Realizzazione di un sistema di analisi dei dati elettroanatomici per l'analisi dei pattern di attivazione elettrica in pazienti affetti da fibrillazione atriale.

La fibrillazione atriale è l'aritmia maggiormente riscontrata nella pratica clinica. Nonostante l'ablazione transcatetere presenti risultati migliori rispetto alla terapia farmacologica, non è ancora chiaro se sia utile l'aggiunta di ulteriori lesioni in atrio, oltre a quelle delle vene polmonari, in maniera tale da aumentare la percentuale di successo della procedura. Infatti, poiché i meccanismi che portano all'insorgere dell'aritmia e in particolare che la sostengono ancora oggi non sono ben chiari, si sono sviluppate diverse teorie, tra cui quella dei Rotori, che consistono in pattern di stabile rotazione e diffusione intorno al loro punto di origine (pivot) e che si pensa possano essere i responsabili del sostentamento della fibrillazione atriale. Questo elaborato ha l'obiettivo di realizzare un sistema di analisi dei dati elettroanatomici con lo scopo di studiare l'attività elettrica dell'atrio, rivolgendo particolare attenzione all'individuazione di rotori.

Pattern anticipi e ritardi del trasporto pubblico: un'applicazione di data visualization su dataset reali

La tesi descrive il sistema denominato GARTP che visualizza l'analisi dell'anticipo e del ritardo nel trasporto pubblico, su una mappa cartografica.

Analisi e applicazione dei processi di data mining al flusso informativo di sistemi real-time: Implementazione e analisi di un algoritmo autoadattivo per la ricerca di frequent patterns su macchine automatiche.

Analisi e applicazione dei processi di data mining al flusso informativo di sistemi real-time. Implementazione e analisi di un algoritmo autoadattivo per la ricerca di frequent patterns su macchine automatiche.

Esperimenti di design pattern di ispirazione biologica

L'informatica, assieme alle sue innovazioni tecnologiche, offre al mondo d'oggi uno scenario in continuo sviluppo evolutivo che permette di facilitare alcune necessità dell'essere umano. Con la nascita di internet e dei nuovi dispositivi cellulari, la comunicazione è stata resa più malleabile e immediata. Tuttavia, le nuove tecnologie utilizzano infrastrutture complesse che non sempre sono ampiamente sfruttate a causa delle loro esigenze quali scalabilità, risposte in tempo reale, o tolleranza. Per far fronte a queste caratteristiche, una nuova tendenza del software è quella di fornire autonomia e pro-attività alle entità nel sistema in modo da incrementare la loro interazione. Queste caratteristiche permettono di responsabilizzare i soggetti rendendo il sistema auto-organizzato, con una migliore scalabilità,robustezza, e quindi riducendo le esigenze di calcolo di ciascuna entità. Lo studio dei sistemi auto-organizzanti è stato ispirato alla natura, e in particolare, ai sistemi biologici. Questi sistemi mostrano le caratteristiche interessanti per gli scenari pervasivi, poichè sono robusti e resistenti, in grado di adattarsi al contesto ambientale e quindi reagiscono a determinate modifiche che si verificano nell'ambiente comportandosi di conseguenza. L'ingegneria dell'auto-organizzazione ha il compito di simulare e testare questi comportamenti presentando uno schema progettuale completo che permetta di presentare soluzioni ricorrenti a problemi noti. Tale schema è definito in termini informatici design pattern. Le entità, definite agenti, per interagire e comunicare tra di loro hanno bisogno di coordinarsi tramite un modello specifico. Nel nostro caso è stato scelto TuCSoN, poichè riesce a separare uno spazio dedicato allo scambio di informazioni da uno spazio dedicato alle specifiche che permette di descrivere delle politiche di comportamento per sistemi MAS implementati nell'opportuno linguaggio di programmazione ReSpecT.

BPAG1 isoform-b: Complex distribution pattern in striated and heart muscle and association with plectin and α-actinin

BPAG1-b is the major muscle-specific isoform encoded by the dystonin gene, which expresses various protein isoforms belonging to the plakin protein family with complex, tissue-specific expression profiles. Recent observations in mice with either engineered or spontaneous mutations in the dystonin gene indicate that BPAG1-b serves as a cytolinker important for the establishment and maintenance of the cytoarchitecture and integrity of striated muscle. Here, we studied in detail its distribution in skeletal and cardiac muscles and assessed potential binding partners. BPAG1-b was detectable in vitro and in vivo as a high molecular mass protein in striated and heart muscle cells, co-localizing with the sarcomeric Z-disc protein alpha-actinin-2 and partially with the cytolinker plectin as well as with the intermediate filament protein desmin. Ultrastructurally, like alpha-actinin-2, BPAG1-b was predominantly localized at the Z-discs, adjacent to desmin-containing structures. BPAG1-b was able to form complexes with both plectin and alpha-actinin-2, and its NH(2)-terminus, which contains an actin-binding domain, directly interacted with that of plectin and alpha-actinin. Moreover, the protein level of BPAG1-b was reduced in muscle tissues from plectin-null mutant mice versus wild-type mice. These studies provide new insights into the role of BPAG1-b in the cytoskeletal organization of striated muscle.

Impact of long-term corticosteroid therapy on the distribution pattern of lower limb atherosclerosis

OBJECTIVE: Ectopic calcification and mediacalcinosis can be promoted by corticosteroid use. Aim of the present investigation is to describe macrovascular disease features in patients with long-term corticosteroid therapy and symptomatic lower limb peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD). METHODS: A consecutive series of 2783 patients undergoing clinical and angiographic work-up of PAD were screened for long-term (>5 years) corticosteroid use (group A). Comparison was performed to a randomly selected age-, sex- and risk factor-matched PAD control cohort from the same series without corticosteroid use (group B). Patients with diabetes mellitus or severe renal failure were excluded. Arterial calcification was evaluated by qualitative assessment on radiographic images. Severity of atherosclerotic lesions was analysed from angiographic images using a semi-quantitative score (Bollinger score). RESULTS: In general, 12 patients (5 males, mean age 78.5 +/- 9.0 years) with 15 ischaemic limbs qualified to be enrolled in group A and were compared to 23 matching control patients (6 2 males, mean age 79.5 +/- 6 years) with 32 ischaemic limbs. Incompressibility of ankle arteries determined by measurement of the ankle-brachial index was seen in 12 limbs (80%) in group A compared to 3 limbs (9%) in group B (p = 0.0009). No significant difference was found comparing group A and B for segmental calcification, whereas comparison of the atherosclerotic burden using the angiographic severity score showed a significantly higher score at the infragenicular arterial level in group A (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the long-term corticosteroid therapy is associated with a distally accentuated, calcifying peripheral atherosclerosis inducing arterial incompressibility. This occlusion pattern is comparable to patients with renal failure or diabetes. Further research is required to support our observations.

Renal insufficiency is independently associated with a distal distribution pattern of symptomatic lower-limb atherosclerosis

Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of renal insufficiency (RI) on the distribution pattern of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). We hypothesised that RI is associated with a distally accentuated involvement of the peripheral arterial tree. Design This is a retrospective analysis. Materials and Methods Analysis was based on a consecutive series of 2709 patients with chronic PAD of atherosclerotic origin undergoing primary endovascular treatment of lower-extremity arteries. Atherosclerotic pattern was grouped into femoropopliteal (n = 2085) and infragenicular (n = 892) disease according to target lesions treated while using iliac disease (n = 1133) as reference. Univariable and multivariable multinomial regression analyses were performed to assess relation with RI. Results are shown as relative risk ratio (RRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RI was defined as glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 60 ml min−1 1.73 m−2. Results Presence of RI was an independent risk factor for a centrifugal lesion pattern (RRR 1.48, 95% CI: 1.17–1.86, p = 0.001). Moreover, a decrease in GFR by 10 ml min−1 1.73 m−2 was associated with an RRR of 1.08 for below-the-knee arterial disease (95% CI: 1.03–1.13, p = 0.003). Conclusion Presence and severity of RI are independent predictors of a distal obstructive pattern in patients with symptomatic PAD.

Distribution pattern of 68Ga-DOTATATE in disease-free patients

68Ga-DOTA-DPhe1,Tyr3-octreotate (68Ga-DOTATATE) is a somatostatin analogue that shows high affinity for somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (sst2) and has been used for imaging neuroendocrine tumours. However, normal uptake patterns and potential pitfalls have not been described with this high-sensitivity radiotracer. The aim of this study was therefore to outline the normal distribution pattern of 68Ga-DOTATATE in disease-free patients, to provide standardized uptake values (SUVs) of various organs and to compare our results with the current knowledge on sst2 receptor expression in vitro.

3D bloodstain pattern analysis: ballistic reconstruction of the trajectories of blood drops and determination of the centres of origin of the bloodstains

For crime scene investigation in cases of homicide, the pattern of bloodstains at the incident site is of critical importance. The morphology of the bloodstain pattern serves to determine the approximate blood source locations, the minimum number of blows and the positioning of the victim. In the present work, the benefits of the three-dimensional bloodstain pattern analysis, including the ballistic approximation of the trajectories of the blood drops, will be demonstrated using two illustrative cases. The crime scenes were documented in 3D, using the non-contact methods digital photogrammetry, tachymetry and laser scanning. Accurate, true-to-scale 3D models of the crime scenes, including the bloodstain pattern and the traces, were created. For the determination of the areas of origin of the bloodstain pattern, the trajectories of up to 200 well-defined bloodstains were analysed in CAD and photogrammetry software. The ballistic determination of the trajectories was performed using ballistics software. The advantages of this method are the short preparation time on site, the non-contact measurement of the bloodstains and the high accuracy of the bloodstain analysis. It should be expected that this method delivers accurate results regarding the number and position of the areas of origin of bloodstains, in particular the vertical component is determined more precisely than using conventional methods. In both cases relevant forensic conclusions regarding the course of events were enabled by the ballistic bloodstain pattern analysis.