Gradings and graded identities of null-filiform Leibniz algebras

We classify gradings on null-filiform Leibniz algebras up to equivalence over arbitrary fields. Furthermore, we provide a basis for the graded identities and determine a basis of the relatively free algebra. As a consequence, we establish that the ideal of all graded identities of null-filiform Leibniz algebras satisfy the Specht property. Finally, we extend these results to infinite-dimensional analogs of null-filiform Leibniz algebras

Unveiling Visual Features in Artwork Classification: Towards Explainable Vision Transformers in the Arts

Recent advances in deep learning have enabled accurate artwork classification using models such as Vision Transformers (ViTs). However, interpreting the internal mechanisms behind such decisions remains challenging, especially in the abstract and symbolic domain of visual arts. We propose an interpretability framework that combines feature visualization via activation maximization with natural language grounding through a Multimodal Large Language Model. Our method extracts class-specific visual patterns learned by ViTs, synthesizes prototype images that activate key features, and generates human-readable descriptions. Applied to a large-scale art dataset, the approach reveals that ViTs attend to subtle and abstract cues—such as texture, shape, and composition—differently from natural image tasks. The resulting visual and textual explanations offer valuable insight into model behavior and move toward more transparent, human-aligned AI systems for art analysis

Alteration of brain activity in adolescent bipolar disorder: impact of positive emotional stimuli on attentional process

Background There is limited literature on emotional regulation and cognitive control in adolescent patients with bipolar disorder (BD) in response to positive emotional stimuli. Few brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have employed emotion-based Go/No-Go tasks to examine neural process underlying BD. This study aimed to investigate alterations of brain activity on fMRI during positive emotional stimuli (i.e., happy faces) and its impact on attentional processing in adolescent patients with BD. Method This study enrolled 43 adolescents diagnosed with BD and 18 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. All participants underwent structured interviews, questionnaire/scale assessment for BD symptoms, and task-based brain fMRI with an emotional Go/No-Go paradigm. Clinical data and neural activity in response to neutral and positive emotional stimuli were compared between the groups. Results Compared to the healthy controls, the patients with BD showed significantly increased activity in key regions within the cognitive control network, the default mode network, and the limbic system under the “happy-Go minus neutral-Go” condition during the brain fMRI. Notably, hyperactivation in the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, left opercular part of the inferior frontal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, and left thalamus was significantly correlated with the emotional Go omission rate. Conclusion This study showed alteration of brain activity in specific brain regions for attentional control and emotional regulation in adolescents with BD during positive emotional stimuli. The results of this study enhance our understanding of neurobiological mechanisms underlying adolescent BD and implicate potential treatment strategies focusing on attentional training and emotional management

Proximity as core to co-design in global health

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Food Poverty, Health, and Innovation: the Impact of new food frontiers on the social context

Food preferences have long been increasingly influenced by sensitivity to ethics and the sustainability of production processes, from the beginning of the supply chain to the table. All this must be considered the food poverty that affects a large segment of the population. In fact, the propensity for healthy products is growing, with methods of use and purchase based on sustainability and a shared concept of well-being. However, the main obstacle to the development of new food systems continues to be inequality in access to food. To respond to the needs arising from food poverty, which has predominantly social and not only economic or nutritional characteristics, research, with the aim of defining an indicator for evaluating the phenomenon, has identified three fundamental indicators dimensions of analysis with respect to nutrition: material and/or social food deprivation index (DAMS), risk of food poverty index, relative food poverty index. We proceeded with a comparative analysis within the Italian regions, through a Gaussian Mixture cluster analysis. The analysis highlighted problems such as malnutrition and incorrect nutrition, two opposing problems whose paradoxical correlation is typical of our era. The study, therefore, highlighted how it is necessary to put people’s needs at the center, with a synergic and non-substitutive welfare system with respect to the public and contractual one, focused on social Globalization, Social innovation, beyond the list of services and benefits provided. The objective is therefore to satisfy real individual needs, supporting people in identifying a customized service

Uncovering Lung Lesion Patterns in Computed Tomography Scans Through Topological Machine Learning

This paper presents a novel Topological Machine Learning (TML) framework aimed at improving the classification of lung lesions in CT scans. The approach integrates topological data analysis with machine learning, leveraging persistent homology to derive a set of robust topological descriptors–including functional, vector-based, and image-based features. These descriptors represent the intrinsic shape and structure of lung lesions at multiple scales and, once properly converted into numerical feature vectors, are suitable for use in various classification algorithms. The framework is evaluated on the publicly available IQ-OTH/NCCD dataset, showing high classification accuracy and consistent performance across lesion types. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of TML –and topology more broadly–in extracting meaningful patterns from complex medical imaging data while maintaining interpretability and data efficiency. The proposed methodology offers a promising alternative to conventional radiomics or deep learning methods, especially in scenarios where model transparency, limited training data, and generalization are critical for clinical decision-making and diagnostics

Basidiomycetes as Eco-Friendly Biocontrol Agents Against Postharvest Fungal Pathogens

Postharvest losses of fruits and vegetables attributable to phytopathogenic fungi and suboptimal handling practices remain a critical challenge worldwide. Ubiquitous postharvest pathogens, including Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium avenaceum, are responsible for severe decay during both pre-harvest and postharvest stages. Several of these fungi are also capable of producing toxic secondary metabolites, commonly referred to as mycotoxins, posing additional risks to food safety. Disease control strategies have traditionally relied on the extensive application of synthetic fungicides during crop production and storage. Nevertheless, increasing concerns regarding fungicide resistance, environmental sustainability, and consumer health have prompted the search for alternative, eco-compatible disease management approaches. In the present study, basidiomycete strains belonging to the genera Ganoderma, Laetiporus and Fomitopsis, known for their applications in traditional medicine, were morphologically and molecularly characterized and assessed for their biocontrol potential against selected postharvest fungal pathogens. Antagonistic activity was evaluated using both living mycelia and cell-free culture filtrates on different growth media, under in vitro and in vivo conditions. The tested basidiomycetes did not exert any phytotoxic effects on the host fruits and significantly suppressed pathogen growth. Notably, extracellular metabolites present in the basidiomycete culture filtrates exhibited pronounced antifungal activity, leading to a marked reduction in pathogen viability. Furthermore, in vivo assays demonstrated a decreased capacity of the phytopathogens to colonize fruit tissues following treatment. Although validation through large-scale and commercial trials is required, these results indicate that basidiomycetes represent a promising source of biological control agents for the sustainable management of postharvest diseases

Field Susceptibility of Almond (Prunus dulcis) Cultivars to Red Leaf Blotch Caused by Polystigma amygdalinum in Apulia (Italy) and Influence of Environmental Conditions

Polystigma amygdalinum the causal agent of Red Leaf Blotch (RLB), is responsible for one of the most important foliar diseases affecting almond [Prunus dulcis (Miller) D.A. Webb] in the Mediterranean Basin and the Middle East. The study is aimed at improving knowledge on RLB epidemiology and the role of environmental conditions in disease development. Field monitoring was conducted from 2022 to 2025 in three almond orchards located in Apulia (southern Italy) and characterized by different microclimatic conditions. A total of 39 cultivars, including Apulian local germplasm and international cultivars (‘Belona’, ‘Genco’, ‘Guara’, ‘Ferragnès’, ‘Filippo Ceo’, ‘Lauranne® Avijor’, ‘Soleta’, and ‘Supernova’), were evaluated. Symptoms occurred from late spring to summer, resulting particularly severe on ‘Guara’ and ‘Lauranne® Avijor’, whereas ‘Belona’, ‘Ferragnès’, ‘Genco’, and ‘Supernova’ exhibited the highest tolerance. To our knowledge, this is also the first report of RLB tolerance by ‘Filippo Ceo’, ‘Ficarazza’, ‘Centopezze’, and ‘Rachele piccola’ representing potential genetic resources for breeding programs. Moreover, these findings reinforced previous observations proving that RLB was less severe on medium-late and late cultivars. Disease incidence varied significantly among sites and years and was strongly associated with increased rainfall, higher relative humidity, and mild temperatures recorded in November, influencing disease occurrence in the following growing season. P. amygdalinum was consistently detected by qPCR in all RLB-affected tissues and, in some cases, from mixed early RLB + Pseudomonas-like symptoms. From some leaves with early RLB symptoms, P. amygdalinum was also successfully isolated in pure culture. Overall, our results provide clear evidence that P. amygdalinum is the sole fungal pathogen consistently associated with typical RLB symptoms in Apulia (southern Italy) and highlight important cultivar-dependent differences. Its frequent molecular detection in leaves showing atypical or mixed symptoms suggests unresolved epidemiological aspects requiring further investigation

Liposome-metal nanoparticle based sensing systems for (bio)analytical applications

Liposome-metal nanoparticle (MeNP) hybrids have emerged as promising platforms for biosensing due to their low toxicity, enhanced stability, and ability to improve selectivity and signal amplification. This review comprehensively explores the state-of-the-art applications of these hybrid systems in the (bio)analytical domain. Depending on the particular bioassay, MeNPs can be strategically positioned within liposomes in three distinct regions: encapsulated in the aqueous core, embedded in the lipid bilayer, or attached to the phospholipid membrane surface. These configurations enable MeNP-liposome hybrids to operate as (i) signal-generating labels, (ii) carriers for bioreagents, (iii) entities for target sequestration or interference mitigation, and (iv) signal readout amplification. We delve into various analytical applications based on the signal transduction system, including electrochemistry, fluorescence, colorimetry, electrochemiluminescence, photoelectrochemistry, surface plasmon resonance, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Representative examples from the last decade illustrate the diverse and innovative uses of these composite materials in the field of biosensing

Sulle tracce della Socialdemocrazia l'altra storia dei socialisti italiani 1925-1964

La vicenda dei socialdemocratici italiani, sin dalla costituzione in partito, con la scissione di palazzo Barberini del gennaio 1947, è stata a lungo trascurata. Su questa damnatio memoriae ha pesato un insieme di pregiudizi ideologici, luoghi comuni storiografici, strumentale propaganda politica, accomunati in un giudizio liquidatorio che attribuiva al partito di Saragat (il PSLI, poi PSDI) la responsabilità di aver favorito la sconfitta del Fronte popolare nelle elezioni dell’aprile 1948 e, quindi, la pluridecennale egemonia democristiana e conservatrice. Secondo questa vulgata, i socialdemocratici, sostenendo il piano Marshall, promosso dagli Stati Uniti d’America, e collaborando al governo con De Gasperi, sin dal 1947, avrebbero operato un vero e proprio “tradimento” delle istanze dei ceti operai e popolari, con un “asservimento” alle politiche americane. Certo è che dopo le elezioni del 1948, e la successiva adesione al Patto atlantico nel 1949, la “scelta del campo occidentale” per l’Italia fu definitiva: Saragat e i socialdemocratici la sostennero con forza e convinzione, nonostante l’assenza dei socialisti di Nenni, schierati al fianco del PCI e dell’Unione Sovietica sino alla metà degli anni Cinquanta. Un legame, quest’ultimo, che – come è noto – impedì al PSI di partecipare al governo del paese negli anni della Ricostruzione e dell’integrazione europea (favorite, soprattutto, dagli aiuti statunitensi), quando l’Italia rialzò la testa dopo i drammi del fascismo e della guerra. Una valutazione superficiale e censoria ha riguardato le vicende dei socialdemocratici italiani anche negli anni Cinquanta e Sessanta, dall’incontro di Pralognan tra Saragat e Nenni (1956) sino alla partecipazione ai governi di centro-sinistra “organico” guidati da Moro (1963), in una vicenda politica che cominciò a delinearsi dalla seconda metà degli anni Cinquanta, avendo fra le sue premesse la scissione di palazzo Barberini. Da quel momento in poi, infatti, l’impegno di Saragat e dei suoi compagni di partito fu volto alla riunificazione del socialismo italiano – sul modello delle socialdemocrazie europee – per enucleare il PSI di Nenni dal “frontismo” con i comunisti e farlo approdare alle rive della cultura occidentale e socialista-liberale. Un impegno di lungo periodo, quello di Saragat e dei socialdemocratici italiani, durato un quindicennio, con l’obiettivo – avviata la Ricostruzione, attraverso i processi d’integrazione europea (grazie al piano Marshall, ritenuto dal PSLI indispensabile per la creazione degli Stati Uniti d’Europa) e atlantica (con l’adesione dell’Italia al sistema militare difensivo della degasperiano” – di condurre il sistema politico italiano verso una nuova e duratura configurazione, coinvolgendo, nel governo della Repubblica, quelle altre forze riformiste di sinistra, espressione più diretta delle classi lavoratrici messe a dura prova dagli scompensi sociali generati dal “miracolo economico”. Così, nel biennio 1962-1963, come in quello 1947-1948, il sistema politico italiano segnò una svolta fondamentale – verso il consolidamento di libere istituzioni democratiche e di un’economia sociale di mercato, in direzione europeista e atlantista – nella quale i socialdemocratici di Saragat furono attivi protagonisti. L’“autonomismo” socialista, affermato, infine, da Nenni – con il sostegno alla formula del centro-sinistra e la partecipazione ai governi Moro –, era già nato e cresciuto da tre lustri fra le file del PSDI e il PSI lo faceva proprio, rompendo il legame con i comunisti e rendendosi disponibile al difficile governo di una società capitalistica avanzata. Questo processo di riavvicinamento fra le due anime del socialismo italiano culminò, poi, nell’elezione di Saragat a Presidente della Repubblica (1964), determinate per la successiva – seppur breve – riunificazione socialista del 1966. A quindici anni dalla scissione di palazzo Barberini, gran parte del PSI condivise le posizioni dei socialdemocratici di Saragat