An explainable artificial intelligence approach to spatial navigation based on hippocampal circuitry.

Learning to navigate a complex environment is not a difficult task for a mammal. For example, finding the correct way to exit a maze following a sequence of cues, does not need a long training session. Just a single or a few runs through a new environment is, in most cases, sufficient to learn an exit path starting from anywhere in the maze.

Sequence Learning in a Single Trial: A Spiking Neurons Model Based on Hippocampal Circuitry.

In contrast with our everyday experience using brain circuits, it can take a prohibitively long time to train a computational system to produce the correct sequence of outputs in the presence of a series of inputs. This suggests that something important is missing in the way in which models are trying to reproduce basic cognitive functions. In this work, we introduce a new neuronal network architecture that is able to learn, in a single trial, an arbitrary long sequence of any known objects.

Impact of COVID-19 on hand surgery in Italy: A comparison between the Northern and the Southern regions.

The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency and elective hand surgery in four Italian regions that had either a high (Lombardy and Piemonte) or a low (Sicilia and Puglia) COVID-19 case load to discuss problems and to elaborate strategies to improve treatment pathways. A panel of hand surgeons from these different regions compared and discussed data from the centers they work in. The COVID-19 pandemic had an enormous impact on both elective and emergency surgery in Italy, not only in highly affected regions but also - and paradoxically even at a higher extent - in regions with a low COVID-19 case load.

How much are biosimilars used in southern Italy?: a retrospective analysis of epoetin utilization in the local health unit of Messina in the years 2010-2011.

Background: Epoetins are one of the three biologics for which biosimilars are available in Italy. So far, there is a lack of Italian national/regional longitudinal data about epoetin use.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prescribing pattern of epoetins (reference products and biosimilars) in a Local Health Unit (LHU) of Southern Italy in recent years.

Economic results of a palivizumab seasonal prophylaxis using a cohorting software and vial sharing.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus is the most important pathogen in lower respiratory tract infection in infants and young children. In high-risk populations it may develop severe, sometimes fatal, lower respiratory tract infections. A proportion of these infants require admission to intensive care units due to the severity of the condition and the level of care needed.