Search

Purpose: Monitoring players' training load allows practitioners to enhance physical performance while reducing injury risk. The aim of this study was to identify the key external load indicators in professional U19 soccer. Methods: Twenty-four-professional Italian young (U19) soccer players were monitored by using the rating of perceived exertion (CR-10 RPE scale) and a wearable inertial sensor during the competitive season. Three main components were detected by a Principal Component Analysis (PCA): i) volume metabolic related component, ii) intensity mechanical stimuli component, and iii) intensity metabolic/mechanical component. We hence computed two scores (i.e. Performance [PERF] and total workload [WORK]) permitting to investigate the weekly microcycle. Results: Correlation analysis showed that scores (i.e. PERF and WORK) are low correlated (r = -0.20) suggesting that they were independent. Autocorrelation analysis showed that a weekly microcycle is detectable in all the scores. Two-way ANOVA RM showed a statistical difference between match day (MD) and playing position for the three PCA components and PERF score. Conclusion: We proposed an innovative approach to assess both the players' physical performance and training load by using a machine learning approach allowing reducing a large dataset in an objective way. This approach may help practitioners to prescribe the training in the microcycle based on the two scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the correlation between atrial electrogram duration map (AEDUM), spatiotemporal electrogram dispersion (STED) and low voltage areas (LVA) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PsAF). Background: The degree of left atrial (LA) tissue remodelling and augmented anisotropic conduction is one of the major issues related to PsAF ablation outcome. Methods: This study enrolled consecutive patients with PsAF undergoing pulmonary vein isolation. In all patients, voltage, AEDUM and STED maps were created, and the correlation was reported between these three mapping methods. Results: A total of 40 patients with PsAF were enrolled. The mean age was 62.2 ± 7.4 years, and males were 72.5% (n = 29). The overall bipolar voltage of the LA was 3.06 ± 1.87 mV. All patients had at least one AEDUM area (overall AEDUM area: 21.8 ± 8.2 cm2); the mean longest electrogram (EGMs) duration was 90 ± 19 ms. STED areas with < 120 ms was 46.3 ± 20.2 cm2 which covered 45 ± 22% of the LA surface. AEDUM and STED areas were most frequently reported on the roof, the anterior wall and the septum. The extension of the AEDUM areas was significantly smaller than STED areas with CL < 120 ms (21.8 ± 8.2 vs 46.3 ± 20.2; p-value < 0.0001). In 24 patients (60%), AEDUM areas was entirely included in the STED areas with CL < 120 ms. In the three (7.5%) patients with LVA, no correspondence with STED and AEDUM was noted. Conclusion: AEDUM and STED maps allow to identify areas of conductive dysfunction as a possible atrial substrate even if a normal voltage is detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leveraging the co-benefits of investments in health and climate can be best achieved by moving away from isolated financing approaches and adopting co-financing strategies, which aim to improve the outcomes of both sectors. We propose a framework for studying co-financing for health and climate that considers the degree of integration between sector funding, and whether arrangements are 'passive', when cross-sectoral goals are indirectly affected, or 'strategic', when they are pre-emptively supported to build resilience and sustainability. We conducted a rigorous, evidence-focused review to describe co-financing mechanisms according to a framework, including the context in which they have been employed, and to identify enablers and barriers to implementation. We searched the international literature using Pubmed and Web of Science from 2013 to 2023, the websites of key health and climate agencies for grey literature and consulted with stakeholders. Our review underscores the significant impact of climate change and related hazards on government, health insurance and household health-related costs. Current evidence primarily addresses passive co-financing, reflecting the financial consequences of inaction. Strategic co-financing is under explored, as are integrative co-financing models demanding cross-sectoral coordination. Current instances of strategic co-financing lack sufficient funding to demonstrate their effectiveness. Climate finance, an under used resource for health, holds potential to generate additional revenue for health. Realizing these advantages necessitates co-benefit monitoring to align health, climate mitigation and adaptation goals, alongside stronger advocacy for the economic and environmental benefits of health investments. Strategic co-financing arrangements are vital at all system levels, demanding increased cross-sectoral collaboration, additional funding and skills for climate integration within health sector plans and budgets, and mainstreaming health into climate adaptation and mitigation plans. Supporting persistent health needs post-disasters, promoting adaptive social protection for health and climate risks, and disseminating best practices within and among countries are crucial, supported by robust evaluations to enhance progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current diagnostic criteria for the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) foresee a relative sparing of long-term memory. Although bvFTD patients were thought to report secondary memory deficits associated with prefrontal dysfunctions, some studies indicated the presence of a "genuine memory deficit" related to mesial temporal lobe dysfunctions. Among various neuropsychological tests, the Free and Cue Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) has been recommended to distinguish genuine from apparent amnesia. We conducted a systematic review and a random effect Bayesian meta-analysis to evaluate the nature and severity of memory deficit in bvFTD. Our objective was to determine whether the existing literature offers evidence of genuine or apparent amnesia in patients with bvFTD, as assessed via the FCSRT. On 06/19/2021, we conducted a search across four databases (PMC, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed). We included all studies that evaluated memory performance using the FCSRT in patients with bvFTD, as long as they also included either cognitively unimpaired participants or AD groups. We tested publication bias through the Funnel plot and Egger's test. To assess the quality of studies, we used the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale adapted for cross-sectional studies. We included 16 studies in the meta-analysis. The results showed that bvFTD patients perform better than AD patients (pooled effects between 0.95 and 1.14), as their memory performance stands between AD and control groups (pooled effects between − 2.19 and − 1.25). Moreover, patients with bvFTD present both genuine and secondary memory disorders. As a major limitation of this study, due to our adoption of a rigorous methodology and stringent inclusion criteria, we ended up with just 16 studies. Nonetheless, our robust findings can contribute to the ongoing discussion on international consensus criteria for bvFTD and the selection of appropriate neuropsychological tools to facilitate the differential diagnosis between AD and bvFTD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a comprehensive and structured literature analysis of 48 studies, this study explores and highlights the key research developments in the domain of responsible innovation in Asia. Accordingly, the paper critically analyses, maps, and structures responsible innovation research in Asia, and synthesizes the findings into an integrative conceptual framework that provides the basis for future scholars to further build on and practitioners to be guided by. Moreover, the study identifies several shortcomings in extant literature, proposes several avenues for further research, and provides best practice recommendations for researchers. This study revealed that majority studies were conducted in context of China, India and Korea. Contextually, there is a scope to extend research in other emerging Asian markets which are under-researched such as Pakistan. The key theories applied in the domain of responsible innovation in Asia were the resource-based view and stakeholders' theory and major themes for the outcomes were discussed from social, environmental, and economic perspectives. Theoretically, there is a scope to apply and empirically validate other theories such as legitimacy and reputation-building perspectives and resource-dependency. Given the issue of responsible innovation is managerially important, studies should also examine underlying motivations for the responsible innovation, applying behavioral theory of firm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the acute performance and psychophysiological responses of repeated cycling sprints to exhaustion with a short exercise-to-rest ratio (1:6), between different effort durations and inspired oxygen fractions. Methods: On separate visits, 10 active participants completed 6 repeated cycling sprint exercises to exhaustion with 3 different effort durations (5, 10, and 20 s) and 2 conditions of inspired oxygen (20.9% and 13.6%). Exercise-to-rest ratio was 1:6 for all trials (ie, 5:30, 10:60, and 20:120). Vastus lateralis muscle oxygenation (near-infrared spectroscopy), blood lactate concentration, and lower-limb and breathing discomfort, using ratings of perceived exertion, were measured. Results: Number of sprints and peak power output decreased while blood lactate increased (all P <.001) during 5:30 compared with 10:60 or 20:120. No condition or interaction effects were reported for blood lactate and exercise-related sensation. Muscle deoxyhemoglobin increased (P <.001) and total hemoglobin decreased (P =.002) during sprint with increasing sprint duration (no condition or interaction). Conclusion: During repeated-sprint exercise to exhaustion with a short exercise-to-rest ratio, the psychophysiological responses did not differ between normoxia and moderate hypoxia, probably due to an extended recovery period. It means that hypoxia did not modify repeated-sprint exercise performance with a short exercise-to-rest ratio. The sprint duration was the primary underlying factor of the observed differences in performance and muscle oxygenation reported between the repeated-sprint exercise sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing metal-containing porous catalysts have inherent heterogeneity in metal species, rendering it difficult to compare reactivity across varied catalyst formulations without first developing active site quantification protocols. The supercages of faujasite zeolites (FAU) are large enough to confine metal phthalocyanines (MPCs), together serving as a well-defined active center for experimental and computational catalyst characterization. Deviations in zeolite synthesis conditions from prior literature were required to obtain phase-pure FAU. Metal perchloro-, perfluoro-, and perhydrogenated phthalocyanines (MPCCl16, MPCF16, and MPC; M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn) were encapsulated into FAU zeolites via hydrothermal synthesis (MPC@FAU) and deposited onto the external surfaces by postsynthetic deposition (MPC/FAU). These MPC@FAU catalysts were tested as catalysts for CO oxidation with dioxygen at 298 K and their reactivity compared to that of silica-supported PdAu nanoparticles and cobalt–nitrogen-doped carbon (Co–N–C). Initial CO2 site time yields were greater than the analogous metal-ion-exchanged zeolites (by ∼50×). However, this initial activity decreased with time on stream for all MPC samples tested, and the cause of this deactivation is explored herein. Stable CO2 formation rates with time on stream observed over PdAu/SiO2 and Co–N–C suggest that deactivation observed over MPC@FAU samples is distinct and not an artifact of the experimental apparatus. Density functional theory calculations suggest an O2-activation mechanism, aided by the coadsorption of CO on the pyrrole N of the MPC and an axial ligand that can provide additional electron density to reduce the barrier for O2 bond breaking; this reaction mechanism is distinct from that over structurally similar metal-nitrogen-doped carbons. Nevertheless, the reactivity of MPC@FAU catalysts for gas-phase CO oxidation with dioxygen at ambient temperature indicates that they may share similar functionality to metal–nitrogen-doped carbons and have the potential to serve as model catalysts for gas-phase chemistries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroinflammation plays a key role in exacerbating dopaminergic neuron (DAN) loss in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, it remains unresolved how to effectively normalize this immune response given the complex interplay between the innate and adaptive immune responses occurring within a scarcely accessible organ like the brain. In this study, we uncovered a consistent correlation between neuroinflammation, brain parenchymal lymphocytes, and DAN loss among several commonly used mouse models of PD generated by a variety of pathological triggers. We validated a viral therapeutic approach for the microglia-specific expression of interleukin 10 (IL-10) to selectively mitigate the excessive inflammatory response. We found that this approach induced a local nigral IL-10 release that alleviated DAN loss in mice overexpressing the human SNCA gene in the substantia nigra. Single-cell transcriptomics revealed that IL-10 induced the emergence of a molecularly distinct microglial cell state, enriched in markers of cell activation with enhanced expression of prophagocytic pathways. IL-10 promoted microglial phagocytotic and clearance activities in vitro and reduced αSYN aggregate burden in the nigral area in mice overexpressing SNCA. Furthermore, IL-10 stimulated the differentiation of CD4+ T lymphocytes into active T regulatory cells and promoted inhibitory characteristics in CD8+ T cells. In summary, our results show that local and microglia-specific IL-10 transduction elicited strong immunomodulation in the nigral tissue with enhanced suppression of lymphocyte toxicity that was associated with DAN survival. These results offer insights into the therapeutic benefits of IL-10 and showcase a promising gene delivery approach that could minimize undesired side effects. Editor's summary: Reactive microglia contribute to Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis. Certain cytokines such as interleukin-10 (IL-10) can restore microglia homeostasis, but targeting maladaptive immune responses without inducing systemic side effects remains a challenge. Bido et al. adopted a microRNA-detargeting system that inhibits the expression of a transgene in all but the cell type of choice. Using this system for lentiviral-mediated, local, and microglia-specific expression of IL-10 in PD mice led to reduced neuropathology and the emergence of microglial subtypes with enhanced clearance signatures. These results suggest the therapeutic potential of cell type–specific gene delivery for PD. —Daniela Neuhofer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we analyzed the emotional and motivational aspects characterizing the profile of university students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD). We assessed 61 university students, 32 with SLD (age = 23.6) and 29 in the control group (age = 23.00). The results highlighted that individuals with SLD exhibit higher levels of anxiety and depression and lower resilience compared to the control group. The Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale - Short Form, which explores perfectionism, did not reveal differences between the groups. Conversely, lower scores emerged in SLD students for the intrinsic motivation sub-scales of the Academic Motivation Scale. This indicates less engagement in studying out of personal cognitive curiosity. The Self-Regulated Knowledge Scale - University, which measures various cognitive strategies, showed significantly lower scores in the SLD group for knowledge linking, knowledge training, and knowledge critique. This suggests a lower frequency with which SLD students attempt to connect new knowledge with what they already possess, apply their knowledge, ask questions, and critically analyze what they have learned. Therefore, psychological and motivational consequences are evident in this population and can impact well-being and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Iron Age was a period of change, with many innovations in the glass-making technology. The chemical composition of the set of objects considered in the present study demonstrates the diversity of the raw materials used and the depth of knowledge about the manipulation of glass appearance in the eighth-sixth centuries BCE. The study was carried out using fibre optics reflection spectroscopy and portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry at the museums’ premises to examine a large number of glass beads and preliminarily group them on the basis of their composition and spectral characteristics. In addition, a smaller set of selected samples was analysed by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to provide a comprehensive chemical characterisation of the material. The compositional data indicated that the samples belonged to the high magnesium and low magnesium glass compositional types. Only one sample was recognised as low magnesium medium potassium glass. Glasses within each group were made from different sands, suggesting different provenances. Some of the samples were suggested to be of local origin, while the others were interpreted as imported glass. Evidence of glass colouring, decolouring and recycling are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was proposed that a reorganization of the relationships between cognitive functions occurs in dementia, a vision that surpasses the idea of a mere decline of specific domains. The complexity of cognitive structure, as assessed by neuropsychological tests, can be captured by exploratory graph analysis (EGA). EGA was applied to the neuropsychological assessment of people (humans) with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD; total N = 638). Both sexes were included. In AD, memory scores detach from the other cognitive functions, and memory subdomains reduce their reciprocal relation. SCD showed a pattern of segregated neuropsychological domains, and MCI showed a noisy and less stable pattern. Results suggest that AD drives a reorganization of cognitive functions toward a less-fractionated architecture compared with preclinical conditions. Cognitive functions show a reorganization that goes beyond the performance decline. Results also have clinical implications in test interpretations and usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of literacy challenges among dyslexic adults remains a significant concern. This study investigates spelling deficits among highly educated adults with dyslexia learning a transparent orthography. Thirty-eight Italian dyslexic university students were examined and compared to a group of age- and education-matched typical readers. Firstly, we analyzed spelling performance using a Passage Dictation Test. Additionally, lists of words varying in length and word frequency were dictated under two experimental conditions: a normal condition (NC) and an articulatory suppression condition (ASC). The ASC assessed the participants' ability to spell with interference to the phonological (sublexical) spelling procedure, i.e., the most likely compensated spelling strategy of Italian dyslexic spellers. The results clearly indicated that, in spelling the meaningful passage, dyslexic participants underperformed compared to the controls, with a prevalence of lexical errors, despite the comparison with the normative reference data showing only mild spelling difficulties. In spelling isolated words in normal conditions, dyslexic participants performed within the reference norms and as accurately as control participants across all stimuli (short words, high- and low-frequency words), except for long words, where their spelling difficulties were evident. Articulatory suppression significantly impaired dyslexics' performance on short stimuli, reducing the usual sublexical advantage associated with them, and exacerbated misspellings on long words. Additionally, articulatory suppression disproportionately affected dyslexics' performance on high-frequency words, diminishing the typical lexical advantage associated with these words. Results are discussed in terms of their theoretical, clinical, and educational implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore human–machine interactions in the process of adopting artificial intelligence (AI) based on the principles of Taylorism and digital Taylorism to validate these principles in postmodern management. Design/methodology/approach: The topic has been investigated by means of a case study based on the current experience of Carrozzeria Basile, a body shop born in Turin in 1970. Findings: The Carrozzeria Basile's approach is rooted in scientific management concepts, and its digital evolution is aimed at centring humans, investigating human–machine interactions and how to take advantage of both of these. Research limitations/implications: The research contributes to both Taylorism management and the literature on human–machine interactions. A unique case study represents a first step in comprehending the phenomenon but could also represent a limit for the study. Practical implications: Practical implications refer to the scientific path to facilitate the implementation and adoption of emerging technologies in the organisational process, including employee engagement and continuous employee training. Originality/value: The research focuses on human–machine interactions in the process of adopting AI in the automation process. Its novelty also relies on the comprehension of the needed path to facilitate these interactions and stimulate a collaborative and positive approach. The study fills the literature gap investigating the interactions between humans and machines beginning with their historical roots, from Taylorism to digital Taylorism, in relation to an empirical scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a world where global warming and the consequent melting of glaciers seem to have become an irreversible trend, the growing demand for energy and natural resources can be met only if businesses actively foster the green conversion of their strategies and activities. Although primarily devoted to the promotion of technological innovation as such, patent law could play a crucial role in the fight against climate change by favoring those intangibles that are compatible with the environmental imperative. The aim of this paper is to assess the desirability of a patent system that is sensitive and permeable to the need for environmental neutrality as against a system that is neutral to technological innovation. The assessment of this tension is made by focusing on two relevant issues arising in the registration phase: (i) the opportunity to introduce an accelerated procedure for green patents both at the national and at the European level; (ii) the possibility of denying the patentability of highly polluting inventions based on ordre public considerations as well as on other provisions, like Art. 81quinquies of the Italian Intellectual Property Code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kirkuk Journal of Science is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Although the use of artificial intelligence (AI) has been estimated to be up to 56% in the last decade, the adoption rate of AI for communication activities is still low. The lack of in-depth literature on the subject, and the limited sharing of the experience gained by companies, limits the creation, dissemination and consolidation of understanding in this area. The purpose of this study is to solve the problem of the absence of knowledge, identification, skills development and introduction of an innovation (such as the AI in the business communication) in the company, with the principles of knowledge management (KM). Design/methodology/approach: This study adopts the perspective of KM to provide guidelines for the definition of standards and facilitate the introduction of AI in business communication. Findings: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to relate the perspectives of business communication, AI and KM, activating a virtuous circle between KM and AI. At the centre of the proposed model are people, processes and technologies, based on which KM represents the ideal perspective to define the implementation of AI. This is primarily from the perspective of augmented intelligence, owing to the inability of AI to completely replace humans in the business communication processes, as it lacks, among others, emotional intelligence. Research limitations/implications: This study finds in KM a possible strategy to solve the problems faced so far in applying AI in business communication processes, providing a model capable of transforming and adapting itself to the context, thanks to the open approach. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature by linking the introduction of emerging technology (AI) in a specific process, such as business communication, from the KM perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between the training load (TL = rate of perceived exertion × training time) and wellness index (WI) in soccer. Methods: The WI and TL data were recorded from 28 subelite players (age = 20.9 [2.4] y; height = 181.0 [5.8] cm; body mass = 72.0 [4.4] kg) throughout the 2017/2018 season. Predictive models were constructed using a supervised machine learning method that predicts the WI according to the planned TL. The validity of our predictive model was assessed by comparing the classification's accuracy with the one computed from a baseline that randomly assigns a class to an example by respecting the distribution of classes (B1). Results: A higher TL was reported after the games and during match day (MD)-5 and MD-4, while a higher WI was recorded on the following days (MD-6, MD-4, and MD-3, respectively). A significant correlation was reported between daily TL (TLMDi) and WI measured the day after (WIMDi+1) (r =.72, P <.001). Additionally, a similar weekly pattern seems to be repeating itself throughout the season in both TL and WI. Nevertheless, the higher accuracy of ordinal regression (39% [2%]) compared with the results obtained by baseline B1 (21% [1%]) demonstrated that the machine learning approach used in this study can predict the WI according to the TL performed the day before (MD). Conclusion: The machine learning technique can be used to predict the WI based on a targeted weekly TL. Such an approach may contribute to enhancing the training-induced adaptations, maximizing the players' readiness and reducing the potential drops in performance associated with poor wellness scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneities in the structure of active centers in metal-containing porous materials are unavoidable and complicate the description of chemical events occurring along reaction coordinates at the atomic level. Metal containing zeolites include sites of varied local coordination and secondary confining environments, requiring careful titration protocols to quantify the predominant active sites. Hybrid organometallic-zeolite catalysts are useful well-defined platform materials for spectroscopic, kinetic, and computational studies of heterogeneous catalysis that avoid the complications of conventional metal-containing porous materials. Such materials have been synthesized and studied previously, but catalytic applications were mostly limited to liquid-phase oxidation and electrochemical reactions. The hydrothermal stability, time-on-stream stability, and utility of these materials in gas-phase oxidation reactions are under-studied. The potential applications for single-site heterogeneous catalysts in fundamental research are abundant and motivate future synthetic, spectroscopic, kinetic, and computational studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recombination activating genes (RAG) 1 and 2 defects are the most frequent form of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Patients with residual RAG activity have a spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from Omenn syndrome to delayed-onset combined immunodeficiency, often associated with granulomas and/or autoimmunity (CID-G/AI). Lentiviral vector (LV) gene therapy (GT) has been proposed as an alternative treatment to the standard hematopoietic stem cell transplant and a clinical trial for RAG1 SCID patients recently started. However, GT in patients with hypomorphic RAG mutations poses additional risks, because of the residual endogenous RAG1 expression and the general state of immune dysregulation and associated inflammation. Methods: In this study, we assessed the efficacy of GT in 2 hypomorphic Rag1 murine models (Rag1F971L/F971L and Rag1R972Q/R972Q), exploiting the same LV used in the clinical trial encoding RAG1 under control of the MND promoter. Results and discussion: Starting 6 weeks after transplant, GT-treated mice showed a decrease in proportion ofmyeloid cells and a concomitant increase of B, T and total white blood cells. However, counts remained lower than in mice transplanted with WT Lin-cells. At euthanasia, we observed a general redistribution of immune subsets in tissues, with the appearance of mature recirculating B cells in the bonemarrow. In the thymus, we demonstrated correction of the block at double negative stage, with a modest improvement in the cortical/medullary ratio. Analysis of antigenspecific IgM and IgG serum levels after in vivo challenge showed an amelioration of antibody responses, suggesting that the partial immune correction could confer a clinical benefit. Notably, no overt signs of autoimmunity were detected, with B-cell activating factor decreasing to normal levels and autoantibodies remaining stable after GT. On the other hand, thymic enlargement was frequently observed, although not due to vector integration and insertional mutagenesis. In conclusion, our work shows that GT could partially alleviate the combined immunodeficiency of hypomorphic RAG1 patients and that extensive efficacy and safety studies with alternative models are required before commencing RAG gene therapy in thesehighly complex patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Even acknowledging the game-changing results achieved in the treatment of metastatic melanoma with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), a large proportion of patients (40–60%) still fail to respond or relapse due to the development of resistance. Alterations in the expression of Human Leukocyte Antigen class I (HLA-I) molecules are considered to play a major role in clinical resistance to ICI. Cellular immunotherapy with HLA-independent CAR-redirected lymphocytes is a promising alternative in this challenging setting and dedicated translational models are needed. Methods: In this study, we propose an HLA-independent therapeutic strategy with Cytokine Induced Killer lymphocytes (CIK) genetically engineered with a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) targeting the tumor antigen CSPG4 as effector mechanism. We investigated the preclinical antitumor activity of CSPG4-CAR.CIK in vitro and in a xenograft murine model focusing on patient-derived melanoma cell lines (Mel) with defective expression of HLA-I molecules. Results: We successfully generated CSPG4-CAR.CIK from patients with metastatic melanoma and reported their intense activity in vitro against a panel of CSPG4-expressing patient-derived Mel. The melanoma killing activity was intense, even at very low effector to target ratios, and not influenced by the expression level (high, low, defective) of HLA-I molecules on target cells. Furthermore, CAR.CIK conditioned medium was capable of upregulating the expression of HLA-I molecules on melanoma cells. A comparable immunomodulatory effect was replicated by treatment of Mel cells with exogenous IFN-γ and IFN-α. The antimelanoma activity of CSPG4-CAR.CIK was successfully confirmed in vivo, obtaining a significant tumor growth inhibition of an HLA-defective Mel xenograft in immunodeficient mice. Conclusions: In this study we reported the intense preclinical activity of CSPG4-CAR.CIK against melanoma, including those with low or defective HLA-I expression. Our findings support CSPG4 as a valuable CAR target in melanoma and provide translational rationale for clinical studies exploring CAR-CIK cellular immunotherapies within the challenging setting of patients not responsive or relapsing to immune checkpoint inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive reserve (CR) allows individuals to maintain cognitive functionality even in the presence of pathologies. The compensation hypothesis suggests that CR plays an indirect role between age and cognitive decline, contrasting the negative effect of ageing on cognition. We test this hypothesis in an unselected and consecutively enrolled sample of memory clinic attendees (n = 134) who completed the CR Index questionnaire and three neuropsychological tests assessing global cognition (MMSE, FAB, CDT). Participants were divided into two groups based on standard diagnostic criteria (DSM‐5): those who were cognitively impaired (n = 92) and those who were preserved (n = 42). A principal component analysis was used to extract a composite measure of global cognitive functioning from the three neuropsychological tests, and mediation analysis was used to examine the relationship between CR, age and global cognitive functioning in the two groups. Results revealed that: (i) age had a significant direct negative effect on the global cognitive score in both groups; (ii) the three socio‐behavioural proxies of CR together suppress the direct negative relationship between age and global cognitive score in cognitively impaired patients but not in cognitively preserved participants. This study confirms the association between CR, age and cognition and allows us to validate its role in a population with cognitive impairment and extend findings to a low‐to‐middle educated population. These results hold important implications for public health and wellness promotion, emphasising the beneficial role of maintaining healthy and active physical, cognitive and social lifestyles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the results of the analyses performed on a set of glass finds from the "Gaetano Chierici" collection in the Civic Museums of Reggio Emilia. Forty-eight typologically heterogeneous glass finds were included in the list of the analyzed objects, dating from the fifth century BCE to the first century CE. The objects primarily consisted of glass beads; however, bangles, pinheads, and one vessel fragment were also included in the set. The items were analyzed using non-invasive spectroscopic methods that were implemented with portable equipment on the museum's premises. Fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy was used to identify the coloring species in the glass matrix, while X-ray fluorescence spectrometry provided compositional information. Both techniques allowed for a discussion of the mechanisms of coloring and opacification, as well as the raw materials used for this purpose. The results provided a complex picture of the various colorants used to manipulate the appearance of the glass, which was a crucial aspect in the creation of the personal adornments represented by these glass items. The data revealed evidence of different sources of raw glass and colorants. Most of the samples were colored with cobalt, but iron and copper also influenced the color of many of them. Both white and yellow were utilized for the glass decorations, and these colors were achieved with the addition of either antimony-containing crystals or tin-containing ones. This finding suggests that the transition from antimonate to stannate started as early as the second century BCE. The "Gaetano Chierici" collection contains representative objects distributed throughout the investigated period. The results obtained here are a starting point for future studies of glass technology and provenance in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although immunotherapy has proved to be a very efficient therapeutic strategy for many types of tumors, the results for pancreatic cancer (PC) have been very poor. Indeed, chemotherapy remains the standard treatment for this tumor in the advanced stage. Clinical data showed that only a small portion of PC patients with high microsatellite instability/mismatch repair deficiency benefit from immunotherapy. However, the low prevalence of these alterations was not sufficient to lead to a practice change in the treatment strategy of this tumor. The main reasons for the poor efficacy of immunotherapy probably lie in the peculiar features of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment in comparison with other malignancies. In addition, the biomarkers usually evaluated to define immunotherapy efficacy in other cancers appear to be useless in PC. This review aims to describe the main features of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment from an immunological point of view and to summarize the current data on immunotherapy efficacy and immune biomarkers in PC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost 17% of Western patients affected by non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have an activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation. Del19 and L858R are the most-common ones; they are positive predictive factors for EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Currently, osimertinib, a third-generation TKI, is the standard first-line therapy for advanced NSCLC patients with common EGFR mutations. This drug is also administered as a second-line treatment for those patients with the T790M EGFR mutation and previously treated with first- (erlotinib, gefitinib) or second- (afatinib) generation TKIs. However, despite the high clinical efficacy, the prognosis remains severe due to intrinsic or acquired resistance to EGRF-TKIs. Various mechanisms of resistance have been reported including the activation of other signalling pathways, the development of secondary mutations, the alteration of the downstream pathways, and phenotypic transformation. However, further data are needed to achieve the goal of overcoming resistance to EGFR-TKIs, hence the necessity of discovering novel genetic targets and developing new-generation drugs. This review aimed to deepen the knowledge of intrinsic and acquired molecular mechanisms of resistance to EGFR-TKIs and the development of new therapeutic strategies to overcome TKIs' resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common type of tumor in men. In the early stage of the disease, it is sensitive to androgen deprivation therapy. In patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), chemotherapy and second-generation androgen receptor therapy have led to increased survival. However, despite advances in the management of mHSPC, castration resistance is unavoidable and many patients develop metastatic castration-resistant disease (mCRPC). In the past few decades, immunotherapy has dramatically changed the oncology landscape and has increased the survival rate of many types of cancer. However, immunotherapy in prostate cancer has not yet given the revolutionary results it has in other types of tumors. Research into new treatments is very important for patients with mCRPC because of its poor prognosis. In this review, we focus on the reasons for the apparent intrinsic resistance of prostate cancer to immunotherapy, the possibilities for overcoming this resistance, and the clinical evidence and new therapeutic perspectives regarding immunotherapy in prostate cancer with a look toward the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate how playing positions differ in specific body composition variables in professional soccer players with respect to specific field zones and tactical lines. Five hundred and six Serie A and B professional soccer players were included in the study and analyzed according to their playing positions: goalkeepers (GKs), central backs (CBs), fullbacks (FBs), central midfielders (MIDs), wide midfielders (WMs), attacking midfielders (AMs), second strikers (SSs), external strikers (ESs), and central forwards (CFs), as well as their field zones (central and external) and tactical lines (defensive, middle, and offensive). Anthropometrics (stature and body mass) of each player were recorded. Then, body composition was obtained by means of bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA). GKs and CFs were the tallest and heaviest players, with no differences from each other. Likewise, GKs and CFs, along with CBs, were apparently more muscular (for both upper and lower limbs) and fatter at the same time compared with the other roles. Overall, players of the defensive line (CBs and FBs), along with those playing in central field zones (CBs, MIDs, AMs, SSs, and CFs), were significantly (p < 0.05) superior in almost all anthropometric and body composition variables than those of middle and offensive line and external zones, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in pharmacotherapies that target cell cycle in breast cancer have transformed the therapeutic armamentarium of breast oncology leading to the approval of CDK4/6 inhibitors plus endocrine therapy as the upfront treatment in the HR+/HER2- metastatic setting. The current challenge is to evaluate the efficacy of these drugs in the early setting. The current challenge is to evaluate the efficacy of these drugs in the early setting. Research is also making progress for other breast cancer subtypes (triple negative and HER 2+ breast cancer). The aim of this review is to summarize the recent therapeutic updates regarding the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in the metastatic and early setting for the treatment of HR+/HER2- breast cancer. The review also presents data regarding the clinical role of CDK4/6 inhibitors in HER2+, triple negative breast cancer, and on therapeutic sequences in resistant tumors. A comprehensive search for the literature was conducted using MEDLINE, ASCO, ESMO, and SABCS databases. The therapeutic paradigm of breast cancer involving CDK4/6 inhibitors presents some still open discussion points. Further evidence regarding the best treatment strategy in HR+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer and the efficacy of CDK 4/6is in the early stage will be necessary in the next future. Predictive biomarkers of response or resistance need to be validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several types of (mostly) blue-green glass beads from Iron-Age archaeological sites in Central Italy were studied using a range of spectroscopic techniques: portable X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometry, Fibre Optics Reflectance Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry, micro-Raman spectroscopy and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Complementary information was gathered from each technique and discussed in the frame of the archaeological typology of the objects. The systematic evaluation of the results allowed us to draw some conclusions on the raw materials employed for primary production and to highlight some provenance indicators in the glass. Some of the beads found in the Iron Age (IA) contexts were preliminarily attributed to the Final Bronze Age (FBA) production based on their typology, and the compositional data obtained in this work confirmed that they were low magnesium high potassium (LMHK) glass, typical of FBA in the Italian peninsula. Other beads were assigned to low magnesium glass (LMG) or high magnesium glass (HMG), thus giving further information on the fluxing agents employed in the Early Iron Age (EIA) and beyond. Colour variations among the beads reflected their chemical composition, with different bead typologies coloured in a specific way. In some instances, it was possible to establish different origins for the colouring raw materials. The provenance of the samples was difficult to place, but the chemical evidence suggested a subdivision within the raw glass used to produce the beads: for one set of samples, a local origin of the glass could be hypothesised, whereas several production sites in the Near East were suggested for most of the beads considered in this study. Some preliminary clues for the local working of imported glass were also highlighted for one typological group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the compositional written skills and spelling competence of individuals with a severe hearing impairment, examining qualitative and quantitative characteristics of their texts, the psycholinguistic variables modulating their productions, and writing errors following a fine-grained analysis. Sixteen deaf young adults, educated in bilingual settings, were examined and compared to a group of control hearing subjects matched for gender, age, and education. Writing skills were examined through both written composition and written picture-naming tasks. Concerning compositional skills, deaf participants produced shorter and less informative texts, with fewer adjectives and subordinates, and were qualitatively worse with respect to texts produced by hearing controls. Words produced by deaf participants were those acquired earlier and facilitated by a higher lexical neighbourhood. Errors were mainly semantic, morphological, and syntactic errors, reflecting general linguistic weakness. Spelling errors were few, with phonologically nonplausible misspellings relative to controls, and with phonologically plausible ones being quite rare. In the picture-naming task, deaf people had a greater number of all types of errors with respect to their text, including semantic and morphological errors. Their spelling performance featured mainly phonologically nonplausible misspellings, while phonologically plausible ones were relatively few and comparable to controls. Overall, the writing of deaf adults reveal limitations in grammar and lexical-sematic linguistic competence. This was associated with spelling deficits characterized mainly by the poorer use of phonological sublexical spelling procedures. However, in an ecologic context, their spelling deficits appear not so important as has been claimed in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visuo-spatial working memory is one of the main domain-general cognitive mechanisms underlying mathematical abilities and their development in children. However, if visuo-spatial working memory involves different processes and components, then the term 'mathematics' refers to a broad concept that includes multiple domains and skills. The aim of this present study was to investigate the relationship between different visuo-spatial working memory components and several mathematical abilities in a sample of third- to fifth-grade Italian children. To assess the relationships between different visuo-spatial working memory components and different mathematical abilities, we relied on Network Analysis (NA). Results indicate that some but not all visuo-spatial working memory components are associated with some mathematical abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In view of the long‐standing recognition that gross domestic product (GDP) does not capture the unremunerated work largely conducted by women upon which societal well‐being depends, to discuss the implications for GDP of maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (MNCAH), and its influences on health, well‐being and prosperity across the life course and across generations. Methods: A wide‐ranging discussion of the informal think‐tank The Venice Forum was held over two days, with inputs from invited experts in person and online. Results: There was consensus that a strong case could be made for inclusion of unremunerated work largely conducted by women as a positive contribution to GDP in view of its impact on future health and prosperity, and conversely exclusion from GDP of outputs from industries which harm health. Conclusion: Taken with the current challenges from COVID, climate change and conflict, there is a compelling need to redefine economic progress through equitable models and metrics that incorporate short‐/medium‐/long‐term societal value of activities that improve MNCAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonid species are main actors in the Italian socio-ecological landscape of inland fisheries. We present novel data on the size-age structure of one of the remnant Italian populations of the critically endangered marble trout Salmo marmoratus, which co-occurs with other stocked non-native salmonids in a large glacial river of the Lake Maggiore basin (Northern Italy-Southern Switzerland). Like other Italian native trout populations, the Toce River marble trout population is affected by anthropogenic introgression with the non-native brown trout S. trutta. Our sample includes 579 individuals, mainly collected in the Toce River main channel. We estimated the length-weight relationship, described the population size-age structure, estimated the age-specific growth trajectories, and fit an exponential mortality model. A subset of the sample was also used to measure numerical and biomass density. The estimated asymptotic maximum length is ~105 cm total length (TL). Mean length at first maturity is ~55 cm TL, and mean length at maximum yield per recruit is ~68 cm TL. Approximately 45–70% of the population are estimated to die annually, along with a fishing annual mortality of ~37%, with an exploitation ratio of ~0.5. The frequency distribution of length classes in a sample collected by angling shows that ~80% of the individuals that could be retained according to the current recreational fishing regulations likely never reproduced, and large fish disproportionally contributing to recruitment are fished and retained. We identify possible overfishing risks posed by present regulations, and propose updated harvest-slot length limits to mitigate such risks. More detailed and long-term datasets on this system are needed to more specifically inform the fishery management and monitor the effects of any change in the management strategy on the size-age structure of the marble trout population of the Toce River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID), efficient reading and writing skills promote social integration, self-autonomy, and independence. However, research has mainly focused on reading skills, while evidence on spelling skills is scarce and mostly on English-speaking subjects. In the present research project, we compared the spelling skills of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) learning in Italian, a regular orthography, to those of typically developing children matched for school level. Methods: In the first study, the performance on a Passage Dictation Test of forty-four children with ID attending regular classrooms from 4th to 8th grades (mean age = 12.16 years; SD = 1.57) were compared with controls matched for sex and grade. In the second study, a Words and Nonwords Dictation Test was administered (with stimuli varying for lexicality, orthographic complexity, regularity of transcription, and the presence of different types of phonetic-phonological difficulties) to twenty-two children with ID attending regular classrooms from 4th to 8th grades (mean age = 12.2 years; SD = 1.37) and 22 controls matched for sex and grade. In both studies, an error analysis was performed to characterize types of misspellings. Separate ANOVAs were performed on z scores. Results: Children with ID generally had a lower performance than controls. In the Passage Dictation Test, they showed a higher number of phonological (and phonetic-phonological) errors than phonologically plausible ones, indicating, as a group, predominant phonological difficulties as compared to lexical-orthographic ones. In the Words and Nonwords Dictation Test, they performed poorly on regular stimuli presenting specific types of phonetic-to-phonological difficulties (geminates, non-continuant consonants) and committed more minimal distance, context-sensitive and simple conversion misspellings. However, deficits in the orthographic-lexical procedure, as indicated by a low performance in words with unpredictable spelling, were present in a high percentage of children. Discussion: It is concluded that children with ID have significant spelling difficulties not confined to the orthographic process but also in phoneme-to-grapheme mapping that, in a regular orthography like Italian, should be acquired early and easily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a case study implemented at the University of Salento and, partially, at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, concerning the use of subtitles as a didactic tool to develop intercultural communication skills. This study examines the intralingual and interlingual translations of the reportage Fortress Italia: Capsized in Lampedusa, about migrant arrivals in Italy and Europe. Although the video is of interest to international viewers, the lack of proper subtitling may undermine its accessibility to non-native English speakers. On the one hand, subtitles do not appear when Standard English is used, so the comprehension of those utterances depends on the receivers' listening skills; on the other hand, the official retextualizations are characterized by formal register and editorial additions that may affect their readability. For these reasons, an alternative rendering was commissioned to a number of undergraduate and postgraduate students of Translation and Interpreting, in order to enquire into new areas of adoption of English as an International Language and as a Lingua Franca. The analysis of the selected corpus of extracts will pinpoint the strategies of lexical and structural simplification and condensation, along with the selection of specific verb tenses and aspects, which are expected to enhance the envisaged recipients' understanding of the video's message. Since these features of English are actively selected, by the subjects that were involved in this research, so as to foster cross-cultural communication between the authors and viewers of the news report, this study contends that specific lingua-franca uses can be activated when subtitling multimodal texts. Hence, the notion of 'audiovisual mediation' will be introduced in order to label an approach to audiovisual translation aiming to: (i) make the illocutionary force accessible and acceptable to the envisaged, international audience; and (ii) overcome the conventional associations between dubbing and domestication, and subtitling and foreignization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stocking of native and non-native fish species is a widespread practice commonly used to enhance inland recreational fisheries, appropriate when intense harvesting and the degradation or lack of suitable habitat decrease the abundance of the managed species below carrying capacity. In spite of its popularity, this practice is often poorly informed by scientific information. Salmonids are arguably the most popular and commercially valuable freshwater fishes being managed for recreational fisheries. Stocking of both native and non-native taxa has been practiced for almost two centuries in Europe, dramatically altering the structure and function of riverine and lacustrine ecosystems. In the Verbano-Cusio Ossola Province, northern Italy, within the Lake Maggiore catchment, we measured large numerical mismatches between stocking of cultured native (Salmo marmoratus) plus non-native trout taxa (S. trutta, S. ghigii, Oncorhynchus mykiss) and the number of fishes captured by local anglers. These observations highlight the need for future studies to estimate the stocking effectiveness of S. marmoratus, a critically endangered species of significant cultural and economic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoptive cell therapy in solid tumors, such as melanoma, is impaired, but little is known about the role that the fibroblasts present in the tumor microenvironment could exert. However, the mechanism at play is not well understood, partly due to the lack of relevant pre-clinical models. Three-dimensional culture and microfluidic chips are used to recapitulate the dynamic interactions among different types of cells in the tumor microenvironment in controlled and physiological settings. In this brief report, we propose a reductionist melanoma-on-a-chip model for evaluating the essential role of fibroblasts in the antitumor activity of lymphocytes. To this end, 3D melanoma spheroids were monocultured and co-cultured with human dermal fibroblasts and the NK-92 cell migration towards the tumor compartment was tested in a commercially available microfluidic device. Utilizing confocal microscopy, we observed the different recruitment of NK-92 cells in the presence and absence of fibroblasts. Our results show that fibroblasts' presence inhibits immune effector recruiting by exploiting a 3D pre-clinical tumor model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The authors aim to investigate which social media posts' characteristics result in higher stakeholder engagement in the European context. Design/methodology/approach: The authors apply chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID) method to categorize social media posts based on their engagement levels. The authors conduct analysis on the tweets published in 2019 by companies that draw up and publish a sustainability report on Global Reporting (www.globalreporting.org). The final sample is based on 3,045 tweets from 173 firms of different industries and countries. Findings: The authors find that tweet characteristics, such as content type, industry type and country of a firm, significantly influence stakeholder engagement rate. Practical implications: The findings are useful for practitioners and stakeholders. Firm management should consider the most important Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) concerning their business activities for engaging stakeholders and contributing to sustainable development. Originality/value: The authors consider stakeholder theory and contribute to stakeholder engagement and sustainability debate. For this purpose, the authors focus on firms' communication of SDGs through social media. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study which considers the SDGs' communication to determine the most significant SDGs resulting in higher stakeholder engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how influencer endorsement services stimulate funding intention in the context of crowdfunding (donation- and reward-based) and the moderating role played by platform trufvst and funder expertise. Design/methodology/approach: To explore the effects of influencer endorsement services (i.e. perceived congruence, social influence and motivation) on funding intention in different crowdfunding campaigns, the authors developed a conceptual model tested using structural equation modelling. The authors also investigated two potential moderators underlying this relationship: platform trust and funder expertise. Findings: The results of the study indicate that there was a positive effect of influencer endorsement services through the dimension congruence and the funding intention, both for reward- and donation-based crowdfunding. Moreover, they suggest that while perceived congruence has a positive effect on funding intention, when the two contexts are compared, only the moderating roles of platform trust over motivation and the funder expertise over motivation are significant and relevant. Practical implications: The study has implications for both funders and those who seek to raise money for crowdfunding campaigns. The results offer new insights for developing effective crowdfunding campaigns, e.g. leveraging communication strategies based on the context of the crowdfunding (reward- vs donation-based) and the use of influencers as endorsers. Originality/value: The present study is, to the best of the authors' knowledge, the first to examine the impact of influencer endorsement services on crowdfunding campaigns, shedding new light on the interdisciplinary connections between service marketing and entrepreneurial finance in terms of fundraising activities. The study opens new and previously under-investigated interdisciplinary research streams. It deepens our understanding of a particular issue relating to the marketing and crowdfunding domain by measuring the impact of the influencer's endorsement on people's intention to participate in two different campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical exercise affects the human gut microbiota, which in turn influences athletes' performance. The current understanding of how the microbiota of professional athletes changes along with different phases of training is sparse. We aim to characterize the fecal microbiota in elite soccer players along with different phases of a competitive season using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. Fecal samples were collected after the summer off-season period, the pre-season retreat, the first half of the competitive season, and the 8 weeks of COVID-19 lockdown that interrupted the season 2019–2020. According to our results, the gut microbiota of professional athletes changes along with the phases of the season, characterized by different training, diet, nutritional surveillance, and environment sharing. Pre-season retreat, during which nutritional surveillance and exercise intensity were at their peak, caused a decrease in bacterial groups related to unhealthy lifestyle and an increase in health-promoting symbionts. The competitive season and forced interruption affected other features of the athletes' microbiota, i.e., bacterial groups that respond to dietary fiber load and stress levels. Our longitudinal study, focusing on one of the most followed sports worldwide, provides baseline data for future comparisons and microbiome-targeting interventions aimed at developing personalized training and nutrition plans for performance maximization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of two sublexical variables, syllable frequency, and word length, in the spelling acquisition of novice spellers dealing with a transparent orthography, such as Italian. Two groups of 1 st-grade Italian children were tested respectively after 4 and 8 months of schooling, with a spelling-to-dictation task of single words created ad hoc by manipulating syllable frequency orthogonally (high vs low frequency of the first syllable) and length (short vs long words). The results show that after only four months of schooling, children could offset their difficulty in writing long words by taking advantage of the high frequency of the initial syllable. However, the regularity of Italian spelling makes it easy to capture fine-sized phoneme-to-grapheme units, rendering the syllable effect no longer detectable in more schooled children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum error correction can preserve quantum information in the presence of local errors, but correlated errors are fatal. For superconducting qubits, high-energy particle impacts from background radioactivity produce energetic phonons that travel throughout the substrate and create excitations above the superconducting ground state, known as quasiparticles, which can poison all qubits on the chip. We use normal metal reservoirs on the chip back side to downconvert phonons to low energies where they can no longer poison qubits. We introduce a pump-probe scheme involving controlled injection of pair-breaking phonons into the qubit chips. We examine quasiparticle poisoning on chips with and without back-side metallization and demonstrate a reduction in the flux of pair-breaking phonons by over a factor of 20. We use a Ramsey interferometer scheme to simultaneously monitor quasiparticle parity on three qubits for each chip and observe a two-order of magnitude reduction in correlated poisoning due to background radiation. High-energy particle impacts due to background or cosmic radiation have been identified as sources of correlated errors in superconducting qubit arrays. Iaia et al. achieve a suppression of correlated error rate by channeling the energy away from the qubits via a thick metal layer at the bottom of the chip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A model on the cognitive elements of engagement is adopted and content analysis, along with sentiment analysis, has been used to explore the post characteristics and the levels of stakeholders' interactions in controversial and non-controversial European industries through three Poisson regressions. At last, an ANOVA test has been used to check the level of interaction regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related aspects. Design/methodology/approach: The intrinsic characteristics of controversial industries cause the stakeholders' skepticism about their corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies. This results in the need to elaborate proper involvement strategies to approach industries' stakeholders. Such need has assumed relevance during the COVID-19 crisis and has traced a certain border between the companies that are more sensitive to the social side of the surrounding environment and the ones that are less involved in risky sectors. The present paper aims to understand the role of social media in stakeholder engagement, and social media's characteristics, and tries to elaborate on companies' CSR communication readiness to the challenges shown by the pandemic. Findings: The study reveals how the success of stakeholder engagement in CSR communication is affected by both controversial sector membership and the characteristics of the posts such as the inclusion of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). In addition, the study emerges how the European companies have focused on social aspects in companies' communication, revealing a certain readiness for the COVID-19 challenges. Practical implications: Building on a model of cognitive elements of engagement, the present study provides useful insights for companies' next engagement strategies on social media. Moreover, the thematic analysis provides a benchmark for the improvement of current corporations' communication strategies in light of the pandemic effects. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the literature by investigating the role of Twitter as a stakeholder engagement tool and identifies the drivers for an effective Twitter content strategy. Moreover, the paper provides a useful proxy for current and future research on the COVID-19-related CSR communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a potential complication of cirrhosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may demonstrate hyperintense T1 signal in the globi pallidi. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of MRI-based radiomic features for diagnosing and grading chronic HE in adult patients affected by cirrhosis. Methods: Adult patients with and without cirrhosis underwent brain MRI with identical imaging protocol on a 3T scanner. Patients without history of chronic liver disease were the control population. HE grading was based on underlying liver disease, severity of clinical manifestation, and number of encephalopathic episodes. Texture analysis was performed on axial T1-weighted images on bilateral lentiform nuclei at the level of the foramina of Monro. Diagnostic performance of texture analysis for the diagnosis and grading of HE was assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The final study population consisted of 124 patients, 70 cirrhotic patients, and 54 non-cirrhotic controls. Thirty-eight patients had history of HE with 22 having an HE grade > 1. The radiomic features predicted the presence of HE with an AUROC of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.90; P <.0001; 82% sensitivity, 66% specificity). Radiomic features predicted grade 1 HE (AUROC 0.75; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.89; P <.0001; 94% sensitivity, 60% specificity) and grade ≥ 2 HE (AUROC 0.82; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.93; P <.0001, 95% sensitivity, 57% specificity). Conclusion: In cirrhotic patients, MR radiomic is effective in predicting the presence of chronic HE and in grading its severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Late Bronze Age (1700–900 BC) represents an extremely dynamic period for Mediterranean Europe. Here, we provide a comparative survey of the archaeological record of over half a millennium within the entire northern littoral of the Mediterranean, from Greece to Iberia, incorporating archaeological, archaeometric, and bioarchaeological evidence. The picture that emerges, while certainly fragmented and not displaying a unique trajectory, reveals a number of broad trends in aspects as different as social organization, trade, transcultural phenomena, and human mobility. The contribution of such trends to the processes that caused the end of the Bronze Age is also examined. Taken together, they illustrate how networks of interaction, ranging from the short to the long range, became a defining aspect of the "Middle Sea" during this time, influencing the lives of the communities that inhabited its northern shore. They also highlight the importance of research that crosses modern boundaries for gaining a better understanding of broad comparable dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will examine whether different types of AI-produced works, namely AI-assisted, AI-generated, and AI-genassisted works, are able to satisfy the originality requirement, as established within the EU copyright acquis. It will argue that even assuming that the choices of AIs can be deemed free, they could not be considered creative due to the anthropological footprint of copyright law which traditionally covers only human creativity. This implies that copyright protection can be granted only to outputs that display a sufficient level of original human intervention, which is most likely present in AI-assisted works and, depending on the case, in AI-genassisted works, too. The desirability of stretching copyright further to accommodate artificial creativity is also lessened by the risk that it could saturate the creative market due to an overexpansion of monopoly rights. Thus, the copyright solution will be evaluated together with some existing alternative legal tools, such as neighbouring rights, sui generis rights, patents, or even the absence of protection over AI-generated works to preserve a robust public domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]