University of Verona
Catalogo dei prodotti della ricerca Università degli Studi di VeronaNot a member yet
126292 research outputs found
Sort by
Is segmental/multifocal onset a distinct presentation of idiopathic adult-onset dystonia?
No full textBackground: Idiopathic adult-onset dystonia (IAOD) is classically considered to begin focally, although segmental or multifocal onset has been reported in retrospective series. Whether this reflects a true early presentation or recall bias remains uncertain. Objectives: To determine whether segmental/multifocal onset represents a distinct presentation of IAOD and to assess whether these patients differ from those with focal onset. Methods: We analyzed dystonia body distribution at first neurological evaluation in 863 patients from the Italian Dystonia Registry, all examined by expert neurologists within one year of symptom onset to minimize recall bias. Results: Segmental or multifocal onset occurred in 10 % of cases. This proportion remained stable across increasing intervals between symptom onset and first evaluation, arguing against recall bias. Patients with segmental/multifocal onset did not differ from those with focal onset in sex, age at onset, family history of dystonia, frequency of thyroid disease, or subsequent spread to additional body regions. Conclusions: IAOD can present with segmental or multifocal onset, and this is unlikely to reflect recall bias. Moreover, patients with segmental/multifocal onset do not differ in factors potentially linked to disease initiation or subsequent spread compared with those with focal onset. These findings may have implications for prognostic counseling in IAOD
Validation of a data-driven clustering model for MASLD: Evidence from three large-scale Asian cohorts
No full textBackground & Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a heterogeneous condition that presents varying risks for liver-related and cardiovascular complications. Clustering methods have identified distinct MASLD subtypes, yet their applicability to Asian populations remains unclear. This study aims to validate a MASLD clustering model using clinical variables from three Asian cohorts: Wenzhou Real-World (WRW), Hong Kong Clinical Data Analysis and Reporting System (CDARS), and SingHealth Diabetes Registry. Methods: Clustering analysis was conducted based on age, BMI, hemoglobin A(1c), alanine aminotransferase, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides. Outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), liver-related events (LRE), and new-onset type 2 diabetes (T2DM). They were analyzed using Cox regression risk models and Kaplan-Meier analyses to assess risk and incident events across MASLD clusters. Results: Across the three cohorts, distinct risk patterns emerged for MACE, LRE, and T2DM among various MASLD clusters. For MACE, the cardiometabolic cluster exhibited the highest risk in all cohorts: WRW (hazard ratio [HR] 1.315, p <0.001), Hong Kong CDARS (HR 1.559, p <0.001), and SingHealth Diabetes Registry (HR 1.262, p <0.001). For LRE, the liver-specific cluster showed the highest risk in the WRW (HR 1.578, p = 0.002) and SingHealth Diabetes Registry cohorts (HR 2.403, p <0.001). In contrast, in the Hong Kong CDARS cohort, both the cardiometabolic (HR 1.818, p <0.001) and liver-specific clusters (HR 1.557, p <0.001) exhibited similarly increased risks. For T2DM, the cardiometabolic cluster showed the highest risk in the WRW (HR 3.418, p <0.001) and Hong Kong CDARS cohorts (HR 2.761, p <0.001). Conclusions: The proposed MASLD clustering model is applicable to Asian populations, facilitating personalized treatment and optimizing outcomes
Dal caregiver al caregiving. Relazioni di cura, capitale sociale e politiche di welfare
No full textIl volume pubblica i risultati del PROGETTO DI RICERCA DI RILEVANTE INTERESSE NAZIONALE (PRIN) 2022 – “Social capital as resource of care practice in Italy: Caregiving and social support in pandemic time” – Prot. 2022B58JHF, Italia Domani – PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – Missione 4 “Istruzione e Ricerca” – Componente C2, Investimento 1.1, “Fondo per il Programma Nazionale di Ricerca e Progetti di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale (PRIN)”, Finanziato dall’Unione Europea – NextGenerationEU, Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca. Principal Investigator: prof.ssa Donatella Bramanti (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore – Milano, CUP: J53D23011290008); Associated Investigator: prof. Fabio Ferrucci (Università degli Studi del Molise, CUP: H53D23005750006); Associated Investigator: prof. Luigi Tronca (Università degli Studi di Verona, CUP: B53D23019350006)
Standardizing and Comparing Management Recommendations for Potential Drug-Drug Interactions Across Different Interaction Checkers
No full textBackground: Potential drug-drug interactions (pDDIs) are frequent in clinical care, particularly among older patients. Accurate identification and management of pDDIs are essential for patient safety. Prescribers often rely on interaction checkers (ICs) to screen for pDDIs. However, these tools may provide inconsistent recommendations, potentially leading to suboptimal clinical decisions. Objective: This study aimed to develop a standardized approach for classifying and prioritizing pDDIs based on the clinical relevance of their management recommendations and to compare how these pDDIs are categorized across ICs. Methods: A scale was developed through a structured iterative process to classify pDDIs into four management categories (high priority, intermediate priority, low priority, data unavailable), based on the management recommendations extracted from six ICs. This scale was applied to 218 real-world pDDIs identified from 1923 patients, and the agreement was primarily assessed using Gwet's AC1. Main results: Overall agreement among the ICs was moderate (Gwet's AC1 = 0.44; 95% CI 0.39-0.50), with values ranging from 0.58 (0.51, 0.65) to 0.38 (0.31, 0.44) in leave-one-out analyses. The agreement was higher in binary analyses dichotomizing the scale into high- and intermediate-priority versus low-priority pDDIs (AC1 = 0.72; 95% CI 0.65-0.79), and in the classification of high-priority versus all other pDDIs (AC1 = 0.62; 95% CI 0.54-0.69). Conclusion: This study developed and tested a structured approach to systematically compare pDDI management across ICs and prioritize clinically relevant interactions. Its application revealed a generally limited agreement between ICs, pointing to the need for harmonized approaches and further studies to support more consistent, evidence-aligned pDDI management
Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD): Practical recommendations for diagnosis and management
No full textMyelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is a distinct antibody-mediated disease characterized by heterogeneous manifestations. Despite some overlap with other demyelinating CNS disorders, specific clinical-MRI features of MOGAD have been identified that facilitate early diagnosis. Paediatric and adult populations can be similarly affected but differ in the predominant clinical phenotypes, which include optic neuritis, myelitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, brainstem/cerebellar syndromes, and cerebral cortical encephalitis. Based on the recently international MOGAD panel proposed diagnostic criteria, a correct diagnosis of MOGAD relies on the detection of serum or CSF MOG antibodies (Abs) using cell-based assays in patients with compatible clinical-MRI phenotypes. Relapses occur in 40-80 % of cases with no single factor being able to reliably predict the disease course after onset, although monitoring antibody titers may offer some guidance. Intravenous steroids with subsequent tapering and rapid escalation to plasma exchange in case of incomplete recovery are usually administered in the acute stage, with intravenous immunoglobulins considered as a possible alternative. Chronic treatment should be administered in relapsing patients or in case of incomplete recovery from the presenting attack. In this review, we summarise the main features of MOGAD, with a focus on the clinical/imaging characteristics, diagnosis and treatment approach and propose practical recommendations for clinicians
Mortality Trends for Bacterial Septicaemia in the United States (1999–2024): Age, Sex Disparities and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
No full textBackground. Sepsis remains a significant public health challenge, with persistent mortality rates despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment. This study examined mortality trends for bacterial septicaemia in the US between 1999-2024. Methods. Mortality data were obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Provisional Mortality WONDER Online Database. Bacterial septicaemia-related deaths were identified using ICD-10 codes, and Poisson regression analysis was performed to assess trends across demographics. Results. Mortality for bacterial septicaemia declined from 1999 to 2012, showing a modest increase until 2019. A sharp rise occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022), with total deaths for bacterial septicaemia increasing by 21.2% compared to the pre-pandemic period (17.4% in females and 23.9% in males). Mortality rates in males were consistently higher than in females throughout the study period. Poisson regression analysis did not reveal statistically significant long-term cumulative or sex-specific trends. Age-stratified analysis showed a sustained decline in mortality over time among children under 15 years, whereas mortality increased in adults in all age groups between 25–74 years. Age-stratified analysis excluding the early pandemic years showed a relative decline in sepsis mortality in those aged <1 to 24 years, a relative increase in the 45–74-year age group, and a stable trend in other age categories. Conclusions. Although cumulative mortality for bacterial septicaemia remained stable in the long term, rising deaths in middle-aged adults and pandemic-related increases highlight the need for reinforced prevention, timely diagnosis and accurate management strategies
Spinal Cord Leptomeningeal Enhancement as a Marker of Extensive Spinal Cord Involvement in Children With MOGAD
No full textBackground and objectives: Spinal cord leptomeningeal enhancement (LME) can be observed in children with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) and with seronegative myelitis. We investigated whether the presence of spinal cord LME in MOGAD and seronegative myelitis is associated with distinct clinical, CSF, and MRI findings. Methods: Study participants were identified among the 490 children and adolescents recruited to the Canadian Pediatric Demyelinating Disease study following an incident attack of CNS demyelination. Inclusion criteria for this study were: (1) evidence of spinal cord lesions on MRI, (2) available postgadolinium MRI sequences, and (3) available MOG and aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody results. None of the AQP4 antibody-positive participants met our inclusion criteria and only 1 participant with multiple sclerosis exhibited LME. We therefore focused the study on children with MOGAD and seronegative myelitis and compared the clinical, CSF, and MRI features between participants with and without LME. Results: Our cohort included 33 participants with MOGAD (median age 5.9 years, 55% women) and 45 with seronegative myelitis (median age 11.9 years, 33% women). Spinal cord LME was detected in 20/33 (61%) participants with MOGAD and 14/45 (31%) with seronegative myelitis. Among children with MOGAD, those with LME were more likely than those without LME to have longitudinally extensive myelitis ([LETM], 19/20 vs 8/13, p = 0.024); H-sign (15/20 vs 5/13, p = 0.036), tumefactive cord lesions (10/20 vs 1/13, p = 0.021); complete cross-sectional involvement (16/20 vs 5/13, p = 0.026); nodular lesional enhancement (7/20 vs 0/13, p = 0.026); and more spinal cord lesions (p = 0.036). LME in MOGAD was not associated with greater CSF protein content or cell count nor predicted relapse rate or clinical recovery. Children with seronegative myelitis and LME were more likely than those without LME to have tumefactive lesions (6/14 vs 4/31, p = 0.048) and complete cross-section involvement (11/14 vs 13/31, p = 0.028) but did not differ in terms of H-sign, LETM, lesional enhancement, or number of lesions. Discussion: The presence of spinal cord LME is associated with more extensive spinal cord abnormalities on MRI in children with MOGAD and to a lesser extent in those with seronegative myelitis. The biological underpinnings of this finding and its clinical implications should be assessed in further studies
Italian Fascism’s Perceptions of Argentina (1920s– 30s)
No full textThis chapter analyzes perceptions of Argentina by different Italian fascist and political cultural circles during the interwar period, taking into account both the image of Argentinian politics and the search for political figures or movements that could be considered akin to fascism. The sources used are varied—diplomatic and private archives,
correspondence, the press—and lead us to conclude that the Mussolini regime found few “familiar” elements in Argentina and viewed its attempt at penetrating the country, something for which it had
great expectations given the significant presence of Italians there, to have been largely unsuccessful
Under Pressure: Unveiling the Instincts Behind (Dis)Honesty
No full textThis in-depth Research Handbook integrates insights from different disciplines to analyse the mechanisms underlying unethical behavior, presenting a compelling picture of unethical behavior as a complex, context-dependent phenomenon. Alessandro Bucciol and Simone Quercia bring together leading researchers from economics, psychology and neuroscience to explore unethical behavior’s uniquely multifaceted nature
Digital unity or tribal echo chambers? Paradoxes in online residential communities
No full textOnline residential communities are increasingly shaping everyday civic life, functioning as ambivalent spaces that simultaneously foster neighborhood cohesion and intensify social polarization. This paper examines how these digital neighborhoods operate as double-edged civic arenas, where interactions among residents influence their sense of place, community, and citizenship. In an increasingly polarized social context, the study offers a critical perspective on how civic life is enacted, contested, and reshaped through hyperlocal digital platforms.
Adopting a conceptual and interpretive approach, the article draws on paradox theory to make visible the tensions embedded in online residential communities as civic spaces. Rather than treating these tensions as problems to be resolved, the analysis foregrounds their persistent and relational nature. Through illustrative vignettes, the study captures how civic paradoxes are enacted in everyday digital interactions and how residents continuously navigate them in practice.
The analysis reveals that online residential communities, shaped by platform logics, surface three interrelated and enduring paradoxes: Belonging versus Boundary, Heritage versus Future, and Voice versus Harmony. These paradoxes permeate residents’ lived experiences across the intertwined dimensions of sense of place, sense of community, and sense of citizenship. They are not resolved over time but are repeatedly reenacted as part of ordinary civic engagement. The vignettes illustrate how residents navigate these tensions through temporal, spatial, and integrative strategies, highlighting the fragile, contingent, and context-dependent nature of civic participation in digital neighborhood spaces.
This paper contributes to services marketing literature by conceptualizing online residential communities as dynamic civic spaces in which paradoxes evolve through digital infrastructures and require ongoing navigation to prevent imbalance. By introducing a paradox lens, the study extends existing understandings of third places and service ecosystems, offering a nuanced account of how civic life unfolds within digitally mediated neighborhoods