Constraints Propagation on GPU: A Case Study for AllDifferent

The AllDifferent constraint is a fundamental tool in Constraint Programming. It naturally arises in many problems, from puzzles to scheduling and routing applications. Such popularity has prompted an extensive literature on filtering and propagation for this constraint. Motivated by the benefits that GPUs offer to other branches of AI, this paper investigates the use of GPUs to accelerate filtering and propagation. In particular, we present an efficient parallelization of the AllDifferent constraint on GPU; we analyze different design and implementation choices and evaluates the performance of the resulting system on medium to large instances of the Travelling Salesman Problem with encouraging results

Epidemiology of intensive care unit-acquired sepsis in Italy: results of the SPIN-UTI network

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is the major cause of mortality from any infectious disease worldwide. Sepsis may be the result of a healthcare associated infection (HAI): the most frequent adverse events during care delivery especially in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The main aim of the present study was to describe the epidemiology of ICU-acquired sepsis and related outcomes among patients enrolled in the framework of the Italian Nosocomial Infections Surveillance in ICUs - SPIN-UTI project. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective multicenter study. METHODS: The SPIN-UTI network adopted the European protocols for patient-based HAI surveillance. RESULTS: During the five editions of the SPIN-UTI project, from 2008 to 2017, 47.0% of HAIs has led to sepsis in 832 patients. Overall, 57.0% episodes were classified as sepsis, 20.5% as severe sepsis and 22.5% as septic shock. The most common isolated microorganisms from sepsis episodes were Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The case fatality rate increased with the severity of sepsis and the mean length of ICU-stay was significantly higher in patients with ICU-acquired sepsis than in patients without. CONCLUSION: Our study provides evidence that ICU-acquired sepsis occurs frequently in Italian ICU patients and is associated with a high case fatality rate and increased length of stay. However, in order to explain these findings further analyses are needed in this population of ICU patient

The impact of acute intoxications in a toxicological unit care in North East Italy

Retrospective study in a Toxicological Unit Care (TUC) performed to know the epidemiology of acute intoxication (AI) in Verona (Italy) during years 2008-2009. All data regarding patients with a diagnosis of certain/suspected AI were collected and evaluated: some demographic information, the characteristics of the agent involved, the pattern of exposure, the triage at the admission to TUC and the outcome. 244 cases were analyzed: 45.9% males and 54.9% females, mean age respectively 45.1 and 43.9 years. The monthly distribution of admitted patients resulted fairly constant, except from a light rising prevalence in autumn, with a majority of yellow (45.9%) and green (43.4%) triage code. The pattern of exposure resulted: ingestion (82.7% of cases; age peaks: 18-34 and 35-51 years old; mostly due to food (as mushrooms), drinks, detergents, soap, pharmaceutical, drugs of abuse, caustics substances), contact (10.2% of cases; age peak 18-51) and inhalation (6.9% of cases). In 17.2% of cases the poisoning exposure was intentional. In 63.5% the patients were sent to their general practitioners (45.5% of the yellow and 81.1% of the green coded patients) and in 22.1% of cases they were admitted to clinical rooms (44.6% of the yellow coded patients). In most cases the triage code assigned to the studied patients resulted yellow and green. Considering that the seriousness of the symptoms can appear after several hours from the exposure to toxic substances, a quick and specific intervention to obtain the best therapeutical effectiveness is suitable, in order to save lives or to avoid irremediable health damages

Attitudes of nursing home staff towards influenza vaccination: opinions and factors influencing hesitancy

Seasonal influenza is recognized to be a significant public health problem and a cause of death, especially in fragile persons. In nursing homes (NHs), vaccination for both residents and staff is the best preventive strategy. However, professionals\u2019 immunization rates are far from reaching the international recommended values. This study aims to describe the adherence and attitudes of NH staff towards flu vaccination and to explore staff hesitancy. A questionnaire was developed based on a literature review and on the 3Cs (confidence, complacency, convenience) of the WHO framework and administered among the staff of four NHs of a province in the northeast of Italy. Results demonstrated a low adherence towards annual vaccination (i.e., only 3% declared getting the flu vaccination each year). Complacency, confidence and convenience all showed a significant impact on the attitude towards vaccination both in univariate and multivariable analysis, with complacency being the most strongly associated area. The area of confidence resulted in strongly challenging factors. Only 24.8% of interviewees appeared trustful towards the efficacy of receiving immunization and 34% declared safety issues. Insights from the study can support the implementation of effective interventions to improve vaccination adherence in NHs. Specifically, increasing complacency by raising awareness related to the risks of influenza appears to be an essential strategy to effectively promote vaccination uptake

Active TB screening among homeless people attending soup kitchens in Verona (Italy)

BACKGROUND: The hard-to-reach populations, including the homeless, are particularly vulnerable to the development of active tuberculosis. According to the World Health Organization, tuberculosis rates among the homeless in industrialized Countries are up to 20 times higher if compared with the general population, representing a relevant public health problem. The aim of our study was to describe the results of an active tuberculosis screening applied in order to find out suspected active TB cases among the homeless in Verona.METHODS: As part of a partnership between the non-profit association Medici per la Pace and one of the Local Health Units of Veneto Region (ULSS 9 Scaligera) in 2018, a tuberculosis screening, based on thoracic radiographs, was offered to the homeless guests of two Verona's soup kitchens.RESULT: The studied population included 139 people, and three cases of suspected active tuberculosis, all in males, were observed. Among these, two received a diagnostic confirmation of active tuberculosis (a prevalence of 1.44% - CI: 0,17 - 5,1). Moreover, radiographic patterns of tuberculosis aftermaths were found in six additional subjects.CONCLUSION: Interventions specifically dedicated to hard-to-reach populations, can be useful in identifying tuberculosis active cases and controlling the disease in low tuberculosis burden countries. In particular, the active research of subjects, the screening carried out with mobile X-ray, and also the constant caring of the patients with active disease, could be the right method to keep under control this relevant public health problem

Factors precipitating the risk of aspiration in hospitalized patients: findings from a multicentre critical incident technique study

Objective: To elucidate factors, other than those clinical, precipitating the risk of aspiration in hospitalized patients. Design: The Critical Incident Technique was adopted for this study in 2015. Setting: Three departments located in two academic hospitals in the northeast of Italy, equipped with 800 and 1500 beds, respectively. Participants: A purposeful sample of 12 registered nurses (RN), all of whom (i) had reported one or more episodes of aspiration during the longitudinal survey, (ii) had worked 653 years in the department, and (iii) were willing to participate, were included. Main Outcome Measure(s): Antecedent factors involved in episodes of aspiration as experienced by RNs were collected through an open-ended interview, and qualitatively analysed. Results: In addition to clinical factors, other factors interacting with each other may precipitate the risk of aspiration episodes during hospitalization: at the nursing care level (misclassifying patients, transferring tasks to other healthcare professionals and standardizing processes to remove potential threats); at the family level (misclassifying patients, dealing with the cultural relevance of eating) and at the environmental level (positioning the patient, managing time pressures, distracting patient while eating, dealing with food consistency and irritating oral medication). Conclusions: At the hospital level, an adequate nursing workforce and models of care delivery, as well as time for initial and continuing patient and family assessment are required. At the unit level, patient-centred models of care aimed at reducing care standardization are also recommended; in addition, nursing, family and environmental factors should be recorded in the incident reports documenting episodes of aspiratio

Parentesco genético em reprodutores de tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) baseado em marcadores de DNA: perspectivas de manejo genético na ausência de pedigree.

O controle das relações de parentesco de peixes nativos em fase inicial de domesticação é uma atividade fundamental para sustentabilidade dos recursos genéticos e fortalecimento das cadeias produtivas emergentes. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar o parentesco genético em reprodutores de tambaqui de uma piscicultura comercial, sem as informações de procedência e pedigree, utilizando marcadores moleculares. Quarenta e oito animais foram avaliados com seis marcadores microssatélites. O polimorfismo encontrado nessa piscicultura foi considerado moderado, com número médio de alelos de 6,5. O parentesco médio estimado foi de -0,015 a -0,02, e a curva dos genótipos reais similar à distribuição simulada de animais não aparentados. A taxa de erro foi de 7,8% a 5,5% para meios-irmãos e irmãos-completos, respectivamente. De modo geral os animais do plantel de tambaqui investigado não exibiram vínculo genético entre si o que lhes asseguram amplas possibilidades de acasalamento de reprodutores. Essa condição melhora as perspectivas de manejo na seleção de reprodutores e o descarte de acasalamento machos e fêmeas altamente consanguíneos.bitstream/item/124951/1/cnpasa-2015.pd

Eficiência da formalina e triclorfon sobre estágios de desenvolvimento de Dawestrema sp., monogeneas de pirarucus (Arapaima gigas).

O presente trabalho avaliou a eficácia da formalina e do triclorfon na redução dos estágios de desenvolvimento de Dawestrema sp. (Monogenea) em pirarucus oriundos de tanques-rede

Avaliação do crescimento de pirarucu Arapaima gigas submetidos a diferentes frequências alimentares.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes frequências alimentares sobre o crescimento de alevinos de pirarucu