209 research outputs found
Geomorphology and age of large rock avalanches in Trentino (Italy): Castelpietra
No full textWithin a project aimed at understanding past catastrophic rock slope failure in the Trentino Province of Italy, we studied the Castelpietra landslide. Castelpietra encompasses a main blocky deposit, with an area of 1.2 km2, which is buried on the upper side by more recent rockfall debris. The release area is the Cengio Rosso rock wall, which is comprised of Dolomia Principale and overlying Calcari Grigi Group dolomitized limestones. 36Cl exposure dates from two boulders in the main blocky deposit indicate that the landslide occurred at 1060 ± 270 AD (950 ± 270 yr ago). The close coincidence in time of the Castelpietra event with several events that lie within a maximum distance of 20 km, including Kas at Marroche di Dro, Prà da Lago and Varini (at Lavini di Marco) landslides, strongly suggests a seismic trigger. Based on historical seismicity compilations, we have identified the “Middle Adige Earthquake” at 1046 AD as the most likely candidate. Its epicenter lies right in the middle of the spatial distribution of the discussed landslides
Coordination in multi-agent autonomous cognitive robotic systems
No full textIn Proc. of the Second International Cognitive Robotics Worksho
Suicide : a pharmacoepidemiological database study in the region Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy
No full textAims: The objective of this thesis is to examine the relationship between suicide and health care in Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region. First, it explores the correlation between suicide rates and antidepressant sales. Second, it analyses, at the individual level, the risk of suicide associated with the main suicidal risk factors, such as non-fatal self-harm, psychiatric disorders and somatic disorders. Third, it investigates the differences in suicide risk related to qualitative parameters in the use of antidepressants, such as adherence and treatment modifications. The overall aim is to help improve interventions to prevent suicide.Methods: All data were retrieved from the FVG Regional Social and Health Information System (SISSR), which links data using a unique anonymous key from different regional databases. Paper I analyses changes in individual-based data on antidepressant use and the rates of suicide during years 1997-2006. The other three papers are designed as case-control studies. All suicides that occurred in the region during years 2002-2008 (Paper II) and 2003-2013 (Paper III) were classified as cases, which were then age- and gender-matched to controls from the general population. In Paper IV, cases and controls from 2005 to 2014 must have had at least one prescription of antidepressant in the 730 days prior to the index date. Regression analysis was used to assess the association between suicide risk and its predictors.Results: In Paper I, suicide rates decreased by one-third in all genders and age groups. In parallel, both the number of individual users of antidepressant and the number of Defined Daily Doses per patient increased by 5-fold and 7-fold, respectively. In Paper II, the risk of suicide was highly increased by previous self-harm (OR = 53.1 for a single episode and OR = 98. for repeated episodes), as by psychiatric disorders (OR = 19.5). In Paper III, somatic disorders were strong predictors of suicide (OR = 2.9), particularly in case of comorbid disorders (OR from 2.6 to 9.8 when the number of disorders raised from 1 to ≥4) and in the elderly (OR = 4.3). No significant risk of suicide was found when medically-ill patients adhere to antidepressants. In Paper IV, none of the antidepressants compounds and classes was associated to suicide except SSRI (OR = 1.6). The association to suicide tended to decrease with adherence or current use of antidepressants. In all studies, on average only 10-20% of suicide cases adhere to antidepressants and 20-40% were currently using them at the time of death.Conclusions: Our findings support the hypothesis that treatment with antidepressant medication lowers the risk of suicide. The treatment at a proper dosage and for a proper length of time further decreased the risk, particularly in somatic-ill persons. Well-known risk factors, such as non-fatal self-harm and psychiatric and somatic disorders, were confirmed to highly increase the risk of suicide. Only a minority of suicides, however, had adhered to antidepressants or were under antidepressant treatment at the time of death.List of scientific papersI. Castelpietra G, Morsanutto A, Pascolo-Fabrici E, Isacsson G. Antidepressant use and suicide prevention: a prescription database study in the region Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2008, 118 (5):382-388. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01240.x II. Castelpietra G, Bovenzi M, Clagnan E, Barbone F, Balestrieri M, Isacsson G. Diagnoses and prescriptions of antidepressants in suicides: Register findings from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Italy, 2002–2008. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice. 2016;20(2):121-4. https://doi.org/10.3109/13651501.2016.1149196 III. Castelpietra G, Gobbato M, Valent F, Bovenzi M, Barbone F, Clagnan E, Pascolo-Fabrici E, Balestrieri M, Isacsson G. Somatic disorders and antidepressant use in suicides: A population-based study from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Italy, 2003–2013. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2015, 79 (5):372-377. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2015.09.007 IV. Castelpietra G, Gobbato M, Valent F, De Vido C, Balestrieri M, Isacsson G. Antidepressant use in suicides: A case-control study from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Italy, 200 5-2014. [Submitted]</p
Antidepressant use in suicides: a case-control study from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Italy, 2005–2014
No full textPurpose: To compare the use of antidepressant (AD) classes and compounds in individuals who committed suicide and in controls from the general population and to assess to what extent adherence and current use of different AD classes can affect the risk of committing suicide. Methods: Individual data on suicide, diagnoses and AD use in Friuli Venezia Giulia from 2005 to 2014 were obtained from the Regional Social and Health Information System. All suicides that had at least one prescription of AD in the 730 days before death (N = 876) were included as cases. Each case was matched with regard to age and sex with five controls from the general population. The association between suicide and AD use was assessed using conditional logistic regression analysis. Results: Almost 70% of all suicides occurring in the10-year period had been prescribed AD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) accounted for more than the 90% of the prescriptions, with paroxetine the most prescribed AD. All AD compounds and classes were not associated with a higher suicide risk, with the exception of SSRI (OR = 1.6). A decreasing trend in suicide risk was observed when adherent subjects or current AD users were compared to the others. Conclusions: AD treatment is an important factor for preventing suicide, since the use of AD at adequate dosage and for a proper duration was associated with a lower suicide risk. The proper use of AD should be ascertained by physicians, particularly in a primary care context
Communication and Coordination among heterogeneous Mid-size players: ART99
No full textMelbourne, Australi
S.P.Q.R. Legged team
No full textThe SPQR (Soccer Player Quadruped Robots, but also Senatus PopolusQue Romanus) team participated for the second time to Sony Legged League in RoboCup 2001. This work is a team description where it will be highlighted what the team development effort focused on: the realization of a motion module, the realization of a vision module and the improvement of the plans which characterize the different robot roles
Effects of lockdown on emergency room admissions for psychiatric evaluation: an observational study from the AUSL Romagna, Italy
No full textObjectives: An observation of the admissions to the emergency room (ER) requiring psychiatric evaluation during the lockdown and investigation of the demographic and clinical variables. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal observational study of ER accesses for psychiatric evaluation was performed, comparing two periods (9 March–3 May 2020 vs. 9 March–3 May 2019). Data (number of admissions, key baseline demographic and clinical variables) were extracted from the ER databases of referral centres in a well-defined geographic area of North-Eastern Italy (Cesena, Ravenna, Forlì, and Rimini). Results: A 15% reduction of psychiatric referrals was observed, together with a 17% reduction in the total number of patients referring to the ER. This reduction was most evident in the first month of the lockdown period (almost 25% reduction of both referrals and patients). Female gender (OR: 1.52: 95%, CI: 1.12–2.06) and being a local resident (OR: 1.54: 95%CI: 1.02–2.34) were factors associated with the decrease. Conclusions: Lockdown changed dramatically health priorities in the local population, including people with mental health. We speculate that our observations do not only refer to the confinement due to the lockdown regime but also to fear of contagion and adoption of different coping strategies, especially in women.Key-points During lockdown 15% reduction of psychiatric visits and >17% reduction in the number of psychiatric patients referring to the ER was observed. in the first four weeks of the lockdown almost 25% reduction of both visits and patients was observed Female gender and being a local resident were factors associated with the decrease
Coordination among heterogeneous robotic soccer players
No full textCoordination among multiple robots has been extensively studied, since a number of practical tasks can be performed in a more effective way by employing a fleet of coordinated robotic bases. In particular, distributed coordination among robotic agents has been considered recently within the framework offered by the robotic soccer competitions. In this paper we describe the methods and the results achieved in coordinating the players of the ART team participating in the RoboCup F-2000 league. The team is formed by several heterogeneous robots having different mechanics, different sensors, different control software, and, in general, different abilities for playing soccer. The coordination framework we have developed has been successfully applied during the 1999 official competitions allowing both for a significant improvement of the overall team performance and for a complete interchangeability of all the robots
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