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Today, robotics technologies are revolutionizing surveying and construction in AEC fields, enhancing precision, safety, and efficiency and also in the realm of Cultural Heritage knowledge and protection, the integration of cutting-edge technologies is reshaping consolidated surveying methods for documentation, especially in risk scenarios. One such innovation making waves is the use of mobile mapping systems, where automation and expediency are the determining factors in technological development, both in the direction of in indoor positioning (visual/LiDAR SLAM, UWB, etc.) and 3D mapping of known and unknown spaces. The BLK ARC by Leica, equipping the Agile Mobile Robot Spot® by Boston Dynamics, as a dynamic sensing platform, is here presented and discussed. BLK ARC is part of a diverse landscape of mobile mapping systems, each offering unique features and specifications tailored to different surveying needs, from handheld devices and wearable systems, to vehicle-mounted systems, the options vary in dimension, weight, price, and technical capabilities and the recent companies and research are largely focusing on them. A preliminary evaluation takes into consideration the dual dynamic-static 3D data-types, considering local and global accuracy of the 3D data delivered from the first experimental tests in a case study. Different metrics have been considered including acquisition time, precision, resolution, density, accuracy, roughness, and completeness of the acquired data.

Nowadays 3D digitization through the combination or hybridization of different sensors, with the final aim of accelerating the phases of data acquisition and storage, develops user friendly and robotics systems, making efficient the operator role. New technologies as Hybrid Reality Capture™ (HRC), with Flash Technology (FARO Tech.) certainly fits into this market trend, and it is characterized by rapid acquisition, involving 3D scanning data with panoramic images contribution. The system is still under patent, and nothing is yet released on the technology. This research presents the analysis and discussion of results based on the raw and processed data related to the new FARO system. The assumption – based on the information declared by the manufacturer (FARO, 2023) – is that the new colored Flash scans are faster and denser than scans of the same resolution obtained using traditional static scanning method, due to the crucial contribution of the PanoCam data and resolution on which the upsampling strategy is based. An evaluation based on detailed analysis of the upsampling results is reported, delivering that the surface point density exponentially decreases with the distance and with the ray incidence inclination. A comparison with a mobile mapping technology is finally presented and discussed.

The interest in the enhancement of innovative solutions in the geospatial data classification domain from integrated aerial methods is rapidly growing. The transition from unstructured to structured information is essential to set up and arrange geodatabases and cognitive systems such as digital twins capable of monitoring territorial, urban, and general conditions of natural and/or anthropized space, predicting future developments, and considering risk prevention. This research is based on the study of classification methods and the consequent segmentation of low-altitude airborne LiDAR data in highly forested areas. In particular, the proposed approaches investigate integrating unsupervised classification methods and supervised Neural Network strategies, starting from unstructured point-based data formats. Furthermore, the research adopts Machine Learning classification methods for geo-morphological analyses derived from DTM datasets. This paper also discusses the results from a comparative perspective, suggesting possible generalization capabilities concerning the case study investigated.

Sleep plays a crucial role in brain development, sensory information processing, and consolidation. Sleep spindles are markers of these mechanisms as they mirror the activity of the thalamocortical circuits. Spindles can be subdivided into two groups, slow (10–13 Hz) and fast (13–16 Hz), which are each associated with different functions. Specifically, fast spindles oscillate in the high-sigma band and are associated with sensorimotor processing, which is affected by visual deprivation. However, how blindness influences spindle development has not yet been investigated. We recorded nap video-EEG of 50 blind/severely visually impaired (BSI) and 64 sighted children aged 5 months to 6 years old. We considered aspects of both macro- and micro-structural spindles. The BSI children lacked the evolution of developmental spindles within the central area. Specifically, young BSI children presented low central high-sigma and high-beta (25–30 Hz) event-related spectral perturbation and showed no signs of maturational decrease. High-sigma and high-beta activity in the BSI group correlated with clinical indices predicting perceptual and motor disorders. Our findings suggest that fast spindles are pivotal biomarkers for identifying an early developmental deviation in BSI children. These findings are critical for initial therapeutic intervention.

Background: high-sensitive cardiac TroponinI (hs-cTnI) is widely used for diagnosis of acute coronary syndromes. The latest recommendation for hs-cTnI determination is the protocol 0–1 h finalized to improve the rule out accuracy of the test. A Point of Care Testing able to guarantee these performances could be very useful due to reducing the turnaround time and ruling out patients suspected of ACS, especially by using biological matrices that are not required for centrifuge. The aim of our work is to compare the results for hs-cTnI obtained using different biological matrices and anticoagulants, obtained between Atellica® VTLi hs-cTnI POCT and Access AccuTnI+3 DxI800 performances, in order to establish a possible bias derived directly from these pre-analytical conditions. Methods: Li-heparinized pool samples were primary employ for hs-cTnI with Atellica® VTLi as whole blood, then centrifuged and tested on Atellica® VTLi and DxI800. K3EDTA pool samples were centrifuged and measured on DxI800 too. A comparison of methods was performed according to CLSI_EP-09A2 protocol. Constant and proportional errors were investigated with Deming regression. Bias between methods was evaluated with the Bland Altman test. Results: comparing whole blood lithium heparin results obtained with Atellica versus lithium heparin and K3EDTA plasma tested on DxI 800, the Deming regression revealed a proportional error, whereas in both cases Bland Altman highlighted a minimal underestimation. A similar performance was revealed when considering plasma lithium heparin tested on Atellica versus lithium heparin and K3EDTA plasma obtained with DxI800, confirming the same underestimation. Considering values close to the cut off, no significant differences were found. Conclusions: in the laboratory, the estimation of the bias of two different analyzers is pivotal. Once more this is crucial when different biological matrices and anticoagulants are employed for the analysis. Our study demonstrates that no significant differences among the two matrices are present when comparing Atellica and DxI800 performances.

The research focuses on using 3D digitization in Landscape Heritage conservation processes, specifically in the context of the Spina Verde Park in Como, Italy. The aim of the research is to improve knowledge of the proto-urban archaeological sites of the park and its network of trails, which represent a significant heritage of the area. The study employs low-altitude airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and terrestrial survey methods to obtain high-resolution data, which are structured into a 3D geospatial database in a GIS environment. The integration and harmonization of multisensory 3D data, both airborne and terrestrial originated, and available cartographic datasets, allows for a flexible monitoring tool and supports the interpretation of the archaeological sites and landscape context. The research proposes a methodological approach that has applications in different built and natural heritage contexts and can monitor the conservation status of both archaeological heritage and natural components of the territorial context. The research focuses on testing automated classification algorithms that are useful for identifying and classifying archaeological sites and features within landscapes. By analysing the high-resolution raster generated from the airborne LiDAR point cloud, the research inquiries about the detecting, identifying, and mapping proto-historic archaeological traces efficiently and accurately, leading to better preservation and conservation of built and landscape heritage.

Recently rapid mapping techniques based on UAV photogrammetry increasingly help on-site archaeological documentation works. Multi-temporal data are specifically crucial in diachronic investigation research, and for this purpose the data co-registration and integration can support the accurate 3D digitization of excavation phases and make coherent topological relation among them and phases-related stratigraphic units’ data. In this framework, the level of automation and accuracy control are challenging aspects to streamline the documentation process during excavation activities, however all experimentation phases must be tested and validated in the actual archaeological context, where the boundary conditions are typically demanding. This research is developed during the collaboration project with Cà Foscari University of Venice, started in 2022 campaign, in the excavation site of Tell Zeyd, in Iraqi Kurdistan, The Tell Zeyd Archaeological Project (ZAP) aims to study the rural landscape of the hinterland of Mosul in the long Islamic period, from the Arab conquest in the 7th century to the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire with the First World War, as an ideal observatory on the characteristics of the settlement in its spatial organisation, places of worship, production installations and facilities for storing foodstuffs. The research aims to present the preliminary test and results on an experimental documentation activity based on multi-scale UAV mapping strategy and training with the archaeological expert group, and particularly for automatic co-registration of multi-temporal data, considering different images datasets epochs belonging to subsequent excavation phases.

Mobile Mapping Systems (MMS) have recently benefited from the development of many fusion-based technologies with countless systems development based on cars, drones, trolley, wearable or portable mapping system. The scale of applicating range from the urban to the architectural scale. Recent solution are also based on visual or Lidar SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), which substantially takes advantage of environmental features and techniques of continuous co-registration of the clouds, also in case of absence on GNSS positioning measurement. FARO Technology has recently developed the Swift, a fusion-based hybrid solution that integrates the sensors for 3D mapping in a trolley system configuration and recently, an external camera Panocam Theta Z1 is equipping the system enabling the possibility to associate radiometry to the acquired data. The working principle is the exploitation of a system of static and mobile configuration, using the so-called “anchor scans” co-registration as an hybrid intermediate solution between a typical static scan and a profilometers-based MMS point cloud. The co-registered clouds therefore yield a trajectory mode such as SLAM but benefit from the comparable range and density characteristics, according to user-customized settings, of static scans, with a duration of a few seconds per scan and a few minutes overall. In the present research the Swift System is tested in two different context and the assessment are conducted aimed at satisfying both the urban and the architectural scale instances in the direction of improving further evaluations.

Introduction: In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), about half of the patients achieving a deep and stable molecular response with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) may discontinue TKI treatment without disease recurrence. As such, treatment-free remission (TFR) has become an ambitious goal of treatment. Given the evidence that deepness and duration of molecular response are necessary but not sufficient requisites for a successful TFR, additional biological criteria are needed to identify CML patients suitable for efficacious discontinuation. Leukemia stem cells (LSCs) are supposed to be the reservoir of the disease. Previously, we demonstrated that residual circulating CD34+/CD38-/CD26+ LSCs were still detectable in a consistent number of CML patients during TFR.Methods: CML LSCs could be easily identified by flow-cytometry as they express the CD34+/CD38-/CD26+ phenotype. In this study, we explored the role of these cells and their correlation with molecular response in a cohort of 109 consecutive chronic phase CML patients prospectively monitored from the time of TKI discontinuation.Results: After a median observation time of 33 months from TKI discontinuation, 38/109 (35%) patients failed TFR after a median time of 4 months, while 71/109 (65%) patients are still in TFR. At TKI discontinuation, peripheral blood CD26+LSCs were undetectable in 48/109 (44%) patients and detectable in 61/109 (56%). No statistically significant correlation between detectable/undetectable CD26+LSCs and the rate of TFR loss was found (p = 0.616). The incidence of TFR loss based on the type of TKI treatment was statistically significant for imatinib treatment compared to that of nilotinib (p = 0.039). Exploring the behavior of CD26+LSCs during TFR, we observed fluctuating values that were very variable between patients, and they were not predictive of TFR loss.Discussion: Up to date, our results confirm that CD26+LSCs are detectable at the time of TKI discontinuation and during TFR. Moreover, at least for the observation median time of the study, the persistence of “fluctuating” values of residual CD26+LSCs does not hamper the possibility to maintain a stable TFR. On the contrary, even patients discontinuing TKI with undetectable CD26+LSCs could undergo TFR loss. Our results suggest that factors other than residual LSCs “burden” playing an active role in controlling disease recurrence. Additional studies evaluating CD26+LSCs’ ability to modulate the immune system and their interaction in CML patients with very long stable TFR are ongoing.

In the last few years, notable progress has been made in the field of non-invasive diagnostic for the monitoring of heritage assets. In particular, multispectral imagery (more specifically thermal images will be addressed in this manuscript) allows investigations in the non-visible range of the electro-magnetic spectrum to be effectively carried out. Many researchers are currently exploring the possibilities related to the use of this kind of images in photogrammetric SfM-based processes to produce 2D and 3D value-added metric products, characterised by high level of detail and spatial resolution, including the information connected to the non-visible data. A data fusion-based strategy enables co-registering visible and thermal images in order to exploit the higher spatial resolution of the traditional true colour images. However, there are still many shortcomings to be addressed to properly and efficiently orient TIR (Thermal Infrared) images, connected (among other factors) to their low spatial resolution, or to the low contrast between adjacent materials characterised by similar emissivity. This paper proposes two different workflows to process thermal images using SfM algorithms, applied to three different case studies, each characterised by different characteristics and features (size, morphology, emissivity of the materials, etc.). The different pipelines are described and the obtained results are critically evaluated considering the metric accuracy, 3D geometric reconstruction and noise, completeness of the data and overall quality of the generated dense point cloud. Additionally, the effectiveness of the adopted strategies in connection with the peculiar features of the analysed case studies is also considered.