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Abstract Playing music is a complex task that relies on the combination of musicians’ technical and expressive skills. While the literature has investigated the effects of musical expressivity on the listeners, the way how technical difficulty and emotional expressivity affect musicians during playing has surprisingly received no attention. In an attempt to fill this gap in the literature, we collected behavioral and physiological data from twelve violinists playing 29 pieces that included both technical exercises and excerpts from classical repertoire for violin. After playing each stimulus, participants rated it for emotional expressivity and technical difficulty. During the entire session, cardiac parameters and electrodermal activity were collected, together with the kinematic parameters of the bowing gesture. A set of Linear Mixed-Effect (LME) models suggested that emotional expressivity attributed to music affected the fluidity of bowing (i.e., smoothness), with the excerpts rated as more expressive being performed in a less smooth way. In contrast, LME models revealed no effects of expressivity and technical difficulty on any of the physiological parameters of violinists. Our results offer novel insights into the psychophysiological dynamics that link motor parameters with musical expressivity. These findings could influence educational practices in music and deepen our understanding of aesthetic emotions.

Abstract Background Two outbreaks of swinepox were investigated in free-range domestic pig farms located in the northeastern side of Sicily, Italy. The disease is generally self-limiting with a low mortality rate, but morbidity can reach high rates in case of poor sanitary conditions, improper husbandry practices and ectoparasitic infestation. The presented cases are the first ever reported on the island and part of the few cases reported in domestic pigs. Case presentation Carcasses condemned at the slaughterhouse and deceased pigs from Farm A and Farm B respectively, were referred for post-mortem examination and further investigations, with a strong suspect of SwinePox virus (SWPV) infection. Twelve deceased pigs were examined in total, showing poor body condition and pustular lesions scattered all over the cutaneous surfaces. Moreover, pigs from Farm B showed ocular lesions classified from Grade I to IV (from mild conjunctivitis to severe keratoconjunctivitis with corneal oedema, opacity, and ulcers). Final diagnosis was pursued by the microscopic assessment of skin lesions in both farms, which revealed the typical SWPV-lesion appearance, such as severe and disseminated ulcerative dermatitis and suspected inclusion bodies multifocally observed in the epidermis. Moreover, negative staining Electron Microscopy (nsEM) was performed on skin lesions and ocular swabs from Farm B, revealing in two samples the presence of brick-shaped viral particles, 220 nm long and 160 nm wide, with irregularly arranged surface tubules, identified as SWPV. The gene encoding the 482-bp fragment of the virus late transcription factor–3 was detected by PCR and sequencing revealed 99.79% identity and 100% query-cover with a strain previously isolated in Germany. Field clinical assessment was then performed in Farm B, revealing high overcrowding, poor sanitary conditions and improper husbandry practices, which are relevant risk factors for SWPV transmission. Conclusions The present is the first case report of SWPV in free-range pigs raised in Sicily, an island of the Southern coast of Italy, and wants to raise awareness on a neglected disease, and cause of animal health and welfare issues.

Background: Multiple myeloma is a malignant haematological neoplasm characterised by clonal proliferation of plasma cells, with a complex clinical picture, and a significant impact on patient survival, in which the prognosis evaluation of patients is of great importance. Objectives: In this single-centre retrospective analysis, performed in a group of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients, we examined several clinical and laboratory parameters in order to evaluate their trend according to survival of patients. Design: We collected data from 190 newly diagnosed multiple myeloma evaluated at the Hematology Division of the ‘Paolo Giaccone’ University Hospital of Palermo from 1 January 2017 to 30 September 2022. Specifically, we performed our analysis in the entire cohort of patients and also in the specific disease isotype. Methods: We evaluated simple and low-cost laboratory and haemorheological parameters, the latter obtained in a calculated way. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the trend and the differences of these parameters in the study population, divided into two specific groups, deceased and survivors after a specific observation period of almost 7 years. Results: In the entire cohort of multiple myeloma patients, we observed a mortality rate of 40%, of whom 36.4% were men and 43.1% were women. Among the patients who died, in comparison with those who survived, it is significantly evident the increase in age, in red cell distribution width (RDW), RDW%/albumin ratio and in the RDW%/haemoglobin ratio; moreover, in the same patients subgroup, we observed a reduction in haematocrit, total serum protein, calculated whole blood viscosity (evaluated according to the de Simone formula), serum albumin, albumin/fibrinogen ratio and in haemoglobin levels. Conclusion: The obtained data can represent a possible starting point for subsequent targeted analyses, aimed at studying the prognostic value of each individual parameter considered, favouring an increasingly complete and immediate prognostic evaluation of patients.

Several alternative paving materials, namely plastic, crumb rubber, steel slag, and construction and demolition waste, were incorporated into the construction of road pavements, highlighting their favorable environmental and economic outcomes. Despite the considerable demand for such sustainable practices, the effort is mainly confined to research activities and within a limited number of countries, preventing further advancements and broader validation capable of reaching full acceptance at the market level for alternative road materials. RILEM TC 279-WMR "Valorisation of Waste and Secondary Materials for Roads" sought to promote the adoption of these alternative paving materials based on inter-laboratory activities addressing the behavior of the bituminous blends designed with marginal materials aiming to define tailored methodologies targeting selection, preparation, and use at the production level. Experimental results indicate that using alternative materials can result in similar performance compared to the corresponding virgin materials, keeping in mind that mix designs might need to be adjusted, for example, using higher binder content. In addition, adopting appropriate test procedures is essential as such new composite can be susceptible to specific failure modes or scale effects. Furthermore, despite the mechanical performance, environmental and life cycle assessments need to be evaluated to ensure that such materials are sustainable and valuable.

Abstract Background Open arch surgery is technically demanding for the surgeon and surgically and biologically invasive for the patient, requiring a variably long period of hypothermic circulatory arrest. Case presentation Here we present a case of an elderly patient with chronic renal failure and multiple splanchnic artery disease successfully treated for a rupturing pseudoaneurysm of the aortic arch with a technique that we developed for particularly frail patients. The procedure includes: triple supra-aortic vessel perfusion; distal thoracic aorta antegrade perfusion; balloon endo-clamping of the descending aorta; and anastomosis of an off-the-shelf hybrid arch prosthesis in Ishimaru zone 0. These maneuvers allowed to maintain an extracorporeal circulation in the phase of distal anastomosis, instead of a period of circulatory arrest, employing just mild hypothermia: technical details are depicted and discussed also in comparison with other methods proposed in the literature. Conclusions Being able to take advantage of both open surgery advancements and endovascular methods is the key to cardiovascular surgery success today in front of complex pathologies of the aorta: increasing safety and reducing invasiveness of therapeutic options may progressively extend surgical candidacy to the frailest patients.

Fungal pathogens deploy a set of molecules (proteins, specialized metabolites, and sRNAs), so-called effectors, to aid the infection process. In comparison to other plant pathogens, smut fungi have small genomes and secretomes of 20 Mb and around 500 proteins, respectively. Previous comparative genomic studies have shown that many secreted effector proteins without known domains, i.e., novel, are conserved only in the Ustilaginaceae family. By analyzing the secretomes of 11 species within Ustilaginaceae, we identified 53 core homologous groups commonly present in this lineage. By collecting existing mutants and generating additional ones, we gathered 44 Ustilago maydis strains lacking single core effectors as well as 9 strains containing multiple deletions of core effector gene families. Pathogenicity assays revealed that 20 of these 53 mutant strains were affected in virulence. Among the 33 mutants that had no obvious phenotypic changes, 13 carried additional, sequence-divergent, structurally similar paralogs. We report a virulence contribution of seven previously uncharacterized single core effectors and of one effector family. Our results help to prioritize effectors for understanding U. maydis virulence and provide genetic resources for further characterization. [Graphic: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Global and regional environmental problems persist to this day, posing serious threats to the world and Lebanon. There is a data gap regarding environmental citizenship in Lebanon, despite numerous investigations and research done in relation to environmental problems. Current Lebanese eco-citizenship behaviours should be investigated. This article aims to quantitatively investigate Lebanese higher education students’ environmental citizenship. In this study, a survey method is used with a comparative approach and factorial analyses. The sample consisted of 355 Lebanese university students from 16 Lebanese educational institutions. Results show that participants declare relatively high environmental citizenship motivations, competences, and intentions. Conversely, they report low environmental past activities. Demographic factors such as gender, age, university (private vs. public), academic year, and major yielded significant differences among the measured factors. This paper encourages establishing feedback mechanisms to gather input from students on environmental educational programmes implementing sensitization and active youth participation in environmental sustainability.

ABSTRACTThis paper accompanies the Maps of Geohazard features of the Cilento and the Calabro-Tyrrhenian continental margin in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy). The main geohazard-related features were derived from extensive seafloor mapping through the collection of high-resolution multibeam data acquired during several oceanographic cruises. They encompass many fluids seepage features, fault scarps, landslides scars, gullies, channels, and canyons. Hazards related to coastal landslides and shelf-indenting canyons are very high in these sectors (especially in southern Calabria) due to active seismicity coupled with rapid uplift, high sedimentation rates and narrow or totally absent continental shelf, thus promoting a direct connection between steep slopes and coastal areas. In this setting, mass-wasting features can directly impact coastal or submarine infrastructures or indirectly create local tsunami waves, as observed in historical times. Moreover, this physiographic setting of the margin facilitates the transfer of marine litter toward deep-sea areas.

ABSTRACTWe present maps of geohazard features identified across north-western Sicily and Pantelleria in the framework of the Magic project (MArine Geohazard along Italian Coasts), which involved Italian marine geological researchers in 2007-2013. These seafloor features were recognized using high-resolution bathymetry data and rely on the morphological expression of the seafloor and shallow sub-surface processes. The north-western Sicily is a complex continental margin, affected by morphodynamic, depositional, and tectonic processes. The Egadi offshore is controlled by fault escarpments and alternating retreating and progradational processes. Ustica and Pantelleria submerged edifices show the effect of volcanic activity. The Ustica seafloor is interested in volcanic, tectonic, and gravitational instability processes, while the Pantelleria offshore underwent erosive-depositional processes and the effect of bottom currents. Two levels of interpretation are represented: the physiographic domain at a scale of 1:250.000 and the morphological units and morpho-bathymetric elements at a 1:100.000 scale.

Fiber optic sensors based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) technology have the potential to revolutionize the way vital signs of the human body are measured and monitored. By leveraging their unique properties, these sensors can provide accurate and reliable data, thus enhancing the effectiveness of wearable devices. The integration of FBG sensors into different materials not only broadens their application scope but also improves user comfort and device practicality. However, some challenges remain in optimizing the embedding process to ensure sensor performance and durability. This review provides an overview of FBG technology employed for measuring vital signs of the human body reported in the past decade. The focus of the review is on the FBG embedding strategies into different materials, categorized into these three main groups (i.e., 3D printed, textiles, and polymers) and explores the implications of embedding fiber optic sensors in each category. Furthermore, it discusses the potential impact of these embedded sensors on the accuracy, comfort, and practicality of wearable devices designed for monitoring vital signs, highlighting the potential of these sensors to transform the field of health monitoring. Future research directions may include exploring new materials for embedding and refining sensor design further to improve the accuracy and comfort of these wearable devices. Ultimately, the evolution of fiber optic sensors could significantly advance the field of human vital sign monitoring, paving the way for more sophisticated and user-friendly health monitoring systems.

Additive manufacturing technologies increasingly revolutionize current production techniques for object manufacturing. Particularly, fused deposition modeling (FDM) strongly impacts production processes by enabling the cost‐effective and efficient creation of structures with complex designs and innovative geometries. The use of conductive filaments in FDM printing is paving the way for the advancement of entirely printed sensors and circuits, although this domain is still in its early stages. In this article, the design and production of bilayer deformable pressure sensors fabricated using conductive thermoplastic polyurethane are investigated. The potential to vary the mechanical and electrical characteristics of FDM‐printed components by adjusting printing parameters is explored. The influence of different levels of material infill (20%, 50%, and 100%) and different contact geometries between layers (domes, pyramids, and cylinders) is studied. Electromechanical tests are carried out to characterize the sensor, applying pressures up to 22 kPa. The 3D‐printed pressure sensors demonstrate tunable mechanical and electrical sensitivities at different infill values, with the highest value of −6.3 kPa−1 achieved by using a pyramid layer at 100% infill. Sensor outputs registered during cyclic tests show reproducible responses with a wide range of sensitivity, paving the way for applicability in recording both static and periodic pressure changes.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily caused by Mycobacterium bovis. The infection affects domestic animals and wildlife, posing a zoonotic risk to humans. To understand the dynamics of transmission and genetic diversity in Italy’s M. bovis population, we conducted whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis on two prevalent genotypes, belonging to Spoligotype SB0120, identified in different geographical and temporal contexts. By comparing these genomes with international M. bovis isolates, we identified a distinct clade within the lineage La1.2, encompassing the Italian SB0120 isolates, indicating a genomic segregation of Italian M. bovis from other European isolates. Within Italy, a significant level of genetic variability emerged across regions, while isolates within epidemiologically linked outbreaks exhibited minimal genetic diversity. Additionally, isolates derived from cattle and wild boars within a tuberculosis hotspot in Central Italy and from cattle and black pigs in Sicily formed unified clonal clusters. This indicates the presence of persistent strains circulating in the examined regions. The genetic diversity within herds was limited, as specific clones endured over time within certain herds. This research enhances our comprehension of the epidemiology and transmission patterns of bTB in Italy, thereby aiding the development of precise control strategies and disease management. Using WGS and implementing standardized protocols and databases will be pivotal in combating bTB and promoting One-Health approaches to address this noteworthy public health concern.

Il contributo prende in considerazione i nomi commerciali dei formaggi italiani, con l’obiettivo di individuare elementi linguistici e culturali che possano essere integrati nella progettazione e realizzazione di percorsi didattici per l’insegnamento e l’apprendimento dell’italiano come lingua seconda e straniera. I nomi commerciali, evocando la qualità dei prodotti italiani, sono identificati come uno strumento per la diffusione e promozione del Made in Italy e, al contempo, possono rappresentare un elemento rilevante nella ricerca e nell’applicazione glottodidattica, nella prospettiva di favorire lo sviluppo della competenza onomastica, quale parte della competenza lessicale e interculturale. Nello studio si analizzano alcune denominazioni di formaggi italiani per individuarne le caratteristiche linguistiche, semantiche e pragmatiche; tale indagine si basa su un corpus di nomi selezionato a partire da risorse digitali e cartacee, quali schede di prodotti, guide gastronomiche, siti aziendali e istituzionali. Nel lavoro vengono illustrati poi esempi di attività e di percorsi didattici per l’italiano L2 focalizzati sui nomi di formaggi italiani, con l’obiettivo di promuovere la conoscenza del territorio e della cultura gastronomica italiana. THE NAMES OF ITALIAN CHEESES: BETWEEN LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND TERRITORY The contribution considers the trade names of Italian cheese, with the aim of identifying the linguistic and cultural elements that can be integrated in the design and implementation of educational paths for the teaching and learning of Italian as a second and foreign language. Trade names, evoking the quality of Italian products, are identified as a tool for the dissemination and promotion of the Made in Italy. At the same time, they represent a relevant element in the teaching research and practice as they can foster the development of the onomastic competence as part of the lexical and intercultural competence. This study analyses some Italian cheese names in order to identify their linguistic, semantic and pragmatic characteristics, basing the research on a corpus of names selected from digital and paper documents, such as product cards, gastronomic guides, company and institutional websites. The paper then illustrates examples of activities and educational paths for Italian L2 focused on the names of Italian cheese, with the aim of promoting knowledge of the territory and of the Italian gastronomic culture.

This work aims at studying why azodicarbonamide (ADCA), a formally apolar compound with good hydrogen bond (HB) acceptors, is soluble only in polar aprotic solvents like dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) but not in water. Solubility measurements, as well as quantum mechanical and classical molecular dynamics simulations, were employed to tackle the problem. We found that in the liquid phase a polar conformer of ADCA (µ = 8.7 D), unreported to date, is favoured under the enthalpic drive provided by a highly polar solvent. At the same time, the very high hydrogen bond propensity of water with itself prevents this solvent from providing an effective hydrogen bond-mediated solvation. Solvents bearing good HB acceptors, while lacking strong HB donors, contribute to further stabilizing solute–solvent adducts through weak and fluxional HBs that involve the amide groups of ADCA. Implications for the solubility of ADCA down to µM concentrations were evaluated, also with the aid of classical simulations of solution nanodroplets.

There has been continuous progress in diabetes management over the last few decades, not least due to the widespread dissemination of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and automated insulin delivery systems. These technological advances have radically changed the daily lives of people living with diabetes, improving the quality of life of both children and their families. Despite this, hypoglycemia remains the primary side-effect of insulin therapy. Based on a systematic review of the available scientific evidence, this paper aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for recognizing, risk stratifying, treating, and managing patients with hypoglycemia. The objective of these recommendations is to unify the behavior of pediatric diabetologists with respect to the timely recognition and prevention of hypoglycemic episodes and the correct treatment of hypoglycemia, especially in patients using CGM or advanced hybrid closed-loop systems. All authors have long experience in the specialty and are members of the Italian Society of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology. The goal of treating hypoglycemia is to raise blood glucose above 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) and to prevent further decreases. Oral glucose at a dose of 0.3 g/kg (0.1 g/kg for children using “smart pumps” or hybrid closed loop systems in automated mode) is the preferred treatment for the conscious individual with blood glucose