That is how we do it around here: Levels of identification, masculine honor, and social activism against organized crime in the south of Italy

Masculine honor is an important cultural code in the south of Italy. Italian criminal organizations (COs) manipulate and exploit this code to maintain legitimacy among local populations and exert social control in the territory where they operate. This research tested the hypothesis that different levels of identification—the region and the nation—would have opposite associations with male honor-related values and, indirectly, with intentions to oppose COs collectively. Results from a sample of young southern Italians (N?=?170) showed that regional identification positively predicted endorsement of male honor-related values, which in turn were associated with lowered intentions to oppose COs. In contrast, national identification negatively predicted male honor-related values, associated in turn with stronger intentions to oppose COs. These results also held when perceived risk and social dominance orientation were taken into account. Directions for future research are discussed

Encapsulation of diclofenac molecules into poly (ε caprolactone) electrospun fibers for delivery protection

Mg-Al Hydrotalcite-like clay (LDH) intercalated with diclofenac anions (HTlc-DIC) was introduced into poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) in different concentrations by the electrospinning technique, and mats of nonwoven fibers were obtained and compared to the pristine pure electrospun PCL. The fibers, characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry, show an exfoliated clay structure up to 3 wt%, a good thermal stability of the diclofenac molecules and a crystallinity of PCL comparable to the pure polymer. The scanning electron microscopy revealed electrospun PCL and PCL composite fibers diameters ranging between 500 nm to 3.0 m and a generally uniform thickness along the fibers. As the results suggested the in vitro drug release from the composite fibers is remarkably slower than the release from the corresponding control spun solutions of PCL and diclofenac sodium salt. Thus, HTlc-DIC/PCL fibrous membranes can be used as an antinflammatory scaffold for tissue engineering

Fabio Viti, Il potere debole. Antropologia politica dell’Aitu nvle (Baule, Costa d’Avorio)

Dans un mouvement commun aux études culturelles de ces dernières décennies, l’anthropologie politique africaniste se tourne vers la réinterprétation de ses concepts et entreprend notamment de réexaminer certaines formes précoloniales du pouvoir. Parmi les thèmes faisant l’objet de cette pensée critique figure l’émergence de l’État traditionnel, les critères qui différencient les sociétés non centralisées des sociétés étatiques et, sous-jacent, le problème plus général de la validité et des co..

When will unusual heat waves become normal in a warming Africa?

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The Fe65 Adaptor Protein Interacts through Its PID1 Domain with the Transcription Factor CP2/LSF/LBP1

The neural protein Fe65 possesses three putative protein-protein interaction domains: one WW domain and two phosphotyrosine interaction/phosphotyrosine binding domains (PID1 and PID2); the most C-terminal of these domains (PID2) interacts in vivo with the Alzheimer's beta-amyloid precursor protein, whereas the WW domain binds to Mena, the mammalian homolog of Drosophila-enabled protein. By the interaction trap procedure, we isolated a cDNA clone encoding a possible ligand of the N-terminal PID/PTB domain of Fe65 (PID1). Sequence analysis of this clone revealed that this ligand corresponded to the previously identified transcription factor CP2/LSF/LBP1. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that the interaction between Fe65 and CP2/LSF/LBP1 also takes place in vivo between the native molecules. The localization of both proteins was studied using fractionated cellular extracts. These experiments demonstrated that the various isoforms of CP2/LSF/LBP1 are differently distributed among subcellular fractions. At least one isoform, derived from alternative splicing (LSF-ID), is present outside the nucleus; Fe65 was found in both fractions. Furthermore, transfection experiments with an HA-tagged CP2/LSF/LBP1 cDNA demonstrated that Fe65 interacts also with the nuclear form of CP2/LSF/LBP1. Considering that the analysis of Fe65 distribution in fractionated cell extracts demonstrated that this protein is present both in nuclear and non-nuclear fractions, we examined the expression of Fe65 deletion mutants in the two fractions. This analysis allowed us to observe that a small region N-terminal to the WW domain is phosphorylated and is necessary for the presence of Fe65 in the nuclear fraction

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha plays a crucial role in behavioral repetition and cognitive flexibility in mice

Acknowledgments We thank Luca Giordano, Giovanni Esposito and Angelo Russo for technical assistance and Dr. Livio Luongo (Second University of Naples–Italy) for critical discussions. This work was supported by a Grant PRIN from Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR), Italy, to A.C. and the Wellcome Trust (WT098012) to L.K.H. and BBSRC (BB/K001418/1) to L.K.H. and G.D’A. G.D’A. received partial supports from a “FORGIARE” post-doctoral fellowship cofounded by the Polo delle Scienze e Tecnologie per la Vita, University of Naples Federico II and Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, Turin, Italy (2010–2012).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Priority actions of the different Regional Prevention Plans: common features and innovations

The National Prevention Plan (NPP) 2010-2012, approved by the Agreement between the Government, the Regions and Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano on 29 April 2010, called for Regions to adopt, by 31/12/2010, the Regional Prevention Plan (RPP) for implementing the interventions provided by the NPP 2010-2012. This article has considered and compared the different RPP’s. In an attempt to provide an outlook on the future medical prevention plans over the next few years in Italy, a comparison has been made between the RPP from 19 Regions and the Autonomous Province of Trento. This work has been focused on the actions identified in regional plans as a priority concerning the major common and innovative elements. The analysis of each RPP revealed a common plan to chronic degenerative diseases, because of the aging of the population in every Region of Italy. Other important common targets are: surveillance systems, vaccination programs and screening programs. Toscana and Liguria, more than other Regions, are engaged in the creation of networks involving various social actors. In some Regions there are projects aimed at eliminating social, economic or gender inequities, such as the project “women’s health” in the Region of Puglia. Toscana and Emilia-Romagna Plans pay attention to environment and pollution issues. Despite social, environmental and economic differences, the various Regions have common principles, concerning: life style, surveillance, vaccination and the screening for cancer

Potential Anticancer Activity against Human Epithelial Cancer Cells of Peumus Boldus Leaf Extract

The potential in vitro antineoplastic effect has been studied of a methanolic extract of leaves of Peumus boldus Molina (Monimiaceae) on two human cancer epithelial cell lines, DU-145 cells (androgen-insensitive prostate cancer cells) and KB cells (oral squamous carcinoma cells). Our findings show that this extract exhibited comparable effects on the cancer cells examined as judged by IC50 values (5.07±0.4 μg/mL and 5.28±0.5 μg/mL in DU-145 and KB cells, respectively). In addition, with respect to genomic DNA damage, determined by Comet assay, the results obtained show a high fragmentation of DNA, not correlated to lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) release, a marker of membrane breakdown, in both cell lines treated with the extract at 5–20 μg/mL concentrations. Taken together, our experimental evidence may justify further investigation of the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic potential of this natural drug

Association between asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis and degenerative aortic stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: Degenerative aortic stenosis shows similarities with atherosclerosis. To confirm the hypothesis that aortic stenosis is an "atherosclerosis-like" disease, we investigated the association between degenerative aortic stenosis and atherosclerosis of carotid arteries. METHODS: We studied 270 consecutive patients, 135 with degenerative aortic stenosis (trans-aortic peak velocity ≥ 2 m/sec) and other 135 subjects without aortic valve disease. All patients underwent echocardiography and ultrasound scan of the supra-aortic trunks to assess the presence of plaque and/or intima-media thickening (IMT). RESULTS: Atherosclerosis of carotid arteries (IMT and plaque) was significantly more frequent in patients with aortic stenosis than in controls (95.5% vs. 66.6%, p < 0.0001). The same result was confirmed as concerns carotid plaques (69.6% vs. 42.2%, p < 0.0001). In addition, there was a significant association between aortic stenosis and degenerative carotid plaque (OR = 3.13; 95% C.I. = 1.90-5.17). Thus the presence of a linear correlation between the trans-aortic peak velocity of the cases and the thickness of the plaques and IMT was evaluated by calculating the coefficient of correlation (R = 0.15 for plaque and R = 0.53 for IMT). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of carotid atherosclerosis is associated with degenerative aortic stenosis and the severity of aortic stenosis corresponds to an increase of the thickness of plaque and IMT. This relationship is quite new. Our result strengthens the pathogenetic hypothesis "atherosclerosis-like" of degenerative aortic stenosis and suggest the ultrasound scan as a non invasive method for risk stratification in patient with aortic stenosis, with therapeutic implications especially for higher risk subgroups