Deep into the Eyes: Applying Machine Learning to improve Eye-Tracking

Eye-tracking has been an active research area with applications in personal and behav- ioral studies, medical diagnosis, virtual reality, and mixed reality applications. Improving the robustness, generalizability, accuracy, and precision of eye-trackers while maintaining privacy is crucial. Unfortunately, many existing low-cost portable commercial eye trackers suffer from signal artifacts and a low signal-to-noise ratio. These trackers are highly depen- dent on low-level features such as pupil edges or diffused bright spots in order to precisely localize the pupil and corneal reflection. As a result, they are not reliable for studying eye movements that require high precision, such as microsaccades, smooth pursuit, and ver- gence. Additionally, these methods suffer from reflective artifacts, occlusion of the pupil boundary by the eyelid and often require a manual update of person-dependent parame- ters to identify the pupil region. In this dissertation, I demonstrate (I) a new method to improve precision while maintaining the accuracy of head-fixed eye trackers by combin- ing velocity information from iris textures across frames with position information, (II) a generalized semantic segmentation framework for identifying eye regions with a further extension to identify ellipse fits on the pupil and iris, (III) a data-driven rendering pipeline to generate a temporally contiguous synthetic dataset for use in many eye-tracking ap- plications, and (IV) a novel strategy to preserve privacy in eye videos captured as part of the eye-tracking process. My work also provides the foundation for future research by addressing critical questions like the suitability of using synthetic datasets to improve eye-tracking performance in real-world applications, and ways to improve the precision of future commercial eye trackers with improved camera specifications

Earth resources: A continuing bibliography with indexes, issue 50

This bibliography lists 523 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between April 1 and June 30, 1986. Emphasis is placed on the use of remote sensing and geophysical instrumentation in spacecraft and aircraft to survey and inventory natural resources and urban areas. Subject matter is grouped according to agriculture and forestry, environmental changes and cultural resources, geodesy and cartography, geology and mineral resources, hydrology and water management, data processing and distribution systems, instrumentation and sensors, and economic analysis

Development and validation of kinase activity reporters for the dynamic study of cell response modalities by microscopy

Necroptosis is defined as a caspase-independent programmed cell death and relies on a signaling pathway involving two serine-threonine kinases: Receptor-Interacting Protein Kinase 1 and 3 (RIPK1 and RIPK3) and the pseudo-kinase Mixed-Lineage Kinase Like (MLKL). Activation of Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) was reported to be involved in different modes of programmed cell death. It is now accepted that the regulation of the duration, magnitude and subcellular compartmentalization of ERK1/2 activity by specific spatio-temporal regulators is interpreted by the cell towards cell fate determination. ERK1/2 inhibition delays TNFα-induced necroptosis in L929 cells in a dose dependent manner but did not block it, providing arguments for a pro-necrotic function of ERK1/2. In this context, a compartmentalized biphasic phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was observed. Our results indicate a RIPK1-dependent phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Owing to the importance of ERK1/2 spatio-temporal dynamics in determining cellular responses, we developed a new reporter of ERK2 localization named ERK2-LOC. We observed a transient translocation of ERK2 when necroptosis was triggered in L929 upon TNFα stimulation, followed by progressive ERK2 accumulation in the nucleus. ERK1/2 activities were monitored during necroptosis using a FRET-based kinase biosensor for ERK1/2 (ERK1/2-ACT). Using ERK1/2-ACT, a dedicated spatio-temporal signature of ERK1/2 activity was recorded during necroptosis. Finally, to correlate ERK1/2 activity code with necroptosis occurrence, we also engineered a first generation of FRET biosensors to report on both RIPK1 and RIPK3 activities during necroptosis

Journal of South Carolina Water Resources Volume 2, Issue 1

In our day-to-day work, ‘managing messes’ seems like an apt description of how we react to what needs to be done. I started this note last July when South Carolina was in the midst of a mild yet potentially deepening drought. The early October storm turned things upside down, disrupting the state, leading to the deaths of a dozen people, and producing damage estimated to be in the billions of dollars. As of November 10, Charleston has recorded 71 inches of rain and should surpass the record yearly rainfall of 73 inches, set in 1964. As we work on recovery amid continued wet conditions, fortunately the state of the state of water planning is improving, thanks to efforts by the Department of Natural Resources and multiple partners. The Division of Land, Water, and Conservation at DNR has been tasked with building on existing knowledge from its multiple partners and collaborators to develop a State Water Plan (http://www. dnr.sc.gov/water/waterplan/surfacewater.html) that will take into account surface water availability for the eight major river basins in the state. This large task requires collaboration across multiple groups and integrating data at a wide range of scales. With this guidance, local municipalities and state agencies across disciplines will be armed with information to plan for a rapidly-growing population and to make data-based management decisions that balance economic needs with the protection of our water resources. As Jeff Allen of the South Carolina Water Resources Center describes in the Foreword, large collaborations like this are challenging but sorely needed in order to inform stakeholders. The articles chosen for our second volume address the environmental and economic value of our water resources, from understanding the changing river flows, the water quality threats in the different river basins, and how climate and weather patterns influence water availability across river basins from the individual ecosystem to regional scales of influence. Because South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. is blessed with rich resources - natural, social, historical, and cultural - we hope this second volume of articles will be informative to water resource scientists, managers, academics, and other stakeholders. Fortunately, water is not something South Carolinians take for granted. Because we have such a strong connection to nature, our waters are something with which we all have a vested interest in

Reports to the President

A compilation of annual reports for the 1999-2000 academic year, including a report from the President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as reports from the academic and administrative units of the Institute. The reports outline the year's goals, accomplishments, honors and awards, and future plans

Investigations into the expression of sirtuins in breast cancer: in vivo and in vitro studies

Breast cancer remains the most common malignancy in women and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the western World, despite the advances in diagnosis and treatment. The main challenge remains to identify new, and improve existing treatment modalities. Understanding the mechanism by which tumours grow and metastasise is key to developing new therapeutic targets Similar to most cancers, the incidence of breast cancer increases with age. Therefore, genes involved in biological ageing and factors affecting genomic integrity, considered critical to cellular senescence and organismal life span, are also relevant to neoplastic transformation and tumour growth. Thus exploring factors associated with biological ageing in cancer may improve our understanding of the disease as an aberration of normal biological ageing and result in new prognostic markers or therapeutic targets. There is increasing evidence for the involvement of sirtuins in biological ageing, along with other essential cellular processes including cell cycle control, DNA damage repair and differentiation. This is suggestive of a possible role for sirtuins in cancer. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate a potential role for sirtuins in breast cancer disease (including anti-tumour treatment). Firstly, Real time PCR was used to compare the transcriptional expression level of individual sirtuin genes in vivo. The experimental result showed that only SIRT1 and SIRT4 showed an association with age in “normal patients” (normal and non malignant patient grouped together), with decreasing levels of SIRT1 and increasing levels of SIRT4 being associated with increasing chronological age. All sirtuin levels were significantly decreased in malignant tumours, when compared to either normal and/ or non-malignant biopsies. Decreased relative transcriptional expression of SIRT1, SIRT2, SIRT3, SIRT6 and SIRT7 showed significant association with higher tumour grade, when breast cancer patients were divided according to the known histopathological markers. The Kaplan-Meier analysis for cancer specific survival and tumour recurrence was preformed on entire patient cohorts and in patient subgroups selected to have moderate prognosis (ER+ve and NPI between 3.4 and 5.4). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that higher levels of SIRT6 and SRT7 were associated with a longer survival period in all patient cohorts. Furthermore, higher levels of SIRT6 remained significantly associated with better survival, when breast cancer patients were selected to have intermediate prognosis (ER+ve and NPI between 3.4 and 5.4). Whereas, higher levels of SIRT7 remained significantly associated with longer survival period only in patients with ER+ve tumours. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that lower levels of SIRT1 gene expression were associated with longer patient survival and lower tumour recurrence in a patient group, selected by NPI, to have an intermediate clinical prognosis. Multivariate Cox-regression analysis demonstrated that the relative transcriptional level of the SIRT6 gene was independent of tumour size, grade, nodal status, oestrogen receptor status, lymphovascular invasion status, and the NPI in influencing survival. The decreased sirtuin gene expression observed in this study is consistent with an anti-cancer effect and suggests that sirtuins might be implicated in breast cancer pathogenesis. For example, decreased levels of SIRT2 might assist DNA-damaged tumour cells, as indicated by the decreased expression of another sirtuin involved in DNA damage responses, SIRT6, in escaping cell cycle arrest during tumour initiation and progression. Furthermore, The associations between sirtuins and survival period suggest that these sirtuins (especially SIRT6) might be used as an additional prognostic marker in breast cancer patients, especially in those individuals who have equivocal prognostic pathological markers. Therefore, the level of expression of sirtuin genes (SIRT6) might help explaining those breast cancer cases, which behave unexpectedly, according to the known pathological prognostic markers. Secondly, The changes in the relative transcriptional expression levels of the sirtuin genes were investigated in response to adjuvant chemotherapy therapies, commonly used in breast cancer (Tamoxifen and Docetaxel), in breast caner cell lines. The first experiment determining sirtuins changes in response to Docetaxel treatment for 72 hours in ER-ve breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) showed significant increase in the relative transcriptional expression levels of all sirtuins after Docetaxel treatment. These data were consistent with the pro-apoptotic role for SIRT1, SIRT3 and SIRT7, and suggestive of DNA damage involvement at higher doses of Docetaxel, as indicated by increased SIRT6 and XRCC5. Finally, increased SIRT2 levels are suggestive of SIRT2 involvement in the mitotic arrest caused by Docetaxel, through its contribution to microtubule dysfunction. The second experiment, determining sirtuin changes in response to Tamoxifen treatment in ER+ve (MCF-7) and ER-ve (MDA-MB-453) breast cancer cell lines, showed significant increase in the relative transcriptional expression levels of all sirtuins after Tamoxifen treatment. These data were consistent with the pro-apoptotic role for sirtuins. Furthermore, the observed increased levels of SIRT6 are suggestive of DNA damage involvement at higher doses of Tamoxifen. Another noteworthy result of this experiment is the increased levels of SIRT2 in response to Tamoxifen treatment. This might explain the failure of a TAM-treated cell to proceed through the cell cycle, in spite of the increases in transcription factors that promote cell cycle after Tamoxifen treatment. There was no significant difference in sirtuin changes after Tamoxifen treatment between these two cell lines to indicate that sirtuin changes were ER-dependent. In total, the data accumulated from this study demonstrated the involvement of sirtuins in breast cancer disease (pathogenesis and anti-tumour treatment) and suggest the possible use of SIRT6 as a novel, additional and biological prognostic marker. Finally, this study suggests that sirtuins activators, rather than inhibitors, might be beneficial in breast cancer disease and enhance the response to adjuvant chemotherapy

Smart Sensor Technologies for IoT

The recent development in wireless networks and devices has led to novel services that will utilize wireless communication on a new level. Much effort and resources have been dedicated to establishing new communication networks that will support machine-to-machine communication and the Internet of Things (IoT). In these systems, various smart and sensory devices are deployed and connected, enabling large amounts of data to be streamed. Smart services represent new trends in mobile services, i.e., a completely new spectrum of context-aware, personalized, and intelligent services and applications. A variety of existing services utilize information about the position of the user or mobile device. The position of mobile devices is often achieved using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) chips that are integrated into all modern mobile devices (smartphones). However, GNSS is not always a reliable source of position estimates due to multipath propagation and signal blockage. Moreover, integrating GNSS chips into all devices might have a negative impact on the battery life of future IoT applications. Therefore, alternative solutions to position estimation should be investigated and implemented in IoT applications. This Special Issue, “Smart Sensor Technologies for IoT” aims to report on some of the recent research efforts on this increasingly important topic. The twelve accepted papers in this issue cover various aspects of Smart Sensor Technologies for IoT