Guglielmo Marconi University

Guerra E., Simonazzi M., Mimmi F., Morandi A., Bocchi M., Musso A., Angeli G., Martini L., Bertinato A., Steckler P., Creusot C.

Gibiino G.P., Nunes L.C., Miller N.C.

Mimmo N., Carnevale G., Testa A., Notarstefano G.

Benassi F., Negri E., Fuscaldo W., Paolini G., Maita F., Burghignoli P., Masotti D., Galli A., Costanzo A.

Cerolini S., Ellis J.G., Meneo D., Baldi E., Baglioni C.

SummaryAccurate and timely assessment is essential for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Over the past few years, new developments in the assessment of insomnia disorder have been outlined. This review aims to summarise the available instruments in line with the updated scientific research and advances in clinical sleep research. A synthesis of new developments in the field from 2020 to 2024, focussing on self‐reported questionnaires, clinical interviews, and ecological momentary assessment, are provided. After exploring novel advances and their interplay with evidence‐based validated instruments, we will discuss limitations and future directions. What are we missing? What should be improved and ameliorated? What are the next steps for insomnia assessment and diagnosis regarding methodology, dissemination, and practice?

Robertson J.W., Adanyeguh I., Bender B., Boesch S., Brunetti A., Cocozza S., Coutinho L., Deistung A., Diciotti S., Dogan I., Durr A., Fernandez‐Ruiz J., Göricke S.L., Grisoli M., Han S., et. al.

AbstractBackgroundSpinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive deterioration in both motor coordination and cognitive function. Atrophy of the cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord are core features of SCA2; however, the evolution and pattern of whole‐brain atrophy in SCA2 remain unclear.ObjectiveWe undertook a multisite, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study to comprehensively characterize the neurodegeneration profile of SCA2.MethodsVoxel‐based morphometry analyses of 110 participants with SCA2 and 128 controls were undertaken to assess groupwise differences in whole‐brain volume. Correlations with clinical severity and genotype, and cross‐sectional profiling of atrophy patterns at different disease stages, were also performed.ResultsAtrophy in SCA2 versus controls was greatest (Cohen's d >2.5) in the cerebellar white matter (WM), middle cerebellar peduncle, pons, and corticospinal tract. Very large effects (d >1.5) were also evident in the superior cerebellar, inferior cerebellar, and cerebral peduncles. In the cerebellar gray matter (GM), large effects (d >0.8) were observed in areas related to both motor coordination and cognitive tasks. Strong correlations (|r| > 0.4) between volume and disease severity largely mirrored these groupwise outcomes. Stratification by disease severity exhibited a degeneration pattern beginning in the cerebellar and pontine WM in preclinical subjects; spreading to the cerebellar GM and cerebro‐cerebellar/corticospinal WM tracts; and then finally involving the thalamus, striatum, and cortex in severe stages.ConclusionThe magnitude and pattern of brain atrophy evolve over the course of SCA2, with widespread, nonuniform involvement across the brainstem, cerebellar tracts, and cerebellar cortex; and late involvement of the cerebral cortex and striatum. © 2025 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Righini M., Corsi C., Sciascia N., Aiello V., Ciurli F., Lerario S., Berti G.M., Montanari F., Conti A., Cristalli C.P., Menabò S., Caramanna L., Tondolo F., Turchetti D., La Manna G., et. al.

Abstract Background Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is a monogenic disease having a prevalence of 1:400–1000 live births. Depending on kidney imaging, patients can be subdivided into Class 1 (typical) and Class 2 (atypical). The present study aims to provide better assessment of Class 2 patients to help define their family history, together with their clinical and radiological characteristics. Methods One hundred twenty-four PKD patients with abdominal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for the staging of ADPKD, were retrospectively analyzed, aiming to focus on Class 2 ADPKD patients. Total kidney volume and total cyst volume were evaluated, while also assessing their clinical and genetic characteristics. Results Twelve patients fulfilled the Mayo criteria for Class 2 ADPKD (two Class 2B and ten Class 2A). Extrarenal involvement was observed in 66.7% of cases, but only two subjects presented an estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. A positive family history for cystic disease was more frequent compared to other published cohorts. Only 8.3% tested positive for a likely pathogenic mutation in the PKD1 gene. Class 2B patients showed a lower height-adjusted total kidney volume, with a lower percentage of total cyst volume. Conclusion Based on our results, atypical ADPKD does not represent an uncommon condition, being present in about 10% of MRI-evaluated patients diagnosed with ADPKD. Genetic tests are frequently negative for PKD1/PKD2, and total cyst volume and residual tissue volume do not increase the prognostic value of MRI in patients with these radiological characteristics. Other tools are needed to better characterize their kidney prognosis. Graphical abstract

Hayrapetyan A., Tumasyan A., Adam W., Andrejkovic J.W., Bergauer T., Chatterjee S., Damanakis K., Dragicevic M., Hussain P.S., Jeitler M., Krammer N., Li A., Liko D., Mikulec I., Schieck J., et. al.

Abstract A search for long-lived heavy neutral leptons (HNLs) using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb −1 collected at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC is presented. Events are selected with a charged lepton originating from the primary vertex associated with the proton-proton interaction, as well as a second charged lepton and a hadronic jet associated with a secondary vertex that corresponds to the semileptonic decay of a long-lived HNL. No excess of events above the standard model expectation is observed. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are evaluated for HNLs that mix with electron and/or muon neutrinos. Limits are presented in the mass range of 1–16.5 GeV, with excluded square mixing parameter values reaching as low as 2 × 10 −7. For masses above 11 GeV, the presented limits exceed all previous results in the semileptonic decay channel, and for some of the considered scenarios are the strongest to date.

Pinelli S., Mandorino M., Fantozzi S., Lacome M.

In contemporary sports science, the integration of wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs) has revolutionized athlete performance monitoring, offering insights into training load management and injury risk mitigation. The acute:chronic workload ratio (ACWR) has emerged as a pivotal metric, indicating the balance between acute training stress and chronic adaptation. This study investigates the relationship between ACWR and running parameters, i.e., contact time (CT), flight time (FT), and vertical stiffness (Kvert). Data from thirty-five elite male soccer players were analyzed using the WIMU Pro system. Statistical analyses showed that CT increased with workload, with significant differences observed between athletes in the sweet spot and others in the danger zone (p < 0.05), and effect sizes (Cohen’s d) ranging from 0.28 to 0.37. Kvert values were consistently lower in athletes in the danger zone across all workload indicators (p < 0.001), with large effect sizes going up to 0.94. Conversely, FT showed no significant variation between ACWR groups. These findings suggest that elevated ACWRs may be linked to reductions in vertical stiffness, highlighting a potential increase in risk of injury. Coaches and practitioners can utilize these insights to tailor training programs, integrating load monitoring with tactical considerations to optimize athlete performance. Understanding the nuanced interplay between workload ratios and biomechanical parameters provides valuable insights for performance optimization for elite football athletes.

Di Bisceglie E., Papa A.A., Vitale A., Pasqual Laverdura U., Di Carlo A., Bocci E.

This study focuses on the modeling, simulation, and optimization of an integrated biomass gasification and methanation process to produce bio-synthetic natural gas (Bio-SNG) as part of the AIRE project. The process was simulated using Aspen Plus® software (V14), incorporating experimental results from pilot-scale gasification setups. Key steps involved syngas production in a dual fluidized bed gasifier and its subsequent conversion to Bio-SNG in a methanation section. Heat integration strategies were implemented to enhance system results demonstrate that optimized heat recovery, achieved by utilizing exothermic methanation reactions to preheat gasification inputs, eliminates the need for auxiliary fuel in the gasification process. The optimized system achieved a thermal recovery rate of 80%, a cold gas efficiency of 79%, a Bio-SNG production rate of 0.4 Nm3/kgBiom, and a methane content of 85 vol.%. These optimizations reduced CO2 emissions by 10% while increasing overall energy efficiency. This work highlights the potential of integrating biomass gasification and methanation processes with heat recovery for sustainable methane production. The findings provide a basis for scaling up the process and further exploring syngas utilization pathways to produce renewable energy carriers.

Eller L., Skocaj M., Svoboda P., Rupp M., Verdone R.

Di Martino G., della Valle C., di Cagno A., Fiorilli G., Calcagno G., Conte D.

(1) Background: This study evaluated whether physical activity and sports serve as a protective factor in mitigating COVID-19 pandemic long-term consequences. (2) Methods: A survey of 1702 participants (8–18 years) used the Impact of Event Scale (IES), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC). Participants were categorized based on their engagement in sports, cultural activities, or sedentary behaviors. Statistical analysis included non-parametric tests, CHAID models, and clustering. (3) Results: In total, 65.5% of participants experienced minimal to mild anxiety, and 34.5% reported moderate to severe anxiety. The main predictor of depression is the sample age, followed by the training experience. Depressive symptoms were identified in 71.3% of participants (75.7% adolescents; 64% children). Adolescents with longer training experience (67.6%) showed lower depression compared to those with shorter experience (77.2%). For post-traumatic stress, 38% of children and 46% of adolescents exceeded cut-off scores for significant symptoms, with age and training level identified as key predictors. Among children, sport experience with low weekly frequency was associated with the lowest depression rates (59.5%). (4) Conclusions: Four years after the pandemic, a high percentage of anxiety and depression disorders is observed in the youth population, particularly among adolescents. Sports appear to slightly alleviate this serious condition.

Prete S.D., Barbiroli M., Fuschini F.

He M., Ma J., Mingotti A., Tang Q., Peretto L., Teng Z.

Hayrapetyan A., Tumasyan A., Adam W., Andrejkovic J.W., Bergauer T., Chatterjee S., Damanakis K., Dragicevic M., Hussain P.S., Jeitler M., Krammer N., Li A., Liko D., Mikulec I., Schieck J., et. al.

Abstract The first measurement of the inclusive and normalised differential cross sections of single top quark production in association with a W boson in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13.6 TeV is presented. The data were recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2022, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 34.7 fb −1. The analysed events contain one muon and one electron in the final state. For the inclusive measurement, multivariate discriminants exploiting the kinematic properties of the events are used to separate the signal from the dominant top quark-antiquark production background. A cross section of $$ 82.3\pm 2.1{\left(\textrm{stat}\right)}_{-9.7}^{+9.9}\left(\textrm{syst}\right)\pm 3.3\left(\textrm{lumi}\right) $$ 82.3 ± 2.1 stat − 9.7 + 9.9 syst ± 3.3 lumi pb is obtained, consistent with the predictions of the standard model. A fiducial region is defined according to the detector acceptance to perform the differential measurements. The resulting differential distributions are unfolded to particle level and show good agreement with the predictions at next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics.