An artificial neural network predictor for tropospheric surface duct phenomena

International audienceIn this work, an artificial neural network (ANN) model is developed and used to predict the presence of ducting phenomena for a specific time, taking into account ground values of atmospheric pressure, relative humidity and temperature. A feed forward backpropagation ANN is implemented, which is trained, validated and tested using atmospheric radiosonde data from the Helliniko airport, for the period from 1991 to 2004. The network's quality and generality is assessed using the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) Curves (AUC), which resulted to a mean value of about 0.86 to 0.90, depending on the observation time. In order to validate the ANN results and to evaluate any further improvement options of the proposed method, the problem was additionally treated using Least Squares Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM) classifiers, trained and tested with identical data sets for direct performance comparison with the ANN. Furthermore, time series prediction and the effect of surface wind to the presence of tropospheric ducts appearance are discussed. The results show that the ANN model presented here performs efficiently and gives successful tropospheric ducts predictions

NELIOTA: The wide-field, high-cadence lunar monitoring system at the prime focus of the Kryoneri telescope

We present the technical specifications and first results of the ESA-funded, lunar monitoring project "NELIOTA" (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) at the National Observatory of Athens, which aims to determine the size-frequency distribution of small Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) via detection of impact flashes on the surface of the Moon. For the purposes of this project a twin camera instrument was specially designed and installed at the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope utilizing the fast-frame capabilities of scientific Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor detectors (sCMOS). The system provides a wide field-of-view (17.0' $\times$ 14.4') and simultaneous observations in two photometric bands (R and I), reaching limiting magnitudes of 18.7 mag in 10 sec in both bands at a 2.5 signal-to-noise level. This makes it a unique instrument that can be used for the detection of NEO impacts on the Moon, as well as for any astronomy projects that demand high-cadence multicolor observations. The wide field-of-view ensures that a large portion of the Moon is observed, while the simultaneous, high-cadence, monitoring in two photometric bands makes possible, for the first time, the determination of the temperatures of the impacts on the Moon's surface and the validation of the impact flashes from a single site. Considering the varying background level on the Moon's surface we demonstrate that the NELIOTA system can detect NEO impact flashes at a 2.5 signal-to-noise level of ~12.4 mag in the I-band and R-band for observations made at low lunar phases ~0.1. We report 31 NEO impact flashes detected during the first year of the NELIOTA campaign. The faintest flash was at 11.24 mag in the R-band (about two magnitudes fainter than ever observed before) at lunar phase 0.32. Our observations suggest a detection rate of $1.96 \times 10^{-7}$ events $km^{-2} h^{-1}$.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

TooManyEyes: Super-recogniser directed identification of target individuals on CCTV

For the current research, a ‘Spot the Face in a Crowd Test’ (SFCT) comprising six video clips depicting target-actors and multiple bystanders was loaded on TooManyEyes, a bespoke multi-media platform adapted here for the human-directed identification of individuals in CCTV footage. To test the utility of TooManyEyes, police ‘super-recognisers’ (SRs) who may possess exceptional face recognition ability, and police controls attempted to identify the target-actors from the SFCT. As expected, SRs correctly identified more target-actors; with higher confidence than controls. As such, the TooManyEyes system provides a useful platform for uploading tests for selecting police or security staff for CCTV review deploymen

Facteurs predictifs de gravite des cellulites cervico-faciales diffuses d’origine dentaire : a propos de 78 cas

Introduction : La cellulite cervico-faciale est une dermohypodermite qui prend origine au niveau de la graisse hypodermique a partir d’effraction d'un foyer dentaire. Sa gravité réside d'une part dans sa forme diffuse avec risque d'obstruction des voies aériennes et de médiastinite et d'autre part dans sa forme nécrosante avec risque de fasciite nécrosante et de gangrène gazeuse. en l'absence de prise en charge multidisciplinaire et urgente, l'évolution de ces formes grave se fera vers le sepsis, le choc septique et le Syndrome de défaillance multi viscérales. L’objectif est de retrouver des facteurs prédictifs d'extension allant de l'atteinte des voies aériennes supérieures à l'infiltration médiastinale, ainsi que des facteurs prédictifs du type de cellulite (phlegmoneuse ou nécrotique).Patients et méthode : étude rétrospective faite sur une période de 7ans qui a permis d’exploiter 78 dossiers de cellulites cervico-faciales diffuses (CCFD) colligées au service d’OrL et chirurgie maxillo-faciale du CHU de rabat, l’atteinte des voies aériennes(VaS) l’atteinte médiastinale et le type de cellulite ont été retenu sur la tomodensitométrie. afin de dégager les éléments prédictifs de gravité statistiquement significatifs, l’évaluation a porté sur l’analyse des éléments épidémiologiques, cliniques, par acliniques et évolutifs en comparant respectivement les groupes de CCFD avec et sans atteinte des voies aériennes(VaS), avec et sans atteinte médiastinales, et en cas de formes nécrosantes versus cellulites phlegmoneuses. L’analyse statistique a été faite par le logiciel spss version 13.01 et les comparaisons ont été réalisées en utilisant les tests khi 2 et le test exact de Fisher pour les variables qualitatives, le test student et anOVa pour les variables quantitatives.Résultats : Cette série comporte 44 hommes et 34 femmes, L’âge moyen est 32 ans. Les facteurs favorisants significatifs sont, Le mauvais état buccodentaire et l’éthylotabagisme, alors que les aInS et Le diabète ne sont pas significatifs. Le diagnostic est clinique, et la tomodensitométrie permet l’étude de l’extension, le type, et de suivre l’évolution sous traitement. Les signes cliniques significatifs sont, l’altération de l’état général, le sepsis, la dyspnée, et les crépitations sous cutanées. Tous les malades ont été hospitalisés, dont 15 en réanimation, avec signification statistique pour le sepsis, l’atteinte médiastinale, et la cellulite nécrosante ou gangreneuse. Le drainage chirurgical (44,9%) avec signification pour médiastinites. L’évolution était favorable chez 75 patients ,3 décès par choc septiqueConclusion : Cette étude a montrée comme décrit dans la littérature que la CCFD prédomine chez le sujet jeune de sexe masculin, que la mauvaise hygiène bucco-dentaire intervient dans la genèse de la cellulite phlegmoneuse avec infiltration des VaS et que l’éthylotabagisme a un effet dans les formes graves cervico-médiastinales et nécrosantes .la clinique a permit le diagnostic mais elle a sous estimée l’atteinte des VaS et médiastinale et c’est la tomodensitométrie qui permit de préciser l’extension et le type de cellulite. L’antibiothérapie était comparable à la littérature, le drainage chirurgical des CCFD a été réalisé sous anesthésie générale avec intubation classique ou sous fibroscope, La trachéotomie n’est pas recommandée en première intention que lorsqu’elle était inévitable. Le recours à la chirurgie en urgence était pour les mêmes impératifs que la littérature dans les formes nécrotiques, dans l’atteinte médiastinale, et en cas de sepsis.Mots clés : Cellulite cervico-faciale - médiastinite –fasciite nécrosanteObjective : Cervicofacial cellulitis is a dermohypodermitis which originates at the hypodermic fat from a burglary of a focus dental, Its gravity lies partly in its diffuse form with a risk of airway obstruction and mediastinitis and secondly in its venture with necrotizing fasciitis and necrotizing gangrene. In the absence of multidisciplinary care and urgent, the evolution of these forms will be serious to sepsis, septic shock and multi-visceral dysfunction syndrome. The aim is to find predictors of extension from reaching the upper airways to mediastinal infiltration, as well as predictors of type of cellulitis (phlegmon or necrotic).Patients et méthods : retrospective study done over a period of 7 years who has exploited 78 cases of diffuse cervicofacial cellulitis (CCFD) collected in the service of Otolaryngology and maxillofacial Surgery University Hospital of rabat, achieving the airways (VaS), the mediastinal involvement and type of cellulite have been selected on the CT scan. To identify predictors of severity statistically significant, the evaluation focused on the analysis of the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical and evolutionary elements by comparing respectively CCFD groups with and without airway involvement (VaS), with and without mediastinal involvement, and in case of necrotizing forms phlegmonous against cellulite. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS version 13.01 and comparisons were made using the chi 2 test and Fisher's exact test for qualitative variables, the Student test and anOVa for quantitative variables.Results: This series includes 44 men and 34 women; the average age is 32 years. Significant Contributing factors are the poor oral dental state, smoking and alcoholism . non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and diabetes were not significant. The diagnosis is clinical with discordance between the clinical and CT scan specifying the extension, type, and changes in treatment. The significant clinical signs are impairment of general condition, sepsis, dyspnea, and subcutaneous crepitus. all patients were hospitalized, including 15 in intensive care with statistical significance for sepsis, mediastinal involvement, and necrotizing or gangrene cellulitis. Surgical drainage (44.9%) with statistical significance for mediastinitis. The outcome was favorable in 75 patients, 3 deaths from septic shock.Conclusion: This study has shown as described in the literature that CCFD predominates in the young male, that poor oral hygiene is involved in the genesis of cellulite phlegmonous with airway infiltration and that smoking and alcoholism has effect in severe neck and mediastinal necrotizing. The clinical diagnosis allowed but she underestimated airway and mediastinal damage and computed tomography which enabled it to clarify the extent and type of cellulite. antibiotic therapy was comparable to the literature, surgical drainage of CCFD was performed under general anesthesia with classical intubation or under fiberscope, tracheostomy is not recommended as first-line until it was inevitable. The surgery was urgent for the same imperatives that literature in necrotic forms, in the mediastinal involvement, and sepsis.Keywords : cervico-facial cellulitis - mediastinitis - necrotizing fasciiti

The human glomerular endothelial cells are potent pro-inflammatory contributors in an in vitro model of lupus nephritis

Juvenile-onset lupus nephritis (LN) affects up to 80% of juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients (JSLE). As the exact role of human renal glomerular endothelial cells (GEnCs) in LN has not been fully elucidated, the aim of this study was to investigate their involvement in LN. Conditionally immortalised human GEnCs (ciGEnCs) were treated with pro-inflammatory cytokines known to be involved in LN pathogenesis and also with LPS. Secretion and surface expression of pro-inflammatory proteins was quantified via ELISA and flow cytometry. NF-κΒ and STAT-1 activation was investigated via immunofluorescence. Serum samples from JSLE patients and from healthy controls were used to treat ciGEnCs to determine via qRT-PCR potential changes in the mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory genes. Our results identified TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-13, IFN-γ and LPS as robust in vitro stimuli of ciGEnCs. Each of them led to significantly increased production of different pro-inflammatory proteins, including; IL-6, IL-10, MCP-1, sVCAM-1, MIP-1α, IP-10, GM-CSF, M-CSF, TNF-α, IFN-γ, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, PD-L1 and ICOS-L. TNF-α and IL-1β were shown to activate NF-κB, whilst IFN-γ activated STAT-1. JSLE patient serum promoted IL-6 and IL-1β mRNA expression. In conclusion, our in vitro model provides evidence that human GEnCs play a pivotal role in LN-associated inflammatory process

Microbiological and molecular characteristics of carbapenemase-producing klebsiella pneumoniae endemic in a tertiary Greek hospital during 2004-2010

We report 570 carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (CPKP) clinical isolates in a 1,040-bed Greek tertiary hospital during 2004 to 2010. The first CPKP (VIM-producing) was isolated in September 2004. Despite initial containment, VIM producers have become endemic since 2006. KPC-producing K. pneumoniae was first isolated in August 2007 from a patient who came from Israel, spread rapidly, and outcompeted VIM. Overall, 267 (47%) VIM-producing and 301 (53%) KPC-producing strains were isolated, including 141 (24.7%) from patients with bacteraemia. Two isolates carrying both VIM and KPC were isolated in two consecutive months in 2009, but not since. The prevalence of CPKP increased from 0% in 2003 to 38.3% in 2010 (