Humanitarian Intervention and Responsibility to Protect

The evolution of the idea of the Responsibility to Protect from its introduction in the ICISS Report in 2001 to the Secretary General’s Report on Implementing the Responsibility to Protect, issued in 2009. A reconsideration of the traditional concept of sovereignty in the light of the principle of the Responsibility to Protect. The institutionalization of the Responsibility to Protect principle within the context of the United Nations' Institutional Reform. The increasingly significant role of regional organizations: pro and cons of regionalism. A comparison between two concrete and contemporary cases: the implementation of the Responsibility to Protect in the Darfur region of the Sudan and in Kosovo.The evolution of the idea of the Responsibility to Protect from its introduction in the ICISS Report in 2001 to the Secretary General’s Report on Implementing the Responsibility to Protect, issued in 2009. A reconsideration of the traditional concept of sovereignty in the light of the principle of the Responsibility to Protect. The institutionalization of the Responsibility to Protect principle within the context of the United Nations' Institutional Reform. The increasingly significant role of regional organizations: pro and cons of regionalism. A comparison between two concrete and contemporary cases: the implementation of the Responsibility to Protect in the Darfur region of the Sudan and in Kosovo.LUISS PhD Thesi

Etica e infanzia: una sfida per la riflessione bioetica.

Il presente lavoro di ricerca si propone di offrire un contributo alla ridefinizione dello status morale del minore da un punto di vista bioetico. Partendo da un’analisi critica della bioetica tradizionale, che si concentra principalmente sulle questioni etiche inerenti al mondo degli adulti, siano essi pazienti o genitori/tutori di pazienti minori, cercheremo di dimostrare l’importanza di ridisegnare un nuovo approccio bioetico per le questioni morali che coinvolgono il paziente minore. Abbandonando il pregiudizio “adultocentrico” tipico di gran parte della riflessione morale tradizionale, viene proposto un approccio che oltre a mostrare i limiti di una critica morale troppo spesso incentrata sulle sole decisioni genitoriali, si interroghi sulla validità stessa delle giustificazioni di tale potere decisionale. La convinzione che il minore, in quanto tale, sia immaturo, incapace e bisognoso della tutela genitoriale nell’ambito delle scelte mediche (e non solo) ad un’analisi più attenta si rivela come acritica e profondamente influenzata da pregiudizi più che da evidenze empiriche. La confutazione di tali pregiudizi da una parte e l’abbandono della più diffusa versione del concetto di autonomia in favore di una visione dinamica e relazionale dall’altra, metteranno in evidenza la necessità di rivalutare le convinzioni morali più diffuse sulle limitate capacità del minore e a porre in discussione l’idea che le decisioni mediche che lo riguardano siano esclusivo appannaggio dei genitori

Applicazioni e rischi relativi all’uso dell’air-polishing nella pratica clinica: revisione della letteratura

Obiettivi: Lo scopo di questo lavoro consisteva in una revisione della letteratura scientifica internazionale sull’uso di dispositivi a getto d’aria/acqua (air-polishing) nei trattamenti di profilassi e lucidatura dentale, nonché nei trattamenti non chirurgici parodontali (perio-polishing). La relazione tra enfisemi facciali e l’uso di tali dispositivi di air-polishing è stata anche uno degli obbiettivi principali del presente studio. Materiali e metodi: Numerosi articoli scientifici pubblicati nel periodo compreso tra il 1945 e il 2012 sono stati selezionati dai principali database medici come Medline e Science Direct. Risultati: L'utilizzo di dispositivi a getto d'aria/acqua per i trattamenti di air-polishng e perio-polishing parodontali possono essere considerati un approccio clinico sicuro, vista la scarsa evidenza scientifica sui rischi per la salute degli operatori dentali e pazienti. I casi di enfisemi facciali riscontrati in seguito all’utilizzo di tali dispositivi a getto d’aria/acqua sembrano essere principalmente correlati all'uso inappropriato di tali dispositivi durante l’estrazione di terzi molari o in caso di particolari trattamenti endodontici. Conclusioni: Questo articolo ha messo in evidenza che i trattamenti con air-polishing e perio-polishing parodontali possono essere considerati approcci terapeutici innocui e confortevoli sia per i pazienti che per gli operatori dentali se eseguiti rispettando protocolli basati sull'evidenza scientifica. Objectives: The purpose of this article was to provide a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the safety and clinical efficiency of dental air polishing approaches. The connection between air-polishing treatments and the risk for facial emphysemas was also investigated. Materials and methods: For this literature review, several research and clinical scientific articles published in a period comprised between 1945 and 2012 were selected from international medical scientific platform such as Medline and Science direct. Results: The use of air polishing devices in dental and non-surgical periodontal treatments (perio-polishing) results a safe approach as there was not enough clinical and/or scientific evidences on the risks for the health of both clinicians and patients. Cervico-facial emphysema seems to be mainly correlated to use of air-abrasion devices during third molars extraction or endodontic treatments rather than prophylaxis and perio-polishing treatments. Conclusions: This article has highlighted that the treatments of dental air-polishing and perio-polishing may be considered safe and comfortable therapeutic approaches when performed through evidence-based applicative protocols

Due 'paradossi meccanici' della Collezione Storica degli Strumenti di Fisica dell'Universit\`a di Palermo

Many instruments of the Historical Collection of the Physics Instruments of the University of Palermo date back to the early nineteenth century, when experimental Physics begun to be taught in university studies by using instruments and apparatuses in the classroom to illustrate the laws of Physics. Among the various instruments belonging to the Collection, there are also the so-called 'paradoxes', instruments with surprising properties that do not seem to follow the laws of Physics. In this article we analyze two 'mechanical paradoxes' of the Collection and discuss their possible educational use.Comment: 11 Pages, in Italian, 9 Figures. Accepted for publication in Quaderni di Ricerca in Didattica (Science), special Issue in Italian languag

MF59-adjuvanted H1N1v vaccine

Summary Background:  When H1N1v vaccines become widely available, most elderly subjects will have already received their seasonal influenza vaccination. Adults seeking H1N1v vaccination may be offered seasonal vaccine as well. We investigated prior seasonal vaccination in adult and elderly subjects, and concomitant vaccination with seasonal vaccine in adults, on the tolerability and immunogenicity of the Novartis MF59-adjuvanted H1N1v vaccine, Focetria®. Methods:  A total of 264 adult (four groups) and 154 elderly (three groups) subjects were enrolled. The licensure study cohorts for plain (Agrippal®) and MF59-adjuvanted (Fluad®) 2009–2010 seasonal vaccines were invited to receive Focetria 3 months later, with seasonal vaccine–naive controls, and adults who received Focteria and seasonal vaccine concomitantly. Immunogenicity of all vaccines was assessed by haemagglutination inhibition on Days 1 and 22, safety and reactogenicity were monitored using patient diaries. Results:  All adult and elderly groups met all the European CHMP licensing criteria for H1N1v, as did adults receiving concomitant seasonal vaccine for the three seasonal strains. Vaccines were generally well tolerated, causing no SAEs, and profiles typical of MF59-adjuvanted vaccines. Reactions were mainly mild or moderate and transient, and unaffected by prior or concomitant seasonal vaccination except for elderly subjects previously given MF59-adjuvanted seasonal vaccine, whose reaction rates to Focetria were about half those seen in groups receiving their first MF59 vaccine. Conclusion:  One dose of MF59-adjuvanted H1N1v vaccine met the licensure criteria for adult and elderly subjects 3 months after seasonal vaccination, or concomitantly with seasonal vaccine in adults, without impacting the tolerability or immunogenicity of either vaccine, thus facilitating mass influenza immunisation campaigns

Thymosin β 4 in colorectal cancer is localized predominantly at the invasion front in tumor cells undergoing epithelial mesenchymal transition.

Thymosin β 4 (Tβ(4)) is a ubiquitous peptide that plays pivotal roles in the cytoskeletal system and in cell differentiation during embryogenesis. Recently, a role for Tβ(4) has been proposed in experimental and human carcinogenesis. This study was aimed at evaluating the correlation between Tβ(4) immunoractivity and colorectal cancer, with particular attemption to tumor cells undergoing epithelial-mesenchymal transition.86 intestinal biopsies were retrospectively analyzed including 76 colorectal adenocarcinomas with evident features of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and 10 samples of normal colorectal mucosa. Paraffin sections were immunostained for Tβ(4) and for E-cadherin. Total RNA was isolated from frozen specimens obtained, at surgery, from the normal colon mucosa, the deeper regions and the superficial tumor regions in four cases of colon cancer. Tβ(4) immunoreactivity was detected in the vast majority (59/76) of colon carcinomas, showing a patchy distribution, with well differentiated areas significantly more reactive than the less differentiated tumor zones. We also noted a zonal pattern in the majority of tumors, characterized by a progressive increase in immunostaining for Tβ(4) from the superficial toward the deepest tumor regions. The strongest expression for Tβ(4) was frequently detected in invading tumor cells with features of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The increase in reactivity for Tβ(4) matched with a progressive decrease in E-cadherin expression in invading cancer cells. At mRNA level, the differences in Tβ(4) expression between the surrounding colon mucosa and the tumors samples were not significant.Our data show that Tβ(4) is expressed in the majority of colon cancers, with preferential immunoreactivity in deep tumor regions. The preferential expression of the peptide and the increase in intensity of the immunostaining at the invasion front suggests a possible link between the peptide and the process of epithelial mesenchymal transition, suggesting a role for Tβ(4) in colorectal cancer invasion and metastasis

Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae protein vaccine in adults with COPD:A phase 2 clinical trial

Loss of airway microbial diversity is associated with non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) infection and increased risk of exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We assessed the safety and immunogenicity of an investigational vaccine containing NTHi antigens, recombinant protein D (PD) and combined protein E and Pilin A (PE-PilA), and AS01 adjuvant in adults with moderate/-severe COPD and prior exacerbations. In this phase 2, observer-blind, controlled trial (NCT02075541), 145 COPD patients aged 40-80 years randomly (1:1) received two doses of NTHi vaccine or placebo 60 days apart, on top of standard care. Reactogenicity in the 7-day post-vaccination period was higher following NTHi vaccine than placebo. Most solicited adverse events (AEs) were mild/moderate. At least one unsolicited AE was reported during the 30-day post-vaccination period by 54.8% of NTHi vaccine and 51.4% of placebo recipients. One serious AE (placebo group) was assessed by the investigator as vaccine-related. Anti-PD, anti-PE and anti-PiIA geometric mean antibody concentrations increased up to 30 days after each NTHi vaccine dose, waned thereafter, but remained higher than baseline (non-overlapping confidence intervals) up to 13 months post-dose 2. The frequency of specific CD4(+) T cells increased following two doses of NTHi vaccine and remained higher than baseline. Exploratory analysis showed a statistically non-significant lower yearly rate of moderate/severe exacerbations in the NTHi vaccine group than following placebo (1.49 versus 1.73) in the one-year period post-dose 2, with estimated vaccine efficacy of 13.3% (95% confidence interval -24.2 to 39.5; p = 0.44). The NTHi vaccine had an acceptable safety and reactogenicity profile and good immunogenicity in adults with COPD

Cation Distribution and Vacancies in Nickel Cobaltite

Samples of nickel cobaltite, a mixed oxide occurring in the spinel structure which is currently extensively investigated because of its prospective application as ferromagnetic, electrocatalytic, and cost-effective energy storage material were prepared in the form of nanocrystals stabilized in a highly porous silica aerogel and as unsupported nanoparticles. Nickel cobaltite nanocrystals with average size 4 nm are successfully grown for the first time into the silica aerogel provided that a controlled oxidation of the metal precursor phases is carried out, consisting in a reduction under H2 flow followed by mild oxidation in air. The investigation of the average oxidation state of the cations and of their distribution between the sites within the spinel structure, which is commonly described assuming the Ni cations are only located in the octahedral sites, has been carried out by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy providing evidence for the first time that the unsupported nickel cobaltite sample has a Ni:Co molar ratio higher than the nominal ratio of 1:2 and a larger than expected average overall oxidation state of the cobalt and nickel cations. This is achieved retaining the spinel structure, which accommodates vacancies to counterbalance the variation in oxidation state

Geographic patterns of tree dispersal modes in Amazonia and their ecological correlates

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-MAim: To investigate the geographic patterns and ecological correlates in the geographic distribution of the most common tree dispersal modes in Amazonia (endozoochory, synzoochory, anemochory and hydrochory). We examined if the proportional abundance of these dispersal modes could be explained by the availability of dispersal agents (disperser-availability hypothesis) and/or the availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits (resource-availability hypothesis). Time period: Tree-inventory plots established between 1934 and 2019. Major taxa studied: Trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 9.55 cm. Location: Amazonia, here defined as the lowland rain forests of the Amazon River basin and the Guiana Shield. Methods: We assigned dispersal modes to a total of 5433 species and morphospecies within 1877 tree-inventory plots across terra-firme, seasonally flooded, and permanently flooded forests. We investigated geographic patterns in the proportional abundance of dispersal modes. We performed an abundance-weighted mean pairwise distance (MPD) test and fit generalized linear models (GLMs) to explain the geographic distribution of dispersal modes. Results: Anemochory was significantly, positively associated with mean annual wind speed, and hydrochory was significantly higher in flooded forests. Dispersal modes did not consistently show significant associations with the availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits. A lower dissimilarity in dispersal modes, resulting from a higher dominance of endozoochory, occurred in terra-firme forests (excluding podzols) compared to flooded forests. Main conclusions: The disperser-availability hypothesis was well supported for abiotic dispersal modes (anemochory and hydrochory). The availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits seems an unlikely explanation for the distribution of dispersal modes in Amazonia. The association between frugivores and the proportional abundance of zoochory requires further research, as tree recruitment not only depends on dispersal vectors but also on conditions that favour or limit seedling recruitment across forest types