Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca - Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli"
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The implicit association between masculinity and criminal organizations
No full textCriminal groups, such as Italian criminal organizations, exert governance over communities. According to Intra-Cultural Appropriation Theory (ICAT), these groups can gain a degree of legitimacy by strategically appropriating masculinity values. Specifically, by portraying themselves as embodying masculinity, criminal organizations are evaluated more positively by individuals who endorse masculine honor ideologies. An untested assumption of this process is that individuals ascribe masculine qualities to criminal groups. In two studies (Ntot = 310), we employed the Single Category Implicit Association Test to investigate whether individuals implicitly associated the categories of ‘male’ (Study 1) and ‘masculinity’ (Study 2) with criminal organizations as opposed to the state. Additionally, in Study 2, we tested whether this implicit association moderated the relationship between individuals’ endorsement of masculine honor ideology and their attitudes toward criminal organizations. The findings supported the hypothesis that individuals implicitly attributed masculinity-related concepts to criminal organizations. Study 2 further showed that the positive link between endorsement of masculine honor ideology and legitimizing attitudes towards criminal organizations was stronger when individuals also held a stronger implicit association between masculinity and criminal organizations
Cardio-Pulmonary Features of Long COVID: From Molecular and Histopathological Characteristics to Clinical Implications
No full textLong COVID is a persistent post-viral syndrome with the significant involvement of both the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, often extending well beyond the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Emerging evidence has highlighted a spectrum of chronic alterations, including endothelial dysfunction, microvascular inflammation, perivascular fibrosis, and in some cases, the persistence of viral components in the cardiac and pulmonary tissues. At the molecular level, a sustained inflammatory milieu—characterized by elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 6 (IL-6)—and chronic platelet hyperreactivity contribute to a prothrombotic state. These mechanisms are implicated in microvascular damage, cardiac strain, and impaired gas exchange, correlating with clinical manifestations such as fatigue, dyspnea, chest discomfort, and reduced exercise capacity. In certain patients, especially those who were not hospitalized during the acute phase, cardiac MRI and myocardial biopsy may reveal signs of myocardial inflammation and autonomic dysregulation. These often subclinical cardiovascular alterations underscore the need for improved diagnostic strategies, integrating molecular and histopathological markers during post-COVID evaluations. Recognizing persistent inflammatory and thrombotic activity may inform risk stratification and individualized therapeutic approaches. The interdependence between pulmonary fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction highlights the importance of multidisciplinary care. In this context, molecular and tissue-based diagnostics play a pivotal role in elucidating the long-term cardio-pulmonary sequelae of long COVID and guiding targeted interventions. Early identification and structured follow-up are essential to mitigate the burden of chronic complications in affected individuals
Anne Holtrop, un dialogo
No full textUn dialogo sull'architettura e le sperimentazioni dell'architetto olandese Anne Holtro
Francesco Raniolo. La partecipazione politica. Fare, pensare, essere. Il Mulino, Bologna 2024
No full textAntibacterial and Antifungal Potential of Hermetia illucens Hemolymph Contained-Peptides
No full textAntimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute a chemically and structurally heterogeneous family of molecules produced by a wide range of living organisms, including plants, fish, amphibians, mammals, and insects. Their expression is particularly high in hosts frequently exposed to microorganisms, where AMPs play a key role in innate immune responses. Insects represent one of the richest natural sources of AMPs. Over their long evolutionary history, they have developed a highly efficient immune system with AMPs playing a central role in defense against pathogens, enabling them to colonize various habitats. In recent years, interest in AMPs has significantly increased due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance, positioning these peptides as potential therapeutic alternatives for treating infections caused by multi-resistant pathogens. In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial activity of peptide fractions extracted from the hemolymph of Hermetia illucens larvae (Diptera, Stratiomyidae), an insect known for its high expression of AMPs. Larvae were injected separately with either Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) or Micrococcus flavus (Gram-positive), and hemolymph was collected 24 h post-infection, as well as from uninfected larvae. Antimicrobial activity was assessed through microbiological assays, including both agar diffusion tests and microdilution assays. Results demonstrated significant activity against pathogenic bacterial strains, including antibiotic-resistant ones. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were determined for each experimental condition. MIC values ranged from 0.023 to 0.375 μg·μL−1, while MBC values ranged from 0.187 to 0.750 μg·μL−1, depending on the bacterial strain and the infection treatment group. These findings demonstrate the potential of H. illucens-derived AMPs as effective agents against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including resistant strains, and support their further development as alternatives or adjuvants to conventional antibiotics
Integrating Spatiotemporal Parameters for Landslide Susceptibility and Hazard Prediction: A Machine Learning Framework with SHAP Interpretation in Campania, Italy
No full textLandslides represent a critical geohazard in many regions worldwide, including the Campania region, Southern Italy, which is particularly vulnerable to rapid, flow-like landslides triggered by intense short-term rainfall, especially if the latter occur after prolonged wet conditions. These events, mostly prevalent in mountainous areas covered by pyroclastic deposits, have caused severe casualties and damage in recent decades, motivating extensive research into their complex triggering mechanisms. Traditionally, physically based models have been employed to simulate landslide dynamics by solving rigorous thermo-hydro-mechanical equations. While effective at the local scale, these models often struggle to incorporate the spatial heterogeneity of geotechnical and hydraulic properties over larger areas. In parallel, machine learning (ML) techniques have emerged as powerful alternatives capable of handling complex, non-linear relationships and integrating large, heterogeneous datasets comprising geological, geomorphological, atmospheric, and vegetation-related variables. Although ML models are commonly used to generate static susceptibility maps based on spatial characteristics, few studies have addressed their potential for capturing temporal variability, especially concerning dynamic atmospheric conditions. To bridge such a gap, this study proposes a comprehensive framework based on tree-based ML algorithms, including Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) (Chen and Guestrin, 2016), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) (Ke et al., 2017), Categorical Boosting (CatBoost) (Prokhorenkova et al., 2018), Random Forest (RF) (Breiman, 2001), and Decision Tree (DT) (Breiman et al., 2017) to predict landslide susceptibility and, then, dynamic hazard indexes across space and time. A custom spatial-temporal dataset was developed using QGIS (http://www.qgis.org) by integrating georeferenced landslide event data with relevant thematic layers, enabling the extraction of both spatial and temporal predictors for ML training. Additionally, the study investigates the impact of varying landslide-to-non-landslide area ratios in model development and aims to enhance interpretability by employing SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) (Lundberg and Lee, 2017) to elucidate model outputs. This ongoing research seeks to improve understanding of landslide behavior and support the integration of ML methodologies in geotechnical applications, particularly for early warning systems and regional risk mitigation strategies
Characterization of reflex syncope in Brugada syndrome: a literature review
No full textIn Brugada syndrome (BrS), syncope is considered a sign of increased risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) due to ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) episodes. However, arrhythmic syncope in BrS is extremely rare, while nonarrhythmic syncope may occur as in the general active population, mostly from reflex events. Symptomatic patients with BrS show a higher risk profile, requiring a watchful risk stratification. In this scenario, a clinical misjudgment could determine to overlook the risk of SCD as well as to pursue inappropriate therapeutic approaches. Therefore, understanding the correct mechanism of the syncope in BrS is mandatory representing a real sign of increased risk only if linked to VT/ VF episodes. This review focuses on the BrS population considering the role of the autonomic nervous system, the issue of a correct syncope classification, the potential link between reflex and arrhythmic syncope, and diagnostic work flow in patients with a concomitant reflex mechanism, with a specific focus on the head-up tilt test and implantable loop recorder roles
