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Nowadays, estimating the amount of fruit harvested is an important process for a farmer, providing a significant tool for making decisions about production. This work aims to automate the counting of lemons in real time during the harvesting process, using low processing vision equipment and low resolution cameras mounted on a lemon harvester. Different techniques were used, such as color-based image processing, vegetation and contrast index, mathematical morphology and object tracking based on the Kuhn-Munkres algorithm. To evaluate the performance of the algorithm, six harvest videos with a resolution of 640x480 pixels were tested, resulting in a success rate of over 95% between the visual count and the count provided by the algorithm.

There are a number of clinically effective treatments for stress-associated psychiatric diseases, including major depressive disorder (MDD). Nonetheless, many patients exhibit resistance to first-line interventions calling for novel interventions based on pathological mechanisms. Accumulating evidence implicates altered glutamate signaling in MDD pathophysiology, suggesting that modulation of glutamate signaling cascades may offer novel therapeutic potential. Here we report that JHU-083, our recently developed prodrug of the glutaminase inhibitor 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON) ameliorates social avoidance and anhedonia-like behaviors in mice subjected to chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). JHU-083 normalized CSDS-induced increases in glutaminase activity specifically in microglia-enriched CD11b+ cells isolated from the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. JHU-083 treatment also reverses the CSDS-induced inflammatory activation of CD11b+ cells. These results support the importance of altered glutamate signaling in the behavioral abnormalities observed in the CSDS model, and identify glutaminase in microglia-enriched CD11b+ cells as a pharmacotherapeutic target implicated in the pathophysiology of stress-associated psychiatric conditions such as MDD.

There are a number of clinically effective treatments for stress-associated psychiatric diseases, including major depressive disorder (MDD). Nonetheless, many patients exhibit resistance to first-line interventions calling for novel interventions based on pathological mechanisms. Accumulating evidence implicates altered glutamate signaling in MDD pathophysiology, suggesting that modulation of glutamate signaling cascades may offer novel therapeutic potential. Here we report that JHU-083, our recently developed prodrug of the glutaminase inhibitor 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON) ameliorates social avoidance and anhedonia-like behaviors in mice subjected to chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). JHU-083 normalized CSDS-induced increases in glutaminase activity specifically in microglia-enriched CD11b(+) cells isolated from the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. JHU-083 treatment also reverses the CSDS-induced inflammatory activation of CD11b(+) cells. These results support the importance of altered glutamate signaling in the behavioral abnormalities observed in the CSDS model, and identify glutaminase in microglia-enriched CD11b(+) cells as a pharmacotherapeutic target implicated in the pathophysiology of stress-associated psychiatric conditions such as MDD.

Wireless acoustic sensor network is useful for ambient assisted living applications. Its capability of incorporating an audio event detection and classification system helps its users, especially elderly, on their everyday needs. In this paper, we propose using convolutional neural networks (CNN) for classifying audio streams. In contrast to AAL systems using traditional machine learning, our solution is capable of learning and inferring activities in an end-to-end manner. To demonstrate the system, we developed a wireless sensor network composed of Raspberry Pi boards with microphones as nodes. The audio classification system results to an accuracy of 83.79% using a parallel network for the Urban8k dataset, extracting constant-Q transform (CQT) features as system inputs. The overall system is scalabale and flexible in terms of the number of nodes, hence it is applicable on wide areas where assisted living applications are utilized.

A motorized laser Beam Injector Module (BIM) has been designed to integrate the new Toptica SodiumStar 20/2 laser to the Beam Transfer Optics (BTO) subsystem of the Gemini South telescope. The main goal is to inject the new laser beam co-axially to the BTO optical axis without altering the optical path of the current Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies (LMCT) sodium laser. The optical design consists of a custom high-power attenuator offering two power modes, an opto-mechanical laser switch to commute between the two laser guide star facilities within a short period of time and a set of tip-tilt picomotor mirror mounts for BTO optical alignment. The motorized module is remotely controlled via an EPICS command interface by the laser operator that can propagate both lasers consecutively on sky for the measurement of the sodium layer guide star photon return. The laser beam factor quality and optical characteristics of the beam injector output beam have been measured within the Gemini South Laser Guide Star (GS-LGS) requirements. This paper presents a general overview of the new sodium laser facility and the beam injector optomechanical design. It reports on the optical calibration, laser beam characterization, telescope integration and BTO optical alignment.

Adaptive Optics (AO) systems aim at detecting and correcting for optical distortions induced by atmospheric turbulences. The Gemini Multi Conjugated AO System GeMS is operational and regularly used for science observations since 2013 delivering close to diffraction limit resolution over a large field of view. GeMS entered this year into a new era. The laser system has been upgraded from the old 50W Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies (LMCT) pulsed laser to the Toptica 20/2W CW SodiumStar laser. The laser has been successfully commissioned and is now used regularly in operation. In this paper we first review the performance obtained with the instrument. I will go then into the details of the commissioning of the Toptica laser and show the improvements obtained in term of acquisition, stability, reliability and performance.

Sodium guide star technologies for Adaptive Optics (AO) have been around for over 20 years. During this time, the technologies for the lasers used to excite the mesospheric sodium have been in constant development, with the goals being not only to excite as much sodium as possible, but to do so efficiently, while producing a round guide star, and while offering a reliable facility. The first lasers in use were dye lasers with a liquid gain medium, while these lasers were able to produce sodium guide stars, the liquid dye used was toxic and flammable. The second generation of guide star lasers used sum-frequency-mixed solid-state lasers. These lasers provided excellent return but were notoriously difficult to calibrate and maintain, requiring a full-time laser engineer on staff. The current third generation of sodium guide star lasers use Raman fiber amplification to generate a laser that is very efficient at exciting sodium with a good spot profile and offer a high degree of reliability. The Gemini South observatory for the last few years has been in the process of obtaining one of these third-generation lasers, a Toptica Sodium Star 20/2 while maintaining its second-generation Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies (LMCT) 50W CW Mode-locked laser. In October of 2017 successful on-sky commissioning of the Toptica laser was executed while the LMCT laser was still active and in operations. During the course of the commissioning run both lasers were used on sky in close in time in possible. We present a comparative study of the performance of each laser.

GMOS-S has been recently upgraded with Hamamatsu deep depletion CCDs, replacing the original EEV detector array. The new CCDs have superior quantum efficiency (QE) at wavelengths longer than 680nm, with significant sensitivity extending beyond 1 micron. Furthermore, the fringing level in GMOS-S data is now much lower due to the much thicker CCDs, additionally improving delivered sensitivity above that afforded by quantum efficiency alone. Soon after the Hamamatsu CCDs were installed in June 2014, some issues were noticed that impacted the ability to execute some science programs. In October 2015 the ARC controller electronics were upgraded and a cable was replaced, and since November 2015 GMOS-S has again been taking science data with the Hamamatsu detectors with no sign of the previous limitations. We present the results of the GMOS-S on-sky commissioning of the Hamamatsu detector array, and provide an update on the status of the GMOS-N portion of the project.

Founded on the assumption of surface consistency, reflection‐based residual‐statics correct for the time distortions in seismic data arising from rapid near‐surface variations. The assumption is founded on a vertical‐path, ray‐theoretical model of wave propagation in the near surface. Since ray theory does not hold for models with rapid spatial variation, we resort to finite‐difference modeling to study the influence of wave‐theoretical aspects on the character of time distortions and the validity of the surface‐consistency assumption. For near‐surface models that are admittedly simple and idealized, we find that the character of time distortions is highly influenced by a wavefront‐healing phenomenon whose strength depends on the ratio of the size of the frequency‐dependent Fresnel zone to the wavelength of lateral variation in the model. As experienced in practice, the quality of the surface‐consistency assumption degrades with increasing ratio of spreadlength to reflector depth. The validity of the assumption is best for longer‐wavelength anomalies in a weathering layer that is relatively thin. Wavefront healing, however, limits significantly the time‐distortion problem where the weathering layer is relatively thick. Interestingly, wavefront healing also helps to reduce the size of the time‐distortion problem when the velocity in the surface layer is large relative to that in the layers beneath, such as in areas of permafrost.

The Gemini Multi-conjugate adaptive optics System (GeMS) at the Gemini South telescope in Cerro Pach{\'o}n is the first sodium-based multi-Laser Guide Star (LGS) adaptive optics system. It uses five LGSs and two deformable mirrors to measure and compensate for atmospheric distortions. The GeMS project started in 1999, and saw first light in 2011. It is now in regular operation, producing images close to the diffraction limit in the near infrared, with uniform quality over a field of view of two square arcminutes. The present paper (I) is the first one in a two-paper review of GeMS. It describes the system, explains why and how it was built, discusses the design choices and trade-offs, and presents the main issues encountered during the course of the project. Finally, we briefly present the results of the system first light., Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRAS

The Gemini Observatory is going through an extraordinary time with astronomical instrumentation. New powerful capabilities are delivered and are soon entering scientific operations. In parallel, new instruments are being planned and designed to align the strategy with community needs and enhance the competitiveness of the Observatory for the next decade. We will give a broad overview of the instrumentation program, focusing on achievements, challenges and strategies within a scientific, technical and management perspective. In particular we will discuss the following instruments and projects (some will have dedicated detailed papers in this conference): GMOS-CCD refurbishment, FLAMINGOS-2, GeMS (MCAO system and imager GSAOI), GPI, new generation of A&G, GRACES (fiber feed to CFHT ESPaDOnS) and GHOS (Gemini High-resolution Optical Spectrograph), and provide some updates about detector controllers, mid-IR instruments, Altair, GNIRS, GLAO and future workhorse instruments.

The availability of techniques such as surgical reperfusion, angioplasty, and thrombolysis for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has revived interest in seeking an early detectable biochemical marker diagnostic for AMI. Therefore, we investigated whether an unidentified oxidase that is released by activated neutrophils at the onset of AMI could be used as an early diagnostic assay. The conversion by plasma oxidase of 1 μM of adrenaline to 1 μM of adrenochrome represents the plasma oxidase activity (POA) of 1 U/L. Fifty patients suspected of having AMI, 40% of whose electrocardiograms were nondiagnostic for AMI, were admitted to the coronary care unit, and venous blood samples were obtained for determination of the POA and creatine phosphokinase-MB levels. Healthy volunteers (n = 12) served as control subjects, and 8 patients with pneumonia whose leukocyte counts were greater than 15,000 μL were included in the study. In those with AMI (n = 22), as determined by serial creatine phosphokinase-MB, the mean POA (± standard error of the mean) was 233 ± 13 U/L, and in those with angina and no AMI (n = 28) was 127 ± 5 U/L (P < 0.0001). In the control group, mean POA (± standard error of the mean) was 84 ± 5 U/L (control versus angina; s 0.01) and for those with infection was 214 ± 10 U/L. At admission, the creatine phosphokinase-MB was diagnostic for only 12 of the 22 patients with AMI (sensitivity rate of 54%), whereas in 21 of those patients, the POA values were diagnostic for AMI (sensitivity rate of 95%). Determination of POA may represent an alternative sensitive method to screen for AMI or ischemia in patients with anginal symptoms and no evidence of acute infection.

OBJECTIVE:To report the first five cases of amphotericin B overdose with secondary cardiac complications in a pediatric population. Treatment is also presented.SETTING:Hospital.PATIENTS:Two infants and three children inpatients receiving amphotericin B.INTERVENTIONS AND RESULTS:Cardiac complications were observed in five pediatric patients who received between 4.6 and 40.8 mg/kg/d of amphotericin B. Cardiac arrest occurred in all patients, and four patients died. A detailed description of the cardiac event is provided for one patient who was on a cardiac monitor during the adverse reaction. Hydrocortisone prophylaxis and verapamil therapy were the primary therapies used in patient 1 (the only survivor). Evaluation of the literature provides substantial evidence for the use of hydrocortisone in prevention of cardiac arrhythmias.CONCLUSIONS:Amphotericin B overdose can be fatal in children and infants. The presentation in humans appears similar to that in dogs where cardiac arrhythmias occurred at doses of 5–15 mg/kg. Hydrocortisone may decrease the incidence of mortality associated with cardiac arrhythmias in children receiving amphotericin B overdoses. Animal studies are necessary to evaluate this observation and potential disadvantages of hydrocortisone usage.

The Gemini Observatory is continuing in the preliminary design stages of upgrading the micro-controller and related data acquisition components for the Secondary Mirror Tip/tilt System (M2TS). The Gemini North M2TS has surpassed a decade of service in the scientific community, yet the designs at both sites are nearly twenty years old and maintenance costs continue to increase. The next generation M2TS acquisition system takes a look at today's more common practices such as alternatives to VME, and the use of Industry Pack modules and high-rate data logging. An overview of the refactored software design will be described including the use of The Real-Time Executive for Multiprocessor Systems, or RTEMS, as the operating system of choice to meet the real-time performance requirements.

GeMS (the Gemini Multi-conjugated adaptive optics System) is a facility instrument for the Gemini-South telescope. It will deliver a uniform, diffraction-limited image quality at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths over an extended FoV or more than 1 arcmin across. GeMS is a unique and challenging project from the technological point of view and because of its control complexity. The system includes 5 laser guide stars, 3 natural guide stars, 3 deformable mirrors optically conjugated at 0, 4.5 and 9km and 1 tip-tilt mirror. After 10 years since the beginning of the project, GeMS is finally reaching a state in which all the subsystems have been received, integrated and, in the large part, tested. In this paper, we report on the progress and current status of the different sub-systems with a particular emphasis on the calibrations, control and optimization of the AO bench.

This paper analyzes the role of standing facilities in the determination of the demand for reserves in the overnight money market. The paper shows how central banks could use the position of the main refinancing rate with respect to the deposit and lending rates as a policy tool to control the demand for excess reserves by depository institutions. Furthermore, it illustrates how the existence of fine-tuning operations at the end of the reserve maintenance period significantly affects the ability of the central bank to influence the demand for reserves.

The Laser Service Enclosure (LSE) is an environmentally controlled ISO 7 clean room designed to house, protect and provide environmental control for the Gemini South multi-conjugate adaptive optics laser system. The LSE is 8.0 meters long, 2.5 meters wide and 2.5 meters high with a mass of approximately 5,100 kg. The LSE shall reside on a new telescope Nasmyth platform named the Support Structure (SS). The SS is a three-dimensional beam and frame structure designed to support the LSE and laser system under all loading conditions. This paper will review the system requirements and describe the system hardware including optical, environmental, structural and operational issues as well as the anticipated impact the system will have on the current telescope performance.

Background Nurses are often responsible for placement of large-bore gastric tubes. Tube misplacement into the lungs is a potential complication with serious sequelae. The reliability of common bedside methods for differentiating between pulmonary and gastric placement has not been acceptable. Objective To compare the accuracy of capnometry (colorimetric indicator of end-tidal carbon dioxide) and air insufflation/auscultation with the accuracy of radiography in detecting the location of gastric tubes. Methods A prospective convenience sample of insertions of Salem sump gastric tubes was studied. Tubes were inserted by nurses according to the unit’s standard procedure, and air insufflation/auscultation, capnometry, and radiography were used to detect the position of the tubes. Results obtained with each of the methods were compared. Results A total of 91 tube placements were studied in 69 patients. No radiographically documented instances of lung placement occurred. Capnometry incorrectly indicated 15 of 91 gastric placements (16%) as placements in the lung. Air insufflation/auscultation incorrectly indicated 5 of 91 gastric placements (5%) as placements in the lung. Conclusions Neither air insufflation nor capnometry is a fail-safe method for determining placement of gastric tubes. Radiography remains the preferred method.

We propose a comprehensive methodology to characterize the business cycle comovements across European economies and some industrialized countries, always trying to ‘let the data speak’. Out of this framework, we propose a novel method to show that there is no ‘Euro economy’ that acts as an attractor to the other economies of the area. We show that the relative comovements across EU economies are prior to the establishment of the Monetary Union. We are able to explain an important proportion of the distances across their business cycles using macro-variables related to the structure of the economy, to the directions of trade, and to the size of the public sector. Finally, we show that the distances across countries that belong to the European Union are smaller than the distances across newcomers.

A very low cost fast tip-tilt secondary mirror has been implemented on the NOAO Blanco 4m Telescope located on Cerro Tololo, Chile. The secondary mirror is an 800-mm diameter Cervit mirror, lightweighted to 92 kg and polished to match the optical quality of the existing 4.0-m primary. The final focal ratio is 14.5. The secondary mirror is mounted in a cell which provided high torsional inertia and stiffness. This mirror cell drew heavily from an existing secondary mirror cell, which had been built for the Blanco Telescope many years ago but never used. Modifying an existing mirror cell provided significant cost savings. The mirror is axially attached to this cell via three piezo electric actuators, which are computer driven to provide the tip-tilt corrections required. A mercury band provides radial support. Unlike most tip-tilt systems, this secondary is not momentum compensated. Tests have shown that the telescope is unaffected by the reaction forces induced by motion of the secondary mirror. Eliminating the momentum compensating system makes the mechanical design simple, reliable and inexpensive. The system will normally operate at frequencies in the range of 10 to 40 Hz with only very small amplitudes at the higher frequencies. When operated as part of a closed loop feedback system using a fast CCD camera operating at 240 Hz the RMS image motion of stars is reduced to 0.02 arcseconds. All image motion at frequencies lower than 25 - 30 Hz is removed.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

The 4 m telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory has recently been fitted with an active optics system. As with the NTT and other active-optics telescopes, coma is corrected by tilting the secondary mirror while the other low-order aberrations are removed by deforming the primary mirror. The modifications to the telescope include a new computer- controlled collimation/focus unit for the secondary mirror, and the conversion to active control of the 33 axial supports for the primary mirror. The system works quite well, in spite of having been built at low cost and having to deal with an `old technology' thick primary mirror. We describe here the hardware and software control approach, along with the first results following installation.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

This paper describes the Cerro Tololo Infrared Spectometer (IRS), a general purpose cooled-grating spectrometer designed for 4-m and 1.5-m telescopes, which was recently upgraded to operate with the Santa Barbara Research Center 62 x 58 InSb array. Special attention is given to the optical and the mechanical designs of the IRS, its data acquisition and instrument control systems, and the operation characteristics of the instrument and the dewar. The updated IRS provides resolutions from about 0.9 micron to 5 microns.