Rappresentazioni. La migrazione nel discorso mediatico

Il capitolo discute il ruolo delle narrazioni mediali nella costruzione sociale della migrazione, mostrando come esse concorrano non solo a plasmare l'opinione pubblica, le percezioni e le attitudini di cittadini e cittadine del Nord globale verso i processi migratori, ma possano essere annoverate tra i driver culturali della migrazione stessa. Passando in rassegna frame e metafore ricorrenti nella rappresentazione mediale della migrazione nell'ultimo decennio a livello europeo, il capitolo approda ad una disamina del racconto mediatico della migrazione nei media mainstream in Italia dal 2015 al 2020

Effects of Physical Exercise on Endothelial Function and DNA Methylation

Essential hypertension is the leading preventable cause of death in the world. Epidemiological studies have shown that physical training can reduce blood pressure (BP), both in hypertensive and healthy individuals. Increasing evidence is emerging that DNA methylation is involved in alteration of the phenotype and of vascular function in response to environmental stimuli. We evaluated repetitive element and gene-specific DNA methylation in peripheral blood leukocytes of 68 volunteers, taken before (T0) and after (T1) a three-month intervention protocol of continuative aerobic physical exercise. DNA methylation was assessed by bisulfite-PCR and pyrosequencing. Comparing T0 and T1 measurements, we found an increase in oxygen consumption at peak of exercise (VO2peak) and a decrease in diastolic BP at rest. Exercise increased the levels of ALU and Long Interspersed Nuclear Element 1 (LINE-1) repetitive elements methylation, and of Endothelin-1 (EDN1), Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS2), and Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF) gene-specific methylation. VO2peak was positively associated with methylation of ALU, EDN1, NOS2, and TNF; systolic BP at rest was inversely associated with LINE-1, EDN1, and NOS2 methylation; diastolic BP was inversely associated with EDN1 and NOS2 methylation. Our findings suggest a possible role of DNA methylation for lowering systemic BP induced by the continuative aerobic physical training program

Impact of mucoadhesive polymeric nanoparticulate systems on oral bioavailability of a macromolecular model drug

Nanoparticles (NP) only different in mucoadhesivity are compared for impact on drug oral bioavailability. Two polymeric NP types based on quaternary ammonium-chitosan (NP QA-Ch) and S-protected thiolated derivative thereof (NP QA-Ch-S-pro), respectively, containing the macromolecular drug model, FD4, were prepared by crosslinking each polymer with reduced MW hyaluronic acid. The structure of basic polymers was determined by H1NMR analysis. NP were similar in size (371 ± 38 vs. 376 ± 82 nm); polydispersity index (0.39 ± 0.08 vs. 0.41 ± 0.10); zeta potential (13.4 ± 0.9 vs. 11.9 ± 1.2 mV); reversible interactions with drug (bound drug, 67 vs. 66%); encapsulation efficiency (23 ± 5 vs. 23 ± 8%); release properties (15% released in 15 h in both cases); and apparent permeation across excised rat intestine (Papp, 8.8 ± 0.8 vs. 10 ± 1 cm/s). Then the differences in NP transport ratio through mucus (TR, 0.75 vs. 0.37) and adhesion to excised rat intestinal mucosa (adsorbed fraction, 23 ± 3 vs. 45 ± 2%) were ascribed to higher mucoadhesivity of NP QA-Ch-S-pro compared to NP QA-Ch. This directly influenced drug oral bioavailability in rats (Tmax, 1 vs. 2 h; AUC, 1.7 ± 0.3 vs. 2.9 ± 0.4 μg/mL min, for NP QA-Ch and NP QA-Ch-S-pro, respectively). Mucoadhesivity increases drug bioavailability by retaining NP at its absorption site and opposing its transit down the GI tract. Data on drug accumulation in rat liver allows the assertion that NP is absorbed by transcytosis across intestinal epithelium and transported from blood into liver by Kuppfer cells

Dose-Adjusted Epoch and Rituximab for the treatment of double expressor and double hit diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: impact of TP53 mutations on clinical outcome

23no: Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) is a heterogeneous disease, including one-third of cases overexpressing MYC and BCL2 proteins (Double Expressor Lymphoma, DEL) and 5-10% of patients with chromosomal rearrangements of MYC, BCL2 and/or BCL-6 (Double/Triple-Hit Lymphomas, DH/TH). TP53 mutations are detected in 20-25% of DEL. We report the efficacy of dose-adjusted EPOCH and rituximab (DA-EPOCH-R) in a series of 122 consecutive patients, including DEL (n=81, 66%), DEL-MYC (n=9, 7%), DEL-BCL2 (n=13, 11%), or High-Grade Lymphomas (DH/TH) (n=19, 16%). Central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis included intravenous methotrexate (n=66), intrathecal chemotherapy (IT) (n=40) or no prophylaxis (n=16). Sixty-seven pts (55%) had high-intermediate or high International Prognostic Index (IPI) and 30 (25%) had high CNS-IPI. The 2-year progressionfree survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for the entire study population were 74% and 84%, respectively. There was a trend for inferior OS for DH/TH (2-year OS: 66%, p=0.058) as compared to all the others. The outcome was significantly better for the IPI 0-2 versus IPI 3-5 (OS: 98% vs. 72%, p=0.002). DA-EPOCH-R did not overcome the negative prognostic value of TP53 mutations: 2-year OS of 62% versus 88% (p=0.036) were observed for mutated as compared to wild-type cases, respectively. Systemic CNS prophylaxis conferred a better 2-year OS (94%) as compared to IT or no prophylaxis (76% and 65%, respectively; p= 0.008). DA-EPOCH-R treatment resulted in a favorable outcome in patients with DEL and DEL with single rearrangement, whereas those with multiple genetic alterations such as DEL-DH/TH and TP53 mutated cases still have an inferior outcome.nonenoneDodero, Anna; Guidetti, Anna; Marino, Fabrizio; Tucci, Alessandra; Barretta, Francesco; Re, Alessandro; Balzarotti, Monica; Carniti, Cristiana; Monfrini, Chiara; Chiappella, Annalisa; Cabras, Antonello; Facchetti, Fabio; Pennisi, Martina; Rahal, Daoud; Monti, Valentina; Devizzi, Liliana; Miceli, Rosalba; Cocito, Federica; Farina, Lucia; Ricci, Francesca; Rossi, Giuseppe; Carlo-Stella, Carmelo; Corradini, PaoloDodero, Anna; Guidetti, Anna; Marino, Fabrizio; Tucci, Alessandra; Barretta, Francesco; Re, Alessandro; Balzarotti, Monica; Carniti, Cristiana; Monfrini, Chiara; Chiappella, Annalisa; Cabras, Antonello; Facchetti, Fabio; Pennisi, Martina; Rahal, Daoud; Monti, Valentina; Devizzi, Liliana; Miceli, Rosalba; Cocito, Federica; Farina, Lucia; Ricci, Francesca; Rossi, Giuseppe; Carlo-Stella, Carmelo; Corradini, Paol

Estimating Survival Probabilities of Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients in the Second-Line Setting: The Gastric Life Nomogram

We built and externally validated a nomogram for predicting the overall survival (OS) probability of advanced gastric cancer patients receiving second-line treatment

Favorable outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric hematology oncology patients during the second and third pandemic waves in Italy: a multicenter analysis from the Infectious Diseases Working Group of the Associazione Italiana di Ematologia e Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP)

: COVID-19 has a mild clinical course with low mortality rate in general pediatric population, while variable outcomes have been described in children with cancer. Infectious diseases working party of the AIEOP collected data on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infections in pediatric oncology/hematology patients from April 2020 to May 2021, including the second and the third waves of the pandemic in Italy. Factors potentially associated with moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 were analyzed. Of the 153 SARS-Cov2 infections recorded, 100 were asymptomatic and 53 symptomatic. The course of COVID-19 was mild in 41, moderate in 2, severe in 5, and critical in 5 children. A total of 40.5% of patients were hospitalized, ten requiring oxygen support and 5 admitted to the intensive care unit. Antibiotics and steroids were the most used therapies. No patient died due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Infections occurring early ( 60 days) or during maintenance therapy. In the patients on active chemotherapy, 59% withdrew the treatment for a median of 15 days. SARS-CoV-2 presented a favorable outcome in children with cancer in Italy during the pandemic. Modification of therapy represents a major concern in this population. Our findings suggest considering regular chemotherapy continuation, particularly in patients on maintenance therapy or infected late after the diagnosis