UAV PHOTOGRAMMETRY FOR FEATURE EXTRACTION AND MAPPING OF CORRUGATED INDUSTRIAL ROOFTOPS

Corrugated roof sheets used for large-scale industrial rooftops have the potential to carry solar panels. The sheets, however, need to be surveyed so that the solar panels can be installed according to the measurements of various features. For this purpose, information about exhausts, skylights, corrugation spacing, including extraction of roof slope, which is essential for planning solar panel installations, needs to be measured and mapped. UAV surveying, in contrast to traditional surveying and manual measurements, has proven to be of great benefit in the recent years due to its mobility and low-cost operations and with photogrammetric processing, 3D information with sufficient details can be obtained. In this study, we explored the use of UAV platforms for extraction of fine features (corrugations) of industrial rooftops. The point cloud obtained after photogrammetric processing contained significant geometric information about the corrugation, along with noise. The point cloud was processed to remove noise. Smoothing and exaggeration in the Z-direction, without altering X and Y coordinates, ensured a smooth profile with pronounced peaks at the location of corrugations. Cross-sectional profiles were extracted as a vector and peaks in the profile indicated presence of the corrugation. A peak identification algorithm was used to extract local maxima with corresponding distances along the profile. The peak points were plotted on the ortho-image, and the mean distance between subsequent peaks was approximately 20.3 cm with a standard deviation of 1–2 cm. The spacing between the corrugations was approximately 20 cm when measured manually

Euclid preparation: XXI. Intermediate-redshift contaminants in the search for z>6 galaxies within the Euclid Deep Survey

The author list was incorrect in the published version. The name of the collaboration has been added here

The ALPS project: open source software for strongly correlated systems

We present the ALPS (Algorithms and Libraries for Physics Simulations) project, an international open source software project to develop libraries and application programs for the simulation of strongly correlated quantum lattice models such as quantum magnets, lattice bosons, and strongly correlated fermion systems. Development is centered on common XML and binary data formats, on libraries to simplify and speed up code development, and on full-featured simulation programs. The programs enable non-experts to start carrying out numerical simulations by providing basic implementations of the important algorithms for quantum lattice models: classical and quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) using non-local updates, extended ensemble simulations, exact and full diagonalization (ED), as well as the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG). The software is available from our web server at http://alps.comp-phys.org.Comment: For full software and introductory turorials see http://alps.comp-phys.or

Analisis Kualitas Pelayanan di Puskesmas X Menggunakan Metode Servqual dan Saran Perbaikannya

Puskesmas X merupakan puskesmas yang cukup mudah untuk dijangkau masyarakat.Pelayanan kesehatan yang dilakukan oleh Puskesmas X kepada pasien belum maksimal karena masih banyak dijumpai kelemahan sehingga belum memenuhi kualitas sesuai yang diharapkan oleh masyarakat. Hal ini mengakibatkan terjadi kesenjangan antara persepsi dan ekspetasi pasien terhadap pelayanan Puskesmas X.Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui persepsi dan ekspetasi pasien terhadap kualitas pelayanan dan mengetahui dimensi Servqual yang paling berpengaruh terhadap kualitas pelayanan Puskesmas X. Metode yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kuantitatif dengananalisis mean gapuntuk mengetahuikualitas pelayanan dan analisis regresi untuk mencari dimensi Servqual yang paling berpengaruh terhadap kualitas pelayanan Puskesmas X.Hasil perhitungan mean gapdidapatkan seluruh nilainya negatif, hal ini menunjukkan adanya kesenjangan pada seluruh dimensi Servqual yang digunakan. Hasil regresi menunjukkan dimensiyang paling berpengaruh terhadap kualitas pelayanan Puskesmas X adalah assurance(p = 0,000), kemudian responsiveness(p =0,000),tangible(p =0,001), empathy(p =0,002) dan reliability(p =0,014).Maka dapat disimpulkan terjadi kesenjangan antarapersepsi dan ekspetasi pasien terhadap kualitas pelayananPuskesmas X. Sedangkan dimensi yang paling berpengaruh terhadap kualitas pelayanan adalahassurance

Collective Charge Excitation in a Dimer Mott Insulating System

Charge dynamics in a dimer Mott insulating system, where a non-polar dimer-Mott (DM) phase and a polar charge-ordered (CO) phase compete with each other, are studied. In particular, collective charge excitations are analyzed in the three different models where the internal-degree of freedom in a dimer is taken into account. Collective charge excitation exists both in the non-polar DM phase and the polar CO phase, and softens in the phase boundary. This mode is observable by the optical conductivity spectra where the light polarization is parallel to the electric polarization in the polar CO phase. Connections between the present theory and the recent experimental results in kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu2(CN)3 are discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Pedunculopontine Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinsonian Disorders: A Case Series

BACKGROUND: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) has been investigated for the treatment of levodopa-refractory gait dysfunction in parkinsonian disorders, with equivocal results so far. OBJECTIVES: To summarize the clinical outcomes of PPN-DBS-treated patients at our centre and elicit any patterns that may guide future research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre- and post-operative objective overall motor and gait subsection scores as well as patient-reported outcomes were recorded for 6 PPN-DBS-treated patients, 3 with Parkinson’s disease (PD), and 3 with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Electrodes were implanted unilaterally in the first 3 patients and bilaterally in the latter 3, using an MRI-guided MRI-verified technique. Stimulation was initiated at 20–30 Hz and optimized in an iterative manner. RESULTS: Unilaterally treated patients did not demonstrate significant improvements in gait questionnaires, UPDRS-III or PSPRS scores or their respective gait subsections. This contrasted with at least an initial response in bilaterally treated patients. Diurnal cycling of stimulation in a PD patient with habituation to the initial benefit reproduced substantial improvements in freezing of gait (FOG) 3 years post-operatively. Among the PSP patients, 1 with a parkinsonian subtype had a sustained improvement in FOG while another with Richardson syndrome (PSP-RS) did not benefit. CONCLUSIONS: PPN-DBS remains an investigational treatment for levodopa-refractory FOG. This series corroborates some previously reported findings: bilateral stimulation may be more effective than unilateral stimulation; the response in PSP patients may depend on the disease subtype; and diurnal cycling of stimulation to overcome habituation merits further investigation

Overdensities of Y-dropout Galaxies from the Brightest-of-Reionizing Galaxies Survey: A Candidate Protocluster at Redshift z~8

Theoretical and numerical modeling of dark-matter halo assembly predicts that the most luminous galaxies at high redshift are surrounded by overdensities of fainter companions. We test this prediction with HST observations acquired by our Brightest of Reionizing Galaxies (BoRG) survey, which identified four very bright z~8 candidates as Y-dropout sources in four of the 23 non-contiguous WFC3 fields observed. We extend here the search for Y-dropouts to fainter luminosities (M_* galaxies with M_AB\sim-20), with detections at >5sigma confidence (compared to >8sigma confidence adopted earlier) identifying 17 new candidates. We demonstrate that there is a correlation between number counts of faint and bright Y-dropouts at >99.84% confidence. Field BoRG58, which contains the best bright z\sim8 candidate (M_AB=-21.3), has the most significant overdensity of faint Y-dropouts. Four new sources are located within 70arcsec (corresponding to 3.1 comoving Mpc at z=8) from the previously known brighter z\sim8 candidate. The overdensity of Y-dropouts in this field has a physical origin to high confidence (p>99.975%), independent of completeness and contamination rate of the Y-dropout selection. We modeled the overdensity by means of cosmological simulations and estimate that the principal dark matter halo has mass M_h\sim(4-7)x10^11Msun (\sim5sigma density peak) and is surrounded by several M_h\sim10^11Msun halos which could host the fainter dropouts. In this scenario, we predict that all halos will eventually merge into a M_h>2x10^14Msun galaxy cluster by z=0. Follow-up observations with ground and space based telescopes are required to secure the z\sim8 nature of the overdensity, discover new members, and measure their precise redshift.Comment: Minor revision: ApJ accepted [17 pages (emulateapj style), 7 figures, 2 tables

RIPK1-mediated immunogenic cell death promotes anti-tumour immunity against soft-tissue sarcoma.

Drugs that mobilise the immune system against cancer are dramatically improving care for many people. Dying cancer cells play an active role in inducing anti-tumour immunity but not every form of death can elicit an immune response. Moreover, resistance to apoptosis is a major problem in cancer treatment and disease control. While the term "immunogenic cell death" is not fully defined, activation of receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) can induce a type of death that mobilises the immune system against cancer. However, no clinical treatment protocols have yet been established that would harness the immunogenic potential of RIPK1. Here, we report the first pre-clinical application of an in vivo treatment protocol for soft-tissue sarcoma that directly engages RIPK1-mediated immunogenic cell death. We find that RIPK1-mediated cell death significantly improves local disease control, increases activation of CD8+ T cells as well as NK cells, and enhances the survival benefit of immune checkpoint blockade. Our findings warrant a clinical trial to assess the survival benefit of RIPK1-induced cell death in patients with advanced disease at limb extremities

The Cosmic Dawn and Epoch of Reionisation with SKA

Concerted effort is currently ongoing to open up the Epoch of Reionization (z ∼15-6) for studies with IR and radio telescopes. Whereas IR detections have been made of sources (Lyman-α emitters, quasars and drop-outs) in this redshift regime in relatively small fields of view, no direct detection of neutral hydrogen, via the redshifted 21-cm line, has yet been established. Such a direct detection is expected in the coming years, with ongoing surveys, and could open up the entire universe from z ∼6-200 for astrophysical and cosmological studies, opening not only the Epoch of Reionization, but also its preceding Cosmic Dawn (z ∼30-15) and possibly even the later phases of the Dark Ages (z ∼200-30). All currently ongoing experiments attempt statistical detections of the 21-cm signal during the Epoch of Reionization, with limited signal-to-noise. Direct imaging, except maybe on the largest (degree) scales at lower redshifts, as well as higher redshifts will remain out of reach. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will revolutionize the field, allowing direct imaging of neutral hydrogen from scales of arc-minutes to degrees over most of the redshift range z ∼6-28 with SKA1-LOW, and possibly even higher redshifts with the SKA2-LOW. In this SKA will be unique, and in parallel provide enormous potential of synergy with other upcoming facilities (e.g. JWST). In this chapter we summarize the physics of 21-cm emission, the different phases the universe is thought to go through, and the observables that the SKA can probe, referring where needed to detailed chapters in this volume. This is done within the framework of the current SKA1 baseline design and a nominal CD/EoR straw-man survey, consisting of a shallow, medium-deep and deep survey, the latter probing down to ∼1 mK brightness temperature on arc-minute scales at the end of reionization. Possible minor modifications to the design of SKA1 and the upgrade to SKA2 are discussed, in addition to science that could be done already during roll-out when SKA1 still has limited capabilities and/or core collecting area