Contesti tardo-repubblicani di Puteoli e del territorio. Contributo allo studio della colonia scipionica

La tesi analizza le testimonianze della cultura materiale di età tardo-repubblicana, sia edite che inedite, di Puteoli e del suo territorio. Lo studio affronta l’analisi dettagliata dei materiali ceramici, in particolar modo della ceramica a vernice nera, poiché nel sito questa è la classe ceramica più consistente per il periodo preso in esame. Il lavoro è stato organizzato in tre parti: nella prima parte è una breve ricostruzione della storia del sito con una sintetica presentazione della topografia della città in età tardo-repubblicana; a cui segue l’analisi della storia degli studi della ceramica a vernice nera, per una rilettura dei dati alla luce dei risultati delle nuove ricerche archeologiche. La seconda parte è dedicata alla schedatura e analisi della ceramica a vernice nera e dei materiali ceramici associati provenienti da contesti selezionati. I reperti provengono da alcuni settori della rocca del Rione Terra su cui venne fondata la colonia tardo-repubblicana e da un insediamento rurale sito al limite del territorio lungo la via Puteolis – Neapolim. Il materiale ceramico analizzato copre un arco cronologico che va dalla seconda metà del III sec. a.C. alla prima metà del I sec. a.C.; le produzioni di ceramica a vernice nera identificate sono principalmente la Campana A prodotta nel golfo di Napoli e la Campana B riferibile all’area della Campania settentrionale. La ricerca ha permesso di individuare sul Rione Terra tracce indirette della presenza di un’officina di ceramica a vernice nera per la presenza di materiale di scarto di fornace. Questi reperti sono stati sottoposti ad analisi archeometriche per individuare le caratteristiche. La terza parte del lavoro analizza i principali siti di consumo della Campania e del Mediterraneo e i relitti il cui carico conteneva prodotti italici e soprattutto ceramica a vernice nera

CARACTERÍSTICAS DO PROCESSO DE MUNICIPALIZAÇÃO DO ENSINO FUNDAMENTAL I NO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO

O objetivo deste texto é analisar o processo de municipalização do Ensino Fundamental I, no estado de São Paulo, por meio de artigos acadêmicos entre 1996 e 2019. A análise indica que a municipalização do Ensino Fundamental I foi intensa em seus primeiros anos, com a contínua adesão de algumas prefeituras, em função do recebimento de verbas condicionadas à oferta de vagas. Além disso, foi possível compreender que esse processo pode ter contribuído para a universalização do acesso à educação. Por outro lado, pode ter aumentado a precarização da oferta de educação básica de qualidade social, além de ter sido pseudo-descentralizador e pseudo-participativo. Um aspecto positivo foi a criação de secretarias, conselhos, planos e estatutos municipais de educação

Glycerol and Catalysis by Waste/Low-Cost Materials—A Review

The growing global demand for renewable energy sources can be reached using biofuels such as biodiesel, for example. The most used route to produce biodiesel is the transesterification reaction of oils or fats with short-chain alcohols, generating fatty acid esters (biodiesel) and a very important by-product, glycerol (Gly). Gly is widely used in different sectors of the industry, and in order to add value to this by-product, heterogeneous catalysis becomes a relevant tool, whether to transform glycerol into other chemical products of interest or even use it in the production of catalysts. Among the several studies found in the literature, the use of low-cost materials and/or wastes from the most diverse activities to prepare active catalytic materials for the transformation of Gly has been increasingly reported due to its valuable advantages, especially related to the cost of raw materials and environmental aspects. Thus, this brief review article presents the relationship between catalysis, low-cost materials, waste, and glycerol, through different studies that show glycerol being transformed through reactions catalyzed by materials produced from low-cost sources/waste or with the glycerol itself used as a catalyst

1000 Days: The “WeCare Generation” Program—The Ultimate Model for Improving Human Mental Health and Economics: The Study Protocol

Abstract Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the necessity of a new resilience of the human population and health system. The “WeCare Generation” program is a new proposal of territorial intervention, with a new paradigm, on the diseases of the human body and mind. Background: In recent decades, the independent strands of investigation on brain plasticity and early trauma consequences have demonstrated that traumatic experiences in the period from pregnancy to the age of 3 years have an enormous impact on an individual’s future development, and both physical and mental health. Research shows that adverse child experiences (ACEs) are associated with a strong risk of conditions such as: harmful alcohol use, smoking, illicit drug use, high body-mass index, depression, anxiety, interpersonal violence, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke respiratory diseases and, as a consequence, to a high financial cost in Italy and also across Europe (1–9% GDP) and the USA (total annual costs estimated to be USD 581 billion in Europe and USD 748 billion in North America). All this suggests that an early intervention on that traumatized-slice of population leads to multiplied savings. Methods: A multi-center, randomized, controlled trial was designed. The parents of the future neonatal population (from pregnancy to delivery) with trauma will be enrolled, and randomized to treatment, or control arm. The article describes in detail how the primary outpoint (cost to the national health system), and some secondary outpoints, will be collected. Discussion: An overall rate of return on investment (ROI) statistically significant 13.0% per annum with an associated benefit/cost ratio (BCR) of 6.3 is expected as the primary outcome of the “WeCare Generation” program. Our proposed model predicts a new medical paradigm aiming to empower new generations, with a strong return on economy and health

New Insights of Historical Mortars Beyond Pompei: The Example of Villa del Pezzolo, Sorrento Peninsula

The topic of this study is the archaeometric characterization of mortars from Villa del Pezzolo, a Roman Villa located in Seiano (Napoli-Campania, Italy), dated between the 1st century B.C. and the 3rd century A.D. Mortars were analyzed by means of a multi-analytical approach (polarized optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersed spectrometry, thermal analyses and mercury intrusion porosimetry) according to existing recommendations. Analytical results evidenced the use of local geomaterials composed of sedimentary and volcanic aggregates in the mix design and confirmed the three distinct building phases identified by archaeologists. Volcanic tuff fragments, identified in the 1st building phase can be ascribed to Campanian Ignimbrite formation, widely cropping out in the Sorrento Peninsula, as confirmed by the presence of glassy shards, partially devitrified and replaced by authigenic feldspar, a typical feature of welded grey ignimbrite lithofacies (WGI). Volcanic aggregates in samples of the 2nd and 3rd building phases show, instead, the presence of leucite-bearing volcanic scoriae and garnet crystal fragments related to Somma-Vesuvius products. Study of these mortars allowed us to: (1) understand the production technologies; (2) highlight use of materials with hydraulic behavior, such as volcanic and fictile fragments; (3) confirm the three building phases from compositional features of mortars and (4) highlight the change over time of the volcanic aggregate for mortars mix-design

Association of viral load with TRAIL, IP-10, CRP biomarker signature and disease severity in children with respiratory tract infection or fever without source : A prospective, multicentre cohort study

Background To investigate the association of viral load (VL) with (i) tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), interferon gamma-induced protein-10, C-reactive protein, and a combinatorial score (BV score), and (ii) clinical severity. Study Design In this prospective, multicentre cohort substudy, children with respiratory tract infection or fever without source were enrolled. VL for influenza virus, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and adenovirus was measured from nasopharyngeal swabs. The reference standard diagnosis was established based on expert panel adjudication. Results Of 1140 recruited patients, 333 had a virus monodetection. VL for the aggregated data set correlated with TRAIL and IP-10 levels, with the length of oxygen therapy, and inversely with the BV score. At a single viral level, only the influenza VL yielded a correlation with TRAIL, IP-10 levels, and the BV score. Children with a viral reference standard diagnosis had significantly higher VL than those with bacterial infection (p = 0.0005). Low TRAIL (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39–0.91) and young age (IRR 0.62, 95% CI 0.49–0.79) were associated with a longer hospital stay, while young age (IRR 0.33, 95% CI 0.18–0.61), low TRAIL (IRR 0.25, 95% CI 0.08–0.76), and high VL (IRR 1.16, 95% CI 1.00–1.33) were predictive of longer oxygen therapy. Conclusion These findings indicate that VL correlates with biomarkers and may serve as a complementary tool pertaining to disease severity

A pharmacoeconomic analysis from Italian guidelines for the management of prolactinomas

Background: Prolactinoma, the most common pituitary adenoma, is usually treated with dopamine agonist (DA) therapy like cabergoline. Surgery is second-line therapy, and radiotherapy is used if surgical treatment fails or in relapsing macroprolactinoma. Objective: This study aimed to provide economic evidence for the management of prolactinoma in Italy, using a cost-of-illness and cost-utility analysis that considered various treatment options, including cabergoline, bromocriptine, temozolomide, radiation therapy, and surgical strategies. Methods: The researchers conducted a systematic literature review for each research question on scientific data- bases and surveyed a panel of experts for each therapeutic procedure's specific drivers that contributed to its total cost. Results: The average cost of the first year of treatment was euro2,558.91 and euro3,287.40 for subjects with micro- prolactinoma and macroprolactinoma, respectively. Follow-up costs from the second to the fifth year after ini- tial treatment were euro798.13 and euro1,084.59 per year in both groups. Cabergoline had an adequate cost-utility profile, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of euro3,201.15 compared to bromocriptine, based on a willingness-to-pay of euro40,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) in the reference economy. Endoscopic sur- gery was more cost-effective than cabergoline, with an ICER of euro44,846.64. Considering a willingness-to-pay of euro40,000/QALY, the baseline findings show cabergoline to have high cost utility and endoscopic surgery just a tad above that. Conclusions: Due to the favorable cost-utility profile and safety of surgical treatment, pituitary surgery should be considered more frequently as the initial therapeutic approach. This management choice could lead to better outcomes and an appropriate allocation of healthcare resources

The spin label amino acid TOAC and its uses in studies of peptides: chemical, physicochemical, spectroscopic, and conformational aspects

We review work on the paramagnetic amino acid 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-N-oxyl-4-amino-4-carboxylic acid, TOAC, and its applications in studies of peptides and peptide synthesis. TOAC was the first spin label probe incorporated in peptides by means of a peptide bond. In view of the rigid character of this cyclic molecule and its attachment to the peptide backbone via a peptide bond, TOAC incorporation has been very useful to analyze backbone dynamics and peptide secondary structure. Many of these studies were performed making use of EPR spectroscopy, but other physical techniques, such as X-ray crystallography, CD, fluorescence, NMR, and FT-IR, have been employed. The use of double-labeled synthetic peptides has allowed the investigation of their secondary structure. A large number of studies have focused on the interaction of peptides, both synthetic and biologically active, with membranes. In the latter case, work has been reported on ligands and fragments of GPCR, host defense peptides, phospholamban, and β-amyloid. EPR studies of macroscopically aligned samples have provided information on the orientation of peptides in membranes. More recent studies have focused on peptide–protein and peptide–nucleic acid interactions. Moreover, TOAC has been shown to be a valuable probe for paramagnetic relaxation enhancement NMR studies of the interaction of labeled peptides with proteins. The growth of the number of TOAC-related publications suggests that this unnatural amino acid will find increasing applications in the future