Comparison of methods for logic-query implementation

AbstractA logic query Q is a triple < G, LP, D, where G is the query goal, LP is a logic program without function symbols, and D is a set of facts, possibly stored as tuples of a relational database. The answers of Q are all facts that can be inferred from LP ∪ D and unify with G. A logic query is bound if some argument of the query goal is a constant; it is canonical strongly linear (a CSL query) if LP contains exactly one recursive rule and this rule is linear, i.e., only one recursive predicate occurs in its body. In this paper, the problem of finding the answers of a bound CSL query is studied with the aim of comparing for efficiency some well-known methods for implementing logic queries: the eager method, the counting method, and the magic-set method. It is shown that the above methods can be expressed as algorithms for finding particular paths in a directed graph associated to the query. Within this graphical formalism, a worst-case complexity analysis of the three methods is performed. It turns out that the counting method has the best upper bound for noncyclic queries. On the other hand, since the counting method is not safe if queries are cyclic, the method is extended to safely implement this kind of queries as well

A single learning activity for large interprofessional group can boost the perception of value of interprofessional education

Introduction. The interprofessional education activity consisted in a single 4 hours meeting and it was built on three theoretical pillars: the framework of Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPEC), Kolb’s model of experiential learning, and Vygotsky’s concept of social learning. The objectives of the activity were to enable students to identify the elements of IPEC framework in a healthcare situation and to show awareness of the value of interprofessional collaborative practice. Materials and methods. The meeting was composed by different phases: introduction and sharing of objectives and methods, followed by two cycles of short lecture, small group activity and large group discussion. At the beginning and at the end of the meeting, a questionnaire with items exploring students’ attitude on interprofessional collaboration was administered. A questionnaire of satisfaction was also administered at the end of the meeting. Eighty-four students at the last year of different degree course of health care professions (nursing, midwifery, psychiatric rehabilitation) joined the meeting. Results. The pre-post test mean values for the items of the questionnaire of assessment significantly increased for all students. The Cronbach alpha value of the questionnaire was 0.75, indicating an acceptable level of internal reliability. The scores of the satisfaction questionnaire were largely positive. Conclusion. This study shows that single learning activity for a large interprofessional group can be effective in increasing a positive attitude and provides some data on students&amp;#39; perceptions on interprofessional learning in an Italian context.Introduction. The interprofessional education activity consisted in a single 4 hours meeting and it was built on three theoretical pillars: the framework of Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPEC), Kolb’s model of experiential learning, and Vygotsky’s concept of social learning. The objectives of the activity were to enable students to identify the elements of IPEC framework in a healthcare situation and to show awareness of the value of interprofessional collaborative practice. Materials and methods. The meeting was composed by different phases: introduction and sharing of objectives and methods, followed by two cycles of short lecture, small group activity and large group discussion. At the beginning and at the end of the meeting, a questionnaire with items exploring students’ attitude on interprofessional collaboration was administered. A questionnaire of satisfaction was also administered at the end of the meeting. Eighty-four students at the last year of different degree course of health care professions (nursing, midwifery, psychiatric rehabilitation) joined the meeting. Results. The pre-post test mean values for the items of the questionnaire of assessment significantly increased for all students. The Cronbach alpha value of the questionnaire was 0.75, indicating an acceptable level of internal reliability. The scores of the satisfaction questionnaire were largely positive. Conclusion. This study shows that single learning activity for a large interprofessional group can be effective in increasing a positive attitude and provides some data on students&amp;#39; perceptions on interprofessional learning in an Italian context

Le difficoltà emotive nello sviluppo: il caso dell’alessitimia e dell’autolesionismo. Dalla ricerca psicologica e neuroscientifica alla psicoterapia.

Riassunto: Lo scopo del lavoro è esaminare il contributo che la ricerca psicologica e neuroscientifica sulle difficoltà emotive nello sviluppo può offrire alla psicoterapia. Come situazioni esemplificative sono prese in esame l’alessitimia (incapacità di riconoscere ed esprimere le proprie emozioni) e le condotte autolesive in adolescenza, alla cui base ritroviamo alcune problematiche emotive. Infine, a partire dall’analisi effettuata vengono discusse alcune questioni aperte di carattere sia teorico sia metodologico.Parole chiave: Competenza emotiva; Alessitimia; Autolesionismo; Neuroscienza; Psicoterapia.  Emotional Developmental Disorders: The Case of Alexithymia and Self-harm. From Psychological and Neuroscientific Research to Psychotherapy Abstract: The paper examines the contribution that psychological and neuroscientific research on emotional developmental problems may offer for psychotherapy. Alexithymia – i.e. the inability to recognize and express one’s own emotions – and self-harm in adolescence are considered as examples of emotional problems. Starting from this analysis, we address some currently debated theoretical and methodological issues in psychotherapy.Keywords: Emotional Competence; Alexithymia; Self-Harm; Neuroscience; Psychotherapy

SARS-CoV-2 and the nervous system: review on pathogenesis of nervous system SARS-CoV-2 damage

illustrato

Environmental Reactions of Air-Quality Protection on Eco-Friendly Iron-Based Catalysts

A series of iron functionalized hydroxyapatite (Fe/HAP) samples with different metal loading (2 < wt.% Fe < 13) was prepared by a flash ionic exchange procedure from iron(III) nitrate as precursor and tested in some environmental air-quality protection reactions such as the catalytic reduction of NOx by NH3 (NH3-SCR), catalytic oxidation of NH3 (NH3-SCO) and catalytic N2O decomposition. The catalytic performances of the Fe/HAP catalysts were determined under flow conditions as a function of temperature and using reactant concentrations typical of polluting gaseous emissions from industrial vents. Physico-chemical characterization with various techniques of study (UV-DR and Mössbauer spectroscopies, NH3 titration, N2-physisorption, and XRPD analyses) provided valuable information on Fe-speciation, acidity, morphology, and structure of the samples. In general, highly dispersed Fe3+ centers were the predominant species, irrespective of Fe-loading, while just low percentage (≤15%) of FexOy nanoclusters (2 < size/nm < 4) was detected on the samples. As expected, the differences in iron concentration produced a diversified effect of both catalyst properties and catalytic activity, comprising the conversion and selectivity profiles, different for each reaction considered. The obtained results indicate a good potentiality for the eco-friendly Fe-catalysts for some environmental reactions of air protection.Fil: Greta Galloni, Melissa. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Campisi, Sebastiano. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Marchetti, Sergio Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas "Dr. Jorge J. Ronco". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Gervasini, Antonella. Università degli Studi di Milano; Itali

A Waveform Dataset in Continuous Mode of the Montefeltro Seismic Network (MF) in Central-Northern Italy from 2018 to 2020

The Montefeltro seismic network (FDSN Network code: 1S) was deployed in the Apennines area of northern Marche and southern Emilia-Romagna regions (central Italy). A temporary network was set up in December 2018 and continues to operate, with an array consisting of stations equipped with dynamic digitizers and three-component short/extended/broad band seismometers (Guralp CMG/20s and 30s, Lennartz 3D/5s, Sara SS20 3D/0.5s sensors). The network records in continuous mode at 100 sps. The data are used to analyze the seismic activity and the spatiotemporal evolution of small seismic sequences occurring in the considered area and surrounding zones, strongly clustered in time and space. The data of dataset files are mini-seed formatted and subdivided by the following tree: (1) the dataset is divided by years; (2) the dataset is then subdivided by stations; (3) finally, the data are divided by days of each year in every station folder

Psychometric Properties of Mind-reading Belief Scale on an Italian Sample and Correlation with the Self-Construal

Theory of Mind (ToM) is the lifespan developing ability to attribute mental states. This ability enables the individual to predict and interpret one's own and others' behavior. In this respect, beliefs about one's own capacity to attribute mental states represent a fundamental component of this construct. The present study aims to compare the unidimensional structure of the Mindreading Belief Scale, evaluating beliefs about personal ToM skills, with an alternative two-factor model, which could better explain the latent structure of the scale outlining the relational nature of the construct through the articulation self-other. Moreover, the relations with self-construal, as a pivotal element for subjective differentiation, were also investigated. Our data support the two-factor model as a better structuring of the pool of original items. Finally, the correlations found with self-construal scales indicate that self-construal is involved in defining beliefs about one's own meta-representational skills

Exploring Responses to Art in Adolescence: A Behavioral and Eye-Tracking Study

Adolescence is a peculiar age mainly characterized by physical and psychological changes that may affect the perception of one's own and others' body. This perceptual peculiarity may influence the way in which bottom-up and top-down processes interact and, consequently, the perception and evaluation of art. This study is aimed at investigating, by means of the eye-tracking technique, the visual explorative behavior of adolescents while looking at paintings. Sixteen color paintings, categorized as dynamic and static, were presented to twenty adolescents; half of the images represented natural environments and half human individuals; all stimuli were displayed under aesthetic and movement judgment tasks. Participants' ratings revealed that, generally, nature images are explicitly evaluated as more appealing than human images. Eye movement data, on the other hand, showed that the human body exerts a strong power in orienting and attracting visual attention and that, in adolescence, it plays a fundamental role during aesthetic experience. In particular, adolescents seem to approach human-content images by giving priority to elements calling forth movement and action, supporting the embodiment theory of aesthetic perception

Evidence for Polymicrobic Flora Translocating in Peripheral Blood of HIV-Infected Patients with Poor Immune Response to Antiretroviral Therapy

In advanced HIV infection, the homeostatic balance between gastrointestinal indigenous bacteria and gut immunity fails and microbes are able to overcome the intestinal barrier and gain the systemic circulation. Because microbial translocation is not fully controlled by antiviral therapy and is associated with inefficient CD4+ reconstitution, we investigated the profile of translocating bacteria in peripheral blood of 44 HIV-infected patients starting therapy with advanced CD4+ T-lymphopenia and displaying poor CD4+ recovery on virologically suppressive HAART. According to CD4+ reconstitution at 12-months HAART, patients were considered Partial Immunological Responders, PIRs (CD4+≥250/µl, n = 29) and Immunological non Responders, INRs (CD4+<200/µl, n = 15)). We show that PIRs and INRs present similarly elevated plasma levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and its ligand sCD14 that were not lowered by virologically suppressive therapy. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing resulted in a highly polymicrobic peripheral blood microbiota both prior and after 12-month HAART. Several differences in bacterial composition were shown between patients' groups, mainly the lack of probiotic Lactobacillaceae both prior and after therapy in INRs. Failure to control microbial translocation on HAART is associated with a polymicrobic flora circulating in peripheral blood that is not substantially modified by therapy

Role of In Vitro Stimulation with Lipopolysaccharide on T-Cell Activation in HIV-Infected Antiretroviral-Treated Patients

We investigated the effect of LPS in vitro stimulation on T-cell activation in HIV-infected patients with different CD4+ recovery on HAART. PBMCs from 30 HIV-positive, HAART-treated, aviremic individuals with different CD4+ reconstitution (Low Responders: CD4+ < 350/μL; Intermediate Responders: CD4+ 350–599/μL; High Responders: CD4+ ≥ 600/μL) were cultured with LPS and the proportion of HLA-DR/CD38- and Ki67-expressing CD4+/CD8+ T-cells was measured (flow cytometry). Upon LPS stimulation, significantly higher CD4+ and CD8+HLA-DR+ cells were shown in LR and IR versus HIV-negative controls. While no differences in the proportion of LPS-stimulated CD4+CD38+ cells were recorded amongst HIV-positive subgroups, CD8+CD38+ cells were more elevated in patients with lower CD4+ recovery on HAART (i.e., LR and IR). Upon in vitro LPS stimulation, HLA-DR and CD38 expression on T-cells are differentially regulated. While HLA-DR induction reflects impaired CD4+ reconstitution on HAART, cell-surface CD38 expression is increased only on CD8+ T-cells, allowing to speculate that the sole induction of CD38 on CD4+ cells may not be sufficient to depict LPS-driven immune activation in HIV