Luoghi d’interazione e cittadinanza attiva: il caso di Mazara del Vallo

La società postmoderna considera (erroneamente) rischiosa la mancata integrazione dei migranti; in risposta a questo dato, le comunità migranti si barricano dietro comprensibili comportamenti di difesa rispetto al tentativo di conformare le differenze culturali ai modelli prevalenti o dominanti. Tali considerazioni, che si rispecchiano nell’uso dello spazio urbano (i luoghi dell’abitare, del lavoro, del commercio e dei servizi) e raramente negli strumenti di pianificazione, inducono a riflettere sulla differenza tra “integrazione” e “interazione”, in un contesto che sempre più si definisce cosmopolita. Mazara del Vallo è un centro storicamente caratterizzato da forte presenza di comunità straniere, prevalentemente magrebine, che si concentrano in specifici quartieri del centro storico. A dispetto di una retorica integrazione ormai raggiunta, il presente contributo indaga sulla reale convivenza dei gruppi multiculturali e sulle capacità d’interazione che si esprimono nei luoghi dell’abitare e dello spazio pubblico

Sustainable Urban Revitalization within a Historical Urban Neighborhood-A useful Approach to Complete

The historically important urban neighborhoods are practically a significant entity, a rich reservoir of social and economical milieu and cultural inheritance. Though, it faces many problems due to the rapid growth of population and the steady increases in the new requirements with concern of decompose this historical urban neighborhood. Presently sustainable urban revitalization is a theory to integrate inclusive concept of sustainability into urban revitalization process. Therefore to fix up such theory into true practices, a useful approach of urban revitalization planning should be worked out at the start. To work out how urban design would affect inclusive sustainable theory i.e. economy, environment, social equity and cultural values of urban revitalization schemes within Boro Bazaar Area (Khulna city, Bangladesh), a study investigating this issue is initiated. The paper highlights different approaches and strategies taken by different interview, questionnaire and field survey towards the methodologies of assessing, refurbishing and adding new value to the study areas, in view of increasing not only the quality of economical and social significance but also the quality of public spaces and services, for a better excellence of life of the society and neighbourhood.It is also believed that the research findings of this paper can strengthen the understanding of local developers, urban designers and government officials on how to plan a sustainable urban revitalization scheme afterwards

The urban rent in the multicultural city: retail shops, migrants and urban decline in the historic centre of Palermo

Changes in consumer shopping behavior and in retail spaces, such as shopping malls, department stores and e-commerce, have modified localization models of traditional retail shops, also affecting urban fabric and spatial distribution of urban rent. Even city centers have undergone significant transformations or even decline, especially if local economic system and real estate market are weak and recessionary. A significant amount of commercial properties may have long vacancy due to excess supply, since many traditional shops close their business because they are no longer competitive and, moreover, there is no immediate takeover by new tenants. The decline of central urban areas depends on the interaction of multiple economic, social and cultural factors, but it can be countered by urban policies oriented not only to physical redevelopment of urban fabric, but also to social cohesion and multiculturalism. Migrants bearers of varied cultural values, coming from different continents and settling permanently in the Italian cities, have rented some of these empty properties by locating retail shops specifically oriented to their own communities or also to the citizens needs. The presence of migrants contributes, indeed, to support the retail real estate demand, to mitigate the minus-valorization of real estate capital and also to contain the revenues contraction. This phenomenon has been analyzed in some streets of the historic centre of Palermo that are traditionally shopping areas and have become the privileged place for locating retail shops managed by immigrants

Progress with the LOFAR Imaging Pipeline

One of the science drivers of the new Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) is large-area surveys of the low-frequency radio sky. Realizing this goal requires automated processing of the interferometric data, such that fully calibrated images are produced by the system during survey operations. The LOFAR Imaging Pipeline is the tool intended for this purpose, and is now undergoing significant commissioning work. The pipeline is now functional as an automated processing chain. Here we present several recent LOFAR images that have been produced during the still ongoing commissioning period. These early LOFAR images are representative of some of the science goals of the commissioning team members.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in proceedings of "ISKAF2010 Science Meeting", PoS(ISKAF2010)05

Extracellular vesicles from adipose mesenchymal stem cells target inflamed lymph nodes in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Background aims: Adipose mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) represent a promising therapeutic approach in inflammatory neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Recent lines of evidence indicate that most biological activities of ASCs are mediated by the delivery of soluble factors enclosed in extracellular vesicles (EVs). Indeed, we have previously demonstrated that small EVs derived from ASCs (ASC-EVs) ameliorate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a murine model of MS. The precise mechanisms and molecular/cellular target of EVs during EAE are still unknown. Methods: To investigate the homing of ASC-EVs, we intravenously injected small EVs loaded with ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (USPIO) at disease onset in EAE-induced C57Bl/6J mice. Histochemical analysis and transmission electron microscopy were carried out 48 h after EV treatment. Moreover, to assess the cellular target of EVs, flow cytometry on cells extracted ex vivo from EAE mouse lymph nodes was performed. Results: Histochemical and ultrastructural analysis showed the presence of labeled EVs in lymph nodes but not in lungs and spinal cord of EAE injected mice. Moreover, we identified the cellular target of EVs in EAE lymph nodes by flow cytometry: ASC-EVs were preferentially located in macrophages, with a consistent amount also noted in dendritic cells and CD4+ T lymphocytes. Conclusions: This represents the first direct evidence of the privileged localization of ASC-EVs in draining lymph nodes of EAE after systemic injection. These data provide prominent information on the distribution, uptake and retention of ASC-EVs, which may help in the development of EV-based therapy in MS

Blocking Tumor-Educated MSC Paracrine Activity Halts Osteosarcoma Progression

Purpose: Human osteosarcoma is a genetically heterogeneous bone malignancy with poor prognosis despite the employment of aggressive chemotherapy regimens. Because druggable driver mutations have not been established, dissecting the interactions between osteosarcoma cells and supporting stroma may provide insights into novel therapeutic targets.Experimental Design: By using a bioluminescent orthotopic xenograft mouse model of osteosarcoma, we evaluated the effect of tumor extracellular vesicle (EV)-educated mesenchymal stem cells (TEMSC) on osteosarcoma progression. Characterization and functional studies were designed to assess the mechanisms underlying MSC education. Independent series of tissue specimens were analyzed to corroborate the preclinical findings, and the composition of patient serum EVs was analyzed after isolation with size-exclusion chromatography.Results: We show that EVs secreted by highly malignant osteosarcoma cells selectively incorporate a membrane-associated form of TGF\u3b2, which induces proinflammatory IL6 production by MSCs. TEMSCs promote tumor growth, accompanied with intratumor STAT3 activation and lung metastasis formation, which was not observed with control MSCs. Importantly, intravenous administration of the anti-IL6 receptor antibody tocilizumab abrogated the tumor-promoting effects of TEMSCs. RNA-seq analysis of human osteosarcoma tissues revealed a distinct TGF\u3b2-induced prometastatic gene signature. Tissue microarray immunostaining indicated active STAT3 signaling in human osteosarcoma, consistent with the observations in TEMSC-treated mice. Finally, we isolated pure populations of EVs from serum and demonstrated that circulating levels of EV-associated TGF\u3b2 are increased in osteosarcoma patients.Conclusions: Collectively, our findings suggest that TEMSCs promote osteosarcoma progression and provide the basis for testing IL6- and TGF\u3b2-blocking agents as new therapeutic options for osteosarcoma patients. Clin Cancer Res; 23(14); 3721-33. \ua92017 AACR