109 research outputs found
CarSNN: An Efficient Spiking Neural Network for Event-Based Autonomous Cars on the Loihi Neuromorphic Research Processor
Autonomous Driving (AD) related features provide new forms of mobility that
are also beneficial for other kind of intelligent and autonomous systems like
robots, smart transportation, and smart industries. For these applications, the
decisions need to be made fast and in real-time. Moreover, in the quest for
electric mobility, this task must follow low power policy, without affecting
much the autonomy of the mean of transport or the robot. These two challenges
can be tackled using the emerging Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs). When deployed
on a specialized neuromorphic hardware, SNNs can achieve high performance with
low latency and low power consumption. In this paper, we use an SNN connected
to an event-based camera for facing one of the key problems for AD, i.e., the
classification between cars and other objects. To consume less power than
traditional frame-based cameras, we use a Dynamic Vision Sensor (DVS). The
experiments are made following an offline supervised learning rule, followed by
mapping the learnt SNN model on the Intel Loihi Neuromorphic Research Chip. Our
best experiment achieves an accuracy on offline implementation of 86%, that
drops to 83% when it is ported onto the Loihi Chip. The Neuromorphic Hardware
implementation has maximum 0.72 ms of latency for every sample, and consumes
only 310 mW. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first
implementation of an event-based car classifier on a Neuromorphic Chip.Comment: Accepted for publication at IJCNN 202
A retrospective multicentre study on dalbavancin effectiveness and cost-evaluation in sternotomic wound infection treatment: DALBA SWIT Study
To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of dalbavancin compared with standard of care (SoC) treatment as daptomycin or teicoplanin in patients with sternal wound infections (SWI)
The role of procalcitonin in reducing antibiotics across the surgical pathway
Procalcitonin (PCT) is widely considered as a highly sensitive biomarker of bacterial infection, offering general and
emergency surgeons a key tool in the management of surgical infections. A multidisciplinary task force of experts
met in Bologna, Italy, on April 4, 2019, to clarify the key issues in the use of PCT across the surgical pathway. The
panelists presented the statements developed for each of the main questions regarding the use of PCT across the
surgical pathway. An agreement on the statements was reached by the Delphi method, and this document reports
the executive summary of the final recommendations approved by the expert panel
Imported Chikungunya Infection, Italy
From July to September 2006, a total of 17 confirmed cases of CHIKV infection were observed in travelers at 5 Gruppo di Interesse e Studio delle Patologie di Importazione (GISPI) centers (Italian network of Institutes of Infectious and Tropical Diseases). Prompt reporting of imported CHIKV infections is essential for monitoring of potential risk. The possibility of introducing CHIKV into Italy cannot be ruled out on the basis of current evidence
Identification of New Hematopoietic Cell Subsets with a Polyclonal Antibody Library Specific for Neglected Proteins
The identification of new markers, the expression of which defines new phenotipically and functionally distinct cell subsets, is a main objective in cell biology. We have addressed the issue of identifying new cell specific markers with a reverse proteomic approach whereby approximately 1700 human open reading frames encoding proteins predicted to be transmembrane or secreted have been selected in silico for being poorly known, cloned and expressed in bacteria. These proteins have been purified and used to immunize mice with the aim of obtaining polyclonal antisera mostly specific for linear epitopes. Such a library, made of about 1600 different polyclonal antisera, has been obtained and screened by flow cytometry on cord blood derived CD34+CD45dim cells and on peripheral blood derived mature lymphocytes (PBLs). We identified three new proteins expressed by fractions of CD34+CD45dim cells and eight new proteins expressed by fractions of PBLs. Remarkably, we identified proteins the presence of which had not been demonstrated previously by transcriptomic analysis. From the functional point of view, looking at new proteins expressed on CD34+CD45dim cells, we identified one cell surface protein (MOSC-1) the expression of which on a minority of CD34+ progenitors marks those CD34+CD45dim cells that will go toward monocyte/granulocyte differentiation. In conclusion, we show a new way of looking at the membranome by assessing expression of generally neglected proteins with a library of polyclonal antisera, and in so doing we have identified new potential subsets of hematopoietic progenitors and of mature PBLs
Antimicrobials: a global alliance for optimizing their rational use in intra-abdominal infections (AGORA)
Intra-abdominal infections (IAI) are an important cause of morbidity and are frequently associated with poor prognosis, particularly in high-risk patients. The cornerstones in the management of complicated IAIs are timely effective source control with appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Empiric antimicrobial therapy is important in the management of intra-abdominal infections and must be broad enough to cover all likely organisms because inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy is associated with poor patient outcomes and the development of bacterial resistance. The overuse of antimicrobials is widely accepted as a major driver of some emerging infections (such as C. difficile), the selection of resistant pathogens in individual patients, and for the continued development of antimicrobial resistance globally. The growing emergence of multi-drug resistant organisms and the limited development of new agents available to counteract them have caused an impending crisis with alarming implications, especially with regards to Gram-negative bacteria. An international task force from 79 different countries has joined this project by sharing a document on the rational use of antimicrobials for patients with IAIs. The project has been termed AGORA (Antimicrobials: A Global Alliance for Optimizing their Rational Use in Intra-Abdominal Infections). The authors hope that AGORA, involving many of the world's leading experts, can actively raise awareness in health workers and can improve prescribing behavior in treating IAIs
Antimicrobials: a global alliance for optimizing their rational use in intra-abdominal infections (AGORA)
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