322590 research outputs found
Sort by
Hazard and determinants of dropout and rehospitalization in patients with obesity after residential rehabilitation
No full textPurpose: To identify clinical and sociodemographic factors that predict follow-up discontinuation and rehospitalisation after multidisciplinary residential rehabilitation for severe obesity, thereby defining high-risk patient profiles and guiding tailored retention strategies. Methods: We retrospectively followed 1,851 adults with obesity discharged from a multidisciplinary residential programme between 2015 and 2018 (median BMI 42 kg m−2). Dropout, defined as more than twelve months without contact, was studied with discrete-time survival models; time to rehospitalisation was analysed with Cox regression. Results: Within twelve months 1,513 patients (87%) discontinued follow-up. Each five-year increase in age lowered drop-out risk (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94–0.99, p = 0.004); diabetes had a similar protective effect (HR 0.89, 0.79–1.00, p = 0.0455). Rehospitalisation occurred in 591 patients (32%). Risk increased with age (5-years increment; HR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.01–1.09, p = 0.0191), baseline BMI (HR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.03–1.05, p < 0.0001), diabetes (HR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.02–1.30, p = 0.0306) and eating disorders (HR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.07–2.05, p = 0.0193). Discussion: Maintaining the benefits of residential rehabilitation is important. In our cohort, 87% of patients dropped out of follow-up within one year and 32% were readmitted. Two distinct profiles emerged: younger and non-diabetic subjects were prone to dropout, while patients with higher BMI, diabetes, or eating disorders were at higher risk of rehospitalization. Early identification of these groups may suggest flexible, technology-assisted follow-up for working-age patients and integrated metabolic-psychiatric care for complex cases, safeguarding outcomes and optimizing resources
SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES AND GREENWASHING ALONG FOOD VALUE CHAINS: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DETERMINANTS
No full textThe food system is vital in sustaining livelihoods on the planet, but it also entails major impacts in terms of environmental and social sustainability. In order to address the sustainability-related challenges, companies have been increasingly taking an active role in promoting sustainability, by adopting voluntary sustainability standards (VSS). Companies may not be necessarily truthful when communicating their sustainability activities, and this trend has given rise to greenwashing. To enhance sustainability, it is crucial to identify which variables promote or hinder sustainability strategies adoption and greenwashing behaviour. In our analysis, an integrated theoretical framework is developed by combining Stakeholder theory, GVC theory and Risk dependence theory to explain sustainability strategies adoption, and the focus is on the role of firm characteristics. Three samples of companies operating along different agri-food value chains were selected, and three original datasets were created by combining data from the Orbis database and from a content analysis carried out on company websites. In Chapter 1, I explore the firm characteristics which shape the pattern of sustainability strategies adoption in the cocoa-chocolate global value chain (GVC), by collecting data over a sample of 304 cocoa-chocolate companies. In Chapter 2, I assess the relationship between firm characteristics and the communication of environmental VSS in the European beef value chain. In Chapter 3, I analyse the extent to which firm characteristics relate to greenwash behaviour in the value chains of five different agri-food products, namely coconut, coffee, processed tomatoes, shrimps, soft drinks and tea. A tailored empirical strategy was developed for each chapter, and a different regression model was employed based on the characteristics and distribution of the dependent variables. The thesis demonstrates that a vast proportion of companies do not communicate any sustainability activity. Moreover, our findings suggest that highly visible, close to consumer agri-food firms are likely to make efforts to achieve sustainability. However, they are simultaneously more inclined to disclose misleading sustainability claims and engage in a greenwashing behaviour. Therefore, results imply that stronger efforts are needed to meet the SDGs set by the UN Agenda 2030
Animating Learning: Effects of AI-Based 3D Visual Feedback on Tackling Skill Acquisition, Motivation, and Performance in Youth Soccer
No full textPurpose: The integration of visual feedback (VFB) has become essential in physical education (PE), particularly with the
emergence in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. However, tackling techniques in youth soccer training have received
limited empirical attention, even though they represent a complex and high-risk defensive skill. The purpose of the study
was to analyse the effects of AI-enhanced VFB, using 3D animated motion capture, on the acquisition of tackling skills among
youth soccer players.
Methods: Twenty-three participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG; n = 12), utilizing AI-animated
VFB, or to a control group (CG; n = 11) which received only verbal feedback. Technical performance was evaluated through
four validated success criteria at the 1st, 6th, and 12th training lessons, while biomechanical efficiency was measured by
comparing the trunk-leg angle to a model angle (167.3°). Motivation was evaluated using the Situational Motivation Scale.
Results: The findings show that the EG achieved a significantly greater improvement in technical performance (+179%)
compared to the CG (+96%), with very marked effects for leg-knee positioning (Criteria 3) and ball contact (Criteria 4).
The leg-trunk angle of the EG also improved significantly (+23.84%), approaching the expert model, while the CG showed
only a modest increase (+9.63%). Furthermore, intrinsic motivation increased significantly in the EG (P = .001; d = 1.44),
accompanied by a significant reduction in amotivation (P = .004; d = 1.07).
Conclusions: The AI-enhanced VFB allowed players to analyse their performance through 3D animations, facilitating skill
improvement. These findings highlight the potential of AI-driven visual feedback in sports training, through further research
needed to optimize its application in skill acquisition
Motivation and Academic Success in Tertiary Education: A Scoping Review on European Countries
No full textThe motivations that push young people to enrol in tertiary education have been long analysed, and many studies have tested the association between motivations and academic success. The paper aimed to systematically review these studies and summarise their findings regarding (1) how motivation is conceptualised, (2) how academic success is measured, and (3) the association between motivation and academic success. We selected 13 studies. The comparison of their findings suggested that most studies measured motivation based on the Academic Motivation Scale, still with some differences, that is, some identified motivational profiles while the others distinguished among intrinsic, extrinsic and lack of motivation. Academic success was mainly measured using performance during the academic year, while it was rarely inferred from the completion of the path. Finally, most studies found a positive and statistically significant association between academic success and intrinsic motivation, while results on extrinsic motivation were mixed and inconclusive
An Unusual Case of Listeria monocytogenes-Associated Rhombencephalitis Complicated by Brain Abscesses in Italy, 2024
No full textBackground/Objectives: Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is an extremely rare cause of brain abscesses, accounting for 1–10% of neurolisteriosis cases reported in the literature, associated with high mortality (approximately 23%). Data on diagnosis, management, and treatment is scarce. We report a case of listerial brain abscesses in an elderly patient in Italy who experienced progressively worsening bilateral ptosis. Methods: Diagnostic evaluation included neuroimaging, blood cultures, and microbiological investigations, followed by antimicrobial treatment according to available evidence. The isolated Lm strain underwent whole genome sequencing. Dietary history was also collected. Results: Positive early blood cultures were pivotal in identifying Lm as the aetiological agent. Neuroimaging revealed brain abscesses consistent with neurolisteriosis. The clinical course was complicated by pneumonia and opportunistic co-infecting pathogens, and despite adequate treatment according to the available literature, the outcome was fatal. Genomic characterisation revealed that the patient was infected with an strain belonged to the sequence type 206 and clonal complex 14, described as hypervirulent. The patient reported consuming several foods known to be associated with an increased risk of listeriosis. Conclusions: This case highlights the challenges involved in diagnosing and managing listerial brain abscesses, particularly in elderly patients. Even when the primary central nervous system infection is under control, the prognosis may be significantly impacted by comorbid conditions and hospital-related complications rather than the infection itself. Our findings underscore the need for improved preventive strategies and targeted risk communication regarding high-risk foods, particularly among elderly populations
LINKING HISTONE LACTYLATION TO THE EPIGENETIC REPROGRAMMING OF CD4+ T REGULATORY LYMPHOCYTES IN THE TUMOR ECOSYSTEM
No full textTumor infiltrating regulatory T cells (TI-Tregs) exhibit a complex interplay with various cell types, including tumor cells, immune cells, and stromal cells thereby promoting tumor growth and invasion. TI-Treg are transcriptionally and epigenetically adapted to the hostile tumor microenvironment (TME), which is characterized by nutrient- deprivation, hypoxic conditions and accumulation of lactic acid. Here we describe our findings on epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming of TI-Treg, mediated by lactic acid which fuels their suppressive function. Using integrated single-cell RNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics datasets, we first correlated the expression of lactate metabolism–related genes in TI-Tregs with highly glycolytic and hypoxic regions of colorectal cancer. We then demonstrated that Tregs maintained strong suppressive activity under glucose-restricted, lactic-acid rich environments, which correlates with a global increase in protein lactylation signal in TI-Tregs isolated from human colorectal and breast tumors and is further enhanced by concomitant exposure to hypoxia. Since we are particularly interested in the role of histone lactylation in Treg cells epigenetic rewiring, we performed comprehensive post-translational modification mass spectrometry (PTM-MS) experiments and discovered three previously undescribed key lactylated histone lysine residues, H3K122la, H4K91la and H2AK9la induced by TME- like cues. To further explore their functional relevance, we are generating monoclonal antibodies against these lactylated lysine residues. Consistent with our hypothesis, ChIP-seq analyses revealed precise deposition of histone lactylation around transcription start sites (TSS) of Treg genes involved in synergistic transcriptional responses to lactic acid and hypoxia, thereby linking lactylation with gene activation in Tregs for the first time. Overall, these findings suggest histone lactylation as a key mechanism underlying TI-Tregs adaptation to the TME. Ongoing mechanistic studies of lactylation are expected to uncover novel therapeutic opportunities to dampen Treg suppressive activity through metabolic and epigenetic modulation
CHANGES IN VE/VCO2 SLOPE OVER TIME IN LVAD RECIPIENTS
No full textAbstract
Background: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is essential in the evaluation of patients with heart failure (HF), including left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) recipients. Peak oxygen uptake (pVO2) and VE/VCO2 slope are key prognostic parameters, but their values after LVAD implantation and relationship with right ventricular (RV) dysfunction remain poorly understood.
Methods: We conducted a multicentre study evaluating with advanced HF patients supported by a LVAD. Fourteen patients were retrospectively analysed and eleven prospectively enrolled between 2012 and 2025. CPET was performed using standardized ramp protocols, and results were compared with matched HF controls from the MECKI score database for sex, BMI, and pVO2 in a 1:3 fashion.
Results: Twenty-five LVAD patients (mean age 69 ± 6.5 years) were evaluated 265 [IQR 111-455] days post-implant. Exercise capacity was severely reduced (pVO2 12.1 ± 2.5 ml/kg/min, 47% predicted), with a significant elevation in VE/VCO2 slope (36.6 [IQR 33.1–53.8]). Longitudinal analysis showed an increase in VE/VCO2 slope one year from implantation, despite stable pVO2 and workload. Comparison with matched HF controls confirmed higher VE/VCO2 slope in LVAD recipients.
Conclusions: LVAD patients show an increasing ventilatory inefficiency over time, resulting in rising VE/VCO2 slope after one year from implantation. Evaluation of VE/VCO2 slope may provide earlier insight into RV dysfunction and improve long-term risk stratification. Further prospective multicentre studies are needed to validate our findings
LA DIMENSIONE COSTITUZIONALE DEL DIRITTO ALL¿ORIENTAMENTO SESSUALE
No full textThe doctoral dissertation, entitled La dimensione costituzionale del diritto all’orientamento sessuale, aims to reconstruct a right to sexual orientation within the Italian constitutional framework, moving beyond the traditional heterosexual paradigm. The approach adopted relies on an evolutionary and consistent reading of the constitutional text, intending to outline a right fully embedded in the Italian constitutional architecture.
The first chapter retraces the history of homosexuality, highlighting how it has been perceived and regulated over the centuries. From Ancient Greece to the present day, homosexuality has been subjected to repression and silence, through alternating phases of tolerance, freedom, persecution, and marginalization. This trajectory was initially shaped by Christian morality, which established the heterosexuality/homosexuality dichotomy and relegated the latter to the realm of sin, and later, in the nineteenth century, by the process of pathologization, whose effects have had a lasting impact on the social and legal perception of homosexuality and on the configuration of LGBTQ+ rights.
The second chapter examines the constitutional foundations of the protection of sexual orientation, focusing on the fundamental principles of the Italian Constitution, such as the primacy of the individual, equality, and non-discrimination. The aim is to demonstrate how these principles can provide a solid basis for the recognition of the right to sexual orientation, not as a newly created right, but as an implicit one that may emerge from the constitutional order. The chapter also considers the role of dialogue with supranational sources – most notably the European Convention on Human Rights – in affirming legal protection for sexual orientation.
The third chapter investigates the individual dimension of the right to sexual orientation, addressing crucial issues such as the right to health, freedom of expression, and the right to asylum for LGBTQ+ persons facing persecution. Despite legal and normative advances, the research highlights the persistence of discrimination, stigmatization, and marginalization, still influenced by the legacy of pathologization.
The following chapter addresses the relational dimension of the right to sexual orientation, focusing on the rights to marriage and parenthood for same-sex couples. While certain jurisprudential developments and limited legislative progress can be observed, the heterosexual paradigm continues to prevail, perpetuating inequalities and limiting the recognition of same-sex and rainbow families. The fifth chapter turns to the collective dimension of sexual orientation, centering on the representation of the LGBTQ+ community in the public and legal spheres. The community should not be regarded as a “traditional” minority, but rather as a vulnerable group which, while characterized by a plurality of identities and orientations, shares a common history of oppression and discrimination. The research analyzes the forms of social and legal representation of the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting the fundamental role of legal and political language in processes of recognition.
Ultimately, the dissertation demonstrates that the full protection of the right to sexual orientation constitutes an essential component of the constitutional project of a society committed to guaranteeing the development of personality and the dignity of every individual. The failure to recognize the rights of LGBTQ+ persons not only violates the principle of equality but also signals a broader deterioration of democracy and of the State’s capacity to ensure the inclusion of all its citizens
La Repubblica "invisibile". Il racconto museale
No full textUna riflessione sulla presenza della tradizione repubblicana negli allestimenti museali italiani, dalla fine dell'Ottocento al secondo dopoguerr
