The mobile mapping system (MMS) can acquire dense point-clouds of roads and roadside features. Roads are often separated into roadways and walkways in many urban areas. Since guardrails are installed ...to separate roadways and sidewalks, it is important to detect guardrails from point-clouds and reconstruct their 3D models for 3D street maps. Since there are a large variety of designs for guardrails in Japan, flexible methods are required for detection and reconstruction of guardrails. In this paper, we propose a new method for extracting guardrails from point-clouds, and reconstructing their 3D models. Since the MMS captures point-clouds and camera images synchronously, guardrails are detected using both point-clouds and images. In our method, point-clouds are segmented into small segments, and corresponding images are cropped from camera images. Then cropped images are classified into two classes of guardrails and others using the convolutional neural network. When guardrail points are obtained, 3D models of guardrails are reconstructed. However, point-clouds of guardrails are too sparse to reconstruct 3D shapes when guardrails consist of thin pipes. Since the same unit shape repeatedly appears in a guardrail, we create dense point-clouds by superimposing points of unit shapes. Then we reconstruct 3D shapes of pipes, beams, and poles of guardrails. In our evaluation using point-clouds in urban areas, our method could achieve good results of extraction and shape reconstruction of guardrails.
Abstract
As part of the goal of increasing the beam power of the Main Ring for Fast eXtraction (FX) in J-PARC to 750 kW, we have been evaluating new FX low-field septa of induced eddy current type ...(Eddy-septum) since 2014. To reduce the leakage field in the circulating line of the eddy-septa, new pure iron duct-type magnetic shields were produced in July 2021, and in March 2022 we verified that the leakage field was greatly reduced. The construction of the two eddy-septa and their power supplies was completed in May 2022. Beam operation with a new 1.3-s cycle will be started in June 2022.
Hierarchically nanostructured composite electrodes were prepared by the electrodeposition of manganese dioxide nanowires (MnO 2 NWs) with 5–20 nm diameters on electrospun carbon nanofiber (CNF) webs ...with diameters of 250 and 650 nm. The effects of CNF diameters and mass loading of MnO 2 NWs on the hierarchical nanostructure formation and the performance of the composite electrodes were investigated. The internal structure of the composite electrode depended on CNF diameter and mass loading of MnO 2 NW. The electrodes based on thinner CNFs and higher mass loadings of MnO 2 NWs showed higher values of gravimetric and volumetric capacitances. This would be due to MnO 2 NWs forming a dense network in the thinner three-dimensional CNF framework. In addition, asymmetric supercapacitors with the MnO 2 NW/CNF composite electrode as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode showed high energy and power densities of 8.9 W h kg −1 and 4.9 kW kg −1 , respectively. These results clearly indicate that the hierarchical network nanostructure composed of an active material and a charge collector can be considered a promising electrode for various electrochemical devices.
Full text
Available for:
IJS, KILJ, NUK, UL, UM, UPUK
Magnetic reconnection has a crucial role in a variety of plasma environments in providing a mechanism for the fast release of stored magnetic energy. During reconnection the plasma forms a 'magnetic ...nozzle', like the nozzle of a hose, and the rate is controlled by how fast plasma can flow out of the nozzle. But the traditional picture of reconnection has been unable to explain satisfactorily the short timescales associated with the energy release, because the flow is mediated by heavy ions with a slow resultant velocity. Recent theoretical work has suggested that the energy release is instead mediated by electrons in waves called 'whistlers', which move much faster for a given perturbation of the magnetic field because of their smaller mass. Moreover, the whistler velocity and associated plasma velocity both increase as the 'nozzle' becomes narrower. A narrower nozzle therefore no longer reduces the total plasma flow-the outflow is independent of the size of the nozzle. Here we report observations demonstrating that reconnection in the magnetosphere is driven by whistlers, in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The solar neutron detector
Space Environment Data Acquisition Equipment – Attached Payload
(SEDA-FIB) onboard the
International Space Station
(ISS) detected several events from the solar direction ...associated with three large solar flares observed on 05 (X1.1), 07 (X5.4), and 09 (M6.3) March 2012. In this study, we focus on the interesting event of 05 March, present the temporal profiles of the neutrons, and discuss the physics that may be related to a possible acceleration scenario for ions above the solar surface. We compare our data with images of the flares obtained by the ultraviolet telescope
Atmospheric Imaging Assembly
(AIA) onboard the
Solar Dynamics Observatory
(SDO).
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Summary
Background
Genetic markers of susceptibility to asthma exacerbations in adults remain unclear.
Objective
To identify genetic markers of asthma exacerbations, particularly in patients with ...type‐2 inflammatory endotype.
Methods
In this observational study of patients enrolled in the Kinki Hokuriku Airway disease Conference multicenter study, frequency of exacerbations requiring systemic corticosteroids during 2 years after enrolment and associated risk factors was determined. For genetic marker analysis, interleukin‐4 receptor α (IL4RA) rs8832 and a disintegrin and metalloprotease 33 (ADAM33) S_2 (rs528557), T_1 (rs2280091), T_2 (rs2280090), and V_4 (rs2787094) variants were included. Elevated serum periostin levels at enrolment (≥95 ng/mL, defined as type‐2 inflammatory endotype) were considered in the analysis.
Results
Among 217 patients who were successfully followed up for 2 years after enrolment, 60 patients showed at least one asthma exacerbation during the 2 years. Airflow limitation (%FEV1 <80%) and recent exacerbations but not genetic variants were identified as risk markers of exacerbations. A total of 27 patients showed type‐2 inflammatory endotype (serum periostin ≥95 ng/mL at enrolment) and subsequent exacerbations; risk factors in these patients were airflow limitation (odds ratio, 6.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.37–18.6; P=.0003), GG genotype of IL4RA rs8832 (odds ratio, 4.01; 95% CI: 1.47–11.0; P=.007), and A allele of ADAM33 T_2 (odds ratio, 2.81; 95% CI: 1.05–7.67; P=.04) by multivariate analysis. In addition, GG genotype of IL4RA rs8832 was associated with type‐2 endotype, whereas A allele of ADAM33 T_2 was associated with mixed type of eosinophilic/type‐2 and neutrophilic inflammations.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
IL4RA and ADAM33 variants may be risk markers of asthma exacerbations in type‐2 inflammatory endotype. Precise endotyping may facilitate the identification of genetic risk markers of asthma exacerbations.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Summary
Metallic materials are known to be very sensitive to Gallium (Ga) focused ion beam (FIB) processing. Crystal defects formed by FIB irradiation degrade the transmission electron microscope ...image quality, and it is difficult to distinguish original defects from FIB process‐induced damage. A solution to this problem is the low acceleration voltage and low incident angle (LVLA) Argon ion milling, which can be incorporated as an extensional countermeasure for FIB damage removal and eventually for preparation of high‐quality lamellae. The transmission electron microscope image quality of iron single crystal could be improved by removing crystal defects using the low acceleration voltage and low incident angle Argon ion milling finish. Lamella quality of the processing result was almost similar with that of the conventional electrolytic polishing.
As a practical application of the process, low damage lamella of stainless cast steel could be prepared. Effectiveness of the FIB system equipped with the low acceleration voltage and low incident angle Argon ion milling function as a tool to make high‐quality metallic material lamellae is illustrated.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This paper reports the characteristics of planar contactless power transfer systems, which are classified into the following types: single-phase primary and single-phase secondary system (SS system), ...three-phase primary and single-phase secondary system (TS system), and three-phase primary and three-phase secondary system (TT system). The SS system is used in conventional contactless power transfer. On the other hand, in the last few years, the TS system has been studied more. As a novel system, the TT system is here proposed. The characteristics of all three systems are measured by using a common experimental prototype made of printed circuit board. The comparison confirms that the TT system has higher efficiency and can output uniform power independent of the secondary position, as compared to the other systems.
SETTING: Kyoto, Japan.OBJECTIVE: To determine predictors of 5-year mortality in pulmonary Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) disease.DESIGN: Retrospective study of 164 patients ...diagnosed with pulmonary MAC disease between 1999 and 2005 and followed for 5
years.RESULTS: Overall 5-year mortality was 28.0%. Among 117 patients with microbiological outcomes, 54 were treated (treated MAC patients) and 24 were not treated and did not experience sputum culture conversion during follow-up (untreated chronic MAC patients); 39 patients were not treated
and experienced sputum culture conversion. Five-year all-cause overall mortality among the 78 patients with definite MAC disease (including treated and untreated chronic MAC patients) was 25.6%. The mortality rate was 33.3% for untreated chronic MAC patients only vs. 22.2% for treated MAC
patients (P = 0.30). After adjustment for clinical, microbiological and radiological confounders, independent factors for 5-year mortality were a high Charlson comorbidity index in cases with definite MAC disease (hazard ratio HR 1.76) and untreated chronic MAC (HR 3.08), and presence
of cavitary lesions in cases with definite MAC disease (HR 1.82) and treated MAC patients (HR 3.91).CONCLUSION: Patients with cavitary lesions require immediate treatment for sputum culture conversion and to improve their chances of survival.
PDF
