Detrás de escena: investigación de archivo sobre las obras de teatro de Alba de Céspedes

Este artículo presenta los primeros resultados de la investigación de la autora sobre las dos piezas teatrales escritas y publicadas por Alba de Céspedes. Discutiendo Gli affetti di famiglia, (1952) escrita con Agostino degli Espinosa, el artículo se apoya en documentos de archivos que se encuentran entre los papeles pertenecientes a degli Espinosa. En el caso de Quaderno proibito (1961), el artículo analiza sobre todo los cambios que de Céspedes aportó a la pieza después de su estreno, para las representaciones al extranjero. A través de documentos de archivos (borradores, cartas, páginas de diario), el artículo intenta reconstruir el proceso creativo de Alba de Céspedes en sus obras teatrales, así como su actitud hacia el teatro como género de expresión creativa.This article presents the preliminary results of the author’s archival research on Alba de Céspedes’ two published plays. For Gli affetti di famiglia (1952), co-authored with Agostino degli Espinosa, it refers to documents related to the preliminary drafts of the play; for Quaderno proibito (1961), it considers in particular the changes that de Céspedes made after the play’s première. The study of archival documents (drafts, letters, diary entries) helps to shed light on de Céspedes’ process of creating her original theatre works and adapting her narrative work for the stage, as well as her attitude toward the theatre itself as a genre of artistic expression

In Search of the Lost (Female) Dramaturgs

Most of the academic articles that look at the development of 20th century Italian women’s theatre begin with a discussion of the dramatic works of narrators such as Natalia Ginzburg and Dacia Maraini, or performers such as Franca Valeri and Franca Rame. In this article, I claim that an alternative path for the discovery of Italian women playwrights can be found by visiting libraries and archives and looking for women dramatists as authors of theatrical genres often considered minor: radio dramas and the educational plays. After an analysis of the two genres, I look at the careers of three women playwrights that started as writers for radio or educational plays and went on to have successful careers in TV adaptations (Anna Luisa Meneghini), children’s theatre (Gici Ganzini Granata) and the major theatre (Clotilde Masci)

Actuation of chitosan-aptamer nanobrush borders for pathogen sensing

We demonstrate a sensing mechanism for rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food samples using the actuation of chitosan-aptamer nanobrush borders. The bio-inspired soft material and sensing strategy mimic natural symbiotic systems, where low levels of bacteria are selectively captured from complex matrices. To engineer this biomimetic system, we first develop reduced graphene oxide/nanoplatinum (rGO-nPt) electrodes, and characterize the fundamental electrochemical behavior in the presence and absence of chitosan nanobrushes during actuation (pH-stimulated osmotic swelling). We then characterize the electrochemical behavior of the nanobrush when receptors (antibodies or DNA aptamers) are conjugated to the surface. Finally, we test various techniques to determine the most efficient capture strategy based on nanobrush actuation, and then apply the biosensors in a food product. Maximum cell capture occurs when aptamers conjugated to the nanobrush bind cells in the extended conformation (pH \u3c 6), followed by impedance measurement in the collapsed nanobrush conformation (pH \u3e 6). The aptamer-nanobrush hybrid material was more efficient than the antibody-nanobrush material, which was likely due to the relatively high adsorption capacity for aptamers. The biomimetic material was used to develop a rapid test (17 min) for selectively detecting L. monocytogenes at concentrations ranging from 9 to 107 CFU-mL-1 with no pre-concentration, and in the presence of other gram-positive cells (Listeria innocua and Staphylococcus aureus). Use of this bio-inspired material is among the most efficient for L. monocytogenes sensing to date, and does not require sample pretreatment, making nanobrush borders a promising new material for rapid pathogen detection in food

Breastfeeding difficulties and risk for early breastfeeding cessation

Although breast milk is the normative feeding for infants, breastfeeding rates are lower than recommended. We investigated breastfeeding difficulties experienced by mothers in the first months after delivery and their association with early breastfeeding discontinuation. We conducted a prospective observational study. Mothers breastfeeding singleton healthy term newborns at hospital discharge were enrolled and, at three months post-delivery, were administered a questionnaire on their breastfeeding experience. Association among neonatal/maternal characteristics, breastfeeding difficulties and support after hospital discharge, and type of feeding at three months was assessed using multivariate binary logistic regression analysis. We enrolled 792 mothers, 552 completed the study. Around 70.3% of mothers experienced breastfeeding difficulties, reporting cracked nipples, perception of insufficient amount of milk, pain, and fatigue. Difficulties occurred mostly within the first month. Half of mothers with breastfeeding issues felt wellsupported by health professionals. Maternal perception of not having a sufficient amount of milk, infant\u2019s failure to thrive, mastitis, and the return to work were associated with a higher risk of nonexclusive breastfeeding at three months whereas vaginal delivery and breastfeeding support after hospital discharge were associated with a decreased risk. These results underline the importance of continued, tailored professional breastfeeding support

Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering Aspects of the 2012 Emilia-Romagna Earthquake (Italy)

On May 20, 2012 an earthquake of magnitude ML=5.9 struck the Emilia Romagna Region of Italy and a little portion of Lombardia Region. Successive earthquakes occurred on May 29, 2012 with ML=5.8 and ML=5.3. The earthquakes caused 27 deaths, of which 13 on industrial buildings. The damage was considerable. 12,000 buildings were severely damaged; big damages occurred also to monuments and cultural heritage of Italy, causing the collapse of 147 campaniles. The damage is estimated in about 5-6 billions of euro. To the damage caused to people and buildings, must be summed the indirect damage due to loss of industrial production and to the impossibility to operate for several months. The indirect damage could be bigger than the direct damage caused by the earthquake. The resilience of the damaged cities to the damage to the industrial buildings and the lifelines was good enough, because some industries built a smart campus to start again to operate in less of one month and structural and geotechnical guidelines were edited to start with the recovering the damage industrial buildings. In the paper a damage survey is presented and linked with the ground effects. Among these, soil amplification and liquefaction phenomena are analyzed, basing on the soil properties evaluation by field and laboratory tests. Particular emphasis is devoted to the damaged suffered by the industrial buildings and to the aspects of the remedial work linked with the shallow foundation inadequacy and to the liquefaction mitigation effects

Anxiety and depression in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: data from the Italian CMT national registry

Background There is little information about neuropsychiatric comorbidities in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). We assessed frequency of anxiety, depression, and general distress in CMT.Methods We administered online the Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale (HADS) to CMT patients of the Italian registry and controls. HADS-A and HADS-D scores >= 11 defined the presence of anxiety/depression and HADS total score (HADS-T) >= 22 of general distress. We analysed correlation with disease severity and clinical characteristics, use of anxiolytics/antidepressants and analgesic/anti-inflammatory drugs.Results We collected data from 252 CMT patients (137 females) and 56 controls. CMT patient scores for anxiety (mean +/- standard deviation, 6.7 +/- 4.8), depression (4.5 +/- 4.0), and general distress (11.5 +/- 8.1) did not differ from controls and the Italian population. However, compared to controls, the percentages of subjects with depression (10% vs 2%) and general distress (14% vs 4%) were significantly higher in CMT patients. We found no association between HADS scores and disease duration or CMT type. Patients with general distress showed more severe disease and higher rate of positive sensory symptoms. Depressed patients also had more severe disease. Nineteen percent of CMT patients took antidepressants/anxiolytics (12% daily) and 70% analgesic/anti-inflammatory drugs. Patients with anxiety, depression, and distress reported higher consumption of anxiolytics/antidepressants. About 50% of patients with depression and/or general distress did not receive any specific pharmacological treatment.Conclusions An appreciable proportion of CMT patients shows general distress and depression. Both correlated with disease severity and consumption of antidepressants/anxiolytics, suggesting that the disease itself is contributing to general distress and depression

Frequency, entity and determinants of fatigue in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Fatigue, a disabling symptom in many neuromuscular disorders, has been reported also in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). The presence of fatigue and its correlations in CMT was investigated

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 10

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes to the Italian administrative regions for taxa in the genera Artemisia, Chaetonychia, Cirsium, Cynanchum, Genista, Hieracium, Iberis, Melica, Misopates, Myosotis, Thalictrum, Trifolium, Utricularia, Veronica, and Vicia. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as supplementary material

Planning and problem-solving training for patients with schizophrenia: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess whether planning and problem-solving training is more effective in improving functional capacity in patients with schizophrenia than a training program addressing basic cognitive functions. METHODS: Eighty-nine patients with schizophrenia were randomly assigned either to a computer assisted training of planning and problem-solving or a training of basic cognition. Outcome variables included planning and problem-solving ability as well as functional capacity, which represents a proxy measure for functional outcome. RESULTS: Planning and problem-solving training improved one measure of planning and problem-solving more strongly than basic cognition training, while two other measures of planning did not show a differential effect. Participants in both groups improved over time in functional capacity. There was no differential effect of the interventions on functional capacity. CONCLUSION: A differential effect of targeting specific cognitive functions on functional capacity could not be established. Small differences on cognitive outcome variables indicate a potential for differential effects. This will have to be addressed in further research including longer treatment programs and other settings

Recent results on heavy-ion induced reactions of interest for neutrinoless double beta decay at INFN-LNS

Abstract. The possibility to use a special class of heavy-ion induced direct reactions, such as double charge exchange reactions, is discussed in view of their application to extract information that may be helpful to determinate the nuclear matrix elements entering in the expression of neutrinoless double beta decay halflife. The methodology of the experimental campaign presently running at INFN - Laboratori Nazionali del Sud is reported and the experimental challenges characterizing such activity are describe