Updating Neighbour Cell List via Crowdsourced User Reports: A Framework for Measuring Time Performance

In modern wireless networks deployments, each serving node needs to keep its Neighbour Cell List (NCL) constantly up to date to keep track of network changes. The time needed by each serving node to update its NCL is an important parameter of the network’s reliability and performance. An adequate estimate of such parameter enables a significant improvement of self-configuration functionalities. This paper focuses on the update time of NCLs when an approach of crowdsourced user reports is adopted. In this setting, each user periodically reports to the serving node information about the set of nodes sensed by the user itself. We show that, by mapping the local topological structure of the network onto states of increasing knowledge, a crisp mathematical framework can be obtained, which allows in turn for the use of a variety of user mobility models. Further, using a simplified mobility model we show how to obtain useful upper bounds on the expected time for a serving node to gain Full Knowledge of its local neighbourhood

Hydrogeological insights and modelling for sustainable use of a stressed carbonate aquifer in the Mediterranean area. From passive withdrawals to active management

Study area: Venafro Mts., southern-central Italy, Mediterranean basin. Study focus: Via a collection of geological and hydrogeological data, a flow conceptual model of a carbonate aquifer has been coupled with a numerical model via MODFLOW code and Unsaturated Zone Flow (UZF) package in steady state and transient conditions. Simulation is further implemented with different management scenarios, for facing possible emergencies due to recharge decrease, also simulating a drastic water abstraction cut-off. New hydrological insights for the region: Carbonate fractured aquifers are a strategic water resource in the whole Mediterranean area, supplying major metropolitan areas. Despite these huge extensions, such groundwater systems are threatened by increasing drought occurrence and significant human water abstraction. A characterization of a carbonate fractured aquifer (370 km2) located in central-southern Italy has been performed. Venafro Mts. Aquifer (VMA) hosts a strategic resource for the Western Campania Waterworks (WCW) that supplies the populous metropolitan area of Naples, with 3.8 million inhabitants. VMA shows a slow response, with recovery time estimated at the decennial scale, testifying its limited resilience to natural and human pressures. A shift is proposed from passive management to a more comprehensive concept of smart-water monitoring, applied not only to waterworks and pipelines, but also to groundwater resources in the environment

Marginal structural models with dose-delay joint-exposure for assessing variations to chemotherapy intensity

Marginal structural models are causal models designed to adjust for time-dependent confounders in observational studies with dynamically adjusted treatments. They are robust tools to assess causality in complex longitudinal data. In this paper, a marginal structural model is proposed with an innovative dose-delay joint-exposure model for Inverse-Probability-of-Treatment Weighted estimation of the causal effect of alterations to the therapy intensity. The model is motivated by a precise clinical question concerning the possibility of reducing dosages in a regimen. It is applied to data from a randomised trial of chemotherapy in osteosarcoma, an aggressive primary bone-tumour. Chemotherapy data are complex because their longitudinal nature encompasses many clinical details like composition and organisation of multi-drug regimens, or dynamical therapy adjustments. This manuscript focuses on the clinical dynamical process of adjusting the therapy according to the patient’s toxicity history, and the causal effect on the outcome of interest of such therapy modifications. Depending on patients’ toxicity levels, variations to therapy intensity may be achieved by physicians through the allocation of either a reduction or a delay of the next planned dose. Thus, a negative feedback is present between exposure to cytotoxic agents and toxicity levels, which acts as time-dependent confounders. The construction of the model is illustrated highlighting the high complexity and entanglement of chemotherapy data. Built to address dosage reductions, the model also shows that delays in therapy administration should be avoided. The last aspect makes sense from the cytological point of view, but it is seldom addressed in the literature

Subsidence Detected by Multi-Pass Differential SAR Interferometry in the Cassino Plain (Central Italy): Joint Effect of Geological and Anthropogenic Factors?

In the present work, the Differential SAR Interferometry (DInSAR) technique has been applied to study the surface movements affecting the sedimentary basin of Cassino municipality. Two datasets of SAR images, provided by ERS 1-2 and Envisat missions, have been acquired from 1992 to 2010. Such datasets have been processed independently each other and with different techniques nevertheless providing compatible results. DInSAR data show a subsidence rate mostly located in the northeast side of the city, with a subsidence rate decreasing from about 5–6 mm/yr in the period 1992–2000 to about 1–2 mm/yr between 2004 and 2010, highlighting a progressive reduction of the phenomenon. Based on interferometric results and geological/geotechnical observations, the explanation of the detected movements allows to confirm the anthropogenic (surface effect due to building construction) and geological causes (thickness and characteristics of the compressible stratum

Marginal Structural Models with Dose-Delay Joint-Exposure for Assessing Variations to Chemotherapy Intensity

Marginal Structural Models (MSMs) are causal models designed to adjust for time-dependent confounders in observational studies with dynamically-adjusted treatments. They are robust tools to assess causality in complex longitudinal data. In this paper a MSM is proposed with an innovative dose-delay joint-exposure model for Inverse-Probability-of-Treatment Weighted (IPTW) estimation of the causal effect of alterations to the therapy intensity. The model is motivated by a precise clinical question concerning the possibility of reducing dosages in a regimen. It is applied to data from a randomised trial of chemotherapy in osteosarcoma, an aggressive primary bone-tumour. Chemotherapy data are complex because their longitudinal nature encompasses many clinical details like composition and organisation of multi-drug regimens, or dynamical therapy adjustments. This manuscript focuses on the clinical dynamical process of adjusting the therapy according to the patient’s toxicity history, and the causal effect on the outcome of interest of such therapy modifications. Depending on patients’ toxicity levels, variations to therapy intensity may be achieved by physicians through the allocation of either a reduction or a delay of the next planned dose. Thus, a negative feedback is present between exposure to cytotoxic agents and toxicity levels, which acts as time-dependent confounders. The construction of the model is illustrated highlighting the high complexity and entanglement of chemotherapy data. Built to address dosage reductions, the model also shows that delays should not be introduced in the therapy administration. The last aspect makes sense from the cytological point of view, but it is seldom addressed in the literature

Use of particle counter system for the optimization of sampling ,identification and decontamination procedures for biological aerosols dispersion in confined environment

Abstract In a CBRNe (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and explosive) scenario, biological agents hardly allow efficient detection/identification because of the incubation time that provides a lag in symptoms outbreak following their dissemination. The detection of atmospheric dispersion of biological agents (i.e.: toxins, viruses, bacteria and so on) is a key issue for the safety of people and security of environment. Another fundamental aspect is related to the efficiency of the sampling method, which leads to the identification of the agent released, in fact an effective sampling method is needed either to identify the contamination and to check for the decontamination procedure. Environmental monitoring is one of the ways to improve fast detection of biological agents; for instance, particle counters with the ability of discriminating between biological and non-biological particles are used for a first warning when the amount of biological particles exceeds a particular threshold. Nevertheless, these systems are not able to distinguish between pathogen and non-pathogen organisms, thus, classical “laboratory” assays are still required to unambiguously identify the particle which triggered the warning signal. In this work, a combination of commercially available equipment for detection and identification of the atmospheric dispersion of biological agents was evaluated in partnership between the Italian Army, the Department of Industrial Engineering and the School of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Rome “Tor Vergata”. The aim of this work, whose results are presented here, was to conduce preliminary studies on the dynamics of biological aerosols fallout after its dispersion, to improve detection, sampling and identification techniques. This will help minimizing the impact of the release of biological agents, guarantee environmental, and people safety and securit

Progressive Patient Care e organizzazione ospedaliera per intensití di cure: revisione narrativa della letteratura

Scopo del presente articolo è riassumere la letteratura relativa alla Progressive Patient Care con particolare attenzione alle sue caratteristiche concettuali e pratiche, all'implementazione nel corso degli anni e agli effetti che ha avuto sugli attuali sistemi di erogazione della salute.E' stata condotta una Revisione integrativa-narrativa della letteratura.La Progressive Patient Care è un modello che ha la finalití  di raggruppare i pazienti secondo il grado di complessití  che essi presentano. Tale organizzazione è finalizzata alla collocazione del paziente nel setting di cura più appropriato. Il modello originale prevede cinque livelli di unití  assistenziali: intensive care, intermediate care, self-care, long term care, organized home care. In Italia il modello di organizzazione ospedaliera per intensití  di cura può essere considerato come una contestualizzazione della Progressive Patient Care alla realtí  nazionale, date le similitudini sia dal punto di vista delle finalití  che il modello si pone, sia per la tipologia di livelli di assistenziali.La riorganizzazione per intensití  di cure rappresenta un'opportunití  per l'Italia di operare nella direzione di un'assistenza che si basi sul concetto di continuití  di cure, dal momento che si pone l'accento sui processi di cura e di assistenza a partire dai bisogni dei pazienti, piuttosto che sulla  suddivisione ospedaliera secondo criteri di specialití  disciplinare.Parole chiave: Cure progressive, Italia, Continuití  delle cure, Assistenza centrata sul paziente Progressive Patient Care Model and its application into hospital organization: a narrative review ABSTRACTAim of this article is to review the literature about the Progressive Patient Care Model, in particular its conceptual and practical characteristics, its implementation and effects on the current health care organization. Was conducted by an integrative-narrative literature review.The Progressive Patient Care is a model which aims at group patients according to their complexity in order to place patients in the most appropriate care setting.The original model consists on five care levels: intensive care, intermediate care, self-care, long term care, home care.In Italy the above mentioned model can be considered as a contextualization of Progressive Patient Care in the light of similarities both in terms of model purposes and care levels classification.The organization for intensive care levels is an opportunity for Italian healthcare facilities to reach continuity of care. This model emphazises care processes looking to patients' needs rather than a division according to criteria of specialties.Keywords: Progressive Patient Care, Italy, Continuity of Patient Care, Patient Centered Car