Rule-based Programming for Building Expert Systems: a Comparison in the Microbiological Data Validation and Surveillance Domain

Abstract In this work, we compare three rule-based programming tools used for building an expert system for microbiological laboratory data validation and bacteria infections monitoring. The first prototype of the system was implemented in KAPPA-PC. We report on the implementation and performance by comparing KAPPA-PC with two other more recent tools, namely JESS and ILOG JRULES. In order to test each tool we realized three simple test applications capable to perform some tasks that are peculiar of our expert system

Implicazioni geodinamiche delle recenti misure geodetiche nello Stretto di Messina

Il 28 dicembre 1908 lo Stretto di Messina veniva colpito da un disastroso evento sismico di ms=7.5. L'evento è il più forte tra i terremoti italiani degli utimi 100 anni.Published3-143.3. Geodinamica e struttura dell'interno della TerraN/A or not JCRrestricte

Whole-brain histogram and voxel-based analyses of apparent diffusion coefficient and magnetization transfer ratio in celiac disease, epilepsy, and cerebral calcifications syndrome

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Diffusion and magnetization transfer (MT) techniques have been applied to the investigation with MR of epilepsy and have revealed changes in patients with or without abnormalities on MR imaging. We hypothesized that also in the coeliac disease (CD), epilepsy and cerebral calcifications (CEC) syndrome diffusion and MT techniques could reveal brain abnormalities undetected by MR imaging and tentatively correlated to epilepsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diffusion and MT weighted images were obtained in 10 patients with CEC, 8 patients with CD without epilepsy and 17 healthy volunteers. The whole brain apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and MT ratio (MTR) maps were analyzed with histograms and the Statistical Parametric Mapping 2 (SPM2) software. We employed the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test to assess differences for ADC and MTR histogram metrics. Voxel by voxel comparison of the ADC and MTR maps was performed with 2 tails t-test corrected for multiple comparison. RESULTS: A significantly higher whole brain ADC value as compared to healthy controls was observed in CEC (P = 0.006) and CD (P = 0.01) patients. SPM2 showed bilateral areas of significantly decreased MTR in the parietal and temporal subcortical white matter (WM) in the CEC patients. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that diffusion and MT techniques are also capable of revealing abnormalities undetected by MR imaging. In particular patients with CEC syndrome show an increase of the whole brain ADC histogram which is more pronounced than in patients with gluten intolerance. IN CEC patients, voxel-based analysis demonstrates a localized decrease of the MTR in the parieto-temporal subcortical WM

Interseismic Active Deformation in the central-southern Apennine

The GPS results are of utmost relevance for the study of the complex plate boundary geodynamics. The lithosphere strain partitioning is part of the seismic cycle. We present the first GPS kinematic pattern obtained during the interseismic phase by a dense episodic GPS network, the Southern Apennine Geodetic Network - SAGNet (Sepe et al., 2009), in the time span 2002-2013. This network is located across the transition zone between central and southern Apennine, including Meta-Mainarde-Venafro and AltoMolise-Sannio-Matese mounts. This region is characterized by seismogenic fault systems responsible, in the past, for several destructive earthquakes of intensity I ≥ IX MCS and, in more recent years, characterised mainly by some moderate magnitude seismic sequences (max magnitude Mw 5.0, December 29 2013) and single small events (Ml < 2.5).SAGNet GPS data were processed by BERNESE sw v.5.0 and the resulting velocities were least-squares combined with the permanent stations velocity field and with the velocity solution of Giuliani et al. 2009. The combined GPS velocity field, shows a perpendicular maximum extension with respect to the Apennine chain of about 2.0 mm/y.The Matese area was hit on December 29, 2013 by a Mw=5.0 (Convertito et al., 2016) earthquake. It was followed by an intense seismic activity until the beginning of February 2014. After the mainshock a GPS survey was carried out on the SAGnet stations. We collected data from 2013, 30 December to 2014, 4 April. The time series of 17 stations are affect by an offsets on the linear drift. The map of horizontal coseismic displacements (Figure 3) shows a sub-radial displacement shape with respect to the epicentre. Larger displacements are observed in correspondence of NE portion of the Matese massif. Considering the Matese Lake Fault as the probable source of the mainshock (dip 65°, strike 116, rake 270 – MLF, Ferranti et al, 2015), we found that the Okada modelling does not fit the observed displacements and only a small fraction of displacements are resolved with a simple slip.Figure 4 resembles the results of previous studies compared with our GPS analysis. We considered seismological analyses, tomographic models, degassing of CO2 data and conceptual model of processes recognized in South Apennine (L. Bisio, et al., 2004; Chiarabba and Chiodini, 2013; Improta et al., 2014; Ventura et al., 2007, R. Di Stefano and M.G. Ciaccio, 2014; Ferranti et al., 2015; Convertito et al., 2016;). The GPS results indicate that the relative motion between Eurasia and Adria plates is responsible of the active deformation in the Apennines. The most important outcomes of this study are: (i) During the interseismic phase the differential motion between Adriatic and Tyrrhenian domains seems to be accommodated in a narrow belt bordering the westward flank of the Sannio Mts, showing a 2 mm/y extension. (ii) The maximum extension does not follow the topographic high of the chain but is shifted toward the eastern outer belt. (iii) No significant GPS deformation is highlighted in correspondence of major and known fault systems where the GPS velocities appear almost steady. We propose that the observed coseismic displacements are only marginally explained by a slip on the MLF fault. The vertical directivity and depth distribution of the seismic sequence (Convertito et al., 2016), the vertical and horizontal heterogeneity of lower crust and upper mantle (Bisio et al., 2004; Di Stefano and Ciaccio, 2014), the high flux of CO2 degassing (Ventura et al., 2007, Chiarabba e Chiodini, 2013 ), the probable presence of pressurized CO2 bodies fed by fluids uprising from the mantle wedge (Improta et al.,2014 ), suggest instead that the seismic sequence could be caused by sub-vertical cracks that originate at the Moho interface and reach the bottom of the seismogenic layer (10km depth).DPCUnpublishedSan Francisco (USA)2T. Tettonica attivaope

Interseismic ground velocities in Central Apennines from GPS and InSAR measurements: new contributions for seismic hazard models by preliminary results of ESA CHARMING project

The contribution of space geodetic techniques to interseismic velocity estimation, and thus seismic hazard modelling, has been recognized since two decades and made possible in more recent years by the increased availability and accuracy of geodetic measurements. We present the preliminary results of a feasibility study performed within the CHARMING project (Constraining Seismic Hazard Models with InSAR and GPS), funded by the European Space Agency (ESA). For a 200 km x 200 km study area, covering the Abruzzi region (central Italy) we measure the mean surface deformation rates from Synthetic Aperture Radar and GPS, finding several local to regional deformation gradients consistent with the tectonic context. We then use a kinematic finite element model to derive the long-term strain rates, as well as earthquake recurrence relations. In turn these are input to state-of-the-art probabilistic seismic hazard models, the output of which is validated statistically using data from the Italian national accelerometric and macroseismic intensity databases.Published373-3773T. Pericolosità sismica e contributo alla definizione del rischioN/A or not JCRope

Risk of hospitalization and death for COVID-19 in persons with epilepsy over a 20-month period: The EpiLink Bologna cohort, Italy

Objective: Data on COVID-19 outcomes in persons with epilepsy (PWE) are scarce and inconclusive. We aimed to study the risk of hospitalization and death for COVID-19 in a large cohort of PWE from March 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021. Methods: The historical cohort design (EpiLink Bologna) compared adult PWE grouped into people with focal epilepsy (PFE), idiopathic generalized epilepsy (PIGE), and developmental and/or epileptic encephalopathy (PDEE), and a population cohort matched (ratio 1:10) for age, sex, residence, and comorbidity (assessed with the multisource comorbidity score), living in the local health trust of Bologna (approximately 800 000 residents). Clinical data were linked to health administrative data. Results: In both cohorts (EpiLink: n&nbsp;=&nbsp;1575 subjects, 1128 PFE, 267 PIGE, 148 PDEE, 32 other; controls: n&nbsp;=&nbsp;15 326 subjects), 52% were females, and the mean age was 50 years (SD&nbsp;=&nbsp;18). Hospital admissions for COVID-19 in the whole period were 49 (3.1%) in PWE and 225 (1.5%) in controls. The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) in PWE was 1.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4–2.7). The subgroups at higher risk were PFE (aHR&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.9, 95% CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.3–2.8) and PDEE (aHR&nbsp;=&nbsp;3.9, 95% CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.7–8.7), whereas PIGE had a risk comparable to the controls (aHR&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.1, 95% CI =.3–3.5). Stratified analyses of the two main epidemic waves (March–May 2020, October 2020–May 2021) disclosed a higher risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization during the first epidemic wave (March–May 2020; aHR&nbsp;=&nbsp;3.8, 95% CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;2.2–6.7). Polytherapy with antiseizure medications contributed to a higher risk of hospital admission. Thirty-day risk of death after hospitalization was 14% in both PWE and controls. Significance: During the first 20 months since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Bologna, PWE had a doubled risk of COVID-19 hospital admission compared to a matched control population. Conversely, epilepsy did not represent a risk factor for COVID-19-related death

Mid-term review results of the ESA STSE Pathfinder CHARMING project (Constraining Seismic Hazard Models with InSAR and GPS)

We probe the feasibility of integrating GPS and Synthetic Aperture Radar deformation rates within the seismic hazard models of the central Apennines (Italy), exploiting data from over 100 GPS stations and the ~20- year long ERS and ENVISAT SAR image archive. We then use a kinematic finite element model to derive the long-term strain rates, as well as earthquake recurrence relations. In turn these are input to state-of-the-art probabilistic seismic hazard models, the output of which is validated statistically using data from the Italian national accelerometric and macroseismic intensity databases.Published23-273T. Pericolosità sismica e contributo alla definizione del rischioN/A or not JCRrestricte

Geodetic Observations at the Eolian Islands (Southern Italy)

In order to investigate the dynamic processes actually in progress in the Aeolian Islands a volcanic area in Southern Italy, high precision geodetic observations are employed. the knowledge of the kinematic field (vertical and horizontal displacements) and of the time-space gravity variations is an important constrain for any model describing the geodynamic processes involving the investigated area. Gravimetric (absolute, relative and gradiometric), photogrammetric, altimetric and GPS surveys are periodically carried out on networks spanning over the whole aeolian archipelagus. Recently a GPS network has been designed and surveyed to obtain a more complete knowledge of the kinematic field taking place in the area. This will improve the understanding of the tectonic processes acting in the area. The result of the interdisplinary approach are presented and discussed.Published33-501.3. TTC - Sorveglianza geodetica delle aree vulcaniche attivereserve

fMRI-Based Effective Connectivity in Surgical Remediable Epilepsies: A Pilot Study

Simultaneous EEG-fMRI can contribute to identify the epileptogenic zone (EZ) in focal epilepsies. However, fMRI maps related to Interictal Epileptiform Discharges (IED) commonly show multiple regions of signal change rather than focal ones. Dynamic causal modeling (DCM) can estimate effective connectivity, i.e. the causal effects exerted by one brain region over another, based on fMRI data. Here, we employed DCM on fMRI data in 10 focal epilepsy patients with multiple IED-related regions of BOLD signal change, to test whether this approach can help the localization process of EZ. For each subject, a family of competing deterministic, plausible DCM models were constructed using IED as autonomous input at each node, one at time. The DCM findings were compared to the presurgical evaluation results and classified as: "Concordant" if the node identified by DCM matches the presumed focus, "Discordant" if the node is distant from the presumed focus, or "Inconclusive" (no statistically significant result). Furthermore, patients who subsequently underwent intracranial EEG recordings or surgery were considered as having an independent validation of DCM results. The effective connectivity focus identified using DCM was Concordant in 7 patients, Discordant in two cases and Inconclusive in one. In four of the 6 patients operated, the DCM findings were validated. Notably, the two Discordant and Invalidated results were found in patients with poor surgical outcome. Our findings provide preliminary evidence to support the applicability of DCM on fMRI data to investigate the epileptic networks in focal epilepsy and, particularly, to identify the EZ in complex cases