University of Ferrara

Multi-fidelity methods for kinetic models of epidemic dynamics with uncertain contact structure

In this work, we develop a multi-fidelity strategy for kinetic models in epidemiology with uncertain contact dynamics. Assessing and controlling the population-level effects of contact dynamics requires the development of models for understanding observable effects of heterogeneo...

Hominin behavior, strategies, and environmental conditions in Southern Europe (Marine Isotope Stage 17–15): The 100-ka sequence of Notarchirico (Italy, 700–600 ka)

The Notarchirico sequence comprises a continuous 100-ka-long record of phases of hominin occupation between Marine Isotope Stage 17 and Marine Isotope Stage 15, revealing remarkable technological stability alongside some innovations. We analyzed core technology, raw material prov...

Evaluating the Role of MC1R Variants in Cutaneous and Ocular Phenotypes: A Candidate TYR–MC1R Genetic Interaction in Oculocutaneous Disorders

Background: The melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene is a major determinant of skin and hair color. Although several MC1R variants increase the risk of skin tumors regardless of pigmentation, their role as genetic modifiers in ocular diseases remains poorly understood. Methods: He...

Adaptive Risk-Aware OpenStreetMap Planning for Scalable Radial Distribution Networks

A street-constrained distribution-network synthesis framework is evaluated using open geographic data, physical medium-voltage (MV) outage consequences, and benchmark electrical checks. A synthetic radial case study in Queens, New York, compares minimum-hop Dijkstra, minimum-span...

Travel distance to tertiary healthcare reflects disease severity and medication access in Italian systemic sclerosis patients: a geographical study on adult-onset rare diseases from SPRING-SIR registry

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare, multiorgan disease in adults that requires specialized care. Commuting to tertiary medical centers poses a considerable burden and incurs significant costs, potentially affecting management choices. This study aims to describe the healthcare co...

Digital solutions for tackling mental health in cancer patients and their families: The ALTHEA project

Despite advances in cancer treatment, the growing global cancer burden underscores the need for comprehensive and supportive care to address the needs of patients and their families. However, access to psycho-oncological support remains often limited across healthcare systems. Th...

Muscular Response in Sleep-Disordered Breathing Patients: New Methods of Assessment and Measurement

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a heterogeneous disorder influenced by both anatomical collapsibility and non-anatomical factors, such as neuromuscular response. Identifying these traits through simplified clinical surrogates is crucial for personalized precision med...

Ultrasound Assessment of Gallbladder Motility After Ingestion of a Bicarbonate-Rich Mineral Water (Aqua 3): A Randomized Crossover Study

Background: Bicarbonate mineral waters have been reported to modulate biliary dynamics. Prior symptom-based data with Aqua 3 suggested digestive benefits, but objective confirmation is still lacking. Aims: We sought to evaluate the effect of Aqua 3 on gallbladder motility in fast...

Occurrence and seasonal distribution of persistent organic pollutants in air and soil across agricultural urban and industrial landscapes

Soil represents a major terrestrial reservoir of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that influence their atmospheric concentrations through volatilization processes. This study examines the distribution, seasonal variability, and air–soil exchange of key organochlorine pesticid...

Enhanced Filtering Algorithms for the Euclidean Traveling Salesperson Problem and Its Variants In Constraint Logic Programming

Abstract The Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP) is one of the best-known problems in computer science and arises in many engineering applications, such as smart vehicles and intelligent transportation systems. In the “Euclidean” case, each node is defined by its coordinates in t...

Evidence-based atlas of risk and protective factors for psychotic disorders: an umbrella review to inform personalized prognosis and prevention.

Identifying updated, evidence-based risk and protective factors for psychotic disorders is essential to advancing scientific and clinical knowledge of their etiology. Since the most recent umbrella review published in this journal, the evidence base has expanded substantially. Fo...

Preoperative brain injury and neurodevelopmental outcomes in syndromic and non-syndromic children with complex congenital heart disease: a single-centre cohort study

Abstract Children with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) are at high risk of brain lesions both before and after cardiac surgery. Preoperative brain injury reflects foetal and perinatal brain development and represents an independent predictor of neurodevelopmental outcome....

Synthesis of α‐ C ‐Glycoside Conjugates Promoted by 4CzIPN‐Based Porous Organic Polymers Through Giese‐Like Reaction of Glycosyl Bromides in Batch and Continuous Flow

A visible‐light‐mediated strategy for the synthesis of α‐ C ‐glycoside conjugates using a 4CzIPN‐based porous organic polymer 4CzIPN‐POP as a heterogeneous photocatalyst is reported. The method exploits the photochemical generation of anomeric radicals from glycosyl bromides, fol...

Combined effects of acoustics and indoor air quality on calculation performance: a laboratory experiment and a lab-dilemma investigation

Ensuring high Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) in educational settings is crucial for Students performance. Within IEQ, the combined effects of different domains are highly relevant, yet the interaction between acoustics and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) requires further exploration...

Italian Fluvial Sediment Transport Database: a comprehensive hub for archiving and analyzing hydrological data

Fluvial sediment transport plays a key role in geomorphological and hydrological processes, influencing river morphology, watershed and coastal sediment balances, and the environmental response to climatic and anthropogenic changes. In Italy, the availability of homogeneous and l...

Bioinspired CNNs for border completion in occluded images

Abstract We exploit the mathematical modeling of the border completion problem in the visual cortex to design convolutional neural network (CNN) filters that enhance robustness to image occlusions. We evaluate our CNN architecture, BorderNet, on three occluded datasets–MNIST, Fas...

Energy and Economic Analysis of Technologies Suitable for Energy Transition in the Hospital Sector

The energy sector is currently facing the challenge of achieving energy transition targets while maintaining a reliable and economically sustainable energy supply. In this context, this study aims to identify the energy conversion technologies and storage systems that are expecte...

An application of random forest regression for predicting healthcare costs using administrative databases

BACKGROUND: segmentation. METHODS: This retrospective population-based study used administrative healthcare data (2011-2023) from the Health Protection Agency of Bergamo (Italy). We traced 5-year healthcare resource utilization to predict individual's healthcare costs in the foll...

On the data-sparsity of the solution of Riccati equations with applications to feedback control

Abstract Solving large-scale continuous-time algebraic Riccati equations is a significant challenge in various control theory applications. This work demonstrates that when the matrix coefficients of the equation are quasiseparable, the solution also exhibits numerical quasisepar...

Mucoadhesive Nanoemulsions for Nose-to-Brain Delivery of Dimethyl Fumarate: Development, Characterization and Proof-of-Concept In Vivo Evaluation

Background: Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is an approved therapeutic agent for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, known for its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. However, its oral administration is often accompanied by gastrointestinal side effects, limiting its thera...