Determining the extrinsic parameters of a network of Large-Volume Metrology sensors of different types

Large-Volume Metrology (LVM) instruments – such as laser trackers, photogrammetric systems, rotary-laser automatic theodolites, etc. – generally include several sensors, which measure the distances and/or angles subtended by some targets. This measurements, combined with the spatial position/orientation of sensors (i.e., the so-called extrinsic parameters), can be used to locate targets in the measurement volume. Extrinsic parameters of sensors are generally determined through dedicated sensor calibration methods, which are based on repeated measurements of specific artefacts. The combined use of multiple LVM instruments enables exploitation of available equipment but may require multiple instrument-dedicated sensor calibrations, which inevitably increase set-up time/cost. This document presents a novel calibration method – called global calibration – which allows the extrinsic parameters of all sensors to be determined in a single process. The proposed method uses a special artefact – i.e., a hand-held probe with assorted types of targets and inertial sensors – and includes a data-acquisition stage, in which the probe is repositioned in different areas of the measurement volume, followed by a data-processing stage, in which an ad hoc mathematical/statistical model is used to determine the extrinsic parameters of sensors. Additionally, the proposed method includes the formulation of a system of linearized equations, which are weighed considering the uncertainty of input variables

energy performance of chp system integrated with citrus peel air steam gasification a comparative study

Abstract The aim of this work is to exploit the potential of residual biomass, different from the traditional wood feedstock, by thermochemical gasification process. In particular, citrus peels waste of the juice extraction process, was selected since it is a typical local Sicilian residue. The citrus peel conversion performances in air-steam gasification process were evaluated and compared with those obtained with pinewood as feedstock. Experimental activities of air-steam gasification were carried out in a bench-scale fluidized bed reactor at 1023 K, for both citrus peel and pinewood, varying the steam to biomass ratio (S/B). A simulation model of the experimental facility was developed in order to find a useful tool to realize the virtual scale-up of the system with downstream syngas utilization. The cold gas efficiency (CGE) and the net cold gas efficiency (CGE net ) were calculated to define the best gasification conditions. Results showed that using pinewood a very low reactivity can be observed, showing a very low net CGE. The highest net CGE for citrus peel was observed at S/B = 0.5, while for pinewood the addition of water did not improve the net CGE. Finally, an integration of the citrus peel gasification system with a commercial CHP unit was proposed and the efficiencies were evaluated

Concomitant Coronary Artery Bypass in Patients with Acute Type A Aortic Dissection

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) is sometimes necessary in acute Type A Aortic Dissection (AAAD) repair. The aim of this study is to analyze the incidence, indications and influence in-hospital outcomes of AAAD repair requiring concomitant CABG in a high-volume single-center experience. Retrospective study of all consecutive AAAD patients. Those who underwent concomitant CABG were identified. Preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative and follow-up data were collected and analyzed. Between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2016, 382 patients underwent emergency surgery for AAAD. Forty-one (10.7%) underwent concomitant CABG. In this group, mean age was 64 ± 14 years, 32 were male (78%). Indication for CABG was coronary dissection in 28 patients (68.3%), post-cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) right heart failure in 7 (17.1%), post CPB left heart failure in (7.3%) and native coronary pathology in 3 (7.3%). In 33 (80.5%) one graft was needed, in 7 (17%) two were performed and in 1 patient (2.4%) 3 were necessary. The right coronary artery (RCA) was the only revascularized vessel in 26 cases (63.4%), the left coronary artery (LCA) alone in 11 (26.8%), and both coronary systems in 4 (9.8%). In-hospital mortality was 51.2% (N = 21); eight (19.5%) patients had postoperative myocardial infarction (MI) and 11 (26.8%) had a major neurological event. Multivariable logistic regression identified concomitant CABG as a predictor of in-hospital mortality (Odds Ratio (OR) = 3.8115, 95% CI= 0.514-2.138, p = 0.001). In our study, concomitant CABG was performed in 10.7% of AAAD repair surgery and it was associated with high in-hospital mortality. Keywords: Concomitant CABG; Predictors of mortality; Type A acute aortic dissectio

Haemolytic activity and characterization of nematocyst venom from Pelagia noctiluca (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa)

We investigated the haemolytic capacity of the crude venom extracted from isolated nematocysts of Pelagia noctiluca (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa), and evidenced the proteic fractions responsible for this activity. The nematocyst venom was used at various concentrations to evaluate the haemolytic activity and the lysosomal membrane stability of red blood cells of two teleostean species treated with the extract. The nematocyst extract was assayed against erythrocytes of the two teleostean species living in different environments, Carassius auratus as a common freshwater species, and Liza aurata as a representative of seawater species. Experiments on the haemolytic activity of P. noctiluca in the presence of lipid components of erythrocyte membranes showed that sphyngomyelin strongly inhibited this activity. The crude venom was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis SDS-PAGE and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to detect the proteic composition, and it was found that the active haemolytic components of this venom are distributed in at least four protein fractions. The results of our experiments indicated that Pelagia noctiluca venom induces haemolysis and lysosomal membrane destabilisation in both species and that Carassius auratus was more susceptible to jellyfish venom than was Liza aurata. No significant differences in glutathione (GSH) levels were observed between control and treatments; consequently the toxins do not cause the oxidative stress but likely recognize specific targets (i.e. sphyngomyelin) in the plasmatic membrane of red blood cells

Publication and patent analysis of European researchers in the field of production technology and manufacturing systems

This paper develops a structured comparison among a sample of European researchers in the field of Production Technology and Manufacturing Systems, on the basis of scientific publications and patents. Researchers are evaluated and compared by a variegated set of indicators concerning (1) the output of individual researchers and (2) that of groups of researchers from the same country. While not claiming to be exhaustive, the results of this preliminary study provide a rough indication of the publishing and patenting activity of researchers in the field of interest, identifying (dis)similarities between different countries. Of particular interest is a proposal for aggregating analysis results by means of maps based on publication and patent indicators. A large amount of empirical data are presented and discusse

Atrial Fibrillation in the Setting of Acute Pneumonia: Not a Secondary Arrhythmia

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in the setting of critically ill patients. Pneumonia, and in particular communityacquired pneumonia, is one of the most common causes of illness and hospital admission worldwide. This article aims to review the association between AF and acute diseases, with specific attention to pneumonia, from the pathophysiology to its clinical significance. Even though the relationship between pneumonia and AF has been known for years, it was once considered a transient bystander. In recent years there has been growing knowledge on the clinical significance of this arrhythmia in acute clinical settings, in which it holds a prognostic role which is not so different as compared to that of the so-called "primary"AF. AF is a distinct entity even in the setting of pneumonia, and acute critical illnesses in general, and it should therefore be managed with a guidelines-oriented approach, including prescription of anticoagulants in patients at thromboembolic risk, always considering patients' individuality. More data on the significance of the arrhythmia in this setting will help clinicians to give patients the best possible care

IBtkα Activates the β‐Catenin‐Dependent Transcription of MYC through Ubiquitylation and Proteasomal Degradation of GSK3βin Cancerous B Cells

The IBTK gene encodes the IBtkα protein that is a substrate receptor of E3 ubiquitin ligase, Cullin 3. We have previously reported the pro‐tumorigenic activity of Ibtk in MYC‐dependent B‐ lymphomagenesis observed in Eμ‐myc transgenic mice. Here, we provide mechanistic evidence of the functional interplay between IBtkα and MYC. We show that IBtkα, albeit indirectly, activates the β‐catenin‐dependent transcription of the MYC gene. Of course, IBtkαassociates with GSK3β and promotes its ubiquitylation, which is associated with proteasomal degradation. This event increases the protein level of β‐catenin, a substrate of GSK3β, and results in the transcriptional activation of the MYC and CCND1 target genes of β‐catenin, which are involved in the control of cell division and apoptosis. In particular, we found that in Burkitt’s lymphoma cells, IBtkα silencing triggered the downregulation of both MYC mRNA and protein expression, as well as a strong decrease of cell survival, mainly through the induction of apoptotic events, as assessed by using flow cytometry‐based cell cycle and apoptosis analysis. Collectively, our results shed further light on the complex puzzle of IBtkα interactome and highlight IBtkα as a potential novel therapeutic target to be employed in the strategy for personalized therapy of B cell lymphoma