Quantile contours and allometric modelling for risk classification of abnormal ratios with an application to asymmetric growth-restriction in preterm infants

We develop an approach to risk classification based on quantile contours and allometric modelling of multivariate anthropometric measurements. We propose the definition of allometric direction tangent to the directional quantile envelope, which divides ratios of measurements into half-spaces. This in turn provides an operational definition of directional quantile that can be used as cutoff for risk assessment. We show the application of the proposed approach using a large dataset from the Vermont Oxford Network containing observations of birthweight (BW) and head circumference (HC) for more than 150,000 preterm infants. Our analysis suggests that disproportionately growth-restricted infants with a larger HC-to-BW ratio are at increased mortality risk as compared to proportionately growth-restricted infants. The role of maternal hypertension is also investigated.Comment: 31 pages, 3 figures, 8 table

Observation of a classical cheshire cat in an optical interferometer

A recent neutron interferometry experiment claims to demonstrate a paradoxical phenomena dubbed the "quantum Cheshire Cat" \cite{Denkmayr2014}. We have reproduced and extended these results with an equivalent optical interferometer. The results suggest that the photon travels through one arm of the interferometer, while its polarization travels through the other. However, we show that these experimental results belong to the domain where quantum and classical wave theories coincide; there is nothing uniquely quantum about the illusion of this cheshire cat.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

New Experimental Constraints on Non-Newtonian Forces below 100 microns

We have searched for large deviations from Newtonian gravity by means of a microcantilever-based Cavendish-style experiment. Our data eliminate from consideration mechanisms of deviation that posit strengths ~10^4 times Newtonian gravity at length scales of 20 microns. This measurement is 3 orders of magnitude more sensitive than others that provide constraints at similar length scales.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

L’ATTIVITÀ DELL’ORTO BOTANICO DI PALERMO E DELLE STRUTTURE COLLEGATE PER LA CONSERVAZIONE DEGLI ANTICHI FRUTTIFERI DELLA SICILIA

B6 = L’ATTIVITÀ DELL’ORTO BOTANICO DI PALERMO E DELLE STRUTTURE COLLEGATE PER LA CONSERVAZIONE DEGLI ANTICHI FRUTTIFERI DELLA SICILIA P. MARINO1, M. GERACI2, D. CRISÀ2, F. M. RAIMONDO1, R. SCHICCHI1 1Dipartimento di Biologia ambientale e Biodiversità dell’Università, Via Archirafi, 38 - 90123 Palermo. [email protected] 2Ente Parco dei Nebrodi, Piazza Duomo – 98076 Sant’Agata di Militello, Messina L’attività di individuazione, valutazione e raccolta del germoplasma delle specie arboree da frutto di prevalente interesse negli agrosistemi tradizionali della Sicilia, iniziata nel 2005 (Schicchi et al., 2008a; Schicchi et al., 2008b) si protrae ancora oggi attraverso azioni volte alla conservazione ed alla diffusione delle risorse genetiche vegetali a rischio di erosione, tramite l’adesione ad iniziative a carattere pubblico previste dal PSR Sicilia 2007/2013 Reg. CE 1698/2005 Misura 214/2 - Azione A: Preservazione della biodiversità. Al riguardo, l’Orto botanico di Palermo ha promosso tre progetti attivando collaborazioni con Enti di ricerca, Enti locali e territoriali. L’attività, finalizzata alla costituzione di un network regionale per la conservazione e diffusione della biodiversità degli antichi fruttiferi, si articola in più fasi: a) individuazione, raccolta e caratterizzazione di ecotipi e varietà; b) realizzazione di centri, ex situ, per la conservazione, caratterizzazione, propagazione e utilizzazione del germoplasma agrario, in vivo e in vitro; c) allestimento dei campi collezione; d) realizzazione di centri per la produzione di piante madri; e) attività di diffusione sul territorio; f) predisposizione e implementazione di reti e azioni di accompagnamento. Per il raggiungimento dei suddetti obiettivi sono stati presentati e ammessi a finanziamento tre progetti. Il primo progetto (CenBioS), attivato dal Dipartimento di Biologia ambientale e Biodiversità dell’Università di Palermo, prende in considerazione il germoplasma del ciliegio (Prunus avium L.), melo (Malus domestica Bork.), pero (Pyrus communis L.) e fico (Ficus carica L.) a rischio di erosione genetica, di cui si propone la conservazione nell’ambito di due distinti campi collezione e la realizzazione di un campo di piante madri da realizzare rispettivamente a Montagnareale (Messina) e Cammarata (Agrigento). Il secondo progetto (MadBioS), di cui è soggetto proponente il Consorzio Universitario della Provincia di Palermo, prevede la realizzazione di tre distinti campi collezione. Il primo, nell’agro di Pollina (Palermo), ospiterà il germoplasma delle antiche cultivar di frassini da manna afferenti a Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl e Fraxinus ornus L.; il secondo, nel territorio di Isnello, ospiterà le cultivar locali di pero e melo; il terzo, da realizzare presso l’azienda dell’Istituto Professionale per l’Agricoltura e l’Ambiente di Castelbuono (Palermo), riguarda diverse cultivar di albicocco (Prunus armeniaca L.), pesco [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] e susino (Prunus domestica L.) presenti nell’area delle Madonie. Il terzo progetto, di cui è capofila l’Ente Parco dei Nebrodi, prevede l’implementazione dell’attuale “Banca vivente del germoplasma vegetale dei Nebrodi” attraverso l’allestimento e il potenziamento di campi collezione e di piante madri nella sede di Ucria (Messina) e presso l’Istituto Professionale per l’Agricoltura e l’Ambiente di Caronia (Messina). Tali campi ospiteranno le cultivar tradizionali e antiche dell’area nebroidea di melo, albicocco, pesco, susino e pero. Nel complesso, oltre all’accertamento della corrispondenza varietale e delle condizioni fitosanitarie di oltre 150 etnovarietà, è prevista la caratterizzazione pomologica e genetica e la propagazione delle stesse nel territorio regionale, nell’ambito delle aziende agricole che aderiscono alla Misura 214/2 az. B del PSR. Schicchi R., Marino P. & Raimondo F.M., 2008. Individuazione, valutazione e raccolta del germoplasma delle specie arboree da frutto di prevalente interesse negli agrosistemi tradizionali della Sicilia. Collana Sicilia Foreste, Palermo. Schicchi R., Marino P., Saporito L., Di Noto G. & Raimondo F.M., 2008. Catalogo pomologico degli Antichi fruttiferi di Sicilia. Università di Palermo, Dip. Scienze Botaniche, Palermo

BILATERAL RENAL ARTERY STENOSIS IN A HYPERTENSIVE LUPUS PATIENT WITHOUT RENAL DYSFUNCTION: A CASE REPORT

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with a high prevalence of atherosclero-sis and an enhanced cardiovascular mortality. In adult subjects, several studies have shown the coexistence of SLE and renal artery stenosis, most of them with unilateral in-volvement or with renal dysfunction. We observed a 62-year-old man with SLE and a 10-year history of moderate-to-severe hy-pertension who was admitted to our hospital because of uncontrolled blood pressure val-ues (152/95 mmHg), despite drug therapy. No signs of renal impairment were evident. After an initial physical examination, which presented a periumbilical bruit, a renal ultra-sound was performed with evidence of bilateral renal artery stenosis. An angio-MR study also confirmed the diagnosis and showed a double renal artery on the right side. Many different factors can contribute to the bilateral renal artery stenosis in this patient. Chronic inflammatory state associated to SLE, metabolic alterations with dyslipidemia and steroid therapy may all be involved in the development of the renal atherosclerotic le-sions

The artificial retina for track reconstruction at the LHC crossing rate

We present the results of an R&D study for a specialized processor capable of precisely reconstructing events with hundreds of charged-particle tracks in pixel and silicon strip detectors at $40\,\rm MHz$, thus suitable for processing LHC events at the full crossing frequency. For this purpose we design and test a massively parallel pattern-recognition algorithm, inspired to the current understanding of the mechanisms adopted by the primary visual cortex of mammals in the early stages of visual-information processing. The detailed geometry and charged-particle's activity of a large tracking detector are simulated and used to assess the performance of the artificial retina algorithm. We find that high-quality tracking in large detectors is possible with sub-microsecond latencies when the algorithm is implemented in modern, high-speed, high-bandwidth FPGA devices.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, ICHEP14. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1409.089

Motor skills in children with primary headache: A pilot case-control study

Background: Headache is the most common painful manifestation in the developmental age, often accompanied by severe disability such as scholastic absenteeism, low quality of academic performance and compromised emotional functioning. The aim of the study is to evaluate praxic abilities in a population of children without aural migraine. Materials and methods: The test population consists of 10 subjects without migraine without aura (MwA), (8 Males) (mean age 8.40, SD ± 1.17) and 11 healthy children (7 Males) (mean age 8.27; SD ± 1.10; p = 0.800). All subjects underwent evaluation of motor coordination skills through the Battery for Children Movement Assessment (M-ABC). Results: The two groups (10 MwA vs 11 Controls) were similar for age (8.40 ± 1.17 vs 8.27 ± 1.10; p = 0.800), sex (p = 0.730), and BMI (p = 0.204). The migraine subjects show an average worse performance than the Movement ABC; specifically, migraineurs show significantly higher total score values (31.00 ± 23.65 vs 4.72 ± 2.61; p = 0.001), manual dexterity (12.10 ± 11.20 vs 2.04 ± 2.65; p = 0.009) and balance (14.85 ± 10.08 vs. 1.04 ± 1.05; p <0.001). The mean percentile of migraine performance is significantly reduced compared to controls (9.00 ± 3.82 vs 51.00 ± 24.34, p <0.001) (Table 1). Conclusion: Migraine can alter many cognitive and executive functions such as motor skills in developmental age

Visuospatial skills in children affected by primary nocturnal enuresis: Rehabilitative proposals

The sphincterial control problems in childhood are very common, with relevant comorbidities (i.e.: difficulty in academic performance, sleep disturbances, minor neurological signs) involved in the complex process of maturation and learning, such as to cause a great deal of discomfort and related disorders in affected subjects. Enuresis is characterized by the involuntary urination in the absence of a physical disorder, socially unacceptable in places and at one stage of life where such control is acquired by the majority of subjects (about 5 years). The present study aims to evaluate the visuospatial skills in children affected by primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PMNE). 31 PMNE children (16 males and 15 females) (mean age 10.87, SD ± 1.68) and 61 healthy children (32 males, 29 females) (mean age 11.03, SD ± 1.85, p = 0687) were evaluated for visuomotor skills with the Visual-Motor Integration Scale (VMI). PMNE subjects show a worse performance on average to VMI, especially in the total visual-motor integration test. This finding emphasizes the importance of a framework for global and more complex than is commonly implemented, across the border but framing the subject of enuretic symptoms in a more global perspective

Animals-assisted therapy: A brief review

In rehabilitative setting, the presence of animals can be considered as an important stimulus for verbal and social communication, and for mood regulation. Interaction with an animal is beneficial for children's development and numerous psychological tests have revealed that growing up with pets has a beneficial effect on children's self-esteem and self-confidence, can improve empathy, a sense of responsibility and cognitive development, as well as social status within the peer group