Presenza culturale italiana in Portogallo nei primi decenni del XX secolo

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A multidisciplinary tool for the development of a regional-scale geotechnical model: a case study in the North-Western Adriatic coastal area

Abstract The paper describes the geotechnical model of a coastal flat area facing the Adriatic Sea, between the municipalities of Cesenatico and Bellaria-Igea Marina (Emilia-Romagna region, Italy). On the basis of a large experimental database provided by the Geological, Seismic and Soil Survey of the Emilia-Romagna Authority, a stratigraphic scheme of the upper 40 m of this coastal plain subsoil has been defined and reliable estimates of parameters for the different soil units have been derived. The accurate mechanical characterization of soils, also reflecting their sedimentological framework, allows the development of a regional-scale geotechnical model providing a reliable and useful support to geotechnical engineers working in this area or similar geological environments

Recommended number of strides for automatic assessment of gait symmetry and regularity in above-knee amputees by means of accelerometry and autocorrelation analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Symmetry and regularity of gait are essential outcomes of gait retraining programs, especially in lower-limb amputees. This study aims presenting an algorithm to automatically compute symmetry and regularity indices, and assessing the minimum number of strides for appropriate evaluation of gait symmetry and regularity through autocorrelation of acceleration signals.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ten transfemoral amputees (AMP) and ten control subjects (CTRL) were studied. Subjects wore an accelerometer and were asked to walk for 70 m at their natural speed (twice). Reference values of step and stride regularity indices (Ad1 and Ad2) were obtained by autocorrelation analysis of the vertical and antero-posterior acceleration signals, excluding initial and final strides. The Ad1 and Ad2 coefficients were then computed at different stages by analyzing increasing portions of the signals (considering both the signals cleaned by initial and final strides, and the whole signals). At each stage, the difference between Ad1 and Ad2 values and the corresponding reference values were compared with the minimum detectable difference, MDD, of the index. If that difference was less than MDD, it was assumed that the portion of signal used in the analysis was of sufficient length to allow reliable estimation of the autocorrelation coefficient.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All Ad1 and Ad2 indices were lower in AMP than in CTRL (P < 0.0001). Excluding initial and final strides from the analysis, the minimum number of strides needed for reliable computation of step symmetry and stride regularity was about 2.2 and 3.5, respectively. Analyzing the whole signals, the minimum number of strides increased to about 15 and 20, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Without the need to identify and eliminate the phases of gait initiation and termination, twenty strides can provide a reasonable amount of information to reliably estimate gait regularity in transfemoral amputees.</p

Gait symmetry and regularity in transfemoral amputees assessed by trunk accelerations

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to evaluate a method based on a single accelerometer for the assessment of gait symmetry and regularity in subjects wearing lower limb prostheses.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ten transfemoral amputees and ten healthy control subjects were studied. For the purpose of this study, subjects wore a triaxial accelerometer on their thorax, and foot insoles. Subjects were asked to walk straight ahead for 70 m at their natural speed, and at a lower and faster speed. Indices of step and stride regularity (Ad1 and Ad2, respectively) were obtained by the autocorrelation coefficients computed from the three acceleration components. Step and stride durations were calculated from the plantar pressure data and were used to compute two reference indices (SI1 and SI2) for step and stride regularity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Regression analysis showed that both Ad1 well correlates with SI1 (<it>R</it>²up to 0.74), and Ad2 well correlates with SI2 (<it>R</it>²up to 0.52). A ROC analysis showed that Ad1 and Ad2 has generally a good sensitivity and specificity in classifying amputee's walking trial, as having a normal or a pathologic step or stride regularity as defined by means of the reference indices SI1 and SI2. In particular, the antero-posterior component of Ad1 and the vertical component of Ad2 had a sensitivity of 90.6% and 87.2%, and a specificity of 92.3% and 81.8%, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The use of a simple accelerometer, whose components can be analyzed by the autocorrelation function method, is adequate for the assessment of gait symmetry and regularity in transfemoral amputees.</p

Penetrometer

This invention concerns a testing instrument for checking the degree of saturation of a pressure sensor unit of a piezocone. More specifically, the instrument is a testing instrument for checking the degree of saturation of a pressure sensor unit which is meant to measure the pore water pressure of the soil and is part of a piezocone. Generally speaking, the term \u201cpiezocone\u201d is used to mean a static penetrometer with an electric tip which measures the pore water pressure of the soil (as well as the cone resistance and the sleeve friction mobilized by the soil on the piezocone). This invention also concerns a method for performing such a check

A New Technique for Deep in situ Measurements of the Soil Water Retention Behaviour

In situ measurements of soil suction and water content in deep soil layers still represent an experimental challenge. Mostly developed within agriculture-related disciplines, field techniques for the identification of soil retention behaviour have been so far employed in the geotechnical context to monitor shallow landslides and seasonal volume changes beneath shallow foundations, within the most superficial ground strata. In this paper, a novel installation technique is presented, discussed and assessed, which allows extension of the use of commercially available low-cost and low-maintenance instruments to characterise deep soil layers. Multi-depth installations have been successfully carried out using two different sensor types to measure the soil suction and water content up to 7\u2009m from the soil surface. Preliminary laboratory investigations were also shown to provide a reasonable benchmark to the field data. The results of this study offer a convenient starting point to accommodate important geotechnical works such as river and road embankments in the traditional monitoring of unsaturated soil variables

Sleep actigraphic patterns and cognitive status

none9noWe performed an actigraphic assessment of sleep characteristics in healthy subjects and patients with cognitive impairment. Thirty subjects were included and classified into controls (10 subjects), mild cognitive impairment (10 patients) and mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (10 patients). Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Participants had a 7-day actigraphic record. Sleep parameters collected were time in bed, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, wakefulness after sleep onset, number of awakenings, and mean motor activity. Significant differences between mild cognitive impairment and controls patients were found for sleep latency (p = 0.05); Alzheimer's disease patients had significantly worse scores for Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (p = 0.01), time in bed (p = 0.001), total sleep time (p = 0.04), sleep latency, sleep efficiency, motor activity (p = 0.0001) and wakefulness after sleep onset (p = 0.001) compared to controls. When comparing Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment, differences were significant for sleep latency (p = 0.01), wakefulness after sleep onset (p = 0.004), sleep efficiency, number of awakenings and motor activity (p = 0.0001). In addition to showing a high prevalence of sleep alterations in subjects with cognitive impairment, our data suggest that they are evident from the earliest stages of cognitive decline. Further studies are needed to assess whether early correction of sleep alterations can positively influence the evolution of cognitive impairment. The opportunity to provide clinically meaningful information with a simple assessment of sleep characteristics based on actigraphy suggests that wider use of the approach in patients with cognitive decline should be considered.openBuratti, Laura; Camilletti, Roberta; Pulcini, Alessandra; Rocchi, Chiara; Viticchi, Giovanna; Falsetti, Lorenzo; Baldinelli, Sara; Fiori, Chiara; Silvestrini, MauroBuratti, Laura; Camilletti, Roberta; Pulcini, Alessandra; Rocchi, Chiara; Viticchi, Giovanna; Falsetti, Lorenzo; Baldinelli, Sara; Fiori, Chiara; Silvestrini, Maur

The Rest Repression of the Neurosecretory Phenotype Is Negatively Modulated by BHC80, a Protein of the BRAF/HDAC Complex

Expression of neurosecretion by nerve cells requires the levels of the transcription repressor element-1 silencing transcription factor (REST) to be very low. However, when high-REST clones of PC12 cells, defective of neurosecretion, were fused to other high-REST, non-neurosecretory cells, some neurosecretion was recovered. To clarify the mechanism of this recovery, we fused defective PC12 cells with human lymphocytes. A cytogenetic analysis revealed all hybrid clones that recovered neurosecretion to contain a fragment of chromosome 11 including the gene encoding BHC80, a protein of one of the complexes that mediate REST repression. In these clones, REST levels were as high as in defective PC12, whereas BHC80, localized in the nucleus, was 4- to 5-fold higher. Transient transfection of defective PC12 with various amounts of BHC80 cDNA induced (1) in defective PC12, the reexpression of only neurosecretion mRNAs; (2) in defective PC12 cotransfected with the REST negative construct DNA-binding domain (to attenuate gene repression), the recovery of a weak, but complete neurosecretory phenotype, including dense-core granules and their regulated exocytosis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and immunodepletion analyses revealed the extensive BHC80 association with REST at the genes of two neurosecretion proteins, chromograninB and SNAP25, however only in the low-REST PC12, whereas in high-REST defective PC12 no association was appreciable. In defective PC12 transfected with BHC80 some association was reestablished. Therefore, the recovery of neurosecretion observed after fusion/transfection of defective PC12 depends on the reciprocal level of BHC80 and REST, with BHC80 working as a negative modulator of REST repression. This role appears of possible cell physiological and pathological importance