ARUd’A (Università “G. d’Annunzio CHIETI -PESCARA)
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A design culture on social inclusion and sustainability
No full textThe intersection of social inclusion and sustainability in Design highlights the need for an informed design culture that integrates diverse perspectives. Emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration is essential to advocate for innovative, equitable solutions to contemporary challenges. By prioritizing community engagement and environmental awareness, designers can develop practices that enhance accessibility and minimize ecological impact, ultimately fostering social change and promoting a more inclusive and sustainable future
Asymmetries of Transverse Sinuses in Patients with Menière Disease and Non-Migrainous Headache
No full textMenière's disease (MD) is a chronic inner ear disorder characterised by vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, and fullness, frequently associated with migraine. The aetiology of MD is multifactorial but unclear. Endolymphatic hydrops (EH) is the histopathological marker. The correlation between venous disorders and MD is described in the literature. Our study aims to evaluate the incidence of Transverse Sinus Asymmetries (TSA) in patients with Menière Disease (MD) and non-migrainous headaches to test a physiopathological hypothesis. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 32 patients with symptoms of MD and non-migrainous headaches who presented to TSA on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MR). Each patient underwent clinical evaluation, Audiometry, impedanceometry, VHIT, VEMPS, RM Angiography (RMA), transcranial colour doppler ultrasound (TCD) to study the intracranial venous system and vascular flow. Results: All patients were diagnosed as probable in 41% and certain in 59%. On RMA results, 91% showed TSA. We propose four TSA stages. RMA showed 83% left TS hypoplasia and 17% right TS hypoplasia. All patients with TSA showed MD. Patients with left TSA showed right MD; patients with right TSA showed left or bilateral MD. We used TCD in 15 patients: 10 patients showed alteration or flow reversal. In 5 subjects was not possible due to mastoid ossification. Conclusions: Ultimately, a clear association exists between TS absence or hypoplasia in many Menière’s patients with non-migrainous headaches. Moreover, there is a correspondence between the side of MD and TSA, which is contralateral. Our study suggests to follow-up patients with TSA to prevent the onset of E
Janus kinase inhibitors enhance prostanoid biosynthesis in human whole blood in vitro: implications for cardiovascular side effects and prevention strategies
No full textObjectives: Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) effectively treat chronic inflammatory diseases but are associated with cardiovascular side effects through unknown mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the impact of JAKis on prothrombotic thromboxane (TX)A2 production in human whole blood (WB) as a possible mechanism. Methods: We evaluated the effects of 4 JAKis— tofacitinib, baricitinib, filgotinib, and upadacitinib (0.04-20.0 μM)—on TXB2 biosynthesis in clotting WB from healthy subjects, serving as a marker for platelet TXA2 generation. Additionally, we assessed the impact of these JAKis on TXB2 production in WB from healthy subjects, patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and treatment-naïve patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) after 24-hour lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, as a marker of platelet and leukocyte prostanoid biosynthesis. Results: All JAKis increased serum TXB2 production in clotting WB, although not in a concentration-dependent manner. In LPS-stimulated WB, tofacitinib (1 μM) significantly increased TXB2 production in healthy subjects (HSs) (42% ± 33%, n = 17), patients with SLE (57% ± 39%, n = 12), and patients with axSpA (31% ± 23%, n = 15). Baricitinib (1 μM) also increased TXB2 in HSs (30% ± 22%, n = 10). Upadacitinib showed a trend towards increased TXB2 (46% ± 40%, n = 7), while filgotinib did not (21% ± 19%, n = 7). Aspirin (100 μM) almost completely reduced serum TXB2 in the presence of all JAKis. Conclusions: The enhanced biosynthesis of TXA2 in platelets, with a minor contribution from leukocytes, may contribute to the increased cardiovascular risk associated with JAKis. Low-dose aspirin may offer a protective effect, warranting further investigations
Quantitative electroencephalography in the diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies
No full textThe spectral analysis of the resting-state eyes-closed electroencephalographic (rsEEG) activity typically shows abnormal delta (< 4 Hz), theta (4–7 Hz), and alpha (8–12 Hz) power in older patients with cognitive deficits due to progressive neurodegenerative diseases. Interestingly, abnormally prominent posterior rsEEG power < 8 Hz with periodic fluctuations in the pre-alpha/theta range has been considered a supportive biomarker for diagnosing patients with prodromal or manifest dementia due to Lewy bodies (DLB) in international guidelines. Here, a panel of experts shortly reviews the concepts of thalamocortical dysrhythmia as a possible neurophysiological oscillatory mechanism generating those rsEEG abnormalities in DLB patients. It also recommends how to record and quantitatively analyze rsEEG activity in prodromal and manifesting DLB patients for the application of that cost-effective and largely available diagnostic procedure in clinical practice
From touch to mental imagery. The embodied aesthetic experience of late-blind people engaged in the tactile exploration of Enrico Castellani’s Pseudo-Braille Surface
No full textThis paper examines the embodied aesthetic experiences of late-blind individuals
during tactile engagements with Enrico Castellani’s Pseudo-Braille Surface artwork.
The study applies a mixed computational-qualitative approach, utilizing the Atlas-Ti
software for semantic analysis of interviews with 21 participants. Categories emerging
from the analysis suggest a vivid relationship between touch, mental imagery,
emotional well-being, and the creation of meaning. Key findings demonstrate a
transformation from a traditional pedagogical approach to an immersive aesthetic
experience, marked by a significant meta-cognitive shift, transitioning from practical
understanding to haptic contemplation and narrative digression. Sometimes, participants
initially experience negative well-being due to difficulties in interpreting
tactile stimuli, but this evolves into positive well-being as they engage in an imaginative
process, invoking autobiographical memories and personal narratives. The
study reveals that this personal and relational encounter with original art enables
participants to overcome initial feelings of inadequacy, unlock creative freedom,
and attain emotional well-being. The participants’ experiences are interpreted in the
light of Walter Benjamin’s notion of Aura, unveiling the unique and authentic interaction
between viewer and artwork in the realm of haptic perception. The results
advocate for the inclusion of tactile aesthetics in art appreciation, emphasizing the
potential for aesthetic experiences to contribute to the well-being and empowerment
of visually impaired individuals
Avvio di una discussione sull’onere della prova nella giurisdizione della Corte dei Conti
No full textNel contributo, orientato e ad alimentare la discussione sull’onere della prova nella giurisdizione della Corte dei conti, l’attenzione è rivolta soprattutto a come il tema oggetto dello studio possa essere declinato in base ai tre seguenti fattori: il particolare ruolo della giustizia contabile e parallelamente di quella amministrativa - per il tramite del ruolo dei principali apparati che la esercitano – nell’ordinamento della Repubblica italiana; la peculiare morfologia della giurisdizione della Corte dei conti; un confronto fra il processo penale e quello contabile
A single-arm pilot study to assess salivary metabolites in facilitators tested with Pre-Texts arts-literacy intervention
No full textThe Pre-Texts arts-literacy intervention has demonstrated effectiveness for reducing depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents. However, the biological mechanisms underlying these psychological changes remain largely unexplored. This single-arm pilot study investigated the impact of Pre-Texts training on salivary metabolite profiles in adults (N = 10) undergoing facilitator training. Participants completed a 20-hour Pre-Texts program over four days, with saliva samples collected at baseline, during training (day 3), immediately post-intervention (day 4), and at 8-week follow-up. Flow injection analysis-tandem mass spectrometry quantified seven key metabolites linked to glutamate signaling (glutamic acid, glycine, valine, proline) and cellular metabolism/energy production (alanine, citrulline, C3 propionylcarnitine). Results demonstrated significant and sustained increases in glutamic acid, glycine, valine, proline, alanine, and citrulline, with concurrent decreases in C3 propionylcarnitine, versus baseline. These neurobiochemical changes were still present at follow-up, indicating the possibility of sustained effects on neurotransmission and cellular energetics. The observed metabolic shifts may reflect mechanisms involving NMDA receptor activation, neuroplasticity, cognitive flexibility, and stress response regulation. This preliminary investigation establishes methodological foundations for an expanded research examining the biological mechanisms underlying arts-based interventions, suggesting that Pre-Texts may foster neurometabolic changes that may be supportive of cognitive and emotional wellbeing
Existence, Computation and Efficiency of Nash Stable Outcomes in Hedonic Skill Games
Get PDFThis article deals with hedonic skill games, a non-transferable utility counterpart of coalitional skill games which model collaboration among entities through the abstract notions of tasks and the skills required to complete them. In the weighted tasks setting, we show that deciding whether an instance of the game admits a Nash stable outcome is NP-complete. We then characterize the instances admitting a Nash stable outcome. This characterization relies on the fact that every agent holds (resp., every task requires) either a single skill or more than one skill. For these instances, the complexity of computing a Nash stable outcome is determined, together with the possibility that natural dynamics converge to a Nash stable outcome from any initial configuration. Our study is completed with a thorough analysis of the price of anarchy of instances always admitting a Nash stable outcome
I “filugelli”: un ponte tra le due sponde dell’Adriatico
No full textNel presente lavoro è analizzata
la produzione letteraria didascalico-
scientifica sulla coltivazione e il
commercio dei bachi da seta (filugelli)
che per ragioni geografiche e storiche
fecero da ponte tra le due sponde
dell’Adriatico, congiungendo soprattutto
il Veneto e il Friuli con l’Istria e
la Dalmazia. Menzionata nel Viaggio
in Dalmazia di Alberto Fortis, la seta
ebbe un ruolo decisivo nelle relazioni
tra i due versanti di questo mare,
in entrambe le direzioni. Lo sviluppo
della sericoltura accompagnava
i cambiamenti storici, politici e culturali
delle genti italiane e di quelle
croate, con echi anche in letteratura.
In questa sede vengono affrontati i
punti di riferimento culturali (e letterari)
della coltivazione dei filugelli
a cavallo tra Settecento e Ottocento,
da Fortis a Vincenzo Dandolo fino ad
alcuni patrioti risorgimentali che, oltre
a pubblicare le guide emanate dai
governi intorno a questa produzione,
componevano versi sul tema, comprovando
così il nesso tra economia
e progresso culturale
Genetica e attività fisica: dalla prestazione atletica alla clinica
No full textAthletic performance results from a multifactorial interaction between genetics and environment. Recent studies have identified polymorphisms associated with distinct athletic phenotypes, including endurance, power, and strength. This study provides an overview of key genes involved in each of these. Endurance, defined as the ability to sustain prolonged efforts through efficient aerobic energy production and utilization, is associated with genes such as ACE, PPARGC1A, HFE, UCP2, UCP3, CDKN1A, and PPARA, which regulate cardiovascular function, mitochondrial efficiency, oxygen transport, and muscle composition. Power, understood as the capacity to generate rapid and intense movements, involves genes like ACTN3, MCT1, IGF-1, AMPD1, AGT, and AGTR2, linked to anaerobic energy production, lactate metabolism, and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Strength, characterized by hypertrophy and maximal force generation, is influenced by AR, PPARG, ARK2N, MMS22L, LRPPRC, PHACTR1, and MTHFR, which are involved in androgen signaling, energy metabolism, and cellular recovery. Genes associated with injury susceptibility, including COL1A1, COL5A1, IL6, VEGFA, and NOGGIN, play roles in collagen synthesis, inflammation, angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration. Finally, genes linked to metabolic risk, such as FTO, PPARG, and ADRB3, are examined, with emphasis on the protective role of regular physical activity in counteracting genetic predispositions to obesity and type 2 diabetes through epigenetic modulation. Overall, these findings support the application of genomics to optimize training, prevent injuries, and personalize exercise in clinical and athletic settings