Distributed intelligent management,of active networks

This paper focuses on improving computer network management by the adoption of artificial intelligence techniques. A logical inference system has being devised to enable automated isolation, diagnosis, and even repair of network problems, thus enhancing the reliability, performance, and security of networks. We propose a distributed multi-agent architecture for network management, where a logical reasoner acts as an external managing entity capable of directing, coordinating, and stimulating actions in an active management architecture. The active networks technology represents the lower level layer which makes possible the deployment of code which implement teleo-reactive agents, distribut…

IMPATTO DEL TEMA DELLA RADIOPROTEZIONE NELLA LETTERATURA RADIOLOGICA ITALIANA

Evaluate the interest aroused in the Italian radiological literature by radioprotection in the period 2004-2014, and its impact and development in national scientific research

Poly(ethylenglycol) mimics adhesive capability of the ECM treatment on 3D polylactide-based scaffolds to study in vitro human hepatocarcinoma processes

A Network Protocol to Enhance Robustness in Tree-Based WSNs Using Data Aggregation

This paper proposes a data gathering strategy for wireless sensor networks and an implementation based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The algorithm combines the benefits of single-path and multi-path routing strategies in a hybrid solution which makes use of alternative paths when necessary. We adopt a caching and retransmission technique, which exploits some peculiar features of data aggregation, with the use of implicit acknowledgments of reception. The paper also discusses simulation results that show how the mentioned techniques, combined with exploitation of the features of the IEEE 802.15.4 standard have been used to obtain an efficient protocol that takes energy consumption into acco…

A Logical Framework for Augmented Simulations of Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper describes a framework for practical and efficient monitoring of a wireless sensor network. The architecture proposed exploits the dynamic reasoning capabilities of the situation calculus in order to assess the sensor network behavior before actually deploying all the nodes. Designing a wireless sensor network for a specific application typically involves a preliminary phase of simulations that rely on specialized software, whose behavior does not necessarily reproduce what will be experienced by an actual network. On the other hand, delaying the test phase until deployment may not be advisable due to unreasonable costs. This paper suggests the adoption of a hybrid approach that i…

Cardiac rupture caused by traffic accident: Case reports and a literature review.

The commonest cause of blunt cardiac injuries is from traffic accidents followed by violent falls, sport activities, accidents or a fight but rupture of the heart is rare and lethal. The precise incidence of cardiac injury after a blunt chest trauma is unknown as rates vary greatly in the literature from between 7% and 76% of cases. Autopsy studies have shown that the right ventricle is the most frequently ruptured, followed by the left ventricle, right atrium, intraventricular septum, left atrium and interatrial septum with decreasing frequency. Post-mortem imaging is a rapidly advancing field of post-mortem investigations of trauma victims. The available literature dealing with the compa…

DIFFERENT LOCATIONS OF ENDOMETRIOSIS IN 86 PATIENTS: A SINGLE- CENTRE STUDY.

Endometriosis is an important gynecologic disorder defined as the presence of functional endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity. Prevalence of endometriosis is 6-10% in the general population, but rises to 35-50% in women with pelvic pain or infertility or both. The aim of this study was to retrospectively review the different locations of pelvic and extrapelvic endometriosis occurred in our Department during last 3 years.

The role of poly(ethylenglycol) molecular weight on viability and cell adhesion in polylactide based scaffolds

The effect of processing and molecular weight of poly(ethylenglycol) of polylactide-based scaffolds on viability and cell adhesion of SkHep1 cells

A Reconfigurable Neural Environment on Active Networks

This paper proposes the deployment of a neural network computing environment on Active Networks. Active Networks are packet-switched computer networks in which packets can contain code fragments that are executed on the intermediate nodes. This feature allows the injection of small pieces of codes to deal with computer network problems directly into the network core, and the adoption of new computing techniques to solve networking problems. The goal of our project is the adoption of a distributed neural network for approaching tasks which are specific of the computer network environment. Dynamically reconfigurable neural networks are spread on an experimental wide area backbone of active no…

Efficacy of raw implementation and reduction dose protocols in CT colonoscopy: a single centre 4 years retrospective review

Aims and objectives Methods and materials Results Conclusion Personal information References

Ruolo dell’imaging TC nella valutazione post-mortem dei soggetti deceduti per caduta da altezze elevate: nostra esperienza

The CT-v can therefore be considered an effective method as an aid in the autopsy evaluation of individuals who died for various causes; in particular, in the case of deaths due to accidental falls from high altitudes, is able to identify the primary cause of death and all the epiphenomena due to precipitation.

Bayesian System for Differential Cryptanalysis of DES

AbstractThis paper proposes a new formalization for the differential cryptanalysis of DES (Data Encryption Standard) based on Bayesian Networks (BN), an artificial intelligence framework used for reasoning on data affected by uncertainty. Through the proposed approach it is possible to analyze DES from a novel point of view, thus paving the way for the development of a new class of cryptanalysis methods.

Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication Principles<BR>An adaptive routing mechanism for P2P resource discovery

The key to the usability of large-scale decentralize peer-to-peer (P2P) systems, and one of the most challenge design aspects, is efficient mechanism for distributed resource discovery. Unstructured P2P networks are very attractive because they do not suffer the limitations of centralized systems an the drawbacks of highly structured approaches. However the search algorithms are usually based on simple flooding scheme generating large loads on the network participants. In this paper to address this major limitation, we present the design an evaluation of an innovative searching protocol in unstructured P2P networks. The approach aims at dynamically adapting the network topology to peers' in…

Viabilità e adesione cellulare di cellule di epatocarcinoma umano su supporti 3D a base di poli(acido D,L lattico)

Improving user experience via motion sensors in an Ambient Intelligence scenario

Ambient Intelligence (AmI) is a new paradigm in Artificial Intelligence that aims at exploiting the information about the environment state in order to adapt it to the user preferences. AmI systems are usually based on several cheap and unobtrusive sensing devices that allow for continuous monitoring in different scenarios. In this work we present a gesture recognition module for the management of an office environment using a motion sensor device, namely Microsoft Kinect, as the primary interface between the user and the AmI system. The proposed gesture recognition method is based on both RGB and depth information for detecting the hand of the user and a fuzzy rule for determining the stat…

PREOPERATIVE ASSESSMENT OF RECTAL CANCER: AN ACCURATE MRI PROTOCOL A RADIOLOGICAL TEMPLATE

Learning objectives Background Findings and procedure details Conclusion Personal information References

Effect of the processing techniques on the properties of ecocomposites based on vegetable oil-derived Mater-Bi® and wood flour

Polymer composites based on biodegradable polymers and natural-organic fillers are becoming more and more important because of their interesting properties in terms of environmental impact, manufacturing cost, and esthetic features. In particular, the use of biodegradable polymer matrices allows obtaining a full biodegradability. One of the most interesting biodegradable polymer families is the Mater-Bi® one. In this work, we investigated the processability, the influence of different processing techniques, and the influence of the filler particle size on the properties of Mater-Bi/wood flour composites. Injection molding caused a partial degradation of the macromolecular chains, whereas si…

A Novel System for Multi-level Crohn’s Disease Classification and Grading Based on a Multiclass Support Vector Machine

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract that can highly alter patient’s quality of life. Diagnostic imaging, such as Enterography Magnetic Resonance Imaging (E-MRI), provides crucial information for CD activity assessment. Automatic learning methods play a fundamental role in the classification of CD and allow to avoid the long and expensive manual classification process by radiologists. This paper presents a novel classification method that uses a multiclass Support Vector Machine (SVM) based on a Radial Basis Function (RBF) kernel for the grading of CD inflammatory activity. To validate the system, we have used a dataset composed of 800 E-MRI…

A multi-agent decision support system for dynamic supply chain organization

In this work, a multi-agent system (MAS) for supply chain dynamic con- figuration is proposed. The brain of each agent is composed of a Bayesian Decision Network (BDN); this choice allows the agent for taking the best decisions esti- mating benefits and potential risks of different strategies, analyzing and managing uncertain information about the collaborating companies. Each agent collects infor- mation about customer’s orders and current market prices, and analyzes previous experiences of collaborations with trading partners. The agent therefore performs a probabilistic inferential reasoning to filter information modeled in its knowledge base in order to achieve the best performance in t…

Diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5 Tesla in paediatric patients with Crohn's disease

Aim of our study was to investigate role of ADC values at b=0, 500, 800, and at multi-b in the evaluation of PCD

Shot-dead CT-virtopsy: our experience

Learning objectives Background Findings and procedure details Conclusion Personal information References

EVALUATION OF MESENTERIC CHANGES WITH ELASTOSONOGRAPHY AND DIFFUSION-WEIGHTED MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING IN PATIENTS WITH CROHN'S DISEASE: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Aims and objectives Methods and materials Results Conclusion Personal information References

Effect of the processing on the properties of biopolymer based composites filled with wood flour

Wood-polymer composites (WPCs) are well known today in the field of industrial applications, because of several advantages they can grant if compared with mineral filler-polymer composites. These advantages regard the low cost of wood based fillers, the reduced specific weight, the lower hazards for production workers in case of inhalation, the special aesthetic features, environmental issues. The scientific literature reports studies regarding polymer matrices like, for instance, polyethylene and polypropylene, in combination with several natural-organic fillers. However, a limit of these composites is represented by the fact that there is not a full biodegradability: this, in fact, regard…

Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication Principles: Reinforcement learning for P2P searching

For a peer-to-peer (P2P) system holding a massive amount of data, an efficient and scalable search for resource sharing is a key determinant to its practical usage. Unstructured P2P networks avoid the limitations of centralized systems and the drawbacks of a highly structured approach, because they impose few constraints on topology and data placement, and they support highly versatile search mechanisms. However their search algorithms are usually based on simple flooding schemes, showing severe inefficiencies. In this paper, to address this major limitation, we propose and evaluate the adoption of a local adaptive routing protocol. The routing algorithm adopts a simple reinforcement learni…

A recognize-and-accuse policy to speed up distributed processes

Role of imaging in the preoperative assessment of pelvic and extrapelvic endometriosis: a pictorial essay

Aims and objectives Methods and materials Results Conclusion Personal information References

A management architecture for active networks

In this paper we present an architecture for network and applications management, which is based on the Active Networks paradigm and shows the advantages of network programmability. The stimulus to develop this architecture arises from an actual need to manage a cluster of active nodes, where it is often required to redeploy network assets and modify nodes connectivity. In our architecture, a remote front-end of the managing entity allows the operator to design new network topologies, to check the status of the nodes and to configure them. Moreover, the proposed framework allows to explore an active network, to monitor the active applications, to query each node and to install programmable …

Exploiting Deductive Processes for Automated Network Management

This paper focuses on improving network management by the adoption of artificial intelligence techniques. We propose a distributed multiagent architecture for network management, which exploits the dynamic reasoning capabilities of the situation calculus in order to emulate the reactive behavior of a human expert to fault situations. The information related to network events is generated by programmable sensors deployed on the network devices and is collected by a logical entity for network managing where it is merged with general domain knowledge, with a view to identifying the root causes of faults and to decide on reparative actions. The logical inference system has been devised to carry…

Anatomic variants of the biliary tree at MRCP: still too rarely reported!

Aims and objectives Methods and materials Results Conclusion Personal information References

Imaging assessment of paediatric Crohn's disease: A literature review

Owing to the frequent absence of specific symptoms, diagnosis of Crohn's disease may be delayed, potentially leading to important patient morbidity, growth failure, pubertal delay, or a complicated form of the disease. In paediatric patients with Crohn's disease, radiation protection requires special consideration, and choosing the most appropriate imaging modality is crucial. All radiologists should be familiar with the main imaging characteristics of Crohn's disease. Therefore, the present study reviews the current literature on imaging modalities and main imaging characteristics of Crohn's disease. Magnetic resonance imaging is recommended for diagnosis of Crohn's disease in paediatric p…

MR IMAGING IN A CASE OF PRIMARY EPIPLOIC APPENDAGITIS IN A 12 YEARS GIRL

Modifica superficiale di film di poli(etilene-co-acido acrilico) con nanoparticelle di silice attivata

Evaluation of a Support Vector Machine Based Method for Crohn’s Disease Classification

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic, disabling inflammatory bowel disease that affects millions of people worldwide. CD diagnosis is a challenging issue that involves a combination of radiological, endoscopic, histological, and laboratory investigations. Medical imaging plays an important role in the clinical evaluation of CD. Enterography magnetic resonance imaging (E-MRI) has been proven to be a useful diagnostic tool for disease activity assessment. However, the manual classification process by expert radiologists is time-consuming and expensive. This paper proposes the evaluation of an automatic Support Vector Machine (SVM) based supervised learning method for CD classification. A real E-…

A Dynamic Reasoning Architecture for Computer Network Management

This paper focuses on improving network management and monitoring by the adoption of Artificial Intelli- gence techniques. In order to allow automated reasoning on networking concepts, we defined an accurate ontologi- cal model capable of describing as better as possible the networking domain. The thorough representation of the do- main knowledge is used by a Logical Reasoner, which is an expert system capable of performing high-level manage- ment tasks.

Reinforcement Learning for P2P Searching

For a peer-to-peer (P2P) system holding massive amount of data, an efficient and scalable search for resource sharing is a key determinant to its practical usage. Unstructured P2P networks avoid the limitations of centralized systems and the drawbacks of a highly structured approach, because they impose few constraints on topology and data placement, and they support highly versatile search mechanisms. However their search algorithms are usually based on simple flooding schemes, showing severe inefficiencies. In this paper, to address this major limitation, we propose and evaluate the adoption of a local adaptive routing protocol. The routing algorithm adopts a simple Reinforcement Learning…

An efficient distributed approach for dynamic multicast trees

In this paper we present a distributed algorithm for constructing efficient multicast trees in large networks. The algorithm allows the set up of effective distribution trees using a coordination protocol among the network nodes. The algorithm has been implemented and extensively tested both in simulation, and on experimental networks. Performance evaluation indicates that our approach outperforms the state-of-the-art distributed algorithms for multicast tree setup, providing good levels of convergence time and communication complexity. Furthermore, we introduce a distributed technique for dynamically updating the multicast tree. The approach monitors the accumulated damage as nodes join or…

A facile method to determine pore size distribution in porous scaffold by using image processing

Abstract Image processing permits scientists to investigate morphological properties of three-dimensional structures starting from their bi-dimensional gray-scale representation. In many cases porous structure with complex architecture has to be designed in order to attempt specific properties such in the case of scaffold for tissue engineering. Traditional morphological characterization, like scanning electron microscopy, should be coupled with quantitative information such as pore size distribution (PSD) in order to get a deeper understanding of the influence of the porous structure on tissue regeneration processes and on other related applications, it is remarkable to study a quantitativ…

EVALUATION OF RESPONSE IN MALIGNANT TUMORS TREATED WITH TARGETED AGENTS.

Learning objectives Background Findings and procedure details Conclusion Personal information References

Robust Data Gathering for Wireless Sensor Networks

2005 13th IEEE International Conference on Networks jointly held with the 2005 7th IEEE Malaysia International Conference on Communications, Proceedings Volume 1, 2005, Article number 1635527, Pages 469-474 2005 13th IEEE International Conference on Networks jointly held with the 2005 7th IEEE Malaysia International Conference on Communications; Kuala Lumpur; Malaysia; 16 November 2005 through 18 November 2005; Category number05EX1235; Code 69262 Robust data gathering for wireless sensor networks (Conference Paper) Ortolani, M. , Gatani, L. , Lo Re, G. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Informatica, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Parco d'Orleans, 90128 Palermo, Italy View re…

User detection through multi-sensor fusion in an AmI scenario

Recent advances in technology, with regard to sensing and transmission devices, have made it possible to obtain continuous and precise monitoring of a wide range of qualitatively diverse environments. This has boosted the research on the novel field of Ambient Intelligence, which aims at exploiting the information about the environment state in order to adapt it to the user’s preference. In this paper, we analyze the issue of detecting the user’s presence in a given region of the monitored area, which is crucial in order to trigger subsequent actions. In particular, we present a comprehensive framework that turns data perceived by sensors of different nature, and with possible imprecision, …

A wireless sensor network for vineyard management in Sicily (Italy)

Wine quality depends on many factors, such as the choice of variety, stock, training system, pruning as well as environmental parameters and cultivation techniques performed in the vineyard. Monitoring the micro-climate of grapevine allows to conveniently perform the most important cultivation techniques (soil management, pesticide treatments, green pruning, harvest) thus reducing the operating costs of the vineyard, and increasing the overall quality of the grapes. The aim of the present study is to monitor the micro-climate of grapevine in order to control spring period hazards, to reduce the operating costs of the vineyard and to increase the quality of grapes. For this purpose a Wireles…

Adaptive Collision Avoidance through Implicit Acknowledgments in WSNs

The large number of nodes, typical of many sensor network deployments, and the well-known hidden terminal problem make collision avoidance an essential goal for the actual employment of WSN technology. Collision avoidance is traditionally dealt with at the MAC Layer and plenty of different solutions have been proposed, which however have encountered limited diffusion because of their incompatibility with commonly available devices.In this paper we propose an approach to collision avoidance which is designed to work over a standard MAC Layer, namely the IEEE 802.15.4 MAC, and is based on application-controlled delays of packet transmission times. The proposed scheme is simple, decentralized …

Sensor Mining for User Behavior Profiling in Intelligent Environments

The proposed system exploits sensor mining methodologies to profile user behaviors patterns in an intelligent workplace. The work is based in the assumption that users’ habit profiles are implicitly described by sensory data, which explicitly show the consequences of users’ actions over the environment state. Sensor data are analyzed in order to infer relationships of interest between environmental variables and the user, detecting in this way behavior profiles. The system is designed for a workplace equipped in the context of Sensor9k, a project carried out at the Department of Computer Science of Palermo University.

A genetic algorithm for the design of a fuzzy controller for active queue management

Active queue management (AQM) policies are those\ud policies of router queue management that allow for the detection of network congestion, the notification of such occurrences to the\ud hosts on the network borders, and the adoption of a suitable control\ud policy. This paper proposes the adoption of a fuzzy proportional\ud integral (FPI) controller as an active queue manager for Internet\ud routers. The analytical design of the proposed FPI controller is\ud carried out in analogy with a proportional integral (PI) controller,\ud which recently has been proposed for AQM. A genetic algorithm is\ud proposed for tuning of the FPI controller parameters with respect\ud to optimal disturbance rej…

Rule based reasoning for network management

This paper focuses on improving network management by the adoption of artificial intelligence techniques. We propose a distributed multi-agent architecture for network management, where a logical reasoner acts as a managing entity capable of directing, coordinating, and triggering monitoring and management actions in the proposed architecture. The logical inference system has been devised to enable automated isolation, diagnosis, and to repair network anomalies, thus enhancing the reliability, performance, and security of the network. The measurements of network events are captured by programmable sensors deployed on the network devices and are collected by the network management entity whe…

A P2P Architecture for Multimedia Content Retrieval

The retrieval facilities of most Peer-to-Peer (P2P) systems are limited to queries based on unique identifiers or small sets of keywords. This approach can be highly labor-intensive and inconsistent. In this paper we investigate a scenario where a huge amount of multimedia resources are shared in a P2P network, by means of efficient content-based image and video retrieval functionalities. The challenge in such systems is to limit the number of sent messages, maximizing the usefulness of each peer contacted in the query process. We achieve this goal by the adoption of a novel algorithm for routing user queries. The proposed approach exploits compact representations of multimedia resources sh…

A Monitoring Framework Exploiting the Synergy between Actual and Virtual Wireless Sensors

This paper describes a framework that allows realistic monitoring of a wireless sensor network in order to assess its behavior before actually deploying all the nodes. Designing a wireless sensor network for a specific application typically involves a preliminary phase of simulations that rely on specialized software, whose behavior does not necessarily reproduce what will be experienced by an actual network. On the other hand, delaying the test phase until deployment may not be advisable due to unreasonable costs. This paper suggests the adoption of a hybrid approach that involves coupling an actual wireless sensor network composed of a minimal set of actual nodes with a simulated one; we …

DEGRADATION OF MATER-BI /WOOD FLOUR BIOCOMPOSITES IN ACTIVE SEWAGE SLUDGE

The mechanical properties of Mater-Bi® are, in general, not adequate for certain applications and the addition of a filler is therefore necessary. Among the different fillers, natural fibres are particularly interesting because they potentially allow improving the performance of the material without compromising its biodegradability. In order to improve the basic mechanical properties of a Mater-Bi grade and to obtain a new, fully biodegradable material, wood flour based composites were prepared by different processing methods. To simulate actual and not laboratory bacterial attack on the prepared materials, in this work we studied the biodegradation of the composites in a real active sewag…

FDAE: A f̲ailure d̲etector for a̲synchronous e̲vents

RANDOMIZED PHASE II STUDY OF FIRST-LINE EVEROLIMUS (EVE) + BEVACIZUMAB (BEV) VERSUS INTERFERON ALFA-2A (IFN) + BEV IN PATIENTS (PTS) WITH METASTATIC RENAL CELL CARCINOMA (MRCC): RECORD-2

ABSTRACT Background Study results demonstrated that IFN augments BEV activity and improves median PFS in pts with mRCC. Thus, combination BEV + IFN is a standard first-line treatment option for mRCC. Combining BEV with the mTOR inhibitor EVE may be an efficacious and well-tolerated treatment option. The open-label, phase II RECORD-2 trial compared first-line EVE + BEV and IFN + BEV in mRCC. Patients and methods: Therapy-naive pts with clear cell mRCC and prior nephrectomy were randomized 1:1 to BEV 10 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks with either EVE 10 mg oral daily or IFN (9 MIU SC 3 times/week, if tolerated). Tumour assessments were every 12 weeks. Primary objective was treatment effect on progress…

Autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction and platelet concentrates for the treatment of complex perianal fistulas

Abstract Background Complex perianal fistulas are a major challenge for modern surgery since 10–35% of patients have functional problems after treatment. Sphincter-saving techniques have a wide range of efficacy (10–80%). We hypothesised that autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction in combination with platelet rich plasma is a new therapeutic strategy with enhanced cure and function preservation rates. Methods Adult patients with complex cryptoglandular perianal fistulas were treated with injection of autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction in combination with platelet rich plasma around and inside the fistulous tract between May 2018 and April 2019 at the General …

Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication Principles: Enhanced P2P Services Providing Multimedia Content

[This paper has been withdrawn by the publisher]Traditional peer-to-peer (P2P) services provide only basic searching facilities, based on unique identifiers or small sets of keywords. Unfortunately, this approach is very inadequate and inefficient when a huge amount of multimedia resources is shared. In this paper, we present an original image and video sharing system, in which a user is able to interactively search interesting resources by means of content-based image and video retrieval techniques. In order to limit the network traffic cost, maximizing the usefulness of each peer contacted in the query process, we also propose the adoption of an adaptive overlay routing algorithm, exploit…

Aspetti con TC ed RM delle cisti peribiliari

An Intelligent System for Energy Efficiency in a Complex of Buildings

Energy efficiency has nowadays become one of the most challenging task for both academic and commercial organizations, and this has boosted research on novel fields, such as Ambient Intelligence. In this paper we address the issue of timely and ubiquitous monitoring of building complexes in order to optimize their energy consumption, and present an intelligent system addressed to the typical end user, i.e. the administrator, or responsible operator, of the complex. A three-level architecture has been designed for detecting the presence of the building inhabitants user and understanding their preferences with respect to the environmental conditions in order to optimize the overall energy eff…

Osteoporosis risk factors in HIV positive women with osteoporosis: A retrospective analysis

Multifactorial risk factors such as HIV/HCV co-infection and antiretroviral therapy (ARV) have been associated with osteoporosis in HIV+ women. We retrospectively analysed which known risk factors were associated with the diagnosis of osteoporosis, according to the WHO definition, in HIV positive women who were followed-up at the AIDS Centre of the University of Palermo, Italy between January 2011 and December 2014. Twenty-one HIV+ women with osteoporosis (13 HIV+ mono-infected and 8 HIV/HCV co-infected females) who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and liver stiffness assessment were included in the study. No significant differences between the HIV and HIV/HCV group were fou…

Applicazione di un sistema CAD nella identificazione delle opacità mammografiche: esperienza personale

The egoistic approach to parallel process migration into heterogeneous workstation network

Abstract A new approach to the allocation of processes in a distributed system is discussed. The proposed solution deals with process migration into heterogeneous systems by means of a strategy that delegates the individual parallel applications to manage the migration of their processes by themselves, on the basis of their own performance objectives. This approach is discussed in opposition to the global scheduling based one, and the load balancing objective is pursued as an effect of the optimization of individual applications. A new performance evaluation criterion is introduced that consists in monitoring the delays that occur when two parallel processes run towards a common synchroniza…

Robust and Efficient Data Gathering for Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper describes a new strategy for data gathering in wireless sensor networks that takes into account the need for both energy saving, typical of such networks, and for a reasonable tradeoff between robustness and efficiency. The proposed algorithm implements an efficient strategy for retransmission of lost packets by discovering alternative routes and making clever use of multiple paths when necessary; in order to do that we build upon the general framework presented in recent works, that provided a formulation of duplicate and order insensitive aggregation functions, and by taking advantage of some intrinsic characteristics of the wireless sensor networks, we exploit implicit acknowl…

Primary epiploic appendagitis in a pediatric patient: prominent role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the diagnosis

Preparation and characterization of 3D PLA porous scaffolds

An Efficient Distributed Algorithm for Generating Multicast Distribution Trees

Multicast transmission may use network resources more efficiently than multiple point-to-point messages; however, creating optimal multicast trees (Steiner Tree Problem in Networks) is prohibitively expensive. For this reason, heuristic methods are generally employed. Conventional centralized Steiner heuristics provide effective solutions, but they are unpractical for large networks, since they require complete knowledge of the network topology. This paper proposes a distributed algorithm for the heuristic solution of the Steiner Tree Problem. The algorithm allows the construction of effective distribution trees using a coordination protocol among the network nodes. The algorithm has been i…

HOW MUCH DANGEROUS IS CT ACCORDING TO PATIENTS AND HOW DOES DOSE BILL AFFECT THEIR PERCEPTION OF IONIZING RADIATION?

Aims and objectives Methods and materials Results Conclusion Personal information References

Utility of post mortem computed tomography in clivus fracture diagnosis. Case illustration and literature review

Clivus fractures are usually associated with head blunt trauma due to traffic accident and falls. A 23 - year-old man died immediately after a smash-up while he was stopping on his motorcycle. Post-mortem Computed tomography (PMCT), performed before autopsy, revealed a complex basilar skull base fractures associated with brainstem and cranio-vertebral junction injuries, improving the diagnostic performance of conventional autopsy. Imaging data were re-assessable and PMCT offers the possibility to perform multiplanar and volume rendered reconstructions, increasing forensic medicine knowledge related to traumatic injuries.

SAFETY OF REPEATED MDCT WITH CONTRAST COMPOUND IN CASE OF PREVIOUS MILD OR MODERATE ADVERSE REACTION: A SINGLE CENTRE RETROSPECTIVE STUDY.

Aims and objectives Methods and materials Results Conclusion Personal information References

Swallowing evaluation with videofluoroscopy in the paediatric population

Valutazione della funzione deglutitoria in videofluoroscopia nei pazienti pediatrici.I disturbi della deglutizione in età pediatrica possono essere dovuti a diverse cause, dalla condizione di prematurità e patologie malformative sino al reflusso gastro-esofageo o a patologie infettive od infiammatorie del primo tratto gastroenterico. Nei neonati il processo della deglutizione è involontario e basato su meccanismi riflessi. In seguito, nell’ infanzia, la fase orale diventa volontaria , mentre le fasi faringea ed esofagea rimangono involontarie. I disordini della deglutizione possono severamente compromettere le capacità respiratorie e l’apporto nutrizionale dei pazienti pediatrici. La videof…

Forty-slice MDCT enteroclysis: evaluation after oral administration of isotonic solution in Crohn's disease.

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) enteroclysis after oral hyperhydration with isotonic solution in detecting bowel wall alterations in patients with Crohn’s disease. Materials and methods. Twenty-eight patients with a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease established by ileocolonoscopy and histology were enrolled in the study; 15 patients with negative ileocolonoscopy served as controls. In all cases, MDCT enteroclysis was performed after oral administration of 2,000 ml of isotonic solution and intravenous administration of N-butylscopolamine. Axial, isotropic multiplanar and volume-rendered reconstructions were used to evaluate…

MultiSlice human organ extraction based on GVF

Segmentation techniques based on active contours algorithm are widely used in medical imaging. Unfortunately, they require a lot of parameters to be used and this can rep- resent an issue for those physicians with not much informatics skills. This paper proposes a software tool which allows to segment multiple slice can differ organ extraction setting a small number of parameters. Moreover, the tool offers the functionality to perform a multiple segmentation the same time, so that an entire volume composed by hundreds slices can be segmented.

Lethal Traumatic Injuries due to Traffic Accidents

The Global status report on road safety published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2015 estimating information from 180 countries indicates that worldwide the total number of road traffic deaths has plateaued at 1.25 million per year. This report, the third Global status report on road safety, shows that low- and middle-income countries are more affected with a mortality rate of 90% of global road traffic deaths.

Efficient tree construction for the multicast problem

A new heuristic for the Steiner minimal tree problem is presented. The method described is based on the detection of particular sets of nodes in networks, the "hot spot" sets, which are used to obtain better approximations of the optimal solutions. An algorithm is also proposed which is capable of improving the solutions obtained by classical heuristics, by means of a stirring process of the nodes in solution trees. Classical heuristics and an enumerative method are used as comparison terms in the experimental analysis which demonstrates the capability of the heuristic discussed.

APPLICATION OF A FLOW CHART TO EVALUATE PLACEMENT OF UMBILICAL VENOUS CATHETERS ON FRONTAL RADIOGRAM IN RADIOLOGIST RESIDENT

Aims and objectives Methods and materials Results Conclusion Personal information References

Achieving Robustness through Caching and Retransmissions in IEEE 802.15.4-based WSNs

This paper proposes a network-layer protocol for wireless sensor networks based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. Our protocol is devised to provide reliable data gathering in latency-constrained applications, and exploits both the flexibility of the IEEE 802.15.4 MAC layer and features of data aggregation techniques, such as implicit acknowledgment of reception. The proposed protocol acts as a routing module and a control entity for the MAC layer and provides reliable communication, while managing power saving and synchronizertion among nodes. Without relying on MAC-layer acknowledgments, the protocol implements caching and network-layer retransmissions, triggered upon detection of a link fai…

Reliable Data Gathering in Tree-Based IEEE 802.15.4 Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper describes a routing protocol for enhanced robustness in IEEE 802.15.4-based sensor networks, which also addresses typical MAC layer issues, including power management, synchronization and link reliability. The algorithm uses a single-path strategy in error-free scenarios and resorts to using alternative paths when communication errors are detected. Our proposal exploits implicit acknowledgement of reception, a feature which may be provided by data aggregation when a broadcast medium such as the wireless channel is used. Therefore MAC layer acknowledgements are not used and errors recovery relies on a caching and retransmission strategy. The protocol requires synchronization among…

Malware detection through low-level features and stacked denoising autoencoders

In recent years, the diffusion of malicious software through various channels has gained the request for intelligent techniques capable of timely detecting new malware spread. In this work, we focus on the application of Deep Learning methods for malware detection, by evaluating their effectiveness when malware are represented by high-level, and lowlevel features respectively. Experimental results show that, when using high-level features, deep neural networks do not significantly improve the overall detection accuracy. On the other hand, when low-level features, i.e., small pieces of information extracted through a light processing, are chosen, they allow to increase the capability of corr…

Influence of heart rate in the selection of the optimal reconstruction window in routine clinical multislice coronary angiography

Purpose. The aim of our study was to assess the influence of heart rate on the selection of the optimal reconstruction window with 40-slice multidetector-row computed tomography (40-MDCT) coronary angiography. Materials and methods. We studied 170 patients (114 men, age 60 +/- 11.3 years) with suspected or known coronary artery disease with 40-MDCT coronary angiography. Patients [mean heart rate (HR) 62.9 +/- 9.3 bpm, range 42-94 bpm] were clustered in two groups (group A: HR <= 65 bpm; group B: HR >65 bpm). Multiphase reconstruction data sets were obtained with a retrospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated 40-MDCT coronary angiography scan from 0% to 95% every 5% of the R-R interval.…

Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication Principles: Distributed Multimedia Digital Libraries on Peer-to-Peer Networks

This paper presents an original approach to image sharing in large, distributed digital libraries, in which a user is able to interactively search interesting resources by means of content-based image retrieval techniques. The approach described here addresses the issues arising when the content is managed through a peer-to-peer architecture. In this case, the retrieval facilities are likely to be limited to queries based on unique identifiers or small sets of keywords, which may be quite inadequate, so we propose a novel algorithm for routing user queries that exploits compact representations of multimedia resources shared by each peer in order to dynamically adapt the network topology to …

Supplementary Material for: Analysis of Germline Gene Copy Number Variants of Patients with Sporadic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Reveals Specific Variations

Objectives: The rapid fatality of pancreatic cancer is, in large part, the result of diagnosis at an advanced stage in the majority of patients. Identification of individuals at risk of developing pancreatic adenocarcinoma would be useful to improve the prognosis of this disease. There is presently no biological or genetic indicator allowing the detection of patients at risk. Our main goal was to identify copy number variants (CNVs) common to all patients with sporadic pancreatic cancer. Methods: We analyzed gene CNVs in leukocyte DNA from 31 patients with sporadic pancreatic adenocarcinoma and from 93 matched controls. Genotyping was performed with the use of the GeneChip Human Mapping 500…