225,615 research outputs found
Quantitative planar and volumetric cardiac measurements using 64 mdct and 3t mri vs. Standard 2d and m-mode echocardiography: does anesthetic protocol matter?
Cross‐sectional imaging of the heart utilizing computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to be superior for the evaluation of cardiac morphology and systolic function in humans compared to echocardiography. The purpose of this prospective study was to test the effects of two different anesthetic protocols on cardiac measurements in 10 healthy beagle dogs using 64‐multidetector row computed tomographic angiography (64‐MDCTA), 3T magnetic resonance (MRI) and standard awake echocardiography. Both anesthetic protocols used propofol for induction and isoflourane for anesthetic maintenance. In addition, protocol A used midazolam/fentanyl and protocol B used dexmedetomedine as premedication and constant rate infusion during the procedure. Significant elevations in systolic and mean blood pressure were present when using protocol B. There was overall good agreement between the variables of cardiac size and systolic function generated from the MDCTA and MRI exams and no significant difference was found when comparing the variables acquired using either anesthetic protocol within each modality. Systolic function variables generated using 64‐MDCTA and 3T MRI were only able to predict the left ventricular end diastolic volume as measured during awake echocardiogram when using protocol B and 64‐MDCTA. For all other systolic function variables, prediction of awake echocardiographic results was not possible (P = 1). Planar variables acquired using MDCTA or MRI did not allow prediction of the corresponding measurements generated using echocardiography in the awake patients (P = 1). Future studies are needed to validate this approach in a more varied population and clinically affected dogs
The Infrared Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) for TMT: Data Reduction System
IRIS (InfraRed Imaging Spectrograph) is the diffraction-limited first light
instrument for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) that consists of a
near-infrared (0.84 to 2.4 m) imager and integral field spectrograph
(IFS). The IFS makes use of a lenslet array and slicer for spatial sampling,
which will be able to operate in 100's of different modes, including a
combination of four plate scales from 4 milliarcseconds (mas) to 50 mas with a
large range of filters and gratings. The imager will have a field of view of
3434 arcsec with a plate scale of 4 mas with many selectable
filters. We present the preliminary design of the data reduction system (DRS)
for IRIS that need to address all of these observing modes. Reduction of IRIS
data will have unique challenges since it will provide real-time reduction and
analysis of the imaging and spectroscopic data during observational sequences,
as well as advanced post-processing algorithms. The DRS will support three
basic modes of operation of IRIS; reducing data from the imager, the lenslet
IFS, and slicer IFS. The DRS will be written in Python, making use of
open-source astronomical packages available. In addition to real-time data
reduction, the DRS will utilize real-time visualization tools, providing
astronomers with up-to-date evaluation of the target acquisition and data
quality. The quicklook suite will include visualization tools for 1D, 2D, and
3D raw and reduced images. We discuss the overall requirements of the DRS and
visualization tools, as well as necessary calibration data to achieve optimal
data quality in order to exploit science cases across all cosmic distance
scales.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, 6 tables, Proceeding 9913-165 of the SPIE
Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 201
An integrated approach to rotorcraft human factors research
As the potential of civil and military helicopters has increased, more complex and demanding missions in increasingly hostile environments have been required. Users, designers, and manufacturers have an urgent need for information about human behavior and function to create systems that take advantage of human capabilities, without overloading them. Because there is a large gap between what is known about human behavior and the information needed to predict pilot workload and performance in the complex missions projected for pilots of advanced helicopters, Army and NASA scientists are actively engaged in Human Factors Research at Ames. The research ranges from laboratory experiments to computational modeling, simulation evaluation, and inflight testing. Information obtained in highly controlled but simpler environments generates predictions which can be tested in more realistic situations. These results are used, in turn, to refine theoretical models, provide the focus for subsequent research, and ensure operational relevance, while maintaining predictive advantages. The advantages and disadvantages of each type of research are described along with examples of experimental results
Rethinking the Patch Test for Phase Measuring Bathymetric Sonars
While conducting hydrographic survey operations in the Florida Keys, NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson served as a test platform for the initial operational implementation of an L-3 Klein HydroChart 5000 Swath Bathymetry Sonar System1 , a hull-mounted phase measuring bathymetric sonar (PMBS). During the project it became apparent that the traditional patch test typically utilized for multibeam echosounder (MBES) systems was poorly suited to the HydroChart – and perhaps other PMBS systems as well. These systems have several inherent characteristics that make it difficult to isolate and subsequently solve for biases under the traditional patch test paradigm: presence of a nadir gap, wide swaths (typically greater than 6 times water depth), and relatively poor object-detection capability in the outer swath. After “rethinking” the patch test to account for these characteristics, the authors propose a new patch test paradigm that is better suited to the HydroChart and other PMBS systems
Conceptual design study for an advanced cab and visual system, volume 2
The performance, design, construction and testing requirements are defined for developing an advanced cab and visual system. The rotorcraft system integration simulator is composed of the advanced cab and visual system and the rotorcraft system motion generator, and is part of an existing simulation facility. User's applications for the simulator include rotorcraft design development, product improvement, threat assessment, and accident investigation
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