Smooth Lasso Estimator for the Function-on-Function Linear Regression Model

A new estimator, named as S-LASSO, is proposed for the coefficient function of a functional linear regression model where values of the response function, at a given domain point, depends on the full trajectory of the covariate function. The S-LASSO estimator is shown to be able to increase the interpretability of the model, by better locating regions where the coefficient function is zero, and to smoothly estimate non-zero values of the coefficient function. The sparsity of the estimator is ensured by a functional LASSO penalty whereas the smoothness is provided by two roughness penalties. The resulting estimator is proved to be estimation and pointwise sign consistent. Via an extensive Monte Carlo simulation study, the estimation and predictive performance of the S-LASSO estimator are shown to be better than (or at worst comparable with) competing estimators already presented in the literature before. Practical advantages of the S-LASSO estimator are illustrated through the analysis of the well known \textit{Canadian weather} and \textit{Swedish mortality dat

Functional clustering methods for resistance spot welding process data in the automotive industry

Quality assessment of resistance spot welding (RSW) joints of metal sheets in the automotive industry is typically based on costly and lengthy off-line tests that are unfeasible on the full production, especially on large scale. However, the massive industrial digitalization triggered by the industry 4.0 framework makes available, for every produced joint, on-line RSW process parameters, such as, in particular, the so-called dynamic resistance curve (DRC), which is recognized as the full technological signature of the spot welds. Motivated by this context, the present paper means to show the potentiality and the practical applicability to clustering methods of the functional data approach that avoids the need for arbitrary and often controversial feature extraction to find out homogeneous groups of DRCs, which likely pertain to spot welds sharing common mechanical and metallurgical properties. We intend is to provide an essential hands-on overview of the most promising functional clustering methods, and to apply the latter to the DRCs collected from the RSW process at hand, even if they could go far beyond the specific application hereby investigated. The methods analyzed are demonstrated to possibly support practitioners along the identification of the mapping relationship between process parameters and the final quality of RSW joints as well as, more specifically, along the priority assignment for off-line testing of welded spots and the welding tool wear analysis. The analysis code, that has been developed through the software environment R, and the DRC data set are made openly available online at https://github.com/unina-sfere/funclustRSW

The anatomy as the basis of new ways for the dissemination of clinical information. Implementation of a system of anatomical data related to the mastication within the technology of cloud computing

Chewing is one of the most important functional movement of the stomatognathic system. It ‘a highly coordinated neuromuscular motor function, characterized by mandibular movements with a fast and continuous adaptation of the modulation strength. The information resulting from the masticatory pattern, in fact, are important to diagnose the functional status of the patient, such as repeatability and variability of the mandibular movement, neuromuscular coordination between the right and left side, or the ability to adapt to the load during chewing a hard bolus. In the context of scientific research, there is a constant demand for new applications to take advantage of the more technologically advanced clinical information. In this perspective the anatomy is presented as a basis for the study and the ‘integration of medical imaging techniques aimed at creating a system of Cloud Computing, able to process and store data. In our study, we found patients with craniomandibular disorders and chewing. Patients underwent an MRI Philips Achieva 3T, at IRCSS “Neurolesi”. The protocol included a MRI, fMRI and DTI, then the data obtained were processed processed and finally stored. On this basis we observe as the multimodal integration of different imaging modalities allows for numerous clinical data that favor a proper diagnosis, which is useful for the planning of an effective therapy. In addition, the cloud computing system allows the shari

funcharts: Control charts for multivariate functional data in R

Modern statistical process monitoring (SPM) applications focus on profile monitoring, i.e., the monitoring of process quality characteristics that can be modeled as profiles, also known as functional data. Despite the large interest in the profile monitoring literature, there is still a lack of software to facilitate its practical application. This article introduces the funcharts R package that implements recent developments on the SPM of multivariate functional quality characteristics, possibly adjusted by the influence of additional variables, referred to as covariates. The package also implements the real-time version of all control charting procedures to monitor profiles partially observed up to an intermediate domain point. The package is illustrated both through its built-in data generator and a real-case study on the SPM of Ro-Pax ship CO2 emissions during navigation, which is based on the ShipNavigation data provided in the Supplementary Material

Hippotherapy improves gait and balance in Down Syndrome

Patients with Down syndrome (DS) present delays in motor development, showing a unique pattern of locomotion in clinical settings. Hippotherapy (HBR) is a field of rehabilitation therapy to achieve physical, social, and psychological well-being through therapeutic horse riding, providing a new stimulus related to gait and may helping balance and postural control [1], [2]. Herein, we have enrolled fifteen male individuals affected by DS, aged from 19 to 36 years old. All patients were vaccinated for tetanus and previously screened for any contraindications to practice HBR. The HBR protocol included a six-months period of horseback riding exercise, performed weekly. Before, during and after the study period, functional mobility, strength and performance in balance were assessed by Time Up and Go Test (TUG), 30s Chair-Stand-Test (30CST), MRC-scale and the Berg-Balance-Scale (BBS). Furthermore, the OPTO-Gait for dynamic analysis and the Diasu Ultrasensor systems for static analysis were applied at the same timepoints, in order to assess the HBR effects on movement reaction time, muscle activation, functional mobility, muscle strength and balance in DS. In conclusion, we provided objective clinical data on the role of HBR to determine a functional improvement on gait speed, rhythm, width, bilateral symmetry, gross motor function and balance in DS

Use of Immunofluorescence Technique to Perform a Quantitative Analysis of Masseter Muscle Fibers in Unilateral Posterior Crossbite: A Pilot Study

Unilateral posterior crossbite is a type of malocclusion that involves morpho-functional characteristics of masticatory muscle, such as the masseter: electrophysiological data have shown that the affected side works less than the contralateral muscle, which shows a normal or increased activity, probably in order to compensate for the affected side. The aim of present work was to measure the diameter and the cross-sectional area of ipsilateral and contralateral muscle fibers to verify if hypertrophy and/or hypotrophy take place in this malocclusion. We used immunofluorescence pictures to measure, using ImageJ software, the diameter and the cross-sectional area of fibers from control and crossbite groups; after that, the data were processed to perform statistical analyses. Results show that the fiber diameters of contralateral muscle are larger than the diameters of ipsilateral and control fibers, and that this difference is statistically significant. No statistically significant difference was found between the fiber diameters of the ipsilateral and control muscles. All these data suggest that, during unilateral posterior crossbite, morphological changes take place in the contralateral masseter muscle, which undergoes hypertrophy, probably to compensate for the low activity of the affected muscle

New applications of Diffusion Tensor Imaging techniques in the morphological evaluation of healthy and injured muscles

Purpose of this study was to evaluate a new approach with a DTI technique for the study of architecture of healthy and injured striated muscle tissue in cases of strain injury. DTI technique allows to highlight the magnitude and direction of the diffusion of water molecules in tissues and it becomes an indicator of the functional organization, allowing the identification of connections between the different structures showing any pathological changes. Currently this technique is routinely used in the study of CNS but recently it has also been proposed in the morphological evaluation of skeletal muscle. The application of this technique allows us to detect the presence of anomalies such as the alteration and displacement of the muscle bundles [1,2] and could play a crucial role not only in diagnosis but also in managing the rehabilitation of muscle injuries. The entire study was performed using a 3T Achieva Philips scanner; a SENSE 8 channels head coil, acquiring DTI sequence and T1 weighted 3D TFE. DTI was performed in 10 men with a strain injuries (grade I or II) in the lower limb muscles previously diagnosed by ultrasound examination. For each patient, we analyzed both healthy and injured limbs. The examination performed in the acute phase (within ten days from the injury) showed the presence of an area of oedema or haemorrhage of variable size. The perilesional area, if compared to healthy tissue, showed a marked alteration of the alignment of fibers. The examination carried out at a distance of 15-20 days showed a progressive reduction in the extent of haemorrhage that highlighted the structural alterations of the injured area, and noted a reduction in muscle fiber size of the affected muscle. The DTI provides detailed information on anatomical alterations in muscles strain and therefore may play a crucial role in diagnostic classification of the lesions. The evaluation of the scar may also be used to evaluate the healing has occurred not only from the clinical but also from anatomical perspective

Sarcoglycan sub-complex in the adipose organ: a molecular and immunofluorescence study

The sarcoglycan sub-complex (SGC) is made up of six glycoproteins which connect the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix in skeletal muscle. Recent data show that this complex is also expressed in epithelial tissue such as gingival, breast and prostatic ones [1]. The adipose organ is organized in multiple fat depots consisting of white and brown adipose cells. White adipocytes can store energy in triglycerides; brown adipocytes can dissipate energy for thermogenesis. It has been demonstrated that white adipocytes transdifferentiate to brown adipocytes after cold exposure [3]. In this study we examined the expression of sarcoglycans (SGs) in the adipose organ from two groups of mice: the first group was exposed at 25 C°, as control, and the second one was exposed at low temperature (4 C°) for 24 hours and 4 days. Fat depots from the visceral and interscapular region, but also from the mammary gland, have been examined by histological, immunofluorescence and molecular techniques. Results have shown that SGC is expressed in the adipose organ, both in brown and white adipocytes of mice exposed at 25 C°. The main results is that the expression level of all sarcoglycans increase in cold exposure experiment. For the first time the expression of all SGs in the adipose organ has been demonstrated, both at mRNA and protein levels. Since we found an increase in SGs expression after transdifferentiation from white to brown adipocytes cold exposure induced, we hypothesize that sarcoglycans could be associated with β3 adrenergic receptor; sarcoglycans associations with other receptors, as GABAr, has been already demonstrated in central nervous system. Although that, the function of these glycoproteins in the adipose organ remain still unclear and further investigation are required

Mandibular bone and gingival epithelium during bisphosphonates treatment: an experimental study

Bisphosphonates (BP) are stable analogues of pyrophosphate with a P-C-P structure and 2 side chains attached to the carbon atom. Intravenous bisphosphonates are primarily used and effective in the management of cancer-related conditions in the context of solid tumors, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. Moreover bisphosphonates are subministred to patients with metabolic bone disease such as osteoporosis and Paget disease. Bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaws (BONJ) is a really complication of intravenous bisphosphonates therapy in patients with cancer. It is common knowledge that the jaws have a greater blood supply than other bones and a fasterbone turnover rate, related both to their daily activity and presence of teeth which mandates daily bone remodeling around the periodontal ligament; moreover bisphosphonates toxicity to epithelial cells has been well documented. On this basis, the aim of this experimental study is to evaluate the pathological changes of the mandibular bone and oral mucosa in rat treated with bisphosphonates. In details we have analyzed, by immunoistochemical and scanning electron microscopic methods, biopsy of mandibular bone and of gingival mucosa in rat treated with bisphosphonates after 7, 15, 30, 45, 60 days of assumption of drugs and after 7 and 30 days from the end of the treatment. Our results show great area demineralization bone mixed to normal bone, moreover in the demineralization bone it’s possible to observe numerous micro lacunae. In the correspondence samples of gingival epithelium we observe changes of histological structure and the disappearance of protein adhesion system cells to cells and cells to matrix. On this basis it is intriguing to speculate that the adverse effects of BP on oral epithelium may play a critical role in the initiation of BONJ an “outside-in” hypothesis

An immunohistochemical study of the human periodontal ligament during sperimental orthodontic movement

Orthodontic tooth movement is characterized by remodeling changes in dental and paradental tissues, including dental pulp, periodontal ligament (PDL), alveolar bone, and gingiva. These tissues, when exposed to varying degrees of magnitude, frequency, and duration of mechanical loading, express macroscopic and microscopic changes. The different modification of periodontal ligament during load deformation can be monitored by analysis of the expression of different collagen types, fibronectin and vascular endothelial growth factor. The aim of this study was to evalue PDL collagen types I and IV, fibronectin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) modification induced by application of a precalibrated and constant orthodontic strength at different stages of treatment. For the study we utilized a coilspring NiTi 50 gr. and in vivo samples of 20 maxillaries and mandibular premolars of patients aged from 13 to 18 years subject to orthodontic treatment. These teeth was extracted at 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days from application of force respectively. The extraction of the PDL was effectuated scarifying the radicular surface on the pressure and tension side. The results were compared with periodontal ligament samples of the normal homologous teeth (control). The periodontal ligament samples were fixed in 3% paraformaldehyde in a 0,2M phosphate buffer at pH 7,4. The following primary antibodies were used: anti collagen I, anti collagen IV, anti fibronectin and mouse monoclonal anti-VEGF. Section were then observed and photographed using Zeiss LSM 510 confocal microscope. Were analyzed fluorescence intensity and compared with the control side. The signal of type I collagen is negative in tension and pressure side after 1 day, showed an increased respect to control, in the tension and pressure side, until 7, 14 and 21 days. After this stage in both sides maintained the same values of the control. The immunofluorescence of type IV collagen is negative, in both sides, after 1 and 7 days. At 14, 21 and 28 days from treatment, increased gradually in pressure side and manteined the same values of the control in tension side. The observation of fibronectin showed strongly immunofluorescence at all stages of treatment. After 1, 7 and 14 days the immunofluorescence of VEGF is negative in pressure side, and positive in tension side. In the last observation periods at 21 and 28 days, VEGF signal showing, in both sides, significant increase when compared with the control group. These findings suggest that: the increase of collagen type I and fibronectin could indicate that the solicitation by orthodontic force could determinate an increase of metabolic activity in the periodontal ligament. The rapid modification after the start of tooth movement, suggest that VEGF may be involved in the early stages of periodontal remodeling during orthodontic tooth movement, when occur rapid changes in local blood circulation. The initial decrease of collagen type IV, indicate a loss of vascular component in the early stages of movement infact this protein is localized in perivessel zones