4D-SFM photogrammetry for monitoring sediment dynamics in a debris-flow catchment: Software testing and results comparison

In recent years, the combination of Structure-from-Motion (SfM) algorithms and UAV-based aerial images has revolutionised 3D topographic surveys for natural environment monitoring, offering low-cost, fast and high quality data acquisition and processing. A continuous monitoring of the morphological changes through multi-temporal (4D) SfM surveys allows, e.g., to analyse the torrent dynamic also in complex topography environment like debris-flow catchments, provided that appropriate tools and procedures are employed in the data processing steps. In this work we test two different software packages (3DF Zephyr Aerial and Agisoft Photoscan) on a dataset composed of both UAV and terrestrial images acquired on a debris-flow reach (Moscardo torrent - North-eastern Italian Alps). Unlike other papers in the literature, we evaluate the results not only on the raw point clouds generated by the Structure-from- Motion and Multi-View Stereo algorithms, but also on the Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) created after post-processing. Outcomes show differences between the DTMs that can be considered irrelevant for the geomorphological phenomena under analysis. This study confirms that SfM photogrammetry can be a valuable tool for monitoring sediment dynamics, but accurate point cloud post-processing is required to reliably localize geomorphological changes

The space simulation facilities at IAL SPACE

The thermal vacuum facilities of IAL SPACE were tailored for testing of the ESA payloads. They were progressively upgraded for cryogenic payloads including 4 K (liquid helium temperature) experiments. A detailed review of the three vacuum chambers, ranging from 1.5 to 5 m diameter, is presented including the corresponding capabilities in the vacuum, thermal, and optical fields. The various aspects of cleanliness, product assurance, and quality control are also presented

Heroic viticulture: Environmental and socioeconomic challenges of unique heritage landscapes

Steep-slope agricultural landscapes cover a small fraction of global agricultural areas.1 Despite the limited coverage, they are relevant for high-quality food and wine production, history, and landscape value. On steep slopes, centuries of effort and tradition have created a unique cultural heritage to be preserved. Here, peculiar traditional local knowledge of soil and water conservation combined with agronomic practices (e.g., dry-stone wall terracing) has been handed down for generations. However, such landscapes are fragile and under threat

INVESTIGATING THE PERFORMANCE OF A HANDHELD MOBILE MAPPING SYSTEM IN DIFFERENT OUTDOOR SCENARIOS

In recent years, portable Mobile Mapping Systems (MMSs) are emerging as valuable survey instruments for fast and efficient mapping of both internal and external environments. The aim of this work is to assess the performance of a commercial handheld MMS, Gexcel HERON Lite, in two different outdoor applications. The first is the mapping of a large building, which represents a standard use-case scenario of this technology. Through the second case study, that consists in the survey of a torrent reach, we investigate instead the applicability of the handheld MMS for natural environment monitoring, a field in which portable systems are not yet widely employed. Quantitative and qualitative assessment is presented, comparing the point clouds obtained from the HERON Lite system against reference models provided by traditional techniques (i.e., Terrestrial Laser Scanning and Photogrammetry)

IAL SPACE: A test laboratory for the ISO cryogenic payload

The ESA Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) satellite is a 3 axes pointed platform designed to make accurate pointed observations of astronomical objects and sources in the wavelength range between 2.5 and 200 microns. ISO is composed of a service module and a payload module which is a large cylindrical vacuum vessel. The vessel is in fact a cryostat (capacity of 2250 l of liquid He II) which contains the telescope and the four focal scientific instruments. The latter being cooled up to a temperature less than 4 K. The qualification of the payload requires the measurement respectively of: the image quality of the telescope through wave front error (WFE) measurements; and the optical alignment of the scientific instruments with respect to the telescope axis and the telescope focus, and this under cryogenic conditions. Consequently, since 1988, the FOCAL 5 IAL Space facility has been upgraded in order to perform the cryogenic optical tests of the ISO optical subsystems

Effectiveness of lurasidone in schizophrenia or schizoaffective patients switched from other antipsychotics: a 6-month, open-label, extension study

Objective. To evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of lurasidone in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder patients switched to lurasidone. Method. Patients in this multicenter, 6-month open-label, flexible-dose, extension study had completed a core 6-week randomized trial in which clinically stable, but symptomatic, outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were switched to lurasidone. Patients started the extension study on treatment with the same dose of lurasidone taken at study endpoint of the 6-week core study; following this, lurasidone was flexibly dosed (40-120 mg/day), if clinically indicated, starting on Day 7 of the extension study. The primary safety endpoints were the proportion of patients with treatment emergent adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, or who discontinued due to AEs. Secondary endpoints included metabolic variables and measures of extrapyramidal symptoms and akathisia, as well as the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impressions-Severity (CGI-S), and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS). The study was conducted from August 2010 to November 2011. Results. Of the 198 patients who completed the 6-week core study, 149 (75.3%) entered the extension study and 148 received study medication. A total of 98 patients (65.8%) completed the 6-month extension study. Lurasidone 40, 80, and 120 mg were the modal daily doses for 19 (12.8%), 65 (43.9%), and 64 (43.2%) of patients, respectively. Overall mean (SD) daily lurasidone dose was 102.0 mg (77.1). The most commonly reported AEs were insomnia (13 patients [8.8%]), nausea (13 patients [8.8%]), akathisia (12 patients [8.1%]), and anxiety (9 patients [6.1%]). A total of 16 patients (10.8%) had at least one AE leading to discontinuation from the study. Consistent with prior studies of lurasidone, there was no signal for clinically relevant adverse changes in body weight, lipids, glucose, insulin, or prolactin. Movement disorder rating scales did not demonstrate meaningful changes. Treatment failure (defined as any occurrence of discontinuation due to insufficient clinical response, exacerbation of underlying disease, or AE) was observed for 19 patients (12.8% of patients entering) and median time to treatment failure was 58 days (95% CI 22-86). The discontinuation rate due to any cause was 50/148 (33.8%), and median time to discontinuation was 62 days (95% CI 30-75). The mean PANSS total score, mean CGI-S score, and mean CDSS score decreased consistently from core study baseline across extension visits, indicating an improvement in overall condition. Conclusions. In this 6-month, open-label extension study, treatment with lurasidone was generally well-tolerated with sustained improvement in efficacy measures observed in outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who had switched to lurasidone from a broad range of antipsychotic agents

High current and low q95 scenario studies for FAST in the view of ITER and DEMO

The Fusion Advanced Study Torus (FAST) has been proposed as a possible European satellite, in view of ITER and DEMO, in order to: a) explore plasma wall interaction in reactor relevant conditions b) test tools and scenarios for safe and reliable tokamak operation up to the border of stability c) address fusion plasmas with a significant population of fast particles. A new FAST scenario has been designed focusing on low-q operation, at plasma current IP=10 MA, toroidal field BT=8.5T, with a q95=2.3 that would correspond to IP=20 MA in ITER. The flat-top of the discharge can last a couple of seconds (i.e. half the diffusive resistive time and twice the energy confinement time), and is limited by the heating of the toroidal field coils. A preliminary evaluation of the end-of-pulse temperatures and of the electromagnetic forces acting on the central solenoid pack and poloidal field coils has been performed. Moreover, a VDE plasma disruption has been simulated and the maximum total vertical force applied on the vacuum vessel has been estimated

On the nature of the Be star HR 7409 (7 Vul)

HR 7409 (7 Vul) is a newly identified Be star possibly part of the Gould Belt and is the massive component of a 69-day spectroscopic binary. The binary parameters and properties of the Be star measured using high-dispersion spectra obtained at Ondrejov Observatory and at Rozhen Observatory imply the presence of a low mass companion (~ 0.5-0.8 M_sun). If the pair is relatively young (<50-80 Myr), then the companion is a K V star, but, following another, older evolutionary scenario, the companion is a horizontal-branch star or possibly a white dwarf star. In the latter scenario, a past episode of mass transfer from an evolved star onto a less massive dwarf star would be responsible for the peculiar nature of the present-day, fast-rotating Be star.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA