University of Bari Aldo Moro
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOL: THE ADDED VALUE OF THE GROUP
No full textAt the end of the 90s, the term literacy was understood not only as
the ability to read and write but as a means to improve the knowledge
of a subject, therefore the potential added value of interschool
learning was evaluated.
Literacy has, therefore, many facets and requires intentional and
evidence-based pedagogical strategies to achieve successful results.
This work evaluates the effects in a primary school of teaching
proposals oriented towards sport and therefore to the value of the
group (no. of pupils = 109) compared to one in which traditional
teaching is used (no. of pupils = 100)
Formulation Design and Functional Characterization of a Novel Fermented Beverage with Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Antibacterial Properties
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to use different concentrations of lemon juice and honey to improve the formulation of a green tea water kefir (GTWK) beverage by applying a central composite design (CCD). Honey’s concentration was 10–50% and lemon juice concentration was 1–5%, these were used as the independent factors, whereas pH, bacteria and yeasts’ count, total phenolic content, % DPPH. scavenging activity, and overall acceptability were used as the dependent factors. The optimal concentration of honey and lemon juice for highest microbial count, antioxidant activities and overall acceptability was 42.85% and 1.771%, respectively. The analysis of variance revealed that the model was well-fitting, with R2 ranging from 87.27% to 96.95%, adj-R2 ranging from 78.17% to 94.26% and a non-significant lack of fits. The optimized fermented beverage showed antibacterial potential against Echerichia coli ATCC11229, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC6538 and Salmonella typhimirium ATCC14028 strains. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated on CaCo-2 and RAW 264.7 cells. According to ELISA assay, a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in TNF-α concentration was found after inflammatory stimulation, from 1205.41 ± 55.87 pg/mL to 478.17 ± 69.12 pg/mL
Improving a Mirror-based Healthcare System for Real-time Estimation of Vital Parameters
No full textContactless methods are widely used to measure vital signs from recorded or live videos using remote photoplethysmography (rPPG), which takes advantage of the slight skin color variation that occurs periodically on specific body regions with each blood pulse.
However, existing rPPG-based solutions are typically expensive and not suitable for daily use at home for personal healthcare. To address this issue, we have recently developed a low-cost device that allows for the real-time estimation of vital signs using rPPG and can be easily integrated into any common home environment. The device consists of a smart mirror equipped with a camera that captures facial videos and extracts rPPG signals by processing video frames.
One major limitation of this solution was its high sensitivity to abrupt head movements during video acquisition. This paper presents some advancements in the development of our smart device aimed at obtaining a more robust measurement of vital signs. Experimental results on live videos show that the new version of our system overcomes the limitations of the previous version, offering a more stable performance. Moreover, the new methodology shows improved performance compared to other state-of-the-art rPPG algorithms when tested on pre-recorded in-house videos from the UBFC-RPPG database
Cristina Roccati: la donna che osò studiare la fisica
No full textNel cuore del Settecento, in un’Italia dominata da convenzioni sociali rigide e da un’educazione universitaria ancora esclusivamente maschile, una giovane donna intraprende un percorso che avrebbe infranto le barriere dell’epoca: Cristina Roccati sceglie di frequentare l’università fuori dalla sua città natale, diventando una delle prime studentesse “fuori sede” italiane
Advancing estuarine box modeling: A novel hybrid machine learning and physics-based approach
No full textEstuaries play a crucial role in the maintenance of the ecological balance of coastal ecosystems. Salinity intrusion can disrupt these fragile ecosystems, impacting aquatic life and human activities in coastal regions. An accurate prediction of salinity intrusion is essential for managing water resources and preserving ecosystems. This paper introduces a novel hybrid tool, called Hybrid-EBM model, designed to predict the salt-wedge intrusion length and the salinity at river mouth of an estuary. Combining the state-of-the-art Estuary Box Model (EBM) with machine learning algorithms, the new Hybrid-EBM model provides an accurate forecast of the salinity intrusion events. Experimental results highlight the effectiveness of Hybrid-EBM in salinity prediction with an RMSE of 3.41 psu against the 4.22 obtained by EBM. The outputs of this paper represent a significant advancement in the understanding of the impacts of salinity intrusion along the estuarine ecosystems, contributing to the sustainability of the coastal regions worldwide
Evaluating ADHD medication trial representativeness: a Swedish population-based study comparing hypothetically trial-eligible and trial-ineligible individuals
Get PDFBackground: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating ADHD medications often use strict eligibility criteria, potentially limiting generalisability to patients in real-world clinical settings. We aimed to identify the proportion of individuals with ADHD who would be ineligible for medication RCTs and evaluate differences in treatment patterns and clinical and functional outcomes between RCT-eligible and RCT-ineligible individuals. Methods: We used multiple Swedish national registries to identify individuals with ADHD, aged at least 4 years at the age of diagnosis, initiating pharmacological treatment between Jan 1, 2007, and Dec 31, 2019, with follow-up up to Dec 31, 2020. Hypothetical RCT ineligibility was established using exclusion criteria from the international MED-ADHD dataset, including 164 RCTs of ADHD medications. Cox models evaluated differences in medication switching and discontinuation within 1 year between eligible and ineligible individuals. Quasi-Poisson models compared eligible and ineligible individuals on rates of psychiatric hospitalisations, injuries or accidents, and substance use disorder within 1 year of initiating ADHD medications. People with lived experience of ADHD were not involved in the research and writing process. Findings: Of 189 699 individuals included in the study cohort (112 153 men and boys [59%] and 77 546 women and girls [41%]; mean age 21·52 years [SD 12·83; range 4–68]) initiating ADHD medication, 53% (76 477 [74%] of 103 023 adults [aged >17 years], 12 658 [35%] of 35 681 adolescents [aged 13–17 years], and 10 643 [21%] of 50 995 children [aged <13 years]) would have been ineligible for RCT participation. Ethnicity data were not available. Ineligible individuals had a higher likelihood of treatment switching (hazard ratio 1·14, 95% CI 1·12–1·16) and a decreased likelihood of medication discontinuation (0·96, 0·94–0·98) compared with eligible individuals. Individuals ineligible for RCTs had significantly higher rates of psychiatric hospitalisations (ncidence rate ratio 9·68, 95% CI 9·57–9·78) and specialist care visits related to substance use disorder (14·78, 14·64–14·91), depression (6·00, 5·94–6·06), and anxiety (11·63, 11·56–11·69). Interpretation: Individuals ineligible for ADHD medication trials face higher risks of adverse outcomes. This study provides the first empirical evidence for the limited generalisability of ADHD RCTs to real-world clinical populations, by applying eligibility criteria extracted from a comprehensive dataset of RCTs to a large real-world cohort. Triangulating evidence from RCTs and real-world studies is crucial to inform rigorous evidence-based treatment guidelines. Funding: National Institute of Healthcare and Research, European Union's Horizon 2020, and Swedish Research Council
La ceramica apula a figure rosse
No full textNonostante la costante dispersione della ceramica a figure rosse rinvenuta a Canosa e l’irrimediabile perdita di informazioni su contesti di ritrovamento e associazioni di materiali, i dati noti permettono comunque di individuare le direttrici principali dei rapporti stabilitisi nel corso del IV secolo a.C. tra la clientela canosina e quelle, tra le officine di ceramica apula a figure rosse nate a Taranto, che riuscirono ad intercettarne specifiche richieste ed esigenze rituali. Questo contributo esplora, nella prima parte, le dinamiche iniziali della progressiva distribuzione e diffusione di tali prodotti da Taranto nel centro daunio e, nella seconda parte, tempi e condizioni del fenomeno dell’impianto in loco di alcune di queste officine, insieme ai caratteri tecnici e formali delle loro produzioni.Despite the constant dispersion of the red-figure pottery found in Canosa and the irremediable loss of information on the contexts of discovery and associations of materials, the known data still allow us to identify the main directions of the relationships established during the 4th century BC. between the Canosan clientele and those, among the Apulian red-figure pottery workshops born in Taranto, who were able to intercept specific requests and ritual needs. This paper explores, in the first part, the initial dynamics of the progressive distribution and diffusion of these products from Taranto in the Daunian settlement and, in the second part, the times and conditions of the phenomenon of the establishment of some of these workshops on site, together with the technical and formal characteristics of their productions
Antioxidant Synergy in a Mixture of Powder Plant Leaves and Effects on Metabolic Profile, Oxidative Status and Intestinal Morpho-Histochemical Features of Laying Hens
Get PDFPhenolic antioxidant intake is encouraged to prevent oxidative damage, and antioxidant synergy is considered an advantage in adding polyphenols from varied plants. This study investigated the antioxidant and synergistic interactions among olive leaf (OL), bay laurel (BL), and rosemary (RL) leaf powder mixture (LPM: OL + BL + RL), using in vitro chemical tests [TPC, ORAC, TEAC-ABTS, FRAP; combination index (CI)], and in vivo validation on blood oxidative status, metabolic profile, and intestinal histomorphology in laying hens. The in vitro study indicated a whole higher antioxidant capacity for the LPM than respective single/double-leave combinations. The LPM CI value (IC50, 0.60) indicated a synergistic effect compared to the binary combinations. Thus, the LPM was validated in vivo through dietary supplementation on sixty Lohmann Brown hens (30 weeks old), reared in an indoor–outdoor rearing system divided. The hens were allocated into two experimental groups (n. 30): basal control diet group; and diet supplemented group with 6 g/kg feed of LPM) containing OL, BL, and RL (respectively, at 65.7%:18.9%:15.4%), for 60 days. The LPM improved (p < 0.05) the oxidative status (TAS, FRAP; ROMs, TBARs) and vitamin E level, metabolic and immunological profiles, and it induced region-specific changes in the morphology and carbohydrate composition of mucins along intestinal tracts of the animals. These findings could provide a valuable strategy for identifying synergistic combinations in functional feed formulations for laying hens
The Role of Forensic Assessment/Investigation in the Protection of Incapable Adults, inPROCEEDINGS of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences 77th Annual Scientific Conference. February 17-22, 2025 Baltimore Convention Center #AAFS2025
No full textThe Role of Forensic Assessment/Investigation in the Protection of Incapable Adults
Cristiano Barbieri, MD, PhD, University of Pavia, Pavia, Lombardia, Italy; Caterina Bosco, MD, PhD, University of Turin, Turin, Piemonte, Italy;
Giancarlo Di Vella, MD, PhD*, University of Turin, Bari, Puglia, Italy; Ignazio Grattagliano, PsyD, University of Bari, Bari, Puglia, Italy
Learning Objectives: After attending this presentation, attendees will better understand the controversy over mental manipulation and the investigation relating to the
circumstance of incapacity and possible circumvention
Impact Statement: This presentation will impact the forensic science community by showing that the process of persuasion takes place through the selection of the
“most likely” subjects, who can engage in indoctrination in a psychological and relational context; thus it is necessary to validate a proper scientific methodology for
evaluating possible vulnerable subjects.
Abstract Text: In fact, it must be recognized that different degrees of incapacity may exist and may be due to a mental disability, a disease or, most frequently, victims of
such crimes are people who conduct a normal, well-adapted existence, but who may be affected by some intrinsic fragility, traumas, unresolved problems that have not
been processed, or a tendency for dependency or a highly suggestible personality, exposing the subjects to the risk of prejudicial consequences.1,2 We report the case of a
widowed, secular man in his 70s, who suddenly discovered he is suffering from an infectious hepatitis and begins interferon therapy. Following this condition and
treatment, he develops a progressively worsening depressive disorder (with “thoughts” about death and euthanasia) and, at the same time, he relies on two female catechists
who belong to a theocratic religious movement. The women begin to take care of him in an apparent philanthropic manner but, as time passes, he converts and donates
his entire life savings to the movement, prompting his relatives to be concerned about an impairment of his personal faculties. This act was motivated by the man as a
recognition for the care and assistance received from those who had introduced him to “the true faith.”
From this peculiar case we can deduce an empirical methodology, based on some fundamental areas of investigation: (1) the previous state of the subject (i.e., his entire
biography, with particular attention to the clinical and pathological traits, but also to the values of his existential dimension); (2) the mental state of the subject at the
moment of the legal act, focusing not only on his intellectual-cognitive functioning, but also on his affective-emotional state; (3) the characteristics of the relationship
between the person who donates and whoever becomes the beneficiary, with specific reference to the type of investment; and (4) the consequences that this act, in concrete
terms, produces for the subject himself.
The context in which this case was examined and came under investigation is that of an expert report ordered by the Italian judicial authority. It is well known that some
religious movements, presented as meaningful systems, offer shared beliefs, stories, and meanings to confer order to social reality; however, in some circumstances, it is
not clear if mental manipulation led to indoctrination and donation.3,4
The process for clinical and forensic psychiatric evaluation followed the standards and method of rigorous forensic medical and psychological, forensic psychiatric
investigation, which included examination of the victim’s personalities, examination of the offenders, and examination of the relational and affective context in which the
criminal event took placeReferences:
1. Corbi G., Grattagliano I., Catanesi R., Ferrara N., Yorston G., Campobasso C.P. (2012). Elderly Residents at Risk for Being Victims or
Offenders. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 13, 657-659, doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2012.05.012.
2. Grattagliano, I., Tattoli, L., Bosco, C., Bellomo, A., Piccin inni, C., Di Vela G., et al. A para-religious setting for financial exploitation of the
mentally incapacitated: when the habit doesn't make a monk. Clin Ter. 2021 Nov 22;172(6):511-516.
3. Grattagliano, I., Vitale, R., Ragusa, M., Vitale, A. & Catanesi, R. (2018). Abusing catholic priests: a review of the literature. Rassegna Italiana
di Criminologia, 4, 275-288.
4. Grattagliano, I., Scardigno, R., Cassibba, R., & Mininni, G. (2015). The scandal of double abuse. Rassegna Italiana di Criminologia, 4,
269-275
Behavior of Olive Genotypes Against Quick Decline Syndrome (QDS) Caused by Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca in Apulia
Get PDFXylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca (Xfp), a quarantine pathogen in the European Union, severely threatens Mediterranean olive production, especially in southern Italy, where Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS) has devastated Apulian olive groves. This study addresses the urgent need to identify resistant olive genotypes by monitoring 16 potentially tolerant genotypes over six years, assessing symptom severity and bacterial load. These genotypes, which survived in heavily infected areas, showed varied responses to Xfp; some maintained low symptom severity with minimal bacterial presence (high or undetectable Cq values), while others exhibited increased bacterial loads yet remained asymptomatic or showed limited canopy desiccation. SSR markers were used to investigate the genetic relationships among these genotypes and other widespread Mediterranean cultivars, showing genetic similarity with the resistant ones such as the Albanian Kalinjot and the Greek Leucocarpa, as well as with local Apulian cultivars, highlighting the potential of local and Mediterranean olive germplasm for Xfp resistance. This study integrates phenotypic responses with genetic knowledge to support the development of conservation strategies that will enhance the genetic diversity of Apulian olive cultivars. In addition, by focusing on the resilience of the different olive genotypes, this research aims to protect the traditional cultivars from the emerging threats, thus preserving the ecological and cultural heritage of the olive biodiversity of the Mediterranean region