Deep transfer learning for machine diagnosis: From sound and music recognition to bearing fault detection

Today’s deep learning strategies require ever‐increasing computational efforts and demand for very large amounts of labelled data. Providing such expensive resources for machine diagnosis is highly challenging. Transfer learning recently emerged as a valuable approach to address these issues. Thus, the knowledge learned by deep architectures in different scenarios can be reused for the purpose of machine diagnosis, minimizing data collecting efforts. Existing research provides evidence that networks pre‐trained for image recognition can classify machine vibrations in the time‐frequency domain by means of transfer learning. So far, however, there has been little discussion about the potentials included in networks pre‐trained for sound recognition, which are inherently suited for time‐frequency tasks. This work argues that deep architectures trained for music recognition and sound detection can perform machine diagnosis. The YAMNet convolutional network was designed to serve extremely efficient mobile applications for sound detection, and it was originally trained on millions of data extracted from YouTube clips. That framework is employed to detect bearing faults for the CWRU dataset. It is shown that transferring knowledge from sound and music recognition to bearing fault detection is successful. The maximum accuracy is achieved using a few hundred data for fine‐tuning the fault diagnosis model

Habitat- and density-dependent demography of a colonial raptor in Mediterranean agro-ecosystems

Agricultural intensification is considered the major cause of decline in farmland bird populations, especially in the Mediterranean region. Food shortage increased by the interaction between agricultural intensification and density-dependent mechanisms could influence the population dynamics of colonial birds. Weused demographic data on lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni), a key species of Mediterranean pseudo-steppes, to understand the importance of land-use changes and density-dependent mechanisms in the light of its fluctuating conservation status in the Western Palearctic. Our analysis indicated an important influence of land uses (artichokes, arable and grassland fields) and colony size on kestrel survival rates. The strong habitat effect revealed the unsuitability of intensive arable lands with respect to extensive grasslands for lesser kestrels. Notably, artichokes, a winterintensive crop, proved to be a high-quality habitat as they were associated with survival values equal to those of grassland. This is likely due to prey availability and reveals that non-traditional crops may provide suitable habitats for lesser kestrels. Information theory gave strong support to the negative influence of colony size on fecundity, albeit a small one, for its positive effect on survival probability. The estimated population growth rate was negative for all three habitats, indicating a decline over time and urging conservation actions in all of the areas studied. This decline was much higher in colonies surrounded by arable fields. In sensitivity analyses, λ indicated that adult survival was the parameter with the greatest effect on population growth, followed by survival of fledglings and fecundity. Our study showed howthe costs and benefits of group living interact with agricultural intensification to drive species demography. In addition, we integrated significant information on one of the largest lesser kestrel populations to fine tune the most effective conservation strategy to prevent the collapse of the species in a relevant part of its range

Il caso di Poggio Meta. Indagini sul versante orientale del colle

Il lavoro illustra i risultati delle indagini archeologiche e di topografia urbana effettuate nell'estate del 2014 sul versante orientale della collina di Poggio Meta, all'interno dell'abitato di Akragas. E' stato messo in luce parte di un isolato, la cui cronologia va dall'età arcaica alla tarda età ellenistica, e, anche in seguito alle indagini da telerilevamento (ripresa a bassa quota da drone e indagini georadar) è stato possibile avanzare delle ipotesi sul piano urbanistico della città, che in questa area presenta due orientamenti sovrapposti e leggermente divergenti, verificando in tal modo alcune ipotesi avanzate nella carta archeologica del Parco di Agrigento

AACVD synthesis of catalytic gold nanoparticle-modified cerium(IV) oxide thin films

Co-deposition of Ce(dbm)4 and NH4AuCl4 precursors in acetone at 500 °C via AACVD results in deposition of crystalline CeO2 thin films containing/decorated with metallic gold. These particles are estimated to be ∼ 70 nm in size via optical methods. Preliminary testing of catalytic activity showed the materials were surprisingly catalytically active given the very small amounts of gold present and the large estimated particle size, although the presence of smaller catalytically active particles could not be discounted

INTEGRATED SURVEY AND SMART NAVIGATION OF COMPLEX TERRITORIAL MODELS

Abstract. The study examines the numerous medieval fortified sites that are in ruins throughout the Sicilian territory. Their landscape and historical value is significant, but they are unfortunately abandoned, not in stable conditions and often no metrically reliable graphic representation exists.The methodology we chose required a combined 3D survey campaign and data processing aimed at obtaining 2D and 3D drawings, as well as a virtual reality application to provide knowledge and virtual fruition of the sites.The entire experimental procedure was optimised to provide multi-scalar readings of the sites under investigation, that include their details, the location, territory, and landscape.The article presents the results of a case study carried out on the Maletto Castle in Sicily (Italy)

Evaluation of the efficacy of animal-assisted therapy based on the reality orientation therapy protocol in Alzheimer's disease patients: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) in elderly patients affected by Alzheimer's disease based on the formal reality orientation therapy (ROT) protocol. METHODS: Our study was carried out at an Alzheimer's centre for 6 months. A homogeneous sample (age, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)) of 50 patients was selected at random and successively. Patients were divided into three groups: (i) 20 patients received a course of AAT (AAT group) based on the ROT protocol; (ii) 20 patients were engaged exclusively in activities based on the ROT group; and (iii) 10 patients (control group) participated in no stimulations. MMSE and GDS were administered at time 0 (T0 ) and time 1 (T1 ) to all three groups. Differences within groups between T0 and T1 for GDS and MMSE scores were analyzed by Student's t-test. Differences between group means were analyzed using an anova test with the Bonferroni-Dunn test for post-hoc comparisons. RESULTS: Both the AAT group and ROT group had improved GDS scores and showed a slight improvement in terms of mood. On the GDS, the AAT group improved from 11.5 (T0 ) to 9.5 (T1 ), and the ROT group improved from 11.6 (T0 ) to 10.5 (T1 ). At the same time, a slight improvement in cognitive function, as measured by the MMSE, was observed. In the AAT group, mean MMSE was 20.2 at T0 and 21.5 at T1 , and in the ROT group, it was 19.9 at T0 and 20.0 at T1 . In the control group, the average values of both the GDS and MMSE remained unchanged. The Bonferroni-Dunn results showed statistically significant differences between groups, particularly between the AAT group and the other two (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Pet therapy interventions based on the formal ROT protocol were effective and, compared to the ROT, provided encouraging and statistically significant results

Distal ureteral stump: case report

Introdution. Distal Ureteral Stump is a residual ureter after total or partial nephrectomy. It is a rare complication and it also appears many years after surgery. Majority of patients are asymptomatic but Literature reports patients with recurrent bacteriuria or haematuria, empyema, stones and tumors (transitional-cell carcinoma or renal-cell carcinoma). We present one case of diseased ureteral stump and surgical strategy. Case Report. We report a case of a patient subjected to retroperitoneoscopic total nephrectomy when he was seven months old for sympthomatic right vesico-ureteral reflux of IV grade and associated renal hypoplasia. These patient presented recurrent urinary infections after 3 years from the surgery and for this reason we performed voiding micturating cystourethrography who revealed the presence of urinary reflux in the DUS. Because of this surgical removal of stump was necessary and during 2 months follow-up was normal and there weren’t surgical complications or UTI. Discussion. Distal Ureteral Stump is a rare complication but possible after nephrectomy and it is due to partial excision of ureter in the distal portion. Recurrent urinary infections are a usefull signal to subspect the presence of DUS and they are due to persistent reflux of urine and dysfunctional voiding (reservoir) resulting in stasis and infections. Therefore in all patients subjected to total or partial nephrectomy with recurrent urinary infections also after years, the presence of DUS should always be suspected and radiological investigation must be performed for accurate managemen

URACHAL CYST: AN UNSPECTED COMPLICATION

The urachus is the remnant of the allantois, which usually becomes obliterated shortly after birth. Urachal remnants due to an incomplete obliteration of different portion of the urachus are rare, but they need to be treated surgically because of their potential for infectious complications and malignant degeneration. We present a case report with an unespected postoperative complication. M.E., a 10 years old boy, came to the Accident and Emergency Department for an acute abdominal pain, without other symptoms, twice in one year. The blood tests, urine sample and voiding cystourethrogram were normal. The ultrasound scan showed a thickened urachal duct. After antibiotic and anti-inflammatory therapy for two weeks, we performed laparoscopic surgery. In the second postoperative day the patient showed abdominal pain and hematuria. An ultrasound scan and a voiding cystourethrogram showed a leak from the dome of bladder. We performed an open surgery to close the defect on the bladder’s dome. The patient was discharged in 10th postoperative day. Now he is healthy. Clinically manifest persistent urachal anomalies are rare, but they carry a risk of recurrent infection and subsequent malignant degeneration. For these reasons the radical excision of the remnant is suggested. Today, due to the large laparoscopic experience, all the reports showed that this technique can be used safely, but we have to pay attention to all steps of the procedure. This case is a paradigmatic situation and it illustrates the importance of a meticulous technique during the excision of urachal remnant. Indeed even if laparoscopic excision could be safe and effective, it is not free of complication

Health indicators construction for damage level assessment in bearing diagnostics: A proposal of an energetic approach based on envelope analysis

Predictive maintenance strategies are established in the industrial context on account of their benefits in terms of costs abatement and machine failures reduction. Among the available techniques, vibration-based condition monitoring (VBCM) has notably been applied in many bearing fault detection problems. The health indicators construction is a central issue for VBCM, since these features provide the necessary information to assess the current machine condition. However, the relation between vibration data and its sources intimately related to bearing damage is not effortlessly definable from a diagnostic perspective. This study discloses a diagnostic investigation performed both on the vibration signal and on the contact pressure signal that is supposed to be one of main forcing terms in the dynamic equilibrium of the damaged bearing. Envelope analysis and spectral kurtosis (SK) are applied to extract and compare diagnostic features from both signals, referring to the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) case-study. Namely, health indicators are constructed by means of physical considerations based on the effect of faults on the signal power contents. These indicators show to be promising not only for damage detection but, also, for damage severity assessment. Moreover, they provide an invaluable reading key of the link occurring between the contact pressure path and the vibration response

HYPERPLASIA OF THYMIC GLAND: LEFT VIDEO-ASSISTED THORACOSCOPIC APPROACH

Hyperplasia of thymic gland is a rare benign entity that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinal masses in children and young adolescents. We report a case of a patient with a thymic mass, diagnosed occasionally for respiratory symptoms and treated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. A previously healthy 10 years-old boy presented to our hospital for retrosternal pain and dyspnea with restriction to daily activities from four months. Diagnostic imaging was performed, including a chest x-ray and a magnetic resonance imaging, showing a large homogeneous anterosuperior mediastinal mass, more extended on the left side. The additional laboratory analysis, considered essential for differential diagnosis with myasthenia gravis and lymphoma, resulted negative. In view of these findings, our patient underwent to video assisted thoracoscopy with left-sided approach for a total resection of thymus and perithymic fat. The patient made an excellent recovery without postoperative complications and was discharged from the hospital four days later. Histopathological examination showed a normal thymic architecture like a true thymic hyperplasia. At follow up, chest x-ray was normal in absence of pleural and parenchimal alterations. Thoracoscopic thymectomy is a safe technique that allows to achieve the goal of early thymectomy with the advantages of less invasive procedure