Dynamics of metropolisation: the institutional construction of the Città Metropolitana di Roma Capitale in the national and regional context

In the now thirty-year-long history of the construction of a formal dimension of the metropolisation process in Italy, the dynamics of administrative reorganisation triggered by Law 56/2014 saw the emergence of the metropolitan city as an element of rupture in the relations between territorial levels. These dynamics are explored through the Roman case, in which the process of institutionalisation of the metropolitan city presents numerous criticalities with respect to the central city’s value as capital, the organisational structure within the metropolitan territory, the relationship with the Latium Region and the relationship with the State regarding European programming

Territorial patterns and relations in Italy

ESPON (the European observation network on territorial development and cohesion) has launched a series of country fiches with territorial observations, analyses, case studies and policy recommendations in support of the post-2020 strategic, legislative and programming processes. Each country fiche is to become a ‘living’ document, tailoring and updating ESPON territorial evidence to serve current and emerging policy needs. Italy Country fiche, with a first set of tailored content, included a catalogue of thematic and functional areas to choose from: Economy: Green New Deal, Cultural heritage, Spatial Plannin

Preliminary Evidence for Cell Membrane Amelioration in Children with Cystic Fibrosis by 5-MTHF and Vitamin B12 Supplementation: A Single Arm Trial

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the most common fatal autosomal recessive disorders in the Caucasian population caused by mutations of gene for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). New experimental therapeutic strategies for CF propose a diet supplementation to affect the plasma membrane fluidity and to modulate amplified inflammatory response. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) and vitamin B12 supplementation for ameliorating cell plasma membrane features in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis.A single arm trial was conducted from April 2004 to March 2006 in an Italian CF care centre. 31 children with CF aged from 3 to 8 years old were enrolled. Exclusion criteria were diabetes, chronic infections of the airways and regular antibiotics intake. Children with CF were supplemented for 24 weeks with 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF, 7.5 mg /day) and vitamin B12 (0.5 mg/day). Red blood cells (RBCs) were used to investigate plasma membrane, since RBCs share lipid, protein composition and organization with other cell types. We evaluated RBCs membrane lipid composition, membrane protein oxidative damage, cation content, cation transport pathways, plasma and RBCs folate levels and plasma homocysteine levels at baseline and after 24 weeks of 5-MTHF and vitamin B12 supplementation. In CF children, 5-MTHF and vitamin B12 supplementation (i) increased plasma and RBC folate levels; (ii) decreased plasma homocysteine levels; (iii) modified RBC membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition; (iv) increased RBC K(+) content; (v) reduced RBC membrane oxidative damage and HSP70 membrane association.5-MTHF and vitamin B12 supplementation might ameliorate RBC membrane features of children with CF.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00730509

The cohesion policy in the perspective of 2014-2020: the framework for the relaunch of european territorial cooperation and the role of macro-regions

The book is part of the activities of ESPON Contact Point Italy. It includes the results of the contribution of the Italian partners in the development of projects under the ESPON 2013 Programme, which stands for European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion. The texts summarize and highlight, among other things, the relations with the regional development policies of Italy, placing them in a framework of transnational cooperation involving the 28 + 4 EU Countries.Addressing aspects of European territorial policy, ranging from innovation and knowledge accessibility, from the polycentrism to metropolitan areas, from migration to globalization, the authors highlight the position of Italy and of regions also in relation to the objectives set by Europe 2020