Intervento neo-mercenario o peacekeeping regionale? Un confronto tra Private Military Companies ed ECOMOG in Sierra Leone.

The market-oriented Private Military Companies (PMC) are said to be a new tool for post-Cold War-peacekeeping in war-torn environments: actually, private security is strongly embedded in the so called "new wars", and derives from the retrenchment of the state in response to the globalisation. The study compares two different kinds of peacekeeping strategies: private security and regional peacekeeping are analysed in the context of Sierra Leone, an African country shocked by a savage civil war in the 90's. The first case describes the intervention of Executive Outcomes (EO) - a former and controversial South African PMC - in Sierra Leone (1995): EO provided only a short-lived frame of security which was instrumental to business interest of major international mining corporations. The second case is multilateral peacekeeping on a regional basis: ECOWAS Cease-fire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) intervention in Sierra Leone (1997-2000) was the first case of sub-regional peacekeeping in Africa: despite its difficulties due to political ambiguity, financial capacity and logistical obstacles, this intervention put in place a more legitimate peacekeeping strategy. A full understanding of modern privatised security shows its inadequacy for successful peaceful conflict transformations. Additionally, regional-based peacekeeping strategies, albeit more legitimate than private security, needs to be deeply refined in terms of training, funding and political will, in order to be successful

Regional reports for the subnational monitoring of measles elimination in Italy and the identification of local barriers to the attainment of the elimination goal

Although most countries in the WHO European Region were verified in 2017 as having interrupted endemic measles transmission, nine countries were still endemic. Among these, Italy accounted for the second highest number of measles cases reported in Europe in 2017. The elimination of measles is verified at national level by each country's National Verification Committee (NVC) through the production of an Annual Status Update (ASU). Since in Italy decentralization has led to an inhomogeneous implementation of immunization strategies among the 21 administrative Regions, the Italian NVC proposed that measles elimination should also be documented at the subnational level through regional ASUs and Synthetic Regional Reports (SRRs). The regional ASUs and the SRRs for 2014, 2015 and 2016 were produced and appraised by the NVC to evaluate the Regions' performances in each individual year as well as over the whole period. A specific analysis of vaccination coverage, including official immunization data for 2017, was performed. Moreover, the measles epidemic of 2017 was examined. Firstly, in the period 2014±2016, low immunization rates were registered in most Regions. Sixty-three per cent of southern Regions reported rates below the national mean and an overall low-quality performance. The approval of Italy's mandatory vaccination law in 2017 resulted in a marked increase in vaccination coverage; however, this increase was not homogeneous among Regions. Secondly, more than 50% of Regions did not report any supplemental immunization activity (SIA) for the period 2014-2016. Thirdly, from 2014 to 2016, fewer than one-third of Regions improved their reporting of outbreaks. Finally, over the study period, only two Regions reached the target required by the WHO for measles laboratory investigations. In countries with decentralized health policies, subnational monitoring can help identify local barriers to measles elimination. In Italy it has highlighted the need for further SIAs and a stronger surveillance system

Rapporto Finale del Progetto “Master regionale in tutela dell’ambiente marino e oceanografia - MARAMBO”

Questo rapporto di fine progetto presenta i dati relativi al “Master regionale in tutela dell’ambiente marino e oceanografia - MARAMBO” finanziato dell'ambito dell'Avviso 1/2012 del PO “FSE” Sicilia 2017-2013. Il progetto formativo ha previsto attività di formazione e training on the job a 8 allievi per un periodo di 12 mesi (1200 ore), con l'obiettivo generale di rafforzare il sistema regionale siciliano della ricerca scientifica-tecnologica e dell’alta formazione ad essa relativa. L'obiettivo specifico, invece, è stato quello di creare competenze specialistiche ed interdisciplinari per il monitoraggio e la tutela dell’ambiente marino, ovvero la macro-area di interesse dell'IAMC-CNR. Il rapporto ripercorre le attività del progetto formativo, le relative tempistiche e modalità esecutive ed i moduli formativi nel dettaglio. Vengono altresì sottolineati gli aspetti innovativi in termini di training on the job, work experiences, attività di laboratorio e collaterali nelle quali gli allievi sono stati coinvolti. Il rapporto si conclude con alcune considerazioni finali, la presentazione dei dati di placement a fine corso e di raggiungimento degli obiettivi previsti, alla luce dalle caratteristiche e dei limiti imposti dall'Avviso 1/2012

Challenges with anti-PD1 agents in brain metastases management of NSCLC patients: a case report

Immunotherapy is dramatically changing the therapeutic landscape of advanced Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), with unprecedented results compared with chemotherapy. However, this novel treatment approach poses several novel challenges, including optimal treatment duration, coexistence with other conventional therapies (radiotherapy, targeted therapies, and chemotherapy), and activity in special populations, including patients with brain metastases (BMs). Traditionally, central nervous system (CNS) has been considered an immune-privileged organ, although recent evidences suggest a potential role of the immune system as exploitable target for cancer immunotherapy. Here we present a case of a non-squamous NSCLC patient with a rapid and long-lasting response to the anti-PD1 agent Nivolumab with a remarkable activity in the CNS, without previous brain irradiation

Baseline neutrophilia, derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and outcome in non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with Nivolumab or Docetaxel

Nivolumab is a novel therapeutic option in NSCLC, associated with a significant survival gain compared with Docetaxel. However, predictive biomarkers are lacking. The presence of systemic inflammation has been correlated with poor outcome in many cancer types. We aimed to evaluate whether there is a correlation between some indicators of inflammation and response to Nivolumab or Docetaxel in pre-treated NSCLCs. Data of 62 patients receiving Nivolumab or Docetaxel were analyzed. Baseline neutrophilia and thrombocytosis were not associated with response. High dNLR was associated with no response to Nivolumab, but not with Docetaxel, whereas high PLR correlated with low treatment response in both groups. Among refractory patients, a higher incidence of thrombocytosis, neutrophilia, high PLR, and high dNLR levels were observed compared with the overall population. This is one of the first reports in this field and suggests that indicators of inflammation might be included together with other predictive biomarkers in the baseline evaluation of patients candidate for immunotherapy

OpenCoesione experience: citizen is the best communicator!

Communication plays an essential role in scientific projects, especially since it is possible to use social media and web platforms, to reach a wide audience. OpenCoesione is the “open-government” iniziative on cohesion polizie in Italy, a web plat form with navigable data on public programmed resources and expenses, that allows to evaluate how there sources are used. Any citizen can enrich this platform, analysing public projects and documentino the current state with open data. «A Scuola di OpenCoesione» is an innovative experimental project of school teaching of open government strategy of openness and transparency on development policies. The goal of A Scuola di Open Coesione is to involve and sensitize students and teachers to the use of contents and tools to learn and monitor the projects of cohesion policies, to build interdisciplinary educational programs starting from the projects financed on their respective territories and enriching, through crowd sourcing, the information base of OpenCoesione adding information and data that are not currently availableas, for example, geolocation,multimedia materials, the characteristics of the project, the physical performance of the works

Impact of the flame retardant 2,2’4,4’-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (PBDE-47) in THP-1 macrophage-like cell function via small extracellular vesicles

2,2’4,4’-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (PBDE-47) is one of the most widespread environmental brominated flame-retardant congeners which has also been detected in animal and human tissues. Several studies have reported the effects of PBDEs on different health issues, including neurobehavioral and developmental disorders, reproductive health, and alterations of thyroid function. Much less is known about its immunotoxicity. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects that treatment of THP-1 macrophage-like cells with PBDE-47 could have on the content of small extracellular vesicles’ (sEVs) microRNA (miRNA) cargo and their downstream effects on bystander macrophages. To achieve this, we purified sEVs from PBDE-47 treated M(LPS) THP-1 macrophage-like cells (sEVsPBDE+LPS) by means of ultra-centrifugation and characterized their miRNA cargo by microarray analysis detecting the modulation of 18 miRNAs. Furthermore, resting THP-1 derived M(0) macrophage-like cells were cultured with sEVsPBDE+LPS, showing that the treatment reshaped the miRNA profiles of 12 intracellular miRNAs. This dataset was studied in silico, identifying the biological pathways affected by these target genes. This analysis identified 12 pathways all involved in the maturation and polarization of macrophages. Therefore, to evaluate whether sEVsPBDE+LPS can have some immunomodulatory activity, naïve M(0) THP-1 macrophage-like cells cultured with purified sEVsPBDE+LPS were studied for IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β mRNAs expression and immune stained with the HLA-DR, CD80, CCR7, CD38 and CD209 antigens and analyzed by flow cytometry. This analysis showed that the PBDE-47 treatment does not induce the expression of specific M1 and M2 cytokine markers of differentiation and may have impaired the ability to make immunological synapses and present antigens, down-regulating the expression of HLA-DR and CD209 antigens. Overall, our study supports the model that perturbation of miRNA cargo by PBDE-47 treatment contributes to the rewiring of cellular regulatory pathways capable of inducing perturbation of differentiation markers on naïve resting M(0) THP-1 macrophage-like cells

Exploiting videos for science communication: the edulab experience

Nowadays, science communication and popularisation are part of a scientist’s everiday life because because divulgation disseminates scientific information to the general pubblic, helping himto under stand specific scientific subject and the advancements of research, as well as inspiring critical reflection, awareness and environmentally responsible behaviours. A team of scientists, researches and technicians of the IAS-CNR of Capo Granitola welcomed this challenge, founding the EDULab group. Its core activities are addressed in science divulgation and experimentation of innovative approaches using emerging digital technologies. Among a variety of science comunication products, videos have proved to be one of the best ways to litterally «immerse» the audience in scientific research and make the experience fun, in particular for non scientic audience and young people

Rapporto Finale del Progetto di alta formazione: “Esperti di Idroacustica, Analisi Dati, ICT e Tutela della Biodiversità Marina” (BLU-DATA-BIO)

Questo rapporto di fine progetto presenta i dati relativi al corso di formazione riportato nel titolo e rivolto a giovani laureati in scienze MM.FF.NN., chimiche, biologiche, ma anche ambientali, ingegneristiche e socio-economiche. Il corso è stato concepito come una prima di tappa di chi volesse intraprendere una carriera di ricerca presso Enti di Ricerca, oppure una carriera imprenditoriale nel settore della RS&I applicata alle scienze marine ed in particolare al concetto di “Crescita Blu”. L’ambiente marino con le sue risorse ha costituito il minimo comun denominatore di un’articolata offerta formativa finalizzata a creare nuove professionalità ad alta specializzazione all’interno di 2 macro-ambiti che costituiscono il “core business” del soggetto attuatore e che rappresentato i 2 Profili (A e B) del Progetto: 1. L’acustica marina attiva e passiva, connessa all’analisi dati e alle soluzioni ICT; 2. La tutela della biodiversità marina, connessa alla diffusione della cultura scientifica (Science Communication), collegata all’Osservatorio Regionale delle Biodiversità Siciliana Marina e Terrestre (D.D.G. del Dipartimento Ambiente della Regione Siciliana n. 342 del 10 giugno 2011)

Detection and quantification of mammaglobin in the blood of breast cancer patients: can it be useful as a potential clinical marker? Preliminary results of a GOIM (Gruppo Oncologico dell'Italia Meridionale) prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Mammaglobin is expressed mainly in mammary tissue, overexpressed in breast cancer (BC) and rarely in other tissue. The aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of transcript MGB1 detection and to evaluate the role of MGB1 as potential clinical marker for the detection of disseminated cancer cells in the blood of BC patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A consecutive series of 23 BC tissues, 36 peripheral blood BC samples and 35 healthy peripheral blood samples was prospectively recruited to investigate MGB1 expression by means of a quantitative Real Time RT-PCR assay. RESULTS: MGB1 overexpression in tissue samples of BC patients is significantly associated only with high level of Ki67 (P <0.05). None of the samples from peripheral blood of 35 healthy female individuals were positive for MGB1 transcript. In contrast MGB1 mRNA expression was detected in three of 36 (8%) peripheral blood of BC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results demonstrate that the detection of MGB1 transcript in peripheral blood of BC patients was specific but with low sensitivity. MGB1 overexpression by itself or in combination with Ki67 might be considered an index of BC progression