767 results on '"Benedictis P"'
Search Results
2. Joint modelling of national cultures accounting for within and between-country heterogeneity
- Author
-
Vinciotti, Veronica, De Benedictis, Luca, and Wit, Ernst C.
- Subjects
Statistics - Methodology - Abstract
Cultural values vary significantly around the world. Despite a large heterogeneity, similarities across national cultures are present. This paper studies cross-country culture heterogeneity via the joint inference of country-specific copula graphical models from world-wide survey data. To this end, a random graph generative model of the cultural networks is introduced, with a latent space and proximity measures that embed cultural relatedness across countries. Within-country heterogeneity is also accounted for, via parametric modelling of the marginal distributions of each cultural trait. All together, the different components of the model are able to identify several dimensions of culture.
- Published
- 2023
3. Respiratory Syncytial Virus: The Urgent Need for Innovative Preventive Strategies
- Author
-
Fabrizio Virgili, Fabio Midulla, and Fernando Maria de Benedictis
- Subjects
n/a ,Medicine ,Pediatrics ,RJ1-570 - Abstract
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a medium-sized enveloped Pneumovirus belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family [...]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Surgical and radiosurgical treatment of hypothalamic hamartoma: The Italian experience between 2011 and 2021
- Author
-
Michele Rizzi, Alessandro Consales, Irene Tramacere, Alessandro De Benedictis, Antonella Bua, Nicola Specchio, Luca De Palma, Erica Cognolato, Lino Nobili, Domenico Tortora, Carmen Barba, Marianna Pommella, Flavio Giordano, Chiara Pastori, Marcello Marchetti, Rita Garbelli, Mino Zucchelli, Matteo Martinoni, Lorenzo Ferri, Matia Martucci, Gianpiero Tamburrini, Federico Bianchi, Claudia Passamonti, Giancarlo Di Gennaro, Flavio Villani, Laura Tassi, and Carlo Marras
- Subjects
endoscopic neurosurgery ,epilepsy surgery ,hypothalamic hamartoma ,laser interstitial thermal therapy ,stereotactic radiosurgery ,Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system ,RC346-429 - Abstract
Abstract Objective To investigate the Italian experience on the surgical and radiosurgical treatment of drug‐resistant epilepsy due to hypothalamic hamartoma (HH) in the period 2011–2021 in six Italian epilepsy surgery centers, and to compare safety and efficacy profiles of the different techniques. Methods We collected pseudo‐anonymized patient's data with at least 12 months of follow‐up. Surgical outcome was defined according to Engel classification of seizure outcome. Univariate analysis was performed to assess the risk of post‐operative seizures, categorized in dichotomous variable as favorable and unfavorable; explanatory variables were considered. Mann–Whitney or Chi‐squared test were used to assess the presence of an association between variables (p
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Trends, outcomes, and complications of surgery for lesional epilepsy in infants and toddlers: A multicenter study
- Author
-
Carmen Barba, Veronica Pelliccia, Laura Grisotto, Luca De Palma, Giulia Nobile, Francesca Gozzo, Martina Revay, Giusy Carfi‐Pavia, Massimo Cossu, Flavio Giordano, Alessandro Consales, Alessandro De Benedictis, Elena Cavallini, Cristina Mion, Claudia Accolla, Nicola Specchio, Lino Nobili, Renzo Guerrini, and Laura Tassi
- Subjects
developmental outcome ,infants ,predictors ,seizure outcome ,surgical treatment ,Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system ,RC346-429 - Abstract
Abstract Objective To assess seizure and developmental outcomes, their predictors, and complications in 160 children who, between 1998 and 2022, underwent surgery for lesional epilepsy with curative intent before the age of 3 years. To compare trends in epilepsy surgery in this age group before and after the year 2014. Methods Retrospective multicenter study. Descriptive and univariate analyses, and multivariable models for all outcomes. Results These 160 patients (76 F; 47.5%) underwent 169 surgeries (age at surgery 20.4 ± 9.4 months). At the last follow‐up (77 ± 57.4 months), 121 patients (75.6%) were in Engel class I, 106 (66.2%) of whom were in Engel class Ia. Antiseizure medications were stopped in 84 patients (52.5%). Complications requiring reoperations were observed in 16 patients (10%; 9.5% of surgeries) and unexpected permanent deficits in 12 (7.5%; 7.1% of surgeries). Postoperative cognitive functions remained unchanged in 56 patients (44.4%), improved in 51 (40.5%), and worsened in 19 (15.1%). Multivariable analyses showed that the probability of achieving Engel class Ia was lower when the duration of epilepsy was longer, patients underwent preoperative video‐EEG, and unexpected postoperative permanent deficits occurred. Cognitive improvement after surgery was associated with lower preoperative seizure frequency, better preoperative developmental level, and a longer postoperative follow‐up. FCDII and tumors were the histopathologies carrying a higher probability of achieving seizure freedom, while polymicrogyria was associated with a lower probability of cognitive improvement. The number of patients operated on after 2014 was higher than before (61.3% vs. 38.7%), with stable outcomes. Significance Epilepsy surgery is effective and safe in infants and toddlers, although the complication rate is higher than seen in older patients. Shorter duration of epilepsy, lower seizure frequency, no need for video‐EEG, tumors, and some malformations of cortical development are robust predictors of seizure and cognitive outcome that may be exploited to increase earlier referral. Plain Language Summary This study analyzed the results of epilepsy surgery in 160 children who had been operated on before the age of 3 years at four Italian centers between 1998 and 2022. At the last follow‐up (77 ± 57.4 months), 121 patients (75.6%) were free from disabling seizures, of which 106 (66.2%) were completely seizure‐free since surgery. Major surgical complications occurred in 28 patients (17.5%), which is higher than observed with epilepsy surgery in general, but similar to hemispheric/multilobar surgery. Postoperative cognitive function remained unchanged in 56 patients (44.4%), improved in 51 (40.5%), and worsened in 19 (15.1%). Epilepsy surgery is effective and safe in infants and toddlers.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Author Correction: The value of linear and non-linear quantitative EEG analysis in paediatric epilepsy surgery: a machine learning approach
- Author
-
Mercier, Mattia, Pepi, Chiara, Carf-Pavia, Giusy, De Benedictis, Alessandro, Espagnet, Maria Camilla Rossi, Pirani, Greta, Vigevano, Federico, Marras, Carlo Efsio, Specchio, Nicola, and De Palma, Luca
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. The value of linear and non-linear quantitative EEG analysis in paediatric epilepsy surgery: a machine learning approach
- Author
-
Mercier, Mattia, Pepi, Chiara, Carfi-Pavia, Giusy, De Benedictis, Alessandro, Espagnet, Maria Camilla Rossi, Pirani, Greta, Vigevano, Federico, Marras, Carlo Efisio, Specchio, Nicola, and De Palma, Luca
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Environmental migration? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature
- Author
-
Cipollina, Maria, De Benedictis, Luca, and Scibè, Elisa
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. How the Identity of Substance Users Shapes Public Opinion on Opioid Policy
- Author
-
de Benedictis-Kessner, Justin and Hankinson, Michael
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Learning models for classifying Raman spectra of genomic DNA from tumor subtypes
- Author
-
Lancia, Giacomo, Durastanti, Claudio, Spitoni, Cristian, De Benedictis, Ilaria, Sciortino, Antonio, Cirillo, Emilio N. M., Ledda, Mario, Lisi, Antonella, Convertino, Annalisa, and Mussi, Valentina
- Subjects
Statistics - Applications - Abstract
An early detection of different tumor subtypes is crucial for an effective guidance to personalized therapy. While much efforts focus on decoding the sequence of DNA basis to detect the genetic mutations related to cancer, it is becoming clear that physical properties, including structural conformation, stiffness, and shape, as well as biological processes, such as methylation, can be pivotal to recognize DNA modifications. Here we exploit the Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) platform, based on disordered silver coated--silicon nanowires, to investigate genomic DNA from subtypes of melanoma and colon cancers and to efficiently discriminate tumor and healthy cells, as well as the different tumor subtypes. The diagnostic information is obtained by performing label--free Raman maps of the dried drops of DNA solutions onto the Ag/NWs mat, and leveraging the classification ability of learning models to reveal the specific and distinct interaction of healthy and tumor DNA molecules with nanowires., Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables
- Published
- 2023
11. The Use of Contact Tracing Technologies for Infection Prevention and Control Purposes in Nosocomial Settings: A Systematic Literature Review
- Author
-
Katy Stokes, Davide Piaggio, Francesco De Micco, Marianna Zarro, Anna De Benedictis, Vittoradolfo Tambone, Madison Moon, Alessia Maccaro, and Leandro Pecchia
- Subjects
infection prevention and control ,contact tracing ,pandemic preparedness ,healthcare-associated infections ,healthcare risk management ,quality of care ,Other systems of medicine ,RZ201-999 - Abstract
Background: Pandemic management and preparedness are more needed than ever before and there is widespread governmental interest in learning from the COVID-19 pandemic in order to ensure the availability of evidence-based Infection Prevention and Control measures. Contact tracing is integral to Infection Prevention and Control, facilitating breaks in the chain of transmission in a targeted way, identifying individuals who have come into contact with an infected person, and providing them with instruction/advice relating to testing, medical advice and/or self-isolation. Aim: This study aims to improve our understanding of the use of contact tracing technologies in healthcare settings. This research seeks to contribute to the field of Infection Prevention and Control by investigating how these technologies can mitigate the spread of nosocomial infections. Ultimately, this study aims to improve the quality and safety of healthcare delivery. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted, and journal articles investigating the use of contact tracing technologies in healthcare settings were retrieved from databases held on the OvidSP platform between March and September 2022, with no date for a lower limit. Results: In total, 277 studies were retrieved and screened, and 14 studies were finally included in the systematic literature review. Most studies investigated proximity sensing technologies, reporting promising results. However, studies were limited by small sample sizes and confounding factors, revealing contact tracing technologies remain at a nascent stage. Investment in research and development of new testing technologies is necessary to strengthen national and international contact tracing capabilities. Conclusion: This review aims to contribute to those who intend to create robust surveillance systems and implement infectious disease reporting protocols.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. Trust in the Leader, Organizational Commitment, and Nurses’ Intention to Leave—Insights from a Nationwide Study Using Structural Equation Modeling
- Author
-
Dhurata Ivziku, Valentina Biagioli, Rosario Caruso, Marzia Lommi, Anna De Benedictis, Raffaella Gualandi, and Daniela Tartaglini
- Subjects
nurses ,intention to leave ,leadership ,organizational commitment ,mediation ,structural equation modeling ,Nursing ,RT1-120 - Abstract
Nursing retention is a major challenge globally. Ongoing workforce instability across countries underscores the need to understand the factors influencing turnover and nursing retention. Trust is a crucial element in managing workplace relationships between nurse managers and nurses. Existing studies have shown the direct impact of trust on employees’ intention to leave their job but have not explored the effects of potential mediators such as organizational commitment. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of trust in the leader on nurses’ intention to leave their job through the mediation of organizational commitment. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Italy. A convenience sample of 1853 nurses completed a self-report survey. The study tested a hypothesis-based mediation model using structural equation modeling, which showed good fit indices. The results indicated that trust in the leader had a significant impact on nurses’ intention to leave, and this relationship was partially mediated by organizational commitment. Nurses who trust their leader are more likely to demonstrate higher levels of organizational commitment, resulting in a lower intention to leave their job. Furthermore, organizational commitment and trust emerge as critical factors in reducing nurses’ intention to leave their current positions. Therefore, managers can reduce nurses’ intention to leave by building trustful relationships that enhance organizational commitment.This study was not registered.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. The value of linear and non-linear quantitative EEG analysis in paediatric epilepsy surgery: a machine learning approach
- Author
-
Mattia Mercier, Chiara Pepi, Giusy Carfi-Pavia, Alessandro De Benedictis, Maria Camilla Rossi Espagnet, Greta Pirani, Federico Vigevano, Carlo Efisio Marras, Nicola Specchio, and Luca De Palma
- Subjects
Resective surgery ,Epilepsy ,Predictive factors ,Diagnostic evaluation ,Scalp EEG ,Brain machine learning ,Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Abstract Epilepsy surgery is effective for patients with medication-resistant seizures, however 20–40% of them are not seizure free after surgery. Aim of this study is to evaluate the role of linear and non-linear EEG features to predict post-surgical outcome. We included 123 paediatric patients who underwent epilepsy surgery at Bambino Gesù Children Hospital (January 2009–April 2020). All patients had long term video-EEG monitoring. We analysed 1-min scalp interictal EEG (wakefulness and sleep) and extracted 13 linear and non-linear EEG features (power spectral density (PSD), Hjorth, approximate entropy, permutation entropy, Lyapunov and Hurst value). We used a logistic regression (LR) as feature selection process. To quantify the correlation between EEG features and surgical outcome we used an artificial neural network (ANN) model with 18 architectures. LR revealed a significant correlation between PSD of alpha band (sleep), Mobility index (sleep) and the Hurst value (sleep and awake) with outcome. The fifty-four ANN models gave a range of accuracy (46–65%) in predicting outcome. Within the fifty-four ANN models, we found a higher accuracy (64.8% ± 7.6%) in seizure outcome prediction, using features selected by LR. The combination of PSD of alpha band, mobility and the Hurst value positively correlate with good surgical outcome.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. From the historical Roman road network to modern infrastructure in Italy
- Author
-
De Benedictis, Luca, Licio, Vania, and Pinna, Anna
- Subjects
Economics - General Economics ,Economics - Econometrics - Abstract
An integrated and widespread road system, like the one built during the Roman Empire in Italy, plays an important role today in facilitating the construction of new infrastructure. This paper investigates the historical path of Roman roads as main determinant of both motorways and railways in the country. The empirical analysis shows how the modern Italian transport infrastructure followed the path traced in ancient times by the Romans in constructing their roads. Being paved and connecting Italy from North to South, consular trajectories lasted in time, representing the starting physical capital for developing the new transport networks.
- Published
- 2022
15. Patient experience e adolescenti: uno studio qualitativo sul punto di vista di adolescenti, genitori e professionisti
- Author
-
Stefano Maiandi, Raffaella Gualandi, Anna De Benedictis, Noemi Gulotta, and Daniela Tartaglini
- Subjects
Adolescienti ,patient experience ,esperienza ,ospedalizzazione ,interviste ,infermiere ,Nursing ,RT1-120 - Abstract
BACKGROUND: L'esperienza del paziente (patient experience) nell'assistenza sanitaria e nell'erogazione delle cure sta emergendo come un'area importante di conoscenza e sviluppo dei servizi sanitari in un ottica paziente-centrica. Tuttavia, non è presente in letteratura nessun contributo che analizzi il punto di vista di adolescenti, genitori, infermieri e medici circa la loro percezione della definizione di patient experience. Obiettivo: Esplorare il punto di vista di adolescenti, genitori, infermieri e medici in merito alla definizione di patient experience nell’ospedalizzazione degli adolescenti per patologia acuta. METODI: Sono state realizzate delle interviste semistrutturate in un campione di convenienza di partecipanti composto da medici, infermieri, adolescenti e genitori. E’ stata effettuata una analisi qualitativa delle risposte secondo i tre livelli identificati da Ricoeur: lettura preliminare, analisi strutturale e analisi critica. RISULTATI: Sono state intervistate un totale di 16 persone: quattro medici, quattro infermieri, quattro genitori e quattro adolescenti. Dall’analisi delle risposte sono emersi 5 principali temi: ricordo dell’ospedalizzazione, competenze messe in campo, soddisfazione ed esperienza, relazione umana, ambiente ospedaliero e facility. CONCLUSIONI: Esplorare il concetto di patient experience in differenti popolazioni non solo in funzione delle diverse patologie, ma anche in funzione delle diverse categorie di età, permette una conoscenza più approfondita degli aspetti multidimensionali di questo concetto e dei fattori da considerare per orientare i servizi sanitari verso i reali bisogni dei pazienti. In particolare, quando il paziente è un adolescente, comprenderne il suo punto di vista e le interazioni che avvengono con il servizio, può essere la leva per migliorarne l’esperienza del percorso di cura, oltre che la sola soddisfazione.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Decoding Nursing Job Demands: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study Assessing Nursing Workload in Hospital Medical-Surgical Wards
- Author
-
Dhurata Ivziku PhD, RN, Raffaella Gualandi PhD, RN, Federica Maria Pia Ferramosca PhD, RN, Marzia Lommi PhD, RN, Maria Ymelda Tolentino Diaz PhD, RN, Barbara Raffaele PhD, RN, Graziella Montini MNS, RN, Barbara Porcelli MNS, RN, Alessandro Stievano PhD, RN, Gennaro Rocco PhD, RN, Ippolito Notarnicola PhD, RN, Roberto Latina PhD, RN, Anna De Benedictis PhD, RN, and Daniela Tartaglini PhD, RN
- Subjects
Nursing ,RT1-120 - Abstract
Background Nursing workload is largely studied but poorly explored under physical, mental, and emotional dimensions. Currently, only a limited number of variables have been linked to nursing workload and work contexts. Purpose The study aimed to investigate whether it is feasible to identify variables that consistently correlate with nursing workload and others that are specific to the context. Methods We employed a descriptive correlational analysis and a cross-sectional design. Data were collected through a survey distributed to registered nurses working across Italy, at the conclusion of randomly assigned morning or afternoon shifts. Results We received 456 surveys from 195 shifts, collected from nurses in four public and two private hospitals. Commonly associated variables with nursing workload dimensions included patient complexity of care, admission/discharge or transfer, informing patients/relatives, contacting physicians, and unscheduled activities. Variables categorized as setting-specific were patient isolation and specialties, nurse-to-patient ratio, adequacy of staff in the shift, peer collaboration, healthcare documentation, educating others, and medical urgency. Conclusions In summary, certain variables consistently correlate with nursing workload across settings, while others are specific to the context of care. It is imperative for nurses and nurse managers to measure the nursing workload in various dimensions, enabling the prompt implementation of improvement actions.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. The diversity of within-community plant species combinations: A new tool for assessing changes in forests and guiding protection actions
- Author
-
Stefano Chelli, James Lee Tsakalos, Zhengxue Zhu, Luciano Ludovico Maria De Benedictis, Sandor Bartha, Roberto Canullo, Liubov Borsukevych, Marco Cervellini, and Giandiego Campetella
- Subjects
Beech forests ,Beta diversity ,Compositional diversity ,Plant diversity monitoring ,Fine-scale approach ,Forest management ,Ecology ,QH540-549.5 - Abstract
Biodiversity is changing rapidly, and ecologists use various measures to monitor and conserve it, but not all are equally effective. In the European temperate forests, ecologists are tasked with assessing the impact of global changes on plant species richness; however, this fails at capturing vital information about plant interactions. Using a chronosequence of beech forest stands, spanning 600 years of growth, we demonstrate the application of a different measure of diversity compared to classical species richness in the understorey. This measure, called compositional diversity (CD), considers the number of species combinations and their relative frequency within a community. The response of both classical species richness and CD along with succession, corresponded with our expectations based on ecological theory’s U-shape prediction of diversity along the successional gradient. However, after 300 years, there was a significant decoupling between the two measures’ responses. While species richness remained low and constant across old-growth and primeval forests, CD peaked in primeval forests, implying that the same number of late-successional species generated more diverse assemblages. This new information emphasises the need to protect old-growth and primeval forests not only to conserve species richness but also to preserve their unique network of species co-occurrence patterns – a factor not well represented by the classical species richness measure.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. Statistical classification for Raman spectra of tumoral genomic DNA
- Author
-
Durastanti, Claudio, Cirillo, Emilio N. M., De Benedictis, Ilaria, Ledda, Mario, Sciortino, Antonio, Lisi, Antonella, Convertino, Annalisa, and Mussi, Valentina
- Subjects
Quantitative Biology - Quantitative Methods ,Statistics - Applications - Abstract
We exploit Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) to investigate aqueous droplets of genomic DNA deposited onto silver-coated silicon nanowires and we show that it is possible to efficiently discriminate between spectra of tumoral and healthy cells. To assess the robustness of the proposed technique, we develop two different statistical approaches, one based on the Principal Component Analysis of spectral data and one based on the computation of the $\ell^2$ distance between spectra. Both methods prove to be highly efficient and we test their accuracy via the so-called Cohen's $\kappa$ statistics. We show that the synergistic combination of the SERS spectroscopy and the statistical analysis methods leads to efficient and fast cancer diagnostic applications allowing a rapid and unexpansive discrimination between healthy and tumoral genomic DNA alternative to the more complex and expensive DNA sequencing.
- Published
- 2022
19. Towards AI-assisted digital twins for smart railways: preliminary guideline and reference architecture
- Author
-
De Donato, Lorenzo, Dirnfeld, Ruth, Somma, Alessandra, De Benedictis, Alessandra, Flammini, Francesco, Marrone, Stefano, Saman Azari, Mehdi, and Vittorini, Valeria
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Prevalence of low dietary zinc intake in women and pregnant women in Ireland
- Author
-
De Benedictis, Chiara A., Trame, Sarah, Rink, Lothar, and Grabrucker, Andreas M.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. American local government elections database
- Author
-
Justin de Benedictis-Kessner, Diana Da In Lee, Yamil R. Velez, and Christopher Warshaw
- Subjects
Science - Abstract
Abstract The study of urban and local politics in the United States has long been hindered by a lack of centralized sources of election data. We introduce a new database of about 78,000 candidates in 57,000 electoral contests that encompasses races for seven distinct local political offices in most medium and large cities and counties in the U.S. over the last three decades. This is the most comprehensive publicly-available source of information on local elections across the country. We provide partisan and demographic information about candidates in these races as well as electoral outcomes. This new database will facilitate a myriad of new research on representation and elections in local governments.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Non-invasive assessment of oxygenation status using the oxygen reserve index in dogs
- Author
-
Francesca Zanusso, Giulia Maria De Benedictis, Polina Zemko, and Luca Bellini
- Subjects
Oxygen reserve index ,Dog ,Arterial partial pressure of oxygen ,Pulse oximetry ,Hyperoxaemia ,Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 - Abstract
Abstract Background The oxygen reserve index (ORi) is a real-time, continuous index measured with multi-wavelength pulse CO-oximetry technology. It estimates mild hyperoxemia in humans, which is defined as a partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) level between 100 and 200 mmHg. The objectives of this study were to assess the correlation between ORi and PaO2, as well as to determine its ability in detecting mild hyperoxemia in dogs. Methods This prospective observational study enrolled 37 anaesthetised and mechanically ventilated dogs undergoing elective procedures. Simultaneous measurements of ORi and PaO2 were collected, using a multi-wavelength pulse CO-oximeter with a probe placed on the dog’s tongue, and a blood gas analyser, respectively. A mixed-effects model was used to calculate the correlation (r2) between simultaneous measurements of ORi and PaO2. The trending ability of ORi to identify dependable and proportional changes of PaO2 was determined. The diagnostic performances of ORi to detect PaO2 ≥ 150 mmHg and ≥ 190 mmHg were estimated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). The effects of perfusion index (PI), haemoglobin (Hb), arterial blood pH and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) on AUROC for PaO2 ≥ 150 mmHg were evaluated. Results A total of 101 paired measurements of ORi and PaO2 were collected. PaO2 values ranged from 74 to 258 mmHg. A strong positive correlation (r2 = 0.52, p
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Environmental migration? An overview of the literature
- Author
-
Cipollina, Maria, De Benedictis, Luca, and Scibè, Elisa
- Subjects
Computer Science - Digital Libraries ,Statistics - Applications - Abstract
The literature on the relationship between environmental factors such as climatic changes and natural hazards and human mobility (both internal and international) is characterized by heterogeneous results: some contributions highlight the role of climate changes as a driver of migratory flows, while others underline how this impact is mediated by geographical, economic and the features of the environmental shock. This paper attempts to map this literature, focusing on economics and empirical essays. The paper improves on the existing literature: (a) providing systematic research of the literature through main bibliographic databases, followed by a review and bibliometric analysis of all resulting papers; (b) building a citation-based network of contributions, that hollows to identify four separate clusters of paper; (c) applying meta-analysis methods on the sample of 96 papers released between 2003 and 2020, published in an academic journal, working papers series or unpublished studies, providing 3,904 point estimates of the effect of slow-onset events and 2,065 point estimates of the effect of fast-onset events. Overall, the meta-analytic average effect estimates a small impact of slow- and rapid-onset variables on migration, however positive and significant. When the clustering of the literature is accounted for, however, a significant heterogeneity emerges among the four clusters of papers, giving rise to new evidence on the formation of club-like convergence of literature outcomes.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Author Correction: The value of linear and non-linear quantitative EEG analysis in paediatric epilepsy surgery: a machine learning approach
- Author
-
Mattia Mercier, Chiara Pepi, Giusy Carf-Pavia, Alessandro De Benedictis, Maria Camilla Rossi Espagnet, Greta Pirani, Federico Vigevano, Carlo Efsio Marras, Nicola Specchio, and Luca De Palma
- Subjects
Medicine ,Science - Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. American local government elections database
- Author
-
de Benedictis-Kessner, Justin, Lee, Diana Da In, Velez, Yamil R., and Warshaw, Christopher
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. Non-invasive assessment of oxygenation status using the oxygen reserve index in dogs
- Author
-
Zanusso, Francesca, De Benedictis, Giulia Maria, Zemko, Polina, and Bellini, Luca
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Main causes of death of free-ranging bats in Turin province (North-Western Italy): gross and histological findings and emergent virus surveillance
- Author
-
Colombino, Elena, Lelli, Davide, Canziani, Sabrina, Quaranta, Giuseppe, Guidetti, Cristina, Leopardi, Stefania, Robetto, Serena, De Benedictis, Paola, Orusa, Riccardo, Mauthe von Degerfeld, Mitzy, and Capucchio, Maria Teresa
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. Isolation and genome characterization of Lloviu virus from Italian Schreibers’s bats
- Author
-
Tóth, Gábor E., Hume, Adam J., Suder, Ellen L., Zeghbib, Safia, Ábrahám, Ágota, Lanszki, Zsófia, Varga, Zsaklin, Tauber, Zsófia, Földes, Fanni, Zana, Brigitta, Scaravelli, Dino, Scicluna, Maria Teresa, Pereswiet-Soltan, Andrea, Görföl, Tamás, Terregino, Calogero, De Benedictis, Paola, Garcia-Dorival, Isabel, Alonso, Covadonga, Jakab, Ferenc, Mühlberger, Elke, Leopardi, Stefania, and Kemenesi, Gábor
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. Assessing nature exposure: a study on the reliability and validity of a Portuguese version of the nature exposure scale
- Author
-
Ana Picanço, Ana Moura Arroz, Noelline Tsafack, Ana Fuentes Sánchez, Enésima Pereira, Marta De Benedictis, Isabel R. Amorim, Maria da Luz Melo, and Rosalina Gabriel
- Subjects
nature exposure ,psychometric tool ,reliability ,validity ,connectedness to nature ,subjective well-being ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Abstract
IntroductionEngaging with nature has been widely acknowledged for its positive impact on well-being. Traditionally, assessments of nature exposure focus on estimating green space exposure and outdoor time. However, the Nature Exposure Scale (NES) offers a unique approach by evaluating the quality of nature experiences, encompassing both deliberate and spontaneous encounters.MethodsThis study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the NES in the context of Portugal. Exploratory Factor Analysis (PCA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were employed to examine the underlying structure of the scale. Additionally, reliability assessments, along with tests of convergent and divergent validity, were conducted. Data were collected from a sample of 558 adults and 241 adolescents between 2016 and 2018.ResultsThe findings revealed strong internal consistency of the NES, supported by acceptable correlation values and robust factor loadings within a unidimensional model. The scale effectively predicted variations in nature exposure across diverse professional activities.DiscussionIn summary, the 4-item NES emerged as a reliable tool for assessing nature exposure in various settings, effectively bridging a gap in the Portuguese context. The scale demonstrated potential for cross-cultural research and was particularly adept at predicting nature exposure in different professional contexts. The results suggest that the NES can enhance our understanding of the impact of nature on well-being in diverse cultural settings.ConclusionThe study underscores the reliability of the NES in assessing nature exposure in Portugal, paving the way for further exploration in Portuguese-speaking regions. The scale holds promise for advancing research on the relationship between nature and well-being, contributing valuable insights across different cultural contexts.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. Inclusive Universities. Evidence from the Erasmus Program
- Author
-
De Benedictis, Luca and Leoni, Silvia
- Subjects
Computer Science - Social and Information Networks - Abstract
The Erasmus Program is the main international mobility program in Europe and worldwide. Since its launch in 1987, it has been growing both in terms of participants and budget devoted to its activities. However, despite the possibility to obtain additional funding, the participation of students with special needs to the program remains extremely low. This work quantifies the participation of these students to Erasmus and explores the network of universities involved in their mobility, along the period 2008-2013. In addition, it proposes a novel index to measure the level of inclusiveness of universities welcoming international students with disabilities. Quantifying and analyzing this aspect could be the basis for better designing targeted policies and for widening the participation of students with impairments to international mobility., Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Main causes of death of free-ranging bats in Turin province (North-Western Italy): gross and histological findings and emergent virus surveillance
- Author
-
Elena Colombino, Davide Lelli, Sabrina Canziani, Giuseppe Quaranta, Cristina Guidetti, Stefania Leopardi, Serena Robetto, Paola De Benedictis, Riccardo Orusa, Mitzy Mauthe von Degerfeld, and Maria Teresa Capucchio
- Subjects
Bat ,Necropsy ,Emergent viruses ,Pathology ,Histology ,Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 - Abstract
Abstract Background Bats are recognized as reservoir species for multiple viruses. However, little is known on bats’ health and mortality. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the main causes of death of bats from Turin province (North-western Italy) and to describe gross and histopathological lesions potentially associated with the presence of selected bat viruses. Results A total of 71 bats belonging to 9 different species of the families Vespertilionidae and Molossidae were necropsied and samples of the main organs were submitted to histopathological examination. Also, aliquots of the small intestine, liver, spleen, lung, and brain were collected and submitted to biomolecular investigation for the identification of Coronaviridae, Poxviridae, Reoviridae (Mammalian orthoreovirus species), Rhabdoviridae (Vaprio ledantevirus and Lyssavirus species) and Kobuvirus. The majority of bats died from traumatic lesions due to unknown trauma or predation (n = 40/71, 56.3%), followed by emaciation (n = 13/71,18.3%). The main observed gross lesions were patagium and skin lesions (n = 23/71, 32.4%), forelimbs fractures (n = 15/71, 21.1%) and gastric distension (n = 10/71,14.1%). Histologically, the main lesions consisted of lymphoplasmacytic pneumonia (n = 24/71, 33.8%), skin/patagium dermatitis (n = 23/71, 32.4%), liver steatosis and hepatitis (n = 12, 16.9%), and white pulp depletion in the spleen (n = 7/71, 9.8%). Regarding emergent bat viruses, only poxvirus (n = 2, 2.8%) and orthoreovirus (n = 12/71, 16.9%) were detected in a low percentage of bats. Conclusions Trauma is the main lesion observed in bats collected in Turin province (North-western Italy) associated with forelimb fractures and the detected viral positivity rate seems to suggest that they did not represent a threat for human health.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Assessment of the Psychometric Characteristics of the Italian Version of the Nurse Manager Actions Scale
- Author
-
Marzia Lommi, Rosario Caruso, Gianluca Conte, Arianna Magon, Barbara Porcelli, Alessandro Stievano, Gennaro Rocco, Ippolito Notarnicola, Laura Sabatino, Roberto Latina, Maddalena De Maria, Emanuele Di Simone, Anna De Benedictis, Raffaella Gualandi, Daniela Tartaglini, and Dhurata Ivziku
- Subjects
NMA scale ,autonomy ,Mokken scale analysis ,psychometric testing ,nurses ,Nursing ,RT1-120 - Abstract
Nurse managers play a vital role in healthcare organizations, wielding the ability to substantially enhance work environments, foster nurses’ autonomy, and bolster retention within workplaces. In this context, this study focuses on the Nurse Manager Actions scale, aiming to evaluate its items’ scalability as well as the scale’s validity and reliability among nurses and nurse managers operating within the Italian healthcare context. The study protocol was not registered. To ensure linguistic and cultural alignment, an iterative and collaborative translation process was undertaken. Subsequently, a multi-center cross-sectional design was adopted. Using a web-survey approach, data were collected among 683 nurses and 188 nurse managers between August 2022 and January 2023. The Nurse Manager Actions scale was found to be a valid and reliable instrument in Italian after a Mokken Scale Analysis. For nurses (HT= 0.630, Molenaar–Sijtsma rho = 0.890), the scale included 6 items, while 11 items were confirmed for nurse managers (HT= 0.620, Molenaar–Sijtsma rho = 0.830). Nurse Manager Actions scale scores were correlated with increased satisfaction and decreased intention to leave for both nurses and nurse managers. The employed validation process enhanced the scale validity for use in Italy and provided a model for other researchers to follow when assessing similar measures in different populations. Measuring and empowering nurse manager actions in work contexts is essential to improve the general well-being and retention of nurses, especially in the current nursing shortage.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Linea guida per la gestione del nodulo benigno della tiroide causa di sintomi locali: Associazione medici endocrinologi (AME), Istituto superiore di Sanità 2022 e Associazione Italiana della Tiroide (AIT); Associazione Italiana di Medicina Nucleare (AIMN); Associazione Nazionale Infermieri in Endocrinologia e Diabetologia (ANIED); Comitato Associazioni Pazienti Endocrini (CAPE); Federazione delle Associazioni dei Dirigenti Medici Ospedalieri Internisti (FADOI); Società Italiana di Anatomia Patologica e Citologia Diagnostica - Divisione Italiana della International Academy of Pathology (SIAPEC-IAP); Società Italiana di Endocrinologia (SIE); Società Italiana di Radiologia Medica ed Interventistica (SIRM); Società Italiana Unitaria di Endocrino-Chirurgia (SIUEC), Società Italiana Ultrasonografia in Medicina e Biologia (SIUMB)
- Author
-
Papini, Enrico, Crescenzi, Anna, D’Amore, Annamaria, De Benedictis, Anna, Deandrea, Maurilio, Frasoldati, Andrea, Garberoglio, Roberto, Guglielmi, Rinaldo, Lombardi, Celestino Pio, Mauri, Giovanni, Miceli, Rosa Elisa, Polano, Paola, Puglisi, Soraya, Rago, Teresa, Triggiani, Vincenzo, Van Doorne, Dominique, and Salvatore, Domenico
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Coronary Artery Calcium and Aging: Physiological Basis, Assessment, and Treatment Options in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
- Author
-
Mohamed Abdirashid, Umberto Barbero, Chiara Cavallino, Ludovica Maltese, Elodi Bacci, Danilo Reale, Giorgio Marengo, Michele De Benedictis, Francesco Rametta, and Fabrizio Ugo
- Subjects
percutaneous coronary intervention ,calcium ,coronary artery disease ,Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system ,RC666-701 - Abstract
Coronary artery calcification is a complex anatomical and histological pathology with different pathways that contribute to calcium deposit and calcification progression. As part of the atherosclerotic process, extensive calcifications are becoming more common and are associated with poorer PCI outcomes if not properly addressed. Since no drug has shown to be effective in changing this process once it is started, proper knowledge of the underlying pathogenesis and how to diagnose and manage it is essential in contemporary coronary intervention. Atherosclerosis is a pandemic disease, quickly spreading across the world and not limited anymore to the industrialized Western world. In this paper, we review the role of intracoronary imaging and the main technologies available and propose a simple and rational algorithm for the choice of a preferential first strategy in the treatment of severely calcified coronary atherosclerosis, followed by three emblematic cases on how we successively applied it.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Preliminary Testing of a Passive Exoskeleton Prototype Based on McKibben Muscles
- Author
-
Maria Paterna, Carlo De Benedictis, and Carlo Ferraresi
- Subjects
passive exoskeleton ,pneumatic artificial muscles ,industrial exoskeleton ,McKibben ,contact pressures ,FEM ,Mechanical engineering and machinery ,TJ1-1570 - Abstract
Upper-limb exoskeletons for industrial applications can enhance the comfort and productivity of workers by reducing muscle activity and intra-articular forces during overhead work. Current devices typically employ a spring-based mechanism to balance the gravitational torque acting on the shoulder. As an alternative, this paper presents the design of a passive upper-limb exoskeleton based on McKibben artificial muscles. The interaction forces between the exoskeleton and the user, as well as the mechanical resistance of the exoskeleton structure, were investigated to finalize the design of the device prior to its prototyping. Details are provided about the solutions adopted to assemble, wear, and regulate the exoskeleton’s structure. The first version of the device weighing about 5.5 kg was manufactured and tested by two users in a motion analysis laboratory. The results of this study highlight that the exoskeleton can effectively reduce the activation level of shoulder muscles without affecting the lumbar strain.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Benefits of high-intensity interval training compared to continuous training to reduce apoptotic markers in female rats with cisplatin nephrotoxicity – possible modulatory role of IL-11
- Author
-
Oliveira, Caroline Assunção, Mercês, Érika Azenathe Barros, Portela, Fernanda Santos, De Benedictis¹, Júlia Mafra, De Benedictis, Laís Mafra, da Silva, Antônio Victor Brito, Campanati, João de Assis Gonçalves, de Melo, Fabrício Freire, Oliveira, Márcio Vasconcelos, de Magalhães, Amélia Cristina Mendes, Soares, Telma de Jesus, and Amaral, Liliany Souza de Brito
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. A dichotomic approach to adaptive interaction for socially assistive robots
- Author
-
Benedictis, Riccardo De, Umbrico, Alessandro, Fracasso, Francesca, Cortellessa, Gabriella, Orlandini, Andrea, and Cesta, Amedeo
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. A Mind-inspired Architecture for Adaptive HRI
- Author
-
Umbrico, Alessandro, De Benedictis, Riccardo, Fracasso, Francesca, Cesta, Amedeo, Orlandini, Andrea, and Cortellessa, Gabriella
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Isolation and genome characterization of Lloviu virus from Italian Schreibers’s bats
- Author
-
Gábor E. Tóth, Adam J. Hume, Ellen L. Suder, Safia Zeghbib, Ágota Ábrahám, Zsófia Lanszki, Zsaklin Varga, Zsófia Tauber, Fanni Földes, Brigitta Zana, Dino Scaravelli, Maria Teresa Scicluna, Andrea Pereswiet-Soltan, Tamás Görföl, Calogero Terregino, Paola De Benedictis, Isabel Garcia-Dorival, Covadonga Alonso, Ferenc Jakab, Elke Mühlberger, Stefania Leopardi, and Gábor Kemenesi
- Subjects
Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Abstract Lloviu cuevavirus (LLOV) was the first identified member of Filoviridae family outside the Ebola and Marburgvirus genera. A massive die-off of Schreibers’s bats (Miniopterus schreibersii) in the Iberian Peninsula in 2002 led to its initial discovery. Recent studies with recombinant and wild-type LLOV isolates confirmed the zoonotic nature of the virus in vitro. We examined bat samples from Italy for the presence of LLOV in an area outside of the currently known distribution range of the virus. We detected one positive sample from 2020, sequenced the complete coding region of the viral genome and established an infectious isolate of the virus. In addition, we performed the first comprehensive evolutionary analysis of the virus, using the Spanish, Hungarian and the Italian sequences. The most important achievement of this study is the establishment of an additional infectious LLOV isolate from a bat sample using the SuBK12-08 cells, demonstrating that this cell line is highly susceptible to LLOV infection and confirming the previous observation that these bats are effective hosts of the virus in nature. This result further strengthens the role of bats as the natural hosts for zoonotic filoviruses.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Learning models for classifying Raman spectra of genomic DNA from tumor subtypes
- Author
-
Giacomo Lancia, Claudio Durastanti, Cristian Spitoni, Ilaria De Benedictis, Antonio Sciortino, Emilio N. M. Cirillo, Mario Ledda, Antonella Lisi, Annalisa Convertino, and Valentina Mussi
- Subjects
Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Abstract An early and accurate detection of different subtypes of tumors is crucial for an effective guidance to personalized therapy and in predicting the ability of tumor to metastasize. Here we exploit the Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) platform, based on disordered silver coated silicon nanowires (Ag/SiNWs), to efficiently discriminate genomic DNA of different subtypes of melanoma and colon tumors. The diagnostic information is obtained by performing label free Raman maps of the dried drops of DNA solutions onto the Ag/NWs mat and leveraging the classification ability of learning models to reveal the specific and distinct physico-chemical interaction of tumor DNA molecules with the Ag/NW, here supposed to be partly caused by a different DNA methylation degree.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. Qualitative behavioral assessment of dogs with acute pain.
- Author
-
Francesca Zanusso, Barbara Contiero, Simona Normando, Flaviana Gottardo, and Giulia Maria De Benedictis
- Subjects
Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Free Choice Profiling (FCP) methodology allows observers to qualitatively assess animal behavior using their own vocabulary. This study aims to investigate the ability of 3 different observer groups to recognize pain-related emotions in 20 dogs using FCP methodology, and to compare FCP data with the Glasgow Composite Pain Scale-Short Form (GCPS- SF) scores. The observer groups consisted of 10 dog owners, 10 veterinary students and 10 veterinarians. Ten healthy ("healthy") dogs and 10 dogs showing clinical signs of pain ("pain") were filmed, and the resulting 20 footages were shown to observers who were blind to the pain-related nature of the study. All observers described and scored animals' emotional expression using FCP; then, students and veterinarians scored all dogs using GCPS- SF. FCP data were analyzed using Generalized Procrustes Analysis (GPA). Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) was used to determine the correlation among observer groups' FCP scores of the first two FCP dimensions (DIM1 and DIM2), and to compare GCPS-SF scores with FCP scores for the students and veterinarian observer groups. Each observer group reached a significant (p < 0.001) good consensus profile. "Healthy" dogs were mainly described as "quiet" and "lively", while the majority of "pain" dogs were considered "in pain" and "suffering". The correlation among FCP scores was high between owners' DIM1 and students' DIM1 (ρ = -0.86), owners' DIM2 and students' DIM2 (ρ = 0.72) and students' DIM2 and vets' DIM1 (ρ = 0.70). The correlation between GCPS-SF scores and FCP scores was high for students' DIM2 (ρ = 0.77) and for veterinarians' DIM1 (ρ = 0.92). Qualitative methods such as FCP could be used in association with semi-quantitative methods to evaluate the effect of pain on animal emotional expression. Observers' cultural background and personal experience did not substantially affect qualitative behavioral assessment in dogs with acute somatic pain.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. Cultures as networks of cultural traits: A unifying framework for measuring culture and cultural distances
- Author
-
De Benedictis, Luca, Rondinelli, Roberto, and Vinciotti, Veronica
- Subjects
Statistics - Applications ,Physics - Physics and Society ,62P20 (Primary), 62P25 (Secondary) - Abstract
Making use of the information from the World Value Survey (WVS), and operationalizing a definition of national culture that encompasses both the relevance of specific cultural traits and the interdependence among them, this paper proposes a methodology to reveal the latent structure of national culture and to measure cultural distance between countries that takes into account both the difference in cultural traits and the difference in the network structure of national cultures. Exploiting the possibilities offered by copula graphical models for discrete data, this paper infers the cultural networks of all the countries included in the WVS (Wave 6) and proposes a novel unifying framework to measure national culture and international cultural distances. The Jeffreys' divergence between copula graphical models, taken as the measure of cultural distance between countries, captures the orthogonality of the two components of cultural distance: the one based on cultural traits and the one based on the network structure among them. Moreover, the two components are shown to correlate with different national and structural characteristics of cultural networks, thus encompassing the different informational sets related to national cultures., Comment: 27 pages, 12 figures, 4 tables
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Gender bias in the Erasmus students network
- Author
-
De Benedictis, Luca and Leoni, Silvia
- Subjects
Physics - Physics and Society ,Economics - General Economics - Abstract
The Erasmus Program (EuRopean community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students), the most important student exchange program in the world, financed by the European Union and started in 1987, is characterized by a strong gender bias. Girls participate to the program more than boys. This work quantifies the gender bias in the Erasmus program between 2008 and 2013, using novel data at the university level. It describes the structure of the program in great details, carrying out the analysis across fields of study, and identifies key universities as senders and receivers. In addition, it tests the difference in the degree distribution of the Erasmus network along time and between genders, giving evidence of a greater density in the female Erasmus network with respect to the one of the male Erasmus network.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Segregation with Social Linkages: Evaluating Schelling's Model with Networked Individuals
- Author
-
Cerqueti, Roy, De Benedictis, Luca, and Sciabolazza, Valerio Leone
- Subjects
Economics - General Economics ,90B10, 91B08, 91D30 - Abstract
This paper generalizes the original Schelling (1969, 1971a,b, 2006) model of racial and residential segregation to a context of variable externalities due to social linkages. In a setting in which individuals' utility function is a convex combination of a heuristic function a la Schelling, of the distance to friends, and of the cost of moving, the prediction of the original model gets attenuated: the segregation equilibria are not the unique solutions. While the cost of distance has a monotonic pro-status-quo effect, equivalent to that of models of migration and gravity models, if friends and neighbours are formed following independent processes the location of friends in space generates an externality that reinforces the initial configuration if the distance to friends is minimal, and if the degree of each agent is high. The effect on segregation equilibria crucially depends on the role played by network externalities., Comment: 38 pages, 24 figures
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. Editorial: Equitable digital medicine and home health care
- Author
-
Francesco De Micco, Anna De Benedictis, Emanuele Lettieri, and Vittoradolfo Tambone
- Subjects
digital medicine ,home healthcare ,public health ethics ,clinical risk management ,policy and practice ,Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 - Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Structural networking of the developing brain: from maturation to neurosurgical implications
- Author
-
Alessandro De Benedictis, Maria Camilla Rossi-Espagnet, Luca de Palma, Silvio Sarubbo, and Carlo Efisio Marras
- Subjects
brain connectome ,white matter ,anatomo-functional maturation ,pediatric neurosurgery ,structural connectivity ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 ,Human anatomy ,QM1-695 - Abstract
Modern neuroscience agrees that neurological processing emerges from the multimodal interaction among multiple cortical and subcortical neuronal hubs, connected at short and long distance by white matter, to form a largely integrated and dynamic network, called the brain “connectome.” The final architecture of these circuits results from a complex, continuous, and highly protracted development process of several axonal pathways that constitute the anatomical substrate of neuronal interactions. Awareness of the network organization of the central nervous system is crucial not only to understand the basis of children’s neurological development, but also it may be of special interest to improve the quality of neurosurgical treatments of many pediatric diseases. Although there are a flourishing number of neuroimaging studies of the connectome, a comprehensive vision linking this research to neurosurgical practice is still lacking in the current pediatric literature. The goal of this review is to contribute to bridging this gap. In the first part, we summarize the main current knowledge concerning brain network maturation and its involvement in different aspects of normal neurocognitive development as well as in the pathophysiology of specific diseases. The final section is devoted to identifying possible implications of this knowledge in the neurosurgical field, especially in epilepsy and tumor surgery, and to discuss promising perspectives for future investigations.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Magnetic resonance imaging based neurosurgical planning on hololens 2: A feasibility study in a paediatric hospital
- Author
-
Martina Antonelli, Martina Lucignani, Chiara Parrillo, Francesco Grassi, Lorenzo Figà Talamanca, Maria C Rossi Espagnet, Carlo Gandolfo, Aurelio Secinaro, Luca Pasquini, Alessandro De Benedictis, Elisa Placidi, Luca De Palma, Carlo E Marras, Alessandra Marasi, and Antonio Napolitano
- Subjects
Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics ,R858-859.7 - Abstract
Objective The goal of this work is to show how to implement a mixed reality application (app) for neurosurgery planning based on neuroimaging data, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of its design. Methods Our workflow explains how to handle neuroimaging data, including how to load morphological, functional and diffusion tensor imaging data into a mixed reality environment, thus creating a first guide of this kind. Brain magnetic resonance imaging data from a paediatric patient were acquired using a 3 T Siemens Magnetom Skyra scanner. Initially, this raw data underwent specific software pre-processing and were subsequently transformed to ensure seamless integration with the mixed reality app. After that, we created three-dimensional models of brain structures and the mixed reality environment using Unity™ engine together with Microsoft® HoloLens 2™ device. To get an evaluation of the app we submitted a questionnaire to four neurosurgeons. To collect data concerning the performance of a user session we used Unity Performance Profiler. Results The use of the interactive features, such as rotating, scaling and moving models and browsing through menus, provided by the app had high scores in the questionnaire, and their use can still be improved as suggested by the performance data collected. The questionnaire's average scores were high, so the overall experiences of using our mixed reality app were positive. Conclusion We have successfully created a valuable and easy-to-use neuroimaging data mixed reality app, laying the foundation for more future clinical uses, as more models and data derived from various biomedical images can be imported.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Men and women candidates are similarly persistent after losing elections
- Author
-
Bernhard, Rachel and de Benedictis-Kessner, Justin
- Subjects
Political Science ,Human Society ,Female ,Humans ,Male ,Politics ,Regression Analysis ,Risk ,Sex Characteristics ,elections ,risk aversion ,rejection sensitivity ,gender ,ambition - Abstract
Are women more likely to quit politics after losing their first race than men? Women's first-time candidacies skyrocketed in the wake of the 2016 presidential election. Yet we have little sense of the long-term impact of this surge in women candidates on women's representation writ large: Inexperienced candidates are more likely to lose, and women might be especially discouraged by a loss. This might make the benefits of such a surge in candidacies fleeting. Using a regression discontinuity design and data that feature 212,805 candidates across 22,473 jurisdictions between 1950 and 2018, we find that women who narrowly lose these elections are no more likely to quit politics than men who narrowly lose. Drawing on scholarship on women's lower political ambition, we interpret these findings to mean that women's decision-making differs from men's at the point of entry into politics-not at the point of reentry.
- Published
- 2021
49. The structural connectivity of the human angular gyrus as revealed by microdissection and diffusion tractography
- Author
-
Petit, Laurent, Ali, Kariem Mahdy, Rheault, François, Boré, Arnaud, Cremona, Sandrine, Corsini, Francesco, De Benedictis, Alessandro, Descoteaux, Maxime, and Sarubbo, Silvio
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. An Urban Intelligence Architecture for Heterogeneous Data and Application Integration, Deployment and Orchestration
- Author
-
Stefano Silvestri, Giuseppe Tricomi, Salvatore Rosario Bassolillo, Riccardo De Benedictis, and Mario Ciampi
- Subjects
urban intelligence ,smart cities architecture ,data platform ,data integration ,smart cities workflows ,digital twins deployment ,Chemical technology ,TP1-1185 - Abstract
This paper describes a novel architecture that aims to create a template for the implementation of an IT platform, supporting the deployment and integration of the different digital twin subsystems that compose a complex urban intelligence system. In more detail, the proposed Smart City IT architecture has the following main purposes: (i) facilitating the deployment of the subsystems in a cloud environment; (ii) effectively storing, integrating, managing, and sharing the huge amount of heterogeneous data acquired and produced by each subsystem, using a data lake; (iii) supporting data exchange and sharing; (iv) managing and executing workflows, to automatically coordinate and run processes; and (v) to provide and visualize the required information. A prototype of the proposed IT solution was implemented leveraging open-source frameworks and technologies, to test its functionalities and performance. The results of the tests performed in real-world settings confirmed that the proposed architecture could efficiently and easily support the deployment and integration of heterogeneous subsystems, allowing them to share and integrate their data and to select, extract, and visualize the information required by a user, as well as promoting the integration with other external systems, and defining and executing workflows to orchestrate the various subsystems involved in complex analyses and processes.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
Catalog
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.