1
|
Mirino P, Mercuri S, Pecchinenda A, Boccia M, Di Piero A, Soldani M, Guariglia C. The time squares sequences: a new task for assessing visuospatial working memory. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1165906. [PMID: 37324520 PMCID: PMC10267982 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1165906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Several studies have shown that the working memory is sensitive to temporal variations. We used a new visuospatial working memory task, the "Time Squares Sequences," to investigate whether implicit variations in stimuli presentation time affect task performance. Methods A total of 50 healthy participants saw two sequences (S1 and S2) of seven white squares presented in a matrix of gray squares and assessed whether S2 matched S1. There were four conditions depending on the spatial position and the presentation time (i.e., timing) of the white squares in S1 and S2: two with the same (S1 fixed/S2 fixed and S1 variable/S2 variable) and two with different (S1 fixed/S2 variable and S1 variable/S2 fixed) presentation times. Results Findings showed impaired performance when S1 had a fixed presentation time and S2 had a variable presentation time. Conclusion These findings are attributed to increased cognitive load due to S2 timing difference, pointing to a monitoring process, sensitive to temporal variations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierandrea Mirino
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Ph.D. Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Mercuri
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Pecchinenda
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Maddalena Boccia
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Di Piero
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Soldani
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Cecilia Guariglia
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
De Santis A, Marchetti D, Pavón-Carrasco FJ, Cianchini G, Perrone L, Abbattista C, Alfonsi L, Amoruso L, Campuzano SA, Carbone M, Cesaroni C, De Franceschi G, De Santis A, Di Giovambattista R, Ippolito A, Piscini A, Sabbagh D, Soldani M, Santoro F, Spogli L, Haagmans R. Precursory worldwide signatures of earthquake occurrences on Swarm satellite data. Sci Rep 2019; 9:20287. [PMID: 31889060 PMCID: PMC6937265 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56599-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of the preparation phase of large earthquakes is essential to understand the physical processes involved, and potentially useful also to develop a future reliable short-term warning system. Here we analyse electron density and magnetic field data measured by Swarm three-satellite constellation for 4.7 years, to look for possible in-situ ionospheric precursors of large earthquakes to study the interactions between the lithosphere and the above atmosphere and ionosphere, in what is called the Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (LAIC). We define these anomalies statistically in the whole space-time interval of interest and use a Worldwide Statistical Correlation (WSC) analysis through a superposed epoch approach to study the possible relation with the earthquakes. We find some clear concentrations of electron density and magnetic anomalies from more than two months to some days before the earthquake occurrences. Such anomaly clustering is, in general, statistically significant with respect to homogeneous random simulations, supporting a LAIC during the preparation phase of earthquakes. By investigating different earthquake magnitude ranges, not only do we confirm the well-known Rikitake empirical law between ionospheric anomaly precursor time and earthquake magnitude, but we also give more reliability to the seismic source origin for many of the identified anomalies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A De Santis
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy.
| | - D Marchetti
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
- Now at School of Remote Sensing and Geomatics Engineering NUIST, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - F J Pavón-Carrasco
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
- Now at Univ. Complutense de Madrid, Facultad CC. Físicas, Avd. Complutense, s/n - Madrid 28040, Spain & Geoscience Institute IGEO (CSIC - UCM), Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - G Cianchini
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - L Perrone
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - C Abbattista
- Planetek Italia srl, via Massaua 12, Bari, 70132, Italy
| | - L Alfonsi
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - L Amoruso
- Planetek Italia srl, via Massaua 12, Bari, 70132, Italy
| | - S A Campuzano
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - M Carbone
- Planetek Italia srl, via Massaua 12, Bari, 70132, Italy
| | - C Cesaroni
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - G De Franceschi
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - Anna De Santis
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - R Di Giovambattista
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - A Ippolito
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
- Now at ASI, Via del Politecnico snc, Roma, 00133, Italy
| | - A Piscini
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - D Sabbagh
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - M Soldani
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - F Santoro
- Planetek Italia srl, via Massaua 12, Bari, 70132, Italy
| | - L Spogli
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
- SpacEarth Technology, Via di Vigna Murata 605, Roma, 00143, Italy
| | - R Haagmans
- European Space Agency, ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, NL-2201 AZ, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bandiera L, Tikhomirov VV, Romagnoni M, Argiolas N, Bagli E, Ballerini G, Berra A, Brizzolari C, Camattari R, De Salvador D, Haurylavets V, Mascagna V, Mazzolari A, Prest M, Soldani M, Sytov A, Vallazza E. Strong Reduction of the Effective Radiation Length in an Axially Oriented Scintillator Crystal. Phys Rev Lett 2018; 121:021603. [PMID: 30085729 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.121.021603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We measured a considerable increase of the emitted radiation by 120 GeV/c electrons in an axially oriented lead tungstate scintillator crystal, if compared to the case in which the sample was not aligned with the beam direction. This enhancement resulted from the interaction of particles with the strong crystalline electromagnetic field. The data collected at the external lines of the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron were critically compared to Monte Carlo simulations based on the Baier-Katkov quasiclassical method, highlighting a reduction of the scintillator radiation length by a factor of 5 in the case of beam alignment with the [001] crystal axes. The observed effect opens the way to the realization of compact electromagnetic calorimeters or detectors based on oriented scintillator crystals in which the amount of material can be strongly reduced with respect to the state of the art. These devices could have relevant applications in fixed-target experiments, as well as in satellite-borne γ telescopes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Bandiera
- INFN Sezione di Ferrara and Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Ferrara Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy
| | - V V Tikhomirov
- Institute for Nuclear Problems, Belarusian State University, 220030 Minsk, Belarus
| | - M Romagnoni
- INFN Sezione di Ferrara and Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Ferrara Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy
| | - N Argiolas
- INFN Sezione di Legnaro and Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - E Bagli
- INFN Sezione di Ferrara and Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Ferrara Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy
| | - G Ballerini
- INFN Sezione di Milano Bicocca and Dipartimento di Scienza e Alta Tecnologia, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria Via Valleggio, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - A Berra
- INFN Sezione di Milano Bicocca and Dipartimento di Scienza e Alta Tecnologia, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria Via Valleggio, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - C Brizzolari
- INFN Sezione di Milano Bicocca and Dipartimento di Scienza e Alta Tecnologia, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria Via Valleggio, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - R Camattari
- INFN Sezione di Ferrara and Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Ferrara Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy
| | - D De Salvador
- INFN Sezione di Legnaro and Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - V Haurylavets
- Institute for Nuclear Problems, Belarusian State University, 220030 Minsk, Belarus
| | - V Mascagna
- INFN Sezione di Milano Bicocca and Dipartimento di Scienza e Alta Tecnologia, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria Via Valleggio, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - A Mazzolari
- INFN Sezione di Ferrara and Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Ferrara Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy
| | - M Prest
- INFN Sezione di Milano Bicocca and Dipartimento di Scienza e Alta Tecnologia, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria Via Valleggio, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - M Soldani
- INFN Sezione di Milano Bicocca and Dipartimento di Scienza e Alta Tecnologia, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria Via Valleggio, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - A Sytov
- INFN Sezione di Ferrara and Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Ferrara Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy
- Institute for Nuclear Problems, Belarusian State University, 220030 Minsk, Belarus
| | - E Vallazza
- INFN Sezione di Trieste, Via Valerio 2, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
De Lisi V, Cocconi G, Angelini F, Cavicchi F, Di Costanzo F, Gilli G, Rodinò C, Soldani M, Tonato M, Finardi C. The combination of cisplatin, doxorubicin, and mitomycin (PAM) compared with the FAM regimen in treating advanced gastric carcinoma. A phase II randomized trial of the Italian Oncology Group for Clinical Research. Cancer 1996; 77:245-50. [PMID: 8625230 DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19960115)77:2<245::aid-cncr4>3.0.co;2-l] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In a randomized Phase II study, the authors evaluated the activity and toxicity of the new cisplatin, doxorubicin, and mitomycin C (PAM) combination, that includes cisplatin (P) instead of 5-fluorouracil as in the 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and mitomycin C (FAM) combination, in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma. FAM was utilized as a control treatment arm. METHODS Fifty eligible patients were assigned to the FAM (5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 intravenous (i.v.) on Days 1, 8, 29, 36; doxorubicin 30 mg/m2 i.v. on Days 1 and 29; mitomycin C 10 mg/m2 i.v. on Day 1; every 8 weeks) and 52 to the PAM combination (cisplatin 60 mg/m2 i.v. on Days 1 and 29; doxorubicin 30 mg/m2 i.v. on Days 1 and 29; mitomycin C 10 mg/m2 i.v. on Day 1; every 8 weeks). All eligible patients were included in the evaluation of response, toxicity and survival. RESULTS The PAM combination complete response (CR) rate was 8%, and the CR plus partial response (PR) rate was 21% (95% confidence interval [CI] from 10% to 32%). The median time to progression, duration of response, and duration of survival were 15, 26, and 29 weeks, respectively. The FAM combination CR rate was 2% and the CR plus PR rate was 26% (95% CI from 14% to 38%). The median time to progression, duration of response, and duration of survival were 17, 27, and 23 weeks, respectively. Hematologic and nonhematologic toxicity were mild with both regimens. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that this new combination, that does not include 5-fluorouracil, is active in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma. Since treatment with 5-fluorouracil alone is still considered the standard according to some authors, the PAM combination may be included among the sequential clinical options before or after treatment with 5-fluorouracil alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- V De Lisi
- Medical Oncology Institutions of the GOIRC Group in Parma, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cocconi G, Bella M, Zironi S, Algeri R, Di Costanzo F, De Lisi V, Luppi G, Mazzocchi B, Rodinò C, Soldani M. Fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and mitomycin combination versus PELF chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer: a prospective randomized trial of the Italian Oncology Group for Clinical Research. J Clin Oncol 1994; 12:2687-93. [PMID: 7989945 DOI: 10.1200/jco.1994.12.12.2687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The combination of cisplatin, epirubicin, and leucovorin preceding fluorouracil (PELF) includes three novel agents compared with the standard combination of fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and mitomycin (FAM) in the treatment of advanced gastric carcinoma. We report the results of a prospective randomized comparison of the two combinations in previously untreated patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred thirty assessable patients were entered onto the trial; 52 received FAM and 85 PELF. A 1:2 unbalanced randomization in favor of the experimental treatment was chosen. Approximately 90% of patients had measurable tumor masses. RESULTS The overall response rates (complete responses [CRs] and partial responses [PRs]) were 15% and 43% for the FAM and the PELF regimens, respectively, with a statistically significant advantage for the experimental treatment (P = .001). Time to progression (median, 2.6 and 4.7 months), duration of response (median, 10.7 and 10.2 months), and survival durations (median, 5.6 and 8.1 months) were not significantly different between the FAM and PELF regimens, respectively. The PELF combination was more toxic compared with FAM, but generally tolerable. CONCLUSION This study showed that the PELF combination is about three times more effective than the FAM combination in inducing objective responses. Due to tolerability, it is not recommended for routine clinical use. However, it should be considered, among other second-generation chemotherapy combinations, in future randomized studies aimed to improve the therapeutic outcome in gastric carcinoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G Cocconi
- Medical Oncology Institution of Parma, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ballatori E, Roila F, Basurto C, Bracarda S, Picciafuoco M, Soldani M, Crinò L, Tonato M, Milella G, Del Favero A. Reliability and validity of a quality of life questionnaire in cancer patients. Eur J Cancer 1993; 29A Suppl 1:S63-9. [PMID: 8427728 DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(05)80264-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Two studies were sequentially conducted to validate a new questionnaire which takes into consideration the most important variables which could influence quality of life evaluation. Particular attention was given to the methodology employed to collect data and to the patients' characteristics. In the first study 80 consecutive cancer patients were randomised to twice fill in one of four different types of questionnaire, each one characterised by a different polarisation of semantic and syntactic extreme values of the visual linear analogue (for instance, "very much" always on the right, regardless of the semantic value of the answer; positive semantic value always on the right, regardless of whether it was "very much" or "not at all"; and so on). The second study, conducted on 60 lung cancer patients, consisted in testing the reliability (by measuring the reproducibility in different ways) and the validity (by performing a factor analysis) of the type of questionnaire indicated by the first study as the most reliable. The internal coherence was also evaluated by measuring the effects of physical and psychological conditions on the responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Ballatori
- Medical Statistics Unit (Institute of Internal and Vascular Medicine), University of Perugia, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
De Lisi V, Cocconi G, Tonato M, Di Costanzo F, Leonardi F, Soldani M. 5-Fluorouracil versus a combination of BCNU, adriamycin, 5-FU and mitomycin C in advanced gastric cancer: a prospective randomized study of the Italian Clinical Research Oncology Group. Recent Results Cancer Res 1988; 110:212-8. [PMID: 3136519 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-83293-2_33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- V De Lisi
- Medical Oncology Service, University Hospital, Parma, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
De Lisi V, Cocconi G, Tonato M, Di Costanzo F, Leonardi F, Soldani M. Randomized comparison of 5-FU alone or combined with carmustine, doxorubicin, and mitomycin (BAFMi) in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer: a phase III trial of the Italian Clinical Research Oncology Group (GOIRC). Cancer Treat Rep 1986; 70:481-5. [PMID: 3516397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Eighty-two evaluable patients with advanced gastric carcinoma were randomized to receive either 5-FU alone or the combination of carmustine, doxorubicin, 5-FU, and mitomycin (BAFMi). Objective remissions were seen in 15% of the patients who received 5-FU alone and in 22% of the patients on the BAFMi regimen. The difference was not statistically significant. The median duration of objective remission (31 vs 40 weeks) was longer using BAFMi combination, and the median duration of survival, calculated in the 85 randomized patients, was slightly longer using 5-FU (28 vs 24 weeks). The differences were not statistically significant. It is concluded that there is no therapeutic advantage in using the BAFMi combination over 5-FU alone.
Collapse
|
9
|
Rambotti P, Allegra A, Soldani M, Aversa F, Colozza M, Liberati M. [Sequential polychemotherapeutic treatment of inoperable bronchogenic carcinoma]. Clin Ter 1979; 89:151-62. [PMID: 487713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
|
10
|
Martelli MF, Tonato M, Soldani M, Grignani F. [Clinical trial of daunomycin in acute leukemia in adults]. Clin Ter 1972; 60:149-58. [PMID: 4501941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
|