All Sky Camera for the CTA Atmospheric Calibration work package

The All Sky Camera (ASC) is a passive non-invasive imaging system for rapid night sky atmosphere monitoring. By design, the operation of the ASC will not affect the measurement procedure of the CTA observatory, for which we discuss its application in this report. The data collected should enable improved productivity and increased measurement time for the CTA observatory. The goal of ASC is to identify cloud position, atmosphere attenuation and time evolution of the sky condition, working within the CTA Central Calibration Facilities (CCF) group. Clouds and atmosphere monitoring may allow near-future prediction of the night-sky quality, helping scheduling. Also, in the case of partly cloudy night sky the cameras will identify the uncovered regions of the sky during the operation time, and define potential observable sources that can be measured. By doing so, a higher productivity of the CTA observatory measurements may be possible

Zmiany kliniczne i immunologiczne u chorych z czynną, umiarkowaną lub ciężką orbitopatią tarczycową leczonych bardzo niskimi dawkami rytuksymabu

Introduction: Glucocorticoids represent the therapy of choice for active and moderate-to-severe Graves' orbitopathy (GO). In some patients, rituximab, a monoclonal antibody against the cluster of differentiation (CD) 20 receptor of B-lymphocytes, can serve as a second-line or an alternative treatment. The effect of very low-dose of rituximab on the clinical activity of GO and corresponding clinical or laboratory changes is reported. Material and methods: Changes of Clinical Activity Score (CAS) for GO, proptosis, levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies, and depletion of CD19+ and CD20+ B-lymphocytes were determined in ten patients (two men and eight women) with active moderate-to-severe GO treated with a single 100-mg dose of rituximab. Correlations between differences of clinical and laboratory parameters were performed. Results: A significant decrease of CAS was found during subsequent examinations compared to the baseline values. A significant depletion of CD19+ and CD20+ B-lymphocytes was detected after rituximab administration. Differences between follow-up and baseline levels of CD20+ positively correlated with differences in CAS after six (p < 0.05) and 12 months (p < 0.01). Differences in CD19+ levels correlated with differences in CAS after 12 months (p < 0.05) of the treatment. Two patients developed dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON) requiring orbital decompression. No other rituximab side effects were reported during the whole study duration. Conclusions: A single very low-dose of rituximab appears to be very well tolerated and effective enough to reduce clinical activity in active moderate-to-severe GO patients without impending DON.Wstęp: Glikokortykoidy są leczeniem z wyboru w czynnej, umiarkowanej lub ciężkiej orbitopatii tarczycowej (Graves' orbitopathy, GO). U niektórych pacjentów jako leczenie drugiej linii lub leczenie alternatywne można zastosować rytuksymab, przeciwciało monoklonalne przeciw receptorowi kompleksu różnicowania (cluster of differentiation, CD) 20. W niniejszej pracy opisano wpływ bardzo małych dawek rytuksymabu na aktywność kliniczną GO i odpowiednie zmiany parametrów klinicznych i laboratoryjnych. Materiał i metody: U 10 chorych (2 mężczyzn i 8 kobiet) z czynną, umiarkowaną lub ciężką GO, którym podano pojedynczą dawkę 100 mg rytuksymabu, oceniono zmiany oceny w skali aktywności klinicznej (Clinical Activity Score, CAS) orbitopatii tarczycowej, stopnia wytrzeszczu, stężenia przeciwciał przeciw receptorom hormonu tyreotropowego (thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH) oraz liczby limfocytów B typu CD19+ i CD20+. Zbadano korelacje między zmianami parametrów klinicznych i laboratoryjnych. Wyniki: W kolejnych badaniach stwierdzono zmniejszenie aktywności choroby ocenianej w skali CAS w porównaniu z wartościami wyjściowymi. Po podaniu rytuksymabu zaobserwowano zmniejszenie liczby limfocytów B typu CD19+ i CD20+. Różnice między liczbą limfocytów CD20+ podczas kolejnych wizyt kontrolnych a wartością wyjściową korelowały dodatnio z różnicami wartości wskaźnika CAS po 6 (p < 0,05) i 12 miesiącach (p < 0,01). Różnice w liczbie limfocytów CD19+ korelowały z różnicami wartości wskaźnika CAS po 12 miesiącach (p < 0,05). U 2 chorych rozwinęła się neuropatia nerwu wzrokowego w przebiegu orbitopatii tarczycowej (dysthyroid optic neuropathy, DON) wymagająca dekompresji oczodołu. Nie stwierdzono innych działań niepożądanych rytuksymabu w trakcie badania. Wnioski: Pojedyncza bardzo mała dawka rytuksymabu była bardzo dobrze tolerowana przez chorych i wystarczająco skuteczna w zmniejszaniu aktywności klinicznej choroby u pacjentów z czynną, umiarkowaną lub ciężką GO bez zagrażającej DON

Detection of ultra-high energy cosmic ray showers with a single-pixel fluorescence telescope

We present a concept for large-area, low-cost detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) with a Fluorescence detector Array of Single-pixel Telescopes (FAST), addressing the requirements for the next generation of UHECR experiments. In the FAST design, a large field of view is covered by a few pixels at the focal plane of a mirror or Fresnel lens. We report first results of a FAST prototype installed at the Telescope Array site, consisting of a single 200 mm photomultiplier tube at the focal plane of a 1 m$^2$ Fresnel lens system taken from the prototype of the JEM-EUSO experiment. The FAST prototype took data for 19 nights, demonstrating remarkable operational stability. We detected laser shots at distances of several kilometres as well as 16 highly significant UHECR shower candidates.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physic

Ethanol ablation of thyroid cysts in the young with a focus on efficacy and quality of life

Objective: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (US-PEIT) is used in patients with recurrent symptomatic thyroid cysts as a credible alternative to surgery. Young patients commonly do not wish to undergo surgery and prefer ethanol ablation, if available. The effect of this approach on quality of life is an essential factor in deciding on the treatment options, especially in the young with a long life expectancy and no comorbidity. Methods: We performed US-PEIT in a cohort of young patients, 15–30 years, from 2015 to 2020. The patients’ general quality of life (QoL), self-reported compression symptoms and neck appearance were evaluated. Results: The cohort comprised 59 patients with 63 cysts, more women than men, with a mean age of 23.8 years. About 1.5 mL of injected alcohol were needed to reach a 90.7% mean cyst volume reduction ratio in 12 months. The method did not fail in any of the patients; a single US-PEIT session was undertaken in 46% of them. The procedure significantly improved each of the patients’ symptoms with a significant total score difference (P < 0.001). The total symptom score correlated with the initial cyst volume (P = 0.002; r = 0.395). The mean QoL score by SF-36 6 months after the last US-PEIT was significantly different for physical component summary 56.5 (P < 0.001) but not different for mental component summary 47.7 (P = 0.125), compared to age-corresponding norms. Conclusions: US-PEIT is a safe and effective method for the young, leading to improvements in cosmetic and subjective complaints, and should also be considered as first-line treatment in the young

Spectrum and Variability of Mrk501 as observed by the CAT Imaging Telescope

The CAT Imaging Telescope has observed the BL Lac object Markarian 501 between March and August 1997. We report here on the variability over this time including several large flares. We present also preliminary spectra for all these data, for the low emission state, and for the largest flare.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Late

Observation of the Crab Nebula Gamma-Ray Emission Above 220 Gev by the Cat Cherenkov Imaging Telescope

The CAT imaging telescope, recently built on the site of the former solar plant Themis (French Pyrenees), observed gamma-rays from the Crab nebula from October 1996 to March 1997. This steady source, often considered as the standard candle of very-high-energy gamma-ray astronomy, is used as a test-beam to probe the performances of the new telescope, particularly its energy threshold (220 GeV at 20 degrees zenith angle) and the stability of its response. Due to the fine-grain camera, an accurate analysis of the longitudinal profiles of shower images is performed, yielding the source position in two dimensions for each individual shower.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, Tex, contribution to 25th ICRC Durba

Detection of Vhe Gamma-Rays from MRK 501 with the Cat Imaging Telescope

The CAT imaging telescope on the site on the former solar plant Themis has been observing gamma-rays from Mrk501 above 220 GeV in March and April 1997. This source is shown to be highly variable and the light curve is presented. The detected gamma-ray rate for the most intense flare is in excess of 10 per minute.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Tex, contribution to 25th ICRC Durba

Development of a strategy for calibrating the novel SiPM camera of the SST-1M telescope proposed for the Cherenkov Telescope Array

CTA will comprise a sub-array of up to 70 small size telescopes (SSTs) at the southern array. The SST-1M project, a 4 m-diameter Davies Cotton telescope with 9 degrees FoV and a 1296 pixels SiPM camera, is designed to meet the requirements of the next generation ground based gamma-ray observatory CTA in the energy range above 3 TeV. Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) cameras of gamma-ray telescopes can achieve good performance even during high night sky background conditions. Defining a fully automated calibration strategy of SiPM cameras is of great importance for large scale production validation and online calibration. The SST-1M sub-consortium developed a software compatible with CTA pipeline software (CTApipe). The calibration of the SST-1M camera is based on the Camera Test Setup (CTS), a set of LED boards mounted in front of the camera. The CTS LEDs are operated in pulsed or continuous mode to emulate signal and night sky background respectively. Continuous and pulsed light data analysis allows us to extract single pixel calibration parameters to be used during CTA operation.Comment: All CTA contributions at arXiv:1709.0348

Performance of a small size telescope (SST-1M) camera for gamma-ray astronomy with the Cherenkov Telescope Array

The foreseen implementations of the Small Size Telescopes (SST) in CTA will provide unique insights into the highest energy gamma rays offering fundamental means to discover and under- stand the sources populating the Galaxy and our local neighborhood. Aiming at such a goal, the SST-1M is one of the three different implementations that are being prototyped and tested for CTA. SST-1M is a Davies-Cotton single mirror telescope equipped with a unique camera technology based on SiPMs with demonstrated advantages over classical photomultipliers in terms of duty-cycle. In this contribution, we describe the telescope components, the camera, and the trigger and readout system. The results of the commissioning of the camera using a dedicated test setup are then presented. The performances of the camera first prototype in terms of expected trigger rates and trigger efficiencies for different night-sky background conditions are presented, and the camera response is compared to end-to-end simulations.Comment: All CTA contributions at arXiv:1709.0348