Semantic Blockchain to Improve Scalability in the Internet of Things

Generally scarce computational and memory resource availability is a well known problem for the IoT, whose intrinsic volatility makes complex applications unfeasible. Noteworthy efforts in overcoming unpredictability (particularly in case of large dimensions) are the ones integrating Knowledge Representation technologies to build the so-called Semantic Web of Things (SWoT). In spite of allowed advanced discovery features, transactions in the SWoT still suffer from not viable trust management strategies. Given its intrinsic characteristics, blockchain technology appears as interesting from this perspective: a semantic resource/service discovery layer built upon a basic blockchain infrastructure gains a consensus validation. This paper proposes a novel Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) based on a semantic blockchain for registration, discovery, selection and payment. Such operations are implemented as smart contracts, allowing distributed execution and trust. Reported experiments early assess the sustainability of the proposal

Cognitive development attenuates audiovisual distraction and promotes the selection of task-relevant perceptual saliency during visual search on complex scenes

Searching for a target while avoiding distraction is a core function of selective attention involving both voluntary and reflexive mechanisms. Here, for the first time, we investigated the development of the interplay between voluntary and reflexive mechanisms of selective attention from childhood to early adulthood. We asked 6-, 10-, and 20-year-old participants to search for a target presented in one hemifield of a complex scene, preceded by a task-irrelevant auditory cue on either the target side (valid), the opposite side (invalid), or both sides (neutral). For each scene we computed the number of salient locations (NSL) and the target saliency (TgS). All age groups showed comparable orienting effects (\u201cvalid minus neutral\u201d trials), indicating a similar capture of spatial attention by valid cues which was independent of age. However, only adults demonstrated a suppression of the reorienting effect (\u201cinvalid minus neutral\u201d trials), indicating late developments in the reallocation of spatial attention toward a target following auditory distraction. The searching performance of the children (both 6- and 10-year-olds), but not of the adults, was predicted by the NSL, indicating an attraction of processing resources to salient but task-irrelevant locations in childhood; conversely, only adults showed greater performance with increased TgS in valid trials, indicating late development in the use of task-related saliency. These findings highlight qualitatively different mechanisms of selective attention operating at different ages, demonstrating important developmental changes in the interplay between voluntary and reflexive mechanisms of selective attention during visual search in complex scenes

La percezione degli insegnanti degli aspetti funzionali e problematici della scuola domiciliare per alunni malati

Many students with medical needs are benefitting from the home-schooling service. However, such service has seldom been investigated. The present qualitative study investigated the characteristics of home-schooling service in a sample of 43 teachers who provided such service during the 2018/2019 school year. The most salient problematic aspects refer to the relationship with illness, the complexity of several organizational and logistical tasks and work dispersion. Information and communication technologies are mentioned in an ambivalent way; a good relationship with the class of belonging of the child and the teacher’s capability to fully take care of all the educational and developmental needs of the student are mentioned as an effective way to proper home-teaching practice. Home-schooling for students with health care needs requires a particular organization and specific teacher training and in-service supervision. Some of these solutions are also discussed in relation to the international literature in the field.Molti studenti malati usufruiscono della scuola domiciliare, ma questo servizio è stato finora scarsamente indagato. Il presente studio qualitativo ha indagato le caratteristiche della scuola domiciliare in un campione di 43 docenti in servizio nell’anno 2018/2019. Gli elementi problematici indicati più spesso riguardano il rapporto con la malattia, la complessità e la dispersione del lavoro. Le tecnologie didattiche vengono indicate in modo ambivalente; I contatti con la classe di appartenenza e la capacità del docente domiciliare di farsi carico pienamente della situazione sono stati indicati come aspetti funzionali ad un insegnamento efficace. La scuola domiciliare richiede una gestione e una formazione e supervisione specifica, che viene discussa in alcuni suoi aspetti salienti anche in relazione a soluzioni presentate nel panorama internazionale

Mesoporous silica sub-micron spheres as drug dissolution enhancers: Influence of drug and matrix chemistry on functionality and stability

Mesoporous silica particles prepared through a simplified Stober method and low temperature solvent-promoted surfactant removal are evaluated as dissolution enhancers for poorly soluble compounds, using a powerful anticancer agent belonging to pyrroloquinolinones as a model for anticancer oral therapy, and anti-inflammatory ibuprofen as a reference compound. Mesoporous powders composed of either pure silica or silica modified with aminopropyl residues are produced. The influence of material composition and drug chemical properties on drug loading capability and dissolution enhancement are studied. The two types of particles display similar size, surface area, porosity, erodibility, drug loading capability and stability. An up to 50% w/w drug loading is reached, showing correlation between drug concentration in adsorption medium and content in the final powder. Upon immersion in simulating body fluids, immediate drug dissolution occurred, allowing acceptor solutions to reach concentrations equal to or greater than drug saturation limits. The matrix composition influenced drug solution maximal concentration, complementing the dissolution enhancement generated by a mesoporous structure. This effect was found to depend on both matrix and drug chemical properties allowing us to hypothesise general prediction behaviour rules

Phenotype Expression in a Case of Adult Cystic Fibrosis Caused by an Extremely Rare Compound Heterozygous Genotype (2183AA > G/2789+5G > A)

[No abstract available

Risk for colorectal adenomas among patients with pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms: a prospective case-control study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It has been reported that patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas are at an increased risk of colorectal cancer. The aim of our study was to investigate whether patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms are at a higher risk of colorectal adenomas with respect to the general population, as this condition represents the precursor of sporadic colorectal cancer. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted at the Catholic University and University Sapienza, Rome, Italy. The cases were patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms without history of colorectal cancer, who had underwent screening colonoscopy for the first time. The controls were individuals who had underwent first time colonoscopy for screening or evaluation of non-specific abdominal symptoms. Chi-square and Fisher tests were used to compare the distributions of categorical variables. RESULTS: We enrolled 122 cases and 246 controls. Colorectal polyps were found in 52 cases (42.6%) and 79 controls (32.1%) (p<0.05). In 29 cases (23.8%) and 57 controls (23.2%) histological examination disclosed adenomatous polyps (p=0.90). There was no difference between the groups in relation to the presence of polyps with low-grade (19.7% vs. 19.8%, p=0.98) and high-grade dysplasia (4.9% vs. 4.5%, p=0.85). CONCLUSION: Patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas are not at an increased risk for the development of adenomatous colorectal polyps

Linee guida su: screening, diagnosi precoce e trattamento multidisciplinare del cancro del colon-retto

Printed from http://www.pnlg.it target=NewWindow>www.pnlg.it (November 2004). - On the cover: 2. - P. 12: 'Questa linea guida e' stata completata nel giugno 2002. L'aggiornamento e' previsto per il giugno 2004'Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7 , Rome / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal