Funzioni, sviluppo e identità urbana nelle città del Mezzogiorno: riflessioni in margine a un libro recente

La storiografia degli ultimi decenni ha valorizzato il tema delle città, privilegiando l'analisi congiunta degli elementi materiali (territorio, architetture, spazi urbani) ed immateriali (cultura, religione, devozioni, tradizioni) che sostanziano il tessuto cittadino, con particolare attenzione allo studio delle funzioni esercitate dai centri urbani. Pur conservando il Mezzogiorno uno spiccato monocentrismo per tutta l'età moderna, con l'innegabile primato di Napoli capitale del Regno, si riscontra in esso il dinamismo delle città provinciali, attraverso l'assolvimento di specifiche funzioni di tipo politico, amministrativo, militare, economico e, soprattutto, fiscale. Le città meridionali sono caratterizzate dall'attiva presenza di élites orientate alla costruzione di sistemi di potere in ordine alla gestione delle risorse, alla negoziazione con le autorità centrali, alla salvaguardia dell'autocoscienza e dell'identità comunitaria

Dal Principe al Re. Lo "stato" di Caserta da feudo a Villa Reale (secc. XVI-XVIII)

Il libro affronta la ricostruzione della parabola moderna dell’area casertana, ponendosi alla convergenza di più percorsi storiografici: l’analisi del feudalesimo post-medievale nell’Europa mediterranea; lo studio della grande nobiltà del Regno di Napoli; l’indagine sulle città e, in particolare, sui centri urbani del Mezzogiorno d’Italia. L’area casertana nei secoli centrali dell’età moderna si presenta come un valido osservatorio per l’analisi di fenomeni e dinamiche specifici del territorio, ma anche ascrivibili ad un universo giuridico-amministrativo e sociale comune all’intera area mediterranea. Le vicende plurisecolari di Caserta tra Medioevo ed Età contemporanea rivelano un vistoso vuoto storico e storiografico per i secoli della prima età moderna, fra il XVI e la metà del XVIII secolo. Questo libro intende colmare tale vuoto, mediante l’interpretazione di fonti completamente inedite o scarsamente esplorate. Lo “stato” feudale di Caserta, la cui genesi risale al Medioevo, al principio del ‘500 passa dal dominio dei conti della Ratta a quello degli Acquaviva d’Aragona, diventando uno strumento della politica regia di premio/punizione nei confronti dell’aristocrazia. Gli Acquaviva – dapprima accusati di ribellione agli Asburgo – si trovano ad inaugurare un nuovo ramo della famiglia, quello casertano per l’appunto, che raggiungerà un prestigio di dimensioni internazionali, sancito e al contempo favorito dall’elevazione al rango principesco ottenuta alla fine del XVI secolo. Un prestigio che si riverbera sulla città, investita dai fasti, dagli obblighi sociali e dallo stile di vita della corte feudale acquaviviana. Con l’arrivo dei Caetani, nobili romani e baroni del Regno napoletano, che si dimostrano feudatari meno assidui nei loro soggiorni a Caserta, si assiste ad un palpabile declino della corte principesca, benché sia innegabile il riflesso positivo sulla città proveniente dalla fama dell’importante casato romano. La storia della Caserta moderna si intreccia con la storia dei lignaggi aristocratici, che tanta attenzione ha ricevuto da parte della storiografia. Un’identità, quella nobiliare, che ha dato luogo nel tempo alla costruzione di modelli di comportamento e che ha rivelato la sostanziale tenuta, nella lunga durata, delle maggiori casate del Regno. Le vicende dello “stato” feudale di Caserta e le traversie patrimoniali dei suoi feudatari illustrano esemplarmente i fenomeni tipici della storia nobiliare: dalla scelta prevalente della carriera militare manifestata dagli Acquaviva, alla sapiente strumentalizzazione delle aderenze e delle posizioni ricoperte dagli alti ecclesiastici della famiglia privilegiata dai Caetani, al ruolo decisivo svolto dalle politiche matrimoniali, ma soprattutto dotali, adottate per la prole femminile da entrambi i lignaggi, politiche talmente determinanti da cagionare esiti cruciali, sia in positivo che in negativo, per il destino del casato e del possesso feudale. Durante l’età moderna, lo “stato” feudale casertano resta appannaggio di casate dell’antica aristocrazia e si struttura come una “città di casali”, articolata in 22 casali che formano l’universitas. Il presente studio, sulla base di una documentazione totalmente inedita, ricostruisce l’attività del governo locale casertano all’interno dello “stato” feudale, analizzando dinamiche sociali e politiche. Per gran parte dell’età moderna, l’identità della città di Caserta appare fragile, incapace di esprimere solidi e fondati elementi di autocoscienza ed autorappresentazione comunitaria, fino alla svolta borbonica che apre inattese opportunità per il centro casertano. Ciò alimenta l’operazione di ricostruzione delle memorie cittadine compiuta da Crescenzio Esperti negli anni Settanta del Settecento, orientata all’esaltazione del primato del patriziato e finalizzata all’ostentazione di un patrimonio identitario all’altezza del novello status di “Villa Reale”, al quale il sovrano Carlo di Borbone ha innalzato la città di Caserta

Antibiotic-Resistant Gram Negative Bacilli in Meals Delivered at a General Hospital, Italy

This study aimed at detecting the presence of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negatives in samples of meals delivered at the University General Hospital of Palermo, Italy. Antibiotic resistant Gram negatives were isolated in July—September 2007 ffrom cold dishes and food contact surfaces and utensils. Bacterial strains were submitted to susceptibility test and subtyped by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Forty-six of 55 (83.6%) food samples and 14 of 17 (82.3%) environmental swabs were culture positive for Gram negative bacilli resistant to at least one group of antibacterial drugs. A total of 134 antibiotic resistant strains, 51 fermenters and 83 non-fermenters, were recovered. Fermenters and non-fermenters showed frequencies as high as 97.8% of resistance to two or more groups of antibiotics and non fermenters were 28.9% resistant to more than three groups. Molecular typing detected 34 different profiles among the fermenters and 68 among the non-fermenters. Antibiotic resistance was very common among both fermenters and non-fermenters. However, the wide heterogeneity of RAPD patterns seems to support a prominent role of cross-contamination rather than a clonal expansion of a few resistant isolates. A contribution of commensal Gram negatives colonizing foods to a common bacterial resistance pool should not been overlooked

Assessing inter-organizational performance through customer value: a literature review

PurposeThis study aims to systematically review the literature on the use of customer value for the evaluation of inter-organizational performance, with a wide perspective embracing different contexts and settings.Design/methodology/approachSearching within the Scopus and ISI Web of Science databases, a systematic literature review has been conducted analyzing 41 papers published between 1991 and 2020.FindingsCategorization of customer value and inter-organizational performance measures were developed and the main differences among different settings were discussed.Practical implicationsThe results presented in this study may be helpful for practitioners and managers who, in the completion of their activities, have to maintain strong and frequent relationships with other organizations. In fact, practitioners and managers interested in enhancing customer value and measuring inter-organizational performance may find an innovative perspective linking the two dimensions. They could find the categorizations presented in this study as a starting point for developing a performance evaluation framework suitable for evaluating their present business relationships. In fact, the categorizations provide a panorama of how scholars have measured until now inter-organizational performance through customer value, and therefore, they could choose the measures more appropriate for their situation.Originality/valueNo systematic literature review of the use of customer value for assessing inter-organizational performance has previously been undertaken, especially considering different settings

A foodborne outbreak of Salmonella enterica serotype Brandenburg as a hint to compare human, animal and food isolates identified in the years 2005-2009 in Italy

Introduction. There are only a few reported cases of Salmonella enterica serotype Brandenburg foodborne outbreaks in the literature. In Italy Brandenburg is consistently present among the topten serotypes from human source, but at low prevalences. Materials and methods. Fifty-five S. Brandenburg isolates from human, animal, environmental and food sources, including twelve isolates from a foodborne outbreak, were genotyped by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). Results and discussion. Eight pulsogroups and 19 pulsotypes were detected, with a unique pulsotype being attributed to the outbreak strains. Molecular subtyping can reliably complement the epidemiological investigations. Moreover, mapping molecular types of Salmonella isolates from human and non-human source may greatly contribute to risk assessment, by tracking possible animal sources, so improving cost-effectiveness of the prevention and control strategies

Detection of Arcobacter spp. in food products collected from Sicilia region: A preliminary study

The aim of the study was to evaluate the occurrence of Arcobacter spp. in food samples collected from Sicilia region. A total of 91 food products of animal origin (41 meat, 17 fresh milk, 18 shellfish) and 15 samples of fresh vegetables, were examined by cultural method and confirmed by biochemical analysis and PCR methods. The detection of Arcobacter spp. was performed, after selective enrichment, on two selective agar plates: Arcobacter agar and mCCD (modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate) agar supplemented with CAT (Cefoperazone, Amphotericin B and Teicoplanin). Arcobacter species were isolated using the membrane filtration technique. In 13 (14.3%) out of the 91 tested samples, the presence of Arcobacter spp. was found: the isolates were confirmed by multiplex PCR and identified as belonging to the species A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus. The highest prevalence rate was observed in chicken meat (8.8%) followed by shellfish (3.3%). Negative results have been obtained for raw milks and vegetables samples. The preliminary study highlights the importance of this emerging pathogen and the need for further studies on its prevalence and distribution in different types of food for human consumption

Spectrum of mutations in Italian patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: New results from the LIPIGEN study

Background Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by elevated plasma levels of LDL-cholesterol that confers an increased risk of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Early identification and treatment of FH patients can improve prognosis and reduce the burden of cardiovascular mortality. Aim of this study was to perform the mutational analysis of FH patients identified through a collaboration of 20 Lipid Clinics in Italy (LIPIGEN Study). Methods We recruited 1592 individuals with a clinical diagnosis of definite or probable FH according to the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network criteria. We performed a parallel sequencing of the major candidate genes for monogenic hypercholesterolemia (LDLR, APOB, PCSK9, APOE, LDLRAP1, STAP1). Results A total of 213 variants were detected in 1076 subjects. About 90% of them had a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. More than 94% of patients carried pathogenic variants in LDLR gene, 27 of which were novel. Pathogenic variants in APOB and PCSK9 were exceedingly rare. We found 4 true homozygotes and 5 putative compound heterozygotes for pathogenic variants in LDLR gene, as well as 5 double heterozygotes for LDLR/APOB pathogenic variants. Two patients were homozygous for pathogenic variants in LDLRAP1 gene resulting in autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia. One patient was found to be heterozygous for the ApoE variant p.(Leu167del), known to confer an FH phenotype. Conclusions This study shows the molecular characteristics of the FH patients identified in Italy over the last two years. Full phenotypic characterization of these patients and cascade screening of family members is now in progress

Familial hypercholesterolemia: The Italian Atherosclerosis Society Network (LIPIGEN)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Primary dyslipidemias are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by abnormal levels of circulating lipoproteins. Among them, familial hypercholesterolemia is the most common lipid disorder that predisposes for premature cardiovascular disease. We set up an Italian nationwide network aimed at facilitating the clinical and genetic diagnosis of genetic dyslipidemias named LIPIGEN (LIpid TransPort Disorders Italian GEnetic Network). METHODS: Observational, multicenter, retrospective and prospective study involving about 40 Italian clinical centers. Genetic testing of the appropriate candidate genes at one of six molecular diagnostic laboratories serving as nationwide DNA diagnostic centers. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: From 2012 to October 2016, available biochemical and clinical information of 3480 subjects with familial hypercholesterolemia identified according to the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network (DLCN) score were included in the database and genetic analysis was performed in 97.8% of subjects, with a mutation detection rate of 92.0% in patients with DLCN score 656. The establishment of the LIPIGEN network will have important effects on clinical management and it will improve the overall identification and treatment of primary dyslipidemias in Italy

Rising rural body-mass index is the main driver of the global obesity epidemic in adults

Body-mass index (BMI) has increased steadily in most countries in parallel with a rise in the proportion of the population who live in cities(.)(1,2) This has led to a widely reported view that urbanization is one of the most important drivers of the global rise in obesity(3-6). Here we use 2,009 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in more than 112 million adults, to report national, regional and global trends in mean BMI segregated by place of residence (a rural or urban area) from 1985 to 2017. We show that, contrary to the dominant paradigm, more than 55% of the global rise in mean BMI from 1985 to 2017-and more than 80% in some low- and middle-income regions-was due to increases in BMI in rural areas. This large contribution stems from the fact that, with the exception of women in sub-Saharan Africa, BMI is increasing at the same rate or faster in rural areas than in cities in low- and middle-income regions. These trends have in turn resulted in a closing-and in some countries reversal-of the gap in BMI between urban and rural areas in low- and middle-income countries, especially for women. In high-income and industrialized countries, we noted a persistently higher rural BMI, especially for women. There is an urgent need for an integrated approach to rural nutrition that enhances financial and physical access to healthy foods, to avoid replacing the rural undernutrition disadvantage in poor countries with a more general malnutrition disadvantage that entails excessive consumption of low-quality calories.Peer reviewe