Event reconstruction for KM3NeT/ORCA using convolutional neural networks

The KM3NeT research infrastructure is currently under construction at two locations in the Mediterranean Sea. The KM3NeT/ORCA water-Cherenkov neutrino detector off the French coast will instrument several megatons of seawater with photosensors. Its main objective is the determination of the neutrino mass ordering. This work aims at demonstrating the general applicability of deep convolutional neural networks to neutrino telescopes, using simulated datasets for the KM3NeT/ORCA detector as an example. To this end, the networks are employed to achieve reconstruction and classification tasks that constitute an alternative to the analysis pipeline presented for KM3NeT/ORCA in the KM3NeT Letter of Intent. They are used to infer event reconstruction estimates for the energy, the direction, and the interaction point of incident neutrinos. The spatial distribution of Cherenkov light generated by charged particles induced in neutrino interactions is classified as shower- or track-like, and the main background processes associated with the detection of atmospheric neutrinos are recognized. Performance comparisons to machine-learning classification and maximum-likelihood reconstruction algorithms previously developed for KM3NeT/ORCA are provided. It is shown that this application of deep convolutional neural networks to simulated datasets for a large-volume neutrino telescope yields competitive reconstruction results and performance improvements with respect to classical approaches

Event reconstruction for KM3NeT/ORCA using convolutional neural networks

The KM3NeT research infrastructure is currently under construction at two locations in the Mediterranean Sea. The KM3NeT/ORCA water-Cherenkov neutrino de tector off the French coast will instrument several megatons of seawater with photosensors. Its main objective is the determination of the neutrino mass ordering. This work aims at demonstrating the general applicability of deep convolutional neural networks to neutrino telescopes, using simulated datasets for the KM3NeT/ORCA detector as an example. To this end, the networks are employed to achieve reconstruction and classification tasks that constitute an alternative to the analysis pipeline presented for KM3NeT/ORCA in the KM3NeT Letter of Intent. They are used to infer event reconstruction estimates for the energy, the direction, and the interaction point of incident neutrinos. The spatial distribution of Cherenkov light generated by charged particles induced in neutrino interactions is classified as shower-or track-like, and the main background processes associated with the detection of atmospheric neutrinos are recognized. Performance comparisons to machine-learning classification and maximum-likelihood reconstruction algorithms previously developed for KM3NeT/ORCA are provided. It is shown that this application of deep convolutional neural networks to simulated datasets for a large-volume neutrino telescope yields competitive reconstruction results and performance improvements with respect to classical approaches

Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Infections in Geriatric Hospitalized Patients before and after the COVID-19 Outbreak: Results from a Retrospective Observational Study in Two Geriatric Wards

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess prevalence, etiology, and association with mortality of MDR bacteria in older adult patients before and after the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. An observational retrospective study was conducted in two geriatric wards of the Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti Marche Nord, Fano, and of the INRCA, IRCCS, Ancona, in the Marche Region, Italy, from December 2019 to February 2020 and from May to July 2020. A total of 73 patients (mean age 87.4 ± 5.9, 27.4% men) and 83 cultures (36 pre-COVID-19 and 47 post-COVID-19) were considered. Overall, 46 cultures (55.4%) reported MDR bacteria (50% in pre- and 59.6% in post-COVID-19 period, p = 0.384). MDR bacteria in bloodstream significantly increased in post-COVID-19 period (68.8% vs. 40.0% p = 0.038) and MDR bacteria in urine did not change (51.6 vs. 54.8%, p = 0.799). Escherichia coli was the main MDR bacterium in pre-COVID-19, p = 0.082 and post-COVID-19, p = 0.026. Among patients with MDR infection, in-hospital mortality was 37.5% and 68.8% in pre- and post-COVID-19, respectively (p = 0.104), and mortality at 30 days was higher in post-COVID-19 period (78.9% vs. 27.3%, p = 0.012). An increased number of MDR bacteria in bloodstream and mortality after MDR infection have been observed in the post-COVID-19 period

Potentially preventable visits to the emergency department in older adults: Results from a national survey in Italy.

Despite older adults use emergency department more appropriately than other age groups, there is a significant share of admissions that can be considered potentially preventable.To identify socio-demographic characteristics and health care resources use of older adults admitted to emergency department for a potentially preventable visit.Data come from the Multipurpose Survey "Health conditions and use of health services", edition 2012-2013. A stratified multi-stage probability design was used to select a sample using municipal lists of households.50474 community dwelling Italians were interviewed. In this analysis, 27003 subjects aged 65 years or older were considered.Potentially preventable visits were defined as an emergency department visit that did not result in inpatient admission. Independent variables were classified based on the socio-behavioral model of Andersen-Newman. Descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model were developed.In the twelve months before the interview 3872 subjects (14.3%) had at least one potentially preventable visit. Factors associated with an increased risk of a potentially preventable visit were older age (75-84 years: OR 1.096, CI 1.001-1.199; 85+years: OR 1.022, CI 1.071-1.391), at least one hospital admission (OR 3.869, IC 3.547-4.221), to waive a visit (OR 1.188, CI 1.017-1.389) or an exam (OR 1.300, CI 1.077-1.570). Factors associated with a lower risk were female gender (OR 0.893, CI 0.819-0.975), area of residence (Center: OR 0.850; CI 0.766-0.943; Islands: OR 0.617, CI 0.539-0.706, South: OR 0.560; CI 0.505-0.622), private paid assistance (OR 0.761, CI 0.602-0.962); a better health-related quality of life (PCS score 46-54: OR 0.744, CI 0.659-0.841; PCS score >55: OR 0.746, CI 0.644-0.865).Our study identified several characteristics associated with an increased risk of potentially preventable visits to the emergency department. This might allow the development of specific interventions to prevent the access of at risk subjects to the emergency department

Potentially preventable visits to the emergency department in older adults: Results from a national survey in Italy

Despite older adults use emergency department more appropriately than other age groups, there is a significant share of admissions that can be considered potentially preventable.To identify socio-demographic characteristics and health care resources use of older adults admitted to emergency department for a potentially preventable visit.Data come from the Multipurpose Survey "Health conditions and use of health services", edition 2012-2013. A stratified multi-stage probability design was used to select a sample using municipal lists of households.50474 community dwelling Italians were interviewed. In this analysis, 27003 subjects aged 65 years or older were considered.Potentially preventable visits were defined as an emergency department visit that did not result in inpatient admission. Independent variables were classified based on the socio-behavioral model of Andersen-Newman. Descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model were developed.In the twelve months before the interview 3872 subjects (14.3%) had at least one potentially preventable visit. Factors associated with an increased risk of a potentially preventable visit were older age (75-84 years: OR 1.096, CI 1.001-1.199; 85+years: OR 1.022, CI 1.071-1.391), at least one hospital admission (OR 3.869, IC 3.547-4.221), to waive a visit (OR 1.188, CI 1.017-1.389) or an exam (OR 1.300, CI 1.077-1.570). Factors associated with a lower risk were female gender (OR 0.893, CI 0.819-0.975), area of residence (Center: OR 0.850; CI 0.766-0.943; Islands: OR 0.617, CI 0.539-0.706, South: OR 0.560; CI 0.505-0.622), private paid assistance (OR 0.761, CI 0.602-0.962); a better health-related quality of life (PCS score 46-54: OR 0.744, CI 0.659-0.841; PCS score >55: OR 0.746, CI 0.644-0.865).Our study identified several characteristics associated with an increased risk of potentially preventable visits to the emergency department. This might allow the development of specific interventions to prevent the access of at risk subjects to the emergency department

Work exposure to urban pollutants and urinary homovanillic acid

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether traffic policemen exposed to urban pollutants could be at risk of alterations on urinary homovanillic acid in 24h HVA(U) excretion levels, an end product of dopamine catabolism, compared with a control group. Traffic policemen were matched by sex, age, and working life with control group after excluding principal confounding factors; 50 traffic policemen (29 men and 21 women) with outdoor activity exposed to urban pollutants and 50 not exposed subjects (29 men and 21 women) with indoor activity were included in the study, The HVA(U) excretion levels were significantly higher in male and female traffic policemen compared to not exposed subjects (respectively P=0.003; P=0.023). The authors hypothesize an effect on the excretion of HVA(U) in traffic policemen exposed to chemical and physical stressors, according to HVA(U) modifications found by other authors in workers exposed in factories

Assessment of subjective stress in the municipal police force at the start and at the end of the shift

The aim of this study was to assess subjective stress in the municipal police force of a large Italian city by administering the Rapid Stress Assessment (RSA) Scale, a self-rated tool, in order to identify any possible differences between the start and the end of the shift. Two samples of 100 exposed traffic police officers and 100 non-exposed office-workers of both sexes were assessed. The subjects were interviewed on a working day, at the start (6.45 a.m.) and end (2 p.m.) of their shift. The analysis of the data showed a significantly higher total score, as well as scores in the anxiety and aggressiveness clusters at the end of the shift both in traffic police officers and in office-workers compared to those recorded at the start of the shift. The RSA ‘somatization’ cluster was only significantly higher at the end of the shift in traffic police officers with respect to the start of the shift. A gender analytical framework showed a higher score among separated or divorced women with children. The results could be taken to mean that the stressors have, throughout the working day, an ‘exhausting’ effect and the subject feels ‘down’, despite having finished his/her work for the day

The earlier the better: health-related quality of life is inversely related to age of smoking cessation in older former Italian smokers

BACKGROUND: Quitting smoking has several health benefits, including an improvement in health-related quality of life. It is not well established if there is a relationship between the age when people stop smoking and health-related quality of life in older adults. AIMS: The primary aim was to investigate the relationship between health-related quality of life and the age when people quit smoking in a national representative sample of community-dwelling older Italian adults. The secondary aim was to describe the characteristics of older former smokers according to their age when they stopped smoking. METHODS: Data were drawn from the "Health and use of health care in Italy", a national cross-sectional survey (2004-2005). Seven thousand five hundred and sixty-two former smokers, aged 65 years and older, were evaluated by age of smoking cessation. Socio-demographic characteristics, physical activity, the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) score and its physical (PCS-12) and mental (MCS-12) component summary scores, disability and comorbidities were analyzed. RESULTS: Educational level, marital status and area of residence were associated with a different age of smoking cessation, as a higher level of disability and comorbidity. PCS-12 (β -0.144; p < 0.001) and MCS-12 (β -0.077; p < 0.001) component scores were lower in subjects who quit smoking later. The relationship was confirmed for the PCS-12 score even after adjustment for socio-demographic, disability and clinical variables (β -0.031; p < 0.001), while it disappeared for the MCS-12 score (β -0.010, p = 0.307), after adjustment for comorbidities. CONCLUSION: Physical and mental health-related quality of life is influenced by the age of smoking cessation in older individuals, but this relationship is influenced by comorbidities, particularly depression. Some individual characteristics are related to the age of the person when he/she quit smoking