Parthenope University of Naples
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miR-218 Regulates the Excitability of VTA Dopamine Neurons and the Mesoaccumbens Pathway in Mice
No full textBackground. MiR-218 is a micro-RNA expressed in two isoforms (miR-218-1 and miR-
218-2) in the brain and, within the mesencephalic area, it represents a specific regulator
of differentiation and functional maturation of the dopamine-releasing neurons (DAn).
Deletion of miR-218 isoforms within the midbrain alters the expression of synaptic mRNAs,
the neuronal excitability of DAn of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), and their
ability to release dopamine (DA) within the dorsal striatum. Objectives. Here we have
investigated if miR-218 impacts the function of the DAn population adjacent to SNpc, the
mesencephalic ventral tegmental area (VTA) innervating the nucleus accumbens (NAcc),
and the medial prefrontal cortex. Methods. With the use of miR-218-1, miR-218-2, and dou-
ble conditional knock-out mice (KO1, c-KO2, c-dKO), we performed electrophysiological
recordings in VTA DAn to investigate firing activity, measurements of DA release in NAcc
slices by constant potential amperometry (CPA), and in vivo behavioral analysis. Results.
We find that KO1 VTA neurons display hyperexcitability in comparison with c-KO2, c-dKO,
and wild type (WT) neurons. DA efflux in the NAcc core and shell is reduced in all single-
and double-conditional KO striatal slices in comparison with controls. The KO1 mice
display a tendency toward an anxiety-like trait, as revealed by the elevated plus maze test.
Conclusions. Our data indicate that miR-218-1 is the isoform that mainly regulates VTA
DA neuron excitability whereas both miR-218-1 and miR-218-2 impair DA release in the
mesoaccumbens pathway
The effects of sea level rise on Domitian coastal area around Volturno river mouth (Italy) in future scenarios
No full textSea level rise (SLR) is a global and progressive phenomenon that risks having adverse consequences on large coastal areas of the Earth. Caused mainly by the thermal expansion of sea water related to global warming and the melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, sea level rise is a significant aspect of climate change and can lead to consequences such as coastal flooding, erosion, saltwater intrusion and increased vulnerability of coastal zones. Italy, with its extensive coastline and low-lying coastal areas, is particularly at risk of the impacts of SLR, with potentially severe consequences for coastal cities and economic activity. Among the potentially most exposed coastal plains there is certainly the Domitian zone (Campania Region) due to the particular morphological condition characterized by a low and sandy coast followed by large flat areas. The availability of forecast data, such as those of the Copernicus databases, which identify future scenarios of SLR and the presence of versatile tools such as GIS (Geographic Information System) software make it possible and easy to map the areas at risk of flooding in the coming years. This article presents the results of a preliminary study carried out on the northern coastal strip of Campania, precisely the one delimited by the Domitian coast. For a first estimate of the potentially floodable areas in relation to different forecast scenarios represented by the Copernicus data, digital elevation models (DEMs) with a resolution of 20 m and 10 m are used, highlighting how the different level of detail of the altimetric information affects the mapping of the flooded zones and, therefore, the calculation of the areas at risk. Data for eight different scenarios for the years 2050 and 2100, each characterized by a different magnitude of the SLR phenomenon, are considered. All processing is carried out using Quantum GIS (QGIS) software, version 3.28. The experiments conducted highlight both the extreme vulnerability of the area under consideration due to its morphology (it lies within the broad Campanian plain that extends for many kilometers from the coast) and the strong variability of the results in relation to the geometric resolution of the DEM used
RED CORAL SECTOR AND TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT: EVOLUTION OF ECONOMIC NETWORKS AND EXPANDED VALUE CREATION|Settore del corallo e sviluppo territoriale: evoluzione delle reti economiche e creazione di valore allargato
No full textThe paper aims to examine the evolution of economic and commercial networks in the red coral (Corallium rubrum) sector through a historical analysis of the firms operating within it. The red coral sector is investigated by considering its historical evolution in the Italian peninsula, from the modern to the contemporary age, to highlight firms developing network processes and expanded value creation paths. In particular, the focus has been identified in the production district of Torre del Greco, a city in Campania with a centuries-old history and tradition linked to the coral resource, recognised as the main center for manufacturing and trading in Italy. This research follows an interpretative methodological approach. After reviewing-from an evolutionary perspective – the business literature on firm networks and the related value creation paths, the study discusses relevant historical documents on the red coral sector housed in the National Library of Naples. The documentary investigation is enriched by accessing the historical archives of some-still active-firms of Torre del Greco and by discussion with entrepreneurs and sector associations. The analysis reveals a lack of studies investigating the evolution of this sector from a strategic, organisational, and competitive perspective. In this sense, the research contributes to understanding ancient commercial and accounting practices and organisational structures related to the red coral sector on the Italian peninsula. The analysis of the ancient production district of Torre del Greco in the 19th century allows to identify the key players-already organised into hubs and sub-hubs-of the coral sector network and to analyse how the value creation process was organised, by highlighting the close link between the coral resource and the economic development of the territory. Furthermore, the research can offer current research insights related to the topics of sustainability and digitisation. Indeed, historical research can guide in understanding the challenges currently facing the coral industry in terms of preserving and protecting the marine habitat and introducing digital technologies in harvesting, processing, and sales processes
Late Quaternary evolution of Fondi alluvial-coastal plain by means of new cronostratigraphic constraints.
No full textAn LLM-Based System for Accessible and Personalized Scientific Communication
No full textThis paper presents the design and requirements engineering of A.L.E.S. (Augmented LLM-based Engagement System), an LLM-powered platform for accessible and personalized scientific communication. A.L.E.S. supports dual-mode interaction, scientific and simplified via a shared LLM engine and unified document corpus, addressing the needs of researchers, students, educators, and policymakers. The requirements analysis phase applied Agile and user-centered methodologies, supported by LLM-augmented simulation, to produce and prioritize functional, non-functional, architectural, and ethical requirements. The process produced 22 user stories across four epics, structured into a Requirements Traceability Matrix and aligned with stakeholder needs through hybrid prioritization (MoSCoW and AHP). Domain modelling incorporated stakeholder workshops, personas, and user journeys to ensure contextual relevance. The result is a validated and adaptable specification framework that ensures traceability, scalability, and compliance, positioning A.L.E.S. as a vigorous tool for enhancing the accessibility and societal impact of scientific knowledge
Outdoor education and physical activity to stimulate creative thinking and inclusion in school
No full textActive Security for Connected Device Lifecycle: The CERTIFY Architecture
No full textThe technological evolution of embedded devices over the last decades has revolutionized our way of interacting with the world, and, at the same time, brought significant cybersecurity challenges in managing digital products. One of the paradigms that has had the most impact on our daily lives is the Internet of Things (IoT), whose number is estimated to reach 74.44 billion by 2025 according to Gartner. Regulations and standards have been approved at both European and global level emphasizing the importance of managing the security of devices throughout their lifecycle. The CERTIFY framework architecture emerges as a solution to implement security management during the lifecycle of an IoT device, including mechanisms for secure design and deployment, threat monitoring and mitigation, and secure upgrading. This article describes the CERTIFY architecture, highlights its key technologies and shows how it operates to protect each phase of the device lifecycle
Bayesian Integrated Data Analysis and Experimental Design for External Magnetic Plasma Diagnostics in DEMO
No full textCloud Mask Application on Landsat 8 OLI Imagery for Performing Automatic Classification of Vegetation and Water Bodies
No full textIn remote sensing specific indices based on appropriate multispectral band algebra formulas allow to highlight differences among land cover types such as vegetation, water bodies and bare soil. The application of an unsupervised classification algorithm on the resulting layer categorizes all pixels in the image, obtaining a given set of labels or land cover themes. Accurate results are achieved even when unsupervised classification is applied to a subset of the available bands, usually the least correlated ones. However, the presence of clouds in the considered scene can affect the classification process and produce unsatisfactory results. This paper highlights how the preventive application of masks on the clouds, avoiding that the pixels belonging to them are subject to classification and contribute to the statistical definition of the classes, eliminates a source of ambiguity for the unsupervised classification. In particular, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) are applied to Landsat 8 OLI multispectral images. The resulting layers, as well as two subsets of available bands, i.e. Coastal/Aerosol + Near-infrared + Short Wavelength Infrared and Blue + Green + Red + Near-infrared bands, are submitted to the ISODATA unsupervised classification algorithm. The use of confusion matrices and related evaluation indices shows that, for the two considered band subsets, the thematic accuracy of the resulting land use map is higher when cloud masks are introduced, as testified by an Overall accuracy greater than 0.98. On the other side, NDVI and NDWI submitted to ISODATA provide high performance both in the presence and absence of cloud masks: the results confirm the usefulness of the band ratio that tends to level the disturbance actions, in this case, also that due to the presence of clouds
Neuroscience tools at work: approaches to use across the employee lifecycle and future research agenda
No full textPurpose
Neuroscience tools offer new frontlines to understand areas of human behavior that are so far unexplored. However, the types and scopes of such NTs are currently known only to a limited number of Human Resource Management (HRM) innovators and scholars. In our study, we investigate and report on the approaches to use NTs across employee life cycle phases, including acquiring, developing, and retaining.
Design/methodology/approach
The review was conducted according to the guidance for scoping reviews and reported following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
Findings
Our results indicate that the application of NTs across the employee lifecycle is a growing, interdisciplinary field. However, we found a few empirical studies with existing applications primarily concentrated on the employee development and retention phases. The findings provide an overview of various NT applications and their scope, shedding light on the sectors where these technologies are most prevalent. Additionally, we identify gaps in the literature and, based on these, propose a comprehensive research agenda for future explorations.
Originality/value
The study offers the first literature review on this topic and establishes an agenda for future research