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Studies on short- and long-term memory and their decline with aging in horses are still limited. This research aimed to assess the learning and short- and long-term memory abilities of adult and senior horses. A total of 21 adult horses (5–15 years) and 23 senior horses (16 years and older) were subjected to a behavioral test (Target Touch Test), which was repeated three times each for the initial test (T1) and again after 10 days (T10). Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between adult and senior horses in the three tests conducted at T1. However, a significant difference was observed at T10 (χ2 = 42.1; p < 0.001). In fact, senior horses took longer to complete the test than adults. A significant difference between males and females, adults and seniors, at T1 and T10 (χ2 = 56.3; p < 0.001) was found, but no difference between male and female adult and senior horses in completing the three single tests at T1 and T10 was evidenced. In conclusion, even senior horses are capable of associative learning, maintaining the memory of this learning even after 10 days. However, they show slower recovery times for recalling memorized information compared to animals under 16 years of age.

Social isolation and loneliness greatly contribute to negative health consequences in older adults. Technological solutions can be an asset in promoting social connections and healthy behaviours. This paper presents an innovative structure for an Internet of Things (IoT) platform specifically tailored for older persons. The framework utilises a supervised learning algorithm to classify users into four identified profiles to facilitate the adoption and engagement of technology. The platform incorporates wearables, such as socks and smart bands, to track physical activity, and a messaging module to encourage social interaction. The platform processes the acquired data to quantify steps and deliver tailored interventions remotely to the older adults through the AGAPE Assistant, the mHealth solution of the platform. Furthermore, the AGAPE Assistant has a user interface design for older adults, with a focus on their specific needs. Additionally, improving digital literacy among older adults is crucial for maximizing the long-term compliance and benefits of such technological solutions. On the other hand, AGAPE Monitor is a web application used by formal caregivers to configure the tailored interventions. The platform’s usability was assessed using different usability scale questionnaires, which revealed a mild level of user satisfaction and acceptance. The proposed framework is currently being deployed on more than 112 older adults across three countries: Italy, Romania, and Portugal. The proposed framework provides a holistic solution to encourage active ageing by adopting technology, implementing hybrid interventions, and promoting social interactions.

This study investigates the genealogical and demographic trends of the Massese sheep breed in Tuscany from 2001 to 2021. The Herd Book kept by the Italian Sheep and Goat Breeders Association (Asso.Na.Pa) provided the data. The descriptive statistics were analyzed using JMP software. The pedigree parameters of a total of 311,056 animals (whole population—WP) were analyzed using CFC, ENDOG, and Pedigree viewer software. A total of 24,586 animals born in the period 2007–2021 represented the Reference Population (RP), and 18,554 animals the Base Population (BP). The demographic results showed an inconsistent trend of offspring registration. This study showed a short period of productivity for both ewes and rams, with means of 1.47 and 19.2 registered newborn ewes and rams, respectively. The genealogical analysis revealed incomplete data, highlighting inaccurate assessments of the relationships among the animals, and inbreeding with large differences among provinces. The average inbreeding coefficient in the WP was 1.16%, and it was 2.26% in the RP. The total number of inbreds was 2790 in the WP, with an average FPED of 13.56%, and 2713 in the RP, with an average FPED of 12.82%. The use of pedigree data is a key and economical approach to calculating inbreeding and relationship coefficients. It is the primary step in genetic management, playing a crucial role in the preservation of a breed. The regular updating of genealogical data is the first step to ensuring the conservation of animal genetic resources, and this study is compromised by the lack of such updates.

A domain-specific perspective to cognitive functioning in stroke patients may predict their cognitive recovery over time and target stroke rehabilitation intervention. However, data about domain-specific cognitive impairment after stroke are still scarce. This study prospectively investigated the domain-specific pattern of cognitive impairments, using the classification proposed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), in a cohort of 49 stroke patients at admission (T0), discharge (T1), and six-month follow-up (T2) from subacute intensive rehabilitation. The predictive value of T0 cognitive domains cognitive impairment at T1 and T2 was also investigated. Patients’ cognitive functioning at T0, T1, and T2 was assessed through the MoCA domains for executive functioning, attention, language, visuospatial, orientation, and memory. Different evolutionary trends of cognitive domain impairments emerged across time-points. Patients’ impairments in all domains decreased from T0 to T1. Attention and executive impairments decreased from T0 to T2 (42.9% and 26.5% to 10.2% and 18.4%, respectively). Conversely, altered visuospatial, language, and orientation increased between T1 and T2 (16.3%, 36.7%, and 40.8%, respectively). Additionally, patients’ global cognitive functioning at T1 was predicted by the language and executive domains in a subacute phase (p = 0.031 and p = 0.001, respectively), while in the long term, only attention (p = 0.043) and executive (p = 0.019) domains intervened. Overall, these results confirm the importance of a domain-specific approach to target cognitive recovery across time in stroke patients.

Background: Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) activity, as cardiac, respiratory and electrodermal activity, has been shown to provide specific information on different consciousness states. Respiration rates (RRs) are considered indicators of ANS activity and breathing patterns are currently already included in the evaluation of patients in critical care. Objective: The aim of this work was to derive a proxy of autonomic functions via the RR variability and compare its diagnostic capability with known neurophysiological biomarkers of consciousness. Methods: In a cohort of sub-acute patients with brain injury during post-acute rehabilitation, polygraphy (ECG, EEG) recordings were collected. The EEG was labeled via descriptors based on American Clinical Neurophysiology Society terminology and the respiration variability was extracted by computing the Approximate Entropy (ApEN) of the ECG-derived respiration signal. Competing logistic regressions were applied to evaluate the improvement in model performances introduced by the RR ApEN. Results: Higher RR complexity was significantly associated with higher consciousness levels and improved diagnostic models’ performances in contrast to the ones built with only electroencephalographic descriptors. Conclusions: Adding a quantitative, instrumentally based complexity measure of RR variability to multimodal consciousness assessment protocols may improve diagnostic accuracy based only on electroencephalographic descriptors. Overall, this study promotes the integration of biomarkers derived from the central and the autonomous nervous system for the most comprehensive diagnosis of consciousness in a rehabilitation setting.

Background: The Token Test (TT) is widely used to examine comprehension disorders in aphasic patients, but abilities other than language may affect a patient’s performance. This study aims to explore the correlation between the TT subtest performances and the performances in extra-linguistic cognitive areas in a cohort of patients from the Intensive Rehabilitation Post-Stroke (RIPS) study with a first, right hemisphere stroke and without aphasia, prospectively enrolled at admission to intensive inpatient post-acute rehabilitation. Methods: The patients were administered the TT (50-item version), the forward and backward digit span (DST), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Spearman’s partial correlations adjusted by age were used to evaluate the association between the number of errors in the TT and the other tests’ corrected scores. Results: Of the 37 patients enrolled in this study, 29.7% made 3–11 errors on the TT, 27.0% more than 11 errors, mostly in parts IV and V. The forward and backward digit span scores showed correlations with errors in part V of the TT (r = −0.408, p = 0.013; r = −0.307, p = 0.027). The errors in part IV of the TT presented a correlation with a forward digit span too (r = −0.394, p = 0.017). With respect to MoCA domains, executive functioning, and orientation were related to the TT part V errors (r = −0.468, p = 0.007; r = −0.499, p = 0.003). The orientation also correlated with the TT part III (r = −0.504, p = 0.002). Conclusion: Our findings show that the TT performances in patients with right hemisphere stroke and without aphasia are related to impairments in auditory–verbal span/auditory working memory mostly for TT scores on subpart V as measured by the DST and to executive function and orientation, as measured by the MoCA subtests.

Background: Sporadic CAA is recognized as a major cause of sICH and sABI. Even if intensive rehabilitation is recommended to maximize functional recovery after sICH, no data are available on whether CAA may affect rehabilitation outcomes. In this observational prospective study, to explore the impact of CAA on rehabilitation results, functional outcomes after intensive rehabilitation have been compared between patients affected by sICH with and without a diagnosis of CAA. Methods: All adults affected by sABI due to sICH and admitted to the IRU of IRCCS-Don-Gnocchi-Foundation were consecutively enrolled for 12 months. Demographic and clinical data were recorded upon admission and discharge. Results: Among 102 sICH patients (age: 66 (IQR = 16), 53% female), 13% were diagnosed as probable/possible-CAA. TPO and functional assessment were comparable upon admission, but CAA patients were significantly older (p = 0.001). After a comparable LOS, CAA patients presented higher care burden (ERBI: p = 0.025), poorer functional recovery (FIM: p = 0.02) and lower levels of global independence (GOSE > 4: p = 0.03). In multivariate analysis, CAA was significantly correlated with a lower FIM (p = 0.019) and a lower likelihood of reaching GOS-E > 4, (p = 0.041) at discharge, independently from age. Conclusions: CAA seems to be independently associated with poorer rehabilitation outcomes, suggesting the importance of improving knowledge about CAA to better predict rehabilitation outcomes.

Background. The current literature does not furnish clear data concerning the relationship between thyroid function, sedentary time and daily physical activity (PA) in older adults with euthyroid condition. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of serum Thyrotropin-Stimulating Hormone (TSH), free Triiodothyronine (fT3) and free Thyroxine (fT4) with sedentary time and PA in a cohort of nonagenarians. Methods. A total of 108 nonagenarians (92.8 ± 3.2 years), participating in the Mugello Study, and with complete data on thyroid function, sedentary time, PA and sleeping (objectively collected through a multisensory device), were considered for the analysis. Results. Mainly, TSH negatively correlated with time spent lying down, and positively correlated with METs. fT4 levels were negatively associated with mean daily metabolic equivalents (METs) and with low-intensity PA practice (LIPAT), and positively associated with lying down and sleeping time. Similar results have been shown in the female sample. Mainly, participants with high-normal (third tertile) versus low-normal TSH (first tertile) had higher moderate-intensity PA (MIPAT) (p = 0.03). In the female sample, first TSH tertile had higher METs (p = 0.010), LIPAT (p = 0.02), MIPAT (p = 0.01) and lower time lying down (p = 0.04) than third TSH tertile. Conclusion. High-normal serum TSH and low-normal fT4 are associated with higher levels and intensity of daily PA, together with higher MIPAT continuity, in the oldest-old.

Introduction: In a few cases, neurodegenerative diseases debut with a speech disorder whose differential diagnosis can be difficult. Case Report: We describe the case of a right-handed woman with a progressive speech impairment, which debuted when she was 80 years old. We report the results of neurological, neuropsychological, and imaging assessments with positron emission tomography (PET) over a period of nine years. Metabolic PET with 18F-FDG was performed at the age of 81 and repeated two years later due to the worsening of symptoms; amyloid PET with 18F-flutemetamol was performed at the age of 86. All PET results were quantitatively analyzed. A speech impairment remained the isolated neurological symptom for a long time, together with a mood disorder. Early FDG-PET showed hypometabolism in the left superior and inferior frontal areas, in the left superior temporal area, and in the right superior frontal area. Two years later, the hypometabolic area was more extensive. Amyloid PET was qualitatively and quantitatively normal. Nine years after the first symptoms, the speech production progressively worsened until complete anarthria, in association with writing impairment onset and signs of behavioral impairments. No signs of motor involvement were found. Conclusions: A progressive articulatory disorder without an evolution of motor disorders may be a distinct neurological degenerative entity, mainly affecting speech production for very a long time and with a specific early metabolic pattern in brain FDG-PET in the language production area. Monitoring patients with FDG-PET could predict the disease evolution years before a clinical deterioration.

Background: Disorders of consciousness (DoCs) include unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) and minimally conscious state (MCS). Critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy (CIPNM) is frequent in severe acquired brain injuries and impacts functional outcomes at discharge from the intensive rehabilitation unit (IRU). We investigated the prevalence of CIPNM in DoCs and its relationship with the consciousness assessment. Methods: Patients with DoCs were retrospectively selected from the database including patients admitted to the IRU of the IRCCS Don Gnocchi Foundation, Florence, from August 2012 to May 2020. Electroneurography/electromyography was performed at admission. Consciousness was assessed using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) at admission and discharge. Patients transitioning from a lower consciousness state to a higher one were classified as improved responsiveness (IR). Results: A total of 177 patients were included (UWS: 81 (45.8%); MCS: 96 (54.2%); 78 (44.1%) women; 67 years (IQR: 20). At admission, 108 (61.0%) patients had CIPNM. At discharge, 117 (66.1%) patients presented an IR. In the multivariate analysis, CRS-R at admission (p = 0.006; OR: 1.462) and CIPNM (p = 0.039; OR: −1.252) remained significantly associated with IR only for the UWS patients. Conclusions: CIPNM is frequent in DoCs and needs to be considered during the clinical consciousness assessment, especially in patients with UWS.

Comparison studies on recovery outcomes in ischemic (IS) and hemorrhagic strokes (HS) have yielded mixed results. In this retrospective observational study of consecutive IS and HS patients, we aimed at evaluating functional outcomes at discharge from an intensive rehabilitation hospital, comparing IS vs. HS, analyzing possible predictors. Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at discharge was the main outcome. Out of the 229 patients included (mean age 72.9 ± 13.9 years, 48% males), 81 had HS (35%). Compared with IS (n = 148), HS patients were significantly younger (75 ± 12.5 vs. 68.8 ± 15.4 years, p = 0.002), required longer hospitalizations both in acute (23.9 ± 36.7 vs. 35.2 ± 29.9 days, p = 0.019) and rehabilitation hospitals (41.5 ± 31.8 vs. 77.2 ± 51.6 days, p = 0.001), and had more severe initial clinical deficit (mean number of neurological impairments: 2.0 ± 1.1 vs. 2.6 ± 1.4, p = 0.001) and mRS scores at admission (p = 0.046). At discharge, functional status change, expressed as mRS, was not significantly different between IS and HS (F = 0.01, p = 0.902), nor was the discharge destination (p = 0.428). Age and clinical severity were predictors of functional outcome in both stroke types. On admission in an intensive rehabilitation hospital, HS patients presented a worse functional and clinical status compared to IS. Despite this initial gap, the two stroke types showed an overlapped trajectory of functional recovery, with age and initial stroke severity as the main prognostic factors.

We present a novel sensorized mat for monitoring infant’s posture through the measure of pressure maps. The pressure-sensitive mat is based on an optoelectronic technology developed in the last few years at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna: a soft silicone skin cover, which constitutes the mat, participates in the transduction principle and provides the mat with compliance. The device has a modular structure (with a minimum of one and a maximum of six sub-modules, and a total surface area of about 1 m2) that enables dimensional adaptation of the pressure-sensitive area to different specific applications. The system consists of on-board electronics for data collection, pre-elaboration, and transmission to a remote computing unit for analysis and posture classification. In this work we present a complete description of the sensing apparatus along with its experimental characterization and validation with five healthy infants.