near-infrared camera/spectrograph, the SWIFT visible light integral field spectrograph, Project 1640, a near-infrared coronagraphic integral field spectrograph, and 888Cam, a high-resolution visible light imager.

  19. Jonestown in the Shadow of Maslow's Pyramid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Easley, Edgar M.; Wigglesworth, David C.

    1979-01-01

    Reviews Maslow's hierarchy of needs in the light of the Jonestown tragedy. Maintains that members of the People's Temple felt frustrated in attaining the lower levels in the world of reality, and so moved outside the pyramid in search of the top, self-actualization. In the process, their primary needs were met. Journal availability: see SO 507…

  20. Neuropathic Pain Causes Pyramidal Neuronal Hyperactivity in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruohe Zhao

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC is thought to be important for acute pain perception as well as the development of chronic pain after peripheral nerve injury. Nevertheless, how ACC neurons respond to sensory stimulation under chronic pain states is not well understood. Here, we used an in vivo two-photon imaging technique to monitor the activity of individual neurons in the ACC of awake, head restrained mice. Calcium imaging in the dorsal ACC revealed robust somatic activity in layer 5 (L5 pyramidal neurons in response to peripheral noxious stimuli, and the degree of evoked activity was correlated with the intensity of noxious stimulation. Furthermore, the activation of ACC neurons occurred bilaterally upon noxious stimulation to either contralateral or ipsilateral hind paws. Notably, with nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain in one limb, L5 pyramidal neurons in both sides of the ACC showed enhanced activity in the absence or presence of pain stimuli. These results reveal hyperactivity of L5 pyramidal neurons in the bilateral ACC during the development of neuropathic pain.

  1. Pyramiding of transgenic Pm3 alleles in wheat results in improved powdery mildew resistance in the field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koller, Teresa; Brunner, Susanne; Herren, Gerhard; Hurni, Severine; Keller, Beat

    2018-04-01

    The combined effects of enhanced total transgene expression level and allele-specificity combination in transgenic allele-pyramided Pm3 wheat lines result in improved powdery mildew field resistance without negative pleiotropic effects. Allelic Pm3 resistance genes of wheat confer race-specific resistance to powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, Bgt) and encode nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat (NLR) receptors. Transgenic wheat lines overexpressing alleles Pm3a, b, c, d, f, and g have previously been generated by transformation of cultivar Bobwhite and tested in field trials, revealing varying degrees of powdery mildew resistance conferred by the transgenes. Here, we tested four transgenic lines each carrying two pyramided Pm3 alleles, which were generated by crossbreeding of lines transformed with single Pm3 alleles. All four allele-pyramided lines showed strongly improved powdery mildew resistance in the field compared to their parental lines. The improved resistance results from the two effects of enhanced total transgene expression levels and allele-specificity combinations. In contrast to leaf segment tests on greenhouse-grown seedlings, no allelic suppression was observed in the field. Plant development and yield scores of the pyramided lines were similar to the mean scores of the corresponding parental lines, and thus, the allele pyramiding did not cause any negative effects. On the contrary, in pyramided line, Pm3b × Pm3f normal plant development was restored compared to the delayed development and reduced seed set of parental line Pm3f. Allele-specific RT qPCR revealed additive transgene expression levels of the two Pm3 alleles in the pyramided lines. A positive correlation between total transgene expression level and powdery mildew field resistance was observed. In summary, allele pyramiding of Pm3 transgenes proved to be successful in enhancing powdery mildew field resistance.

  2. Fabrication of 20.19% Efficient Single-Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell with Inverted Pyramid Microstructure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chunyang; Chen, Lingzhi; Zhu, Yingjie; Guan, Zisheng

    2018-04-03

    This paper reports inverted pyramid microstructure-based single-crystalline silicon (sc-Si) solar cell with a conversion efficiency up to 20.19% in standard size of 156.75 × 156.75 mm 2 . The inverted pyramid microstructures were fabricated jointly by metal-assisted chemical etching process (MACE) with ultra-low concentration of silver ions and optimized alkaline anisotropic texturing process. And the inverted pyramid sizes were controlled by changing the parameters in both MACE and alkaline anisotropic texturing. Regarding passivation efficiency, the textured sc-Si with normal reflectivity of 9.2% and inverted pyramid size of 1 μm was used to fabricate solar cells. The best batch of solar cells showed a 0.19% higher of conversion efficiency and a 0.22 mA cm -2 improvement in short-circuit current density, and the excellent photoelectric property surpasses that of the same structure solar cell reported before. This technology shows great potential to be an alternative for large-scale production of high efficient sc-Si solar cells in the future.

  3. Phase shift extraction and wavefront retrieval from interferograms with background and contrast fluctuations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Qian; Wang, Yang; He, Jianguo; Ji, Fang

    2015-01-01

    The fluctuations of background and contrast cause measurement errors in the phase-shifting technique. To extract the phase shifts from interferograms with background and contrast fluctuations, an iterative algorithm is represented. The phase shifts and wavefront phase are calculated in two individual steps with the least-squares method. The fluctuation factors are determined when the phase shifts are calculated, and the fluctuations are compensated when the wavefront phase is calculated. The advantage of the algorithm lies in its ability to extract phase shifts from interferograms with background and contrast fluctuations converging stably and rapidly. Simulations and experiments verify the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed algorithm. The convergence accuracy and speed are demonstrated by the simulation results. The experiment results show its ability for suppressing phase retrieval errors. (paper)

  4. Corneal-Wavefront guided transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy after corneal collagen cross linking in keratoconus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Massimo Camellin

    2017-01-01

    Conclusions: Corneal-Wavefront guided transepithelial PRK ablation profiles after conventional CXL yields to good visual, optical, and refractive results. These treatments are safe and efficacious for the correction of refracto-therapeutic problems in keratoconic patients.

  5. Pyramidal cells in V1 of African rodents are bigger more branched and more spiny than those in primates.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guy eElston

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Pyramidal cells are characterised by markedly different sized dendritic trees, branching patterns and spine density across the cortical mantle. Moreover, pyramidal cells have been shown to differ in structure among homologous cortical areas in different species; however, most of these studies have been conducted in primates. Whilst pyramidal cells have been quantified in a few cortical areas in some other species there are, as yet, no uniform comparative data on pyramidal cell structure in a homologous cortical area among species in different Orders. Here we studied layer III pyramidal cells in V1 of three species of rodents, the greater cane rat, highveld gerbil and four-striped mouse, by the same methodology used to sample data from layer III pyramidal cells in primates. The data reveal markedly different trends between rodents and primates: there is an appreciable increase in the size, branching complexity and number of spines in the dendritic trees of pyramidal cells with increasing size of V1 in the brain in rodents, whereas there is relatively little difference in primates. Moreover, pyramidal cells in rodents are larger, more branched and more spinous than those in primates. For example, the dendritic trees of pyramidal cells in V1 of the cane rat are nearly three times larger, and have more than ten times the number of spines in their basal dendritic trees, than those in V1 of the macaque (7900 and 600, respectively, which has a V1 40 times the size that of the cane rat. It remains to be determined to what extent these differences may result from developmental differences or reflect evolutionary and/or processing specializations.

  6. Efficacy and connectivity of intracolumnar pairs of layer 2/3 pyramidal cells in the barrel cortex of juvenile rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldmeyer, Dirk; Lübke, Joachim; Sakmann, Bert

    2006-01-01

    Synaptically coupled layer 2/3 (L2/3) pyramidal neurones located above the same layer 4 barrel (‘barrel-related’) were investigated using dual whole-cell voltage recordings in acute slices of rat somatosensory cortex. Recordings were followed by reconstructions of biocytin-filled neurones. The onset latency of unitary EPSPs was 1.1 ± 0.4 ms, the 20–80% rise time was 0.7 ± 0.2 ms, the average amplitude was 1.0 ± 0.7 mV and the decay time constant was 15.7 ± 4.5 ms. The coefficient of variation (c.v.) of unitary EPSP amplitudes decreased with increasing EPSP peak and was 0.33 ± 0.18. Bursts of APs in the presynaptic pyramidal cell resulted in EPSPs that, over a wide range of frequencies (5–100 Hz), displayed amplitude depression. Anatomically the barrel-related pyramidal cells in the lower half of layer 2/3 have a long apical dendrite with a small terminal tuft, while pyramidal cells in the upper half of layer 2/3 have shorter and often more ‘irregularly’ shaped apical dendrites that branch profusely in layer 1. The number of putative excitatory synaptic contacts established by the axonal collaterals of a L2/3 pyramidal cell with a postsynaptic pyramidal cell in the same column varied between 2 and 4, with an average of 2.8 ± 0.7 (n = 8 pairs). Synaptic contacts were established predominantly on the basal dendrites at a mean geometric distance of 91 ± 47 μm from the pyramidal cell soma. L2/3-to-L2/3 connections formed a blob-like innervation domain containing 2.8 mm of the presynaptic axon collaterals with a bouton density of 0.3 boutons per μm axon. Within the supragranular layers of its home column a single L2/3 pyramidal cell established about 900 boutons suggesting that 270 pyramidal cells in layer 2/3 are innervated by an individual pyramidal cell. In turn, a single pyramidal cell received synaptic inputs from 270 other L2/3 pyramidal cells. The innervation domain of L2/3-to-L2/3 connections superimposes almost exactly with that of L4-to-L2

  7. Characterization of intrinsic properties of cingulate pyramidal neurons in adult mice after nerve injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen Tao

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC is important for cognitive and sensory functions including memory and chronic pain. Glutamatergic excitatory synaptic transmission undergo long-term potentiation in ACC pyramidal cells after peripheral injury. Less information is available for the possible long-term changes in neuronal action potentials or intrinsic properties. In the present study, we characterized cingulate pyramidal cells in the layer II/III of the ACC in adult mice. We then examined possible long-term changes in intrinsic properties of the ACC pyramidal cells after peripheral nerve injury. In the control mice, we found that there are three major types of pyramidal cells according to their action potential firing pattern: (i regular spiking (RS cells (24.7%, intrinsic bursting (IB cells (30.9%, and intermediate (IM cells (44.4%. In a state of neuropathic pain, the population distribution (RS: 21.3%; IB: 31.2%; IM: 47.5% and the single action potential properties of these three groups were indistinguishable from those in control mice. However, for repetitive action potentials, IM cells from neuropathic pain animals showed higher initial firing frequency with no change for the properties of RS and IB neurons from neuropathic pain mice. The present results provide the first evidence that, in addition to synaptic potentiation reported previously, peripheral nerve injury produces long-term plastic changes in the action potentials of cingulate pyramidal neurons in a cell type-specific manner.

  8. Predicting crystalline lens fall caused by accommodation from changes in wavefront error

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Lin; Applegate, Raymond A.

    2011-01-01

    PURPOSE To illustrate and develop a method for estimating crystalline lens decentration as a function of accommodative response using changes in wavefront error and show the method and limitations using previously published data (2004) from 2 iridectomized monkey eyes so that clinicians understand how spherical aberration can induce coma, in particular in intraocular lens surgery. SETTINGS College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, USA. DESIGN Evaluation of diagnostic test or technology. METHODS Lens decentration was estimated by displacing downward the wavefront error of the lens with respect to the limiting aperture (7.0 mm) and ocular first surface wavefront error for each accommodative response (0.00 to 11.00 diopters) until measured values of vertical coma matched previously published experimental data (2007). Lens decentration was also calculated using an approximation formula that only included spherical aberration and vertical coma. RESULTS The change in calculated vertical coma was consistent with downward lens decentration. Calculated downward lens decentration peaked at approximately 0.48 mm of vertical decentration in the right eye and approximately 0.31 mm of decentration in the left eye using all Zernike modes through the 7th radial order. Calculated lens decentration using only coma and spherical aberration formulas was peaked at approximately 0.45 mm in the right eye and approximately 0.23 mm in the left eye. CONCLUSIONS Lens fall as a function of accommodation was quantified noninvasively using changes in vertical coma driven principally by the accommodation-induced changes in spherical aberration. The newly developed method was valid for a large pupil only. PMID:21700108

  9. Optimizing a Water Simulation based on Wavefront Parameter Optimization

    OpenAIRE

    Lundgren, Martin

    2017-01-01

    DICE, a Swedish game company, wanted a more realistic water simulation. Currently, most large scale water simulations used in games are based upon ocean simulation technology. These techniques falter when used in other scenarios, such as coastlines. In order to produce a more realistic simulation, a new one was created based upon the water simulation technique "Wavefront Parameter Interpolation". This technique involves a rather extensive preprocess that enables ocean simulations to have inte...

  10. A database of wavefront measurements for laser system modeling, optical component development and fabrication process qualification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolfe, C.R.; Lawson, J.K.; Aikens, D.M.; English, R.E.

    1995-01-01

    In the second half of the 1990's, LLNL and others anticipate designing and beginning construction of the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The NIF will be capable of producing the worlds first laboratory scale fusion ignition and bum reaction by imploding a small target. The NIF will utilize approximately 192 simultaneous laser beams for this purpose. The laser will be capable of producing a shaped energy pulse of at least 1.8 million joules (MJ) with peak power of at least 500 trillion watts (TV). In total, the facility will require more than 7,000 large optical components. The performance of a high power laser of this kind can be seriously degraded by the presence of low amplitude, periodic modulations in the surface and transmitted wavefronts of the optics used. At high peak power, these phase modulations can convert into large intensity modulations by non-linear optical processes. This in turn can lead to loss in energy on target via many well known mechanisms. In some cases laser damage to the optics downstream of the source of the phase modulation can occur. The database described here contains wavefront phase maps of early prototype optical components for the NIF. It has only recently become possible to map the wavefront of these large aperture components with high spatial resolution. Modem large aperture static fringe and phase shifting interferometers equipped with large area solid state detectors have made this possible. In a series of measurements with these instruments, wide spatial bandwidth can be detected in the wavefront

  11. An essential role for neuregulin-4 in the growth and elaboration of developing neocortical pyramidal dendrites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paramo, Blanca; Wyatt, Sean; Davies, Alun M

    2018-04-01

    Neuregulins, with the exception of neuregulin-4 (NRG4), have been shown to be extensively involved in many aspects of neural development and function and are implicated in several neurological disorders, including schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. Here we provide the first evidence that NRG4 has a crucial function in the developing brain. We show that both the apical and basal dendrites of neocortical pyramidal neurons are markedly stunted in Nrg4 -/- neonates in vivo compared with Nrg4 +/+ littermates. Neocortical pyramidal neurons cultured from Nrg4 -/- embryos had significantly shorter and less branched neurites than those cultured from Nrg4 +/+ littermates. Recombinant NRG4 rescued the stunted phenotype of embryonic neocortical pyramidal neurons cultured from Nrg4 -/- mice. The majority of cultured wild type embryonic cortical pyramidal neurons co-expressed NRG4 and its receptor ErbB4. The difference between neocortical pyramidal dendrites of Nrg4 -/- and Nrg4 +/+ mice was less pronounced, though still significant, in juvenile mice. However, by adult stages, the pyramidal dendrite arbors of Nrg4 -/- and Nrg4 +/+ mice were similar, suggesting that compensatory changes in Nrg4 -/- mice occur with age. Our findings show that NRG4 is a major novel regulator of dendritic arborisation in the developing cerebral cortex and suggest that it exerts its effects by an autocrine/paracrine mechanism. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. A Comparison of Pyramidal Staff Training and Direct Staff Training in Community-Based Day Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haberlin, Alayna T.; Beauchamp, Ken; Agnew, Judy; O'Brien, Floyd

    2012-01-01

    This study evaluated two methods of training staff who were working with individuals with developmental disabilities: pyramidal training and consultant-led training. In the pyramidal training, supervisors were trained in the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and in delivering feedback. The supervisors then trained their direct-care…

  13. The TAPS Pyramid: Where, Who and How?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopwood-Stephens, Isabel

    2018-01-01

    The TAPS pyramid was developed in late 2014 and has been available as a download on the Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT) website since August 2015. But where has it gone since then? Who is using it? And how is it being used in schools to change primary science assessment practice? This article attempts to answer these questions with data from…

  14. Efficient irregular wavefront propagation algorithms on Intel® Xeon Phi™

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, Jeremias M.; Teodoro, George; de Melo, Alba; Kong, Jun; Kurc, Tahsin; Saltz, Joel H.

    2016-01-01

    We investigate the execution of the Irregular Wavefront Propagation Pattern (IWPP), a fundamental computing structure used in several image analysis operations, on the Intel® Xeon Phi™ co-processor. An efficient implementation of IWPP on the Xeon Phi is a challenging problem because of IWPP’s irregularity and the use of atomic instructions in the original IWPP algorithm to resolve race conditions. On the Xeon Phi, the use of SIMD and vectorization instructions is critical to attain high performance. However, SIMD atomic instructions are not supported. Therefore, we propose a new IWPP algorithm that can take advantage of the supported SIMD instruction set. We also evaluate an alternate storage container (priority queue) to track active elements in the wavefront in an effort to improve the parallel algorithm efficiency. The new IWPP algorithm is evaluated with Morphological Reconstruction and Imfill operations as use cases. Our results show performance improvements of up to 5.63× on top of the original IWPP due to vectorization. Moreover, the new IWPP achieves speedups of 45.7× and 1.62×, respectively, as compared to efficient CPU and GPU implementations. PMID:27298591

  15. Efficient irregular wavefront propagation algorithms on Intel® Xeon Phi™.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, Jeremias M; Teodoro, George; de Melo, Alba; Kong, Jun; Kurc, Tahsin; Saltz, Joel H

    2015-10-01

    We investigate the execution of the Irregular Wavefront Propagation Pattern (IWPP), a fundamental computing structure used in several image analysis operations, on the Intel ® Xeon Phi ™ co-processor. An efficient implementation of IWPP on the Xeon Phi is a challenging problem because of IWPP's irregularity and the use of atomic instructions in the original IWPP algorithm to resolve race conditions. On the Xeon Phi, the use of SIMD and vectorization instructions is critical to attain high performance. However, SIMD atomic instructions are not supported. Therefore, we propose a new IWPP algorithm that can take advantage of the supported SIMD instruction set. We also evaluate an alternate storage container (priority queue) to track active elements in the wavefront in an effort to improve the parallel algorithm efficiency. The new IWPP algorithm is evaluated with Morphological Reconstruction and Imfill operations as use cases. Our results show performance improvements of up to 5.63 × on top of the original IWPP due to vectorization. Moreover, the new IWPP achieves speedups of 45.7 × and 1.62 × , respectively, as compared to efficient CPU and GPU implementations.

  16. Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus c92 protein responsible for the formation of pyramid-like cellular lysis structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyder, Jamie C; Brumfield, Susan K; Peng, Nan; She, Qunxin; Young, Mark J

    2011-07-01

    Host cells infected by Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV) have been shown to produce unusual pyramid-like structures on the cell surface. These structures represent a virus-induced lysis mechanism that is present in Archaea and appears to be distinct from the holin/endolysin system described for DNA bacteriophages. This study investigated the STIV gene products required for pyramid formation in its host Sulfolobus solfataricus. Overexpression of STIV open reading frame (ORF) c92 in S. solfataricus alone is sufficient to produce the pyramid-like lysis structures in cells. Gene disruption of c92 within STIV demonstrates that c92 is an essential protein for virus replication. Immunolocalization of c92 shows that the protein is localized to the cellular membranes forming the pyramid-like structures.

  17. Using the Pyramid Approach to Teaching Marketing Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peltier, James W.; Westfall, John; Ainscough, Thomas L.

    2001-01-01

    Underscores the need for teaching marketing research skills at the secondary level and shows how marketing research fits into marketing education. Provides an example of how to use the pyramid approach to research, which involves review of secondary sources, key informant interviews, focus groups, and quantitative research. (Author/JOW)

  18. Ketogenic food pyramid for patients with refractory epilepsy: From theory to clinical practice

    OpenAIRE

    PRUDENCIO, Mariana Baldini; LIMA, Patricia de Azevedo; FREITAS, Maria Camila Pruper de; CARTOLANO, Flávia de Conti; MURAKAMI, Daniela Kawamoto; DAMASCENO, Nágila Raquel Teixeira

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objective: To develop a graphical representation in the form of a food pyramid for a ketogenic diet for dietary treatment in children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy. Methods: The pyramid was constructed based on: the estimation of energy requirements for different age groups, macronutrient distribution, food groups, and the number of servings and respective amounts of food according to the ketogenic diet. Serving sizes were based on the calculation of energy and macronutr...

  19. Sulfolobus Turreted Icosahedral Virus c92 Protein Responsible for the Formation of Pyramid-Like Cellular Lysis Structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Snyder, Jamie C; Brumfield, Susan K; Peng, Nan

    2011-01-01

    Host cells infected by Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV) have been shown to produce unusual pyramid-like structures on the cell surface. These structures represent a virus-induced lysis mechanism that is present in Archaea and appears to be distinct from the holin/endolysin system desc...... disruption of c92 within STIV demonstrates that c92 is an essential protein for virus replication. Immunolocalization of c92 shows that the protein is localized to the cellular membranes forming the pyramid-like structures.......Host cells infected by Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV) have been shown to produce unusual pyramid-like structures on the cell surface. These structures represent a virus-induced lysis mechanism that is present in Archaea and appears to be distinct from the holin/endolysin system...... described for DNA bacteriophages. This study investigated the STIV gene products required for pyramid formation in its host Sulfolobus solfataricus. Overexpression of STIV open reading frame (ORF) c92 in S. solfataricus alone is sufficient to produce the pyramid-like lysis structures in cells. Gene...

  20. Twisted speckle entities inside wave-front reversal mirrors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okulov, A. Yu

    2009-01-01

    The previously unknown property of the optical speckle pattern reported. The interference of a speckle with the counterpropagating phase-conjugated (PC) speckle wave produces a randomly distributed ensemble of a twisted entities (ropes) surrounding optical vortex lines. These entities appear in a wide range of a randomly chosen speckle parameters inside the phase-conjugating mirrors regardless to an internal physical mechanism of the wave-front reversal. These numerically generated interference patterns are relevant to the Brillouin PC mirrors and to a four-wave mixing PC mirrors based upon laser trapped ultracold atomic cloud.

  1. Setting aside transactions from pyramid schemes as impeachable ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    These schemes, which are often referred to as pyramid or Ponzi schemes, are unsustainable operations and give rise to problems in the law of insolvency. Investors in these schemes are often left empty-handed upon the scheme's eventual collapse and insolvency. Investors who received pay-outs from the scheme find ...

  2. Characterization of the porcine FBX07 gene: the first step towards generation of a pig model for Parkinsonian pyramidal syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Knud; Bendixen, Christian

    2012-01-01

    Parkinsonian pyramidal syndrome, also named pallido-pyramidal syndrome (PKPS), is the combination of early-onset progressive Parkinsonism with pyramidal tract signs. FBXO7, an F-box protein, is a component of modular E3 ubiquitin protein ligases called SCFs (SKP1, cullin, F-box proteins), which...

  3. Influence of Deposition Pressure on the Properties of Round Pyramid Textured a-Si:H Solar Cells for Maglev.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jaehyeong; Choi, Wonseok; Lee, Kyuil; Lee, Daedong; Kang, Hyunil

    2016-05-01

    HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer) photovoltaic cells is one of the highest efficiencies in the commercial solar cells. The pyramid texturization for reducing surface reflectance of HIT solar cells silicon wafers is widely used. For the low leakage current and high shunt of solar cells, the intrinsic amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) on substrate must be uniformly thick of pyramid structure. However, it is difficult to control the thickness in the traditional pyramid texturing process. Thus, we textured the intrinsic a-Si:H thin films with the round pyramidal structure by using HNO3, HF, and CH3COOH solution. The characteristics of round pyramid a-Si:H solar cells deposited at pressure of 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 mTorr by PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) was investigated. The lifetime, open circuit voltage, fill factor and efficiency of a-Si:H solar cells were investigated with respect to various deposition pressure.

  4. Wavefront cellular learning automata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moradabadi, Behnaz; Meybodi, Mohammad Reza

    2018-02-01

    This paper proposes a new cellular learning automaton, called a wavefront cellular learning automaton (WCLA). The proposed WCLA has a set of learning automata mapped to a connected structure and uses this structure to propagate the state changes of the learning automata over the structure using waves. In the WCLA, after one learning automaton chooses its action, if this chosen action is different from the previous action, it can send a wave to its neighbors and activate them. Each neighbor receiving the wave is activated and must choose a new action. This structure for the WCLA is necessary in many dynamic areas such as social networks, computer networks, grid computing, and web mining. In this paper, we introduce the WCLA framework as an optimization tool with diffusion capability, study its behavior over time using ordinary differential equation solutions, and present its accuracy using expediency analysis. To show the superiority of the proposed WCLA, we compare the proposed method with some other types of cellular learning automata using two benchmark problems.

  5. Wavefront cellular learning automata

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moradabadi, Behnaz; Meybodi, Mohammad Reza

    2018-02-01

    This paper proposes a new cellular learning automaton, called a wavefront cellular learning automaton (WCLA). The proposed WCLA has a set of learning automata mapped to a connected structure and uses this structure to propagate the state changes of the learning automata over the structure using waves. In the WCLA, after one learning automaton chooses its action, if this chosen action is different from the previous action, it can send a wave to its neighbors and activate them. Each neighbor receiving the wave is activated and must choose a new action. This structure for the WCLA is necessary in many dynamic areas such as social networks, computer networks, grid computing, and web mining. In this paper, we introduce the WCLA framework as an optimization tool with diffusion capability, study its behavior over time using ordinary differential equation solutions, and present its accuracy using expediency analysis. To show the superiority of the proposed WCLA, we compare the proposed method with some other types of cellular learning automata using two benchmark problems.

  6. Wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (Lasik) versus wavefront-guided photorefractive keratectomy (Prk): a prospective randomized eye-to-eye comparison (an American Ophthalmological Society thesis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manche, Edward E; Haw, Weldon W

    2011-12-01

    To compare the safety and efficacy of wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) vs photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in a prospective randomized clinical trial. A cohort of 68 eyes of 34 patients with -0.75 to -8.13 diopters (D) of myopia (spherical equivalent) were randomized to receive either wavefront-guided PRK or LASIK in the fellow eye using the VISX CustomVue laser. Patients were evaluated at 1 day, 1 week, and months 1, 3, 6, and 12. At 1 month, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), 5% and 25% contrast sensitivity, induction of higher-order aberrations (HOAs), and subjective symptoms of vision clarity, vision fluctuation, ghosting, and overall self-assessment of vision were worse (PPRK group. By 3 months, these differences had resolved (P>0.05). At 1 year, mean spherical equivalent was reduced 94% to -0.27 ± 0.31 D in the LASIK group and reduced 96% to -0.17 ± 0.41 D in the PRK group. At 1 year, 91% of eyes were within ±0.50 D and 97 % were within ±1.0 D in the PRK group. At 1 year, 88% of eyes were within ±0.50 D and 97% were within ±1.0 D in the LASIK group. At 1 year, 97% of eyes in the PRK group and 94% of eyes in the LASIK group achieved an UCVA of 20/20 or better (P=0.72). Refractive stability was achieved in both PRK and LASIK groups after 1 month. There were no intraoperative or postoperative flap complications in the LASIK group. There were no instances of corneal haze in the PRK group. Wavefront-guided LASIK and PRK are safe and effective at reducing myopia. At 1 month postoperatively, LASIK demonstrates an advantage over PRK in UCVA, BSCVA, low-contrast acuity, induction of total HOAs, and several subjective symptoms. At postoperative month 3, these differences between PRK and LASIK results had resolved.

  7. Road Map to Statewide Implementation of the Pyramid Model. Roadmap to Effective Intervention Practices #6

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunlap, Glen; Smith, Barbara J.; Fox, Lise; Blase, Karen

    2014-01-01

    This document is a guide--a "Road Map"--for implementing widespread use of the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (http://www.challengingbehavior.org/do/pyramid_model. htm). It is a road map of systems change. The Road Map is written for statewide systems change, although it could be…

  8. Optimal control strategy to reduce the temporal wavefront error in AO systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Doelman, N.J.; Hinnen, K.J.G.; Stoffelen, F.J.G.; Verhaegen, M.H.

    2004-01-01

    An Adaptive Optics (AO) system for astronomy is analysed from a control point of view. The focus is put on the temporal error. The AO controller is identified as a feedback regulator system, operating in closed-loop with the aim of rejecting wavefront disturbances. Limitations on the performance of

  9. Marker-assisted pyramiding of Thinopyrum-derived leaf rust ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Annual Meetings · Mid Year Meetings · Discussion Meetings · Public Lectures · Lecture Workshops · Refresher Courses · Symposia · Live Streaming. Home; Journals; Journal of Genetics; Volume 96; Issue 6. Marker-assisted pyramiding of Thinopyrum-derived leaf rust resistance genes Lr19 and Lr24 in bread wheat variety ...

  10. Angles of Elevation of the Pyramids of Egypt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Arthur F.

    1982-01-01

    The nature and history of the construction of pyramids in Egypt is detailed. It is noted that one can only theorize about why the Egyptians used particular angles of elevation. It is thought, perhaps, that new clues will provide a clear solution to this mystery as additional artifacts and hieroglyphics are discovered. (MP)

  11. Ventromedial prefrontal cortex pyramidal cells have a temporal dynamic role in recall and extinction of cocaine-associated memory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van den Oever, Michel C; Rotaru, Diana C; Heinsbroek, Jasper A; Gouwenberg, Yvonne; Deisseroth, Karl; Stuber, Garret D; Mansvelder, Huibert D; Smit, August B

    2013-11-13

    In addicts, associative memories related to the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse can evoke powerful craving and drug seeking urges, but effective treatment to suppress these memories is not available. Detailed insight into the neural circuitry that mediates expression of drug-associated memory is therefore of crucial importance. Substantial evidence from rodent models of addictive behavior points to the involvement of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in conditioned drug seeking, but specific knowledge of the temporal role of vmPFC pyramidal cells is lacking. To this end, we used an optogenetics approach to probe the involvement of vmPFC pyramidal cells in expression of a recent and remote conditioned cocaine memory. In mice, we expressed Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) or Halorhodopsin (eNpHR3.0) in pyramidal cells of the vmPFC and studied the effect of activation or inhibition of these cells during expression of a cocaine-contextual memory on days 1-2 (recent) and ∼3 weeks (remote) after conditioning. Whereas optical activation of pyramidal cells facilitated extinction of remote memory, without affecting recent memory, inhibition of pyramidal cells acutely impaired recall of recent cocaine memory, without affecting recall of remote memory. In addition, we found that silencing pyramidal cells blocked extinction learning at the remote memory time-point. We provide causal evidence of a critical time-dependent switch in the contribution of vmPFC pyramidal cells to recall and extinction of cocaine-associated memory, indicating that the circuitry that controls expression of cocaine memories reorganizes over time.

  12. Electro-optic spatial decoding on the spherical-wavefront Coulomb fields of plasma electron sources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, K; Esirkepov, T; Koga, J K; Kotaki, H; Mori, M; Hayashi, Y; Nakanii, N; Bulanov, S V; Kando, M

    2018-02-13

    Detections of the pulse durations and arrival timings of relativistic electron beams are important issues in accelerator physics. Electro-optic diagnostics on the Coulomb fields of electron beams have the advantages of single shot and non-destructive characteristics. We present a study of introducing the electro-optic spatial decoding technique to laser wakefield acceleration. By placing an electro-optic crystal very close to a gas target, we discovered that the Coulomb field of the electron beam possessed a spherical wavefront and was inconsistent with the previously widely used model. The field structure was demonstrated by experimental measurement, analytic calculations and simulations. A temporal mapping relationship with generality was derived in a geometry where the signals had spherical wavefronts. This study could be helpful for the applications of electro-optic diagnostics in laser plasma acceleration experiments.

  13. Highly stretchable resistive pressure sensors using a conductive elastomeric composite on a micropyramid array.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choong, Chwee-Lin; Shim, Mun-Bo; Lee, Byoung-Sun; Jeon, Sanghun; Ko, Dong-Su; Kang, Tae-Hyung; Bae, Jihyun; Lee, Sung Hoon; Byun, Kyung-Eun; Im, Jungkyun; Jeong, Yong Jin; Park, Chan Eon; Park, Jong-Jin; Chung, U-In

    2014-06-04

    A stretchable resistive pressure sensor is achieved by coating a compressible substrate with a highly stretchable electrode. The substrate contains an array of microscale pyramidal features, and the electrode comprises a polymer composite. When the pressure-induced geometrical change experienced by the electrode is maximized at 40% elongation, a sensitivity of 10.3 kPa(-1) is achieved. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Integrated Geophysical Studies to Image the Remains of Amenemeht II Pyramid's Complex in Dahshour Necropolis, Giza, Egypt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbas, Abbas Mohamed; Atya, Magdy; El-Emam, Ahmed; Ghazala, Hosny, ,, Prof.; Shaaban, Fathy, ,, Dr; Odah, Hatem, ,, Prof; Ibrahim, El-Khedr, ,, Prof; Lethy, Ahmed, ,, Dr

    2009-04-01

    Dahshour archaeological site is located adjacent to Giza necropolis at about 25 km south of Cairo. The site itself is an imperative necropolis that attracts the attention of the archaeologists. This location is a spectator of several historical episodes that start with the pyramidal complexes from the early dynasties (the mud brick tombs, the mastabas, and the Bent Pyramid) passing through the phase of the Step Pyramid of Zoser at Saqqara to the first complete pyramid in the history (the Red pyramid of Senefro "Khofo's father"). In 2002, the local archaeological supervisors suggested an area around the debris of the White pyramid (of Amenemeht II) for reconnaissance magnetic survey. The survey had been completed using the gradiometer FM36. More than 98 survey grids (20 x 20 m) of a surface area of 39200 m2 have been measured. The results reported the recognition of some parts of the mortuary temple, the causeway, and some other anomalies that could not be attributed to specific archaeological aspect. Therefore, an integrated geophysical survey was proposed, in the present work, to get more details help to identify these objects. The ground penetrating radar (GPR, SIR2000), the electrical resistance meter (Geoscan RM15), and the electromagnetic profiler (GEM300) have been utilized to acquire the data. They have been applied to selected zones to investigate specific objects and oriented to solve the problems questioned by the local archaeological inspectors. The study conveyed an superior image of the whole measured site and helped to identify most of the detected artifacts. Furthermore, the margins of the causeway and its infrastructure have been perfectly delineated. However, the possible place of the eastern entrance and the Valley temple have been tentatively located. Keywords: Archaeo-geophysics, Dahshour, White Pyramid

  15. Was the Great Pyramid Built with Simple Machines?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraft, Susan; Poynor, Leslie

    2004-01-01

    Recently one of the authors challenged her third-grade students to use their imagination and travel with her to Egypt. As they were exploring the Great Pyramid, she encouraged the students to speculate how ancient people could have built such a massive structure without the sophisticated machinery they have at our disposal today. This article…

  16. Efficient Terahertz Wide-Angle NUFFT-Based Inverse Synthetic Aperture Imaging Considering Spherical Wavefront

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingkun Gao

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available An efficient wide-angle inverse synthetic aperture imaging method considering the spherical wavefront effects and suitable for the terahertz band is presented. Firstly, the echo signal model under spherical wave assumption is established, and the detailed wavefront curvature compensation method accelerated by 1D fast Fourier transform (FFT is discussed. Then, to speed up the reconstruction procedure, the fast Gaussian gridding (FGG-based nonuniform FFT (NUFFT is employed to focus the image. Finally, proof-of-principle experiments are carried out and the results are compared with the ones obtained by the convolution back-projection (CBP algorithm. The results demonstrate the effectiveness and the efficiency of the presented method. This imaging method can be directly used in the field of nondestructive detection and can also be used to provide a solution for the calculation of the far-field RCSs (Radar Cross Section of targets in the terahertz regime.

  17. Effect of lures and colors on capture of lady beetles (coleoptera: coccinellidae) in tedders pyramidal traps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purposeful attraction and/or aggregation of adult Coccinellidae at target sites would be useful for sampling purposes and/or pest suppression. We field-tested 1) lures in yellow and black pyramidal traps and 2) pyramidal traps that had been painted one or two colors (without lures) to determine if ...

  18. Method and apparatus for wavefront sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahk, Seung-Whan

    2018-03-20

    A method for performing optical wavefront sensing includes providing an amplitude transmission mask having a light input side, a light output side, and an optical transmission axis passing from the light input side to the light output side. The amplitude transmission mask is characterized by a checkerboard pattern having a square unit cell of size .LAMBDA.. The method also includes directing an incident light field having a wavelength $ \\lamda $ to be incident on the light input side and propagating the incident light field through the amplitude transmission mask. The method further includes producing a plurality of diffracted light fields on the light output side and detecting, at a detector disposed a distance L from the amplitude transmission mask, an interferogram associated with the plurality of diffracted light fields.

  19. Laboratory simulation of atmospheric turbulence induced optical wavefront distortion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Travis Shane

    1999-11-01

    Many creative approaches have been taken in the past for simulating the effect that atmospheric turbulence has on optical beams. Most of the experimental architectures have been complicated and consisted of many optical elements as well as moving components. These techniques have shown a modicum of success; however, they are not completely controllable or predictable. A benchtop technique for experimentally producing one important effect that atmospheric turbulence has on optical beams (phase distortion) is presented here. The system is completely controllable and predictable while accurately representing the statistical nature of the problem. Previous experimentation in optical processing through turbulent media has demonstrated that optical wavefront distortions can be produced via spatial light modulating (SLM) devices, and most turbulence models and experimental results indicate that turbulence can be represented as a phase fluctuation. The amplitude distributions in the resulting far field are primarily due to propagation of the phase. Operating a liquid crystal television (LCTV) in the ``phase- mostly'' mode, a phase fluctuation type model for turbulence is utilized in the present investigation, and a real-time experiment for demonstrating the effects was constructed. For an optical system to simulate optical wavefront distortions due to atmospheric turbulence, the following are required: (1)An optical element that modulates the phasefront of an optical beam (2)A model and a technique for generating spatially correlated turbulence simulating distributions (3)Hardware and software for displaying and manipulating the information addressing the optical phase modulation device The LCTV is ideal for this application. When operated in the ``phase-mostly'' mode some LCTVs can modulate the phasefront of an optical beam by as much as 2π and an algorithm for generating spatially correlated phase screens can be constructed via mathematical modeling software such as

  20. Terahertz adaptive optics with a deformable mirror.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brossard, Mathilde; Sauvage, Jean-François; Perrin, Mathias; Abraham, Emmanuel

    2018-04-01

    We report on the wavefront correction of a terahertz (THz) beam using adaptive optics, which requires both a wavefront sensor that is able to sense the optical aberrations, as well as a wavefront corrector. The wavefront sensor relies on a direct 2D electro-optic imaging system composed of a ZnTe crystal and a CMOS camera. By measuring the phase variation of the THz electric field in the crystal, we were able to minimize the geometrical aberrations of the beam, thanks to the action of a deformable mirror. This phase control will open the route to THz adaptive optics in order to optimize the THz beam quality for both practical and fundamental applications.

  1. The Consciousness-Intelligence-Knowledge Pyramid: An 8x8 Layer Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Athanasios S. Drigas

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Cognitive and metacognitive skills are recognized and studied since antiquity. From the theory of Aristotle, according to which knowledge is product of the human mind and Platonic gnosiology and the theory of true knowledge, to the modern cognitive science, the question of how people acquire knowledge, has occupied a multitude of scientists. In this article we present a cognitive-based approach to the process of acquiring knowledge, we analyze the dominant theories of knowledge, theories of intelligence, as well as learning theories, and thus we propose an eight-layer pyramid of knowledge. We also analyze the cognitive processes and metacognitive skills required to get an individual to the highest layer of the knowledge pyramid.

  2. Differential regulation of the excitability of prefrontal cortical fast-spiking interneurons and pyramidal neurons by serotonin and fluoxetine.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ping Zhong

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Serotonin exerts a powerful influence on neuronal excitability. In this study, we investigated the effects of serotonin on different neuronal populations in prefrontal cortex (PFC, a major area controlling emotion and cognition. Using whole-cell recordings in PFC slices, we found that bath application of 5-HT dose-dependently increased the firing of FS (fast spiking interneurons, and decreased the firing of pyramidal neurons. The enhancing effect of 5-HT in FS interneurons was mediated by 5-HT₂ receptors, while the reducing effect of 5-HT in pyramidal neurons was mediated by 5-HT₁ receptors. Fluoxetine, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, also induced a concentration-dependent increase in the excitability of FS interneurons, but had little effect on pyramidal neurons. In rats with chronic fluoxetine treatment, the excitability of FS interneurons was significantly increased, while pyramidal neurons remained unchanged. Fluoxetine injection largely occluded the enhancing effect of 5-HT in FS interneurons, but did not alter the reducing effect of 5-HT in pyramidal neurons. These data suggest that the excitability of PFC interneurons and pyramidal neurons is regulated by exogenous 5-HT in an opposing manner, and FS interneurons are the major target of Fluoxetine. It provides a framework for understanding the action of 5-HT and antidepressants in altering PFC network activity.

  3. High-resolution wavefront shaping with a photonic crystal fiber for multimode fiber imaging

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Amitonova, L. V.; Descloux, A.; Petschulat, J.; Frosz, M. H.; Ahmed, G.; Babic, F.; Jiang, X.; Mosk, A. P.; Russell, P. S. J.; Pinkse, P.W.H.

    2016-01-01

    We demonstrate that a high-numerical-aperture photonic crystal fiber allows lensless focusing at an unparalleled res- olution by complex wavefront shaping. This paves the way toward high-resolution imaging exceeding the capabilities of imaging with multi-core single-mode optical fibers. We analyze

  4. Can astronomy enhance UNESCO World Heritage recognition? The paradigm of 4th Dynasty Egyptian pyramids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belmonte, Juan Antonio

    2015-08-01

    The pyramids of Egypt, notably those of the 4th Dinasty as Giza, have always be considered an unmistikable part of human world heritage as the only surviving wonders of the Ancient World. Their majesty, technical hability and innovative character have always beeen considered as representative of ancient Egyptian ingenuity. However, past and present fringe theories about the pyramids and astronomy have always polluted the role of our discipline in the design, construction and symbolism of these impressive monuments. This is indeed unfear. Fortunately, things have started to change in the last couple of decades and now astronomy is interpreted as a neccessary tool for the correct interpretation of the astral eschatology present in the 5th and 6th Dynasty Texts of the Pyramids. Although the pyramid complexes of the 4th Dynasty are mute, there is however recent research showing that a strong astral symbolism could be hidden in many aspects of the complex architecture and in the design of these exceptional monuments. This idea comes from several hints obtained not only from planning and construction, but also from epigraphy and the analysis of celestial and local landscapes. Chronology also plays a most relevant role on this. The pyramid complexes of the 4th Dynasty at Meidum, Dahshur, Giza and Abu Rowash -- all of which enjoy UNESCO World Heritage recognition -- willl be scrutinized. As a consequence, we will show how astronomy can certainly enhance the face value of these extraordinary monuments as a definitive proof of the ancient Egyptian quest for Ma'at, i.e. their perennial obsesion for Cosmic Order.

  5. Wavefront-guided versus standard laser in situ keratomileusis to correct low to moderate myopia.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nuijts, R.M.; Nabar, V.A.; Hament, W.J.; Eggink, F.A.G.J.

    2002-01-01

    To evaluate the 6-month refractive outcomes of wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) (Zyoptix, Bausch & Lomb) versus standard LASIK (PlanoScan, Bausch & Lomb).Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.In a prospective randomized study,

  6. Expression of Kv3.1b potassium channel is widespread in macaque motor cortex pyramidal cells: A histological comparison between rat and macaque.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soares, David; Goldrick, Isabelle; Lemon, Roger N; Kraskov, Alexander; Greensmith, Linda; Kalmar, Bernadett

    2017-06-15

    There are substantial differences across species in the organization and function of the motor pathways. These differences extend to basic electrophysiological properties. Thus, in rat motor cortex, pyramidal cells have long duration action potentials, while in the macaque, some pyramidal neurons exhibit short duration "thin" spikes. These differences may be related to the expression of the fast potassium channel Kv3.1b, which in rat interneurons is associated with generation of thin spikes. Rat pyramidal cells typically lack these channels, while there are reports that they are present in macaque pyramids. Here we made a systematic, quantitative comparison of the Kv3.1b expression in sections from macaque and rat motor cortex, using two different antibodies (NeuroMab, Millipore). As our standard reference, we examined, in the same sections, Kv3.1b staining in parvalbumin-positive interneurons, which show strong Kv3.1b immunoreactivity. In macaque motor cortex, a large sample of pyramidal neurons were nearly all found to express Kv3.1b in their soma membranes. These labeled neurons were identified as pyramidal based either by expression of SMI32 (a pyramidal marker), or by their shape and size, and lack of expression of parvalbumin (a marker for some classes of interneuron). Large (Betz cells), medium, and small pyramidal neurons all expressed Kv3.1b. In rat motor cortex, SMI32-postive pyramidal neurons expressing Kv3.1b were very rare and weakly stained. Thus, there is a marked species difference in the immunoreactivity of Kv3.1b in pyramidal neurons, and this may be one of the factors explaining the pronounced electrophysiological differences between rat and macaque pyramidal neurons. © 2017 The Authors The Journal of Comparative Neurology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Surgical strategy for malignant gliomas involving pyramidal tracts guided by functional neuronavigation and 5-ALA fluorescence navigation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sato, Ken-ichi; Ito, Tamio; Seo, Yoshinobu; Sunohara, Tadashi; Maeda, Masana; Sasaki, Takehiko; Nakagawara, Jyoji; Nakamura, Hirohiko

    2009-01-01

    For patients with malignant glioma invading pyramidal tracts, maximal resections are difficult to accomplish while preserving their motor function. We used tractography-integrated functional neuronavigation and 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) fluorescence-guided resection for removal of malignant gliomas involving pyramidal tract. In this study, we analyzed postoperative motor function and extent of resection in a series of patients who underwent surgery in our department. Ten patients with malignant glioma invading pyramidal tracts underwent radical surgery. To preserve pyramidal tracts, we developed a functional neuronavigation-guided fence-post procedure to avoid the problem of brain shift, a disadvantage of the existing neuronavigation systems. Furthermore we have achieved precise resection of tumors using 5-ALA fluorescence navigation. Intraoperatively, tumor fluorescence was visualized using a modified operating microscope. All fluorescing tumor tissue was resected. Motor function was preserved after appropriate tumor resection in all cases. Postoperatively, improvement of motor weakness was observed in seven patients, whereas transient mild motor weakness occurred in two patients. Gross total removals were accomplished in seven patients, and subtotal removal was accomplished in one patient, and partial removal was accomplished in two patients. Combined use of tractography-integrated functional neuronavigation and 5-ALA fluorescence-guided resection contributes to maximal safe resection of malignant gliomas with pyramidal tract involvement. (author)

  8. Towards Fast Reverse Time Migration Kernels using Multi-threaded Wavefront Diamond Tiling

    KAUST Repository

    Malas, T.

    2015-09-13

    Today’s high-end multicore systems are characterized by a deep memory hierarchy, i.e., several levels of local and shared caches, with limited size and bandwidth per core. The ever-increasing gap between the processor and memory speed will further exacerbate the problem and has lead the scientific community to revisit numerical software implementations to better suit the underlying memory subsystem for performance (data reuse) as well as energy efficiency (data locality). The authors propose a novel multi-threaded wavefront diamond blocking (MWD) implementation in the context of stencil computations, which represents the core operation for seismic imaging in oil industry. The stencil diamond formulation introduces temporal blocking for high data reuse in the upper cache levels. The wavefront optimization technique ensures data locality by allowing multiple threads to share common adjacent point stencil. Therefore, MWD is able to take up the aforementioned challenges by alleviating the cache size limitation and releasing pressure from the memory bandwidth. Performance comparisons are shown against the optimized 25-point stencil standard seismic imaging scheme using spatial and temporal blocking and demonstrate the effectiveness of MWD.

  9. Research on a wavefront aberration calculation method for a laser energy gradient attenuator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, Tingting; Han, Xu; Chen, Chi; Fu, Yuegang; Li, Ming

    2013-01-01

    When a laser energy gradient attenuator is working, there is an inhomogeneous temperature distribution in the whole of the glass because of the non-uniform light energy absorption. This will lead to optical performance reduction. An integrated opto-thermal–mechanical method is proposed to calculate the wavefront aberration for analysis of the thermal effect of the system. Non-sequential optical analysis is used for computing the absorbed energy distribution. The finite element analysis program solves the temperature distribution and the deformations of nodes on the surfaces. An interface routine is created to fit the surface shape and the index field, and extended Zernike polynomials are introduced to get a higher fitting precision. Finally, the parameters are imported to the CodeV optical design program automatically, and the user defined gradient index material is ray traced to obtain the wavefront aberration. The method can also be used in other optical systems for thermal effect analysis. (letter)

  10. Quantitative assessment of CA1 local circuits: knowledge base for interneuron-pyramidal cell connectivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bezaire, Marianne J; Soltesz, Ivan

    2013-09-01

    In this work, through a detailed literature review, data-mining, and extensive calculations, we provide a current, quantitative estimate of the cellular and synaptic constituents of the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus. Beyond estimating the cell numbers of GABAergic interneuron types, we calculate their convergence onto CA1 pyramidal cells and compare it with the known input synapses on CA1 pyramidal cells. The convergence calculation and comparison are also made for excitatory inputs to CA1 pyramidal cells. In addition, we provide a summary of the excitatory and inhibitory convergence onto interneurons. The quantitative knowledge base assembled and synthesized here forms the basis for data-driven, large-scale computational modeling efforts. Additionally, this work highlights specific instances where the available data are incomplete, which should inspire targeted experimental projects toward a more complete quantification of the CA1 neurons and their connectivity. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Adaptive Optics for Industry and Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dainty, Christopher

    2008-01-01

    wavefront corrector ophthalmic adaptive optics: design and alignment (oral paper) / Alfredo Dubra and David Williams. High speed simultaneous SLO/OCT imaging of the human retina with adaptive optics (oral paper) / M. Pircher ... [et al.]. Characterization of an AO-OCT system (oral paper) / Julia W. Evans ... [et al.]. Adaptive optics optical coherence tomography for retina imaging (oral paper) / Guohua Shi ... [et al.]. Development, calibration and performance of an electromagnetic-mirror-based adaptive optics system for visual optics (oral paper) / Enrique Gambra ... [et al.]. Adaptive eye model (poster paper) / Sergey O. Galetskzy and Alexty V. Kudryashov. Adaptive optics system for retinal imaging based on a pyramid wavefront sensor (poster paper) / Sabine Chiesa ... [et al.]. Modeling of non-stationary dynamic ocular aberrations (poster paper) / Conor Leahy and Chris Dainty. High-order aberrations and accommodation of human eye (poster paper) / Lixia Xue ... [et al.]. Electromagnetic deformable mirror: experimental assessment and first ophthalmic applications (poster paper) / L. Vabre ... [et al.]. Correcting ocular aberrations in optical coherence tomography (poster paper) / Simon Tuohy ... [et al.] -- pt. 4. Adaptive optics in optical storage and microscopy. The application of liquid crystal aberration compensator for the optical disc systems (invited paper) / Masakazu Ogasawara. Commercialization of the adaptive scanning optical microscope (ASOM) (oral paper) / Benjamin Potsaid ... [et al.]. A practical implementation of adaptive optics for aberration compensation in optical microscopy (oral paper) / A. J. Wright ... [et al.]. Active focus locking in an optically sectioning microscope using adaptive optics (poster paper) / S. Poland, A. J. Wright, J. M. Girkin. Towards four dimensional particle tracking for biological applications / Heather I. Campbell ... [et al.]. Adaptive optics for microscopy (poster paper) / Xavier Levecq -- pt. 5. Adaptive optics in lasers

  12. Amplitude of Light Scattering by a Truncated Pyramid and Cone in the Rayleigh-Gans-Debye Approximation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Konstantin A. Shapovalov

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The article considers general approach to structured particle and particle system form factor calculation in the Rayleigh-Gans-Debye (RGD approximation. Using this approach, amplitude of light scattering by a truncated pyramid and cone formulas in RGD approximation are obtained. Light scattering indicator by a truncated pyramid and cone in the RGD approximation are calculated.

  13. Decreased pyramidal neuron size in Brodmann areas 44 and 45 in patients with autism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacot-Descombes, Sarah; Uppal, Neha; Wicinski, Bridget; Santos, Micaela; Schmeidler, James; Giannakopoulos, Panteleimon; Heinsen, Helmut; Heinsein, Helmut; Schmitz, Christoph; Hof, Patrick R

    2012-07-01

    Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction and social communication, as well as by the presence of repetitive and stereotyped behaviors and interests. Brodmann areas 44 and 45 in the inferior frontal cortex, which are involved in language processing, imitation function, and sociality processing networks, have been implicated in this complex disorder. Using a stereologic approach, this study aims to explore the presence of neuropathological differences in areas 44 and 45 in patients with autism compared to age- and hemisphere-matched controls. Based on previous evidence in the fusiform gyrus, we expected to find a decrease in the number and size of pyramidal neurons as well as an increase in volume of layers III, V, and VI in patients with autism. We observed significantly smaller pyramidal neurons in patients with autism compared to controls, although there was no difference in pyramidal neuron numbers or layer volumes. The reduced pyramidal neuron size suggests that a certain degree of dysfunction of areas 44 and 45 plays a role in the pathology of autism. Our results also support previous studies that have shown specific cellular neuropathology in autism with regionally specific reduction in neuron size, and provide further evidence for the possible involvement of the mirror neuron system, as well as impairment of neuronal networks relevant to communication and social behaviors, in this disorder.

  14. Efficient irregular wavefront propagation algorithms on Intel® Xeon Phi™

    OpenAIRE

    Gomes, Jeremias M.; Teodoro, George; de Melo, Alba; Kong, Jun; Kurc, Tahsin; Saltz, Joel H.

    2015-01-01

    We investigate the execution of the Irregular Wavefront Propagation Pattern (IWPP), a fundamental computing structure used in several image analysis operations, on the Intel® Xeon Phi™ co-processor. An efficient implementation of IWPP on the Xeon Phi is a challenging problem because of IWPP’s irregularity and the use of atomic instructions in the original IWPP algorithm to resolve race conditions. On the Xeon Phi, the use of SIMD and vectorization instructions is critical to attain high perfo...

  15. Performance analysis of large-scale applications based on wavefront algorithms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoisie, A.; Lubeck, O.; Wasserman, H.

    1998-01-01

    The authors introduced a performance model for parallel, multidimensional, wavefront calculations with machine performance characterized using the LogGP framework. The model accounts for overlap in the communication and computation components. The agreement with experimental data is very good under a variety of model sizes, data partitioning, blocking strategies, and on three different parallel architectures. Using the model, the authors analyzed performance of a deterministic transport code on a hypothetical 100 Tflops future parallel system of interest to ASCI

  16. a pyramid algorithm for the haar discrete wavelet packet transform

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PROF EKWUEME

    computer-aided signal processing of non-stationary signals, this paper develops a pyramid algorithm for the discrete wavelet packet ... Edith T. Luhanga, School of Computational and Communication Sciences and Engineering, Nelson Mandela African. Institute of ..... Mathematics, Washington University. 134. EDITH T.

  17. Surgical anatomy of the pyramidal lobe and its significance in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    33:35-37. 10. Harjeet A, Shani D, Jit I, Aggarwal AK. Shape, measurements and weight of the thyroid gland in northwest Indians. Surg Radiol Anat 2004;26:91-95. TABLE III. INVOLVEMENT OF THE PYRAMIDAL LOBE IN VARIOUS THYROID ...

  18. Synaptic Conductance Estimates of the Connection Between Local Inhibitor Interneurons and Pyramidal Neurons in Layer 2/3 of a Cortical Column

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, Jochen H.O.; Meyer, H. S.; Schmitt, Arno C.; Straehle, Jakob; Weitbrecht, Trinh; Sakmann, Bert; Helmstaedter, Moritz

    2015-01-01

    Stimulation of a principal whisker yields sparse action potential (AP) spiking in layer 2/3 (L2/3) pyramidal neurons in a cortical column of rat barrel cortex. The low AP rates in pyramidal neurons could be explained by activation of interneurons in L2/3 providing inhibition onto L2/3 pyramidal neurons. L2/3 interneurons classified as local inhibitors based on their axonal projection in the same column were reported to receive strong excitatory input from spiny neurons in L4, which are also the main source of the excitatory input to L2/3 pyramidal neurons. Here, we investigated the remaining synaptic connection in this intracolumnar microcircuit. We found strong and reliable inhibitory synaptic transmission between intracolumnar L2/3 local-inhibitor-to-L2/3 pyramidal neuron pairs [inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) amplitude −0.88 ± 0.67 mV]. On average, 6.2 ± 2 synaptic contacts were made by L2/3 local inhibitors onto L2/3 pyramidal neurons at 107 ± 64 µm path distance from the pyramidal neuron soma, thus overlapping with the distribution of synaptic contacts from L4 spiny neurons onto L2/3 pyramidal neurons (67 ± 34 µm). Finally, using compartmental simulations, we determined the synaptic conductance per synaptic contact to be 0.77 ± 0.4 nS. We conclude that the synaptic circuit from L4 to L2/3 can provide efficient shunting inhibition that is temporally and spatially aligned with the excitatory input from L4 to L2/3. PMID:25761638

  19. Simulation of a plane wavefront propagating in cardiac tissue using a cellular automata model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barbosa, Carlos R Hall

    2003-01-01

    We present a detailed description of a cellular automata model for the propagation of action potential in a planar cardiac tissue, which is very fast and easy to use. The model incorporates anisotropy in the electrical conductivity and a spatial variation of the refractory time. The transmembrane potential distribution is directly derived from the cell states, and the intracellular and extracellular potential distributions are calculated for the particular case of a plane wavefront. Once the potential distributions are known, the associated current densities are calculated by Ohm's law, and the magnetic field is determined at a plane parallel to the cardiac tissue by applying the law of Biot and Savart. The results obtained for propagation speed and for magnetic field amplitude with the cellular automata model are compared with values predicted by the bidomain formulation, for various angles between wavefront propagation and fibre direction, characterizing excellent agreement between the models

  20. Data Decision-Making and Program-Wide Implementation of the Pyramid Model. Roadmap to Effective Intervention Practices #7

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Lise; Veguilla, Myrna; Perez Binder, Denise

    2014-01-01

    The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) Roadmap on "Data Decision-Making and Program-Wide Implementation of the Pyramid Model" provides programs with guidance on how to collect and use data to ensure the implementation of the Pyramid Model with fidelity and decision-making that…

  1. Target-specific M1 inputs to infragranular S1 pyramidal neurons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fanselow, Erika E.; Simons, Daniel J.

    2016-01-01

    The functional role of input from the primary motor cortex (M1) to primary somatosensory cortex (S1) is unclear; one key to understanding this pathway may lie in elucidating the cell-type specific microcircuits that connect S1 and M1. Recently, we discovered that a subset of pyramidal neurons in the infragranular layers of S1 receive especially strong input from M1 (Kinnischtzke AK, Simons DJ, Fanselow EE. Cereb Cortex 24: 2237–2248, 2014), suggesting that M1 may affect specific classes of pyramidal neurons differently. Here, using combined optogenetic and retrograde labeling approaches in the mouse, we examined the strengths of M1 inputs to five classes of infragranular S1 neurons categorized by their projections to particular cortical and subcortical targets. We found that the magnitude of M1 synaptic input to S1 pyramidal neurons varies greatly depending on the projection target of the postsynaptic neuron. Of the populations examined, M1-projecting corticocortical neurons in L6 received the strongest M1 inputs, whereas ventral posterior medial nucleus-projecting corticothalamic neurons, also located in L6, received the weakest. Each population also possessed distinct intrinsic properties. The results suggest that M1 differentially engages specific classes of S1 projection neurons, thereby regulating the motor-related influence S1 exerts over subcortical structures. PMID:27334960

  2. Design and Preparation of a Micro-Pyramid Structured Thin Film for Broadband Infrared Antireflection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaobo Ge

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available A micro-pyramid structured thin film with a broad-band infrared antireflection property is designed and fabricated by using the single-point diamond turning (SPDT technique and combined with nano-imprint lithography (NIL. A structure with dimensions of 10 μm pitch and 5 μm height is transferred from the copper mold to the silicon nitride optical film by using NIL and proportional inductively-coupled plasma (ICP etching. Reflectance of the micro-optical surface is reduced below 1.0% over the infrared spectral range (800–2500 nm. A finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD analysis indicates that this micro-structure can localize photons and enhance the absorption inside the micro-pyramid at long wavelengths. As described above, the micro-pyramid array has been integrated in an optical film successfully. Distinguishing from the traditional micro-optical components, considering the effect of refraction and diffraction, it is a valuable and flexible method to take account of the interference effect of optical film.

  3. Amplification and Attenuation across USArray using Ambient Noise Wavefront Tracking

    KAUST Repository

    Bowden, Daniel C.

    2017-11-15

    As seismic travel-time tomography continues to be refined using data from the vast USArray dataset, it is advantageous to also exploit the amplitude information carried by seismic waves. We use ambient noise cross correlation to make observations of surface-wave amplification and attenuation at shorter periods (8 – 32 seconds) than can be observed with only traditional teleseismic earthquake sources. We show that the wavefront tracking approach of [Lin et al., 2012a] can be successfully applied to ambient noise correlations, yielding results quite similar to those from earthquake observations at periods of overlap. This consistency indicates that the wavefront tracking approach is viable for use with ambient noise correlations, despite concerns of the inhomogeneous and unknown distribution of noise sources. The resulting amplification and attenuation maps correlate well with known tectonic and crustal structure; at the shortest periods, our amplification and attenuation maps correlate well with surface geology and known sedimentary basins, while our longest period amplitudes are controlled by crustal thickness and begin to probe upper mantle materials. These amplification and attenuation observations are sensitive to crustal materials in different ways than travel-time observations and may be used to better constrain temperature or density variations. We also value them as an independent means of describing the lateral variability of observed Rayleigh-wave amplitudes without the need for 3D tomographic inversions.

  4. MR findings of the pyramidal tract in ALS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Segawa, Fuminori (Toho Univ., Tokyo (Japan). School of Medicine)

    1993-08-01

    MR imaging using the conventional spin each technique along with diffusion weighted imaging and water-fat imaging was performed in 16 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), 20 normal subjects, and 113 controls with other neurological disorders. Diffusion weighted images in the patients with ALS and the controls disclosed a high signal band from the subcortical area to the medullary pyramids. The high signal band on the diffusion weighted images corresponded to the pyramidal tract in the anatomical atlas described by Talairach. The T1- and T2-relaxation times, proton density, diffusion coefficient and diffusion anisotropy were measured at the points where high signal bands appeared on the diffusion weighted images. The T2-weighted images revealed high signal areas on the posterior limbs of the internal capsules in all the patients with ALS, 60% of the normal subjects, and 73% of the disease controls. The T1-weighted images disclosed high signal areas on the posterior limbs in 62% of the patients with ALS, but not in any of the normal subjects and the disease controls. The proton weighted images disclosed high signal areas on the posterior limbs in all the patients with ALS and 5% of the disease controls, but not in any of the normal subjects. Analysis of diffusion weighted images revealed no significant difference between the patients with ALS and the normal subjects in diffusion coefficient and diffusion anisotropy on the posterior limbs. Measurement of MR parameters (T1- and T2-relaxation times and proton density) showed that the proton density at the posterior limbs increased in ALS. Water-fat images using the method of Dixon revealed abnormal signals in the water images. These signal abnormalities were more prominent in the internal capsule than in the medullary pyramids. Our findings confirm that there is an increase in water molecules that have normal diffusion coefficient and diffusion anisotropy values in patients with ALS. (author).

  5. Novel nootropic dipeptide Noopept increases inhibitory synaptic transmission in CA1 pyramidal cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kondratenko, Rodion V; Derevyagin, Vladimir I; Skrebitsky, Vladimir G

    2010-05-31

    Effects of newly synthesized nootropic and anxiolytic dipeptide Noopept on inhibitory synaptic transmission in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells were investigated using patch-clamp technique in whole-cell configuration. Bath application of Noopept (1 microM) significantly increased the frequency of spike-dependant spontaneous IPSCs whereas spike-independent mIPSCs remained unchanged. It was suggested that Noopept mediates its effect due to the activation of inhibitory interneurons terminating on CA1 pyramidal cells. Results of current clamp recording of inhibitory interneurons residing in stratum radiatum confirmed this suggestion. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Shift of the pyramidal tract during resection of the intraaxial brain tumors estimated by intraoperative diffusion-weighted imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozawa, Norihiko; Muragaki, Yoshihiro; Nakamura, Ryoichi; Iseki, Hiroshi; Hori, Tomokatsu

    2009-01-01

    The present study evaluated the shift of the pyramidal tract during resection of 17 proximal intraaxial brain tumors. In each case intraoperative diffusion-weighted (iDW) magnetic resonance imaging with a motion-probing gradient applied in the anteroposterior direction was performed using a scanner with a 0.3 T vertical magnetic field. The position of the white matter bundles containing the pyramidal tract was estimated on the coronal images before and after resection of the neoplasm, and both quantitative and directional evaluation of its displacement was done. In all cases iDW imaging provided visualization of the structure of interest. The magnitude of the pyramidal tract displacement due to removal of the neoplasm varied from 0.5 to 8.7 mm (mean 4.4±2.5 mm) on the lesion side and from 0 to 3.6 mm (mean 1.3±1.1 mm) on the normal side (p<0.001). Tumor location in regards to the pyramidal tract was significantly associated with the direction of the pyramidal tract displacement (p<0.05). Outward shift occurred in 10 out of 13 cases of the lateral neoplasms, whereas in all 4 superomedial tumors inward shift was marked. In conclusion, the direction of the pyramidal tract displacement during resection of the proximal intraaxial brain tumors is mainly determined by position of the neoplasm, but can be unpredictable in some cases, which necessitates use of subcortical brain mapping and intraoperative imaging, particularly iDW imaging with updated neuronavigation. (author)

  7. The Orientations of the Giza Pyramids and Associated Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nell, Erin; Ruggles, Clive

    2014-08-01

    Ever since Flinders Petrie undertook a theodolite survey on the Giza plateau in 1881 and drew attention to the extraordinary degree of precision with which the three colossal pyramids are oriented upon the four cardinal directions, there have been a great many suggestions as to how this was achieved and why it was of importance. Surprisingly, given the many astronomical hypotheses and speculations that have been offered in the intervening 130 years, there have been remarkably few attempts to reaffirm or improve on the basic survey data concerning the primary orientations. This paper presents the results of a week-long Total Station survey undertaken by the authors during December 2006 whose principal aim was to clarify the basic data concerning the orientation of each side of the three large pyramids and to determine, as accurately as possible, the orientations of as many as possible of the associated structures. The principal difference between this and all previous surveys is that it focuses upon measurements of sequences of points along multiple straight and relatively well preserved structural segments, with best-fit techniques being used to provide the best estimate of their orientation, as opposed to simple triangulation between directly identified or extrapolated corners. Our results suggest that there is only a very slight difference in orientation (c. 0.5 arc minutes) between the north-south axes of Khufu's and Khafre's pyramids, that the sides of Khafre's are more perfectly perpendicular than those of Khufu's, and that the east-west axis is closer to true cardinality in both cases. The broader context of associated structures suggests that the east-west orientation in relation to sunrise or (in one case) sunset may have been a, or even the, key factor in many cases.

  8. The Sphinx and the Pyramids at Giza. Educational Packet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gagliano, Sara; Rapport, Wendy

    This packet of materials was created to accompany the exhibit "The Sphinx and the Pyramids: 100 Years of American Archaeology at Giza" at the Semitic Museum of Harvard University. The lessons and teacher's guide focus on the following: (1) "The Mystery of the Secret Tomb" where students take on the role of an archaeologist by…

  9. The pyramid model as a structured way of quality management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van der Tuuk Adriani Willem

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Three quality systems that can be used in blood establishments are briefly explained. The Pyramid model is described as a tool to manage the quality systems. Finally, some experiences in other countries are given to prove the validity of the system.

  10. Improving slowness estimate stability and visualization using limited sensor pair correlation on seismic arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibbons, Steven J.; Näsholm, S. P.; Ruigrok, E.; Kværna, T.

    2018-04-01

    Seismic arrays enhance signal detection and parameter estimation by exploiting the time-delays between arriving signals on sensors at nearby locations. Parameter estimates can suffer due to both signal incoherence, with diminished waveform similarity between sensors, and aberration, with time-delays between coherent waveforms poorly represented by the wave-front model. Sensor-to-sensor correlation approaches to parameter estimation have an advantage over direct beamforming approaches in that individual sensor-pairs can be omitted without necessarily omitting entirely the data from each of the sensors involved. Specifically, we can omit correlations between sensors for which signal coherence in an optimal frequency band is anticipated to be poor or for which anomalous time-delays are anticipated. In practice, this usually means omitting correlations between more distant sensors. We present examples from International Monitoring System seismic arrays with poor parameter estimates resulting when classical f-k analysis is performed over the full array aperture. We demonstrate improved estimates and slowness grid displays using correlation beamforming restricted to correlations between sufficiently closely spaced sensors. This limited sensor-pair correlation (LSPC) approach has lower slowness resolution than would ideally be obtained by considering all sensor-pairs. However, this ideal estimate may be unattainable due to incoherence and/or aberration and the LSPC estimate can often exploit all channels, with the associated noise-suppression, while mitigating the complications arising from correlations between very distant sensors. The greatest need for the method is for short-period signals on large aperture arrays although we also demonstrate significant improvement for secondary regional phases on a small aperture array. LSPC can also provide a robust and flexible approach to parameter estimation on three-component seismic arrays.

  11. Wavefront control of the Large Optics Test and Integration Site (LOTIS) 6.5m Collimator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    West, Steven C.; Bailey, Samuel H.; Burge, James H.; Cuerden, Brian; Hagen, Jeff; Martin, Hubert M.; Tuell, Michael T.

    2010-06-20

    The LOTIS Collimator provides scene projection within a 6.5m diameter collimated beam used for optical testing research in air and vacuum. Diffraction-limited performance (0.4 to 5{mu}m wavelength) requires active wavefront control of the alignment and primary mirror shape. A hexapod corrects secondary mirror alignment using measurements from collimated sources directed into the system with nine scanning pentaprisms. The primary mirror shape is controlled with 104 adjustable force actuators based on figure measurements from a center-of-curvature test. A variation of the Hartmann test measures slopes by monitoring the reflections from 36 small mirrors bonded to the optical surface of the primary mirror. The Hartmann source and detector are located at the f/15 Cassegrain focus. Initial operation has demonstrated a closed-loop 110nmrms wavefront error in ambient air over the 6.5mcollimated beam.

  12. Nanopore fabricated in pyramidal HfO2 film by dielectric breakdown method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yifan; Chen, Qi; Deng, Tao; Liu, Zewen

    2017-10-01

    The dielectric breakdown method provides an innovative solution to fabricate solid-state nanopores on insulating films. A nanopore generation event via this method is considered to be caused by random charged traps (i.e., structural defects) and high electric fields in the membrane. Thus, the position and number of nanopores on planar films prepared by the dielectric breakdown method is hard to control. In this paper, we propose to fabricate nanopores on pyramidal HfO2 films (10-nm and 15-nm-thick) to improve the ability to control the location and number during the fabrication process. Since the electric field intensity gets enhanced at the corners of the pyramid-shaped film, the probability of nanopore occurrence at vertex and edge areas increases. This priority of appearance provides us chance to control the location and number of nanopores by monitoring a sudden irreversible discrete increase in current. The experimental results showed that the probability of nanopore occurrence decreases in an order from the vertex area, the edge area to the side face area. The sizes of nanopores ranging from 30 nm to 10 nm were obtained. Nanopores fabricated on the pyramid-shaped HfO2 film also showed an obvious ion current rectification characteristic, which might improve the nanopore performance as a biomolecule sequencing platform.

  13. Poisson noise removal with pyramidal multi-scale transforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woiselle, Arnaud; Starck, Jean-Luc; Fadili, Jalal M.

    2013-09-01

    In this paper, we introduce a method to stabilize the variance of decimated transforms using one or two variance stabilizing transforms (VST). These VSTs are applied to the 3-D Meyer wavelet pyramidal transform which is the core of the first generation 3D curvelets. This allows us to extend these 3-D curvelets to handle Poisson noise, that we apply to the denoising of a simulated cosmological volume.

  14. Voltage-gated ion channels in the axon initial segment of human cortical pyramidal cells and their relationship with chandelier cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inda, Maria Carmen; DeFelipe, Javier; Muñoz, Alberto

    2006-02-21

    The axon initial segment (AIS) of pyramidal cells is a critical region for the generation of action potentials and for the control of pyramidal cell activity. Here we show that Na+ and K+ voltage-gated channels, together with other molecules involved in the localization of ion channels, are distributed asymmetrically in the AIS of pyramidal cells situated in the human temporal neocortex. There is a high density of Na+ channels distributed along the length of the AIS together with the associated proteins spectrin betaIV and ankyrin G. In contrast, Kv1.2 channels are associated with the adhesion molecule Caspr2, and they are mostly localized to the distal region of the AIS. In general, the distal region of the AIS is targeted by the GABAergic axon terminals of chandelier cells, whereas the proximal region is innervated, mostly by other types of GABAergic interneurons. We suggest that this molecular segregation and the consequent regional specialization of the GABAergic input to the AIS of pyramidal cells may have important functional implications for the control of pyramidal cell activity.

  15. Dynamic wavefront sensing and correction with low-cost twisted nematic spatial light modulators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duran, Vicente; Climent, Vicent; Lancis, Jesus; Tajahuerce, Enrique; Bara, Salvador; Arines, Justo; Ares, Jorge; Andres, Pedro; Jaroszewicz, Zbigniew

    2010-01-01

    Off-the-shelf twisted nematic liquid crystal displays (TNLCDs) show some interesting features such as high spatial resolution, easy handling, wide availability, and low cost. We describe a compact adaptive optical system using just one TNLCD to measure and compensate optical aberrations. The current system operates at a frame rate of the order of 10 Hz with a four level codification scheme. Wavefront estimation is performed through conventional Hartmann-Shack sensing architecture. The system has proved to work properly with a maximum rms aberration of 0.76 microns and wavefront gradient of 50 rad/mm at a wavelength of 514 nm. These values correspond to typical aberrations found in human eyes. The key of our approach is careful characterization and optimization of the TNLCD for phase-only modulation. For this purpose, we exploit the so-called retarder-rotator approach for twisted nematic liquid crystal cells. The optimization process has been successfully applied to SLMs working either in transmissive or in reflective mode, even when light depolarization effects are observed.

  16. XAFS study of copper(II) complexes with square planar and square pyramidal coordination geometries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaur, A.; Klysubun, W.; Nitin Nair, N.; Shrivastava, B. D.; Prasad, J.; Srivastava, K.

    2016-08-01

    X-ray absorption fine structure of six Cu(II) complexes, Cu2(Clna)4 2H2O (1), Cu2(ac)4 2H2O (2), Cu2(phac)4 (pyz) (3), Cu2(bpy)2(na)2 H2O (ClO4) (4), Cu2(teen)4(OH)2(ClO4)2 (5) and Cu2(tmen)4(OH)2(ClO4)2 (6) (where ac, phac, pyz, bpy, na, teen, tmen = acetate, phenyl acetate, pyrazole, bipyridine, nicotinic acid, tetraethyethylenediamine, tetramethylethylenediamine, respectively), which were supposed to have square pyramidal and square planar coordination geometries have been investigated. The differences observed in the X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) features of the standard compounds having four, five and six coordination geometry points towards presence of square planar and square pyramidal geometry around Cu centre in the studied complexes. The presence of intense pre-edge feature in the spectra of four complexes, 1-4, indicates square pyramidal coordination. Another important XANES feature, present in complexes 5 and 6, is prominent shoulder in the rising part of edge whose intensity decreases in the presence of axial ligands and thus indicates four coordination in these complexes. Ab initio calculations were carried out for square planar and square pyramidal Cu centres to observe the variation of 4p density of states in the presence and absence of axial ligands. To determine the number and distance of scattering atoms around Cu centre in the complexes, EXAFS analysis has been done using the paths obtained from Cu(II) oxide model and an axial Cu-O path from model of a square pyramidal complex. The results obtained from EXAFS analysis have been reported which confirmed the inference drawn from XANES features. Thus, it has been shown that these paths from model of a standard compound can be used to determine the structural parameters for complexes having unknown structure.

  17. Serotonergic modulation of hippocampal pyramidal cells in euthermic, cold-acclimated, and hibernating hamsters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horrigan, D. J.; Horwitz, B. A.; Horowitz, J. M.

    1997-01-01

    Serotonergic fibers project to the hippocampus, a brain area previously shown to have distinctive changes in electroencephalograph (EEG) activity during entrance into and arousal from hibernation. The EEG activity is generated by pyramidal cells in both hibernating and nonhibernating species. Using the brain slice preparation, we characterized serotonergic responses of these CA1 pyramidal cells in euthermic, cold-acclimated, and hibernating Syrian hamsters. Stimulation of Shaffer-collateral/commissural fibers evoked fast synaptic excitation of CA1 pyramidal cells, a response monitored by recording population spikes (the synchronous generation of action potentials). Neuromodulation by serotonin (5-HT) decreased population spike amplitude by 54% in cold-acclimated animals, 80% in hibernating hamsters, and 63% in euthermic animals. The depression was significantly greater in slices from hibernators than from cold-acclimated animals. In slices from euthermic animals, changes in extracellular K+ concentration between 2.5 and 5.0 mM did not significantly alter serotonergic responses. The 5-HT1A agonist 8-hydroxy-2(di-n-propylamino)tetralin mimicked serotonergic inhibition in euthermic hamsters. Results show that 5-HT is a robust neuromodulator not only in euthermic animals but also in cold-acclimated and hibernating hamsters.

  18. TRL-6 for JWST Wavefront Sensing and Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feinberg, Lee; Dean, Bruce; Smith, Scott; Aronstein, David; Shiri, Ron; Lyon, Rick; Hayden, Bill; Bowers, Chuck; Acton, D. Scott; Shields, Duncan; hide

    2007-01-01

    NASA's Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-6 is documented for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Wavefront Sensing and Control (WFSC) subsystem. The WFSC subsystem is needed to align the Optical Telescope Element (OTE) after all deployments have occurred, and achieves that requirement through a robust commissioning sequence consisting of unique commissioning algorithms, all of which are part of the WFSC algorithm suite. This paper identifies the technology need, algorithm heritage, describes the finished TRL-6 design platform, and summarizes the TRL-6 test results and compliance. Additionally, the performance requirements needed to satisfy JWST science goals as well as the criterion that relate to the TRL-6 Testbed Telescope (TBT) performance requirements are discussed

  19. Dependence of the compensation error on the error of a sensor and corrector in an adaptive optics phase-conjugating system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kiyko, V V; Kislov, V I; Ofitserov, E N

    2015-01-01

    In the framework of a statistical model of an adaptive optics system (AOS) of phase conjugation, three algorithms based on an integrated mathematical approach are considered, each of them intended for minimisation of one of the following characteristics: the sensor error (in the case of an ideal corrector), the corrector error (in the case of ideal measurements) and the compensation error (with regard to discreteness and measurement noises and to incompleteness of a system of response functions of the corrector actuators). Functional and statistical relationships between the algorithms are studied and a relation is derived to ensure calculation of the mean-square compensation error as a function of the errors of the sensor and corrector with an accuracy better than 10%. Because in adjusting the AOS parameters, it is reasonable to proceed from the equality of the sensor and corrector errors, in the case the Hartmann sensor is used as a wavefront sensor, the required number of actuators in the absence of the noise component in the sensor error turns out 1.5 – 2.5 times less than the number of counts, and that difference grows with increasing measurement noise. (adaptive optics)

  20. Dependence of the compensation error on the error of a sensor and corrector in an adaptive optics phase-conjugating system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kiyko, V V; Kislov, V I; Ofitserov, E N [A M Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2015-08-31

    In the framework of a statistical model of an adaptive optics system (AOS) of phase conjugation, three algorithms based on an integrated mathematical approach are considered, each of them intended for minimisation of one of the following characteristics: the sensor error (in the case of an ideal corrector), the corrector error (in the case of ideal measurements) and the compensation error (with regard to discreteness and measurement noises and to incompleteness of a system of response functions of the corrector actuators). Functional and statistical relationships between the algorithms are studied and a relation is derived to ensure calculation of the mean-square compensation error as a function of the errors of the sensor and corrector with an accuracy better than 10%. Because in adjusting the AOS parameters, it is reasonable to proceed from the equality of the sensor and corrector errors, in the case the Hartmann sensor is used as a wavefront sensor, the required number of actuators in the absence of the noise component in the sensor error turns out 1.5 – 2.5 times less than the number of counts, and that difference grows with increasing measurement noise. (adaptive optics)

  1. Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons’ Dendritic Remodeling and Increased Microglial Density in Primary Motor Cortex in a Murine Model of Facial Paralysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana Urrego

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This work was aimed at characterizing structural changes in primary motor cortex layer 5 pyramidal neurons and their relationship with microglial density induced by facial nerve lesion using a murine facial paralysis model. Adult transgenic mice, expressing green fluorescent protein in microglia and yellow fluorescent protein in projecting neurons, were submitted to either unilateral section of the facial nerve or sham surgery. Injured animals were sacrificed either 1 or 3weeks after surgery. Two-photon excitation microscopy was then used for evaluating both layer 5 pyramidal neurons and microglia in vibrissal primary motor cortex (vM1. It was found that facial nerve lesion induced long-lasting changes in the dendritic morphology of vM1 layer 5 pyramidal neurons and in their surrounding microglia. Dendritic arborization of the pyramidal cells underwent overall shrinkage. Apical dendrites suffered transient shortening while basal dendrites displayed sustained shortening. Moreover, dendrites suffered transient spine pruning. Significantly higher microglial cell density was found surrounding vM1 layer 5 pyramidal neurons after facial nerve lesion with morphological bias towards the activated phenotype. These results suggest that facial nerve lesions elicit active dendrite remodeling due to pyramidal neuron and microglia interaction, which could be the pathophysiological underpinning of some neuropathic motor sequelae in humans.

  2. Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons' Dendritic Remodeling and Increased Microglial Density in Primary Motor Cortex in a Murine Model of Facial Paralysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urrego, Diana; Troncoso, Julieta; Múnera, Alejandro

    2015-01-01

    This work was aimed at characterizing structural changes in primary motor cortex layer 5 pyramidal neurons and their relationship with microglial density induced by facial nerve lesion using a murine facial paralysis model. Adult transgenic mice, expressing green fluorescent protein in microglia and yellow fluorescent protein in projecting neurons, were submitted to either unilateral section of the facial nerve or sham surgery. Injured animals were sacrificed either 1 or 3weeks after surgery. Two-photon excitation microscopy was then used for evaluating both layer 5 pyramidal neurons and microglia in vibrissal primary motor cortex (vM1). It was found that facial nerve lesion induced long-lasting changes in the dendritic morphology of vM1 layer 5 pyramidal neurons and in their surrounding microglia. Dendritic arborization of the pyramidal cells underwent overall shrinkage. Apical dendrites suffered transient shortening while basal dendrites displayed sustained shortening. Moreover, dendrites suffered transient spine pruning. Significantly higher microglial cell density was found surrounding vM1 layer 5 pyramidal neurons after facial nerve lesion with morphological bias towards the activated phenotype. These results suggest that facial nerve lesions elicit active dendrite remodeling due to pyramidal neuron and microglia interaction, which could be the pathophysiological underpinning of some neuropathic motor sequelae in humans. PMID:26064916

  3. Surgical anatomy of the pyramidal lobe and its significance in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In diffuse thyroid diseases, the lobes were always pathologically involved and significantly longer. Conclusion. Since the pyramidal lobe is a normal component of the thyroid gland, of varying position and size, with pathological changes in benign and malignant diseases, it should always be examined during thyroid surgery ...

  4. Impacto da análise do "wavefront" na refratometria de pacientes com ceratocone Impact of the wavefront analysis in refraction of keratoconus patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renato Ambrósio Junior

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Verificar se a aberrometria ocular total (análise da frente de onda ou wavefront possibilita a melhora na acuidade visual corrigida (AVc com lentes esfero-cilíndricas, obtida com a refratometria manifesta em casos de ceratocone com algum grau de intolerância ao uso de lentes de contato. MÉTODOS: Os prontuários de 46 pacientes (89 olhos referidos com diagnóstico de ceratocone e intolerantes ao uso de lentes de contato, submetidos ao exame de aberrometria ocular total seguido de refração manifesta, foram estudados de forma retrospectiva. A AVc (logMAR com a correção existente antes do exame foi comparada com a obtida com a nova refração manifesta, realizada, considerando-se os dados objetivos da aberrometria. O teste não-paramétrico de Wilcoxon para amostras pareadas foi utilizado para verificação de diferenças estatisticamente significantes na AVc. RESULTADOS: Houve uma melhora estatisticamente significante na AVc com a nova refração manifesta (pOBJECTIVE: To verify if the total ocular aberrometry (wavefront analysis facilitates manifest refraction and improvement in best spectacle distance corrected visual acuity (BSCDVA with sphero-cylindrical lenses, in keratoconus cases with some degree of contact lenses intolerance. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 46 patients (89 eyes referred with keratoconus and contact lenses intolerance was performed. Ocular aberrometry with ray tracing was followed by manifest refraction. BSCDVA (logMAR with the previous correction was compared with the one obtained based on the wavefront auto-refraction. The nonparametric test of Wilcoxon for paired samples was used to test statistically significant differences in BSCDVA. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant improvement in BSCDVA with the new manifest refraction (p <0,0001. The average BSCDVA changed from 0,37 or 20/47 (varying between 1,3 and 0; standard deviation [SD] = 0,25 with previous refraction to 0,23 or 20

  5. Correlation Wave-Front Sensing Algorithms for Shack-Hartmann-Based Adaptive Optics using a Point Source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poynee, L A

    2003-01-01

    Shack-Hartmann based Adaptive Optics system with a point-source reference normally use a wave-front sensing algorithm that estimates the centroid (center of mass) of the point-source image 'spot' to determine the wave-front slope. The centroiding algorithm suffers for several weaknesses. For a small number of pixels, the algorithm gain is dependent on spot size. The use of many pixels on the detector leads to significant propagation of read noise. Finally, background light or spot halo aberrations can skew results. In this paper an alternative algorithm that suffers from none of these problems is proposed: correlation of the spot with a ideal reference spot. The correlation method is derived and a theoretical analysis evaluates its performance in comparison with centroiding. Both simulation and data from real AO systems are used to illustrate the results. The correlation algorithm is more robust than centroiding, but requires more computation

  6. Interlaminar differences in the pyramidal cell phenotype in parietal cortex of an Indian bat, cynopterus sphinx.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, U C; Pathak, S V

    2010-10-30

    To study interlaminar phenotypic variations in the pyramidal neurons of parietal isocortex in bat (Cynopterus sphinx), Golgi and Nissl methods have been employed. The parietal isocortex is relatively thin in the bat as compared to prototheria with layer III, V and VI accounting for more than two—thirds of total cortical thickness. Thick cell free layer I and thinnest accentuated layer II are quite in connotation with other chiropterids. Poor demarcation of layer III/IV in the present study is also in connotation with primitive eutherian mammal (i.e. prototherian) and other chiropterids. Most of the pyramidal cells in the different layers of the parietal isocortex are of typical type as seen in other eutherians but differ significantly in terms of soma shape and size, extent of dendritic arbor, diameter of dendrites and spine density. Percentage of pyramidal neurons, diameter of apical dendrite and spine density on apical dendrite appear to follow an increasing trend from primitive to advanced mammals; but extent of dendrites are probably governed by the specific life patterns of these mammals. It is thus concluded that 'typical' pyramidal neurons in parietal isocortex are similar in therians but different from those in prototherians. It is possible that these cells might have arisen among early eutherians after divergence from prototherian stock.

  7. Radon measurements in the interior of the great pyramid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kenawy, M A; Morsy, A A [Ain Shams Univ., Cairo (Egypt). College for Girls

    1991-01-01

    Radon concentration measurements were made in the interior of the great pyramid of ''Cheops'' at Giza. Measurements were carried out using CR-39 as a solid state nuclear track detector. The CR-39 sheets were placed inside the Queen's and King's chambers and along the ascending corridor leading to them. An evaluation of the radon concentration is presented and discussed. (author).

  8. Radon measurements in the interior of the great pyramid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kenawy, M.A.; Morsy, A.A.

    1991-01-01

    Radon concentration measurements were made in the interior of the great pyramid of ''Cheops'' at Giza. Measurements were carried out using CR-39 as a solid state nuclear track detector. The CR-39 sheets were placed inside the Queen's and King's chambers and along the ascending corridor leading to them. An evaluation of the radon concentration is presented and discussed. (author)

  9. The offset-midpoint traveltime pyramid in 3D transversely isotropic media with a horizontal symmetry axis

    KAUST Repository

    Hao, Qi

    2014-12-30

    Analytic representation of the offset-midpoint traveltime equation for anisotropy is very important for prestack Kirchhoff migration and velocity inversion in anisotropic media. For transversely isotropic media with a vertical symmetry axis, the offset-midpoint traveltime resembles the shape of a Cheops’ pyramid. This is also valid for homogeneous 3D transversely isotropic media with a horizontal symmetry axis (HTI). We extended the offset-midpoint traveltime pyramid to the case of homogeneous 3D HTI. Under the assumption of weak anellipticity of HTI media, we derived an analytic representation of the P-wave traveltime equation and used Shanks transformation to improve the accuracy of horizontal and vertical slownesses. The traveltime pyramid was derived in the depth and time domains. Numerical examples confirmed the accuracy of the proposed approximation for the traveltime function in 3D HTI media.

  10. Base-of-the-pyramid global strategy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boşcor, D.

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Global strategies for MNCs should focus on customers in emerging and developing markets instead of customers in developed economies. The “base-of-the-pyramid segment” comprises 4 billion people in the world. In order to be successful, companies will be required to form unconventional partnerships- with entities ranging from local governments to non-profit organizations - to gain the community’s trust and understand the environmental, infrastructure and political issues that may affect business. Being able to provide affordable, high-quality products and services in this market segment often means new approaches to marketing- new packaging and pricing structures, and using unfamiliar distribution structures.

  11. Derivation of preliminary specifications for transmitted wavefront and surface roughness for large optics used in inertial confinement fusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aikens, D.; Roussel, A.; Bray, M.

    1995-01-01

    In preparation for beginning the design of the Nation Ignition Facility (NIF) in the United States and the Laser Mega-Joule (LMJ) in France, the authors are in the process of deriving new specifications for the large optics required for these facilities. Traditionally, specifications for transmitted wavefront and surface roughness of large ICF optics have been based on parameters which were easily measured during the early 1980's, such as peak-to-valley wavefront error (PV) and root-mean-square (RMS) surface roughness, as well as wavefront gradients in terms of waves per cm. While this was convenient from a fabrication perspective, since the specifications could be easily interpreted by fabricators in terms which were understood and conventionally measurable, it did not accurately reflect the requirements of the laser system. For the NIF and LMJ laser systems, the authors use advances in metrology and interferometry and an enhanced understanding of laser system performance to derive specifications which are based on power spectral densities (PSD's.) Such requirements can more accurately reflect the requirements of the laser system for minimizing the amplitude of mid- and high-spatial frequency surface and transmitted wavefront errors, while not over constraining the fabrication in terms of low spatial frequencies, such as residual coma or astigmatism, which are typically of a very large amplitude compared to periodic errors. In order to study the effect of changes in individual component tolerances, it is most useful to have a model capable of simulating real behavior. The basis of this model is discussed in this paper, outlining the general approach to the open-quotes theoreticalclose quotes study of ICF optics specifications, and an indication of the type of specification to be expected will be shown, based upon existing ICF laser optics

  12. Clinical Outcomes of SMILE With a Triple Centration Technique and Corneal Wavefront-Guided Transepithelial PRK in High Astigmatism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jun, Ikhyun; Kang, David Sung Yong; Reinstein, Dan Z; Arba-Mosquera, Samuel; Archer, Timothy J; Seo, Kyoung Yul; Kim, Tae-Im

    2018-03-01

    To comparatively investigate the clinical outcomes, vector parameters, and corneal aberrations of small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) with a triple centration technique and corneal wavefront-guided transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for the correction of high astigmatism. This retrospective, comparative case series study included 89 eyes (89 patients) that received treatment for myopia with high astigmatism (≥ 2.50 diopters) using SMILE with a triple centration technique (SMILE group; 45 eyes) and corneal wavefront-guided transepithelial PRK (transepithelial PRK group; 44 eyes). Visual acuity measurement, manifest refraction, slit-lamp examination, autokeratometry, corneal topography, and evaluation of corneal wavefront aberration were performed preoperatively and at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. The safety, efficacy, vector parameters, and corneal aberrations at 6 months after surgery were compared between the two groups. At 6 months after surgery, the transepithelial PRK and SMILE groups exhibited comparable mean uncorrected distance visual acuities (-0.06 ± 0.07 and -0.05 ± 0.07 logMAR, respectively), safety, efficacy, and predictability of refractive and visual outcomes. There was a slight but statistically significant difference in the correction index between the transepithelial PRK and SMILE groups (0.96 ± 0.11 and 0.91 ± 0.10, respectively). Whereas the transepithelial PRK group exhibited increased corneal spherical aberration and significantly reduced corneal coma and trefoil, no changes in aberrometric values were noted in the SMILE group. Both SMILE with a triple centration technique and corneal wavefront-guided transepithelial PRK are effective and provide predictable outcomes for the correction of high myopic astigmatism, although slight undercorrection was observed in the SMILE group. The triple centration technique was helpful in astigmatism correction by SMILE. [J Refract Surg. 2018;34(3):156-163.]. Copyright 2018

  13. Wavefront measurement using computational adaptive optics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    South, Fredrick A; Liu, Yuan-Zhi; Bower, Andrew J; Xu, Yang; Carney, P Scott; Boppart, Stephen A

    2018-03-01

    In many optical imaging applications, it is necessary to correct for aberrations to obtain high quality images. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides access to the amplitude and phase of the backscattered optical field for three-dimensional (3D) imaging samples. Computational adaptive optics (CAO) modifies the phase of the OCT data in the spatial frequency domain to correct optical aberrations without using a deformable mirror, as is commonly done in hardware-based adaptive optics (AO). This provides improvement of image quality throughout the 3D volume, enabling imaging across greater depth ranges and in highly aberrated samples. However, the CAO aberration correction has a complicated relation to the imaging pupil and is not a direct measurement of the pupil aberrations. Here we present new methods for recovering the wavefront aberrations directly from the OCT data without the use of hardware adaptive optics. This enables both computational measurement and correction of optical aberrations.

  14. Manipulation of wavefront using helical metamaterials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhenyu; Wang, Zhaokun; Tao, Huan; Zhao, Ming

    2016-08-08

    Helical metamaterials, a kind of 3-dimensional structure, has relatively strong coupling effect among the helical nano-wires. Therefore, it is expected to be a good candidate for generating phase shift and controlling wavefront with high efficiency. In this paper, using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, we studied the phase shift properties in the helical metamaterials. It is found that the phase shift occurs for both transmitted and reflected light waves. And the maximum of reflection coefficients can reach over 60%. In addition, the phase shift (φ) is dispersionless in the range of 600 nm to 860 nm, that is, it is only dominated by the initial angle (θ) of the helix. The relationship between them is φ = ± 2θ. Using Jones calculus we give a further explanation for these properties. Finally, by arranging the helixes in an array with a constant phase gradient, the phenomenon of anomalous refraction was also observed in a broad wavelength range.

  15. Human limbic encephalitis serum enhances hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 pyramidal cell synaptic transmission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lalic, Tatjana; Pettingill, Philippa; Vincent, Angela; Capogna, Marco

    2011-01-01

    Limbic encephalitis (LE) is a central nervous system (CNS) disease characterized by subacute onset of memory loss and epileptic seizures. A well-recognized form of LE is associated with voltage-gated potassium channel complex antibodies (VGKC-Abs) in the patients' sera. We aimed to test the hypothesis that purified immunoglobulin G (IgG) from a VGKC-Ab LE serum would excite hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cells by reducing VGKC function at mossy-fiber (MF)-CA3 pyramidal cell synapses. We compared the effects of LE and healthy control IgG by whole-cell patch-clamp and extracellular recordings from CA3 pyramidal cells of rat hippocampal acute slices. We found that the LE IgG induced epileptiform activity at a population level, since synaptic stimulation elicited multiple population spikes extracellularly recorded in the CA3 area. Moreover, the LE IgG increased the rate of tonic firing and strengthened the MF-evoked synaptic responses. The synaptic failure of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) was significantly lower in the presence of the LE IgG compared to the control IgG. This suggests that the LE IgG increased the release probability on MF-CA3 pyramidal cell synapses compared to the control IgG. Interestingly, α-dendrotoxin (120 nm), a selective Kv1.1, 1.2, and 1.6 subunit antagonist of VGKC, mimicked the LE IgG-mediated effects. This is the first functional demonstration that LE IgGs reduce VGKC function at CNS synapses and increase cell excitability. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2010 International League Against Epilepsy.

  16. High-speed single-shot optical focusing through dynamic scattering media with full-phase wavefront shaping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemphill, Ashton S.; Shen, Yuecheng; Liu, Yan; Wang, Lihong V.

    2017-11-01

    In biological applications, optical focusing is limited by the diffusion of light, which prevents focusing at depths greater than ˜1 mm in soft tissue. Wavefront shaping extends the depth by compensating for phase distortions induced by scattering and thus allows for focusing light through biological tissue beyond the optical diffusion limit by using constructive interference. However, due to physiological motion, light scattering in tissue is deterministic only within a brief speckle correlation time. In in vivo tissue, this speckle correlation time is on the order of milliseconds, and so the wavefront must be optimized within this brief period. The speed of digital wavefront shaping has typically been limited by the relatively long time required to measure and display the optimal phase pattern. This limitation stems from the low speeds of cameras, data transfer and processing, and spatial light modulators. While binary-phase modulation requiring only two images for the phase measurement has recently been reported, most techniques require at least three frames for the full-phase measurement. Here, we present a full-phase digital optical phase conjugation method based on off-axis holography for single-shot optical focusing through scattering media. By using off-axis holography in conjunction with graphics processing unit based processing, we take advantage of the single-shot full-phase measurement while using parallel computation to quickly reconstruct the phase map. With this system, we can focus light through scattering media with a system latency of approximately 9 ms, on the order of the in vivo speckle correlation time.

  17. Pyramid algorithms as models of human cognition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pizlo, Zygmunt; Li, Zheng

    2003-06-01

    There is growing body of experimental evidence showing that human perception and cognition involves mechanisms that can be adequately modeled by pyramid algorithms. The main aspect of those mechanisms is hierarchical clustering of information: visual images, spatial relations, and states as well as transformations of a problem. In this paper we review prior psychophysical and simulation results on visual size transformation, size discrimination, speed-accuracy tradeoff, figure-ground segregation, and the traveling salesman problem. We also present our new results on graph search and on the 15-puzzle.

  18. Image Acquisition of Robust Vision Systems to Monitor Blurred Objects in Hazy Smoking Environments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahn, Yongjin; Park, Seungkyu; Baik, Sunghoon; Kim, Donglyul; Nam, Sungmo; Jeong, Kyungmin

    2014-01-01

    Image information in disaster area or radiation area of nuclear industry is an important data for safety inspection and preparing appropriate damage control plans. So, robust vision system for structures and facilities in blurred smoking environments, such as the places of a fire and detonation, is essential in remote monitoring. Vision systems can't acquire an image when the illumination light is blocked by disturbance materials, such as smoke, fog, dust. The vision system based on wavefront correction can be applied to blurred imaging environments and the range-gated imaging system can be applied to both of blurred imaging and darken light environments. Wavefront control is a widely used technique to improve the performance of optical systems by actively correcting wavefront distortions, such as atmospheric turbulence, thermally-induced distortions, and laser or laser device aberrations, which can reduce the peak intensity and smear an acquired image. The principal applications of wavefront control are for improving the image quality in optical imaging systems such as infrared astronomical telescopes, in imaging and tracking rapidly moving space objects, and in compensating for laser beam distortion through the atmosphere. A conventional wavefront correction system consists of a wavefront sensor, a deformable mirror and a control computer. The control computer measures the wavefront distortions using a wavefront sensor and corrects it using a deformable mirror in a closed-loop. Range-gated imaging (RGI) is a direct active visualization technique using a highly sensitive image sensor and a high intensity illuminant. Currently, the range-gated imaging technique providing 2D and 3D images is one of emerging active vision technologies. The range-gated imaging system gets vision information by summing time sliced vision images. In the RGI system, a high intensity illuminant illuminates for ultra-short time and a highly sensitive image sensor is gated by ultra

  19. Image Acquisition of Robust Vision Systems to Monitor Blurred Objects in Hazy Smoking Environments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahn, Yongjin; Park, Seungkyu; Baik, Sunghoon; Kim, Donglyul; Nam, Sungmo; Jeong, Kyungmin [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-05-15

    Image information in disaster area or radiation area of nuclear industry is an important data for safety inspection and preparing appropriate damage control plans. So, robust vision system for structures and facilities in blurred smoking environments, such as the places of a fire and detonation, is essential in remote monitoring. Vision systems can't acquire an image when the illumination light is blocked by disturbance materials, such as smoke, fog, dust. The vision system based on wavefront correction can be applied to blurred imaging environments and the range-gated imaging system can be applied to both of blurred imaging and darken light environments. Wavefront control is a widely used technique to improve the performance of optical systems by actively correcting wavefront distortions, such as atmospheric turbulence, thermally-induced distortions, and laser or laser device aberrations, which can reduce the peak intensity and smear an acquired image. The principal applications of wavefront control are for improving the image quality in optical imaging systems such as infrared astronomical telescopes, in imaging and tracking rapidly moving space objects, and in compensating for laser beam distortion through the atmosphere. A conventional wavefront correction system consists of a wavefront sensor, a deformable mirror and a control computer. The control computer measures the wavefront distortions using a wavefront sensor and corrects it using a deformable mirror in a closed-loop. Range-gated imaging (RGI) is a direct active visualization technique using a highly sensitive image sensor and a high intensity illuminant. Currently, the range-gated imaging technique providing 2D and 3D images is one of emerging active vision technologies. The range-gated imaging system gets vision information by summing time sliced vision images. In the RGI system, a high intensity illuminant illuminates for ultra-short time and a highly sensitive image sensor is gated by ultra

  20. Food pyramid for subjects with chronic pain: foods and dietary constituents as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rondanelli, Mariangela; Faliva, Milena Anna; Miccono, Alessandra; Naso, Maurizio; Nichetti, Mara; Riva, Antonella; Guerriero, Fabio; De Gregori, Manuela; Peroni, Gabriella; Perna, Simone

    2018-06-01

    Emerging literature suggests that diet constituents may play a modulatory role in chronic pain (CP) through management of inflammation/oxidative stress, resulting in attenuation of pain. We performed a narrative review to evaluate the existing evidence regarding the optimum diet for the management of CP, and we built a food pyramid on this topic. The present review also describes the activities of various natural compounds contained in foods (i.e. phenolic compounds in extra-virgin olive oil (EVO)) listed on our pyramid, which have comparable effects to drug management therapy. This review included 172 eligible studies. The pyramid shows that carbohydrates with low glycaemic index should be consumed every day (three portions), together with fruits and vegetables (five portions), yogurt (125 ml), red wine (125 ml) and EVO; weekly: legumes and fish (four portions); white meat, eggs and fresh cheese (two portions); red or processed meats (once per week); sweets can be consumed occasionally. The food amounts are estimates based on nutritional and practical considerations. At the top of the pyramid there is a pennant: it means that CP subjects may need a specific customised supplementation (vitamin B12, vitamin D, n-3 fatty acids, fibre). The food pyramid proposal will serve to guide dietary intake with to the intent of alleviating pain in CP patients. Moreover, a targeted diet can also help to solve problems related to the drugs used to combat CP, i.e. constipation. However, this paper would be an early hypothetical proposal due to the limitations of the studies.

  1. Development of inhibitory synaptic inputs on layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons in the rat medial prefrontal cortex

    KAUST Repository

    Virtanen, Mari A.; Lacoh, Claudia Marvine; Fiumelli, Hubert; Kosel, Markus; Tyagarajan, Shiva; de Roo, Mathias; Vutskits, Laszlo

    2018-01-01

    Inhibitory control of pyramidal neurons plays a major role in governing the excitability in the brain. While spatial mapping of inhibitory inputs onto pyramidal neurons would provide important structural data on neuronal signaling, studying their distribution at the single cell level is difficult due to the lack of easily identifiable anatomical proxies. Here, we describe an approach where in utero electroporation of a plasmid encoding for fluorescently tagged gephyrin into the precursors of pyramidal cells along with ionotophoretic injection of Lucifer Yellow can reliably and specifically detect GABAergic synapses on the dendritic arbour of single pyramidal neurons. Using this technique and focusing on the basal dendritic arbour of layer 2/3 pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex, we demonstrate an intense development of GABAergic inputs onto these cells between postnatal days 10 and 20. While the spatial distribution of gephyrin clusters was not affected by the distance from the cell body at postnatal day 10, we found that distal dendritic segments appeared to have a higher gephyrin density at later developmental stages. We also show a transient increase around postnatal day 20 in the percentage of spines that are carrying a gephyrin cluster, indicative of innervation by a GABAergic terminal. Since the precise spatial arrangement of synaptic inputs is an important determinant of neuronal responses, we believe that the method described in this work may allow a better understanding of how inhibition settles together with excitation, and serve as basics for further modelling studies focusing on the geometry of dendritic inhibition during development.

  2. Development of inhibitory synaptic inputs on layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons in the rat medial prefrontal cortex

    KAUST Repository

    Virtanen, Mari A.

    2018-01-10

    Inhibitory control of pyramidal neurons plays a major role in governing the excitability in the brain. While spatial mapping of inhibitory inputs onto pyramidal neurons would provide important structural data on neuronal signaling, studying their distribution at the single cell level is difficult due to the lack of easily identifiable anatomical proxies. Here, we describe an approach where in utero electroporation of a plasmid encoding for fluorescently tagged gephyrin into the precursors of pyramidal cells along with ionotophoretic injection of Lucifer Yellow can reliably and specifically detect GABAergic synapses on the dendritic arbour of single pyramidal neurons. Using this technique and focusing on the basal dendritic arbour of layer 2/3 pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex, we demonstrate an intense development of GABAergic inputs onto these cells between postnatal days 10 and 20. While the spatial distribution of gephyrin clusters was not affected by the distance from the cell body at postnatal day 10, we found that distal dendritic segments appeared to have a higher gephyrin density at later developmental stages. We also show a transient increase around postnatal day 20 in the percentage of spines that are carrying a gephyrin cluster, indicative of innervation by a GABAergic terminal. Since the precise spatial arrangement of synaptic inputs is an important determinant of neuronal responses, we believe that the method described in this work may allow a better understanding of how inhibition settles together with excitation, and serve as basics for further modelling studies focusing on the geometry of dendritic inhibition during development.

  3. Effectively Improved Field Emission Properties of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes/Graphenes Composite Field Emitter by Covering on the Si Pyramidal Structure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chen, Leifeng; Yu, Hua; Zhong, Jiasong

    2015-01-01

    The composite nanostructure emitter of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and graphenes was deposited on pyramidal silicon substrate by the simple larger scale electrophoretic deposition process. The field emission (FE) properties of the composite/pyramidal Si device were greatly improved compared...

  4. Grazing Incidence Wavefront Sensing and Verification of X-Ray Optics Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saha, Timo T.; Rohrbach, Scott; Zhang, William W.

    2011-01-01

    Evaluation of interferometrically measured mirror metrology data and characterization of a telescope wavefront can be powerful tools in understanding of image characteristics of an x-ray optical system. In the development of soft x-ray telescope for the International X-Ray Observatory (IXO), we have developed new approaches to support the telescope development process. Interferometrically measuring the optical components over all relevant spatial frequencies can be used to evaluate and predict the performance of an x-ray telescope. Typically, the mirrors are measured using a mount that minimizes the mount and gravity induced errors. In the assembly and mounting process the shape of the mirror segments can dramatically change. We have developed wavefront sensing techniques suitable for the x-ray optical components to aid us in the characterization and evaluation of these changes. Hartmann sensing of a telescope and its components is a simple method that can be used to evaluate low order mirror surface errors and alignment errors. Phase retrieval techniques can also be used to assess and estimate the low order axial errors of the primary and secondary mirror segments. In this paper we describe the mathematical foundation of our Hartmann and phase retrieval sensing techniques. We show how these techniques can be used in the evaluation and performance prediction process of x-ray telescopes.

  5. Assessment of the pyramidal tract by diffusion tensor analysis in brain hemorrhage patients for motor function prognosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawamo, Michiaki; Abe, Takumi; Izumiyama, Hitoshi

    2008-01-01

    In patients with brain hemorrhage, the entire visualized pyramidal tract was established as an area of interest (ROI). Its Fractional Anisotropy (FA) value was determined by diffusion tensor analysis (DTA), and its relationship to motor function at the onset and three months later was investigated. In 30 patients with brain hemorrhage accompanying paralysis, MRI was performed during the subacute phase (6-14 days after onset). In addition, using a workstation, DTA was performed in order to visualize the pyramidal tract. The FA of the ROI was measured on the affected and unaffected sides, and as previously reported, the ratio of FA in the affected and unaffected sides was calculated. Subsequently, we examined the relationship between the FA ratio and motor function prognosis. Motor function prognosis was assessed based on the sum of the Brunnstrom stage at the onset and three months later. A strong correlation coefficient existed between the FA ratio of the entire pyramidal tract and the sum of the Brunnstrom stage three months after onset (0.74, p<0.001), and prognosis of motor function tended to improve in patients with FA ratios of 0.95 or higher. Patients with mild paralysis were identified in order to ascertain the degree of improvement in paralysis, and a significant correlation between the FA ratio of the entire pyramidal tract and the degree of improvement in the Brunnstrom stage was observed (correlation coefficient 0.77, p<0.001). When compared to putamen hemorrhage, the FA ratio affected the prognosis of paralysis more in thalamic hemorrhage. The results suggest that in patients with an FA ratio of 1.0, the recovery rate of paralysis three months after onset is markedly high. In brain hemorrhage patients, a reduction in the FA ratio of the entire pyramidal tract was correlated with the functional prognosis of motor paralysis, and in thalamic hemorrhage, it may be possible to predict motor function based on FA ratios. Hence, the DTA of the pyramidal tract

  6. Discovery Channel Telescope active optics system early integration and test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venetiou, Alexander J.; Bida, Thomas A.

    2012-09-01

    The Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) is a 4.3-meter telescope with a thin meniscus primary mirror (M1) and a honeycomb secondary mirror (M2). The optical design is an f/6.1 Ritchey-Chrétien (RC) with an unvignetted 0.5° Field of View (FoV) at the Cassegrain focus. We describe the design, implementation and performance of the DCT active optics system (AOS). The DCT AOS maintains collimation and controls the figure of the mirror to provide seeing-limited images across the focal plane. To minimize observing overhead, rapid settling times are achieved using a combination of feed-forward and low-bandwidth feedback control using a wavefront sensing system. In 2011, we mounted a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor at the prime focus of M1, the Prime Focus Test Assembly (PFTA), to test the AOS with the wavefront sensor, and the feedback loop. The incoming wavefront is decomposed using Zernike polynomials, and the mirror figure is corrected with a set of bending modes. Components of the system that we tested and tuned included the Zernike to Bending Mode transformations. We also started open-loop feed-forward coefficients determination. In early 2012, the PFTA was replaced by M2, and the wavefront sensor moved to its normal location on the Cassegrain instrument assembly. We present early open loop wavefront test results with the full optical system and instrument cube, along with refinements to the overall control loop operating at RC Cassegrain focus.

  7. Performance of indigenously fabricated pyramid type solar desalination unit at Nawabshah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Memon, A.H.; Rajpar, A.H.; Memon, N.A.

    2010-01-01

    The performance of locally fabricated pyramid type solar desalination unit was studied and compared with the conventional basin type solar still. Both stills were initially filled with same quantity of brackish water. Their performance was studied in terms of the quality of water produced, quantity of water desalinated per hour and total quantity of water desalinated per day during the time under study. The experiments were conducted and various parameters were recorded from 9-15 hours daily. These results showed that pyramid solar still produced 20% higher desalinated water as compared to the conventional double slope basin type solar still. This study showed that the productivity rate of soar still is dependent upon geometrical configuration of solar still. It was observed that the units can highly reduce the salinity, TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) and EC (Electrical Conductivity) of the saline ground water providing the availability of safe drinking water. (author)

  8. PLAN FOR PERFORMANCE ADMINISTRATION IN PYRAMIDAL STRUCTURE ORGANIZATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Domingo Alarcón Ortiz

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Performance administration has become a current strategy in evaluating management within organizations, but its implementation often lacks an action plan, resulting from the valuation of climate and leadership styles embedded in the culture of the organization. This paper proposes a model action plan for performance management, which has been implemented, executed and evaluated in pyramidal organizational structure organizations where a diagnosis of the cultural climate and leadership styles recurring in the organization have been previously made.

  9. Adapting Wave-front Algorithms to Efficiently Utilize Systems with Deep Communication Hierarchies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kerbyson, Darren J.; Lang, Michael; Pakin, Scott

    2011-01-01

    Large-scale systems increasingly exhibit a differential between intra-chip and inter-chip communication performance especially in hybrid systems using accelerators. Processor cores on the same socket are able to communicate at lower latencies, and with higher bandwidths, than cores on different sockets either within the same node or between nodes. A key challenge is to efficiently use this communication hierarchy and hence optimize performance. We consider here the class of applications that contains wavefront processing. In these applications data can only be processed after their upstream neighbors have been processed. Similar dependencies result between processors in which communication is required to pass boundary data downstream and whose cost is typically impacted by the slowest communication channel in use. In this work we develop a novel hierarchical wave-front approach that reduces the use of slower communications in the hierarchy but at the cost of additional steps in the parallel computation and higher use of on-chip communications. This tradeoff is explored using a performance model. An implementation using the Reverse-acceleration programming model on the petascale Roadrunner system demonstrates a 27% performance improvement at full system-scale on a kernel application. The approach is generally applicable to large-scale multi-core and accelerated systems where a differential in system communication performance exists.

  10. Extending the Capture Volume of an Iris Recognition System Using Wavefront Coding and Super-Resolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Sheng-Hsun; Li, Yung-Hui; Tien, Chung-Hao; Chang, Chin-Chen

    2016-12-01

    Iris recognition has gained increasing popularity over the last few decades; however, the stand-off distance in a conventional iris recognition system is too short, which limits its application. In this paper, we propose a novel hardware-software hybrid method to increase the stand-off distance in an iris recognition system. When designing the system hardware, we use an optimized wavefront coding technique to extend the depth of field. To compensate for the blurring of the image caused by wavefront coding, on the software side, the proposed system uses a local patch-based super-resolution method to restore the blurred image to its clear version. The collaborative effect of the new hardware design and software post-processing showed great potential in our experiment. The experimental results showed that such improvement cannot be achieved by using a hardware-or software-only design. The proposed system can increase the capture volume of a conventional iris recognition system by three times and maintain the system's high recognition rate.

  11. Three-dimensional analytical field calculation of pyramidal-frustum shaped permanent magnets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, J.L.G.; Paulides, J.J.H.; Lomonova, E.

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents a novel method to obtain fully analytical expressions of the magnetic field created by a pyramidal-frustum shaped permanent magnet. Conventional analytical tools only provide expressions for cuboidal permanent magnets and this paper extends these tools to more complex shapes. A

  12. Wavefront-guided laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy in low myopia, myopic astigmatism and high myopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyed Javad Hashemian

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To compare the safety, efficacy, predictability, stability and complications of wavefront-guided laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy(LASEKin low myopia, myopic astigmatism and high myopia correction.METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 416 eyes were assigned to 3 groups: 159 eyes with low myopia(LMand mean refractive spherical equivalent(MRSEof -3.68±1.33 dioptre(D; 161 eyes with myopic astigmatism(MAand MRSE of -5.99±2.24D and mean cylinder of 2.41±1.07D; and 96 eyes with high myopia(HMand MRSE of -7.41±0.80D. After an epithelial flap creation, a wavefront-based excimer laser ablation was performed. Safety, efficacy, predictability and stability were evaluated at day 10, 2, 6 and 12mo postoperatively.RESULTS:At 12mo, the MRSE was -0.36±0.31D in LM group, 0.15±0.41D in MA group and 0.58±0.68D in HM group. The uncorrected visual acuity(UCVAwas 20/20 in 90.60% of patients in LM group, 78.90% in MA group and 67% in HM group. Efficacy indices were 0.98, 1.04 and 0.92 in LM, MA and HM groups, respectively. Safety indices were 1.00, 1.07 and 1.05 in LM, MA and HM respectively. Five eyes(3.1%in the LM group gained 1 line. Forty-four eyes(27.3%in MA gained 1-3 lines and eighteen eyes(19.2%of HM group gained 1-2 lines of BSCVA. Only 2 eyes in LM group developed corneal haze. There were not statistically significant differences in efficacy and safety indices amongst three groups. CONCLUSION: Wavefront-guided LASEK is an effective and safe procedure for the treatment of LM, MA, and HM.although in myopic astigmatism the predictability, efficacy and safety indices had been better.

  13. Using wavefront coding technique as an optical encryption system: reliability analysis and vulnerabilities assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konnik, Mikhail V.

    2012-04-01

    Wavefront coding paradigm can be used not only for compensation of aberrations and depth-of-field improvement but also for an optical encryption. An optical convolution of the image with the PSF occurs when a diffractive optical element (DOE) with a known point spread function (PSF) is placed in the optical path. In this case, an optically encoded image is registered instead of the true image. Decoding of the registered image can be performed using standard digital deconvolution methods. In such class of optical-digital systems, the PSF of the DOE is used as an encryption key. Therefore, a reliability and cryptographic resistance of such an encryption method depends on the size and complexity of the PSF used for optical encoding. This paper gives a preliminary analysis on reliability and possible vulnerabilities of such an encryption method. Experimental results on brute-force attack on the optically encrypted images are presented. Reliability estimation of optical coding based on wavefront coding paradigm is evaluated. An analysis of possible vulnerabilities is provided.

  14. Measurement of the wave-front aberration of the eye by a fast psychophysical procedure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, J.C.; Marcos, S.; Webb, R.H.; Burns, S.A.

    1998-01-01

    We used a fast psychophysical procedure to determine the wave-front aberrations of the human eye in vivo. We measured the angular deviation of light rays entering the eye at different pupillary locations by aligning an image of a point source entering the pupil at different locations to the image of a fixation cross entering the pupil at a fixed location. We fitted the data to a Zernike series to reconstruct the wave-front aberrations of the pupil. With this technique the repeatability of the measurement of the individual coefficients was 0.019 μm. The standard deviation of the overall wave-height estimation across the pupil is less than 0.3 μm. Since this technique does not require the administration of pharmacological agents to dilate the pupil, we were able to measure the changes in the aberrations of the eye during accommodation. We found that administration of even a mild dilating agent causes a change in the aberration structure of the eye. copyright 1998 Optical Society of America

  15. Objective lens simultaneously optimized for pupil ghosting, wavefront delivery and pupil imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olczak, Eugene G (Inventor)

    2011-01-01

    An objective lens includes multiple optical elements disposed between a first end and a second end, each optical element oriented along an optical axis. Each optical surface of the multiple optical elements provides an angle of incidence to a marginal ray that is above a minimum threshold angle. This threshold angle minimizes pupil ghosts that may enter an interferometer. The objective lens also optimizes wavefront delivery and pupil imaging onto an optical surface under test.

  16. Electronic microscopy and EDX characterization of teotihuacan prehispanic mortar from the cave under the sun pyramid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martinez, T. [Faculty of Chemistry, National University of Mexico, Building D, CU (O4510) Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)]. E-mail: tmc@servidor.unam.mx; Martinez, G. [Coordinacion Nacional de Conservacion del Patrimonio Cultural. Xicontencatl y General Anaya s/n. (04120) Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Mendoza, D. [National Institute of Nuclear Research.. Carr. Mexico-Toluca Km 36.5 (52045), Salazar, Ocoyoacac, Edo. de Mexico (Mexico); Juarez, F. [Institute of Geophysics, National University of Mexico, Circuito Institutos, CU (04510) Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Cabrera, L. [Faculty of Chemistry, National University of Mexico, Building D, CU (O4510) Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)

    2005-12-01

    A cave (102 m long) under the structure of the Sun pyramid of the prehispanic Teotihuacan City indicates the importance of the pyramid. Studies of the cave mortar samples using energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed no difference in the chemical elemental composition. The elements can be distributed in three groups: major, minor and trace elements. The minerals identified were compatible with the origins of the cave and with the magnetic pattern.

  17. Spectral and Wavefront Error Performance of WFIRST/AFTA Prototype Filters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quijada, Manuel; Seide, Laurie; Marx, Cathy; Pasquale, Bert; McMann, Joseph; Hagopian, John; Dominguez, Margaret; Gong, Qian; Morey, Peter

    2016-01-01

    The Cycle 5 design baseline for the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets (WFIRSTAFTA) instrument includes a single wide-field channel (WFC) instrument for both imaging and slit-less spectroscopy. The only routinely moving part during scientific observations for this wide-field channel is the element wheel (EW) assembly. This filter-wheel assembly will have 8 positions that will be populated with 6 bandpass filters, a blank position, and a Grism that will consist of a three-element assembly to disperse the full field with an undeviated central wavelength for galaxy redshift surveys. All filter elements in the EW assembly will be made out of fused silica substrates (110 mm diameter) that will have the appropriate bandpass coatings according to the filter designations (Z087, Y106, J129, H158, F184, W149 and Grism). This paper presents and discusses the performance (including spectral transmission and reflectedtransmitted wavefront error measurements) of a subset of bandpass filter coating prototypes that are based on the WFC instrument filter compliment. The bandpass coating prototypes that are tested in this effort correspond to the Z087, W149, and Grism filter elements. These filter coatings have been procured from three different vendors to assess the most challenging aspects in terms of the in-band throughput, out of band rejection (including the cut-on and cutoff slopes), and the impact the wavefront error distortions of these filter coatings will have on the imaging performance of the de-field channel in the WFIRSTAFTA observatory.

  18. Gravitational attraction of a vertical pyramid model of flat top-and ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Gravity pyramid model. 1737 contains the final analytical expression (forward problem solution) with relevant mathematical details. The integral evaluations on RHS of equation (3) are undertaken by Wolfram Mathe- matica 9.0.1. Drafting of illustrations were imple- mented through MATLAB 2013b. 3. Results and discussion.

  19. Evaluation of iris recognition system for wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis for myopic astigmatism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Sudipta; Couper, Terry A; Lamoureux, Ecosse; Jhanji, Vishal; Taylor, Hugh R; Vajpayee, Rasik B

    2008-02-01

    To evaluate the visual and refractive outcomes of wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using an iris recognition system for the correction of myopic astigmatism. Centre for Eye Research Australia, Melbourne Excimer Laser Research Group, and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. A comparative analysis of wavefront-guided LASIK was performed with an iris recognition system (iris recognition group) and without iris recognition (control group). The main parameters were uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, amount of residual cylinder, manifest spherical equivalent (SE), and the index of success using the Alpins method of astigmatism analysis 1 and 3 months postoperatively. A P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Preoperatively, the mean SE was -4.32 diopters (D) +/- 1.59 (SD) in the iris recognition group (100 eyes) and -4.55 +/- 1.87 D in the control group (98 eyes) (P = .84). At 3 months, the mean SE was -0.05 +/- 0.21 D and -0.20 +/- 0.40 D, respectively (P = .001), and an SE within +/-0.50 D of emmetropia was achieved in 92.0% and 85.7% of eyes, respectively (P = .07). At 3 months, the UCVA was 20/20 or better in 90.0% and 76.5% of eyes, respectively. A statistically significant difference in the amount of astigmatic correction was seen between the 2 groups (P = .00 and P = .01 at 1 and 3 months, respectively). The index of success was 98.0% in the iris recognition group and 81.6% in the control group (P = .03). Iris recognition software may achieve better visual and refractive outcomes in wavefront-guided LASIK for myopic astigmatism.

  20. Tunable wavefront coded imaging system based on detachable phase mask: Mathematical analysis, optimization and underlying applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Hui; Wei, Jingxuan

    2014-09-01

    The key to the concept of tunable wavefront coding lies in detachable phase masks. Ojeda-Castaneda et al. (Progress in Electronics Research Symposium Proceedings, Cambridge, USA, July 5-8, 2010) described a typical design in which two components with cosinusoidal phase variation operate together to make defocus sensitivity tunable. The present study proposes an improved design and makes three contributions: (1) A mathematical derivation based on the stationary phase method explains why the detachable phase mask of Ojeda-Castaneda et al. tunes the defocus sensitivity. (2) The mathematical derivations show that the effective bandwidth wavefront coded imaging system is also tunable by making each component of the detachable phase mask move asymmetrically. An improved Fisher information-based optimization procedure was also designed to ascertain the optimal mask parameters corresponding to specific bandwidth. (3) Possible applications of the tunable bandwidth are demonstrated by simulated imaging.

  1. Miller's Pyramid and Core Competency Assessment: A Study in Relationship Construct Validity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Betsy White; Byrne, Phil D; Welindt, Dillon; Williams, Michael V

    2016-01-01

    Continuous professional development relies on the link between performance and an educational process aimed at improving knowledge and skill. One of the most broadly used frameworks for assessing skills is Miller's Pyramid. This Pyramid has a series of levels of achievement beginning with knowledge (at the base) and ending with routine application in the clinical setting. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of convergence of two measurement methods, one based on Miller's framework, the second using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education/American Board of Medical Specialties (ACGME/ABMS) Core Competency framework. The data were gathered from the faculty of a large, Midwestern regional health care provider and hospital system. Data from 264 respondents were studied. The 360° data were from raters of physicians holding supervisory roles in the organization. The scale items were taken from an instrument that has been validated for both structure and known group prediction. The Miller scale was purposely built for this application. The questions were designed to describe each level of the model. The Miller scale was reduced to a single dimension. This result was then regressed on the items from the 360° item ratings. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance isolated a significant relationship between the Miller's Pyramid score and the competency items (P core competencies. Equally important is the finding that while they are related they are not identical. These findings have implications for continuous professional development programing design.

  2. Mobile Money Empowering People Living at Bottom of Pyramid and Boosting Socio-Economic Development in a Big Way

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agrawal Reena

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Hardly anyone would disagree that mobile money is an engine of financial inclusion and has the potential to outreach millions of people, living at the bottom of pyramid and those living in remote areas. The current study was taken up to investigate the impact of mobile money access on the people living at the bottom of pyramid. The aim was to: (1 understand the concept of mobile money, (2 explore the relevance of mobile money in economic growth, (3 capture the growth of mobile money worldwide, (4 explore the socio – economic impact of mobile money and (4 discuss vital insights for traditional financial institutions and policy makers. The study revealed that mobile money had positive impact on financial inclusion. It also enhanced the economic opportunities for the large unbanked population living at the bottom of pyramid. The increase in the mobile penetration and use of mobile internet, among the people living at the bottom of pyramid in the developing countries, clearly reflect at the potential of mobile money, in bringing the financially excluded in the economic mainstream and thus help in sustainable socio-economic development.

  3. Addition of Adapted Optics towards obtaining a quantitative detection of diabetic retinopathy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yust, Brian; Obregon, Isidro; Tsin, Andrew; Sardar, Dhiraj

    2009-04-01

    An adaptive optics system was assembled for correcting the aberrated wavefront of light reflected from the retina. The adaptive optics setup includes a superluminous diode light source, Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor, deformable mirror, and imaging CCD camera. Aberrations found in the reflected wavefront are caused by changes in the index of refraction along the light path as the beam travels through the cornea, lens, and vitreous humour. The Hartmann-Shack sensor allows for detection of aberrations in the wavefront, which may then be corrected with the deformable mirror. It has been shown that there is a change in the polarization of light reflected from neovascularizations in the retina due to certain diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy. The adaptive optics system was assembled towards the goal of obtaining a quantitative measure of onset and progression of this ailment, as one does not currently exist. The study was done to show that the addition of adaptive optics results in a more accurate detection of neovascularization in the retina by measuring the expected changes in polarization of the corrected wavefront of reflected light.

  4. Biometric iris image acquisition system with wavefront coding technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Sheng-Hsun; Yang, Hsi-Wen; Huang, Shao-Hung; Li, Yung-Hui; Tien, Chung-Hao

    2013-09-01

    Biometric signatures for identity recognition have been practiced for centuries. Basically, the personal attributes used for a biometric identification system can be classified into two areas: one is based on physiological attributes, such as DNA, facial features, retinal vasculature, fingerprint, hand geometry, iris texture and so on; the other scenario is dependent on the individual behavioral attributes, such as signature, keystroke, voice and gait style. Among these features, iris recognition is one of the most attractive approaches due to its nature of randomness, texture stability over a life time, high entropy density and non-invasive acquisition. While the performance of iris recognition on high quality image is well investigated, not too many studies addressed that how iris recognition performs subject to non-ideal image data, especially when the data is acquired in challenging conditions, such as long working distance, dynamical movement of subjects, uncontrolled illumination conditions and so on. There are three main contributions in this paper. Firstly, the optical system parameters, such as magnification and field of view, was optimally designed through the first-order optics. Secondly, the irradiance constraints was derived by optical conservation theorem. Through the relationship between the subject and the detector, we could estimate the limitation of working distance when the camera lens and CCD sensor were known. The working distance is set to 3m in our system with pupil diameter 86mm and CCD irradiance 0.3mW/cm2. Finally, We employed a hybrid scheme combining eye tracking with pan and tilt system, wavefront coding technology, filter optimization and post signal recognition to implement a robust iris recognition system in dynamic operation. The blurred image was restored to ensure recognition accuracy over 3m working distance with 400mm focal length and aperture F/6.3 optics. The simulation result as well as experiment validates the proposed code

  5. Tool to estimate optical metrics from summary wave-front analysis data in the human eye

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jansonius, Nomdo M.

    Purpose Studies in the field of cataract and refractive surgery often report only summary wave-front analysis data data that are too condensed to allow for a retrospective calculation of metrics relevant to visual perception. The aim of this study was to develop a tool that can be used to estimate

  6. Avaliação de desempenho e consumo energético para configurações de Wavefront pools de uma GPU AMD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ariel Gustavo Zuquello

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available O uso de sistemas heterogêneos CPU-GPU para atender à crescente demanda por aplicações com grande paralelismo de dados resulta na necessidade de estudar e avaliar tais arquiteturas para melhorá-las continuamente. Neste artigo foram feitas simulações da execução de uma suíte de benchmark em uma GPU AMD ATI RadeonTM HD 7970, de modo a avaliar o impacto sobre o desempenho e o consumo energético quando alterado o número de Wavefront Pools presentes em cada compute unit da GPU, que é 4 por padrão. O resultado mais significante evidencia um aumento de velocidade de cerca de 5,7% para a configuração com duas Wavefront Pools em conjunto com um aumento no consumo de energia de cerca de 5,1%. Todavia, as outras configurações avaliadas também representam opções para diferentes tipos de necessidades, conforme a categoria de demanda computacional.Palavras-chave: Sistemas heterogêneos. Simulações. Desempenho.Performance evaluation and energy consumption for settings of Wavefront pools of a GPU AMDAbstractThe use of CPU-GPU heterogeneous systems to meet the growing demand for applications with large data parallelism results in the need to study and evaluate these architectures in order to improve them continuously. In this paper we made simulations of running a benchmark suite on an AMD GPU ATI RadeonTM HD 7970 in order to assess the impact on performance and power consumption when tuning the number of Wavefront Pools present in each GPU compute unit, which is 4 by default. The most significant result shows a speedup of about 5.7% for configuration with two Wavefront Pools in conjunction with an increase of about 5.1% in the energy consumption. However, the other evaluated configuration also represent options for different kinds of needs, according to   the  computational demand.Keyworks: Heterogeneous systems. Simulation. Performance.

  7. Enhancing the performance of the light field microscope using wavefront coding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Noy; Yang, Samuel; Andalman, Aaron; Broxton, Michael; Grosenick, Logan; Deisseroth, Karl; Horowitz, Mark; Levoy, Marc

    2014-10-06

    Light field microscopy has been proposed as a new high-speed volumetric computational imaging method that enables reconstruction of 3-D volumes from captured projections of the 4-D light field. Recently, a detailed physical optics model of the light field microscope has been derived, which led to the development of a deconvolution algorithm that reconstructs 3-D volumes with high spatial resolution. However, the spatial resolution of the reconstructions has been shown to be non-uniform across depth, with some z planes showing high resolution and others, particularly at the center of the imaged volume, showing very low resolution. In this paper, we enhance the performance of the light field microscope using wavefront coding techniques. By including phase masks in the optical path of the microscope we are able to address this non-uniform resolution limitation. We have also found that superior control over the performance of the light field microscope can be achieved by using two phase masks rather than one, placed at the objective's back focal plane and at the microscope's native image plane. We present an extended optical model for our wavefront coded light field microscope and develop a performance metric based on Fisher information, which we use to choose adequate phase masks parameters. We validate our approach using both simulated data and experimental resolution measurements of a USAF 1951 resolution target; and demonstrate the utility for biological applications with in vivo volumetric calcium imaging of larval zebrafish brain.

  8. Image-guided preoperative prediction of pyramidal tract side effect in deep brain stimulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baumgarten, C.; Zhao, Y.; Sauleau, P.; Malrain, C.; Jannin, P.; Haegelen, C.

    2016-03-01

    Deep brain stimulation of the medial globus pallidus is a surgical procedure for treating patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. Its therapeutic effect may be limited by the presence of pyramidal tract side effect (PTSE). PTSE is a contraction time-locked to the stimulation when the current spreading reaches the motor fibers of the pyramidal tract within the internal capsule. The lack of side-effect predictive model leads the neurologist to secure an optimal electrode placement by iterating clinical testing on an awake patient during the surgical procedure. The objective of the study was to propose a preoperative predictive model of PTSE. A machine learning based method called PyMAN (for Pyramidal tract side effect Model based on Artificial Neural network) that accounted for the current of the stimulation, the 3D electrode coordinates and the angle of the trajectory, was designed to predict the occurrence of PTSE. Ten patients implanted in the medial globus pallidus have been tested by a clinician to create a labeled dataset of the stimulation parameters that trigger PTSE. The kappa index value between the data predicted by PyMAN and the labeled data was .78. Further evaluation studies are desirable to confirm whether PyMAN could be a reliable tool for assisting the surgeon to prevent PTSE during the preoperative planning.

  9. Somal and dendritic development of human CA3 pyramidal neurons from midgestation to middle childhood: a quantitative Golgi study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Dahua; He, Lixin; Xiang, Wei; Ai, Wei-Min; Cao, Ye; Wang, Xiao-Sheng; Pan, Aihua; Luo, Xue-Gang; Li, Zhiyuan; Yan, Xiao-Xin

    2013-01-01

    The CA3 area serves a key relay on the tri-synaptic loop of the hippocampal formation which supports multiple forms of mnemonic processing, especially spatial learning and memory. To date, morphometric data about human CA3 pyramidal neurons are relatively rare, with little information available for their pre- and postnatal development. Herein, we report a set of developmental trajectory data, including somal growth, dendritic elongation and branching, and spine formation, of human CA3 pyramidal neurons from midgestation stage to middle childhood. Golgi-impregnated CA3 pyramidal neurons in fetuses at 19, 20, 26, 35, and 38 weeks of gestation (GW) and a child at 8 years of age (Y) were analyzed by Neurolucida morphometry. Somal size of the impregnated CA3 cells increased age-dependently among the cases. The length of the apical and basal dendrites of these neurons increased between 26 GW to 38 GW, and appeared to remain stable afterward until 8 Y. Dendritic branching points increased from 26 GW to 38 GW, with that on the apical dendrites slightly reduced at 8 Y. Spine density on the apical and basal dendrites increased progressively from 26 GW to 8 Y. These data suggest that somal growth and dendritic arborization of human CA3 pyramidal neurons occur largely during the second to third trimester. Spine development and likely synaptogenesis on CA3 pyramidal cells progress during the third prenatal trimester and may continue throughout childhood. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. A 3D Resistivity Model of the Pyramid of La Luna (Teotihuacan, Mexico) Subsoil by Employing Non-Conventional ERT Arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavez, R. E.; Tejero, A.; Cifuentes, G.; Garcia-Serrano, A.; Argote-Espino, D. L.; HernaNdez-Quintero, J. E.; Ortega, V.

    2017-12-01

    The Pyramid of La Luna is found within the archaeological site of Teotihuacan, located to the NE of Mexico City. This pre-Hispanic city was developed between 250 AD and 450 AD, with a population of 100,000 people. The most important edifices are the pyramids of El Sol and La Luna. The pyramid of El Sol is one of the largest pre-Hispanic structures found nowadays in Mexico (a square basement of approximately 200m X 225 m). The pyramid of La Luna (with a base of 140m X 150m), smaller in size is located towards the northern portion of this ancient city. At its front, a big plaza is found surrounded by pyramids of different ages. Previous archaeological studies carried out within the plaza, discovered small shallow pipes for water discharge. Then, it is possible to find deeper structures within the Square. A geophysical work was carried out in the Plaza of La Luna employing the ERT-3D to build a 3D resistivity model. Four ERT profiles were deployed in the area in the E-W direction, with a length of 80 m each; electrodes were inserted 3 m apart. A roll-along technique was employed to obtain a 3D view of the plaza subsoil. Gradient (G), Equatorial (Eq), and Minimum Coupling (MC) arrays were applied. A total of 2,600 apparent resistivity observations were acquired. Also, the pyramid was surrounded with 105 electrodes to illuminate this structure subsoil, employing the 'L' and 'Corner' arrays and the already mentioned settings. Electrodes were separated 5 m for the E and N sides, and 6 m for the W and S sides, topographic correction was added to the interpretation. 7,200 apparent resistivity values were obtained. Processing of the data included noise filtering, real electrode position and removing of spikes. Finally, the data were inverted to compute a 3D resistivity distribution of the subsoil. Preliminary results obtained indicate the presence of high resistivity anomalies probably associated to infill or archaeological features. However, an interesting resistivity

  11. Subtle Motion Analysis and Spotting using the Riesz Pyramid

    OpenAIRE

    Arango , Carlos ,; Alata , Olivier; Emonet , Rémi; Legrand , Anne-Claire; Konik , Hubert

    2018-01-01

    International audience; Analyzing and temporally spotting motions which are almost invisible to the human eye might reveal interesting information about the world. However, detecting these events is difficult due to their short duration and low intensities. Taking inspiration from video magnification techniques, we design a workflow for analyzing and temporally spotting subtle motions based on the Riesz pyramid. In addition, we propose a filtering and masking scheme that segments motions of i...

  12. Micromagnetic studies of three-dimensional pyramidal shell structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Knittel, A; Franchin, M; Fischbacher, T; Fangohr, H; Nasirpouri, F; Bending, S J

    2010-01-01

    We present a systematic numerical analysis of the magnetic properties of pyramidal-shaped core-shell structures in a size range below 400 nm. These are three-dimensional structures consisting of a ferromagnetic shell which is grown on top of a non-magnetic core. The standard micromagnetic model without the magnetocrystalline anisotropy term is used to describe the properties of the shell. We vary the thickness of the shell between the limiting cases of an ultra-thin shell and a conventional pyramid and delineate different stable magnetic configurations. We find different kinds of single-domain states, which predominantly occur at smaller system sizes. In analogy to equivalent states in thin square films we term these onion, flower, C and S states. At larger system sizes, we also observe two types of vortex states, which we refer to as symmetric and asymmetric vortex states. For a classification of the observed states, we derive a phase diagram that specifies the magnetic ground state as a function of structure size and shell thickness. The transitions between different ground states can be understood qualitatively. We address the issue of metastability by investigating the stability of all occurring configurations for different shell thicknesses. For selected geometries and directions hysteresis measurements are analysed and discussed. We observe that the magnetic behaviour changes distinctively in the limit of ultra-thin shells. The study has been motivated by the recent progress made in the growth of faceted core-shell structures.

  13. Pyramidal neurons in the septal and temporal CA1 field of the human and hedgehog tenrec hippocampus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liagkouras, Ioannis; Michaloudi, Helen; Batzios, Christos; Psaroulis, Dimitrios; Georgiadis, Marios; Künzle, Heinz; Papadopoulos, Georgios C

    2008-07-07

    The present study examines comparatively the cellular density of disector-counted/Nissl-stained CA1 pyramidal neurons and the morphometric characteristics (dendritic number/length, spine number/density and Sholl-counted dendritic branch points/20 microm) of the basal and apical dendritic systems of Golgi-impregnated CA1 neurons, in the septal and temporal hippocampus of the human and hedgehog tenrec brain. The obtained results indicate that in both hippocampal parts the cellular density of the CA1 pyramidal neurons is lower in human than in tenrec. However, while the human pyramidal cell density is higher in the septal hippocampal part than in the temporal one, in the tenrec the density of these cells is higher in the temporal part. The dendritic tree of the CA1 pyramidal cells, more developed in the septal than in temporal hippocampus in both species studied, is in general more complex in the human hippocampus. The basal and the apical dendritic systems exhibit species related morphometric differences, while dendrites of different orders exhibit differences in their number and length, and in their spine density. Finally, in both species, as well as hippocampal parts and dendritic systems, changes of dendritic morphometric features along ascending dendritic orders fluctuate in a similar way, as do the number of dendritic branch points in relation to the distance from the neuron soma.

  14. US adolescents and MyPyramid: associations between fast-food consumption and lower likelihood of meeting recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sebastian, Rhonda S; Wilkinson Enns, Cecilia; Goldman, Joseph D

    2009-02-01

    To determine whether fast-food consumption is associated with adolescents' food group intakes and likelihood of meeting recommendations outlined in the MyPyramid Food Guidance System. Data from two 24-hour recalls collected in What We Eat in America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004 were analyzed. Fast-food consumers were divided into tertiles based on the proportion of 2-day energy intake derived from fast food. Adolescent boys and nonpregnant girls aged 12 to 19 years (n=1,956). All statistical analyses included sample weights to account for the survey design. Regression analyses were used to detect associations between fast-food consumption and both food group intakes and percentages of individuals meeting MyPyramid recommendations, and to predict odds of meeting recommendations by fast-food consumption level. Fast-food consumption was associated negatively with MyPyramid fruit and milk group intakes (boys and girls) and positively with discretionary energy and solid fats (girls only). Negative associations were also found between fast-food consumption and percentages of adolescents meeting recommendations for milk (boys), fruits (girls), and vegetables and discretionary energy (boys and girls). Compared with those consuming no fast food, adolescents in the highest tertile of energy from fast food were less likely to meet recommendations for vegetables (odds ratio [OR]=0.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05 to 0.52 for boys; OR=0.18, 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.79 for girls) and discretionary energy (OR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.22 to 0.77 for boys; OR=0.04, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.24 for girls). No relationships were found between fast-food consumption and grains, meat/beans, and oils. Adolescents' intakes, whether containing fast food or not, need improvement. Fast food is one factor that impacts adolescents' intake of MyPyramid groups and their likelihood of meeting recommendations. Awareness of fast-food's role in discrepancies between adolescent intakes

  15. Development of a scalable generic platform for adaptive optics real time control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surendran, Avinash; Burse, Mahesh P.; Ramaprakash, A. N.; Parihar, Padmakar

    2015-06-01

    The main objective of the present project is to explore the viability of an adaptive optics control system based exclusively on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), making strong use of their parallel processing capability. In an Adaptive Optics (AO) system, the generation of the Deformable Mirror (DM) control voltages from the Wavefront Sensor (WFS) measurements is usually through the multiplication of the wavefront slopes with a predetermined reconstructor matrix. The ability to access several hundred hard multipliers and memories concurrently in an FPGA allows performance far beyond that of a modern CPU or GPU for tasks with a well-defined structure such as Adaptive Optics control. The target of the current project is to generate a signal for a real time wavefront correction, from the signals coming from a Wavefront Sensor, wherein the system would be flexible to accommodate all the current Wavefront Sensing techniques and also the different methods which are used for wavefront compensation. The system should also accommodate for different data transmission protocols (like Ethernet, USB, IEEE 1394 etc.) for transmitting data to and from the FPGA device, thus providing a more flexible platform for Adaptive Optics control. Preliminary simulation results for the formulation of the platform, and a design of a fully scalable slope computer is presented.

  16. Djedkare’s pyramid complex: Preliminary report of the 2016 season

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Megahed

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The article presents the results of the 2016 archaeological season of the Egyptian mission in the pyramid complex of King Djedkare in South Saqqara. The works focused on the western part of the causeway where remains of a drainage was documented, and on the storerooms situated to the south of the entrance passage. During this work, also the north side of the so-called southern massive was cleaned. Besides the funerary temple, also the private cemetery located to the south-east of it started to be documented in this season. A mud brick structure, MS 1, was cleaned; it consisted of six shafts with vaulted burial chambers. Only one of the chambers (in shaft 5 was cased with limestone slabs, which bear a well preserved painted decoration. This burial chamber belonged to Pepyankh Setju and can be dated to the late Sixth Dynasty. Another part of the work in 2016 concentrated inside the pyramid of the king. The consolidation and restoration works were carried out in the burial apartments, concentrating on the missing part of the eastern wall of the antechamber and the core behind it.

  17. Intracortical Microstimulation (ICMS) Activates Motor Cortex Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons Mainly Transsynaptically.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussin, Ahmed T; Boychuk, Jeffery A; Brown, Andrew R; Pittman, Quentin J; Teskey, G Campbell

    2015-01-01

    Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) is a technique used for a number of purposes including the derivation of cortical movement representations (motor maps). Its application can activate the output layer 5 of motor cortex and can result in the elicitation of body movements depending upon the stimulus parameters used. The extent to which pyramidal tract projection neurons of the motor cortex are activated transsynaptically or directly by ICMS remains an open question. Given this uncertainty in the mode of activation, we used a preparation that combined patch clamp whole-cell recordings from single layer 5 pyramidal neurons and extracellular ICMS in slices of motor cortex as well as a standard in vivo mapping technique to ask how ICMS activated motor cortex pyramidal neurons. We measured changes in synaptic spike threshold and spiking rate to ICMS in vitro and movement threshold in vivo in the presence or absence of specific pharmacological blockers of glutamatergic (AMPA, NMDA and Kainate) receptors and GABAA receptors. With major excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission blocked (with DNQX, APV and bicuculline methiodide), we observed a significant increase in the ICMS current intensity required to elicit a movement in vivo as well as to the first spike and an 85% reduction in spiking responses in vitro. Subsets of neurons were still responsive after the synaptic block, especially at higher current intensities, suggesting a modest direct activation. Taken together our data indicate a mainly synaptic mode of activation to ICMS in layer 5 of rat motor cortex. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Preconditioned conjugate gradient wave-front reconstructors for multiconjugate adaptive optics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilles, Luc; Ellerbroek, Brent L.; Vogel, Curtis R.

    2003-09-01

    Multiconjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) systems with 104-105 degrees of freedom have been proposed for future giant telescopes. Using standard matrix methods to compute, optimize, and implement wave-front control algorithms for these systems is impractical, since the number of calculations required to compute and apply the reconstruction matrix scales respectively with the cube and the square of the number of adaptive optics degrees of freedom. We develop scalable open-loop iterative sparse matrix implementations of minimum variance wave-front reconstruction for telescope diameters up to 32 m with more than 104 actuators. The basic approach is the preconditioned conjugate gradient method with an efficient preconditioner, whose block structure is defined by the atmospheric turbulent layers very much like the layer-oriented MCAO algorithms of current interest. Two cost-effective preconditioners are investigated: a multigrid solver and a simpler block symmetric Gauss-Seidel (BSGS) sweep. Both options require off-line sparse Cholesky factorizations of the diagonal blocks of the matrix system. The cost to precompute these factors scales approximately as the three-halves power of the number of estimated phase grid points per atmospheric layer, and their average update rate is typically of the order of 10-2 Hz, i.e., 4-5 orders of magnitude lower than the typical 103 Hz temporal sampling rate. All other computations scale almost linearly with the total number of estimated phase grid points. We present numerical simulation results to illustrate algorithm convergence. Convergence rates of both preconditioners are similar, regardless of measurement noise level, indicating that the layer-oriented BSGS sweep is as effective as the more elaborated multiresolution preconditioner.

  19. Preconditioned conjugate gradient wave-front reconstructors for multiconjugate adaptive optics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilles, Luc; Ellerbroek, Brent L; Vogel, Curtis R

    2003-09-10

    Multiconjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) systems with 10(4)-10(5) degrees of freedom have been proposed for future giant telescopes. Using standard matrix methods to compute, optimize, and implement wavefront control algorithms for these systems is impractical, since the number of calculations required to compute and apply the reconstruction matrix scales respectively with the cube and the square of the number of adaptive optics degrees of freedom. We develop scalable open-loop iterative sparse matrix implementations of minimum variance wave-front reconstruction for telescope diameters up to 32 m with more than 10(4) actuators. The basic approach is the preconditioned conjugate gradient method with an efficient preconditioner, whose block structure is defined by the atmospheric turbulent layers very much like the layer-oriented MCAO algorithms of current interest. Two cost-effective preconditioners are investigated: a multigrid solver and a simpler block symmetric Gauss-Seidel (BSGS) sweep. Both options require off-line sparse Cholesky factorizations of the diagonal blocks of the matrix system. The cost to precompute these factors scales approximately as the three-halves power of the number of estimated phase grid points per atmospheric layer, and their average update rate is typically of the order of 10(-2) Hz, i.e., 4-5 orders of magnitude lower than the typical 10(3) Hz temporal sampling rate. All other computations scale almost linearly with the total number of estimated phase grid points. We present numerical simulation results to illustrate algorithm convergence. Convergence rates of both preconditioners are similar, regardless of measurement noise level, indicating that the layer-oriented BSGS sweep is as effective as the more elaborated multiresolution preconditioner.

  20. Wavefronts, light rays and caustic of a circular wave reflected by an arbitrary smooth curve

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marciano-Melchor, Magdalena; Silva-Ortigoza, Ramón; Montiel-Piña, Enrique; Román-Hernández, Edwin; Santiago-Santiago, José Guadalupe; Silva-Ortigoza, Gilberto; Rosado, Alfonso; Suárez-Xique, Román

    2011-01-01

    The aim of the present work is to obtain expressions for both the wavefront train and the caustic associated with the light rays reflected by an arbitrary smooth curve after being emitted by a point light source located at an arbitrary position in the two-dimensional free space. To this end, we obtain an expression for the k-function associated with the general integral of Stavroudis to the eikonal equation that describes the evolution of the reflected light rays. The caustic is computed by using the definitions of the critical and caustic sets of the two-dimensional map that describes the evolution of an arbitrary wavefront associated with the general integral. The general results are applied to circular and parabolic mirrors. The main motivation to carry out this research is to establish, in future work, the caustic touching theorem in a two-dimensional optical medium and to study the diffraction problem by using the k-function concept. Both problems are important in the computation of the image of an arbitrary object under reflection and refraction

  1. Conserved size and periodicity of pyramidal patches in layer 2 of medial/caudal entorhinal cortex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naumann, Robert K; Ray, Saikat; Prokop, Stefan; Las, Liora; Heppner, Frank L; Brecht, Michael

    2016-03-01

    To understand the structural basis of grid cell activity, we compare medial entorhinal cortex architecture in layer 2 across five mammalian species (Etruscan shrews, mice, rats, Egyptian fruit bats, and humans), bridging ∼100 million years of evolutionary diversity. Principal neurons in layer 2 are divided into two distinct cell types, pyramidal and stellate, based on morphology, immunoreactivity, and functional properties. We confirm the existence of patches of calbindin-positive pyramidal cells across these species, arranged periodically according to analyses techniques like spatial autocorrelation, grid scores, and modifiable areal unit analysis. In rodents, which show sustained theta oscillations in entorhinal cortex, cholinergic innervation targeted calbindin patches. In bats and humans, which only show intermittent entorhinal theta activity, cholinergic innervation avoided calbindin patches. The organization of calbindin-negative and calbindin-positive cells showed marked differences in entorhinal subregions of the human brain. Layer 2 of the rodent medial and the human caudal entorhinal cortex were structurally similar in that in both species patches of calbindin-positive pyramidal cells were superimposed on scattered stellate cells. The number of calbindin-positive neurons in a patch increased from ∼80 in Etruscan shrews to ∼800 in humans, only an ∼10-fold over a 20,000-fold difference in brain size. The relatively constant size of calbindin patches differs from cortical modules such as barrels, which scale with brain size. Thus, selective pressure appears to conserve the distribution of stellate and pyramidal cells, periodic arrangement of calbindin patches, and relatively constant neuron number in calbindin patches in medial/caudal entorhinal cortex. © 2015 The Authors. The Journal of Comparative Neurology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Distribution and function of HCN channels in the apical dendritic tuft of neocortical pyramidal neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harnett, Mark T; Magee, Jeffrey C; Williams, Stephen R

    2015-01-21

    The apical tuft is the most remote area of the dendritic tree of neocortical pyramidal neurons. Despite its distal location, the apical dendritic tuft of layer 5 pyramidal neurons receives substantial excitatory synaptic drive and actively processes corticocortical input during behavior. The properties of the voltage-activated ion channels that regulate synaptic integration in tuft dendrites have, however, not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we use electrophysiological and optical approaches to examine the subcellular distribution and function of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated nonselective cation (HCN) channels in rat layer 5B pyramidal neurons. Outside-out patch recordings demonstrated that the amplitude and properties of ensemble HCN channel activity were uniform in patches excised from distal apical dendritic trunk and tuft sites. Simultaneous apical dendritic tuft and trunk whole-cell current-clamp recordings revealed that the pharmacological blockade of HCN channels decreased voltage compartmentalization and enhanced the generation and spread of apical dendritic tuft and trunk regenerative activity. Furthermore, multisite two-photon glutamate uncaging demonstrated that HCN channels control the amplitude and duration of synaptically evoked regenerative activity in the distal apical dendritic tuft. In contrast, at proximal apical dendritic trunk and somatic recording sites, the blockade of HCN channels decreased excitability. Dynamic-clamp experiments revealed that these compartment-specific actions of HCN channels were heavily influenced by the local and distributed impact of the high density of HCN channels in the distal apical dendritic arbor. The properties and subcellular distribution pattern of HCN channels are therefore tuned to regulate the interaction between integration compartments in layer 5B pyramidal neurons. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/351024-14$15.00/0.

  3. Activation of functional α7-containing nAChRs in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons by physiological levels of choline in the presence of PNU-120596.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bopanna I Kalappa

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available The level of expression of functional α7-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons is believed to be very low compared to hippocampal CA1 interneurons, and for many years this expression was largely overlooked. However, high densities of expression of functional α7-containing nAChRs in CA1 pyramidal neurons may not be necessary for triggering important cellular and network functions, especially if activation of α7-containing nAChRs occurs in the presence of positive allosteric modulators such as PNU-120596.An approach previously developed for α7-containing nAChRs expressed in tuberomammillary neurons was applied to investigate functional CA1 pyramidal α7-containing nAChRs using rat coronal hippocampal slices and patch-clamp electrophysiology. The majority (∼71% of tested CA1 pyramidal neurons expressed low densities of functional α7-containing nAChRs as evidenced by small whole-cell responses to choline, a selective endogenous agonist of α7 nAChRs. These responses were potentiated by PNU-120596, a novel positive allosteric modulator of α7 nAChRs. The density of functional α7-containing nAChRs expressed in CA1 pyramidal neurons (and thus, the normalized net effect of activation, i.e., response net charge per unit of membrane capacitance per unit of time was estimated to be ∼5% of the density observed in CA1 interneurons. The results of this study demonstrate that despite low levels of expression of functional pyramidal α7-containing nAChRs, physiological levels of choline (∼10 µM are sufficient to activate these receptors and transiently depolarize and even excite CA1 pyramidal neurons in the presence of PNU-120596. The observed effects are possible because in the presence of 10 µM choline and 1-5 µM PNU-120596, a single opening of an individual pyramidal α7-containing nAChR ion channel appears to transiently depolarize (∼4 mV the entire pyramidal neuron and occasionally

  4. Serotonin-mediated modulation of Na+/K+ pump current in rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Li Nan; Su, Su Wen; Guo, Fang; Guo, Hui Cai; Shi, Xiao Lu; Li, Wen Ya; Liu, Xu; Wang, Yong Li

    2012-01-19

    The aim of this study was to investigate whether serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) can modulate Na+/K+ pump in rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. 5-HT (0.1, 1 mM) showed Na+/K+ pump current (Ip) densities of 0.40 ± 0.04, 0.34 ± 0.03 pA/pF contrast to 0.63 ± 0.04 pA/pF of the control of 0.5 mM strophanthidin (Str), demonstrating 5-HT-induced inhibition of Ip in a dose-dependent manner in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. The effect was partly attenuated by ondasetron, a 5-HT3 receptor (5-HT3R) antagonist, not by WAY100635, a 5-HT1AR antagonist, while 1-(3-Chlorophenyl) biguanide hydrochloride (m-CPBG), a 5-HT3R specific agonist, mimicked the effect of 5-HT on Ip. 5-HT inhibits neuronal Na+/K+ pump activity via 5-HT3R in rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. This discloses novel mechanisms for the function of 5-HT in learning and memory, which may be a useful target to benefit these patients with cognitive disorder.

  5. Co_3V_2O_8 Hexagonal Pyramid with Tunable Inner Structure as High Performance Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Battery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Qiang; Pei, Jian; Chen, Gang; Bie, Changfeng; Chen, Dahong; Jiao, Yang; Rao, Jiancun

    2017-01-01

    Co_3V_2O_8 hexagonal pyramid was successfully fabricated via a simple hydrothermal process and subsequent heat treatment. The inner structure of the hexagonal pyramid was further adjusted by controlling the size of Co_7V_4O_1_6(OH)_2(H_2O) precursors. Hierarchical Co_3V_2O_8 hexagonal pyramid with height of 1 μm were orderly constructed from 60–80 nm inter-connected particles, showing numerous interval voids. Benefiting from its unique structure, the as-prepared sample showed higher electrochemical performance as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries than that of another bulk sample with height of 5 μm and adhesive inner structure. When tested at a current density of 500 mA g"−"1, the hierarchical Co_3V_2O_8 hexagonal pyramid exhibited good rate capacity, high cycling stability, and excellent discharge capacity up to 712 mA h g"−"1, making it promising electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

  6. Radiocarbon Ages and Environments of Deposition of the Wono and Trego Hot Springs Tephra Layers in the Pyramid Lake Subbasin, Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benson, L.V.; Smoot, J.P.; Kashgarian, Michaele; Sarna-Wojcicki, A.; Burdett, J.W.

    1997-01-01

    Uncalibrated radiocarbon data from core PLC92B taken from Wizards Cove in the Pyramid Lake subbasin indicate that the Trego Hot Springs and Wono tephra layers were deposited 23,200 ?? 300 and 27,300 ??300 14C yr B.P. (uncorrected for reservoir effect). Sedimentological data from sites in the Pyramid Lake and Smoke Creek-Black Rock Desert subbasins indicate that the Trego Hot Springs tephra layer was deposited during a relatively dry period when Pyramid Lake was at or below its spill point (1177 m) to the Winnemucca Lake subbasin. The Wono tephra layer was deposited when lake depth was controlled by spill across Emerson Pass sill (1207 m) to the Smoke Creek-Black Rock Desert subbasin. 18O data from core PLC92B also support the concept that the Trego Hot Springs tephra fell into a relatively shallow Pyramid Lake and that the Wono tephra fell into a deeper spilling lake. ?? 1997 University of Washington.

  7. [Accident-induced lesions of the facial nerve in relation to the extent of pyramidal pneumatization].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadoori, S; Limberg, C

    1985-12-01

    Perilabyrinthine pneumatisation of the petrous pyramid constitutes a risk factor for the facial nerve in its labyrinthine part in a fracture of the temporal bone because serious splintering of bone is possible. Splinters dislocated into the Fallopian canal may damage the nerve seriously. On the other hand a perineural haematoma can flow out of the canal into the neighbouring cells through dehiscences or through the fractured canal walls and a compression of the nerve may be avoided. The decision to undertake early surgical intervention must take into account the degree of pneumatisation of the pyramid in posttraumatic lesions of the facial nerve. The timing and extent of recovery cannot be predicted.

  8. The attraction of the pyramids: virtual realization of Hutton's suggestion to improve Maskelyne's 1774 Earth density estimate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smallwood, John R.

    2018-01-01

    Charles Hutton suggested in 1821 that the pyramids of Egypt be used to site an experiment to measure the deflection of the vertical by a large mass. The suggestion arose as he had estimated the attraction of a Scottish mountain as part of Nevil Maskelyne's (1774) "Schiehallion Experiment", a demonstration of Isaac Newton's law of gravitational attraction and the earliest reasonable quantitative estimate of Earth's mean density. I present a virtual realization of an experiment at the Giza pyramids to investigate how Hutton's concept might have emerged had it been undertaken as he suggested. The attraction of the Great Pyramid would have led to inward north-south deflections of the vertical totalling 1.8 arcsec (0.0005°), and east-west deflections totalling 2.0 arcsec (0.0006°), which although small, would have been within the contemporaneous detectable range, and potentially given, as Hutton wished, a more accurate Earth density measurement than he reported from the Schiehallion experiment.

  9. Renovating the Pyramid of Needs: Contemporary Extensions Built Upon Ancient Foundations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenrick, Douglas T; Griskevicius, Vladas; Neuberg, Steven L; Schaller, Mark

    2010-05-01

    Maslow's pyramid of human needs, proposed in 1943, has been one of the most cognitively contagious ideas in the behavioral sciences. Anticipating later evolutionary views of human motivation and cognition, Maslow viewed human motives as based in innate and universal predispositions. We revisit the idea of a motivational hierarchy in light of theoretical developments at the interface of evolutionary biology, anthropology, and psychology. After considering motives at three different levels of analysis, we argue that the basic foundational structure of the pyramid is worth preserving, but that it should be buttressed with a few architectural extensions. By adding a contemporary design feature, connections between fundamental motives and immediate situational threats and opportunities should be highlighted. By incorporating a classical element, these connections can be strengthened by anchoring the hierarchy of human motives more firmly in the bedrock of modern evolutionary theory. We propose a renovated hierarchy of fundamental motives that serves as both an integrative framework and a generative foundation for future empirical research. © The Author(s) 2010.

  10. Numerical evaluation of the intensity transport equation for well-known wavefronts and intensity distributions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campos-García, Manuel; Granados-Agustín, Fermín.; Cornejo-Rodríguez, Alejandro; Estrada-Molina, Amilcar; Avendaño-Alejo, Maximino; Moreno-Oliva, Víctor Iván.

    2013-11-01

    In order to obtain a clearer interpretation of the Intensity Transport Equation (ITE), in this work, we propose an algorithm to solve it for some particular wavefronts and its corresponding intensity distributions. By simulating intensity distributions in some planes, the ITE is turns into a Poisson equation with Neumann boundary conditions. The Poisson equation is solved by means of the iterative algorithm SOR (Simultaneous Over-Relaxation).

  11. Functional characterization of the beta-adrenergic receptor subtypes expressed by CA1 pyramidal cells in the rat hippocampus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hillman, Kristin L; Doze, Van A; Porter, James E

    2005-08-01

    Recent studies have demonstrated that activation of the beta-adrenergic receptor (AR) using the selective beta-AR agonist isoproterenol (ISO) facilitates pyramidal cell long-term potentiation in the cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) region of the rat hippocampus. We have previously analyzed beta-AR genomic expression patterns of 17 CA1 pyramidal cells using single cell reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, demonstrating that all samples expressed the beta2-AR transcript, with four of the 17 cells additionally expressing mRNA for the beta1-AR subtype. However, it has not been determined which beta-AR subtypes are functionally expressed in CA1 for these same pyramidal neurons. Using cell-attached recordings, we tested the ability of ISO to increase pyramidal cell action potential (AP) frequency in the presence of subtype-selective beta-AR antagonists. ICI-118,551 [(+/-)-1-[2,3-(dihydro-7-methyl-1H-inden-4-yl)oxy]-3-[(1-methylethyl)amino]-2-butanol] and butoxamine [alpha-[1-(t-butylamino)ethyl]-2,5-dimethoxybenzyl alcohol) hydrochloride], agents that selectively block the beta2-AR, produced significant parallel rightward shifts in the concentration-response curves for ISO. From these curves, apparent equilibrium dissociation constant (K(b)) values of 0.3 nM for ICI-118,551 and 355 nM for butoxamine were calculated using Schild regression analysis. Conversely, effective concentrations of the selective beta1-AR antagonists CGP 20712A [(+/-)-2-hydroxy-5-[2-([2-hydroxy-3-(4-[1-methyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenoxy)propyl]amino)ethoxy]-benzamide methanesulfonate] and atenolol [4-[2'-hydroxy-3'-(isopropyl-amino)propoxy]phenylacetamide] did not significantly affect the pyramidal cell response to ISO. However, at higher concentrations, atenolol significantly decreased the potency for ISO-mediated AP frequencies. From these curves, an apparent atenolol K(b) value of 3162 nM was calculated. This pharmacological profile for subtype-selective beta-AR antagonists

  12. Innovation Intensity and Adoption at the Base of the Pyramid Market: A Study of Household Appliances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vitor Koki da Costa Nogami

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The paper analyzes the innovation intensity and adoption characteristics at the base of the pyramid market. The innovation intensity is configured as radical and incremental, while the innovation adoption is configured as early and tardy. As an empirical approach it was conducted a study type survey. Data analysis is based on non-parametric statistics. The results indicate that the base of the pyramid consumers is characterized by adopting incremental innovations tardily, as pointed out by the literature. Furthermore, it was also observed that women have greater decision-making power in the families of this segment.

  13. An Embodied Multi-Sensor Fusion Approach to Visual Motion Estimation Using Unsupervised Deep Networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamwell, E Jared; Nothwang, William D; Perlis, Donald

    2018-05-04

    Aimed at improving size, weight, and power (SWaP)-constrained robotic vision-aided state estimation, we describe our unsupervised, deep convolutional-deconvolutional sensor fusion network, Multi-Hypothesis DeepEfference (MHDE). MHDE learns to intelligently combine noisy heterogeneous sensor data to predict several probable hypotheses for the dense, pixel-level correspondence between a source image and an unseen target image. We show how our multi-hypothesis formulation provides increased robustness against dynamic, heteroscedastic sensor and motion noise by computing hypothesis image mappings and predictions at 76⁻357 Hz depending on the number of hypotheses being generated. MHDE fuses noisy, heterogeneous sensory inputs using two parallel, inter-connected architectural pathways and n (1⁻20 in this work) multi-hypothesis generating sub-pathways to produce n global correspondence estimates between a source and a target image. We evaluated MHDE on the KITTI Odometry dataset and benchmarked it against the vision-only DeepMatching and Deformable Spatial Pyramids algorithms and were able to demonstrate a significant runtime decrease and a performance increase compared to the next-best performing method.

  14. Wavefront Tilt And Beam Walk Correction For A Pulsed Laser System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartosewcz, Mike; Tyburski, Joe

    1986-05-01

    The Lockheed Beam Alignment Assembly (BAA) is designed to be a space qualifiable, long life, low bandwidth beam stabilization system. The BAA will stabilize a wandering pulsed laser beam with an input beam tilt of ±750 microradians and translation of ±2.5 mm by two orders of magnitude at the bandwidth of interest. A bandwidth of three hertz was selected to remove laser and optical train thermal drifts and launch induced strain effects. The lambda over twenty RMS wavefront will be maintained in the optics at full power under vacuum test, to demonstrate space qualifiability and optical performance.

  15. Measurement range of phase retrieval in optical surface and wavefront metrology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brady, Gregory R.; Fienup, James R.

    2009-01-01

    Phase retrieval employs very simple data collection hardware and iterative algorithms to determine the phase of an optical field. We have derived limitations on phase retrieval, as applied to optical surface and wavefront metrology, in terms of the speed of beam (i.e., f-number or numerical aperture) and amount of aberration using arguments based on sampling theory and geometrical optics. These limitations suggest methodologies for expanding these ranges by increasing the complexity of the measurement arrangement, the phase-retrieval algorithm, or both. We have simulated one of these methods where a surface is measured at unusual conjugates

  16. Enhanced wavefront reconstruction by random phase modulation with a phase diffuser

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Almoro, Percival F; Pedrini, Giancarlo; Gundu, Phanindra Narayan

    2011-01-01

    propagation in free space. The presentation of this technique is carried out using two setups. In the first setup, a diffuser plate is placed at the image plane of a metallic test object. The benefit of randomizing the phase of the object wave is the enhanced intensity recording due to high dynamic range...... of the diffusely scattered beam. The use of demagnification optics will also allow the investigations of relatively large objects. In the second setup, a transparent object is illuminated using a wavefront with random phase and constant amplitude by positioning the phase diffuser close to the object. The benefit...

  17. Towards a Framework of Cooperation Issues in Base of the Pyramid Projects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A. Sheombar; Drs. A.J.G. Silvius; J. Smit

    2009-01-01

    Interest in the notion that there is an untapped market with significant buying power hidden at the base of the economic pyramid (BOP) has enjoyed increased attention over the last few years. The discourse on this matter is lively and abounds with opposing opinions. Although this discourse is

  18. Conserved size and periodicity of pyramidal patches in layer 2 of medial/caudal entorhinal cortex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naumann, Robert K.; Ray, Saikat; Prokop, Stefan; Las, Liora; Heppner, Frank L.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT To understand the structural basis of grid cell activity, we compare medial entorhinal cortex architecture in layer 2 across five mammalian species (Etruscan shrews, mice, rats, Egyptian fruit bats, and humans), bridging ∼100 million years of evolutionary diversity. Principal neurons in layer 2 are divided into two distinct cell types, pyramidal and stellate, based on morphology, immunoreactivity, and functional properties. We confirm the existence of patches of calbindin‐positive pyramidal cells across these species, arranged periodically according to analyses techniques like spatial autocorrelation, grid scores, and modifiable areal unit analysis. In rodents, which show sustained theta oscillations in entorhinal cortex, cholinergic innervation targeted calbindin patches. In bats and humans, which only show intermittent entorhinal theta activity, cholinergic innervation avoided calbindin patches. The organization of calbindin‐negative and calbindin‐positive cells showed marked differences in entorhinal subregions of the human brain. Layer 2 of the rodent medial and the human caudal entorhinal cortex were structurally similar in that in both species patches of calbindin‐positive pyramidal cells were superimposed on scattered stellate cells. The number of calbindin‐positive neurons in a patch increased from ∼80 in Etruscan shrews to ∼800 in humans, only an ∼10‐fold over a 20,000‐fold difference in brain size. The relatively constant size of calbindin patches differs from cortical modules such as barrels, which scale with brain size. Thus, selective pressure appears to conserve the distribution of stellate and pyramidal cells, periodic arrangement of calbindin patches, and relatively constant neuron number in calbindin patches in medial/caudal entorhinal cortex. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:783–806, 2016. © 2015 The Authors. The Journal of Comparative Neurology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:26223342

  19. Adrenergic Modulation Regulates the Dendritic Excitability of Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons In Vivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christina Labarrera

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Summary: The excitability of the apical tuft of layer 5 pyramidal neurons is thought to play a crucial role in behavioral performance and synaptic plasticity. We show that the excitability of the apical tuft is sensitive to adrenergic neuromodulation. Using two-photon dendritic Ca2+ imaging and in vivo whole-cell and extracellular recordings in awake mice, we show that application of the α2A-adrenoceptor agonist guanfacine increases the probability of dendritic Ca2+ events in the tuft and lowers the threshold for dendritic Ca2+ spikes. We further show that these effects are likely to be mediated by the dendritic current Ih. Modulation of Ih in a realistic compartmental model controlled both the generation and magnitude of dendritic calcium spikes in the apical tuft. These findings suggest that adrenergic neuromodulation may affect cognitive processes such as sensory integration, attention, and working memory by regulating the sensitivity of layer 5 pyramidal neurons to top-down inputs. : Labarrera et al. show that noradrenergic neuromodulation can be an effective way to regulate the interaction between different input streams of information processed by an individual neuron. These findings may have important implications for our understanding of how adrenergic neuromodulation affects sensory integration, attention, and working memory. Keywords: cortical layer 5 pyramidal neuron, dendrites, norepinephrine, HCN, Ih, Ca2+ spike, apical tuft, guanfacine, ADHD, somatosensory cortex

  20. First Measurements of Ambient Total Gaseous Mercury (TGM at the EvK2CNR Pyramid Observatory in Nepal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gratz L. E.

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available As part of the Global Mercury Observation System (GMOS project, a global-scale network of ground-based atmospheric monitoring sites is being developed with the objective of expanding the global coverage of atmospheric mercury (Hg measurements and improving our understanding of global atmospheric Hg transport. An important addition to the GMOS monitorng network has been the high altitude EvK2CNR Pyramid Observatory, located at an elevation of 5,050 meters a.s.l. in the eastern Himalaya Mountains of Nepal. Monitoring of total gaseous mercury (TGM using the Tekran 2537A Mercury Vapor Analyzer began at the EvK2CNR Pyramid Observatory in November 2011. From 17 November 2011 to 23 April 2012, the mean concentration of TGM at the Pyramid was 1.2 ng m−3. A range of concentrations from 0.7 to 2.6 ng m−3 has been observed. These are the first reported measurements of atmospheric Hg in Nepal, and currently this is the highest altitude monitoring station for atmospheric Hg in the world. It is anticipated that these high quality measurements, in combination with the other continuous atmospheric measurments being collected at the Pyramid station, will help to further our understanding of Hg concentrations in the free troposphere and the transport of atmospheric Hg on the global scale.