Search results for "Rescue"
showing 10 items of 56 documents
Modeling and designing a robotic swarm: A quantum computing approach
2023
Nature is a neverending source of inspiration for technology. Quantum physics suggests applications to- ward quantum computing. Swarms’ self-organization leads to robotic swarm developments. Here, quantum computing is applied to swarm robotics. We model local interactions with a quantum circuit, testing it on simulators and quantum computers. To relate local with global behavior, we develop a block matrix-based model. Diagonal sub-matrices contain information on single robots; off-diagonal sub-matrices are the pairwise interaction terms. Comparing different swarms means comparing different block matrices. Choosing initial values and computation rules for off-diagonal blocks (with a particul…
Analgesics for Dental Implants: A Systematic Review
2021
Postsurgical pain is commonly associated with dental and oral surgery, and the use of analgesics has been investigated in the management of postoperative pain. This systematic review summarizes available evidence on analgesics used to manage dental implant surgery postoperative pain, to identify best therapeutic protocols and knowledge gap. A comprehensive search was conducted including MEDLINE/Pubmed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, clinicaltrials.gov, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews through May 2020. Only randomized controlled trials were included. PRISMA guidelines were followed, and risk of bias was appraised using Cochrane RoB2 tool. Eleven trials (762 patients overall) were included. …
Experience from Indoor Fire Search and Rescue Game Design for Technology Testing
2018
No matter how good the fire evacuation plan for a building is, there is a risk of immovable victims being left behind due to smoke obscuration, inhalation of poisonous gasses, or other reasons. Firefighters usually perform the search and rescue for casualties in responding to fire hazards, besides the firefighting. Among of the challenges in the search and rescue operation is how to locate victims, and to keep monitoring the fire development so that it will not accidentally harm the fire personnel. This paper presents a game designed to test a smartphone app’s feature that supports concurrent tracking of indoor victims and fire spread. 22 volunteers were assigned roles either as rescuers or…
The gliotransmitter ACBP controls feeding and energy homeostasis via the melanocortin system
2019
International audience; Glial cells have emerged as key players in the central control of energy balance and etiology of obesity. Astrocytes play a central role in neural communication via the release of gliotransmitters. Acyl-CoA binding protein (ACBP)-derived endozepines are secreted peptides that modulate the GABAA receptor. In the hypothalamus, ACBP is enriched in arcuate nucleus (ARC) astrocytes, ependymocytes and tanycytes. Central administration of the endozepine octadecaneuropeptide (ODN) reduces feeding and improves glucose tolerance, yet the contribution of endogenous ACBP in energy homeostasis is unknown. We demonstrated that ACBP deletion in GFAP+ astrocytes, but not in Nkx2.1-l…
Visualization of Exchanged Information with Dynamic Networks: A Case Study of Fire Emergency Search and Rescue Operation
2017
To perform emergency response activities, complex networks of emergency responders from different emergency organizations work together to rescue affected people and to mitigate the property losses. However, to work efficiently, the emergency responders have to rely completely on the data which gets generated from heterogeneous data sources during search and rescue operation (SAR). From this abundant data, rescue teams share needed information which is hidden in the abundant data with one another to make decisions, obtain situational awareness and also to assign tasks. Moreover, understanding and analyzing the shared information is a complex and very challenging task. Therefore, in this pap…
Infliximab in severe ulcerative colitis: short-term results of different infusion regimens and long-term follow-up
2007
Background Severe ulcerative colitis is a life-threatening disorder, despite i.v. glucocorticoids treatment. Infliximab has been proposed as a safe rescue therapy. Aim To evaluate short- and long-term effectiveness and safety of infliximab in severe refractory ulcerative colitis. Methods Eighty-three patients with severe ulcerative colitis (i.v. glucocorticoids treatment-refractory) were treated with infliximab in 10 Italian Gastroenterology Units. Patients underwent one or more infusions according to the choice of treating physicians. Short-term outcome was colectomy/death 2 months after the first infusion. Long-term outcome was survival free from colectomy. Safety data were recorded. Resu…
Search without rescue? Evaluating the international search and rescue response to earthquake disasters
2020
Earthquakes around the world are unnecessarily lethal and destructive, adversely affecting the health and well-being of affected populations. Most immediate deaths and injuries are caused by building collapse, making search and rescue (SAR) an early priority. In this review, we assess the SAR response to earthquake disasters. First, we review the evidence for the majority of individuals being rescued locally, often by relatives and neighbours. We then summarise evidence for successful live rescues by international SAR (ISAR) teams, along with the costs, ethics and other considerations of deployment. Finally, we propose an alternative approach to postdisaster ISAR, with the goal of reducing …
L'assistenza umanitaria delle ONG sotto inchiesta
2022
Lo scorso giugno, l’Agenzia dell’Unione europea per i diritti fondamentali (FRA) ha pubblicato il consueto aggiornamento semestrale sulle operazioni di Search and Rescue (SAR) nel Mediterraneo. Il documento evidenza le difficoltà di condurre le operazioni di salvataggio da parte delle imbarcazioni delle ONG, molte delle quali sono state (e continuano ad essere) sottoposte a procedimenti giudiziari e fermi amministrativi nelle giurisdizioni degli Stati membri dell’UE. Nel quadro del contrasto al traffico di migranti, infatti, è ormai impellente una riforma del Facilitator Package quantomeno nel senso di vietare agli Stati membri di criminalizzare l’attività di assistenza umanitaria delle ONG…
Preceding Host History of Conjugative Resistance Plasmids Affects Intra- and Interspecific Transfer Potential from Biofilm
2023
Conjugative plasmids can confer antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to their host bacterium. The plasmids disperse even between distantly related host species, rescuing the host from otherwise detrimental effects of antibiotics. Little is known about the role of these plasmids in the spread of AMR during antibiotic treatment. One unstudied question is whether the past evolutionary history of a plasmid in a particular species creates host specificity in its rescue potential or if interspecific coevolution can improve interspecific rescues. To study this, we coevolved the plasmid RP4 under three different host settings; solely Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae, or alternating between both …
Dynamic Modeling, Energy Analysis, and Path Planning of Spherical Robots on Uneven Terrains
2020
Spherical robots are generally comprised of a spherical shell and an internal actuation unit. These robots have a variety of applications ranging from search and rescue to agriculture. Although one of the main advantages of spherical robots is their capability to operate on uneven surfaces, energy analysis and path planning of such systems have been studied only for flat terrains. This work introduces a novel approach to evaluate the dynamic equations, energy consumption, and separation analysis of these robots rolling on uneven terrains. The presented dynamics modeling, separation analysis, and energy analysis allow us to implement path planning algorithms to find an optimal path. One of t…