Liana Millu’s Concentration Camp Novel

Liana Millu (1914-2005) was an Italian Jew deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944. She survived and became a writer. This article is focused on analyzing her major work: Il fumo di Birkenau (1947). In contrast to the trend of other memoirs of the same period, Millu knowingly wrote a novel characterised by an evident literary vocation. The writer’s autobiographical events are always kept in the background as well as the narration. We find instead six women’s stories developing a significant dramatic intensity. The article explores poetics, genesis and temporal structure of the novel but also some developments of relevant topics such as the process of dehumanisation, the particular status of women in camps and a legend about motherhood, both in Millu’s text and in another Italian memoir from Birkenau

«Sulle sofferenze e sui danni subiti in questa guerra». Due memoriali dall’Archivio storico della Comunità ebraica di Firenze

Le persecuzioni antiebraiche a Firenze dopo l’8 settembre 1943 furono par- ticolarmente cruente. Malgrado l’efficacia e l’estensione di una rete protettiva di aiuti, la convinta collaborazione delle istituzioni locali della Repubblica Sociale Italiana con gli occupanti tedeschi impresse alle persecuzioni un’impronta particolare di violenza ed accanimento, che portò all’arresto, seguito da deportazione ad Auschwitz, di più di trecento ebrei, italiani e stranieri, presenti in città. Nel periodo immediatamente successivo alla liberazione, con la guerra ancora in corso, a Firenze gli ebrei scampati, frastornati, spogliati dei loro beni, ancora inconsapevoli della catastrofe ebraica europea e della fine toccata ai loro cari deportati, furono invitati dal Comitato Toscano di Liberazione Nazionale e dalla Comunità ebraica a compilare memoriali sulle sofferenze subite. Oggi quegli scritti costituiscono un significativo corpus documentario che testimonia di una memoria collettiva ebraica in fase di formazione ancora al di qua della frattura della Shoah, capace di raccontare vicende e afflizioni percepite poi come ‘minori’, una volta realizzata l’entità del disastro. Emergono anche da queste precoci testimonianze, da cui sono tratti i due documenti che qui si pubblicano, speranze concrete di ottenere giustizia e di vedere puniti i colpevoli, che con l’avanzare del difficile dopoguerra italiano andranno poi invece deluse

Effects of single injection of naloxone and damgo within nucleus accumbens septi in the plus maze test in rats

Nucleus accumbens septi (NAS) is studied because its relations with cognition and anxiety. Its pharmacological manipulation is widely used in experimental psychopathology to reproduce psychotic signs and symptoms in animal models. In the present study, the effect of the injection of an agonist and a µ-receptor antagonist in this structure is assessed. Holtzman strain male rats (240-290 g) were cannulated bilaterally in NAS. One week after the injection they were subjected to an anxiety test, prior saline injection (controls), DAMGO ([D-Ala2, N-MePhe4, Gly-ol]-encephalin, opioid agonist) or naloxone (opioid antagonist). We evaluated the set of parameters classically considered in our laboratory (open arm time, time per entry, open arm entries, closed arm entries, open/closed arm quotient, open and closed arm ends arrivals, rearing, fecal bowls and grooming behaviors. There was only a significant increase in the length of stay in the open arm with the injection of DAMGO (0.2 µg/1 µL, p < 0.05) and a significant increase in grooming behaviors with naloxone (1 µg/1 µL, p < 0.001), compared with saline controls (1 µL). We conclude that the receptor stimulation in NAS generates effects compatible with anxiolysis, and blocking of such receptor in said structure results in an increase in grooming behaviors.Fil: Morsucci C. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Okasova A. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Mulet, Daniela. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Galiana, Graciana. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez, Vanesa. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Baiardi, Gustavo Carlos. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas; ArgentinaFil: Lafuente, José Vicente. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Elias, Pablo Adolfo. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Landa, Adriana. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Soaje, Marta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Gargiulo, Pascual Angel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Il romanzo concentrazionario di Liana Millu

Liana Millu (1914-2005) ebrea italiana originaria di Pisa fu deportata a Birkenau nel 1944. Sopravvisse alla deportazione e divenne una scrittrice. Questo articolo si concentra sull'analisi dell'opera maggiore della Millu, Il fumo di Birkenau (1947), che in controtendenza rispetto alla memorialistica concentrazionaria coeva costituisce un racconto caratterizzato da un'evidente e consapevole vocazione letteraria. Nel Fumo gli eventi autobiografici hanno un'importanza secondaria come l'io narrante allo stesso modo dell'io narrante, che resta sempre in secondo piano, per fare posto a sei storie di donne che condensano una particolare intensità drammatica. Il presente saggio esplora tanto la poetica, la genesi e la struttura temporale del Fumo quanto il peculiare sviluppo di alcuni topoi concentrazionari come il processo di disumanizzazione e la specificità della presenza femminile nei lager, particolarmente attraverso una «leggenda» intorno al tema del materno, presente nel testo della Millu ed in un altro testo italiano coevo.Liana Millu (1914-2005) was an Italian Jew deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944. She survived and became a writer. This article is focused on analyzing her major work: Il fumo di Birkenau (1947). In contrast to the trend of other memoirs of the same period, Millu knowingly wrote a novel characterised by an evident literary vocation. The writer's autobiographical events are always kept in the background as well as the narration. We find instead six women's stories developing a significant dramatic intensity. The article explores poetics, genesis and temporal structure of the novel but also some developments of relevant topics such as the process of dehumanisation, the particular status of women in camps and a legend about motherhood, both in Millu's text and in another Italian memoir from Birkenau

La chiesa fiorentina e il soccorso agli ebrei. Luoghi, istituzioni, percorsi (1943-1944)

L\u2019attivit\ue0 di soccorso prestata agli ebrei presenti a Firenze dal settembre 1943 all\u2019estate del 1944 fu gestita dalla Curia arcivescovile e mostra, a uno studio attento, caratteristiche del tutto peculiari nel contesto nazionale: l\u2019immediato coinvolgimento del cardinale Dalla Costa permise di costruire una solida rete di assistenza e protezione composta da conventi, istituti religiosi ed esponenti della Chiesa fiorentina; decisiva fu anche l\u2019interazione tra strutture ecclesiastiche e Delasem, l\u2019organizzazione ebraica attiva a Firenze come altrove e entrata in clandestinit\ue0 dopo l\u20198 settembre. Particolare attenzione \ue8 dedicata ai processi memoriali che hanno dato forma al racconto delle persecuzioni antiebraiche e dei molteplici percorsi di sopravvivenza. La parte conclusiva del volume presenta infine 42 schede sui conventi, gli istituti e le parrocchie che ospitarono ebrei italiani e stranieri, contribuendo alla mappatura della mobilitazione ecclesiastica nell\u2019attivit\ue0 di assistenza

A randomized controlled trial

Raglio, A., Imbriani, M., Imbriani, C., Baiardi, P., Manzoni, S., Gianotti, M., ... Manzoni, L. (2020). Machine learning techniques to predict the effectiveness of music therapy: A randomized controlled trial. Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, 185, [105160]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmpb.2019.105160Background: The literature shows the effectiveness of music listening, but which factors and what types of music produce therapeutic effects, as well as how music therapists can select music, remain unclear. Here, we present a study to establish the main predictive factors of music listening's relaxation effects using machine learning methods. Methods: Three hundred and twenty healthy participants were evenly distributed by age, education level, presence of musical training, and sex. Each of them listened to music for nine minutes (either to their preferred music or to algorithmically generated music). Relaxation levels were recorded using a visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after the listening experience. The participants were then divided into three classes: increase, decrease, or no change in relaxation. A decision tree was generated to predict the effect of music listening on relaxation. Results: A decision tree with an overall accuracy of 0.79 was produced. An analysis of the structure of the decision tree yielded some inferences as to the most important factors in predicting the effect of music listening, particularly the initial relaxation level, the combination of education and musical training, age, and music listening frequency. Conclusions: The resulting decision tree and analysis of this interpretable model makes it possible to find predictive factors that influence therapeutic music listening outcomes. The strong subjectivity of therapeutic music listening suggests the use of machine learning techniques as an important and innovative approach to supporting music therapy practice.authorsversionpublishe

A previous history of repeated amphetamine exposure modifies brain angiotensin II AT1 receptor functionality

Previous results from our laboratory showed that angiotensin II AT1 receptors (AT1-R) are involved in the neuroadaptative changes induced by amphetamine. The aim of the present work was to study functional and neurochemical responses to angiotensin II (ANG II) mediated by AT1-R activation in animals previously exposed to amphetamine. For this purpose male Wistar rats (250–320 g) were treated with amphetamine (2.5 mg/kg/day intraperitoneal) or saline for 5 days and implanted with intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) cannulae. Seven days after the last amphetamine administration the animals received ANG II (400 pmol) i.c.v. One group was tested in a free choice paradigm for sodium (2% NaCl) and water intake and sacrificed for Fos immunoreactivity (Fos-IR) determinations. In a second group of rats, urine and plasma samples were collected for electrolytes and plasma renin activity determination and then they were sacrificed for Fos-IR determination in Oxytocinergic neurons (Fos-OT-IR). Results: Repeated amphetamine exposure (a) prevented the increase in sodium intake and Fos-IR cells in caudate-putamen and accumbens nucleus induced by ANG II i.c.v. (b) potentiated urinary sodium excretion and Fos-OT-IR in hypothalamus and (c) increased the inhibitory response in plasma renin activity, in response to ANG II i.c.v. Our results indicate a possible functional desensitisation of AT1-R in response to ANG II, induced by repeated amphetamine exposure. This functional AT1-R desensitisation allows to unmask the effects of ANG II i.c.v. mediated by oxytocin. We conclude that the long lasting changes in brain AT1-R functionality should be considered among the psychostimulant-induced neuroadaptations.Fil: Casarsa, Brenda Solange. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Marinzalda, María de Los Angeles. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Marchese, Natalia Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Paz, Maria Constanza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Vivas, Laura Marta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Bregonzio, C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Baiardi, Gustavo Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; Argentin

Involvement of the brain renin–angiotensin system (RAS) in the neuroadaptive responses induced by amphetamine in a two-injection protocol

A single or repeated exposure to psychostimulants induces long-lasting neuroadaptative changes. Different neurotransmitter systems are involved in these responses including the neuropeptide angiotensin II. Our study tested the hypothesis that the neuroadaptative changes induced by amphetamine produce alterations in brain RAS components that are involved in the expression of the locomotor sensitization to the psychostimulant drug. Wistar male rats, pretreated with amphetamine were used 7 or 21 days later to study AT1 receptors by immunohistochemistry and western blot and also angiotensinogen mRNA and protein in caudate putamen and nucleus accumbens. A second group of animals was used to explore the possible role of Ang II AT1 receptors in the expression of behavioral sensitization. In these animals treated in the same way, bearing intra-cerebral cannula, the locomotor activity was tested 21 days later, after an amphetamine challenge injection and the animals received an AT1 blocker, losartan, or saline 5 min before the amphetamine challenge. An increase of AT1 receptor density induced by amphetamine was found in both studied areas and a decrease in angiotensinogen mRNA and protein only in CPu at 21 days after treatment; meanwhile, no changes were established in NAcc. Finally, the increased locomotor activity induced by amphetamine challenge was blunted by losartan administration in CPu. No differences were detected in the behavioral sensitization when the AT1 blocker was injected in NAcc. Our results support the hypothesis of a key role of brain RAS in the neuroadaptative changes induced by amphetamine.Fil: Paz, Maria Constanza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Marchese, Natalia Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Stroppa, Maria Mercedes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Gerez de Burgos, Nelia Marta. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Imboden, Hans. University of Berne; SuizaFil: Baiardi, Gustavo Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Cancela, Liliana Marina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Bregonzio Diaz, Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; Argentin

Prevalence Estimates of Amyloid Abnormality Across the Alzheimer Disease Clinical Spectrum

Importance: One characteristic histopathological event in Alzheimer disease (AD) is cerebral amyloid aggregation, which can be detected by biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and on positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Prevalence estimates of amyloid pathology are important for health care planning and clinical trial design. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of amyloid abnormality in persons with normal cognition, subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, or clinical AD dementia and to examine the potential implications of cutoff methods, biomarker modality (CSF or PET), age, sex, APOE genotype, educational level, geographical region, and dementia severity for these estimates. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional, individual-participant pooled study included participants from 85 Amyloid Biomarker Study cohorts. Data collection was performed from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2020. Participants had normal cognition, subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, or clinical AD dementia. Normal cognition and subjective cognitive decline were defined by normal scores on cognitive tests, with the presence of cognitive complaints defining subjective cognitive decline. Mild cognitive impairment and clinical AD dementia were diagnosed according to published criteria. Exposures: Alzheimer disease biomarkers detected on PET or in CSF. Main Outcomes and Measures: Amyloid measurements were dichotomized as normal or abnormal using cohort-provided cutoffs for CSF or PET or by visual reading for PET. Adjusted data-driven cutoffs for abnormal amyloid were calculated using gaussian mixture modeling. Prevalence of amyloid abnormality was estimated according to age, sex, cognitive status, biomarker modality, APOE carrier status, educational level, geographical location, and dementia severity using generalized estimating equations. Results: Among the 19 097 participants (mean [SD] age, 69.1 [9.8] years; 10 148 women [53.1%]) included, 10 139 (53.1%) underwent an amyloid PET scan and 8958 (46.9%) had an amyloid CSF measurement. Using cohort-provided cutoffs, amyloid abnormality prevalences were similar to 2015 estimates for individuals without dementia and were similar across PET- and CSF-based estimates (24%; 95% CI, 21%-28%) in participants with normal cognition, 27% (95% CI, 21%-33%) in participants with subjective cognitive decline, and 51% (95% CI, 46%-56%) in participants with mild cognitive impairment, whereas for clinical AD dementia the estimates were higher for PET than CSF (87% vs 79%; mean difference, 8%; 95% CI, 0%-16%; P = .04). Gaussian mixture modeling-based cutoffs for amyloid measures on PET scans were similar to cohort-provided cutoffs and were not adjusted. Adjusted CSF cutoffs resulted in a 10% higher amyloid abnormality prevalence than PET-based estimates in persons with normal cognition (mean difference, 9%; 95% CI, 3%-15%; P = .004), subjective cognitive decline (9%; 95% CI, 3%-15%; P = .005), and mild cognitive impairment (10%; 95% CI, 3%-17%; P = .004), whereas the estimates were comparable in persons with clinical AD dementia (mean difference, 4%; 95% CI, -2% to 9%; P = .18). Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that CSF-based estimates using adjusted data-driven cutoffs were up to 10% higher than PET-based estimates in people without dementia, whereas the results were similar among people with dementia. This finding suggests that preclinical and prodromal AD may be more prevalent than previously estimated, which has important implications for clinical trial recruitment strategies and health care planning policies