49112 research outputs found
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La storia al contrario. Papesse e antipapi, nani e fantasmi
No full textQuesto libro è un invito a guardare il passato da angolazioni insolite e a capovolgere il canone tradizionale, passeggiando sul limitare tra verità e finzione, prove e congetture, ragione e fantasia. È un viaggio in quattro movimenti – come una sinfonia – in cui si intrecciano leggende, ipotesi audaci e racconti visionari su personaggi fuori posto, fuori tempo, fuori norma.
Dalla misteriosa papessa Giovanna si raggiungono i grandi antipapi medievali; da un enigmatico “popolo dei Nani” la cui esistenza storica viene esplorata in un sorprendente pseudo-saggio (no, non vi diremo chi sono!), il sentiero conduce fino a due fantasmi femminili che sussurrano storie da custodire, sospese tra sogno e memoria. Con leggerezza solo apparente, l’Autore ci accompagna in una “Storia al contrario” che diverte, provoca e insegna. Un esercizio brillante di metodo storico, dove ogni pagina è una sfida al pensiero convenzional
The Diagnostic Value of Visual Evoked Potentials in Chronic Disorders of Consciousness
No full textObjective: In chronic disorders of consciousness (DOCs), the distinction between vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS) and minimally conscious state (MCS) is as crucial as it is challenging. Evoked potentials (EPs) and event-related potentials (ERPs) are helpful, but some limitations prevent their consistent use in the routine diagnostic process. This study investigated the value of EPs and ERPs in 146 adult chronic DOC patients (82 VS/UWS and 64 MCS). Methods: All the patients underwent multimodal neurophysiological assessments, including flash-visual evoked potentials (f-VEPs), somatosensory EPs (SEPs), auditory EPs (AEPs), auditory ERPs, as well as a behavioral assessment using the Coma Recovery Scale-revised (CRS-r). We classified EPs and ERPs for the presence/absence of cortical responses, and then we performed an unsupervised cluster analysis to identify recurrent patterns. We then explored their occurrence in VS/UWS and MCS patients. Results: VS/UWS patients showed fewer cortical responses to all modalities than MCS. Cluster analysis revealed groups 1, 2, and 3, which included patients without detectable cortical responses to ERPs and f-VEPs, patients with cortical responses to f-VEPs but not to ERPs, and patients with ERPs, respectively. Groups 2 and 3 had similar demographics and CRS-r scores, which were higher than those of patients in group 1. Interpretation: Our data suggest that f-VEPs may be as effective as ERPs for diagnosing MCS. This is a significant finding, as f-VEPs likely reflect brain injury of a lesser extent and the conservation of cortical areas pivotal for consciousness, highlighting the prominence of f-VEPs for identifying MCS in chronic DOC patients
IIoT portable laser line profilometer powered by AI for gap and flush measurement in automotive
No full textIn automotive manufacturing, the final assembly of car body parts requires repeated measurements of gap and flush, which are essential not just for aesthetics but also for aerodynamics and noise reduction. This paper initially presents an innovative portable wireless laser line triangulation profilometer for human operators in assembly lines. It then describes how the wireless and ergonomic measurement device exploits embedded AI solutions to improve measurement accuracy. Two semantic segmentation approaches were tested (U-Net vs. LinkNet) to compare their performance in isolating the effective laser line from unwanted reflections, as well as inferring accurate segmentation with short inference times. These approaches were deployed at the edge, requiring pruning and quantization steps to comply with the computational capabilities of the System on Module (SoM) mounted on the device. The LinkNet demonstrated superior accuracy (Dice loss of 0.1127) and faster execution speed (166.77 ms). This approach, particularly with semantic segmentation algorithms implemented on the edge device, paves the way to improve the detection of laser line images on transparent surfaces even in the presence of low contrast and multiple reflections, ensuring precise and efficient measurement of gap and flush, even on front lights
Gifted Education and Primary School: A Qualitative Analysis of Italian Teachers’ Perceptions
No full textGiftedness remains a largely unrecognised phenomenon within the Italian school system, where teacher training and educational strategies are still predominantly focused on the needs of students with learning difficulties where special education is concerned. Through a qualitative analysis of three focus groups conducted with 15 teachers from various Italian regions, this study explores the perceptions, challenges, and training needs of primary school teachers in relation to gifted education. Participants, selected from a previous nationwide survey on teachers’ perceptions of giftedness, represented diverse geographical and professional contexts and discussed their experiences in moderated sessions of about 90 min each. Data were transcribed and examined through thematic analysis, following an inductive coding process conducted collaboratively by the research team to ensure reliability and depth of interpretation. The analysis revealed five main themes: an uncertain and fragmented definition of giftedness, often confused with high academic achievement or learning disorders; difficulties in early identification due to a lack of training and suitable diagnostic tools; challenges in classroom management; inadequate teaching strategies, often ineffective in addressing the needs of gifted students; and the need for specific training and practical support tools. Teachers also emphasised relational difficulties, issues in collaborating with families, and the frequent marginalisation of giftedness in school discourse. The focus groups, beyond being research instruments, proved to be meaningful formative experiences, allowing teachers to reflect on practice and co-construct possible solutions. Among the most shared proposals were the introduction of mandatory training, both at the university and in-service level, and the creation of a teacher-friendly vademecum to support early identification and suggest practical classroom strategies. The findings suggest that the absence of an institutional culture around giftedness significantly limits the recognition and development of these students within the Italian educational system, highlighting the urgent need to integrate this topic into teacher training programmes and to provide operational tools to support teachers in their practice
Innovative Therapeutic Approaches Targeting Obesity: Can Flavonoids Improve the Efficacy of Anti-Obesogenic Drugs?
No full text: Obesity is a chronic, multifactorial metabolic disease associated with various factors such as insulin resistance, increased adipogenesis, induction of gluconeogenesis, epigenetic mechanisms, chronic inflammatory state, and oxidative stress. Anti-obesity drugs such as Semaglutide and Tirzepatide are currently used in therapies for obese patients and exert remarkable anti-obesogenic effects, determining weight loss and inhibition of insulin resistance. The impairment of the adipogenesis process and the inhibition of the differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into adipocytes should also be considered to improve the therapeutic strategies for obesity. Notably, the ability of several flavonoids to inhibit adipogenesis has been described. Flavonoids are the most abundant polyphenols in the human diet and exhibit a wide range of biological properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, many flavonoids can modulate the activity of enzymes involved in epigenetic mechanisms, which play a crucial role in obesity development. The purpose of this review is the identification of those flavonoids able to exert anti-adipogenic and anti-obesity effects in both in vitro and in vivo experimental models, with the aim of combining these natural molecules, as adjuvants, with anti-obesogenic drugs to develop innovative therapeutic approaches for the treatment of obesity pathology
Kepler’s Laws with and without Dynamics
No full textAncient astronomy described planetary motions with a kinematic approach. Kepler tried to integrate the dynamic explanation and the concept of force into this approach. His work functioned as strong proof for heliocentrism. The understanding of Kepler’s three laws, however, took time. Here, we focus on the origin of the first two laws. We offer our view on this topic and try to justify it by referring to Kepler’s works, Astronomia Nova and Epitome Astronomiae Copernicane, and to his letters. We also underline the new elements we introduce in the debate on Kepler’s dynamics by comparing our interpretation with those provided in the literature