<?php
$stringa = "1-3-4-7-8-10";
?>
codice:
<form>
<input type="checkbox" name="particolarita[]" value="1" <?php echo strpos($stringa,"1") === false ? '' : 'checked'  ?> >

<input type="checkbox" name="particolarita[]" value="2" <?php echo strpos($stringa,"2") === false ? '' : 'checked'  ?> >

<input type="checkbox" name="particolarita[]" value="3" <?php echo strpos($stringa,"3") === false ? '' : 'checked'  ?> >

<input type="checkbox" name="particolarita[]" value="4" <?php echo strpos($stringa,"4") === false ? '' : 'checked'  ?> >

<input type="checkbox" name="particolarita[]" value="5" <?php echo strpos($stringa,"5") === false ? '' : 'checked'  ?> >

....
<input type="checkbox" name="particolarita[]" value="10"<?php echo strpos($stringa,"10") === false ? '' : 'checked'  ?> >