URANUS: Radio Frequency Tracking, Classification and Identification of Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles

Safety and security issues for Critical Infrastructures are growing as attackers adopt drones as an attack vector flying in sensitive airspaces, such as airports, military bases, city centers, and crowded places. Despite the use of UAVs for logistics, shipping recreation activities, and commercial applications, their usage poses severe concerns to operators due to the violations and the invasions of the restricted airspaces. A cost-effective and real-time framework is needed to detect the presence of drones in such cases. In this contribution, we propose an efficient radio frequency-based detection framework called URANUS. We leverage real-time data provided by the Radio Frequency/Direction Finding system, and radars in order to detect, classify and identify drones (multi-copter and fixed-wings) invading no-drone zones. We adopt a Multilayer Perceptron neural network to identify and classify UAVs in real-time, with $90$% accuracy. For the tracking task, we use a Random Forest model to predict the position of a drone with an MSE $\approx0.29$, MAE $\approx0.04$, and $R^2\approx 0.93$. Furthermore, coordinate regression is performed using Universal Transverse Mercator coordinates to ensure high accuracy. Our analysis shows that URANUS is an ideal framework for identifying, classifying, and tracking UAVs that most Critical Infrastructure operators can adopt

A real-time RT-PCR assay for molecular identification and quantitation of feline morbillivirus RNA from biological specimens.

The aim of this study was to develop a real-time RT-PCR to detect and quantitate feline morbillivirus (FeMV) RNA in biological samples. Primers and probe were targeted on a conserved region of FeMV P/V/C gene. To validate the assay with field samples, a total number of specimens of cats have been recruited including 264 urine and blood samples and compared with a generic RT-PCR targeting the L protein encoding gene of morbilliviruses. In addition, 385 tissue samples from 35 carcasses of cats have been also employed. RNA titres were low in all tested samples. Results also indicated the absence of cross-reaction with related morbilliviruses and existing pathogens of cats. However, in tissues with low levels of FeMV RNA, the presence of viral antigen was confirmed by immunohistochemistry targeting the N viral protein. This newly described assay allows for a rapid, accurate and reliable quantitative detection of FeMV RNA that can be applied for diagnostics and research studies

Invasive pleural malignant mesothelioma with rib destruction and concurrent osteosarcoma in a dog

A 7-year-old Dachshund was clinically examined because of a 10-day history of lameness in the left hind limb. On the basis of radiological and cytological findings, an osteosarcoma of the left acetabular region was suspected. The dog underwent a hemipelvectomy and osteosarcoma was diagnosed by subsequent histopathological examination. An immovable subcutaneous mass was noted on the left chest wall during the physical examination and non-septic neutrophilic inflammation was diagnosed by cytology. Forty days later, the dog showed signs of respiratory distress with an in-diameter increase of the subcutaneous mass up to 4 cm. Thoracic radiography and ultrasonography revealed pleural effusion and a lytic process in the fourth left rib. Furthermore, ultrasound examination revealed a mixed echogenic mobile structure with a diameter of around 2 cm floating within the pleural fluid of the left hemithorax close to the pericardium. The dog underwent surgery for an en bloc resection of the subcutaneous mass together with the fourth rib and the parietal pleura. Moreover, the left altered lung lobe, corresponding to the mobile structure detected by ultrasound, was removed. Based on cytological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical examinations, an invasive epithelioid pleural malignant mesothelioma was diagnosed

Post-Meal Glucose Peaks at Home Associate with Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Type 2 Diabetes

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Niobium and Zirconium Phosphates as Green and Water-Tolerant Catalysts for the Acid-Catalyzed Valorization of Bio-Based Chemicals and Real Lignocellulosic Biomasses

Commercial niobium and synthesized zirconium phosphates were tested as water-tolerant heterogeneous acid catalysts in the hydrothermal conversion of different bio-based substrates. Different acid-catalyzed reactions were performed using biomass-derived model compounds and more complex real lignocellulosic biomasses as the substrate. The conversion of glucose and cellulose was preliminarily investigated. Then, a wide plethora of raw lignocellulosic biomasses, such as conifer wood sawdust, Jerusalem artichoke, sorghum, miscanthus, foxtail millet, hemp and Arundo donax, were valorized towards the production of water-soluble saccharides, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), levulinic acid (LA) and furfural. The different catalytic performances of the two phosphates were explained on the basis of their acid features, total acidity, Brønsted/Lewis acid sites ratio and strength. Moreover, a better insight into their structure–acidity relationship was proposed. The different acid properties of niobium and zirconium phosphates enabled us to tune the reaction towards target products, achieving from glucose maximum HMF and LA yields of 24.4 and 24.0 mol%, respectively. Remarkably, when real Jerusalem artichoke biomass was adopted in the presence of niobium and zirconium phosphate, maximum yields of furanic compounds and cellulose-derived sugars of 12.7 and 50.0 mol%, respectively, were obtained, after only 1 h of reaction. The synthesized hydrolysates, which were found to be rich in C5 and C6 carbohydrates, can be better exploited for the cascade production of more added-value bio-products

Aberrant salience in cannabis-induced psychosis: a comparative study

© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Background: Natural Cannabis (NC) and Synthetic Cannabinoids (SCs) use can increase the risk and exacerbate the course of psychotic disorders. These could be influenced by the Aberrant Salience (AS) construct. It refers to an excess of attribution of meaning to stimuli that are otherwise regarded as neutral, thereby transform them into adverse, dangerous, or mysterious entities. This leads the patient to engage in aberrant and consequently incorrect interpretative efforts concerning the normal perception of reality and its relationship with our analytical abilities. AS appears to play a significant role in the onset and perpetuation of psychotic disorders. The internal conflict arising from aberrant attributions of significance leads to delusional thoughts, ultimately culminating in the establishment of a self-sustaining psychosis. Aims: To examine the differences between psychoses course not associated with cannabis use and those associated with NC-use and SCs-use, in terms of psychotic and dissociative symptoms, AS, global functioning and suicidal ideation. Methods: A sample of 62 patients with First Episode Psychosis (FEP) was divided into 3 groups: non cannabis users (non-users, N = 20); NC-users or rather Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) users (THC-users, N = 21); SCs-users, commonly referred to as SPICE-users (SPICE-users, N = 20). Each group underwent assessments at the onset of psychotic symptoms, as well as at the 3 months and 6 months marks, utilizing a range of psychopathological scales. These included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for investigating psychotic symptoms, the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale for assessing overall functioning, the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II) for measuring dissociative symptoms, the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI) for evaluating suicidal ideation and the Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI) scale for gauging AS. Results: SPICE-users showed more severe and persistent positive symptoms, while negative symptoms were mostly represented among non-users. Non-users showed better recovery than SPICE-users in global functioning. All groups showed a decrease in both ASI scores and subscale scores. SPICE-users exhibited higher global AS scores and less improvement in this aspect compared to other groups. Conclusion: This study may help understanding the role of AS in both non-substance-related and substance-induced psychosis. This knowledge may lead clinician to a better diagnosis and identify patient-tailored psychopharmacological treatment.Peer reviewe

DWI-MR and PET-CT Functional Imaging for Boost Tumor Volume Delineation in Neoadjuvant Rectal Cancer Treatment

BACKGROUND/AIM T2 weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is the gold standard for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) staging. The potential benefit of functional imaging, as diffusion-weighted MR (DWI) and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT), could be considered for treatment intensification strategies. Dose intensification resulted in better pathological complete response (pCR) rates. This study evaluated the inter-observer agreement between two radiation oncologists, and the difference in gross tumor volume (GTV) delineation in simulation-CT, T2-MR, DWI-MR, and PET-CT in patients with LARC. PATIENTS AND METHODS Two radiation oncologists prospectively delineated GTVs of 24 patients on simul-CT (CT$_{GTV}$), T2-weighted MR (T2$_{GTV}$), echo planar b1000 DWI (DWI$_{GTV}$) and PET-CT (PET$_{GTV}$). Observers' agreement was assessed using Dice index. Kruskal-Wallis test assessed differences between methods. RESULTS Mean CT$_{GTV}$, T2$_{GTV}$, DWI$_{GTV}$, and PET$_{GTV}$ were 41.3±26.9 cc, 25.9±15.2 cc, 21±14.8 cc, and 37.7±27.7 cc for the first observer, and 42.2±27.9 cc, 27.6±16.9 cc, 19.9±14.9cc, and 34.8±24.3 cc for the second observer, respectively. Mean Dice index was 0.85 for CT$_{GTV}$, 0.84 for T2$_{GTV}$, 0.82 for DWI$_{GTV}$, and 0.89 for PET$_{GTV}$, representative of almost perfect agreement. Kruskal-Wallis test showed a statistically significant difference between methods (p=0.009). Dunn test showed there were differences between DWI$_{GTV}$ vs. PET$_{GTV}$ (p=0.040) and DWI$_{GTV}$ vs. CT$_{GTV}$ (p=0.008). CONCLUSION DWI resulted in smaller volume delineation compared to CT, T2-MR, and PET-CT functional images. Almost perfect agreements were reported for each imaging modality between two observers. DWI-MR seems to remain the optimal strategy for boost volume delineation for dose escalation in patients with LARC

Women with type 1 diabetes gain more weight during pregnancy compared to age-matched healthy women despite a healthier diet. a prospective case-control observational study

Purpose: Women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D), especially those with suboptimal glucose control, have 3-4 greater chances of having babies with birth defects compared to healthy women. We aimed to evaluate glucose control and insulin regimen modifications during the pregnancy of women with T1D, comparing the offspring's weight and the mother's weight change and diet with those of non-diabetic, normal-weight pregnant women. Methods: Women with T1D and age-matched healthy women controls (CTR) were consecutively enrolled among pregnant women with normal weight visiting our center. All patients underwent physical examination and diabetes and nutritional counseling, and completed lifestyle and food intake questionnaires. Results: A total of 44 women with T1D and 34 healthy controls were enrolled. Women with T1D increased their insulin regimen during pregnancy, going from baseline 0.9 ± 0.3 IU/kg to 1.1 ± 0.4 IU/kg (p = 0.009), with a concomitant significant reduction in HbA1c (p = 0.009). Over 50% of T1D women were on a diet compared to < 20% of healthy women (p < 0.001). Women with T1D reported higher consumption of complex carbohydrates, milk, dairy foods, eggs, fruits, and vegetables, while 20% of healthy women never or rarely consumed them. Despite a better diet, women with T1D gained more weight (p = 0.044) and gave birth to babies with higher mean birth weight (p = 0.043), likely due to the daily increase in insulin regimen. Conclusion: A balance between achieving metabolic control and avoiding weight gain is crucial in the management of pregnant women with T1D, who should be encouraged to further improve lifestyle and eating habits with the aim of limiting upward insulin titration adjustments to a minimum

Contribution to the ecology of the Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus)

the italian hare (Lepus corsicanus) is endemic to Central-Southern Italy and Sicily, classified as vulnerable due to habitat alterations, low density and fragmented populations and ecological competition with the sympatric european hare (Lepus europaeus). Despite this status, only few and local studies have explored its ecological features. We provided some key traits of the ecological niche of the italian hare as well as its potential distribution in the italian peninsula. All data derived from genetically validated presences. We generated a habitat suitability model using maximum entropy distribution model for the italian hare and its main competitor, the european hare. the dietary habits were obtained for the italian hare with DnA metabarcoding and High-throughput Sequencing on faecal pellets. The most relevant environmental variables affecting the potential distribution of the italian hare are shared with the european hare, suggesting a potential competition. the variation in the observed altitudinal distribution is statistically significant between the two species.The diet of the Italian hare all year around includes 344 plant taxa accounted by 62 families. The Fagaceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae and Solanaceae (counts > 20,000) represented the 90.22% of the total diet. Fabaceae (60.70%) and Fagaceae (67.47%) were the most abundant plant items occurring in the Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter diets, respectively. the Spring/Summer diet showed richness (N = 266) and diversity index values (Shannon: 2.329, Evenness: 0.03858, Equitability: 0.4169) higher than the Autumn/Winter diet (N = 199, Shannon: 1.818, Evenness: 0.03096, Equitability: 0.3435). Our contribution adds important information to broaden the knowledge on the environmental (spatial and trophic) requirements of the Italian hare, representing effective support for fitting management actions in conservation planning

Providing Reliable FIB Update Acknowledgments in SDN

Impairment of biliverdin reductase-A (BVR-A) is an early event leading to brain insulin resistance in AD. Intranasal insulin (INI) administration is under evaluation as a strategy to alleviate brain insulin resistance; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying INI beneficial effects are still unclear. We show that INI improves insulin signaling activation in the hippocampus and cortex of adult and aged 3×Tg-AD mice by ameliorating BVR-A activation. These changes were associated with a reduction of nitrosative stress, Tau phosphorylation, and Aβ oligomers in brain, along with improved cognitive functions. The role of BVR-A was strengthened by showing that cells lacking BVR-A: (i) develop insulin resistance if treated with insulin and (ii) can be recovered from insulin resistance only if treated with a BVR-A-mimetic peptide. These novel findings shed light on the mechanisms underlying INI treatment effects and suggest BVR-A as potential therapeutic target to prevent brain insulin resistance in AD