Towards Efficient Full Pose Omnidirectionality with Overactuated MAVs

Omnidirectional MAVs are a growing field, with demonstrated advantages for aerial interaction and uninhibited observation. While systems with complete pose omnidirectionality and high hover efficiency have been developed independently, a robust system that combines the two has not been demonstrated to date. This paper presents VoliroX: a novel omnidirectional vehicle that can exert a wrench in any orientation while maintaining efficient flight configurations. The system design is presented, and a 6 DOF geometric control that is robust to singularities. Flight experiments further demonstrate and verify its capabilities.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, ISER 2018 conference submissio

Optimal detection of losses by thermal probes

We consider the discrimination of lossy bosonic channels and focus to the case when one of the values for the loss parameter is zero, i.e., we address the detection of a possible loss against the alternative hypothesis of an ideal lossless channel. This discrimination is performed by inputting one-mode or two-mode squeezed thermal states with fixed total energy. By optimizing over this class of states, we find that the optimal inputs are pure, thus corresponding to single- and two-mode squeezed vacuum states. In particular, we show that for any value of the damping rate smaller than a critical value there is a threshold on the energy that makes the two-mode squeezed vacuum state more convenient than the corresponding single-mode state, whereas for damping larger than this critical value two-mode squeezed vacua are always better. We then consider the discrimination in realistic conditions, where it is unlikely to have pure squeezing. Thus by fixing both input energy and squeezing, we show that two-mode squeezed thermal states are always better than their single- mode counterpart when all the thermal photons are directed into the dissipative channel. Besides, this result also holds approximately for unbalanced distribution of the thermal photons. Finally, we also investigate the role of correlations in the improvement of detection. For fixed input squeezing (single-mode or two-mode), we find that the reduction of the quantum Chernoff bound is a monotone function of the two-mode entanglement as well as the quantum mutual information and the quantum discord. We thus verify that employing squeezing in the form of correlations (quantum or classical) is always a resource for loss detection whenever squeezed thermal states are taken as input.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures. Revised versio

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with malignant haematological diseases: 10 years' experience of infection in GIMEMA centres.

A retrospective survey was conducted over a 10-year period (1990-99) among 52 haematology divisions in order to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcome of patients with proven Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) complicating haematological diseases. The study included 55 patients (18 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 10 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, eight with acute myeloid leukaemia, five with chronic myeloid leukaemia, four with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, four with multiple myeloma, three with myelodys-plastic syndrome, two with myelofibrosis and one with thalassemia) who developed PCP. Among these, 18 (33%) underwent stem cell transplantation; only two received an oral prophylaxis with trimethroprim/sulphamethoxazole. Twelve patients (22%) developed PCP despite protective isolation in a laminar airflow room. The most frequent symptoms were: fever (86%), dyspnoea (78%), non-productive cough (71%), thoracic pain (14%) and chills (5%); a severe hypoxaemia was present in 39 patients (71%). Chest radiography or computerized tomography showed interstitial infiltrates in 34 patients (62%), alveolar infiltrates in 12 patients (22%), and alveolar-interstitial infiltrates in nine patients (16%). Bronchoalveolar lavage was diagnostic in 47/48 patients, induced sputum in 9/18 patients and lung biopsy in 3/8 patients. The diagnosis was made in two patients at autopsy. All patients except one started a specific treatment (52 patients trimethroprim/sulphamethoxazole, one pentamidine and one dapsone). Sixteen patients (29%) died of PCP within 30 d of diagnosis. Multivariate analysis showed that prolonged steroid treatment (P < 0.006) and a radiological picture of diffuse lung involvement (P < 0.003) were negative diagnostic factors

Petrographic data from the Oligocene-lower Langhian succession of the Arquata Scrivia area in the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (NW Italy)

This petrographic database is a compilation made to study the Oligocene-Langhian succession of the Arquata Scrivia area, consisting of different shallow to deep-water marine sedimentary units deposited in the eastern Tertiary Piedmont Basin (NW Italy). This database is unique for the studied succession, which was not priorly investigated for the petrographic content of its component units.The samples were collected from lower, middle and upper parts of each sedimentary unit and analyzed for identifying their petrographic composition via qualitative and quantitative methods by means of polarized-light microscope. The collected petrographic data are presented within quartzfeldspar-lithic ternary plots.Even though these data are elementary analytical outputs, they represent the starting point for future analyses in order to understand the evolution of the basin on a larger scale.(c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Cost overruns – helping to define what they really mean

Civil engineers are often in the firing line for alleged cost overruns, particularly on major publicly funded infrastructure projects. This usually occurs when the final cost of a project is simply compared with the original estimate, even though this was published a long time ago, in different circumstances and for a quite different project to the one carried out. This paper proposes a systematic approach to ensure that cost overruns, should they occur, are more accurately defined in terms of when the initial and end costs are assessed, from which point of view, at which project stage, and including scope changes and financial assumptions. The paper refers to the UK’s £163 billion nuclear decommissioning programme

Complex X chromosome rearrangement associated with multiorgan autoimmunity

BACKGROUND: Turner syndrome, a congenital condition that affects 1/2,500 births, results from absence or structural alteration of the second sex chromosome. Turner syndrome is usually associated with short stature, gonadal dysgenesis and variable dysmorphic features. The classical 45,X karyotype accounts approximately for half of all patients, the remainder exhibit mosaicism or structural abnormalities of the X chromosome. However, complex intra-X chromosomal rearrangements involving more than three breakpoints are extremely rare. RESULTS: We present a unique case of a novel complex X chromosome rearrangement in a young female patient presenting successively a wide range of autoimmune diseases including insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, celiac disease, anaemia perniciosa, possible inner ear disease and severe hair loss. For the genetic evaluation, conventional cytogenetic analysis and FISH with different X specific probes were initially performed. The complexity of these results and the variety of autoimmune problems of the patient prompted us to identify the exact composition and breakpoints of the rearranged X as well as methylation status of the X chromosomes. The high resolution array-CGH (assembly GRCh37/hg19) detected single copy for the whole chromosome X short arm. Two different sized segments of Xq arm were present in three copies: one large size of 80,3 Mb from Xq11.1 to Xq27.3 region and another smaller (11,1 Mb) from Xq27.3 to Xq28 region. An 1,6 Mb Xq27.3 region of the long arm was present in two copies. Southern blot analysis identified a skewed X inactivation with approximately 70:30 % ratios of methylated/unmethylated fragments. The G-band and FISH patterns of the rearranged X suggested the aspect of a restructured i(Xq) chromosome which was shattered and fortuitously repaired. The X-STR genotype analysis of the family detected that the patient inherited intact maternal X chromosome and a rearranged paternal X chromosome. The multiple Xq breakages and fusions as well as inverted duplication would have been expected to cause a severe Turner phenotype. However, the patient lacks many of the classic somatic features of Turner syndrome, instead she presented multiorgan autoimmune diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical data of the presented patient suggest that fragmentation of the i(Xq) chromosome elevates the risk of autoimmune diseases

Analysis of Odorous VOCs using TD-GC-MS/FID/PFPD: Development and Applications to Real Samples

This work aims to present the applicability of a gas chromatograph equipped with three detectors for the analysis of odorous mixtures. An Agilent gas chromatograph (mod. 8890), equipped with a mass spectrometer (Agilent 5977B MSD), a Flame Ionization Detector (FID, Agilent) and a Pulsed Flame Photometric Detector (PFPD, OI Analytical mod. 5833) was adopted, obtaining simultaneous acquisition with MS, FID and PFPD detectors. The splitting of the sample into the three detectors was carried out at the end of the chromatographic column, by a capillary flow technology splitter (Agilent Splitter CFT). By using this system, it is, therefore, possible to achieve the specific detection and quantification of organic compounds by FID analysis, sulphur compounds by PFPD and the identification of the compounds by MS analysis, via comparison with mass spectra. Based on the preliminary outcomes obtained,the application of this system in the analysis of odour samples enabled the determination of specific classes, even in traces: by this, the subsequent identification of these compounds during a single chromatographic run is possible. This combination provides significant time and costs savings in the calibration and analysis of chromatographic data

The microsporidian parasites Nosema ceranae and Nosema apis are widespread in honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies across Scotland

Nosema ceranae is spreading into areas where Nosema apis already exists. N. ceranae has been reported to cause an asymptomatic infection that may lead, ultimately, to colony collapse. It is thought that there may be a temperature barrier to its infiltration into countries in colder climates. In this study, 71 colonies from Scottish Beekeeper’s Association members have been screened for the presence of N. apis and N. ceranae across Scotland. We find that only 11 of the 71 colonies tested positive for spores by microscopy. However, 70.4 % of colonies screened by PCR revealed the presence of both N. ceranae and N. apis, with only 4.2 or 7 % having either strain alone and 18.3 % being Nosema free. A range of geographically separated colonies testing positive for N. ceranae were sequenced to confirm their identity. All nine sequences confirmed the presence of N. ceranae and indicated the presence of a single new variant. Furthermore, two of the spore-containing colonies had only N. ceranae present, and these exhibited the presence of smaller spores that could be distinguished from N. apis by the analysis of average spore size. Differential quantification of the PCR product revealed N. ceranae to be the dominant species in all seven samples tested. In conclusion, N. ceranae is widespread in Scotland where it exists in combination with the endemic N. apis. A single variant, identical to that found in France (DQ374655) except for the addition of a single nucleotide polymorphism, is present in Scotland

Mortality rate of patients with asymptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis diagnosed at age 55 years or older is similar to that of the general population

Recent routine testing for liver function and anti-mitochondrial antibodies has increased the number of newly diagnosed patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). This study investigated the prognosis of asymptomatic PBC patients, focusing on age difference, to clarify its effect on the prognosis of PBC patients. The study was a systematic cohort analysis of 308 consecutive patients diagnosed with asymptomatic PBC. We compared prognosis between the elderly (55 years or older at the time of diagnosis) and the young patients (< 55 years). The mortality rate of the patients was also compared with that of an age- and gender-matched general population. The elderly patients showed a higher aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio, and lower alanine aminotransferase level than the young patients (P < 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). The two groups showed similar values for alkaline phosphatase and immunoglobulin M. Death in the young patients was more likely to be due to liver failure (71%), while the elderly were likely to die from other causes before the occurrence of liver failure (88%; P < 0.01), especially from malignancies (35%). The mortality rate of the elderly patients was not different from that of the age- and gender-matched general population (standardized mortality ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 0.6-1.7), although this rate was significantly higher than that of the young patients (P = 0.044). PBC often presents as more advanced disease in elderly patients than in the young. However, the mortality rate of the elderly patients is not different from that of an age- and gender-matched general population