Deep learning-assisted analysis of automobiles handling performances

The luxury car market has demanding product development standards aimed at providing state-of-the-art features in the automotive domain. Handling performance is amongst the most important properties that must be assessed when developing a new car model. In this work, we analyse the problem of predicting subjective evaluations of automobiles handling performances from objective records of driving sessions. A record is a multi-dimensional time series describing the temporal evolution of the mechanical state of an automobile. A categorical variable quantifies the evaluations of handling properties. We describe an original deep learning system, featuring a denoising autoencoder and hierarchical attention mechanisms, that we designed to solve this task. Attention mechanisms intrinsically compute probability distributions over their inputs’ components. Combining this feature with the saliency maps technique, our system can compute heatmaps that provide a visual aid to identify the physical events conditioning its predictions

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of diagnostic methods in adult food allergy

Food allergy has an increasing prevalence in the general population and in Italy concerns 8 % of people with allergies. The spectrum of its clinical manifestations ranges from mild symptoms up to potentially fatal anaphylactic shock. A number of patients can be diagnosed easily by the use of first- and second-level procedures (history, skin tests and allergen specific IgE). Patients with complex presentation, such as multiple sensitizations and pollen-food syndromes, frequently require a third-level approach including molecular diagnostics, which enables the design of a component-resolved sensitization profile for each patient. The use of such techniques involves specialists' and experts' skills on the issue to appropriately meet the diagnostic and therapeutic needs of patients. Particularly, educational programs for allergists on the use and interpretation of molecular diagnostics are needed

Genomic traits of Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614, an uncommon metal-nanoparticle producer strain isolated from acid mine drainages

Abstract Background: Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614 - isolated from acid mine drainages - grows anaerobically using Fe(III)- citrate as sole carbon and energy source, unlike other enterobacteria and K. oxytoca clinical isolates. The DSM 29614 strain is multi metal resistant and produces metal nanoparticles that are embedded in its very peculiar capsular exopolysaccharide. These metal nanoparticles were effective as antimicrobial and anticancer compounds, chemical catalysts and nano-fertilizers. Results: The DSM 29614 strain genome was sequenced and analysed by a combination of in silico procedures. Comparative genomics, performed between 85 K. oxytoca representatives and K. oxytoca DSM 29614, revealed that this bacterial group has an open pangenome, characterized by a very small core genome (1009 genes, about 2%), a high fraction of unique (43,808 genes, about 87%) and accessory genes (5559 genes, about 11%). Proteins belonging to COG categories “Carbohydrate transport and metabolism” (G), “Amino acid transport and metabolism” (E), “Coenzyme transport and metabolism” (H), “Inorganic ion transport and metabolism” (P), and “membrane biogenesis-related proteins” (M) are particularly abundant in the predicted proteome of DSM 29614 strain. The results of a protein functional enrichment analysis - based on a previous proteomic analysis – revealed metabolic optimization during Fe(III)- citrate anaerobic utilization. In this growth condition, the observed high levels of Fe(II) may be due to different flavin metal reductases and siderophores as inferred form genome analysis. The presence of genes responsible for the synthesis of exopolysaccharide and for the tolerance to heavy metals was highlighted too. The inferred genomic insights were confirmed by a set of phenotypic tests showing specific metabolic capability in terms of i) Fe2+ and exopolysaccharide production and ii) phosphatase activity involved in precipitation of metal ion-phosphate salts. Conclusion: The K. oxytoca DSM 29614 unique capabilities of using Fe(III)-citrate as sole carbon and energy source in anaerobiosis and tolerating diverse metals coincides with the presence at the genomic level of specific genes that can support i) energy metabolism optimization, ii) cell protection by the biosynthesis of a peculiar exopolysaccharide armour entrapping metal ions and iii) general and metal-specific detoxifying activities by different proteins and metabolites

Topological analysis of singularity loci for serial and parallel manipulators

Singularities of robot manipulators have been intensely studied in the last decades by researchers of many fields. Serial singularities produce some local loss of dexterity of the manipulator, therefore it might be desirable to search for singularityfree trajectories in the jointspace. On the other hand, parallel singularities are very dangerous for parallel manipulators, for they may provoke the local loss of platform control, and jeopardize the structural integrity of links or actuators. It is therefore utterly important to avoid parallel singularities, while operating a parallel machine. Furthermore, there might be some configurations of a parallel manipulators that are allowed by the constraints, but nevertheless are unreachable by any feasible path. The present work proposes a numerical procedure based upon Morse theory, an important branch of differential topology. Such procedure counts and identify the singularity-free regions that are cut by the singularity locus out of the configuration space, and the disjoint regions composing the configuration space of a parallel manipulator. Moreover, given any two configurations of a manipulator, a feasible or a singularity-free path connecting them can always be found, or it can be proved that none exists. Examples of applications to 3R and 6R serial manipulators, to 3UPS and 3UPU parallel wrists, to 3UPU parallel translational manipulators, and to 3RRR planar manipulators are reported in the work

Induction and pharmacological treatment of oral osteopenia in rats.

3nonenoneZAFFE D.; COCCHI D.; C. PAGANELLIZaffe, D.; Cocchi, Daniela; Paganelli, Corrad

Multiple contemporary arterial dissection in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV

We report a case of multiple spontaneous arteries dissection in a 52-year-old female; the patient had a relevant family history of vascular complications and typical features so we hypothesized vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) that was confirmed by genetic analysis of COL3A1 gene. We adopted a conservative approach: the patient was treated with heparin in the acute phase followed by aspirin and then celiprolol was started on the basis of a recent trial that demonstrates a reduction in arterial events in EDS patient treated. A careful follow-up was done with Doppler ultrasound and computed tomography scan, as non-invasive diagnostic techniques are preferred in these patients, and no other vascular symptomatic events have occurred. We tested all living relatives: half of them had COL3A1 mutation, they were referred to another center specialized in rare diseases and EDS for long-term follow-up and genetic counseling. This case demonstrates as a careful evaluation of clinical signs, clinical history of the patient and his family has allowed a definitive diagnosis, proper management of the patient during the acute event and in terms of prophylaxis of recurrence