Genetic Algorithm Modeling with GPU Parallel Computing Technology

We present a multi-purpose genetic algorithm, designed and implemented with GPGPU / CUDA parallel computing technology. The model was derived from a multi-core CPU serial implementation, named GAME, already scientifically successfully tested and validated on astrophysical massive data classification problems, through a web application resource (DAMEWARE), specialized in data mining based on Machine Learning paradigms. Since genetic algorithms are inherently parallel, the GPGPU computing paradigm has provided an exploit of the internal training features of the model, permitting a strong optimization in terms of processing performances and scalability.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, refereed proceedings; Neural Nets and Surroundings, Proceedings of 22nd Italian Workshop on Neural Nets, WIRN 2012; Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, Vol. 19, Springe

Cavalleria rusticana in Francia fra teatro, musica e cinema (1884-1910)

Cavalleria rusticana non è soltanto l’opera verista più conosciuta e mediatizzata in tutto il mondo, ma è anche un testo capace di far reagire insieme una serie di temi chiave a cavallo tra narrativa, teatro, melodramma e cinema. La vicenda comincia nel 1884, a pochi giorni dal successo della pièce in Italia, quando Verga chiede a Zola consiglio per la rappresentazione francese del dramma. Nonostante la preoccupata indifferenza dello scrittore, nel 1888 Cavalleria è rappresentata al Théâtre-Libre di Antoine in una storica serata che inaugura la grande stagione del teatro naturalista. Dopo il successo universale tributato alla versione operistica di Mascagni dal 1890 in poi – ma che ipoteca nello stesso tempo la fama di Verga a quella di « autore di Cavalleria rusticana » – la pièce trionfa anche a teatro con ben tre compagnie differenti. Infine, il dramma inaugura una nuova stagione artistica, quella delle storiche « Séries d’art », che figurano tra i primissimi tentativi di riunire il cinema, il teatro e la letteratura.Cavalleria rusticana n’est pas seulement l’œuvre vériste la plus connue et la plus médiatisée dans le monde entier, c’est aussi un texte capable d’activer des thèmes clés qui touchent au récit, au théâtre, au mélodrame et au cinéma. L’histoire commence en 1884, quelques jours après le succès de la pièce en Italie, lorsque Verga demande conseil à Zola en vue d’une représentation française du drame. Malgré l’indifférence préoccupée de l’écrivain, Cavalleria est représentée au Théâtre-Libre d’Antoine, au cours d’une soirée historique qui inaugure la grande saison du théâtre naturaliste. Après le succès universel obtenu par la version lyrique de Mascagni à partir de 1890 – mais qui en même temps limite la renommée de Verga à celle de l’« auteur de Cavalleria rusticana » – la pièce triomphe également au théâtre avec trois compagnies différentes. Enfin, le drame a inauguré une nouvelle saison artistique, celle des « Séries d’art », qui constitue l’une des toutes premières tentatives d’associer le cinéma, le théâtre et la littérature

Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Admissions for Retinal Detachment in a Tertiary Eye Emergency Department

Purpose: To compare the incidence and clinical characteristics of retinal detachments (RDs) diagnosed in a tertiary eye emergency department (EED) during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the corresponding period of the previous 4 years. Methods: EED consultations performed from February 21, 2020 (first national case of COVID-19 infection) to May 3, 2020 (end of lockdown imposed by national Government) and for the same date range of 2016-2019 (pre-COVID-19 period), and with a confirmed diagnosis of RD were collected and reviewed. The following demographical and clinical features have been analyzed: age, gender, etiology of RD, macular involvement, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and duration of experienced symptoms. Results: Eighty-two subjects (20.5\ub11.0 eyes/year) were diagnosed with RD in the pre-COVID-19 period, compared to 12 patients in the COVID-19 period (-41.5%). During the pandemic, patients complained symptoms for a median of 8.5 days (IQR, 1.7-15 days) before the EED consultation, while in the pre-COVID-19 period, they declared they had been symptomatic for 2 days (IQR, 1-4 days) (p=0.037); macula-off RD raised from 56% to 75% and no one reported trauma as a triggering event. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of RD diagnosed in our EED decreased significantly and patients waited longer before asking for an ophthalmologic examination. These findings are probably due to the fear of contracting the COVID-19 infection attending hospital environments. Even if emergency departments are often misused by people suffering non-urgent conditions, patients complaining of sudden visual loss, visual field defects, or phosphenes should always and promptly attend an EED visit to prevent a worse prognosis

Introduction

Giovanni Verga, né en 1840 à Vizzini en Sicile et mort à Catane en 1922, est depuis longtemps considéré en Italie comme un auteur « classique » et comme le principal représentant du mouvement vériste. Or, malgré l’influence considérable que cet écrivain a exercée sur la culture, tant chez les différents musiciens et metteurs en scène de théâtre et de cinéma que dans la tradition littéraire italienne, ainsi que son rôle clé dans le débat sur le ..

Synthesis of gold nano-plates by mercaptide thermolysis in poly(vinyl acetate)

Triangular gold nano-plates have been synthesized by thermal decomposition of Au(I) dodecyl-mercaptide (i. e., AuSC12H25) dissolved in poly(vinyl acetate). Such special shape was achieved because of the ability of polymer side- groups (i. e., the acetate groups) to be selectively absorbed on the most acid faces of the growing gold nanocrystals, thus inhibiting crystal development along these crystallographic directions. Nano-plates had an average edge length of ca. 30 nm and a thickness of a few nanometers

Glaucoma surgery during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose: To summarize the actions taken to give continuity to the surgical treatment of glaucoma patients and to present the volume and characteristics of glaucoma surgery in the first year of pandemic at the Tertiary Glaucoma Center of the University Hospital of Verona (Veneto, Italy). Methods: Demographical and surgical features of patients who underwent glaucoma surgery from March 9th, 2020 to March 8th, 2021 have been collected and compared to the same date range of the previous year. The analyzed data included age, gender, region of origin, glaucoma staging, type of anesthesia and surgical procedure. Results: The surgical volume of glaucoma has dropped by 30.1%. In comparison with the previous year, we found a significant variation in the overall distribution of the performed surgical procedures (p < 0.001). There was a decline in Baerveldt tube implants (- 4.9%), and an increase of non-penetrating surgery (+ 2.6%), cyclo-photo ablative procedures (+ 4.2%) and MIGS (+ 5.7%). Only 24.3% of the procedures were performed under general anesthesia compared to 41.5% in the pre-pandemic period (p < 0.001). The number of procedures performed on eyes affected by advanced or end-stage glaucoma is doubled (p < 0.001). Conclusions: To give continuity to glaucoma surgery, we prioritized interventions on patients with poorer visual fields, rapidly progressing visual field deficit and elevated IOP uncontrolled by maximal medical therapy. Secondly, we have rescheduled the other interventions following the same priority criteria. Finally, we managed some lower priority cases with MIGS, minimizing the need for close post-intervention follow-up. Considering the negative consequences that a delay in the management of glaucoma can have in terms of visual loss, the closure of the operating rooms in the first quarter of the pandemic was detrimental. It appears that glaucoma surgery deserves urgencies that cannot be overshadowed and the greatest effort must be to give continuity to this type of eye surgery

Primary congenital glaucoma surgery: outcomes and visual function

Purpose: To assess the long-term visual outcomes of children with PCG, irrespective of the type of surgical procedure, and to create visual acuity curves to help in predicting the development of visual function in these patients. The secondary aim is to identify associated factors for visual decline or loss, highlighting differences between neonatal and infantile subgroups. Methods: The medical records of pediatric glaucoma patients from 1996 to 2017 at the University Hospital of Verona (Verona, Italy) were retrospectively reviewed. Visual acuities, surgeries, PCG subtype and etiology of vision impairment were recorded. Statistical analyses were performed to detect factors associated with vision decline. Results: Sixty-seven eyes (40 patients) were included in the study. Developmental predictive curves of visual acuity showed that children with infantile PCG had a better visual outcome than children with neonatal PCG at each step of follow-up. A good-to-moderate VA (< 1 LogMAR) was achieved in 56 eyes (83.6%), while 11 eyes (16.4%) had poor VA ( 65 1 LogMAR). The age at onset, sex, number of surgeries, intraocular pressure (IOP) control (with or without antiglaucoma drugs), axial length (AL) and corneal opacities were statistically associated with vision impairment (p < 0.01). The main cause of visual impairment was amblyopia. Conclusions: Visual outcomes of PCG significantly correlate with the age at diagnosis. Although a good long-term IOP control can often be achieved in PCG, often the visual acuity remains below the lower limits of the normal range. Poor vision in childhood is related to global developmental problems, and referral to third-level services should not be delayed to prevent vision impairment. In this regard, visual acuity curves can be a useful tool for the consultant ophthalmologist to define the visual development of children affected by PCG