University of Udine
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Eating Disorders and Autistic Traits Camouflaging: Insights from the EAT Study
No full textBackground: Feeding and eating disorders (FEDs) often present in comorbidity with other psychiatric conditions, with a growing body of evidence underscoring their association with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Individuals with ASD or significant autistic traits (ATs), especially females, often engage in camouflaging strategies to mask their symptoms. However, empirical research on the role of camouflaging within this association is still emerging. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of ATs in individuals with FEDs and to examine their connection with psychological well-being, along with the role of camouflaging as a potential mediator in this association. Methods: A total of 131 individuals with FEDs were assessed through a medical record review, a socio-demographic form, and self-administered questionnaires evaluating FEDs symptoms (EDI-3) and ASD-related features (RAADS-R, AQ, EQ, CAT-Q). Results: In total, 16% of patients scored above the possible high ATs in clinical settings (whereas 53% exceeded the original cut-off) and 25% showed significant camouflaging, without differences between FED diagnoses. ATs were associated with both FED symptom severity and general maladjustment. Importantly, the latter was not directly explained by ATs themselves, but was mediated separately by camouflaging and FED symptomatology. After statistical adjustments, the parallel mediating pathways contributed similarly (48% and 52%). Conclusions: A considerable subset of individuals with FEDs presents significant ATs, with camouflaging arguably linked to psychological distress through a pathway parallel to that of FED symptomatology. This overlap between FEDs and ASD may be clinically meaningful, highlighting the potential importance of assessing ATs and camouflaging to support personalized diagnostic and therapeutic interventions
Effect of pH shift and high pressure homogenization on the structure and techno-functional properties of protein extracts from substandard peas
No full textThis study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the modification of structure and techno-functional properties of pea proteins upon pH-shift (PS), high-pressure homogenization (HPH) and their combination (PS + HPH). Unlike many previous studies on dried commercial isolates, treatments were applied directly to wet extracts to increase sustainability. Wet protein extracts obtained from substandard peas by alkaline extraction and isoelectric precipitation were subjected to PS, HPH and PS + HPH before drying. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that proteins were extensively denatured already upon extraction. None of the treatments impacted protein primary and secondary structure, as detected by SDS-PAGE and FTIR. Single treatments promoted protein aggregate detachment, exposing hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, and particle size decrease, while PS + HPH favored intramolecular bonding of the small particles formed upon PS. These structural changes increased extract solubility, interfacial properties, water/oil holding capacity and antioxidant activity. PCA highlighted structural changes induced by PS and HPH on pea proteins to be associated with improved functionalities, opening new possibilities for pea waste upcycling into protein-rich ingredients
Smaller but sweeter: The response of grapevine cultivars to drought determines organ interplay in non-structural carbohydrates allocation
No full textPlant health relies on non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in plant organs and is jeopardized by different stresses, including drought. Plants may use different hydraulic strategies to cope with drought, often involving modifications in growth and NSC reserves. Our work highlighted the impact of cultivar and drought on the physiological responses at the specific organ levels, utilizing young Vitis vinifera cv. Grenache (GR) (near-isohydric) and Cabernet sauvignon (CS) (near-anisohydric) plants grown in pots and subjected to prolonged water deficit. Plants were harvested at cane maturity, and NSC were measured. The cultivar influenced NSC accumulation in cane, favoured in GR rather than CS, which also showed a reduced root biomass. Drought led to a boost of NSC concentration at the expense of biomass, confirming roots as a key organ in plant drought responses. Moreover, our prolonged water deficit enhanced starch accumulation and its degradation products (water-soluble NSC), leaving the other investigated NSC pool unchanged. In conclusion, our work offers direction on managing the accumulation of NSC in specific grapevine organs, minimizing water inputs and considering cultivar-specific traits. Under this light, the resultant plants will have elevated NSC concentrations which might enhance their resilience to future stresses
Effect of Specialized Psychiatric Assessment and Precision Diagnosis on Pharmacotherapy in Adults with Intellectual Disability
No full textBackground/Objectives: Adults with intellectual disability (ID) experience high rates of psychiatric comorbidity but often face diagnostic challenges and treatment barriers, leading to inappropriate psychotropic medication use. This study examined the extent to which specialized psychiatric assessment and improved diagnostic accuracy had an impact on medication management and clinical outcomes in adults with ID and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. Methods: This observational retrospective study analyzed medical records from 25 adults with ID who underwent specialized psychiatric assessment at a community-based service in Italy between January 2023 and January 2024. Psychopathological diagnoses were established according to Diagnostic Manual—Intellectual Disability, Second Edition (DM-ID2) criteria, based on clinical observation and a comprehensive assessment using validated instruments. Clinical outcomes were assessed using a psychometric tool encompassing multiple psychopathological and behavioral dimensions. Data on psychotropic prescriptions and side effects were also collected. Non-parametric analyses were performed, with significance set at α = 0.05. Results: The proportion of patients with a psychiatric diagnosis increased from 32% to 96% after specialized assessment (p < 0.001), with notable rises in depressive (0% to 32%), bipolar (8% to 36%), anxiety (4% to 24%), and impulse control (0% to 16%) disorders. First-generation antipsychotic prescriptions decreased (from 36% to 8%, p = 0.023), while antidepressant use increased (from 12% to 52%, p = 0.004). The mean number of side effects per patient declined from 1.6 to 0.5 (p < 0.001), particularly the elevated prolactin level and psychomotor retardation. Significant improvements were observed in symptom intensity and frequency across multiple domains, including aggression, mood disturbances, and compulsions (p < 0.001). Conclusions: In this single-center retrospective study, specialized psychiatric assessment was associated with improved diagnostic accuracy, medication management, and clinical outcomes in adults with ID. The increase in psychiatric diagnoses likely reflects improved identification, addressing key challenges in precision diagnosis for people with neurodevelopmental disorders. Although the overall number of prescribed medications remained stable, optimization of treatment regimens reduced first-generation antipsychotic use and related adverse effects. These findings indicates that access to specialized assessment and precision diagnosis could improve psychopharmacological interventions and outcomes for this vulnerable population, but larger, multi-center and longer-term studies are needed to confirm these results
The heterogeneous impact of European Central Bank asset price surprises on corporate liquidity demand
No full textTheories of corporate liquidity demand build on the notion that firms accumulate cash to safeguard their activities in the face of costly external finance. Monetary policy provides a clear source of exogenous variation in the external finance premium. Using high-frequency-identified asset price surprises, I estimate the impact of European Central Bank monetary policy shocks on euro area corporate cash holdings over 2001–2019. Old firms with large fixed assets react forcefully to expansionary shocks that result in higher asset prices by reducing demand for precautionary liquidity, and access borrowing to finance tangible investment in a second period. This is because these firms are more exposed to valuation effects and can use more debt when accommodating monetary policy is transmitted through the revaluation of assets or, relatedly, when the collateral constraints that they face are predominantly asset-based, which appears to be the case for the euro area
Fatigue experimental characterisation of brazed joints in aluminium microchannel heat exchangers
No full textBrazing is a widely employed joining technique for aluminium components due to its cost-effectiveness and compatibility with complex geometries. However, the structural integrity of brazed joints under cyclic loading remains a scarcely addressed scientific and engineering concern. This study investigates the tensile and fatigue behaviour of aluminium 3xxx-series alloy components employed in microchannel heat exchangers—headers and multi-port extruded tubes—both in the as-received and heat-treated (brazing cycle) conditions. Tensile tests were performed on parent materials using a microtensile equipped with a Digital Image Correlation (DIC) system for accurate strain evaluation during testing. On the other hand, uniaxial fatigue tests were performed on specimens containing a representative brazed joint. Finite element analyses were used to design the fatigue specimen geometry based on stress concentrations observed in simplified heat exchanger models. Fatigue test data were employed to determine fatigue behaviour both in the finite life region of high-cycle fatigue and to characterise the fatigue endurance limit at 107 cycles. Experimental testing unveiled crack initiation consistently occurring at the brazed fillet toe near the tube lateral edge. SEM observations revealed surface-initiated cracking, ratchet marks, sub-surface inclusions and final ductile failure. Results underline the need for fatigue-based design criteria for brazed aluminium structures
On subalgebras of the Griess algebra with alternating Miyamoto group
No full textWe use Majorana representations to study the subalgebras of
the Griess algebra that have shape (2B, 3A, 5A) and whose
associated Miyamoto groups are isomorphic to An. We prove
that these subalgebras exist only if n ∈ {5, 6, 8}. The case
n = 5 was already treated by Ivanov, Seress, McInroy, and
Shpectorov. In case n = 6 we prove that these algebras are
all isomorphic and provide their precise description. In case
n = 8 we prove that these algebras do not arise from standard
Majorana representations
Ultrasound-assisted extraction of water-soluble components from olive stones: Chemical characterization and functionalities
No full text
Epigrafia greca e intelligenza artificiale. Il progetto Lacunae dell’Università di Udine
No full textThis paper presents the first results of the LACUNAE project, which aims to develop digital support for the study and restoration of lacunae in ancient Greek inscriptions. While recent research has primarily addressed the problem from a linguistic and text ual perspective using Natural Language Processing and Large Language Models, this study proposes a shift in focus by approaching lacunae as material phenomena before treating them as textual ones. For the first time, Computer Vision (CV) is applied not to character recognition, but to estimating the spatial capacity of a lacuna. The method calculates the minimum and maximum number of characters that a gap may contain based on the proportional relati onship between the available space and the size of epichoric letter forms. Through image enhancement, binarization, and layout analysis, the system examines inscribed surfaces and models graphic variability in letter shapes. This approach makes it possible to objectify a crucial yet traditionally intuitive step in epigraphic practice — estimating the length of a restoration — and to provide quantitative constraints that assist scholars, without automating or determining the philological restoration itsel