We present the testbeam results of the first real-time embedded tracking system based on artificial retina algorithm. The tracking system prototype is capable of fast track reconstruction with a ...latency of the response below 1μs and track parameter resolutions that are comparable with the offline results. The artificial retina algorithm was implemented in hardware in a custom data acquisition board based on commercial FPGA. The system was tested successfully using a 180GeV/c proton beam at the CERN SPS with a maximum track rate of about 280kHz. Online track parameters were found in good agreement with offline results and with the simulated response.
•First real-time tracking system based on artificial retina algorithm tested on beam.•Fast track reconstruction within one microsecond latency and offline like quality.•Fast tracking algorithm implemented in commercial FPGAs.
Objective
Aim of the research was to define the quality of life of Italian neurologists and nurses’ professional caring for multiple sclerosis, to understand their living the clinical practice and ...identify possible signals of compassion fatigue.
Material and methods
One hundred five neurologists and nurses from 30 Italian multiple sclerosis centres were involved in an online quali-quantitative survey on the organization of care, combined with the Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue Test and a collection of narratives. Descriptive statistics of the quantitative data were integrated with the results obtained by the narrative medicine methods of analysis.
Results
Most of the practitioners were neurologists, 46 average years old, 69% women, 43% part time dedicated to multiple sclerosis. An increased number of patients in the last 3 years were referred in 29 centres. Differences were found between neurologists and nurses. Physicians showed higher risks of burnout, reporting intensive working paces, lack of medical personnel, and anxiety caused by the precarious employment conditions. Nurses appeared more satisfied, although the reference to the lack of spaces, and the cross professional roles risk of compassion fatigue. Both positive and negative relationships of care were depicted as influencing the professional quality of life.
Conclusion
The interviewed neurological teams need to limit the risk of compassion fatigue, which appeared from the first years of the career. The prevalence of the risk among neurologists suggests more awareness among scientific societies and health care managers on the risk for this category, as first step to prevent it.
Signal coupling to embedded pitch adapters in silicon sensors Artuso, M.; Betancourt, C.; Bezshyiko, I. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
01/2018, Letnik:
877
Journal Article
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We have examined the effects of embedded pitch adapters on signal formation in n-substrate silicon microstrip sensors with data from beam tests and simulation. According to simulation, the presence ...of the pitch adapter metal layer changes the electric field inside the sensor, resulting in slowed signal formation on the nearby strips and a pick-up effect on the pitch adapter. This can result in an inefficiency to detect particles passing through the pitch adapter region. All these effects have been observed in the beam test data.
•In real life, DMF reduced the annualized relapse rate (ARR) by 75% respect to the pre-treatment ARR.•Age of onset of MS was related with rate or relapses, with younger age being ...protective.•De-escalating from second-line therapies was associated to higher risk of relapsing.•Disease duration was associated with higher rate of NEDA-3 failure.•Higher pre-treatment EDSS was associated with DMF discontinuation.
Dimethyl-fumarate (DMF) was effective and safe in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in randomized clinical trials. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DMF and factors related to drug response in real-life setting.
We analysed prospectively collected demographic and clinical data for patients treated with DMF in six multiple sclerosis (MS) centers from 2015 to 2017 in Campania region, Italy. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses to assess relationships between baseline parameters and DMF efficacy outcomes, Annualized Relapse Rate (ARR), Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) progression and No Evidence of Disease Activity (NEDA-3) status.
we analyzed data of 456 patients (67% female subjects, mean age 40 ± 12 years, mean disease duration 9 ± 9 years, mean treatment duration 18 ± 11 months, median EDSS 2.5, 0–8). Proportion of Naïve versus pretreated with other DMTs patients was 149/307 (32.7%), with 122 patients switching to DMF for disease activity (26.7%) and 185 for safety and tolerability issues (40.6%).
During treatment with DMF, the annualized relapse rate was reduced by 75% respect to the pre-treatment ARR incidence-rate-ratio (IRR) = 0.25, p < 0.001, CI 0.18–0.33. Factors influencing ARR rate while on DMF were relapsing remitting (RR) MS course (IRR = 2.0, p = <0.001, CI 1.51–2.73) and previous DMTs status: de-escalating from second-line therapies was associated to higher risk of relapsing (IRR = 1.8, p < 0.001, CI 1.39–2.31). At multivariable Cox proportional hazard model, only age of onset was related with rate or relapses, with younger age being protective (HR 0.96, p = 0,02). EDSS remained stable in 88% of patients. Disease duration was associated with higher rate of NEDA-3 failure, that was instead maintained in 65% of patients at 24 months. 109 patients (22%) discontinued therapy after a mean of 1.1 ±+ 0.7 years. Reasons for DMF discontinuation over time were lack of efficacy (50%), safety issues (30%), tolerability (7%), poor compliance (7%), and pregnancy (4%). Higher pre-treatment EDSS was associated with DMF discontinuation (p = 0.009). Only 33 patients dropped out due to safety reasons (7%), the most frequent safety issues driving to drop out being lymphopenia, liver/pancreatic enzymes increase, gatrointestinal severe tolerability issues. We recorded 95 cases (24%) of lymphopenia: 60 grade I (13%), 31 grade II (7%) and 4 grade III (1%).
We confirm that DMF shows a good efficacy in both naïve patients and patients switching from other first-line DMTs, especially in patients with early onset of disease. Higher baseline EDSS was a risk factor for discontinuing DMF therapy, while shorter disease duration was protective for both EDSS progression and NEDA-3 status maintenance.
We present the first prototype of a silicon tracker using the artificial retina algorithm for fast track finding. The algorithm is inspired by the neurobiological mechanism of recognition of edges in ...mammals visual cortex. It is based on extensive parallelization and is implemented on commercial FPGAs allowing us to reconstruct real time tracks with offline-like quality and <1μs latencies. The practical device consists of a telescope with 8 single-sided silicon strip sensors and custom DAQ boards equipped with Xilinx Kintex 7 FPGAs that perform the readout of the sensors and the track reconstruction in real time.
•First prototype of silicon tracker using the “artificial retina” algorithm.•Algorithm implemented on FPGA to reconstruct tracks with offline quality and sub-μs latencies.•The artificial retina is modular and can be extended to large experiments.•The artificial retina has been proved to be able to work with up to 40MHz.
We present the latest results of an R&D study for a specialized processor capable of reconstructing, in a silicon pixel detector, high-quality tracks from high-energy collision events at 40MHz. The ...processor applies a highly parallel pattern-recognition algorithm inspired to quick detection of edges in mammals visual cortex. After a detailed study of a real-detector application, demonstrating that online reconstruction of offline-quality tracks is feasible at 40MHz with sub-microsecond latency, we are implementing a prototype using common high-bandwidth FPGA devices.
Background and Purpose
In multiple sclerosis (MS), disease‐related factors and dysfunctional coping might favor the development of mental distress induced by COVID‐19 containment measures. Aim of ...this study was exploring the relationship between disability, coping strategies, daily life reorganization and neuropsychiatric symptoms in an Italian MS population during the COVID‐19 lockdown, in order to identify potentially modifiable factors that could inform clinical management of mental distress in people with MS.
Methods
We explored the relationship between mental distress, disability and coping strategies in the Italian MS population under lockdown. Structural equation modeling was applied to information collected via web survey to identify modifiable factors that could account for mental distress.
Results
A total of 845 participants (497 with MS and 348 controls) were included in the study. The MS group had higher scores than the control group for depression (p = 0.005), but not for anxiety, emotional dyscontrol or sleep disturbances. The structural equation modeling explained 74% of the variance observed in depression score. Within the model, three latent factors were characterized from measured variables: motor disability and cognitive dysfunction contributed to disability (β = 0.509 and β = 0.836; p < 0.001); positive attitude and exercise contributed to active attitude (β = 0.386 and β = 0.297; p < 0.001); and avoidance, social support and watching television contributed to passive attitude (β = 0.301, β = 0.243 and β = 0.212; p < 0.001). With regard to the relationship between latent factors and their influence on depression, disability contributed to passive attitude (β = 0.855; p < 0.001), while both passive and active attitude significantly influenced depression (β = 0.729 and β = −0.456; p < 0.001).
Conclusion
As a practical implication of our model, favoring exercise would enhance active attitude and its positive impact on mental well‐being while, at the same time, reducing the negative impact of disability on depression, representing a valuable tool in facing COVID‐19‐related mental distress.
We used structural equation modeling to explore the relationship between mental distress, disability and coping strategies in the Italian population with multiple sclerosis (MS) under lockdown. A total of 845 people (497 with MS and 348 controls) participated in our web survey; in this population, the MS group had higher scores than the control group for depression (p = 0.005). According to the structural equation modeling, which explained 74% of the variance observed in depression scores, favoring exercise would enhance active attitude and its positive impact on mental well‐being while, at the same time, reducing the negative impact of disability on depression, representing a valuable tool in facing COVID‐19‐related mental distress.
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