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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Bravo, L, et al.
(author)
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- 2021
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swepub:Mat__t
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| 4. |
- Tabiri, S, et al.
(author)
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- 2021
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swepub:Mat__t
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| 5. |
- Glasbey, JC, et al.
(author)
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- 2021
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swepub:Mat__t
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Ferrario, M., et al.
(author)
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IRIDE : Interdisciplinary research infrastructure based on dual electron linacs and lasers
- 2014
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In: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-9002 .- 1872-9576. ; 740, s. 138-146
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper describes the scientific aims and potentials as well as the preliminary technical design of RUDE, an innovative tool for multi-disciplinary investigations in a wide field of scientific, technological and industrial applications. IRIDE will be a high intensity "particles factory", based on a combination of high duty cycle radio-frequency superconducting electron linacs and of high energy lasers. Conceived to provide unique research possibilities for particle physics, for condensed matter physics, chemistry and material science, for structural biology and industrial applications, IRIDE will open completely new research possibilities and advance our knowledge in many branches of science and technology. [RIDE is also supposed to be realized in subsequent stages of development depending on the assigned priorities.
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| 8. |
- Abbadessa, G, et al.
(author)
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Unsung hero Robert C. Gallo
- 2009
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In: Science (New York, N.Y.). - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1095-9203 .- 0036-8075. ; 323:5911, s. 206-207
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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| 9. |
- Gerkin, RC, et al.
(author)
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The best COVID-19 predictor is recent smell loss: a cross-sectional study
- 2020
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In: medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences. - : Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- BackgroundCOVID-19 has heterogeneous manifestations, though one of the most common symptoms is a sudden loss of smell (anosmia or hyposmia). We investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19.MethodsThis preregistered, cross-sectional study used a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness. We quantified changes in chemosensory abilities during the course of the respiratory illness using 0-100 visual analog scales (VAS) for participants reporting a positive (C19+; n=4148) or negative (C19-; n=546) COVID-19 laboratory test outcome. Logistic regression models identified singular and cumulative predictors of COVID-19 status and post-COVID-19 olfactory recovery.ResultsBoth C19+ and C19-groups exhibited smell loss, but it was significantly larger in C19+ participants (mean±SD, C19+: -82.5±27.2 points; C19-: -59.8±37.7). Smell loss during illness was the best predictor of COVID-19 in both single and cumulative feature models (ROC AUC=0.72), with additional features providing negligible model improvement. VAS ratings of smell loss were more predictive than binary chemosensory yes/no-questions or other cardinal symptoms, such as fever or cough. Olfactory recovery within 40 days was reported for ∼50% of participants and was best predicted by time since illness onset.ConclusionsAs smell loss is the best predictor of COVID-19, we developed the ODoR-19 tool, a 0-10 scale to screen for recent olfactory loss. Numeric ratings ≤2 indicate high odds of symptomatic COVID-19 (4<OR<10), which can be deployed when viral lab tests are impractical or unavailable.
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| 10. |
- Oleszkiewicz, A., et al.
(author)
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Hedonic perception of odors in children aged 5–8 years is similar across 18 countries : Preliminary data
- 2022
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In: International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-5876 .- 1872-8464. ; 157
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Olfactory preference emerges very early in life, and the sense of smell in children rapidly develops until the second decade of life. It is still unclear whether hedonic perception of odors is shared in children inhabiting different regions of the globe.Methods: Five-hundred ten healthy children (N = 510; ngirls = 256; nboys = 254) aged from 5 to 8 years from 18 countries rated the pleasantness of 17 odors.Results: The hedonic perception of odors in children aged between 5 and 8 years was rather consistent across 18 countries and mainly driven by the qualities of an odor and the overall ability of children to label odorants.Conclusion: Conclusions from this study, being a secondary analysis, are limited to the presented set of odors that were initially selected for the development of U-Sniff test and present null findings for the cross-cultural variability in hedonic perception of odors across 18 countries. These two major issues should be addressed in the future to either contradict or replicate the results presented herewith. This research lays fundament for posing further research questions about the developmental aspects of hedonic perception of odors and opens a new door for investigating cross-cultural differences in chemosensory perception of children.
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| 14. |
- Coggi, D, et al.
(author)
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Relationship between Circulating PCSK9 and Markers of Subclinical Atherosclerosis-The IMPROVE Study
- 2021
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In: Biomedicines. - : MDPI AG. - 2227-9059. ; 9:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- (1) Background and purpose: circulating proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is one of the key regulators of cholesterol metabolism. Despite this, its role as a player in atherosclerosis development is still matter of debate. Here, we investigated the relationships between this protein and several markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. (2) Methods: the IMPROVE study enrolled 3703 European subjects (54–79 years; 48% men; with ≥3 vascular risk factors), asymptomatic for cardiovascular diseases. PCSK9 levels were measured by ELISA. B-mode ultrasound was used to measure markers of carotid subclinical atherosclerosis. (3) Results: in the crude analysis, PCSK9 levels were associated with several baseline measures of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) (all p < 0.0001); with cIMT change over time (Fastest-IMTmax-progr) (p = 0.01); with inter-adventitia common carotid artery diameter (ICCAD) (p < 0.0001); and with the echolucency (Grey Scale Median; GSM) of both carotid plaque and plaque-free common carotid IMT (both p < 0.0001). However, after adjustment for age, sex, latitude, and pharmacological treatment, all the afore-mentioned correlations were no longer statistically significant. The lack of correlation was also observed after stratification for sex, latitude, and pharmacological treatments. (4) Conclusions: in subjects who are asymptomatic for cardiovascular diseases, PCSK9 plasma levels do not correlate with vascular damage and/or subclinical atherosclerosis of extracranial carotid arteries.
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| 15. |
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| 16. |
- Gerkin, Richard C., et al.
(author)
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Recent Smell Loss Is the Best Predictor of COVID-19 Among Individuals With Recent Respiratory Symptoms
- 2021
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In: Chemical Senses. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0379-864X .- 1464-3553. ; 46
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In a preregistered, cross-sectional study, we investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19 using a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness. We quantified changes in chemosensory abilities during the course of the respiratory illness using 0–100 visual analog scales (VAS) for participants reporting a positive (C19+; n = 4148) or negative (C19−; n = 546) COVID-19 laboratory test outcome. Logistic regression models identified univariate and multivariate predictors of COVID-19 status and post-COVID-19 olfactory recovery. Both C19+ and C19− groups exhibited smell loss, but it was significantly larger in C19+ participants (mean ± SD, C19+: −82.5 ± 27.2 points; C19−: −59.8 ± 37.7). Smell loss during illness was the best predictor of COVID-19 in both univariate and multivariate models (ROC AUC = 0.72). Additional variables provide negligible model improvement. VAS ratings of smell loss were more predictive than binary chemosensory yes/no-questions or other cardinal symptoms (e.g., fever). Olfactory recovery within 40 days of respiratory symptom onset was reported for ~50% of participants and was best predicted by time since respiratory symptom onset. We find that quantified smell loss is the best predictor of COVID-19 amongst those with symptoms of respiratory illness. To aid clinicians and contact tracers in identifying individuals with a high likelihood of having COVID-19, we propose a novel 0–10 scale to screen for recent olfactory loss, the ODoR-19. We find that numeric ratings ≤2 indicate high odds of symptomatic COVID-19 (4 < OR < 10). Once independently validated, this tool could be deployed when viral lab tests are impractical or unavailable.
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| 17. |
- Hochleitner, I., et al.
(author)
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Intra- and inter-rater reliability of the Italian Fugl-Meyer assessment of upper and lower extremity
- 2023
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In: Disability and Rehabilitation. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0963-8288 .- 1464-5165. ; 45:18, s. 2989-2999
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose To assess the intra- and inter-rater reliability motor and sensory functioning, balance, joint range of motion and joint pain subscales of the Italian Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) and Lower Extremity (FMA-LE) at the item- subtotal- and total-level in patients with sub-acute stroke. Materials and methods The FMA was administered to 60 patients with sub-acute stroke (mean age +/- SD = 75.4 +/- 10.7 years; 58.3% men) and independently rated by two physiotherapists on two consecutive days. Intra- and inter-reliability was studied by a rank-based statistical method for paired ordinal data to detect any systematic or random disagreement. Results The item-level intra- and inter-rater reliability was satisfactory (>70%). Reliability level >70% was achieved at subscale and total score level when one- or two-points difference was considered. Systematic disagreements were reported for five items of the FMA-UE, but not for FMA-LE. Conclusions The Italian version of the FMA showed to be a reliable instrument that can therefore be recommended for clinical and research purposes.
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| 18. |
- Parma, Valentina, et al.
(author)
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More Than Smell—COVID-19 Is Associated With Severe Impairment of Smell, Taste, and Chemesthesis
- 2020
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In: Chemical Senses. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0379-864X .- 1464-3553. ; 45:7, s. 609-622
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent anecdotal and scientific reports have provided evidence of a link between COVID-19 and chemosensory impairments, such as anosmia. However, these reports have downplayed or failed to distinguish potential effects on taste, ignored chemesthesis, and generally lacked quantitative measurements. Here, we report the development, implementation, and initial results of a multilingual, international questionnaire to assess self-reported quantity and quality of perception in 3 distinct chemosensory modalities (smell, taste, and chemesthesis) before and during COVID-19. In the first 11 days after questionnaire launch, 4039 participants (2913 women, 1118 men, and 8 others, aged 19–79) reported a COVID-19 diagnosis either via laboratory tests or clinical assessment. Importantly, smell, taste, and chemesthetic function were each significantly reduced compared to their status before the disease. Difference scores (maximum possible change ±100) revealed a mean reduction of smell (−79.7 ± 28.7, mean ± standard deviation), taste (−69.0 ± 32.6), and chemesthetic (−37.3 ± 36.2) function during COVID-19. Qualitative changes in olfactory ability (parosmia and phantosmia) were relatively rare and correlated with smell loss. Importantly, perceived nasal obstruction did not account for smell loss. Furthermore, chemosensory impairments were similar between participants in the laboratory test and clinical assessment groups. These results show that COVID-19-associated chemosensory impairment is not limited to smell but also affects taste and chemesthesis. The multimodal impact of COVID-19 and the lack of perceived nasal obstruction suggest that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus strain 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection may disrupt sensory-neural mechanisms.
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| 19. |
- Quinn, K., et al.
(author)
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Weibel-Induced Filamentation during an Ultrafast Laser-Driven Plasma Expansion
- 2012
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In: Physical Review Letters. - American Physical Society. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 108:13, s. 135001-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The development of current instabilities behind the front of a cylindrically expanding plasma has been investigated experimentally via proton probing techniques. A multitude of tubelike filamentary structures is observed to form behind the front of a plasma created by irradiating solid-density wire targets with a high-intensity (I∼1019 W/cm2), picosecond-duration laser pulse. These filaments exhibit a remarkable degree of stability, persisting for several tens of picoseconds, and appear to be magnetized over a filament length corresponding to several filament radii. Particle-in-cell simulations indicate that their formation can be attributed to a Weibel instability driven by a thermal anisotropy of the electron population. We suggest that these results may have implications in astrophysical scenarios, particularly concerning the problem of the generation of strong, spatially extended and sustained magnetic fields in astrophysical jets.
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| 20. |
- Sarri, Gianluca, et al.
(author)
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Dynamics of Self-Generated, Large Amplitude Magnetic Fields Following High-Intensity Laser Matter Interaction
- 2012
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In: Physical Review Letters. - : American Physical Society. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 109:20, s. 205002-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The dynamics of magnetic fields with an amplitude of several tens of megagauss, generated at both sides of a solid target irradiated with a high-intensity (∼1019 W/cm2) picosecond laser pulse, has been spatially and temporally resolved using a proton imaging technique. The amplitude of the magnetic fields is sufficiently large to have a constraining effect on the radial expansion of the plasma sheath at the target surfaces. These results, supported by numerical simulations and simple analytical modeling, may have implications for ion acceleration driven by the plasma sheath at the rear side of the target as well as for the laboratory study of self-collimated high-energy plasma jets.
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Cecchi, F., et al.
(author)
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Transcultural translation and validation of Fugl–Meyer assessment to Italian
- 2021
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In: Disability and Rehabilitation. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0963-8288 .- 1464-5165. ; 43:25, s. 3717-3722
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: The Fugl–Meyer Assessment is the most used and highly recommended clinical assessment of sensorimotor function after stroke. A standardized use of the scale in different countries requires translation and cultural validation to the target language. The objective of the study was to develop an official Italian version of the scale by transcultural translation and validation. Methods: A standardized multistep translation protocol was adopted to achieve optimal conceptual and semantic equivalence. The developed Italian version was validated in 10 post-stroke hemiparetic patients. Items with low intra- and interrater agreement, quantified as percentage of agreement <70% and/or statistically significant disagreement in relative position or concentration, between different raters were identified and revised. Results: All motor items received a high level of agreement with values well above 70%. Disagreements were observed in 6 items in the sensory, joint range and pain domains and 1 in one reflex item. Items showing disagreements were discussed and revised to establish the final Italian version. Conclusions: The culturally validated Italian Fugl–Meyer Assessment can reliably be used in research and in clinical practice. A standardized use will improve the quality of sensorimotor assessment in stroke across Italy and allow reliable comparisons of stroke populations internationally.Implications for rehabilitation The Fugl–Meyer Assessment is the gold standard for evaluation of sensorimotor impairment after stroke. Having access to a transculturally validated official Italian version of Fugl–Meyer Assessment will improve the quality of sensorimotor assessment after stroke among Italian health professionals and researchers. A wider standardized use of the Fugl–Meyer Assessment in Italy will allow reliable international comparison of stroke rehabilitation outcomes. © 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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| 23. |
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| 24. |
- Fantin, F, et al.
(author)
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The Importance of Nutrition in Hypertension
- 2019
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In: Nutrients. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-6643. ; 11:10
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Arterial hypertension (AH) is considered to be one of the most relevant cardiovascular risk factors, and its wide prevalence in all age ranges makes it necessary to analyse all the possible causes and treatments. In this special issue, nutritional interventions are examined either as causes or as treatments of AH. [...]
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| 25. |
- Macchi, A., et al.
(author)
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Extreme high field plasmonics : Electron acceleration and XUV harmonic generation from ultrashort surface plasmons
- 2019
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In: Physics of Plasmas. - : AIP Publishing. - 1070-664X .- 1089-7674. ; 26:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Experiments on the excitation of propagating surface plasmons (SPs) by an ultrashort, high intensity laser interaction with grating targets are reviewed. At intensities exceeding 10 19 W cm -2 on target, i.e., in the strongly relativistic regime of electron dynamics, multi-megaelectronvolt electrons are accelerated by the SP field as dense bunches collimated in a near-tangent direction. By the use of a suitable blazed grating, the bunch charge can be increased up to ≈660 pC. Intense extreme ultraviolet high harmonics (HHs) diffracted by the grating are observed when a plasma with a submicrometer scale is produced at the target surface by a controlled prepulse. When the SP is excited, the HHs are strongly enhanced in a direction quasi-parallel to the electrons. Simulations suggest that the HHs are boosted by nanobunching in the SP field of the electrons which scatter the laser field. Besides the static and dynamic tailoring of the target density profile, further control of electron and HH emission might be achieved by changing the SP duration using a laser pulse with a rotating wavefront. The latter technique may allow the production of nearly single-cycle SPs.
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