Lessons Learned from Field Tests in Croatia and Cambodia

This article describes the development and the experiments performed with Gryphon, a new platform for tele-operated landmine detection. With Gryphon, the authors aim at reducing the gap between research and application by introducing partial autonomy in mine-detection operations with a robust platform. Tests have been performed in Croatia and Cambodia

INSIG2 gene rs7566605 polymorphism is associated with severe obesity in Japanese

The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs7566605 in the upstream region of the insulin-induced gene 2 (INSIG2) is associated with the obesity phenotype in many Caucasian populations. In Japanese, this association with the obesity phenotype is not clear. To investigate the relationship between rs7566605 and obesity in Japanese, we genotyped rs7566605 from severely obese subjects [n = 908, body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2] and normal-weight control subjects (n = 1495, BMI < 25 kg/m2). A case–control association analysis revealed that rs7566605 was significantly associated with obesity in Japanese. The P value in the minor allele recessive mode was 0.00020, and the odds ratio (OR) adjusted for gender and age was 1.61 [95% confidential interval (CI) = 1.24–2.09]. Obesity-associated phenotypes, which included the level of BMI, plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and blood pressure, were not associated with the rs7566605 genotype. Thus, rs7566605 in the upstream region of the INSIG2 gene was found to be associated with obesity, i.e., severe obesity, in Japanese

Remote Synchronization Experiments for Quasi-Zenith Satellite System Using Multiple Navigation Signals as Feedback Control

The remote synchronization system for the onboard crystal oscillator (RESSOX) is a remote control method that permits synchronization between a ground station atomic clock and Japanese quasi-zenith satellite system (QZSS) crystal oscillators. To realize the RESSOX of the QZSS, the utilization of navigation signals of QZSS for feedback control is an important issue. Since QZSS transmits seven navigation signals (L1C/A, L1CP, L1CD, L2CM, L2CL, L5Q, and L5I), all combinations of these signals should be evaluated. First, the RESSOX algorithm will be introduced. Next, experimental performance will be demonstrated. If only a single signal is available, ionospheric delay should be input from external measurements. If multiple frequency signals are available, any combination, except for L2 and L5, gives good performance with synchronization error being within two nanoseconds that of RESSOX. The combination of L1CD and L5Q gives the best synchronization performance (synchronization error within 1.14 ns). Finally, in the discussion, comparisons of long-duration performance, computer simulation, and sampling number used in feedback control are considered. Although experimental results do not correspond to the simulation results, the tendencies are similar. For the overlapping Allan deviation of long duration, the stability of 1.23×10−14 at 100,160 s is obtained