Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca - Università degli Studi di Pavia
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PSYSCAN multi-centre study: baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of the clinical high risk for psychosis sample
No full textPredicting outcomes in individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) of developing psychosis remains challenging using clinical metrics alone. The PSYSCAN project aimed to enhance predictive value by integrating data across clinical, environmental, neuroimaging, cognitive, and peripheral blood biomarkers. PSYSCAN employed a naturalistic, prospective design across 12 sites (Europe, Australia, Asia, Americas). Assessments were conducted at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months, with follow-ups at 18 and 24 months to evaluate clinical and functional outcomes. The study included 238 CHR individuals and 134 healthy controls (HC). At baseline, CHR and HC groups differed significantly in age, education, IQ, and vocational and relationship status. Cannabis and tobacco use did not significantly differ between groups, however CHR individuals had higher proportion of moderate to high risk of tobacco abuse. A substantial portion of the CHR sample met DSM criteria for anxiety (53.4%) and/or mood disorders (52.9%), with some prescribed antidepressants (38.7%), antipsychotics (13.9%), or benzodiazepines (16.4%). Over the follow-up period, 25 CHR individuals (10.5%) transitioned to psychosis. However, the CHR group as a whole showed improvements in functioning and attenuated psychotic symptoms. Similar to other recent multi-centre studies, the CHR cohort exhibits high comorbidity rates and relatively low psychosis transition rates. These findings highlight the clinical heterogeneity within CHR populations and suggest that outcomes extend beyond psychosis onset, reinforcing the need for broader prognostic models that consider functional and transdiagnostic outcomes
Nanoenabling MbtI Inhibitors for Next-Generation Tuberculosis Therapy
No full textThe urgent need for safer and innovative antitubercular agents remains a priority for the scientific community. In pursuit of this goal, we designed and evaluated novel 5-phenylfuran-2-carboxylic acid derivatives targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) salicylate synthase (MbtI), a key enzyme, absent in humans, that plays a crucial role in Mtb virulence. Several potent MbtI inhibitors demonstrating significant antitubercular activity and a favorable safety profile were identified. Structure-guided optimization yielded 5-(3-cyano-5-isobutoxyphenyl)furan-2-carboxylic acid (1e), which exhibited strong MbtI inhibition (IC50 = 11.2 μM) and a promising in vitro antitubercular activity (MIC99 = 32 μM against M. bovis BCG). Esters of 1e were effectively loaded into poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine)-poly(2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PMPC-PDPA) polymersomes (POs) and delivered to intracellular mycobacteria, resulting in reduced Mtb viability. This study provides a foundation for the use of POs in the development of future MbtI-targeted therapies for tuberculosis
ASIC Design Techniques and Signal Processing Supporting Power and Area Efficient High Dynamic Range Miniature Capacitive Microphones
No full textMicro Electromechanical System (MEMS) microphones are capacitive sensors used for
audio acquisition. The possibility of integration of the MEMS transducer with the
CMOS read-out interface circuit in the same package, together with the small power
consumption make MEMS microphones ideal for use in portable consumer electronics
such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, headphones and smartwatches. Advanced
features of these devices required by the market, such as noise cancellation and voice
recognition, place increasing demands on performance of the microphones. This PhD
thesis presents techniques to improve the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of the interface
circuit for the MEMS transducer.
An electrical model of the MEMS transducer is developed in the first part of the
thesis. This model includes nonlinear effects of the MEMS transducer, such as distortion.
An overview of the interface circuits for MEMS capacitive transducers is reported
in the second part. Direct Current (DC) biased interfaces, namely source followers,
super source followers, common source amplifiers with capacitive feedback, common
source amplifiers with microphone in the feedback, differential amplifiers, differential
difference amplifiers and current feedback amplifiers together with voltage control
Alternating Current (AC) basing and current control AC biasing are compared in
terms of SNR, Acoustic Overload Point (AOP) and current consumption. Flicker noise
is identified as the limiting factor for the SNR and the source follower circuit is chosen
as the best candidate for improvement. In the final part of the thesis, two techniques
to increase the SNR are developed: bulk biasing and dynamic capacitive attenuation.
Circuits exploiting these techniques are introduced and two test-chips are fabricated.
Each of the techniques improves the SNR by several , while AOP is maintained and
power consumption only slightly increased.Micro Electromechanical System (MEMS) microphones are capacitive sensors used for
audio acquisition. The possibility of integration of the MEMS transducer with the
CMOS read-out interface circuit in the same package, together with the small power
consumption make MEMS microphones ideal for use in portable consumer electronics
such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, headphones and smartwatches. Advanced
features of these devices required by the market, such as noise cancellation and voice
recognition, place increasing demands on performance of the microphones. This PhD
thesis presents techniques to improve the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of the interface
circuit for the MEMS transducer.
An electrical model of the MEMS transducer is developed in the first part of the
thesis. This model includes nonlinear effects of the MEMS transducer, such as distortion.
An overview of the interface circuits for MEMS capacitive transducers is reported
in the second part. Direct Current (DC) biased interfaces, namely source followers,
super source followers, common source amplifiers with capacitive feedback, common
source amplifiers with microphone in the feedback, differential amplifiers, differential
difference amplifiers and current feedback amplifiers together with voltage control
Alternating Current (AC) basing and current control AC biasing are compared in
terms of SNR, Acoustic Overload Point (AOP) and current consumption. Flicker noise
is identified as the limiting factor for the SNR and the source follower circuit is chosen
as the best candidate for improvement. In the final part of the thesis, two techniques
to increase the SNR are developed: bulk biasing and dynamic capacitive attenuation.
Circuits exploiting these techniques are introduced and two test-chips are fabricated.
Each of the techniques improves the SNR by several , while AOP is maintained and
power consumption only slightly increased
Hepatincolaceae (Alphaproteobacteria) are Distinct From Holosporales and Independently Evolved to Associate With Ecdysozoa
No full textThe Hepatincolaceae (Alphaproteobacteria) are a group of bacteria that inhabit the gut of arthropods and other ecdysozoans, associating extracellularly with microvilli. Previous phylogenetic studies, primarily single-gene analyses, suggested their relationship to the Holosporales, which includes intracellular bacteria in protist hosts. However, the genomics of Hepatincolaceae is still in its early stages. In this study, the number of available Hepatincolaceae genomes was increased to examine their evolutionary and functional characteristics. It was found that the previous phylogenetic grouping with Holosporales was incorrect due to sequence compositional biases and that Hepatincolaceae form an independent branch within the Hepatincolaceae. This led to a reinterpretation of their features, proposing a new evolutionary scenario that involves an independent adaptation to host association compared to the Holosporales, with distinct specificities. The Hepatincolaceae exhibit greater nutritional flexibility, utilising various molecules available in the host gut and thriving in anaerobic conditions. However, they have a less complex mechanism for modulating host interactions, which are likely less direct than those of intracellular bacteria. In addition, representatives of Hepatincolaceae show several lineage-specific traits related to differences in host species and life conditions
La dea Atena come immagine della provvidenza di Dio e dell’assimilazione alla natura divina in Filone di Alessandria
No full textLa dimensione di genere nella politica regionale italiana. Profili e traiettorie di carriera nel contesto subnazionale
No full textNiccolò Paganini e gli assistenti d'Oltralpe
No full textDurante la trionfale tournée europea degli anni 1828-1834 Niccolò Paganini fu affiancato da vari collaboratori. Il più noto fu Georg Harrys, uno scrittore tedesco che accompagnò il virtuoso tra giugno e luglio 1830 e che, pochi mesi dopo, pubblicò un volumetto «dal vivo» sull’artista genovese: Paganini in seinem Reisewagen und Zimmer, in seinen redseligen Stunden, in gesellschaftlichen Zirkeln und seinen Concerten. Aus dem Reisejournale von Georg Harrys. Uno scritto memorialistico da sempre ritenuto tra i più attendibili, piacevoli e interessanti. Harrys scrisse però un ulteriore testo sul virtuoso, sinora sfuggito alla ricerca paganiniana: si tratta di una cronaca delle sue esperienze di viaggio col violinista che egli pubblicò a puntate sul quotidiano tedesco Damen-Zeitung nei mesi di agosto e settembre 1830, in cui sono contenute esclusivamente notizie su Paganini non presenti nella sua pubblicazione del successivo novembre. Entrambi i contributi appaiono in prima traduzione italiana. Nella Postfazione si sono esaminati tutti i collaboratori di Paganini fino a Harrys e si è quindi analizzato l'impatto avuto al tempo e l'importanza storico-musicale dei due contributi memorialistici di Harrys
Job Demands and Resources Shape the Risk of Burnout in Italian Child Neuropsychiatrists
No full textObjectives: To evaluate the influence of job demands and resources on burnout risk among Italian pediatric neuropsychiatrists. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2023 and February 2024 and involved Italian pediatric neuropsychiatrists. The study applied the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model to assess the impact of job demands (such as work–family conflict, time pressure, and job uncertainty) and job resources (like organizational support and perceived job meaning) on burnout. Burnout was measured through emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment subscales. Demographic data, including gender and career stage, were analyzed for their association with burnout. Results: High job demands were significantly associated with increased emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, while greater job resources correlated with lower burnout levels and higher personal accomplishment. Gender differences emerged, with female neuropsychiatrists reporting significantly higher emotional exhaustion and lower personal accomplishment than male neuropsychiatrists. Seniority was not a strong predictor, but early-career professionals, particularly residents, exhibited higher susceptibility to emotional exhaustion. Perceived job meaning and organizational support were protective factors across all burnout subscales, buffering the effects of job demands. Conclusions: Burnout risk in Italian pediatric neuropsychiatrists is shaped by both job demands and resources. Addressing work–family conflict, job uncertainty, and time pressure alongside enhancing organizational support and fostering job meaning is crucial to mitigate burnout. Special attention should be given to early-career professionals and female neuropsychiatrists to reduce their emotional exhaustion and improve their well-being. These findings provide valuable insights for developing targeted strategies to improve well-being in this field, ultimately enhancing patient care
Higher Gaussian maps for special classes of curves
No full textIn this paper we study higher Gaussian (or Wahl) maps for the canonical bundle of certain smooth projective curves. More precisely, we determine the rank of higher Gaussian maps of the canonical bundle for plane curves, for curves contained in certain linear systems in a surface given by a product of two curves and for curves contained in a sufficiently ample line bundle on an Enriques surface
Welfare State e diritti sociali: il caso del diritto all'abitazione
No full textNel nostro ordinamento si può riconoscere l’esistenza di un diritto all’abitazione? E tale diritto è effettivamente garantito dai pubblici poteri? A tali quesiti si propone di trovare una risposta la presente tesi partendo, innanzitutto, da un’approfondita analisi delle tappe che, storicamente, hanno condotto alla nascita dello Stato sociale, dalle prime forme di beneficenza fino all’attuale forma di stato democratica – sociale che trova nelle Carte costituzionali europee del Dopoguerra il proprio fondamento giuridico.
In particolare, la Costituzione Repubblicana del 1948 sancisce all’art. 3, comma 2, il principio di eguaglianza sostanziale, il quale, insieme all’art. 2, costituisce l’ancoraggio costituzionale dei diritti sociali, quali strumenti per garantire a tutti i cittadini pari opportunità di chances e che, pertanto, devono interpretarsi quali norme immediatamente precettive.
In tale quadro, dunque, non può che riconoscersi anche nel nostro ordinamento la sussistenza di un diritto fondamentale e inviolabile all’abitazione, quale presupposto imprescindibile per il pieno sviluppo della persona nonché per l’effettivo esercizio delle altre libertà costituzionali. A tale conclusione sono giunte sia la dottrina che la giurisprudenza della Corte costituzionale, la quale ha accertato sin dal 1988 come il diritto alla casa rientri fra i requisiti essenziali dello Stato democratico voluto dalla Costituzione e, dunque, è compito della Repubblica, in applicazione del secondo comma dell’art. 3 Cost., rimuovere gli ostacoli di ordine economico e sociale che impediscono il pieno godimento di tale diritto.
Tuttavia, il grado di effettività del diritto all’abitazione è del tutto inadeguato rispetto alle ricostruzioni teoriche compiute: le politiche abitative, sottoposte ai numerosi vincoli di bilancio ancora più stringenti dopo la riforma dell’art. 81 Cost., sono del tutto insufficienti a garantire a chiunque l’accesso a una casa. Inoltre, in una materia di difficile collocamento nel riparto di competenze legislative sancito dall’art. 117 Cost., sono state introdotte discipline evidentemente discriminatorie che, prima dei plurimi interventi dei Giudici costituzionali, rendevano assai più complesso l’accesso agli alloggi di edilizia residenziale sociale per gli stranieri.
In conclusione, il modello di Welfare State italiano non solo ammette ma impone il pieno riconoscimento di un diritto all’abitazione che deve essere garantito dalla Repubblica, non potendo le, seppur sussistenti, esigenze economiche escludere o limitare fortemente un diritto inviolabile pena il venir meno della forma di stato democratico – sociale