2,835 research outputs found
Structural and functional insights into the biological function of mouse proNGF
No full textIn the recent years one of the lines of in
vestigation in the Neur
obiology Laboratory
at SISSA has been to study the molecular det
erminants of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD),
one of the most known and diffused neur
odegenerative aging diseases. AD is
characterized by lesions in the brai
n cortex, including the presence of
β
-amyloid
plaques and neurofibrillary tangles c
ontaining phosphorylated tau protein.
In Alzheimer’s disease neuronal degeneration
is found in selected areas of the
brain, in particular in cortical, hippocam
pal and basal forebrain cholinergic neurons
(reviewed in Price
et al
., Ann. Rev. Neurosci., 1986)
. The investigation on the
involvement of the neurotrophin Nerve Gr
owth Factor (NGF) in AD has been
extensive, because it promotes
the survival and regulates
the function of cholinergic
neurons of the basal forebr
ain. (reviewed in Counts
et al.
, J. Neuropath. Exp. Neuro.,
2005).
NGF is translated as a pre-
pro-protein, proNGF, the im
portance of which in the
recent years has grown much, thanks to impor
tant findings on its bi
ological functions,
besides the one of promoting protein foldin
g. Accordingly, the
increasing number of
involved new actors has complicated also t
he scenario of the investigations on the
molecular determinants in AD
NGF and proNGF Reciprocal Interference in Immunoassays: Open Questions, Criticalities, and Ways Forward
No full textThe homeostasis between mature neurotrophin NGF and its precursor proNGF is thought to be crucial in physiology and in pathological states. Therefore, the measurement of the relative amounts of NGF and proNGF could serve as a footprint for the identification of disease states, for diagnostic purposes. Since NGF is part of proNGF, their selective identification with anti-NGF antibodies is not straightforward. Currently, many immunoassays for NGF measurement are available, while the proNGF assays are few and not validated by published information. The question arises, as to whether the commercially available assays are able to distinguish between the two forms. Also, since in biological samples the two forms coexist, are the measurements of one species affected by the presence of the other? We describe experiments addressing these questions. For the first time, NGF and proNGF were measured together and tested in different immunoassays. Unexpectedly, NGF and proNGF were found to reciprocally interfere with the experimental outcome. The interference also calls into question the widely used NGF ELISA methods, applied to biological samples where NGF and proNGF coexist. Therefore, an immunoassay, able to distinguish between the two forms is needed. We propose possible ways forward, toward the development of a selective assay. In particular, the use of the well validated anti-NGF αD11 antibody in an alphaLISA assay with optimized incubation times would be a solution to avoid the interference in the measurement of a mixed sample containing NGF and proNGF. Furthermore, we explored the possibility of measuring proNGF in a biological sample. But the available commercial kit for the detection of proNGF does not allow the measurement of proNGF in mouse brain tissues. Therefore, we validated an SPR approach for the measurement of proNGF in a biological sample. Our experiments help in understanding the technical limits in the measurement of the NGF/proNGF ratio in biological samples, and propose concrete solutions toward the solution of this problem
Effects of Redundancy and Paraphrasing in University Lessons: Multitasking and Cognitive Load in Written-Spoken PowerPoint Presentation
No full textThis paper is about the use of a widespread teaching tool: the slide presentation used in face-to-face, systempaced
university lessons. It is produced by lecturers to support students’ comprehension during listening;
nevertheless it poses elaboration requests to the audience which should be taken into consideration at the
planning stage and in formulating its verbal content. The paper reports the results of a survey conducted
with 163 University students who were asked to listen to a lecture accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation,
prepared according to the most frequent formats. The written presentation had 3 degrees of concision/
redundancy: it had a fully redundant with the oral message, partially redundant (main points in key words),
or had a different linguistic form (paraphrase of the message). Furthermore, information in written text and
spoken message could have had the same order or they could be scrambled. The results showed that, subjectively,
students judged comprehensible every kind of presentation. However, learning tests demonstrated that
paraphrasing negatively affected learning, while changes in the order of presentation did not, at least in the
synthetic main point – key word presentations. The study suggested that the concise, only partially redundant,
presentation is the one which leads to better results, both in the ordered and in the scrambled version
Gli aspetti emotivi delle scelte in condizioni di rischio in una prospettiva comparata
No full textUno degli aspetti del processo decisionale può riguardare la scelta tra un’opzione rischiosa, associata ad esiti incerti, e un’opzione sicura. Secondo Lopes (1983), un individuo si espone a un “rischio” quando prende una decisione con consapevolezza della probabilità di perdita ad essa associata; diversamente, Vlek e Stallen (1981) definiscono il “rischio” sulla base di quanto un individuo valuti negativamente l’effetto di una perdita scaturita da una sua decisione. Alcuni autori (Fischhoff et al., 1981) sostengono che la propensione al rischio sia un tratto stabile nel corso dello sviluppo e in ogni circostanza; per altri, la propensione al rischio è una tendenza influenzata dal giudizio soggettivo se una determinata decisione possa o meno determinare un beneficio (Sitkin e Pablo, 1992). In tempi recenti, la propensione al rischio è stata indagata anche nei bambini con l’obiettivo di individuare l’insorgenza e la propensione a sviluppare comportamenti potenzialmente rischiosi. E’ emerso che la propensione al rischio si modifica in funzione dell’età: ad esempio, in situazioni in cui c'è una piccola probabilità di una grande perdita, bambini di scuola elementare sono più propensi a scegliere l'opzione rischiosa rispetto all’opzione sicura, mentre gli adulti si comportano in maniera opposta (Harbaugh et al. 2002). Allo scopo di indagare le radici evolutive della propensione al rischio, questo aspetto della presa di decisione è stato indagato anche nei primati non umani, in cui emerge un quadro piuttosto complesso: scimpanzé e macachi preferiscono opzioni rischiose (Hayden e Platt 2007, Heilbronner et al. 2008, McCoy e Platt 2005), bonobo, tamarini e lemuri sono avversi al rischio (Heilbronner et al. 2008, MacLean et al. 2012, Stevens 2010), mentre le scimmie uistitì sono indifferenti al rischio (Stevens 2010). L’ipotesi più accreditata ascrive queste differenze all’ambiente in cui queste specie si sono evolute e alla loro ecologia alimentare (Gigerenzer e Todd 1999, Heilbronner et al. 2008). Ciononostante, la traiettoria evolutiva dell’abilità di affrontare decisioni rischiose non è ancora del tutto compresa. Inoltre, i meccanismi alla base di questo costrutto non sono ancora ben definiti, né tantomeno quali siano i fattori cognitivi, sociali ed emotivi che intervengono nella presa di decisione in condizioni di rischio, data la molteplicità degli approcci teorici e metodologici che hanno cercato di rispondere a queste domande. Piuttosto recentemente, l’attenzione si è spostata dagli aspetti cognitivi a quelli emotivi del processo decisionale in situazioni di rischio. Come afferma Schwarz (2000), la relazione tra presa di decisione ed emozioni è preminente e bidirezionale: l’esito positivo o negativo di una decisione può influenzare profondamente i sentimenti del decisore e di conseguenza la sua capacità di scelta; inoltre, una scarsa regolazione emotiva (in particolare alti livelli di impulsività e rabbia) potrebbe essere alla base dell’assunzione di scelte rischiose.
In questo lavoro passeremo in rassegna, in un’ottica comparata, gli studi che hanno indagato gli aspetti emotivi della presa di decisione in condizioni di rischio nei bambini e nei primati non umani, evidenziando gli eventuali elementi di continuità e diversità nei meccanismi emotivi alla base delle decisioni in contesti rischiosi.One aspect of decision-making concerns the choice between a risky option, linked to uncertain results, and a safe option. According to Lopes (1983), an individual exposes herself to a «risk» when she makes a decision being aware of the probability of loss associated with it; in contrast, Vlek and Stallen (1981) define «risk» on the basis of how negatively an individual evaluates the effect of a loss originated by her decision. Some authors (Fischhoff et al. 1981) assert that risk propensity is a stable trait during development and under all circumstances; according to others, risk proneness is an inclination influenced by personal judgement as to whether a determined decision is able to determine a benefit or not (Sitkin and Pablo 1992). More recently, risk proneness has been investigated even in children, in order to identify the onset and the tendency to potentially develop hazardous behaviors. It was found that risk proneness depends on age: for example, in situations in which there is a small probability of a great loss, children in primary school are more inclined to choose the risky option rather than the safe one, while adults behave in the opposite way (Harbaugh et al. 2002). In order to investigate the evolutionary roots of risk proneness, this aspect of decision-making has been also examined in non-human primates, where the scenario seems to be rather complicated. Chimpanzees, rhesus macaques and capuchin monkeys prefer risky options (De Petrillo et al. 2015, Hayden e Platt 2007; Heilbronner et al. 2008; McCoy e Platt 2005), bonobos, cotton-top tamarins and lemurs are risk averse (Heilbronner et al. 2008, MacLean, Mandalaywala e Brannon 2012, Stevens 2010), whereas common marmosets are indifferent between options (Stevens 2010). The most accredited hypothesis sustains that these differences are due to the environment in which these species evolved and their feeding ecology (Gigerenzer e Todd 1999, Heilbronner et al. 2008). Nevertheless, the evolutionary trajectory of the ability to face with risky decisions is still not entirely understood. Furthermore, given the multiplicity of theoretical and methodological approaches that have investigated these questions, neither the mechanisms underlying decision-making under risk are yet well defined, nor which are the cognitive, social and emotional factors that influence this construct. Recently, the focus has shifted from the cognitive to the emotional aspects of decisional processes in risky situations. As Schwarz (2000) affirms, the relationship between decision making and emotions is preeminent and bidirectional: the positive or negative result of a decision can deeply influence the feelings of the decision maker and consequently her choice ability; besides, an emotional dysregulation (i.e., a particularly high level of impulsiveness and anger) could be at the basis of the assumption of hazardous choices. In this paper, we will review, in a comparative perspective, the studies that have investigated the emotional aspects of decision-making under risk in children and in non-human primates, highlighting the possible elements of continuity and difference in the emotional mechanisms at the basis of decisions in contexts of risk
Envisioning the Future: a Remote Neuropsychopedagogic Intervention for Inmates
No full text[EN] The pandemic has implied a massive digitalization of psycho-pedagogical and educational interventions in different contexts, including the prison setting. Patrizio Paoletti Foundation (Assisi, Italy) has created Envisioning the Future (EF), a neuropsycho-pedagogical program aimed at increasing personal wellbeing, that was also remotely conducted among the inmates of the Padua (Italy) prison. The program was remotely implemented from May 2021 to June 2021, at the climax of the pandemic emergency, with the collaboration of the University of Padua (Italy) and of Padua prison (Italy). Through key neuroscientific findings and daily practices for wellbeing, EF aims at increasing inmates’ emotion regulation abilities. The responses of nine inmates to the Scales of Personal Self-efficacy in the Management of Negative and Positive Emotions, before and after EF, were paired and subjected to analysis of covariance, revealing an increase in the ability to manage positive emotions after EF. To date, EF is one of the first remote neuropsycho-pedagogical experiences in Italian prisons, able to positively impact on individual well-being.Di Giuseppe, T.; Perasso, GF.; Maculan, A.; Vianello, F.; Paoletti, P. (2023). Envisioning the Future: a Remote Neuropsychopedagogic Intervention for Inmates. En Proceedings INNODOCT/22. International Conference on Innovation, Documentation and Education. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 11-19. https://doi.org/10.4995/INN2022.2022.15706OCS111
Conformal Quantitative Predictive Monitoring of STL Requirements for Stochastic Processes
No full textWe consider the problem of predictive monitoring (PM), i.e., predicting at
runtime the satisfaction of a desired property from the current system's state.
Due to its relevance for runtime safety assurance and online control, PM
methods need to be efficient to enable timely interventions against predicted
violations, while providing correctness guarantees. We introduce
\textit{quantitative predictive monitoring (QPM)}, the first PM method to
support stochastic processes and rich specifications given in Signal Temporal
Logic (STL). Unlike most of the existing PM techniques that predict whether or
not some property is satisfied, QPM provides a quantitative measure of
satisfaction by predicting the quantitative (aka robust) STL semantics of
. QPM derives prediction intervals that are highly efficient to compute
and with probabilistic guarantees, in that the intervals cover with arbitrary
probability the STL robustness values relative to the stochastic evolution of
the system. To do so, we take a machine-learning approach and leverage recent
advances in conformal inference for quantile regression, thereby avoiding
expensive Monte-Carlo simulations at runtime to estimate the intervals. We also
show how our monitors can be combined in a compositional manner to handle
composite formulas, without retraining the predictors nor sacrificing the
guarantees. We demonstrate the effectiveness and scalability of QPM over a
benchmark of four discrete-time stochastic processes with varying degrees of
complexity
"The love that made hell, paradise." Ouida re-writing the Paolo and Francesca theme in Held in Bondage
No full textThe bestselling Victorian author Ouida reveals in her novels, and, in particular, Held in Bondage, an extraordinary knowledge od Dante, by using characters and themes from the Commedia. The Paolo and Francesca theme actually constitutes part of the plot of the novel and is to be found in many of her other works, short stories and non-fiction writing
Relations between temperament and false belief understanding in the preschool age
No full textEmerging evidence suggests that Theory of Mind (ToM) is related to some aspects of children's temperament. Specifically, recent studies have shown that false belief understanding is positively related to shyness and withdrawn behavior and negatively associated with aggressive conduct. However, still little is known about which other aspects of temperament are related to children's ability to understand others' mental states. In the present study, we aimed to investigate relations between false belief understanding and temperament in preschool children. In the first phase of our research (T1), we administered a false belief task to 101 3- and 4- year-old Italian children. In the second phase (T2), 69 children belonging to the original sample were assessed again at 5 and 6 years of age, and their temperament was evaluated through parental ratings. Correlational analyses and independent-samples t-tests revealed significant positive relations of false belief understanding to inhibitory control and negative relations to motor activity/hyperactivity and anger/frustration (even though the latter was only marginal), whereas no relation was found to attention control. These results confirm and extend findings from previous studies. Unexpectedly, we did not find any significant association with shyness, despite evidence to the contrary from recent research. Overall, our findings show that false belief understanding relates differently to various dimensions of temperament in the preschool period and highlight the importance of conducting further investigation on the relation between ToM and temperament
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