Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca- Università degli Studi di Foggia
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Violenza di genere e ataviche ostilità: per un confronto tra Aristofane (Acarnesi 497-556) e Erodoto (I, 1-5)
No full textNel presente contributo propongo l’analisi del raffronto tra il passo degli Acarnesi (vv. 523-539), in cui Aristofane, con comica paradossalità, individua la causa del conflitto peloponnesiaco nel rapimento di tre prostitute (una megarese, chiamata Simeta, e due anonime pornai dell’entourage di Aspasia), e il proemio delle Storie di Erodoto (1.1-5), in cui le cause dell’atavica ostilità tra Greci e barbaroi sono riconosciute nelle vicendevoli ἁρπαγαί di quattro donne di alto lignaggio: Io, principessa di Argo, e Elena, regina di Sparta, rapite dai barbaroi; Europa, principessa di Tiro, e Medea, figlia del re della Colchide, rapite dai Greci
Identifying risk patterns for sudden cardiac death in athletes: A clustering and principal component analysis approach
No full textSudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is a critical and unexpected condition that occurs due to cardiac causes within one hour of the onset of acute cardiovascular symptoms or twenty-four hours in unwitnessed cases. Despite advancements in cardiovascular medicine, practical methods for predicting SCD are still lacking, and there are no standardized systems to identify individuals at risk, especially in seemingly healthy populations such as athletes. In this study, we employed hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis (PCA) on data from 711 competitive athletes, revealing distinct patterns and cluster distributions in PCA space. Specifically, Clustering revealed characteristic feature combinations associated with increased SCD risk in athletes. Notably, certain clusters shared traits, including participation in Class C sports, sinus tachycardia, ventricular pre-excitation, personal or family history of heart disease, T-wave inversions, and prolonged QTc intervals. PCA helped visualize these patterns in distinct spatial regions, highlighting underlying structures and aiding intuitive risk interpretation. These results enable scientists to derive cluster metrics that serve as reference points for classifying new individuals and visually representing risk patterns in a clear graphical format. These findings establish a foundation for predictive tools that, with additional clinical validation, could aid in the prevention of SCD. The dataset used in this study, along with the clustering and PCA results, is available to the scientific community in an open format, together with the necessary tools and scripts to enable independent experimentation and further analysis
Production of Gluten-Free Craft Beers of High Antioxidant and Sensory Quality
No full textUsually, gluten-free “beers” are produced by replacing cereals containing gluten with substitutes that do not contain it or, alternatively, through enzymatic, precipitation, and/or clarification steps. The research was aimed at increasing the concentration of antioxidant compounds and improving the sensory quality of gluten-free craft beers produced from gluten-containing raw materials according to a patented brewing method that represented the starting point of the research. The experiments were organized to evaluate the effects of original combinations of four brewing procedures (Strong, Light, Very Light, Ultra- Light—differing from each other by grains/water ratio, hops/water ratio, protein rest, and boiling time), three yeast strains (M21, K97, S33), and a possible dry hopping. The beer gluten contents ranged from <5 to 13.90 mg/L. The maximum total phenolic content (200 mg/L) was detected in beers produced by combining the Light procedure, inoculation with M21 strain, and dry hopping. The highest overall sensory quality scores (4.0) were assigned to the beers obtained through the Light and Ultra-Light procedures, fermented by M21 and S33 strains, and dry hopped. Dry hopping was the main factor capable of differentiating the beers, increasing antioxidant content and improving perlage, foam characteristics, the intensity of many olfactory and gustatory characteristics, and the overall sensory quality. The brewing procedure affected all the physico-chemical indices and most sensory characteristics, except for color, citrous and spicy flavors, sweetness, effervescence, and body. The use of different yeasts did not impart significant differences for most of the variables considered
Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support and Shock Teams in High-Risk Cardiac Surgery: The Strategic Evolution of Protected Cardiac Surgery
No full textBackground: Protected Cardiac Surgery is a proactive strategy that applies temporary mechanical circulatory support to prevent perioperative low cardiac output syndrome in high-risk cardiac surgery. Rather than escalating vasoactive agents after hemodynamic decline, the approach emphasizes early identification of physiologic vulnerability and timely initiation of support. Methods: We conducted a structured literature review of peer-reviewed studies published from 2000 to 2024 on temporary mechanical circulatory support in adult cardiac surgery. Fifty-two studies were selected based on relevance to early or prophylactic support, timing of initiation, risk stratification, and systems of care. Clinical insights from multidisciplinary experts also informed the review framework. Results: Inotropic escalation after hemodynamic deterioration is consistently associated with poor outcomes. High pharmacologic requirements and severe metabolic derangements predict very high mortality, whereas conventional risk scores often fail to identify vulnerable patients. In contrast, early initiation of mechanical support has been associated with lower in-hospital mortality, reduced dependence on vasoactive agents, and improved recovery. Physiologic markers such as filling pressures and lactate levels may provide earlier signals of circulatory decline. Effective implementation also requires institutional coordination, team-based planning, and regional referral systems. Conclusions: Protected cardiac surgery reframes success in high-risk cardiac surgery by focusing on recovery rather than survival alone. It integrates physiology-guided support with structured planning and system-level readiness to improve outcomes in vulnerable surgical populations
Diversity of Fungi Associated with Diseases of Cultivated Brassicaceae in Southern Italy
No full textThis study investigated the fungal species associated with symptomatic cultivated Brassica crops in Apulia, Southern Italy, during the 2022-2023 growing seasons. Twenty-two samples from Brassica oleracea var. botrytis, B. oleracea var. italica, and B. rapa var. cymosa showing stunting, wilting, necrotic spots, and lesions were analyzed using morphological and molecular analyses. A total of 259 fungal isolates were obtained, mainly belonging to the genera Alternaria, Plectosphaerella, Fusarium, and Sclerotinia, with Alternaria and Plectosphaerella being the most frequent. Microsatellite PCR (MSP-PCR) profiling revealed considerable genetic diversity within the Alternaria and Plectosphaerella genera, whereas Fusarium and Sclerotinia showed uniform profiles. Multilocus analyses (ITS, tef-1 alpha, rpb2, Alt-a1, and gapdh) identified nine species as Alternaria alternata, A. brassicicola, A. japonica, Fusarium solani species complex, Plectosphaerella cucumerina, P. pauciseptata, P. plurivora, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Stemphylium vesicarium. While Alternaria, Fusarium, and Sclerotinia species are well-known Brassicaceae pathogens, P. pauciseptata, P. plurivora, and S. vesicarium have been detected here for the first time on cultivated Brassica crops worldwide. These findings highlight significant intraspecific diversity among the detected fungi and expand the current knowledge of fungal diversity associated with symptomatic cultivated Brassica plants
Clinical evaluation of pediatric olfactory disorders: a review from etiology to management
No full textOlfactory perception plays a fundamental role in nutrition, emotional development, and social behavior, yet olfactory disorders (OD) in children remain largely underrecognized and understudied. This mini review summarizes current evidence and proposes a structured clinical approach for the evaluation and management of pediatric OD. Etiologies are diverse, encompassing congenital syndromes such as Kallmann and CHARGE, post-infectious and post-traumatic forms, inflammatory airway diseases, and structural or iatrogenic causes. Accurate diagnosis begins with a detailed medical history and comprehensive ENT examination, complemented by psychophysical olfactory testing adapted for pediatric populations. Although several validated tools exist—such as the Sniffin’ Sticks, U-Sniff, Pediatric Smell Wheel, and pBOT-6—standardized age-specific protocols and normative data remain limited. Imaging techniques, particularly MRI, provide valuable insights into congenital and acquired abnormalities of the olfactory bulbs and tracts, while CT is reserved for sinonasal or bony pathology. Multidisciplinary collaboration among pediatricians, neurologists, endocrinologists, geneticists, and otolaryngologists is essential to achieve etiological precision. Management strategies depend on the underlying cause and include medical or surgical treatment for reversible conditions, intranasal corticosteroids for inflammatory diseases, and olfactory training for post-infectious or congenital forms. Regular follow-up with objective testing and family education supports recovery and long-term adaptation. Despite the scarcity of pediatric-specific evidence, this review highlights the need for awareness, early diagnosis, and individualized management of OD in children, proposing a practical diagnostic and therapeutic framework to guide clinical decision-making in everyday ENT practice. A structured search strategy was applied to summarize the currently available evidence and highlight practical implications for clinical care
Application of multi-criteria decision-making for seawater desalination: A review
No full textSeawater desalination is one of the most important alternatives for freshwater supply. Several technologies have been proposed to produce freshwater. Ranking, identifying, and selecting the most appropriate system and location for the desalination process among multiple options is challenging due to the advantages and disadvantages of each system. Mult-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods address this challenge by integrating economic, technical, environmental, and social criteria. This paper aims to review the scientific literature that has applied MCDM as a key tool to evaluate the alternatives. The results of the conducted research are categorized according to their primary objectives, and the criteria on which the evaluation was based are discussed. The paper also aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the MCDM methods used and to distinguish the main limitations of these methods in evaluating technologies and selecting desalination plant locations. The findings of this review indicate that the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is the most commonly employed method for assigning weights to the criteria, while the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method is then used to rank the alternatives. Finally, this review highlights that identifying the best alternative is challenging due to the subjective nature of decision-making processes, which can result in varying rankings based on specific goals, available data, and expert judgments
Telemedicine for headache follow-up: feasibility, clinical outcomes, and patient-reported experience from a prospective study
No full textBackground: Telemedicine has emerged as a promising platform in neurology, particularly for facilitating teleconsultations. However, its role in headache management remains largely unexamined, requiring further investigation to assess patient satisfaction, implementation feasibility, and perceived therapeutic benefits.
Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study at the Headache Outpatient Clinic of the A. O. U. of Foggia, enrolling 45 patients with primary headache. Each participant completed two virtual teleconsultations (4–8 weeks apart) using the PHASE platform. After each visit, patients completed a validated 20-item questionnaire (Cronbach’s α = 0.92) assessing usability, communication quality, and perceived benefits. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, inferential tests, correlation analyses, and effect-size estimates.
Results: All patients completed both teleconsultations. Overall satisfaction was very high (mean >9/10 for both visits), with more than 90% of participants reporting a positive experience. Ease of use reached an average of 6/7, showing significant improvement from T1 to T2. Over 85% of participants reported tangible savings in both time and costs. Willingness to repeat the teleconsultations was also high (~6.7/7) with further increases observed at the second follow-up. Correlation analyses revealed strong associations between patient satisfaction, time savings, and willingness to continue using telemedicine. Effect-size estimates consistently confirmed positive perceptions, suggesting a ceiling effect. Reported limitations were minor and related mainly to occasional technical issues and the inability to perform a full neurological examination. Conclusion: A structured telemedicine protocol for headache follow-up proved feasibility, effectiveness, and high patient acceptability. Teleconsultations enhanced the perceived quality of care and optimized efficient resource utilization, supporting their integration into routine neurological follow-up. Further validation through larger multicenter studies is needed to confirm these findings and expand the available evidence