Multi-Spectral Imaging from LEO: High-Resolution Images and Data from the NAPA-2 Turn-Key Mission

Napa-2 is a 6U Earth observation satellite flying the Simera Sense MultiScape 100CIS: a 7-band multi-spectral line-scan imager. Together with an on-ground calibration and processing chain from Pinkmatter Solutions, the Napa-2 system can deliver high-quality multi-spectral line scan images at an impressive ground sampling distance of 5m. After its launch and deployment in July 2021, hundreds of line scan images have been taken and valuable (and critical) data was obtained from the spacecraft platform related to attitude and control and timing. Imperative to the success of obtaining high-quality images, was the implementation of the newly developed ISISPACE Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS). Line scan images were acquired under different conditions, such as simple flyovers, target pointing, and while executing forward-motion compensation maneuvers. The latter included imaging while the ground speed was reduced up to 50 times! In addition, time-delayed integration was applied in various levels to find the optimal signal-to-noise ratio. With the demand for hyper-spectral imaging from CubeSats, ISISPACE believes that the operational experience gained with multi-spectral imaging in combination with the attitude and orbital control system is vital to be able to educate future customers on the optical performance they can expect

Nuclear Receptor HNF4α Binding Sequences are Widespread in Alu Repeats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alu repeats, which account for ~10% of the human genome, were originally considered to be junk DNA. Recent studies, however, suggest that they may contain transcription factor binding sites and hence possibly play a role in regulating gene expression.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we show that binding sites for a highly conserved member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of ligand-dependent transcription factors, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha (HNF4α, NR2A1), are highly prevalent in Alu repeats. We employ high throughput protein binding microarrays (PBMs) to show that HNF4α binds > 66 unique sequences in Alu repeats that are present in ~1.2 million locations in the human genome. We use chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) to demonstrate that HNF4α binds Alu elements in the promoters of target genes (<it>ABCC3, APOA4, APOM, ATPIF1, CANX, FEMT1A, GSTM4, IL32, IP6K2, PRLR, PRODH2, SOCS2, TTR</it>) and luciferase assays to show that at least some of those Alu elements can modulate HNF4α-mediated transactivation <it>in vivo </it>(<it>APOM, PRODH2, TTR, APOA4</it>). HNF4α-Alu elements are enriched in promoters of genes involved in RNA processing and a sizeable fraction are in regions of accessible chromatin. Comparative genomics analysis suggests that there may have been a gain in HNF4α binding sites in Alu elements during evolution and that non Alu repeats, such as Tiggers, also contain HNF4α sites.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that HNF4α, in addition to regulating gene expression via high affinity binding sites, may also modulate transcription via low affinity sites in Alu repeats.</p

The Rotterdam Study: 2012 objectives and design update

The Rotterdam Study is a prospective cohort study ongoing since 1990 in the city of Rotterdam in The Netherlands. The study targets cardiovascular, endocrine, hepatic, neurological, ophthalmic, psychiatric, dermatological, oncological, and respiratory diseases. As of 2008, 14,926 subjects aged 45 years or over comprise the Rotterdam Study cohort. The findings of the Rotterdam Study have been presented in over a 1,000 research articles and reports (see www.erasmus-epidemiology.nl/rotterdamstudy). This article gives the rationale of the study and its design. It also presents a summary of the major findings and an update of the objectives and methods

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

Software-defined testbed for next generation navigation transponders

This paper presents a software-defined testbed to perform hardware-in-The-loop test of miniaturized coherent transponders. Such a setup has been designed to minimize the access threshold for future users, heavily relying on available open source applications and commercial hardware, targeting future coherent transponders for interplanetary CubeSats. The paper presents the overall architecture of the testbed, a tradeoff to select the most suited development framework and the detailed design of the different blocks. Upcoming interplanetary CubeSat missions that would require a coherent transponder are also presented to highlight the need sof such a system. Software qualification, given the use of third-party software with multiple developers, was also addressed to guarantee performances can be consistent and reliable.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Space Systems EgineeringElectronicsAstrodynamics & Space Mission