Automatic generation of affective 3D virtual environments from 2D images

Today, a wide range of domains encompassing, e.g., movie and video game production, virtual reality simulations, augmented reality applications, make a massive use of 3D computer generated assets. Although many graphics suites already offer a large set of tools and functionalities to manage the creation of such contents, they are usually characterized by a steep learning curve. This aspect could make it difficult for non-expert users to create 3D scenes for, e.g., sharing their ideas or for prototyping purposes. This paper presents a computer-based system that is able to generate a possible reconstruction of a 3D scene depicted in a 2D image, by inferring objects, materials, textures, lights, and camera required for rendering. The integration of the proposed system into a well known graphics suite enables further refinements of the generated scene using traditional techniques. Moreover, the system allows the users to explore the scene into an immersive virtual environment for better understanding the current objects’ layout, and provides the possibility to convey emotions through specific aspects of the generated scene. The paper also reports the results of a user study that was carried out to evaluate the usability of the proposed system from different perspectives

Dermacentor marginatus and Dermacentor reticulatus, and Their Infection by SFG Rickettsiae and Francisella-Like Endosymbionts, in Mountain and Periurban Habitats of Northwestern Italy

We investigated the distribution of Dermacentor spp. and their infection by zoonotic bacteria causing SENLAT (scalp eschar neck lymphadenopathy) in Turin province, northwestern Italy. We collected ticks in a mountain and in a periurban park, from vegetation and different animal sources, and we sampled tissues from wild boar. Dermacentor marginatus (n = 121) was collected in both study areas, on vegetation, humans, and animals, while D. reticulatus (n = 13) was exclusively collected on wild boar from the periurban area. Rickettsia slovaca and Candidatus Rickettsia rioja infected 53.1% of the ticks, and R. slovaca was also identified in 11.3% of wild boar tissues. Bartonella spp. and Francisella tularensis were not detected, however, Francisella-like endosymbionts infected both tick species (9.2%). Our findings provide new insights on the current distribution of Dermacentor spp. and their infection with a spotted-fever group rickettsiae in the Alps region. Wild boar seem to play a major role in their eco-epidemiology and dispersion in the study area. Although further studies are needed to assess the burden of rickettsial diseases, our results highlight the risk of contracting SENLAT infection through Dermacentor spp. bites in the region

Handheld Raman Spectroscopy in the First UK Home Office Licensed Pharmacist-Led Community Drug Checking Service

© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Across the world, the interest in point-of-care drug checking as a harm-reduction intervention is growing. This is an attempt to improve intelligence about current drug trends and reduce drug-related morbidity and mortality. In the UK, drug-related harm is increasing exponentially year after year. As such, specialist community treatment services are exploring new methods to improve engagement with people who use drugs (PWUD), who may require support for their problematic drug use. This need has driven the requirement to pilot an on-site, time-responsive, readily available drug-checking service at point-of-support centres. In this study, we piloted the UK’s first Home Office-licensed drug-checking service that was embedded into a community substance-misuse service and had all on-site analysis and harm-reduction interventions led and delivered by pharmacists. We report on the laboratory findings from the associated confirmatory analysis (UHPLC-MS, GC-MS, and 1H NMR) to assess the performance of the on-site hand-held Raman spectrometer and outline the challenges of providing real-time analysis of psychoactive substances in a clinical setting. Whilst acknowledging the limitation of the small sample size (n = 13), we demonstrate the potential suitability of using this technology for the purposes of screening substances in community-treatment services. Portability of equipment and timeliness of results are important and only very small samples may be provided by people who use the service. The challenges of accurately identifying substances from complex mixtures were equally found with both point-of-care Raman spectroscopy and laboratory confirmatory-analysis techniques. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.Peer reviewe

Panic disorder patients and healthy people differently identify their own heart frequency through sound

The file attached to this record is the Publisher's version. Open access journal.The ability to detect the perceptual cues related to cardiac activity is an important aspect related to the onset and maintenance of some psychopathological disorders, such as panic disorder. We tested two groups – panic disorder (PD) patients and healthy participants – in order to examine the ability to estimate participants’ own heart frequency. We used an auditory identification task, based on the administration of auditory tracks representative of ecological sounds of heartbeat. Results showed that all healthy participants underestimated their own heart frequency, whereas the majority of PD patients overestimated it. This different response tendency could influence the development of psychopathologies such as panic disorder. These outcomes suggest the possible development of training for PD patients based on the use of auditory stimulation

Enriched environment reduces glioma growth through immune and non-immune mechanisms in mice

Mice exposed to standard (SE) or enriched environment (EE) were transplanted with murine or human glioma cells and differences in tumour development were evaluated. We report that EE exposure affects: (i) tumour size, increasing mice survival; (ii) glioma establishment, proliferation and invasion; (iii) microglia/macrophage (M/Mφ) activation; (iv) natural killer (NK) cell infiltration and activation; and (v) cerebral levels of IL-15 and BDNF. Direct infusion of IL-15 or BDNF in the brain of mice transplanted with glioma significantly reduces tumour growth. We demonstrate that brain infusion of IL-15 increases the frequency of NK cell infiltrating the tumour and that NK cell depletion reduces the efficacy of EE and IL-15 on tumour size and of EE on mice survival. BDNF infusion reduces M/Mφ infiltration and CD68 immunoreactivity in tumour mass and reduces glioma migration inhibiting the small G protein RhoA through the truncated TrkB.T1 receptor. These results suggest alternative approaches for glioma treatment

Performance of the main technologies demonstrated in the ENVISION project

Within the context of ENVISION project, different technologies have been developed aiming to harvest energy being integrated into the building façade. These technologies have been tested in different demosites with a monitoring phase of around one year in order to assess their performances on-field. The technologies developed within ENVISION and reported in this article are solar façade collectors coupled with Heat Pumps and PV windows. The present paper reports the assessment of the performance of the ENVISION technologies in the different demos. This analysis is carried out through the calculation of normalized KPIs related to four different domains (energy, social, economic, and environmental) and the aggregation of these KPIs in domain scores to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each demo. In all the different demosites, the monitored data have been collected and processed to calculate the most valuable KPIs, which are compared with state-of-the-art values found in the literature to calculate a normalized KPI. Depending on the obtained value of the normalized KPIs a score from 0 (worst performance) to 5 (best performance) is assigned, considering that a score of 3/5 has been assigned to the State-Of-the-Art. Some KPIs are specific for the single demo (e.g. the SCOP of the heat pump), while others are common to all the demos and were used to carry on a direct comparison between the technologies. All the demos showed promising results in the social, energy, and environmental domains. For the last domain, in particular, the best results are obtained, as each technology leads to significant savings in GHG emissions. There is room for improvement on the economic side, which can be filled by progressively lowering the cost of technology over the years

Single-centre experience on endocardial and epicardial pacemaker system function in neonates and infants

n/

Studio di approfondimento sullo stato di salute nei Comuni dell\u27Alta Val di Cecina

not availableUno studio preliminare sull\u27Alta Val di Cecina, AVC, (Pisa) aveva evidenziato che tra le cause di morte, 1970-2004, alcune avevano un impatto pi? elevato o in controtendenza rispetto alla media regionale toscana; l\u27area presenta un sottosuolo geologicamente attivo, industrie chimiche, di produzione di energia, estrattive, documentate contaminazioni di acqua e suolo da metalli pesanti. Si segnalano eccessi di mortalit? e/o di ospedalizzazione per alcune patologie per le quali in letteratura risultano associazioni a: esposizioni ambientali (tumori del sistema linfoemopoietico, mieloma, leucemie, malattia del motoneurone, morbo di Parkinson), scorrette abitudini alimentari (tumori colon ed esofago, m.digerente), esposizioni professionali (MPCO, pneumoconiosi)

Clinical Features to Predict the Use of a sEMG Wearable Device (REMO®) for Hand Motor Training of Stroke Patients: A Cross-Sectional Cohort Study

After stroke, upper limb motor impairment is one of the most common consequences that compromises the level of the autonomy of patients. In a neurorehabilitation setting, the implementation of wearable sensors provides new possibilities for enhancing hand motor recovery. In our study, we tested an innovative wearable (REMO®) that detected the residual surface-electromyography of forearm muscles to control a rehabilitative PC interface. The aim of this study was to define the clinical features of stroke survivors able to perform ten, five, or no hand movements for rehabilitation training. 117 stroke patients were tested: 65% of patients were able to control ten movements, 19% of patients could control nine to one movement, and 16% could control no movements. Results indicated that mild upper limb motor impairment (Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity 18 points) predicted the control of ten movements and no flexor carpi muscle spasticity predicted the control of five movements. Finally, severe impairment of upper limb motor function (Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity > 10 points) combined with no pain and no restrictions of upper limb joints predicted the control of at least one movement. In conclusion, the residual motor function, pain and joints restriction, and spasticity at the upper limb are the most important clinical features to use for a wearable REMO® for hand rehabilitation training

Eco-Friendly β-cyclodextrin and Linecaps Polymers for the Removal of Heavy Metals

Environment-friendly nanosponges, having a high content of carboxyl groups, were synthesized by crosslinking β-cyclodextrin and linecaps, a highly soluble pea starch derivative, with citric acid in water. Additionally, pyromellitic nanosponges were prepared by reacting β-cyclodextrin and linecaps with pyromellitic dianhydride in dimethyl sulfoxide and used in comparison with the citric nanosponges. After ion-exchange of the carboxyl groups H+ with sodium ions, the ability of the nanosponges to sequester heavy metal cations was investigated. At a metal concentration of 500 ppm, the pyromellitate nanosponges exhibited a higher retention capacity than the citrate nanosponges. At lower metal concentrations (≤50 ppm) both the citrate and the pyromellitate nanosponges showed high retention capacities (up to 94% of the total amount of metal), while, in the presence of interfering sea water salts, the citrate nanosponges were able to selectively adsorb a significantly higher amount of heavy metals than the pyromellitate nanosponges, almost double in the case of Cu2+