Palynological characterization of the Po delta succession (northern Italy): Holocene vegetation dynamics, stratigraphic patterns and palaeoclimate variability

The 40 m-long core EM2, recovered in the innermost portion of Po delta plain, was sampled for palynological analysis, in order to link coastal-deltaic facies architecture to vegetation dynamics and Holocene climate variability. Pollen data refine facies characterization of the 25 m-thick Holocene succession: freshwater swamp clays alternating with overbank/channel sands document millennial to centennial-scale water table oscillations that invariably peak in correspondence of peaty layers. Pollen signature allows identification of the landward equivalent of the Maximum Flooding Surface atop the 7.6 ka-dated peaty interval and furnishes new insights on the relationship between coastal facies patterns and climate events

Image-Based Monitoring of Cracks: Effectiveness Analysis of an Open-Source Machine Learning-Assisted Procedure

The proper inspection of a cracks pattern over time is a critical diagnosis step to provide a thorough knowledge of the health state of a structure. When monitoring cracks propagating on a planar surface, adopting a single-image-based approach is a more convenient (costly and logistically) solution compared to subjective operators-based solutions. Machine learning (ML)- based monitoring solutions offer the advantage of automation in crack detection; however, complex and time-consuming training must be carried out. This study presents a simple and automated ML-based crack monitoring approach implemented in open sources software that only requires a single image for training. The effectiveness of the approach is assessed conducting work in controlled and real case study sites. For both sites, the generated outputs are significant in terms of accuracy (~1 mm), repeatability (sub-mm) and precision (sub-pixel). The presented results highlight that the successful detection of cracks is achievable with only a straightforward ML-based training procedure conducted on only a single image of the multi-temporal sequence. Furthermore, the use of an innovative camera kit allowed exploiting automated acquisition and transmission fundamental for Internet of Things (IoTs) for structural health monitoring and to reduce user-based operations and increase safety

Computer-Assisted Molecular Traceability for Dairy Farming Products

Food integrity and food safety have received much attention in recent years due to the dramatic increasing number of food frauds. In this article we analyze dairy products for which one of the crucial issues is traditional cheese traceability. In this paper we propose a computer- assisted molecular traceability system able to certify a traditional dairy product. We investigate the use of short tandem repeat analysis data processed by a Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy algo- rithm in order to predict the traceability between dairy products and the corresponding producer and to highlight possible adulterations and/or inconsistencies. Preliminary results collected from two farms are pre- sented in this study to show the capability of the proposed algorithm in a real setup

Extreme sleep state misperception: From psychopathology to objective-subjective sleep measures

Study objectives: We tested the hypothesis that patients with extreme sleep state misperception display higher levels of psychopathology and reduced quantitative estimation abilities compared to other patients with insomnia. Secondary aims included the evaluation of group differences in subjective self-reported quality of life and sleep quality and objective sleep parameters. Methods: In this cross-sectional, observational study, 249 patients with insomnia underwent a video-polysomnography with a subsequent morning interview to assess self-reported sleep estimates and filled in a large battery of questionnaires. Patients were classified into High Misperception (HM) and Moderate Misperception (MM) groups, according to the complement of the ratio between self-reported total sleep time and objective total sleep time (Misperception Index). Results: No significant differences emerged in any of the psychopathological measures considered between the HM and the MM group. Similarly, no effect was observed in quantitative estimation abilities. HM patients displayed a significantly increased number of awakenings per hour of sleep and a reduced dream recall rate. Their overall sleep quality and quality of life was significantly impaired. Conclusions: Future research on sleep misperception should focus on factors other than the level of psychopathology and estimation abilities, in particular sleep microstructure and quantitative EEG studies in both REM and NREM slee

The frequency of polidrug use in a driving population in Rome

In Italy the illicit substances routinely tested are cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines / methamphetamine, MDMA and similar but these substances are not the most use in our country. In particular, the consumption of ketamine represents an emerging problem. Ketamine is a anesthetic with hallucinogenic and dissociative effects and these are the ones sought for the voluptuary pur-pose, while the amnesic effect are exploited for drug facilitated sexual assault. Our study was car-ried out to assess the positivity for the illicit substances routinely tested and also for ketamine in a population of 182 patients arrived at the emergency room of the Hospital “San Camillo Forlanini” of Rome, for which have been required toxicological tests on the basis of Articles 186 and 187 of the New Highway Code. The choice of this kind of population allows to have an accurate and reliable epidemiological data about the real diffusion of voluptuary use of drugs. The study examines 182 samples subjected to routine toxicological investigations in the period be-tween October 2011 and August 2012. The Authors have researched the presence of ethanol, cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines and benzodiazepines with the use of “ADVIA Chemistry Systems ”, while the ketamine is tested by a single-phase tests on urine [Sure Screen Diagnostic (Di. Ra.Lab)] with a cut-off level of this method is 1000ng/ml. During this period we have considered 182 patients (males 78%, females 22%). The mean age was 34 years (standard deviation 13, minimum 15, maximum 80). Most of the admission were during the last days of the week (Thursday 17%, Friday 15%, Saturday 15% and Sunday 17%). With re-spect to the clinical needs of subjects admitted, 42% were admitted with a red code. Considering a single substance analysis, 46 subjects resulted positive to alcohol (25%), 38 to can-nabinoids (21%), 24 to opioids (13%), 20 to cocaine (11%), 19 to benzodiapezine (10%) and 7 to ketamine (4%). Among those who resulted positive to at least one substance (95, 52% of the sample) 55 subjects re-sulted positive to one substance (58%), 27 to two substances (28%) and 13 to three or more substances (13%). Poly-use was evaluated with an indicator previously proposed by Fabi et al in 2013. This resulted in a polydrug-use score equal to 2.93 (standard deviation 1.7, minimum 1.5, maximum 9.25)

Human Herpes Virus 7-related encephalopathy in children

Primary HHV7 infection is almost ubiquitous, and it can present as exanthema subitem. Little is known on the clinical relevance of HHV7 neuroinvasion in immunocompetent children

Gastric duplication presenting as partial gastric outlet obstruction

Abstract We present a very rare case of gastric duplication treated with complete excision with two surgical procedures. We decided to report our case to share our experience that confirm the difficult of preoperative/intraoperative diagnosis of gastric duplication in a pediatric patient. Finally we reviewed the literature to date

Psoriasis induced by first‑line pembrolizumab in metastatic non‑small cell lung cancer: a case report

: Therapeutic options for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have changed with the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Immunotherapy is generally well tolerated, but can also be associated with severe adverse events, such as the development of new autoimmune diseases. In patients without a history of autoimmune diseases, psoriasis caused by immunotherapy treatment is rarely described in the literature. The present study describes the case of a 68-year-old man with metastatic NSCLC that started chemoimmunotherapy with carboplatin plus pemetrexed plus pembrolizumab. After two cycles of therapy, the patient developed a G3 maculopapular rash. Biopsy confirmed psoriasis and pembrolizumab treatment was discontinued. At the last follow up, the patient was still on maintenance therapy with pemetrexed alone, which is well tolerated. Psoriasis has rarely been reported as an immune-related adverse event. Although the patient had to stop the immunotherapy treatment, the patient is still exhibiting a response to it. Notably, it has previously been described how skin toxicities are associated with a better outcome. Other studies need to be conducted to identify the risk and predictive factors associated with severe immune adverse events and objective response