Forme di futuro nello Slavo del Molise tra sociolinguistica, tipologia e linguistica del contatto

In molte lingue del mondo le forme che designano temporalità futura hanno la loro origine in strutture che esprimono un valore modale veicolato dagli elementi che, nel processo di grammaticalizzazione, assumeranno funzione ausiliaria nelle perifrasi verbali o si trasformeranno in clitici o affissi verbali. In questo contributo sono descritte alcune forme di futuro nello Slavo del Molise (SLM), una varietà croata in prolungato contatto con l’ambiente romanzo circostante. Si evidenzierà quali di queste forme sono originarie dell’area balcanica e sono comuni alle altre varietà croate e quali, invece, trovano nelle varietà romanze dell’Italia Meridionale possibili corrispondenze. Se ne esamineranno, inoltre, valori e funzioni anche in correlazione alla diffusione d’uso dello SLM nelle comunità minoritarie esaminate e nelle tipologie di parlanti intervistati.In many languages of the world, forms designating future temporality have their origin in structures expressing a modal value conveyed by elements that, in the process of grammaticalisation, will assume auxiliary function in verbal periphrases or turn into clitics or verbal affixes. This paper describes some forms of future tense inthe Slavic variety of Molise (SLM), a Croatian variety in prolonged contact with the surrounding Romance environment. It will be pointed out which of these forms originate from the Balkan area and are common to other Croatian varieties, and which, on the other hand, find possible correspondences in the Romance varieties of Southern Italy. The values and functions of these forms will also be examined in correlation with the diffusion of the use of SLM in the minority communities examined and in the types of speakers interviewed

In systemic sclerosis skin perfusion of hands is reduced and may predict the occurrence of new digital ulcers

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients are at high risk for the development of ischemic digital ulcers (DUs). The aim of this study was to assess in SSc patients a correlation between skin perfusion evaluated by LDPI and DUs and to evaluate the prognostic value of skin perfusion to predict the new DUs occurrence. Fifty eight (47 female, 11 male) SSc patients were enrolled. Skin perfusion of hands and region of interest (ROIs) was measured by Laser Doppler perfusion Imager (LDPI). The proximal-distal gradient (PDG) was present when the perfusion mean difference between ROI1 and ROI2 was > 30 pU. The skin perfusion of hands is lower in SSc patients than in healthy controls. The skin perfusion decreased with severity of capillaroscopic damage. Both mean perfusion of hand and PDG are significantly (p < 0.01 and p < 0.0001, respectively) lower in SSc patients with new DUs than in SSc patients without DUs. Only 2 of 11 SSc patients (18.2%) with PDG developed new digital ulcers, conversely 36 of 47 (76.6%) SSc patients without PDG developed new digital ulcers (p < 0.001). The ROC curves demonstrated a good accuracy of new DUs prediction for PDG (0.78, p < 0.0001). Using this cut-off value of 30 pU, RR for new DUs development in SSc patients without PDG is 4,2 (p < 0.001). LDPI indices could be used in association to the capillaroscopic and clinical findings or serological tests in the identification of patients at high risk of developing DU

Calorimetry and FTIR reveal the ability of URG7 protein to modify the aggregation state of both cell lysate and amylogenic α-synuclein

Differential scanning calorimetry and FITR analyses allowed to investigate the role of URG7 (up-regulated gene clone 7) protein involved in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma induced by hepatitis B virus infection, on the physical structure both of lysates of human hepatoblastoma cells (HepG2) stressed with tunicamycin and α-synuclein, one of the proteins associated with neurogenerative diseases. The protein-water interfacial region was identified and correlated with protein structure. DSC results confirm through the interfacial water behavior that URG7 is able to act in two ways: it maintains the interfacial water stability and controls the mobile fraction level, thereby the flexibility and the protein folding. The mobile water phase increases strongly for cells exposed to α-synuclein, demonstrating an important influence on water hydration. FTIR results evidenced an increase of about 30% of cross β structures in cells exposed to α-synuclein, associated with aggregated proteins. In stress conditions, URG7 was able to maintain the same fraction of mobile water as untreated cells. URG7 was able to restore the water reorientation ability around the complex lysate system and reduced abnormal protein folding

Executive Functions in Overweight and Obese Treatment-Seeking Patients: Cross-Sectional Data and Longitudinal Perspectives

Background: Recent evidence suggests that a higher body weight may be linked to cognitive impairment in different domains involving executive/frontal functioning. However, challenging results are also available. Accordingly, our study was designed to verify whether (i) poor executive functions are related to a higher body weight and (ii) executive functioning could contribute to weight loss in treatment-seeking overweight and obese patients. Methods: We examined general executive functioning, inhibitory control, verbal fluency, and psychomotor speed in a sample including 104 overweight and obese patients. Forty-eight normal-weight subjects participated in the study as controls. Results: Univariate Analysis of Variance showed that obese patients obtained lower scores than overweight and normal-weight subjects in all executive measures, except for errors in the Stroop test. However, when sociodemographic variables entered the model as covariates, no between-group difference was detected. Furthermore, an adjusted multiple linear regression model highlighted no relationship between weight loss and executive scores at baseline. Conclusions: Our results provide further evidence for the lack of association between obesity and the executive domains investigated. Conflicting findings from previous literature may likely be due to the unchecked confounding effects exerted by sociodemographic variables and inclusion/exclusion criteria