Università degli Studi eCampus

About: Università degli Studi eCampus is a education organization based out in Novedrate, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Anxiety & Planck. The organization has 124 authors who have published 538 publications receiving 21483 citations. The organization is also known as: Universita degli Studi eCampus.

An integrated simulation environment for Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract: Simulators for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are one of the most important tools for systems development. They enable to study and evaluate new theories and hypotheses for sensors data gathering, testing new applications and protocols. Nowadays, there are a large number of open source WSN simulators and they can be divided into different categories according to their features and main applications. Due to the ability to increase the real WSN prototyping, the Cross Levels Simulator, like Cooja, has become an important class of simulators. Although they are open source, flexible and extensible in all levels, the test interface, the external connection at a physical level and the direct interaction with the process control via the WSN is very poor. In this work we present the Cooja Advanced Sky Interface which is an extension of the Contiki's Cooja network simulator for the Sky mote. Due to the absence of the analog output control in the Contiki OS for the Sky mote, as additional contribution, the Contiki Sky DAC driver has been developed and tested in the Cooja Simulator with the Advanced Sky GUI and GISOO plugin to give the ability to implement control over the wireless sensor network.

Global Psychological Implications of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). What Can Be Learned From Italy. Reflections, Perspectives, Opportunities

Abstract: On December 31, 2019, the Chinese authorities announced that in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, central-eastern China, a cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown etiology had developed. A new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes serious problems like pneumonia and even death, has been discovered. This new disease (COVID-19) has spread also in Italy starting from the first recognized case on February 20. Beyond its biological implications, this coronavirus allows us many psychological reflections. A new virus is indeed a potentially serious problem for mankind, but it can also be an opportunity to bring the focus back to us, to observe what is happening, who we are and how we are reacting both as individuals and as a population. Even positive implication of this pandemic was discussed.

TMS-EEG Biomarkers of Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Alzheimer’s Disease: A Proof-of-Concept Six Years Prospective Study

Abstract: Background: an Eearly and affordablye identification of subjects with amnesic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) who will convert to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a major scientific challenge. Objective: tTo investigate neurophysiological hallmarks of sensorimotor cortex function in aMCI, under the hypothesis that some may represent plastic rearrangements induced by neurodegeneration, hence, predictors of future conversion to AD. We sought to determine (1) whether the sensorimotor network shows peculiar alterations in aMCI patients, and (2) if sensorimotor network alterations predict long-term disease progression at the individual level. Methods: Wwe studied several transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-EEG correlates parameters of the sensorimotor cortex in a group of aMCI and followed the patients for 6 six years. We then identified aMCI who clinically converted to AD (pAD-MCI) and those who remained cognitively stable (npAD-MCI). Results: Motor cortex excitability was reduced in aMCI subjects compared to Controls. Moreover, we found a sensorimotor-specific disruption of local EEG synchronization, specifically in beta and gamma bands, which discriminate pAD-MCI from npAD-MCI. Finally sDA, a parameter related to the waveform shape of scalp signals and reflecting time-specific alterations in TMS-induced activity, predicted the conversion from aMCI to AD with high accuracy. Discussion: sSpecific cortical changes reflecting deficits of synchronization within the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic-cortical loop in aMCI may reflect pathological processes underlying AD. These changes could be tested in larger cohorts as possible neurophysiological biomarkers of AD. Keywords: Mild Cognitive Impairment; Alzheimer’s disease; EEG; Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Biomarkers; nTMS-EEG.

The Characteristics of Cognitive Impairment in ALS Patients Depend on the Lateralization of Motor Damage

Abstract: (1) Background: Cognitive features of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have never been specifically analyzed according to the lateralization of motor impairment. In the present study we investigated the cognitive performances of ALS patients to describe the relationship between motor and cognitive dysfunction, according to site and side of disease onset. (2) Methods: Six-hundred and nine ALS patients underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation at diagnosis in Turin ALS Centre Tests included-mini-mental state examination (MMSE), frontal assessment battery (FAB), trail-making test A/B (TMT A-B), digit span forward and backward (digit span FW/digit span BW), letter fluency test (FAS), category fluency test (CAT), Rey auditory verbal learning test (RAVLT), Babcock story recall test (BSRT), Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test (ROCFT), Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), Raven's coloured progressive matrices (CPM47). Cognitive performances of patients, grouped by side and site of onset, were statistically compared using z-scores, as appropriate. (3) Results: Bulbar patients and bilateral spinal onset patients (Sbil) were generally characterized by lower cognitive performances in most neuropsychological tests, when compared to patients with lateralized onset (right-side spinal onset, Sri and left-side spinal onset, Sle). Digit span backward and visual memory task (ROCFT) median z-scores were significantly higher, reflecting a better cognitive performance, in Sri patients when compared to bulbar/Sbil patients, while verbal memory tasks (RAVLT and BRST) resulted in significantly higher scores in Sle patients. Our results are in keeping with hemispheric functional lateralization of language and visuospatial abilities. (4) Conclusions: In ALS patients, as in other neurodegenerative diseases, we found a direct relationship between lateralized motor and cognitive features.

Interpreting and Predicting Experimental Responses of Micro- and Nano-Devices via Dynamical Integrity

Abstract: The present chapter highlights the importance of the dynamical integrity theory for micro and nanoapplications. Three case-studies of devices at different scales are presented (a capacitive accelerometer, a microbeam-based micro-electro-mechanical system, and a single-walled slacked carbon nanotube) and different issues commonly addressed in the engineering design are examined via dynamical integrity concepts. The iso-integrity curves are observed to follow exactly the experimental data. They are able to detect the parameter range where each attractor can be reliably observed in practice and where, instead, becomes vulnerable. Also, they may be used to simulate and predict the expected dynamics under different (smaller or larger) experimental disturbances. While referring to particular case-studies, we show the relevance of the dynamical integrity analysis for the engineering design of a mechanical system, in order to operate it in safe conditions, according to the desired outcome and depending on the expected disturbances.