Editoriale - Abitare la crisi della casa: strategie e significati dell’informalità abitativa in Italia.

L’abitare informale è da tempo un tema di particolare interesse per il dibattito accademico sulla città e lo sviluppo urbano – tanto da diventare oggetto di numerosi studi nell’ambito delle scienze sociali che ne discutono a partire da lavori sulla povertà, le condizioni di vita e i meccanismi di esclusione sociale, fino a far esplodere queste argomentazioni in ricerche su temi come la (ri)produzione di marginalità abitativa, i modelli spaziali di frammentazione socio-economica legati alla casa e l’accesso diseguale al welfare abitativo (Waibel, 2016). In modo particolare, gli studi sulle forme e i significati dell’abitare informale in Italia si sono tradizionalmente concentrati sull’autocostruzione abusiva di immobili considerata un elemento strutturante dello sviluppo urbano del paese e un canale informale di accesso alla proprietà (Coppola, 2013; Cellamare, 2010; Cremaschi, 1990). Di più recente formazione è, invece, il dibattito sulle occupazioni di alloggi e stabili a fini abitativi che sembrano disegnare le geografie di un fenomeno altrettanto consolidato dentro il sistema di welfare abitativo italiano (Grazioli & Caciagli, 2018; Belotti & Annunziata, 2018). Intermini generali, potremmo definire il fenomeno delle occupazioni abitative come un insieme di pratiche di ‘auto-abitazione’ – non solo devote alla auto-costruzione fuori dall’iter legale, ma anche relative a pratiche di auto-appropriazione a fini abitativi – messe in atto da quote di popolazione soggette a dinamiche di espulsione dal mercato (pubblico e privato) della casa che assumono la forma tanto di azioni collettive che di iniziative promosse da singoli soggetti (per sé stessi o per i loro nuclei familiari)

Metabolic Alterations in Cardiomyocytes of Patients with Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophies

Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (DMD/BMD) result in progressive weakness of skeletal and cardiac muscles due to the deficiency of functional dystrophin. Respiratory failure is a leading cause of mortality in DMD patients; however, improved management of the respiratory symptoms have increased patients’ life expectancy, thereby also increasing the clinical relevance of heart disease. In fact, the prevalence of cardiomyopathy, which significantly contributes to mortality in DMD patients, increases with age and disease progression, so that over 95% of adult patients has cardiomyopathy signs. We here review the current literature featuring the metabolic alterations observed in the dystrophic heart of the mdx mouse, i.e., the best-studied animal model of the disease, and discuss their pathophysiological role in the DMD heart. It is well assessed that dystrophin deficiency is associated with pathological alterations of lipid metabolism, intracellular calcium levels, neuronal nitric oxide (NO) synthase localization, and NO and reactive oxygen species production. These metabolic stressors contribute to impair the function of the cardiac mitochondrial bulk, which has a relevant pathophysiological role in the development of cardiomyopathy. In fact, mitochondrial dysfunction becomes more severe as the dystrophic process progresses, thereby indicating it may be both the cause and the consequence of the dystrophic process in the DMD heart

The Digital Role in Building Public Profiles of Political Actors

In the middle of an era characterized by continuous electoral campaigns and by the personalization of politics contained in the better-known platform society, our paper aims to shed light on the planning dynamics and practices carried out inside and outside the Net by those political actors in charge of the local election arena. Which factors related to political networks push individuals to run for a political position? What are the biographies, cultural and local relations of the territories they run for? What are the differences between political competitors in terms of the digital competence needed for campaign communication and promotion? The research design focuses on a specific case study shaped on the last local election in Naples. Through the study of the political biographies of the candidates, a framework analysis was conducted on press releases, aiming to understand the inferred narration of the election and a content analysis conducted on their official social media sources to comprehend the self-building political narratives of the observed candidates. This study aims to create a clear categorization of candidates, to understand the current digital customs adopted by political actors to draw and define their own political strategies

Pro-Resolving FPR2 Agonists Regulate NADPH Oxidase-Dependent Phosphorylation of HSP27, OSR1, and MARCKS and Activation of the Respective Upstream Kinases

Formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases, being activated either by pro-resolving or proinflammatory ligands. FPR2-associated signal transduction pathways result in phosphorylation of several proteins and in NADPH oxidase activation. We, herein, investigated molecular mechanisms underlying phosphorylation of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), oxidative stress responsive kinase 1 (OSR1), and myristolated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS) elicited by the pro-resolving FPR2 agonists WKYMVm and annexin A1 (ANXA1)

Women's Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior about Maternal Risk Factors in Pregnancy

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to assess the levels of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of women about the main maternal risk factors in pregnancy and to identify the factors linked to the main outcomes of interest. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 513 pregnant women randomly selected from the gynecological ambulatory services of five hospitals located in Naples, Italy. RESULTS: Only 42% of women correctly knew all the main maternal risk factors in pregnancy (alcohol, smoking, passive smoking and obesity). Only 21.7% of women were very worried about causing harm to the fetus or child with their risk behaviors, and 22.3% of women reported smoking during pregnancy. Approximately one-third of women (28.9%) reported regularly drinking alcohol before pregnancy and 74.8% of these women reported stopping drinking alcohol during pregnancy. However, only 27.3% of women who were drinking alcohol during pregnancy had the intention of stopping. Only 43.7% of women indicated that during ambulatory gynecological examinations they received information from physicians about the possible damage resulting from all the main risk factors in pregnancy (alcohol, smoking, passive smoking and obesity). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that pregnant women lack knowledge regarding the main maternal risk factors. Pregnant women claim to receive little information during gynecological examinations and, therefore, some continue to smoke and drink alcohol during pregnancy. Our results suggest an urgent need for the design of interventions to improve women's levels of knowledge and to promote appropriate behavior in relation to the major risk factors in pregnancy

Intranuclear Signaling Cascades Triggered by Nuclear GPCRs

G protein-couped receptors (GPCRs) play a key role on cellular membranes, where they respond to a broad array of extracellular signals such as lipids, peptides, proteins and sensory agents. Intracellular biological responses triggered by these receptors include hormone secretion, muscle contraction, cellular metabolism a tyrosine kinase receptors transactivation. Recent results indicate that GPCRs localize to and signal also at nuclear level, thus regulating distinct signaling pathways which can also result from the integration of extracellular and intracellular stimuli. Nuclear GPCRs play a central role in many cellular processes, including regulation of gene transcription, cellular proliferation, neovascularization and RNA synthesis. On nuclear membranes and in nucleoplasm are present all the downstream signal transduction components of GPCRs, including G proteins, adenylyl cyclase, and second messengers such as Ca++, ERKs, p38MAPK and other protein kinases. Nuclear GPCRs may be constitutively active or may be activated by ligands internalized from the extracellular space or synthesized within the cell. The translocation of membrane receptors to the nucleus could be attributed to the presence of a Nuclear Localization Signal, which is present in the eighth helix or in the third intracellular loop of a limited number of GPCRs. However, several sequence motifs that do not resemble classical Nuclear Localization Signals can promote import of GPCRs. In this review we discuss the most recent results on nuclear localization and signaling of several GPCRS

RhVI1 is a membrane-anchored vacuolar invertase highly expressed in Rosa hybrida L. petals

Invertases are a widespread group of enzymes that catalyse the conversion of sucrose into fructose and glucose. Plants invertases and their substrates are essential factors that play an active role in primary metabolism and in cellular differentiation and by these activities they sustain development and growth. Being naturally present in multiple isoforms, invertases are known to be highly differentiated and tissue specific in such a way that every isoform is characteristic of a specific part of the plant. In this work, we report the identification of the invertase RhVI1 that was found to be highly expressed in rose petals. A characterization of this protein revealed that RhVI1 is a glycosylated membrane-anchored protein associated with the cytosolic side of the vacuolar membrane which occurs in vivo in a monomeric form. Purification yields have shown that the levels of expression decreased during the passage of petals from buds to mature and pre-senescent flowers. Moreover, the activity assay indicates RhVI1 to be an acidic vacuolar invertase. The physiological implications of these findings are discussed, suggesting a possible role of this protein during anthesis

Formyl Peptide Receptor 1 Modulates Endothelial Cell Functions by NADPH Oxidase-Dependent VEGFR2 Transactivation

In the vasculature, NADPH oxidase is the main contributor of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which play a key role in endothelial signalling and functions. We demonstrate that ECV304 cells express p47phox, p67phox, and p22phox subunits of NADPH oxidase, as well as formyl peptide receptors 1 and 3 (FPR1/3), which are members of the GPCR family. By RT-PCR, we also detected Flt-1 and Flk-1/KDR in these cells. Stimulation of FPR1 by N-fMLP induces p47phox phosphorylation, which is the crucial event for NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide production. Transphosphorylation of RTKs by GPCRs is a biological mechanism through which the information exchange is amplified throughout the cell. ROS act as signalling intermediates in the transactivation mechanism. We show that N-fMLP stimulation induces the phosphorylation of cytosolic Y951, Y996, and Y1175 residues of VEGFR2, which constitute the anchoring sites for signalling molecules. These, in turn, activate PI3K/Akt and PLC-γ1/PKC intracellular pathways. FPR1-induced ROS production plays a critical role in this cross-talk mechanism. In fact, inhibition of FPR1 and/or NADPH oxidase functions prevents VEGFR2 transactivation and the triggering of the downstream signalling cascades. N-fMLP stimulation also ameliorates cellular migration and capillary-like network formation ability of ECV304 cells

Natural Commercial Centers: Regeneration Opportunities and Urban Challenges

In the history of European cities, public spaces always played a pivotal role, representing key places for developing social interactions and for enhancing the sense of community. Squares, commercial streets, market places as well as traditional retail and art-and-crafts areas can be considered the core of the city. The social, economic and demographic crisis and the loss of cultural identity has affected the capacity of attraction of local small retailers, giving the floor to the aggressive strategies of suburban shopping malls, centers, arcades or precinct, forming a complex of shops, movie theaters, restaurants and food courts with interconnecting walkways [. Typical expressions of a globalized economy, the different categories of suburban shopping mall have transformed behaviors and paths at a large scale [. One consequences can be identified in the loss of traditional commercial activities within the city centre, producing a situation of urban decline, mirrored by the impoverishment of public spaces [[. This paper suggests that, by activating the existing cultural and socio-economic capital it is possible to undertake a successful regeneration process based on a participative approach and on public and private integrated tools. By focussing on the experience of the Centri Commerciali Naturali (Natural Commercial Centres) established in Italy as partnership between Municipalities, cultural operators, public services providers and associations of shops owners to exploit the commercial activities in the historical centers the ongoing research is oriented to explore successful experiences of private-public partnership to be implemented in a regeneration process of areas traditionally dedicated to retail and art-and-craft small enterprises. The paper discusses the potentiality and the criticism of the NCC as engine for the redevelopment and regeneration of the inner city abandoned retail areas. In so doing, the experience developed in Campania (Southern Italy) will be analyzed in order to show how the activation of the social capital within the framework of the CCN could contribute in renovating the traditional commercial identity of the area, supporting the public spaces regeneration process. This paper aspires to offer useful insights to all those policy makers, city managers and planners who seek to revitalise traditional market areas in European city centres

CITTÀ INCLUSIVE PER COMUNITÀ INTERCULTURALI. ESPERIENZE EUROPEE

The multicultural city is one of the major issues within the political Agenda as well as one of the prominent research topics, also due to the recent increasing of migratory flows throughout Europe. Within this framework, urban policies have been included in decisionmaking processes regarding cultural inclusion and social cohesion: cities have been considered the outpost of cultural diversities and dialogues. According to this scenario, the research focuses on European initiatives at urban level oriented at increasing the cultural inclusiveness. Challenges, issues and opportunities have been explored from a specific perspective: how local authorities and communities deal with this challenge in terms of spatial and social equity. By applying a case study approach, bottom up experiences, social innovation practices, community-led initiatives as well as traditional top down projects dedicated to the multicultural city have been collected and analyzed. The results of the survey show a scenario in which both bottom up initiatives and community engagement processes can be catalyst of a self-sustaining intercultural development.DOI: http://dx.medra.org/10.19254/LaborEst.14.0