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In robotic applications, a key requirement for safe and efficient motion planning is the ability to map obstacle-free space in unknown, cluttered 3D environments. However, commodity-grade RGB-D cameras commonly used for sensing fail to register valid depth values on shiny, glossy, bright, or distant surfaces, leading to missing data in the map. To address this issue, we propose a framework leveraging probabilistic depth completion as an additional input for spatial mapping. We introduce a deep learning architecture providing uncertainty estimates for the depth completion of RGB-D images. Our pipeline exploits the inferred missing depth values and depth uncertainty to complement raw depth images and improve the speed and quality of free space mapping. Evaluations on synthetic data show that our approach maps significantly more correct free space with relatively low error when compared against using raw data alone in different indoor environments; thereby producing more complete maps that can be directly used for robotic navigation tasks. The performance of our framework is validated using real-world data.

With the aim of bridging the gap between high quality reconstruction and mobile robot motion planning, we propose an efficient system that leverages the concept of adaptive-resolution volumetric mapping, which naturally integrates with the hierarchical decomposition of space in an octree data structure. Instead of a Truncated Signed Distance Function (TSDF), we adopt mapping of occupancy probabilities in log-odds representation, which allows to represent both surfaces, as well as the entire free, i.e. observed space, as opposed to unobserved space. We introduce a method for choosing resolution -- on the fly -- in real-time by means of a multi-scale max-min pooling of the input depth image. The notion of explicit free space mapping paired with the spatial hierarchy in the data structure, as well as map resolution, allows for collision queries, as needed for robot motion planning, at unprecedented speed. We quantitatively evaluate mapping accuracy, memory, runtime performance, and planning performance showing improvements over the state of the art, particularly in cases requiring high resolution maps.

Post-mortem genetic testing (‘molecular autopsy’) of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) cases can establish a clear molecular diagnosis in a substantial minority. This complements family evaluation. Classification of pathogenicity of genetic variants must, however, be stringent in order to avoid the over calling of variants of unknown significance as causative. Children and young adults presenting with seizures and syncope, especially when associated with stress or exercise, require thorough cardiac evaluation in order to not miss catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Molecular autopsy should not however be restricted to the young as cases over 35 years old also carry diagnostic variants.

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Diagnostic testing for primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) usually includes transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nasal nitric oxide, high-speed video microscopy, and genetics. Diagnostic performance of each test should be assessed toward the development of PCD diagnostic algorithms. We systematically reviewed the literature and quantified PCD prevalence among referrals and TEM detection rate in confirmed PCD patients. Major electronic databases were searched until December 2015 using appropriate terms. Included studies described cohorts of consecutive PCD referrals in which PCD was confirmed by at least TEM and one additional test, in order to compare the index test performance with other test(s). Meta-analyses of pooled PCD prevalence and TEM detection rate across studies were performed. PCD prevalence among referrals was 32% (95% CI: 25-39%, I 2 = 92%). TEM detection rate among PCD patients was 83% (95% CI: 75-90%, I 2 = 90%). Exclusion of studies reporting isolated inner dynein arm defects as PCD, reduced TEM detection rate and explained an important fraction of observed heterogeneity (74%, 95% CI: 66-83%, I 2 = 66%). Approximately, one third of referrals, are diagnosed with PCD. Among PCD patients, a significant percentage, at least as high as 26%, is missed by TEM, a limitation that should be accounted toward the development of an efficacious PCD diagnostic algorithm. © 2017 International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc. 81 3 398 405

While climate change is expected to increase average temperatures around the globe as well as the number of atypically hot days and nights, several studies had identified an increase in heat-related mortality during hot weather. Indoor cooling has been identified as an important protective factor against heat related mortality but could result in higher emissions from power plants and to increased air pollution related mortality. We aimed in calculating the impact of increasing temperatures on heat-related mortality in Cyprus for the present and the 2040-2050 decade and address the protective effect of air-conditioning as the main mitigation option. © 2016 IEEE.

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Background: To date, diagnosis of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) remains difficult and challenging. We systematically evaluated the diagnostic performance of nasal Nitric Oxide (nNO) measurement for the detection of PCD, using either velum-closure (VC) or non-velum-closure (non-VC) techniques. Methods: All major electronic databases were searched from inception until March 2015 using appropriate terms. The sensitivity and specificity of nNO measurement was calculated in PCD patients diagnosed by transmission electron microscopy, high speed video-microscopy or genetic testing. Summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curves were drawn using the parameters of the fitted models. Results: Twelve studies provided data for 13 different populations, including nine case-control (n=793) and four prospective cohorts (n=392). The overall sensitivity of nNO measured by VC techniques was 0.95 (95% CI 0.91-0.97), while specificity was 0.94 (95% CI 0.88-0.97). The positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of the test was 15.8 (95% CI 8.1-30.6), whereas the negative likelihood ratio (LR-) was 0.06 (95% CI 0.04-0.09). For non-VC techniques, the overall sensitivity of nNO measurement was 0.93 (95% CI 0.89-0.96) whereas specificity was 0.95 (95% CI 0.82-0.99). The LR+ of the test was 18.5 (95% CI 4.6-73.8) whereas the LR- was 0.07 (95% CI 0.04-0.12). Conclusions: Diagnostic accuracy of nNO measurement both with VC and non-VC maneuvers is high and can be effectively employed in the clinical setting to detect PCD even in young children, thus potentiating early diagnosis. Measurement of nNO merits to be part of a revised diagnostic algorithm with the most efficacious combination of tests to achieve PCD diagnosis. © 2015 Kouis et al. 15 1