For an epistemology of transition: Paul B. Preciado, psychoanalysis and the regime of sexual difference

This paper aims to illustrate Paul B. Preciado’s thought on the epistemology of transition, which should take over from the current epistemological regime of sexual difference based on heterobinarism. Starting in particular from the lecture given by Preciado in Paris in 2019, we intend to focus on the main axes of Preciado’s thought on the topic: first and foremost, the necessity of the denaturalization of gender with respect to biological sex; the denunciation of the normalization and medicalization endured by trans or intersex bodies, “deviants” with respect to heterobinarism; the ethnocentrism and necropolitical power of medical and disciplinary institutions vis-à-vis “deviants” and “monstrous”; and the concept of “transition” elaborated by Preciado as a decolonization with respect to the epistemology and disciplinary institutions of the current regime of sexual difference

RADIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS IN FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY. FRACTURE HEALING AND DATING

The accurate dating of bone fractures constitutes a critical component of trauma analysis in forensic anthropology and the research in this field represents to date a challenging opportunity to apply scientific knowledge and methods to real problems of society, including also global humanitarian and human rights issues. However, the literature review performed in order to describe the state of the art in fracture healing and dating showed that forensic studies are scarce and that the assessment of fractures lacks consensus about both the definition of fracture healing and the duration of the fracture healing process. Thus, the aim of the present PhD project, including two research lines, was to acquire a better knowledge of the process of bone remodeling both in the living and the dead with regard to the timing of injury as well as to evaluate the applicability of high-resolution radiological techniques for objective dating of the healing phase of the fracture. The 1 st retrospective study, dedicated to the living, was based on digital radiographs from the largest adult living population ever analyzed and was aimed not only at examining time frames for healing of bone fractures but also at investigating the effect of variables, including age, sex, bone type and number of fracures on the timing of healing stages of traumatic skeletal lesions. For these purposes a multivariable model was built, which showed a significant association between the healing stages and the variables analyzed, so that a dynamic nomogram was preliminary proposed to predict a time interval since fracture from digital radiographs. The 2 nd experimental study, dedicated to the dead, was based on dry human bones presenting calluses of different known age in order to preliminary assess the potential of an advanced and non-destructive imaging technology, like microcomputed tomography (micro-CT), in order to obtain a future objective dating of the healing phase of the fracture on post-cranial human bone calluses of known age. The results not only demonstrated the potential utility of micro-CT to obtain a wealth of qualitative details about the microstructure of the callus but also to reach an objective fracture dating, laying promising foundations for further studies on this topic in light of the highlighted existence of a certain trend of some parameters of trabecular microstructure relative to the age of the callus, including the degree of anisotropy, the connectivity and the trabecular spacing

Donne, razza e classe

Angela Davis, Donne, razza e classe, traduzione italiana di M. Moïse e A. Prunetti, prefazione di C. Arruzza. Roma: Edizioni Alegre, 2018, 304 pag

Utilizing GIS tools to analyze viticultural choices under climate change scenario in North-East of Italy

Vineyard areas are constantly decreasing in Italy as well as in Europe. North-eastern regions in Italy are showing an opposite trend, steadily expanding with increased winegrowing areas. In viticulture and wine production, climate is arguably the most critical aspect in ripening fruit to achieve optimum characteristics to produce a given wine style. According to WMO and IPCC, climate is changing and the world is experiencing unprecedented climate extremes. Despite recent zoning aimed at defining key factors in determining the suitability of a given region for specific varieties and wine types, the expansion of viticulture in North East of Italy has led to some irrational planting choices about row orientation, dimensions, and slope. Under these conditions, the consequences of some extreme weather events may be more severe. The main objective of this study was to verify whether row orientation, aspect, and slope of vineyards, in combination with climate conditions, may affect yield and fruit quality. An area localized in the Northern Italy was analyzed, taking advantage of QGIS tools. The investigated parameters included: row orientation, slope, area, age of plantation, aspect ratio and distance between rows. Such variables have been combined with management information (planting distances, scion/rootstock combination, use of irrigation) and environmental information (yearly weather conditions). Data resulting from GIS analysis, vineyard management and environmental information have been correlated with 10-years yield and must quality parameters. Furthermore, satellite imagery from sample vineyards were collected and investigated in order to analyze the responses of the plants to different weather conditions. The results of the analysis highlighted how the mean slope of investigated vineyards is in general ranging between 1 and 3 degrees, with a prevalent Southern exposure. Rows do not exhibit a dominant orientation, mainly due to the following reasons: - the reduced dimensions available for vine cultivation, especially in hilly areas, where the vineyards are planted along contours, in order to limit erosion - the need for mechanisation, which calls for longer rather than larger rows. The results enabled to create a connection between row orientation, climate and soil conditions, and grapevine yield and quality responses to be considered as a guide for future planting choices more suitable to the restrictions imposed by increasing extreme weather events

Effects of sugar beet pulp on growth and health status of weaned piglets

The effects on growth performance and on some health parameters due to the inclusion of sugar beet pulp in antibioticfreediets for weaned piglets were evaluated on a commercial farm. A conventional diet (C) and one containing 120 g/kgof sugar beet pulp (SBP) were fed to 668 weaned piglets from 21 to 64±3 days of age. Every two weeks, live weight andfeed consumption (FC) of the two groups were recorded by pens. Fecal samples were collected from 8 pairs of piglets foreach treatment to evaluate the evolution over the time of the apparent digestibility of the nutrients, as well as the volatilefatty acids content and the microbial count in the feces. The dietary treatment did not affect FC. In comparison to C, SBPslightly reduced average daily gain over 36 to 49 (528 vs. 498 g/d; P<0.05) and 50 to 64±3 (677 vs. 631 g/d, respectively;P<0.01) days of age. Digestibility of NDF of diet C increased with age from 441 to 526 g/kg whereas that of dietSBP increased from 465 to 638 g/kg. The differences between diets became significant after 36 days of age (P<0.01).From 29 to 35 days of age higher contents of water (793 vs. 713 g/kg; P<0.01), acetic (322 vs. 206 μmol/g dm; P<0.01)propionic (108 vs. 81 μmol/kg dm; P<0.01) acids and lower counts for fecal-coliforms (6.9 vs. 8.2 log10/g; P<0.01),clostridia (1.3 vs. 2.3 log10/g; P<0.01) and Staphylococcus spp. (6.7 vs. 8.1 log10/g; P<0.01) were found in the feces ofthe SBP piglets compared to those of C. These differences progressively disappeared with time. Some piglets showedclinical signs of purulent arthritis and meningitis, but no signs of diarrhea were observed. The SBP group showed, withrespect to C, a significantly lower number of piglet deaths caused by meningitis (15 vs. 30 ‰, respectively; χ2, P<0.05),and a significantly lower number of piglets removed because lack of growth (33 vs. 76 ‰, respectively; χ2, P<0.01). Noclear evidence to explain this result was found, however it was concluded that the inclusion of 12% of sugar beet pulpin antibiotic-free diets can improve the health status of piglets with little effect on growth performance

Robust entanglement preparation against noise by controlling spatial indistinguishability

Initialization of composite quantum systems into highly entangled states is usually a must to enable their use for quantum technologies. However, unavoidable noise in the preparation stage makes the system state mixed, hindering this goal. Here, we address this problem in the context of identical particle systems within the operational framework of spatially localized operations and classical communication (sLOCC). We define the entanglement of formation for an arbitrary state of two identical qubits. We then introduce an entropic measure of spatial indistinguishability as an information resource. Thanks to these tools we find that spatial indistinguishability, even partial, can be a property shielding nonlocal entanglement from preparation noise, independently of the exact shape of spatial wave functions. These results prove quantum indistinguishability is an inherent control for noise-free entanglement generation

Rasch validation of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale and its short versions in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Accepted Jan 10, 2014; Epub ahead of print Mar 28, 2014IntroductIonPostural instability is a key feature of advanced Parkinson's dis-ease (PD) (1), often leading to falls with dramatic consequences (2). Balance impairment can also induce psychological reactions, such as reduced balance confidence and increased fear of fall-ing. Balance confidence (a construct exploring fall-related self-efficacy) and fear of falling may be protective if they interfere only with hazardous activity and increase caution in performing daily living tasks. On the other hand, they can be maladaptive if their effect is to restrict mobility, independence and social par -ticipation, leading to further deconditioning, functional decline and poorer quality of life (3). Therefore, balance confidence is a construct that needs to be clearly understood, accurately meas-ured, and requires timely, appropriate management within fall risk assessment and fall prevention programmes (4).Balance confidence is often analysed with the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale (ABC) (5), which has been shown to have sound psychometric properties in older adults (5, 6) and people with lower-limb amputations (7, 8) and stroke (9). In subjects with PD, the ABC has only recently been validated (10), by means of a Classical Test Theory approach, while the short versions of ABC proposed for PD (11–13) have undergone only preliminary validation.However, the Classical Test Theory approach does not take into account some standard criteria and attributes (concerning both single items and total score) that need to be considered when evaluating the measurement properties of a tool (14). Rasch analysis is being increasingly recommended in the development and evaluation of clinical tools for healthcare to verify if they comply with the theoretical requirements of measurement, including dimensionality analysis and item-level scale evaluation (15).The aim of this study was to analyse the psychometric prop-erties of the ABC and its 3 short versions in subjects with PD, using both Classical Test Theory and Rasch analysis, in order to determine whether fundamental measurement properties are satisfied and to provide insights into the optimal use of these questionnaires. METHOD