Ricordo del Professor Luigi Labruna

Ricordo del professor Luigi Labruna ( 9 maggio 1937- 13 luglio 2025

Academic Psychological Distress Scale: Development and Psychometric Validation of a Multidimensional Measure for University Students

This study aimed to develop and validate the Academic Psychological Distress Scale (APDS) to assess psychological distress in university students across multiple domains. Two student samples (N = 310 for exploratory factor analysis, EFA; N = 367 for confirmatory factor analysis, CFA) completed the preliminary scale alongside measures of academic and general psychological distress. EFA identified a 6-factor structure with 37 items, reduced to 25 items after CFA. The factors included academic anxiety, stress somatic responses, loneliness, negative self-worth, fatigue, and demoralization, with an excellent model fit (χ2/df = 2.31; RMSEA = .06 [CIs = .05, .06]; CFI = .94; TLI = .93; SRMR = .04). Furthermore, the APDS demonstrated evidence of convergent, discriminant, and construct validity, showing correlations with psychological distress, academic stress, and academic engagement and performance. Despite methodological and sample-related limitations, the APDS offers a reliable, multidimensional tool for assessing academic distress, supporting targeted interventions for university students

Projective path to points at infinity in spherically symmetric spacetimes

This paper proves that, in a four-dimensional spherically symmetric spacetime manifold, one can consider coordinate transformations expressed by fractional linear maps which give rise to isometries and are the simplest example of coordinate transformation used to bring infinity down to a finite distance. The projective boundary of spherically symmetric spacetimes here studied is the disjoint union of three points: future timelike infinity, past timelike infinity, spacelike infinity, and the threedimensional products of half-lines with a 2-sphere. Geodesics are then studied in the projectively transformed (t'; r'; theta'; phi') coordinates for Schwarzschild spacetime, with special interest in their way of approaching our points at infinity. Next, Nariai, de Sitter and Godel spacetimes are studied with our projective method. Since the kinds of infinity here defined depend only on the symmetry of interest in a spacetime manifold, they have a broad range of applications, which motivate the innovative analysis of Schwarzschild, Nariai, de Sitter and Godel spacetimes

Structural Features and In Vitro Antiviral Activities of Fungal Metabolites Sphaeropsidins A and B Against Bovine Coronavirus

The scientific community’s interest in natural compounds with antiviral properties has considerably increased after the emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), especially for their potential use in the treatment of the COVID-19 infection. From this perspective, bovine coronavirus (BCoV), member of the genus β-CoV, represents a valuable virus model to study human β-CoVs, bypassing the risks of handling highly pathogenic and contagious viruses. Pimarane diterpenes are a significant group of secondary metabolites produced by phytopathogenic fungi, including several Diplodia species. Among the members of this class of natural products, sphaeropsidin A (SphA) and its analog sphaeropsidin B (SphB) are well known for their bioactivities, such as antimicrobial, insecticidal, herbicidal, and anticancer. In this study, the antiviral effects of SphA and SphB were evaluated for the first time on bovine (MDBK) cells infected with BCoV. Our findings showed that both sphaeropsidins significantly increased cell viability in infected cells. These substances also caused substantial declines in the virus yield and in the levels of the viral spike S protein. Interestingly, during the treatment, a cellular defense mechanism was detected in the downregulation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling, which is affected by BCoV infection. We also observed that the presence of SphA and SphB determined the deacidification of the lysosomal environment in infected cells, which may be related to their antiviral activities. In addition, in silico investigations have been performed to elucidate the molecular mechanism governing the recognition of bovine AhR (bAhR) by Sphs. Molecular docking studies revealed significant insights into the structural determinants driving the bAhR binding by the examined compounds. Hence, in vitro and in silico results demonstrated that SphA and SphB are promising drug candidates for the development of efficient therapies able to fight a β-CoV-like BCoV during infection

Education paths in neuro-oncology: combining technical skills with multidisciplinary care. A survey from the AINO (Italian Association for Neuro-Oncology) Youngster Committee

Purpose: Neuro-oncology is a multidisciplinary subspecialty that has evolved and expanded tremendously over the last 20 years. In Europe, notwithstanding a number of commendable initiatives, neither a specific neuro-oncology training curriculum nor a consensus on the ideal training tools have been set. In this context, the Youngster Committee of the Italian Association for Neuro-Oncology (AINO) has run a nationwide survey to take a snapshot of the current situation of neuro-oncology education in Italy. Methods: Between July and November 2023, we distributed through AINO a 34-question survey addressed to all Italian care providers dealing with neuro-oncology, irrespective of specialty and level of experience, as per AINO mission. The questionnaire was disseminated using an open link. We analyzed and stratified answers according to epidemiological characteristics of the respondents, i.e. age, gender, role, years of experience, type and case load of their work Institutions, geographical region. Results: We collected 254 valid questionnaires. The majority of respondents were under 40 years old (62.6%); neurosurgeons formed the largest specialty group (48%). Residency was a key step for neuro-oncology education according to 33% of participants; notably, younger respondents gave a significantly more positive assessment of residency programs compared to older ones (72% vs. 56%, p = 0.0193). PhD programs in Italy are focused only on research, according to 30% of respondents. Regarding the tools for continuing medical education in neuro-oncology, a striking contrast between the ideal ones, which should be the frequent participation in dedicated courses (59% responses), and the actual one, which is scientific literature (55%), was recorded. Mentorship programs are rare and inconsistent and should be strengthened. More than 90% of participants declared multidisciplinary collaboration as fundamental. Multispecialty societies like AINO have a key role in strengthening education in neuro-oncology through the organization of structured post-graduate programs. Conclusion: The results of this survey, by describing the status of the neuro-oncology training paths in Italy, can lay the foundation for initiatives aimed at harmonizing neuro-oncology education in Italy and Europe. The creation of a shared neuro-oncology curriculum and of a network of mentors is suggested

Erhart Kästner’s Travel Accounts and Nazi Perceptions of Greece

This essay examines the work of the German writer Erhart Kästner, the author of a number of travel accounts on Greece published during the Second World War. Commissioned by the Wehrmacht, Kästner’s books were intended to provide German soldiers with knowledge about the country they were occupying and to serve as leisure reading. The essay focuses on Kästner ́s accounts, using them as a lens through which to examine how National Socialism's racial stereotyping of Greece was appropriated by the rank and file of the German army, shaping their perception of the country. On the other hand, it also investigates how a repertoire of stereotypes, deeply rooted in German and, more generally, Western culture, fed into the Nazis' ideological view of Greece during the occupation