Casting the 'Other': Gender Positioningsin Politicians' Narratives

In the past century the presence of women in the 'public sphere' has increased considerably as a result of, amongst other things, the rapid increase in their levels of schooling, professional competences and labour market participation. Much more limited and slower, by contrast, has been the entry of women into the centres of decision-making and power. This makes necessary a reflection on gender citizenship in political arenas, which are precisely those in which actions to sensitize and change the broader social context should be undertaken. The paper presents some findings of a qualitative research which gathered the narratives of men and women -belonging to different Italian political alignments and occupying different positions and roles- relative to their political career paths and the discourses with which they accounted for female under representation. The analysis of the collected texts allowed to shed light to on the discursive practices, symbols, meanings and sexed images with which the symbolic gender order is created and reproduced. Particularly highlighted are the gender positioning performed through the narratives and the tendency to cast women in the role of the 'Other' with respect to the political systemDurante el siglo pasado la presencia de la mujer en la "esfera pública" se incrementó considerablemente gracias, entre otras cosas, al rápido ascenso de sus niveles de escolarización, competencias profesionales y participación en el mercado de trabajo. Mucho más lento y limitado, en contraste, ha sido el acceso de la mujer a los puestos ejecutivos y de decisión. Eso nos lleva a una necesaria reflexión sobre la ciudadanía de género en política, necesaria precisamente en cada acción que se ha de emprender para sensibilizar y cambiar el amplio contexto social. El texto presenta algunos resultados de investigación cualitativa que reunió a las narrativas de hombre y mujeres -pertenecientes a diferentes alineamientos políticos italianos y ocupando diferentes posiciones y roles- en relación con su carrera política y los discursos dirigidos a las mujeres de menor representación. El análisis de los textos recogidos permite arrojar luz sobre las políticas discursivas, símbolos, imágenes y significados sexuale

Tales of Ordinary Leadership. A Feminist Approach to Experiential Learning

Feminist practice and theory have always conferred value on narrative knowledge produced through storytelling, mainly because of its ability to stimulate reflexive thought. In our contribution we intend to present and discuss a training methodology founded on memory work and designed to stimulate an individual and group reworking of the leadership dimension, and of the gender and leadership relationship. We will describe a narrative workshop conducted with groups of women working in managerial positions and based on the perspective of workplace learning through experiential reflexivity. The narrative methodology proved to be a particularly effective tool: it gave the participants a chance to conduct retrospective analysis of their past work experiences (individual and organizational), and it generated -due to the interaction with other stories (those furnished in the training activity and those provided by other trainees)- different interpretative perspectives and new meaning configurations in order to face working life and organizational dynamics.La práctica y la teoría feminista han conferido siempre valor al conocimiento producido a través de las narraciones, principalmente por su capacidad de estimular el pensamiento reflexivo. En nuestra contribución nos proponemos presentar y discutir una metodología de formación basada en el trabajo sobre la memoria, a fin de estimular un replanteamiento individual y de grupo sobre la dimensión del liderazgo y su relación con el género. En particular, haremos referencia a un taller narrativo realizado con grupos de mujeres que trabajan en posiciones directivas, en la perspectiva del aprendizaje en los lugares de trabajo a través de la refexividad experiencial. La metodología narrativa ha demostrado ser un instrumento particularmente eficaz: ha ofrecido a las participantes la oportunidad de analizar retrospectivamente una esperiencia de trabajo pasada (individual y organizativa), generando, gracias a la interacción con otras narraciones (las proporcionadas por la actividad de formación y por las participantes en la misma), distintas perspectivas interpretativas y nuevas configuraciones de significado a fin de enfrentarse a las dinámicas organizativas y de la vida laboral

Computing e Gendering. La costruzione del Genere nel settore informatico

The work intends to analyse gender construction in computer science; its object is the study of the information systems culture through the so-called “ingredients” (time and presence, productivity and devotion, technique and neutrality), the myths (the professional-craftsman, the hacker, the maternity) and the metaphors (the mechanic, the dressing room, computer science as carework).This research, with its narrative approach, intends to contribute to the gender technology debate and to organizational studies; it emphasizes the relation between gendering and computing as cultural and organizational practices

Stakeholder Participation in Planning of a Sustainable and Competitive Tourism Destination: The Genoa Integrated Action Plan

The outbreak of COVID-19 confronted the international community with critical health, social, and economic challenges. Travel and tourism were among the hardest affected sectors. In 2020 and 2021 new travel trends emerged, emphasizing local destinations, short distances, and consequently, lower-carbon transportation (proximity tourism). Post-pandemic recovery represents an opportunity to bounce back better by rethinking the sector’s economic model for the sake of sustainability and innovation. This paper disseminates the research that led to the structuring of guidelines for a breakthrough and inclusive municipal-level action plan for the promotion of sustainable tourism, as part of the Tourism Friendly Cities project. An operational methodology is discussed here, whereby key stakeholder participation, conceptualized through a sextuple helix model, is the foundation of the planning process. A small-scale action and a qualitative assessment tool of the participatory process are also illustrated. The proposed methodology corroborates the vast positive effects deriving from stakeholder participation in terms of trust, ownership, planning quality, innovativeness and sustainability of interventions. In applying the methodology, although the digital framework was evaluated positively in terms of the number of participants that could be involved, data collection, and confidentiality of activities, the evaluation shows that hybrid modes of participation are more desirable

Gli studi di genere in Italia: passato, presente e futuro di una sfida ancora aperta

L'articolo riporta una tavola rotonda sugli studi di genere in Italia da molteplici prospettive

Efficacy of a Cancer Vaccine against ALK-Rearranged Lung Tumors

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring chromosomal rearrangements of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene is treated with ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), but is successful for only a limited amount of time; most cases relapse due to the development of drug resistance. Here we show that a vaccine against ALK induced a strong and specific immune response that both prophylactically and therapeutically impaired the growth of ALK-positive lung tumors in mouse models. The ALK vaccine was efficacious also in combination with ALK TKI treatment and significantly delayed tumor relapses after TKI suspension. We found that lung tumors containing ALK rearrangements induced an immunosuppressive microenvironment, regulating the expression of PD-L1 on the surface of lung tumor cells. High PD-L1 expression reduced ALK vaccine efficacy, which could be restored by administration of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Thus, combinations of ALK vaccine with TKIs and immune checkpoint blockade therapies might represent a powerful strategy for the treatment of ALK-driven NSCLC

Erratum to: Analysis of in vitro ADCC and clinical response to trastuzumab: possible relevance of Fc\u3b3RIIIA/Fc\u3b3RIIA gene polymorphisms and HER-2 expression levels on breast cancer cell lines

BACKGROUND: Trastuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) currently used for the treatment of breast cancer (BC) patients with HER-2 overexpressing tumor subtype. Previous data reported the involvement of FcγRIIIA/IIA gene polymorphisms and/or antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) in the therapeutic efficacy of trastuzumab, although results on these issues are still controversial. This study was aimed to evaluate in vitro the functional relationships among FcγRIIIA/IIA polymorphisms, ADCC intensity and HER-2 expression on tumor target cells and to correlate them with response to trastuzumab. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients with HER-2 overexpressing BC, receiving trastuzumab in a neoadjuvant (NEO) or metastatic (MTS) setting, were genotyped for the FcγRIIIA 158V>F and FcγRIIA 131H>R polymorphisms by a newly developed pyrosequencing assay and by multiplex Tetra-primer-ARMS PCR, respectively. Trastuzumab-mediated ADCC of patients’ peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was evaluated prior to therapy and measured by (51)Chromium release using as targets three human BC cell lines showing different levels of reactivity with trastuzumab. RESULTS: We found that the FcγRIIIA 158F and/or the FcγRIIA 131R variants, commonly reported as unfavorable in BC, may actually behave as ADCC favorable genotypes, in both the NEO (P ranging from 0.009 to 0.039 and from 0.007 to 0.047, respectively) and MTS (P ranging from 0.009 to 0.032 and P = 0.034, respectively) patients. The ADCC intensity was affected by different levels of trastuzumab reactivity with BC target cells. In this context, the MCF-7 cell line, showing the lowest reactivity with trastuzumab, resulted the most suitable cell line for evaluating ADCC and response to trastuzumab. Indeed, we found a statistically significant correlation between an increased frequency of patients showing ADCC of MCF-7 and complete response to trastuzumab in the NEO setting (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Although this study was performed in a limited number of patients, it would indicate a correlation of FcγR gene polymorphisms to the ADCC extent in combination with the HER-2 expression levels on tumor target cells in BC patients. However, to confirm our findings further experimental evidences obtained from a larger cohort of BC patients are mandatory. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12967-015-0680-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis due to vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia in middle-income countries

Background: Adenovirus-based COVID-19 vaccines are extensively used in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Remarkably, cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis due to vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (CVST-VITT) have rarely been reported from LMICs. Aims: We studied the frequency, manifestations, treatment, and outcomes of CVST-VITT in LMICs. Methods: We report data from an international registry on CVST after COVID-19 vaccination. VITT was classified according to the Pavord criteria. We compared CVST-VITT cases from LMICs to cases from high-income countries (HICs). Results: Until August 2022, 228 CVST cases were reported, of which 63 were from LMICs (all middle-income countries [MICs]: Brazil, China, India, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, Turkey). Of these 63, 32 (51%) met the VITT criteria, compared to 103 of 165 (62%) from HICs. Only 5 of the 32 (16%) CVST-VITT cases from MICs had definite VITT, mostly because anti-platelet factor 4 antibodies were often not tested. The median age was 26 (interquartile range [IQR] 20–37) versus 47 (IQR 32–58) years, and the proportion of women was 25 of 32 (78%) versus 77 of 103 (75%) in MICs versus HICs, respectively. Patients from MICs were diagnosed later than patients from HICs (1/32 [3%] vs. 65/103 [63%] diagnosed before May 2021). Clinical manifestations, including intracranial hemorrhage, were largely similar as was intravenous immunoglobulin use. In-hospital mortality was lower in MICs (7/31 [23%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 11–40]) than in HICs (44/102 [43%, 95% CI 34–53], p = 0.039). Conclusions: The number of CVST-VITT cases reported from LMICs was small despite the widespread use of adenoviral vaccines. Clinical manifestations and treatment of CVST-VITT cases were largely similar in MICs and HICs, while mortality was lower in patients from MICs.</p

Sex differences in cerebral venous sinus thrombosis after adenoviral vaccination against COVID-19

Introduction: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis associated with vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (CVST-VITT) is a severe disease with high mortality. There are few data on sex differences in CVST-VITT. The aim of our study was to investigate the differences in presentation, treatment, clinical course, complications, and outcome of CVST-VITT between women and men. Patients and methods: We used data from an ongoing international registry on CVST-VITT. VITT was diagnosed according to the Pavord criteria. We compared the characteristics of CVST-VITT in women and men. Results: Of 133 patients with possible, probable, or definite CVST-VITT, 102 (77%) were women. Women were slightly younger [median age 42 (IQR 28–54) vs 45 (28–56)], presented more often with coma (26% vs 10%) and had a lower platelet count at presentation [median (IQR) 50x109/L (28–79) vs 68 (30–125)] than men. The nadir platelet count was lower in women [median (IQR) 34 (19–62) vs 53 (20–92)]. More women received endovascular treatment than men (15% vs 6%). Rates of treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins were similar (63% vs 66%), as were new venous thromboembolic events (14% vs 14%) and major bleeding complications (30% vs 20%). Rates of good functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale 0-2, 42% vs 45%) and in-hospital death (39% vs 41%) did not differ. Discussion and conclusions: Three quarters of CVST-VITT patients in this study were women. Women were more severely affected at presentation, but clinical course and outcome did not differ between women and men. VITT-specific treatments were overall similar, but more women received endovascular treatment.</p

Sex differences in cerebral venous sinus thrombosis after adenoviral vaccination against COVID-19

Introduction: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis associated with vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (CVST-VITT) is a severe disease with high mortality. There are few data on sex differences in CVST-VITT. The aim of our study was to investigate the differences in presentation, treatment, clinical course, complications, and outcome of CVST-VITT between women and men. Patients and methods: We used data from an ongoing international registry on CVST-VITT. VITT was diagnosed according to the Pavord criteria. We compared the characteristics of CVST-VITT in women and men. Results: Of 133 patients with possible, probable, or definite CVST-VITT, 102 (77%) were women. Women were slightly younger [median age 42 (IQR 28–54) vs 45 (28–56)], presented more often with coma (26% vs 10%) and had a lower platelet count at presentation [median (IQR) 50x109/L (28–79) vs 68 (30–125)] than men. The nadir platelet count was lower in women [median (IQR) 34 (19–62) vs 53 (20–92)]. More women received endovascular treatment than men (15% vs 6%). Rates of treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins were similar (63% vs 66%), as were new venous thromboembolic events (14% vs 14%) and major bleeding complications (30% vs 20%). Rates of good functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale 0-2, 42% vs 45%) and in-hospital death (39% vs 41%) did not differ. Discussion and conclusions: Three quarters of CVST-VITT patients in this study were women. Women were more severely affected at presentation, but clinical course and outcome did not differ between women and men. VITT-specific treatments were overall similar, but more women received endovascular treatment.</p