University of Florence

The State of Peer Review in Empirical Software Engineering: A Community Survey on Review Load, Quality, and GenAI Use

The scientific peer review system has been slowly deteriorating over the last years, and not just within empirical software engineering (ESE) research. Increased submission numbers, high workload, and the rise of generative AI use with all its associated issues have made many cra...

Operation Melilli, forensic humanitarian medico legal activities on the largest known Mediterranean disaster: the shipwreck of April 18th, 2015

On April 18th, 2015, a boat carrying about 1,000 migrants sank in the Strait of Sicily, prompting one of the most complex recovery missions ever conducted in the Mediterranean. Operation Melilli was the first time a European Government authorized the recovery of a sunken migrant...

Co-Colonization by Multiple Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in a Long-Term Neurorehabilitation Setting: A Case Report

Neurorehabilitation units (NRUs) are long-term care settings associated with multiple risk factors for carriage and infection by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), including prolonged hospitalization, the use of invasive medical devices, high antibiotic exposure, and multiple...

Advancing Oil-Free Reciprocating Compressor Technology For Hydrogen Service: Experimental Investigation Of Seal Performance

Abstract High-pressure hydrogen storage requires up to 700 bar to achieve sufficient volumetric energy density, with reciprocating compressors preferred for their high flow capacity and oil-free operation. Meeting purity requirements while handling hydrogen's low molecular weight...

Scanner-Measured Hand Hygiene Performance After Automated Visual Feedback-Supported Training: A Multicenter Quality Improvement Project in Italian Hospitals

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a major patient safety issue, and hand hygiene (HH) is a key preventive measure. Technologies providing immediate visual feedback may support HH training by allowing objective assessment of hand-rubbing technique. Methods...

Ultrasonography-Guided Long Peripheral Catheters: Real-World Outcomes in Hospitalized Children

OBJECTIVE: Despite being the most common vascular access devices in pediatric settings, short peripheral catheters (SPCs) frequently result in difficult insertion, limited dwell time, and multiple replacements. Ultrasonography-guided long peripheral catheters (LPCs) may improve c...

Corneal Findings in a Patient With Prolidase Deficiency: A Multimodal Imaging Characterization

Purpose: To provide the first detailed ophthalmologic and multimodal imaging characterization of corneal involvement in a patient with genetically confirmed Prolidase deficiency. Methods: Observational case report Results: A 21-year-old man was referred for ophthalmologic evaluat...

Stanislao Cannizzaro: Chimica e rivoluzione

Oliviero Carugo’s book introduces Stanislao Cannizzaro to a broad readership by placing his career within the overlapping histories of chemical research, science teaching, Risorgimento politics, an...

The Role of Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) in Hepatitis C Virus-Associated Lymphoproliferative Disorders

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic hepatitis, affecting approximately 50 million people worldwide. An estimated 15–30% of individuals with chronic HCV infection progress to cirrhosis, which may subsequently develop into hepatocellular carcinoma. Beyond...

A Methodological Framework to Evaluate Environmental Vulnerabilities in Urban Areas: Two Case Studies in Italy

Climate change poses increasing threats to urban populations, with rising temperatures exacerbating heat-related health risks and reducing outdoor thermal comfort. Although cities occupy only a small fraction of the Earth’s surface, they function as complex ecosystems where human...

Thermo‐Mechanical Topology Optimization: An Immersed FEM Level‐Set‐Based Approach

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a multi‐physics framework for topology optimization using an immersed level set‐finite element model. The work extends the capabilities of a recently developed immersed level‐set method to thermo‐mechanical problems, including coupling and material‐de...

Regional brain metabolism and metabolic connectivity alterations in corticobasal syndrome assessed with [18F]FDG-PET

PURPOSE: F]FDG-PET) studies have described regional metabolic abnormalities but detailed subcortical and cerebellar structures involvement is less known and metabolic connectivity remains unexplored. This study combined voxel-based, region-of-interest (ROI) analyses and connectiv...

Botryococcus braunii strain Showa in annular photobioreactors under artificial light

Abstract Botryococcus braunii strain Showa (race B) is a green microalga able to release long chain hydrocarbons, suitable for use as energy-rich compounds for biofuel applications, but also for high-value markets, like cosmetics. Its ability to grow in annular reactors up to 60...