Eye-Movements in a Text Reading Task: A Comparison of Preterm Children, Children with Dyslexia and Typical Readers

Preterm birth is associated with weaknesses in reading skills that are usually less severe than those of children with dyslexia. To understand the characteristics of reading processes in preterm children, we adopted a cross-population and multi-modal approach comparing eye movements in reading tasks among three groups: children with preterm birth, children with a diagnosis of dyslexia, and children with typical development. The study involved 78 participants (10.5 years). Eye movements (number and duration of fixations, amplitude and number of saccades, number of regressions) were recorded during the silent reading of two texts; cognitive and reading standardized tasks were also administered. Children with dyslexia had more fixations and more frequent and smaller saccades compared to the preterm group and children with typical development. They also showed more regressions compared to the control group. Preterm children showed shorter fixations compared to the other groups. Cognitive and reading standardized tasks confirmed severe delays in reading in children with dyslexia and some weaknesses in text reading speed and comprehension in preterm children. These results are discussed with reference to candidate mechanisms that underlie reading processes in preterm children and considering possible implications for research

«Maschio e femmina li creò» … o, forse, no. La Corte costituzionale ancora sulla non necessità di intervento chirurgico per la rettificazione anagrafica di attribuzione di sesso

La questione della necessità o meno dell’intervento chirurgico di modificazione dei caratteri sessuali primari per ottenere la rettificazione anagrafica di sesso è di recente tornata all’attenzione della Corte costituzionale benché su di essa, non più di un paio d’anni fa, sembrava essere già stata scritta una parola “definitiva” in ordine all’interpretazione (costituzionalmente orientata) da dare all’art. 1, comma 1, della legge 14 aprile 1982, n. 164 (recante “Norme in materia di rettificazione di attribuzione di sesso”). Ciononostante, la Corte costituzionale è stata nuovamente investita di questioni di legittimità della disposizione suddetta che hanno seguito un “verso” differente, addirittura opposto. È opportuno, allora, esaminare lo stato dell’arte della controversa tematica al fine di provare a ricostruire lo scenario normativo in tema di transessualismo, che ha posto, e continua a porre, questioni anche ulteriori (presupposte e conseguenziali, verrebbe da dire) rispetto a quella della necessità o meno dell’intervento chirurgico di modificazione dei caratteri sessuali primari per ottenere la rettificazione anagrafica di sesso

The influence of microstructure on the performance of white porcelain stoneware

In the last years polished white porcelain stoneware tiles, coupling the smooth and glossy surface with the increased body whiteness, get a prominent role on the market. The bright white colour is obtained by adding noteworthy quantity of opacifiers, such as zircon, corundum and spinel. To better understand the complex relationships among the microstructure and the mechanical, tribological and functional behaviour of this class of products, four polished white porcelain stoneware tiles were selected and thoroughly characterized by a wide spectrum of chemico-physical and microstructural analyses. Products exhibit excellent mechanical properties (flexural strength, Young modulus, fracture toughness) with a clear dependence of these properties on porosity and phase composition. Mullite and zircon tend to increase the mechanical performances, through a predominant mechanism of matrix reinforcement, while quartz plays an opposite role

The role of surface microstructure on the resistance to stains of porcelain stoneware tiles

Porcelain stoneware tiles frequently undergo a polishing process, aimed at improving their aesthetical appearence, that brings about a consistent material removal, with formation of superficial defects and opening of closed pores. The consequent degradation of surface characteristics and especially the increased sensitivity to stains-represent the main limit to the use of polished tiles in many indoor and outdoor applications. In order to better understand the role of microstructure on the resistance to stains, a phenomenological study of staining/cleaning operations (ISO 10545 parts 14 and 16) and a thoroughful physico-microstructural characterisation of tile working surfaces (SEM, open and closed porosity, rugosimetry, MIP) were carried out on twelve industrially manufactured and polished products. Diverse staining behaviours proved to be connected with different tile micro structures, being the surface roughness as well as the amount and shape of coarser pores the most influent variables. Through a statistical approach, an empirical predictional model of the amount of stain retained by the tile surface after mild washing with warm water was set up. It is based on roughness measurements (both R-a and R-t), estimation of macropores (i.e. 1-50 mum by MIP) and pore roundness (by image analysis of SEM photomicrographs

Modelling the mud surface temperature on intertidal flats to investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of the benthic microalgal photosynthetic capacity

The mud surface temperature (MST) of an intertidal mudflat in Marennes-Oléron Bay (France) and the biomass-specific photosynthetic capacity (PBmax) of benthic microalgae were modelled to investigate their spatio-temporal dynamics. Simulations were performed over 2 different periods during and after the microphytobenthos spring bloom (April and June, respectively) and under 2 different tidal conditions (spring and neap tides). The deterministic MST model is based on thermodynamic processes. Comparison at different periods between measured data series and simulations clearly establishes the reliability of the model, thus allowing extrapolations over time and space. The spatio-temporal dynamics of MST is primarily controlled by the immersion-emersion alternation combined with the solar cycle, with a strong influence of the phase difference in their respective oscillations: the highest MSTs are achieved in summer in the highest parts of the mudflat, when spring low tide occurs at midday. Three relevant time scales characterize the MST dynamics: long-term (seasonal cycle), medium-term (lunar cycle) and short-term (solar and tidal cycles). Within that framework, the response of PBmax to changes in MST depends upon Topt, the optimum temperature for photosynthesis (Topt = 25°C all year round). In April, when the MST values are below Topt, PBmax varies exponentially with MST at short time scales. Conversely, in June, when the range of MST partially exceeds Topt, PBmax is inhibited on most of the mudflat surface area (up to 75%). This thermo-inhibition is highest in summer, when low tide occurs at midday

Influence of zeolites on the sintering and technological properties of porcelain stoneware tiles

Low-cost zeolitic rocks are promising substitutes for feldspathic fluxes in ceramic bodies, since their fusibility, modest hardness and high cation exchange capacity (CEC) should improve grinding and sintering. Five large-scale Italian deposits of natural zeolites with different mineralogy were characterised and tested in porcelain stoneware bodies. Their behaviour during processing was appraised and compared with that of zeolite-free bodies. Zeolites increased the slip viscosity during wet grinding, causing a coarser grain size distribution and consequently some drawbacks in both unfired and fired tiles. After overcoming this hindrance by dry grinding of zeolite rocks, the technological behaviour of zeolite-bearing tiles appear to be similar to that of current porcelain stoneware, though with larger firing shrinkage and residual closed porosity

Zeolite-feldspar epiclastic rocks as flux in ceramic tile manufacturing

Low-cost, naturally-occurring mixtures of feldspar and zeolite occurring in epiclastic rocks are promising substitutes for conventional quartz-feldspathic fluxes in ceramic bodies, since their fusibility and low hardness are expected to improve both grinding and sintering. Three epiclastic outcrops, with a different zeolite-to-feldspar ratio, were characterized (XRPD, fusibility) and tested in porcelain stoneware bodies; their behaviour during processing was appraised and compared with that of a reference. The addition of an epiclastic rock (20 wt.%), replacing rhyolite and aplite fluxes, brought about some significant advantages, mainly represented by better grindability, lower firing temperature with improved mechanical strength and lower porosity. Disadvantages concern increased slip viscosity, worse powder compressibility, resulting in larger firing shrinkage, and a darker colour of the tiles due to relatively high amounts of iron oxide

Tailoring CD19xCD3-DART exposure enhances T-cells to eradication of B-cell neoplasms.

Many patients with B-cell malignancies can be successfully treated, although tumor eradication is rarely achieved. T-cell-directed killing of tumor cells using engineered T-cells or bispecific antibodies is a promising approach for the treatment of hematologic malignancies. We investigated the efficacy of CD19xCD3 DART bispecific antibody in a broad panel of human primary B-cell malignancies. The CD19xCD3 DART identified 2 distinct subsets of patients, in which the neoplastic lymphocytes were eliminated with rapid or slow kinetics. Delayed responses were always overcome by a prolonged or repeated DART exposure. Both CD4 and CD8 effector cytotoxic cells were generated, and DART-mediated killing of CD4+ cells into cytotoxic effectors required the presence of CD8+ cells. Serial exposures to DART led to the exponential expansion of CD4 + and CD8 + cells and to the sequential ablation of neoplastic cells in absence of a PD-L1-mediated exhaustion. Lastly, patient-derived neoplastic B-cells (B-Acute Lymphoblast Leukemia and Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma) could be proficiently eradicated in a xenograft mouse model by DART-armed cytokine induced killer (CIK) cells. Collectively, patient tailored DART exposures can result in the effective elimination of CD19 positive leukemia and B-cell lymphoma and the association of bispecific antibodies with unmatched CIK cells represents an effective modality for the treatment of CD19 positive leukemia/lymphoma