University of L'Aquila

XR in cultural heritage: a comparative study of motivation, presence, and engagement across 360° virtual tours, VR, and AR at the archaeological site of Villa Regina

Abstract As immersive technologies gain prominence in cultural heritage, understanding their specific experiential qualities has emerged as a central research challenge. This study presents a rigorously controlled comparative analysis of three immersive systems: virtual reality (...

Decoding the causes of ischemic stroke despite ongoing oral anticoagulation and their clinical impact: the ASPERA-R study

BACKGROUND: Oral anticoagulants (OACs), including vitamin K antagonists and direct OACs, reduce stroke risk in atrial fibrillation (AF), yet breakthrough ischemic stroke still occurs in 1-2% of patients annually despite adequate therapy. The mechanisms underlying these events rem...

Widespread thermophilization but weak link to climate warming in Europe’s summit plant communities

Abstract Recent changes in alpine vegetation are often attributed to climate warming, particularly community composition shifts towards more warmth-associated species, or thermophilization. Here we assess the link between thermophilization and warming across 53 European mountain...

Lumbar Plexus Disorders Presenting as Low Back Pain: A Narrative Review of a Practical Diagnostic Imaging Approach

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common causes of medical consultation worldwide and is typically attributed to degenerative spinal disorders. However, a subset of patients presents with LBP related to extra-spinal conditions, including disorders of the lumbar plexus. These...

Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing in Donor-Oocyte Pregnancies: Biological Determinants, Algorithmic Limitations and Clinical Implications

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) based on circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has transformed prenatal screening for common aneuploidies, but its interpretation is less straightforward in pregnancies conceived with donor oocytes. In this setting, fetal chromosomal risk is large...

Bone Accrual During Puberty Suppression and Gender-Affirming Therapy in Transgender Adolescents

Importance Puberty is a critical window for bone mass acquisition, determining lifelong fracture risk. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa)–based pubertal suppression followed by gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is increasingly used in transgender and gender-dive...