Technological Roadmap to Boost the Introduction of AGVs in Industrial Applications\u2028

This paper describes systems of multiple Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) used in factory logistics for the transportation of goods. We describe currently applied solutions, highlighting the main issues that, so far, have prevented a pervasive diffusion of these systems. A roadmap of technological solutions is then drafted, to improve the performance of AGV systems and boost their wide application in factory logistics

An automatic method for myocardial T2* curve fitting in thalassemia patients with severe iron overload

Background Myocardial iron overload assessment by multislice multiecho T2* technique is used in the clinical management of thalassemia major (TM) patients. Signal decay curves are extracted from the 16 left ventricular (LV) segments and the fitting of these curves to a mono-exponential model provides the corresponding T2* values. In patients with severe cardiac iron overload, where signal will decay quickly becoming comparable to image noise, manual truncation of signal decay curves excluding later echo times (TEs) is adopted. In this study an automatic truncation method avoiding the variability associated with the manual selection of the truncation point is introduced and validated. Go to: Methods Twenty patients (13 males, age 33±7 years) enrolled in the MIOT Network and diagnosed for severe iron overload (T2*<10 ms) were considered. Using a previously validated software the segmental T2* values were evaluated by the standard methodology (i.e. manual truncation). Images were independently analysed by the developed automated approach. The percentage fitting error (e) was computed as the root mean square error (MRSE) between the signal decay curve and the mono-exponential model normalized to the mean value of the signal. If e was > 5%, the algorithm cut-off the last TE and performed again the fitting. The procedure was iterated until the error become <5% or the number of TEs become equal to three. To assess the inter-operator variability, the dataset was processed by a second operator. Go to: Results The Coefficient of Variability (CoV) for inter-observer variability was 6.82±4.01%. The CoV between automated and manual analysis was 6.15±3.92 %, not significantly different from inter-observer variability (P=0.332). No significant difference was detected between mid-septum and global T2* values evaluated with manual and automated procedure (P=0.26 and P=0.91, respectively). The mean fitting error was not significantly different in manual and automated analysis (4.10±2.11 vs. 4.52±2.12, P=0.53). In segmental analysis, no significant differences were found between manual and automatic procedure (P>0.01 for all segments). Figure ​Figure11 shows the Bland-Altmann plots for global heart and mid-ventricular septum T2* measurements (a) and for segmental T2* values (b). Figure 1 Figure 1 Go to: Conclusions Truncation of signal decay curve needed to compensate for low signal in later echoes in patients with severe iron overload can be effectively automatized avoiding operator induced variability

Feasibility, reproducibility, and reliability for the T^*₂ iron evaluation at 3 T in comparison with 1.5 T

This study aimed to determine the feasibility, reproducibility, and reliability of the multiecho T*2 Magnetic resonance imaging technique at 3 T for myocardial and liver iron burden quantification and the relationship between T*2 values at 3 and 1.5 T. Thirty-eight transfusion-dependent patients and 20 healthy subjects were studied. Cardiac segmental and global T*2 values were calculated after developing a correction map to compensate the artifactual T*2 variations. The hepatic T*2 value was determined over a region of interest. The intraoperator and interoperator reproducibility for T*2 measurements at 3 T was good. A linear relationship was found between patients' R (1000/T*2) values at 3 and 1.5 T. Segmental correction factors were significantly higher at 3 T. A conversion formula returning T*2 values at 1.5 T from values at 3 T was proposed. A good diagnostic reliability for T*2 assessment at 3 T was demonstrated. Lower limits of normal for 3 T T*2 values were 23.3 ms, 21.1 ms, and 11.7 ms, for the global heart, mid-ventricular septum, and liver, respectively. In conclusion, T*2 quantification of iron burden in the mid-ventricular septum, global heart, and no heavy–moderate livers resulted to be feasible, reproducible, and reliable at 3 T. Segmental heart T*2 analysis at 3 T may be challenging due to significantly higher susceptibility artifacts. Magn Reson Med, 2012

"Delirium Day": A nationwide point prevalence study of delirium in older hospitalized patients using an easy standardized diagnostic tool

Background: To date, delirium prevalence in adult acute hospital populations has been estimated generally from pooled findings of single-center studies and/or among specific patient populations. Furthermore, the number of participants in these studies has not exceeded a few hundred. To overcome these limitations, we have determined, in a multicenter study, the prevalence of delirium over a single day among a large population of patients admitted to acute and rehabilitation hospital wards in Italy. Methods: This is a point prevalence study (called "Delirium Day") including 1867 older patients (aged 65 years or more) across 108 acute and 12 rehabilitation wards in Italian hospitals. Delirium was assessed on the same day in all patients using the 4AT, a validated and briefly administered tool which does not require training. We also collected data regarding motoric subtypes of delirium, functional and nutritional status, dementia, comorbidity, medications, feeding tubes, peripheral venous and urinary catheters, and physical restraints. Results: The mean sample age was 82.0 ± 7.5 years (58 % female). Overall, 429 patients (22.9 %) had delirium. Hypoactive was the commonest subtype (132/344 patients, 38.5 %), followed by mixed, hyperactive, and nonmotoric delirium. The prevalence was highest in Neurology (28.5 %) and Geriatrics (24.7 %), lowest in Rehabilitation (14.0 %), and intermediate in Orthopedic (20.6 %) and Internal Medicine wards (21.4 %). In a multivariable logistic regression, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.03, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.05), Activities of Daily Living dependence (OR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.12-1.27), dementia (OR 3.25, 95 % CI 2.41-4.38), malnutrition (OR 2.01, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), and use of antipsychotics (OR 2.03, 95 % CI 1.45-2.82), feeding tubes (OR 2.51, 95 % CI 1.11-5.66), peripheral venous catheters (OR 1.41, 95 % CI 1.06-1.87), urinary catheters (OR 1.73, 95 % CI 1.30-2.29), and physical restraints (OR 1.84, 95 % CI 1.40-2.40) were associated with delirium. Admission to Neurology wards was also associated with delirium (OR 2.00, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), while admission to other settings was not. Conclusions: Delirium occurred in more than one out of five patients in acute and rehabilitation hospital wards. Prevalence was highest in Neurology and lowest in Rehabilitation divisions. The "Delirium Day" project might become a useful method to assess delirium across hospital settings and a benchmarking platform for future surveys