Kidseconomics® 2015/2018

RT 10; “Kidseconomics®" is the educational activity developed by CNR to introduce the basic concepts of economics in primary and lower secondary school education. Economic science permeates the daily life of children and young people and is essential to the life of informed and aware citizens, however it is not included in didactic programmes of the first school years. "Kidseconomics®" therefore represents the first opportunity of economic literacy for many young people. Since 2015, an educational workshop has been proposed during festivals and science events and in the schools of three pilot cities: Genoa, Naples and Turin

Kidseconomics® 2019/2020

RT 11; “Kidseconomics®" is the educational activity developed by CNR to introduce the basic concepts of economics in primary and lower secondary school education. In the first 5 years of activity it has reached about 6,000 students. Starting from the school year 2019/2020, the didactic proposal also includes laboratories, workshops and school/work alternation projects designed to meet the curiosity and skills of students of higher school grades. The contents therefore present a growing level of in-depth analysis, but the proposed methods and involvement remain those of informal teaching

Black holes, gravitational waves and fundamental physics: a roadmap

The grand challenges of contemporary fundamental physics—dark matter, dark energy, vacuum energy, inflation and early universe cosmology, singularities and the hierarchy problem—all involve gravity as a key component. And of all gravitational phenomena, black holes stand out in their elegant simplicity, while harbouring some of the most remarkable predictions of General Relativity: event horizons, singularities and ergoregions. The hitherto invisible landscape of the gravitational Universe is being unveiled before our eyes: the historical direct detection of gravitational waves by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration marks the dawn of a new era of scientific exploration. Gravitational-wave astronomy will allow us to test models of black hole formation, growth and evolution, as well as models of gravitational-wave generation and propagation. It will provide evidence for event horizons and ergoregions, test the theory of General Relativity itself, and may reveal the existence of new fundamental fields. The synthesis of these results has the potential to radically reshape our understanding of the cosmos and of the laws of Nature. The purpose of this work is to present a concise, yet comprehensive overview of the state of the art in the relevant fields of research, summarize important open problems, and lay out a roadmap for future progress. This write-up is an initiative taken within the framework of the European Action on 'Black holes, Gravitational waves and Fundamental Physics'

The Staglieno Monumental Cemetery (Genoa, Italy): microenvironment characterization through weathering indicators

The site of the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno (Genoa, Northern Italy, about 0.33 km2 wide) was addressed by a systematic analysis of decay factors for monuments, to identify potential management concerns. Geologic (structural and stratigraphic), geomorphologic, hydrogeological, hydrologic, meteorological (between 1947 and 2007), botanic and urbanistic (land use) analyses were addressed, and thematic cartography edited for each issue. The decay was observed on ten monuments in white Carrara marble placed in four different areas of the Cemetery (highly vegetated alluvial plain, mildly steep hill slope, south-facing hill slopes, humid creek banks, sheltered galleries, etc.). At the mesoscale, the monuments were addressed for detailed survey, rendered as a weathering map, coupled with decay quantification by the Fitzner indexes. The large- and mesoscale analysis was associated with in situ observation and microinvasive ablation of the surface deposits. These were then analysed by plane polarized light optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope with microprobe (SEM + EDS). Finally, to enhance field observations, all decay evidences were gathered into a protocol inspired to the UNI 11182 weathering descriptions grouped in (1) chromatic alteration (2) ablation weathering (3) accretional weathering. By calibrating the influence of each factor and agent, we attained a weathering zonation into subareas (e.g. Cimitero Protestante, Porticato Inferiore, Boschetto Irregolare, Galleria Pontasso)

La zona rossa

Una video lezione di scienza adatta ad un giovane pubblico ed incentrata sul tema del confinamento in emergenza sanitaria da COVID 19. Gli autori, spiegano mediate un dibattito tra una ricercatrice ed il nuovo coronavirus, cos’è una zona rossa. I protagonisti paragonano una zona rossa ad un orto infestato da un vorace insetto, spiegando come l’isolamento dell’orto sia necessario affinché i raccolti degli orti vicini rimangano salubri. Gli autori attraverso tale similitudine mettono in evidenza come l’isolamento delle città sia l’unico modo per ridurre la diffusione del virus e come tali provvedimenti possano rendere disponibili tutti quegli ausili sanitari come anche le energie del personale coinvolto in prima linea nella lotta all’emergenza sanitaria causata dal Covid-19

Il viaggio nel mondo del nuovo coronavirus

Una lezione di scienza che affronta l’emergenza sanitaria causata dal nuovo coronavirus, in modo semplice e leggero e soprattutto adatta alle giovanissime generazioni. L’argomento è trattato mediante un video scientifico divulgativo che ha come protagonisti: una ricercatrice e un pupazzo dal nome curioso “Viruloso”, i quali dibattono in maniera leggera e divertente, senza mai allontanarsi dalla reale condizione, sul ruolo e le ricadute sulla popolazione che questo virus sta causando. L’idea nasce dall’esigenza di informare il piccolo pubblico sull’attuale situazione che il mondo vive superando la problematica del linguaggio complesso e tecnico usato dai mass media e web. Da qui l’idea di far parlare direttamente il nuovo coronavirus. Tra i contenuti, gli autori fanno riferimento all’importanza delle semplici regole comportamentali e buone pratiche da adottare per ridurre i contagi, senza dimenticare la risposta dell’ambiente

A scuola con Viruloso

Una lezione di scienza adatta alle giovanissime generazioni che affronta il delicato tema del rientro a scuola dopo il periodo del lockdown, la DAD e la lenta ripresa della vita quotidiana. Viruloso, il muppet del nuovo coronavirus rincuora il giovane pubblico sulle possibili paure relative alla ripresa delle attività didattiche in presenza, spiegando le buone prassi comportamentali da adottare e le nuove regole, se pur a volte difficili da seguire ma necessarie per garantire la sicurezza del singolo e della collettività

Il tampone

Una video lezione di scienza adatta ad un giovane pubblico ed incentrata sul tema dello screening dei malati di Covid-19. Gli autori, spiegano mediate un dibattito tra una ricercatrice ed il nuovo coronavirus, cos'è un tampone e a cosa serve. I protagonisti forniscono informazioni in merito alla dinamica della malattia e alla corretta fase durante la quale sottoporsi all'indagine di screening. Si dibatte sul concetto di asintomatico e sulla fase di contagiosità. Gli autori fanno anche riferimento al metodo utilizzato per tracciare la storia della malattia, ovvero sull'indagine sierologica ad oggi usata per fotografare lo stato dei guariti nel nostro paese

Bilancio di Genere CNR al 31 dicembre 2020

CNR Gender Budget: Update of key figures as of 31 December 202

Immunological defects in septic shock. Deficiency of natural Killer cells and T-lymphocytes Defectos inmunológicos en el shock séptico. Deficiencia de células natural killer y de linfócitos T.

It is well known that an immunosuppressive response occurs after acute trauma. Some cellular mediators participate in the pathogenesis of septic shock. However, the exact role of the lymphocyte subsets and natural killer (NK) activity in this condition is not clear. We studied NK cytolytic activity through a 51Cr liberation assay using K-562 target cells in 20 patients with initial septic shock (10 men and 10 females, mean age 41 years old). Lymphocyte subsets CD3 (T3), CD4 (T4), CD8 (T8), CD16 (Leu-11) and CD56 (Leu-19) were also studied by indirect immunofluorescence. Compared to results obtained in 20 healthy volunteers, patient's NK activity was decreased (4.6 +/- 3.9 vs 26.1 +/- 10, p less than 0.025), CD16 was lower (10%/187 vs 15%/280 per ul) and CD56 was also lower (6%/120 vs 12%/224 per ul), p less than 0.05. T lymphocyte subsets were also decreased: CD3 cells (1100 vs 1352 per ul) and CD4 cells (634 vs 873 per ul), p less than 0.05. Thus, a severe decrease in NK cells and N