L'intellettuale di successo e il suo pubblico. Responsabilit\ue0 letteraria, riconoscimento sociale e gratitudine civica nell'oratoria di Apuleio: il simbolismo delle statue

Nelle sue opere oratorie, e in particolare nei Florida, Apuleio traccia le linee di un rapporto privilegiato col pubblico che implica una costante tensione a mantenere l'altissimo standard qualitativo che ha portato la sua oratoria al successo. La pubblica ammirazione di un ampio uditorio di conoscitori, presso cui ogni suo discorso trova rapidamente larga circolazione anche in forma scritta, alimenta la responsabilit\ue0 letteraria insita in ogni performance, dove la continua interazione col pubblico non lascia posto per l'errore o la caduta di tono. Questo continuo sforzo di perfezione stilistica e dottrinale diviene anche - nei discorsi cartaginesi dei Florida, come ha mostrato Adolfo La Rocca - il riflesso dell'alto livello culturale della scuola a Cartagine, la citt\ue0 dove Apuleio ha condotto i suoi studi prima del soggiorno in Grecia, e di cui diviene ora testimonial e cantore. Il movimento circolare della gratitudine del filosofo/oratore verso la citt\ue0 e della gratitudine della citt\ue0 verso di lui sembra allora chiudersi simbolicamente intorno al motivo della statua, segno visibile della gloria civica e del riconoscimento sociale. L\u2019arte della statuaria, tuttavia, riceve un trattamento singolarmente differenziato fra Florida, Apologia e romanzo: un'apparente contraddizione che risponde in realt\ue0 alle diverse finalit\ue0 argomentative che Apuleio di volta in volta si pone, e che \ue8 in ogni caso il riflesso di una meditazione estremamente attenta sul tema anche dal punto di vista teorico. L\u2019immagine stessa della statua come simbolo della gloria civica viene al tempo stesso confermata ma anche radicalmente sovvertita nel romanzo, dove alla comunit\ue0 cittadina si sostituisce la comunit\ue0 religiosa degli iniziati raccolti intorno al simulacrum della dea.In his oratory works, and particularly in the Florida, Apuleius traces the lines of a privileged relationship with the public that implies a constant tension to maintain the highest quality standards that have led his oratory to success. The public admiration of a wide audience of connoisseurs, in which each of his discourses rapidly finds a large circulation even in written form, fosters the literary responsibility inherent in every performance, where the continuous interaction with the public leaves no room for the error or the fall of tone. This continuing effort of stylistic and doctrinal perfection also becomes - in the Carthaginian discourses of the Florida, as Adolfo La Rocca has shown - the reflection of the high cultural level of the school in Carthage, the city where Apuleius conducted his studies before his stay in Greece, and of which he now becomes testimonial and singer. The circular motion of the philosopher / orator's gratitude towards the city and the gratitude of the city towards him seems then to be symbolically centered on the motif of the statue, a visible sign of civic glory and social recognition. The art of statuary, however, receives a uniquely differentiated treatment between Florida, Apology and novel: an apparent contradiction that actually responds to the various arguments that Apuleius uses on each different occasion, and that are in any case the testimony of an extremely careful meditation on the subject even from a theoretical point of view. The very image of the statue as a symbol of civic glory is at the same time confirmed but also radically subverted in the novel, where the civic community of citizens is replaced by the religious community of the initiates gathered around the goddess\u2019 simulacrum

Hospitalization for COPD in Puglia: the role of hospital discharge database to estimate prevalence and incidence

Background and aim. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), although largely preventable, is a great health burden in all the countries worldwide. Statistics of morbidity and mortality of COPD show the need for correct management of the disease. Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Diseases (DRG 88) are in 9th place for discharge in in-patient hospital admission. It is necessary to establish specific indicators which are efficacious and relevant for the patient, the doctor and the health manager. This study will analyse the information in respect of hospital admissions (Hospital discharge database) in Puglia for the period 2000-2005. Methods. The analysis was carried out utilising the Puglia Region hospital patient discharge database, selecting those patients with admission for chronic respiratory disease as principal or secondary diagnosis. Results. Chronic respiratory diseases are more frequent in males and in people over 45 years old with frequency increasing with age. Geographical distribution shows that there are greater rates of hospitalisation in big cities and in the neighbourhood of industrial areas. Although the trend over time is slight. A higher percentage of re-admission has been found for patients with COPD, and the interval between the two admissions occurs within one or two months; the diagnosis at the second admission is the same as for the first. 10.6% of discharge forms report one diagnosis, especially in patients older than 65 years of age. Little could be said about diagnostic procedures because these are not reported on the discharge form. Conclusion. Hospitalisation data confirms expectations regarding age and sex of patients. The high hospitalisation rates indicate that in-patients care still remains the only viable treatment for COPD and other chronic respiratory diseases. The high number of exacerbations reflect the absence of out-patients service or community care, and the same diagnosis in more than one episode shows the lack of efficiency of health services and disease management. This data is necessary to understand disease distribution and the modification of disease management in order to reduce health care costs, to increase efficacy in disease control and to limit repeated exacerbation and so to obtain the maximum benefit for the patients

Superdense galaxies and the mass-size relation at low redshift

We search for massive and compact galaxies (superdense galaxies, hereafter SDGs) at z=0.03-0.11 in the Padova-Millennium Galaxy and Group Catalogue, a spectroscopically complete sample representative of the local Universe general field population. We find that compact galaxies with radii and mass densities comparable to high-z massive and passive galaxies represent 4.4% of all galaxies with stellar masses above 3 X 10^10 M_sun, yielding a number density of 4.3 X 10^-4 h^3 Mpc^-3. Most of them are S0s (70%) or ellipticals (23%), are red and have intermediate-to-old stellar populations, with a median luminosity-weighted age of 5.4 Gyr and a median mass-weighted age of 9.2 Gyr. Their velocity dispersions and dynamical masses are consistent with the small radii and high stellar mass estimates. Comparing with the WINGS sample of cluster galaxies at similar redshifts, the fraction of superdense galaxies is three times smaller in the field than in clusters, and cluster SDGs are on average 4 Gyr older than field SDGs. We confirm the existence of a universal trend of smaller radii for older luminosity-weighted ages at fixed galaxy mass. On top of the well known dependence of stellar age on galaxy mass, the luminosity-weighted age of galaxies depends on galaxy compactness at fixed mass, and, for a fixed mass and radius, on environment. This effect needs to be taken into account in order not to overestimate the evolution of galaxy sizes from high- to low-z. Our results and hierarchical simulations suggest that a significant fraction of the massive compact galaxies at high-z have evolved into compact galaxies in galaxy clusters today. When stellar age and environmental effects are taken into account, the average amount of size evolution of individual galaxies between high- and low-z is mild, a factor ~1.6. (abridged)Comment: ApJ, in pres

The evolution of galaxy sizes

We present a study of galaxy sizes in the local Universe as a function of galaxy environment, comparing clusters and the general field. Galaxies with radii and masses comparable to high-z massive and compact galaxies represent 4.4% of all galaxies more massive than 3 X 10^{10} M_sun in the field. Such galaxies are 3 times more frequent in clusters than in the field. Most of them are early-type galaxies with intermediate to old stellar populations. There is a trend of smaller radii for older luminosity-weighted ages at fixed galaxy mass. We show the relation between size and luminosity-weighted age for galaxies of different stellar masses and in different environments. We compare with high-z data to quantify the evolution of galaxy sizes. We find that, once the progenitor bias due to the relation between galaxy size and stellar age is removed, the average amount of size evolution of individual galaxies between high- and low-z is mild, of the order of a factor 1.6.Comment: to appear in the proceedings of the IAU S295: The intriguing life of massive galaxies, editors D. Thomas, A. Pasquali & I. Ferrera

Experimental Determination of Momentum-Resolved Electron-Phonon Coupling

We provide a novel experimental method to quantitatively estimate the electron-phonon coupling and its momentum dependence from resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) spectra based on the detuning of the incident photon energy away from an absorption resonance. We apply it to the cuprate parent compound NdBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_6$ and find that the electronic coupling to the oxygen half-breathing phonon mode is strongest at the Brillouin zone boundary, where it amounts to $\sim 0.17$ eV, in agreement with previous studies. In principle, this method is applicable to any absorption resonance suitable for RIXS measurements and will help to define the contribution of lattice vibrations to the peculiar properties of quantum materials.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

The beneficial effect of Zinc(II) on low-dose chemotherapeutic sensitivity involves p53 activation in wild-type p53-carrying colorectal cancer cells

BACKGROUND: Activation of wild-type p53 in response to genotoxic stress occurs through different mechanisms including protein conformation, posttranslational modifications, and nuclear localization, leading to DNA binding to sequence-specific promoters. Zinc ion plays a crucial role in stabilizing p53/DNA binding to induce canonical target genes. Mutant p53 proteins undergo protein misfolding that can be counteracted by zinc. However, whether zinc supplementation might have a beneficial antitumor effect in wild-type p53-carrying cells in combination with drugs, has not been addressed so far. METHODS: In this study we compared the effect of two antitumor treatments: on the one hand wild-type p53-carrying colon cancer cells were treated with low and high doses of chemotherapeutic agent Adriamycin and, on the other hand, Adriamycin was used in combination with ZnCl2. Biochemical and molecular analyses were applied to evaluate p53 activity and biological outcomes in this setting. Finally, the effect of the different combination treatments were applied to assess tumor growth in vivo in tumor xenografts. RESULTS: We found that low-dose Adriamycin did not induce p53 activation in wtp53-carrying colon cancer cells, unless in combination with ZnCl2. Mechanistically, ZnCl2 was a key determinant in inducing wtp53/DNA binding and transactivation of target genes in response to low-dose Adriamycin that used alone did not achieve such effects. Finally, in vivo studies, in a model of wtp53 colon cancer xenograft, show that low-dose Adriamycin did not induce tumor regression unless in combination with ZnCl2 that activated endogenous wtp53. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide evidence that ZnCl2 might be a valuable adjuvant in chemotherapeutic regimens of colorectal cancer harboring wild-type p53, able to both activate p53 and reduce the amount of drugs for antitumor purposes

The galaxy stellar mass function and its evolution with time show no dependence on global environment

We present the analysis of the galaxy stellar mass function in different environments at intermediate redshift (0.3<z<0.8) for two mass-limited galaxy samples. We use the IMACS Cluster Building Survey (ICBS), at masses M_ast >10^(10.5) M_sun, to study cluster, group, and field galaxies at z=0.3-0.45, and the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS), at masses M_ast > 10^(10.2) M_sun, to investigate cluster and group galaxies at z=0.4-0.8. Therefore, in our analysis we include galaxies that are slightly less massive than the Milky Way. Having excluded the brightest cluster galaxies, we show thatthe shape of the mass distribution does not seem to depend on global environment. Our two main results are: (1) Galaxies in the virialized regions of clusters, in groups, and in the field follow a similar mass distribution. (2) Comparing both ICBS and EDisCS mass functions to mass functions in the local Universe, we find evolution from z~0.4-0.6 to z~0.07. The population of low-mass galaxies has proportionally grown with time with respect to that of massive galaxies. This evolution is independent of environment -- the same for clusters and the field. Furthermore, considering only clusters, we find that no differences can be detected neither within the virialized regions, nor when we compare galaxies within and outside the virial radius. Subdividing galaxies in terms of color, in clusters, groups, and field red and blue galaxies are regulated by different mass functions, but comparing separately the blue and red mass functions in different environments, no differences are detected in their shape.Comment: final version as published by A&

A targeted approach to genetic counseling in breast cancer patients: the experience of an Italian local project.

Aims and backgroundPatients with hereditary breast cancer (BC) may benefit from genetic counseling and testing for detection of causative mutations, definition of therapeutic and preventive strategies, and identification of at-risk relatives. Italy has few oncogenetic centers and genetic evaluation of all patients with BC is not feasible. Moreover, lack of uniformity in the selection of patients generates inappropriate referral to the geneticist. We designed a model that may represent a reproducible way to select patients at risk for hereditary BC, with the aims of rationalizing access to genetic centers and improving clinical management and surveillance.MethodsThe genetic unit of a Cancer Center and the Departments of Oncology from 2 public Hospitals in Milan were involved in the project. After training sessions at the genetic unit, operators from the 2 hospitals evaluated all patients with BC attending a first oncologic visit, through a specific interview. Patients considered at risk of hereditary BC at..

Structural, Electronic and Magnetic Properties of a Few Nanometer-Thick Superconducting NdBa₂Cu₃O₇ Films

Abstract: Epitaxial films of high critical temperature (Tc) cuprate superconductors preserve their transport properties even when their thickness is reduced to a few nanometers. However, when approaching the single crystalline unit cell (u.c.) of thickness, Tc decreases and eventually, superconductivity is lost. Strain originating from the mismatch with the substrate, electronic reconstruction at the interface and alteration of the chemical composition and of doping can be the cause of such changes. Here, we use resonant inelastic x-ray scattering at the Cu L3 edge to study the crystal field and spin excitations of NdBa2Cu3O7x ultrathin films grown on SrTiO3, comparing 1, 2 and 80 u.c.-thick samples. We find that even at extremely low thicknesses, the strength of the in-plane superexchange interaction is mostly preserved, with just a slight decrease in the 1 u.c. with respect to the 80 u.c.-thick sample. We also observe spectroscopic signatures for a decrease of the hole-doping at low thickness, consistent with the expansion of the c-axis lattice parameter and oxygen deficiency in the chains of the first unit cell, determined by high-resolution transmission microscopy and x-ray diffraction

A markov model to evaluate hospital readmission

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The analysis of non-fatal recurring events is frequently found in studies on chronic-degenerative diseases. The aim of this paper is to estimate the probability of readmission of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or with Respiratory Failure (RF).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The Repeated hospital admissions of a patient are considered as a Markov Chain. The transitions between the states are estimated using the Nelson-Aalen estimator. The analysis was carried out using the Puglia Region hospital patient discharge database for the years 1998–2005. Patients were selected on the basis of first admission between 01/01/2001 and 31/12/2005 with ICD-9-CM code of COPD or RF as principal and/or secondary diagnosis. For those selected two possible transitions were considered in the case they had the second and third admission with an ICD-9-CM code of COPD or RF as principal diagnosis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The probability of readmission is increased in patients with a diagnosis of RF (OR = 1.618 in the first transition and 1.279 in the second) and also in those with a diagnosis of COPD or RF as the principal diagnosis at first admission (OR = 1.615 in the first transition and 1.193 in the second). The clinical gravity and the ward from which they were discharged did not significantly influence the probability of readmission.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The time to readmission depends on the gravity of the pathology at onset. In patients with a grave clinical picture, either COPD or Respiratory Failure, when treated and controlled after the first admission, they become minor problems and they are indicated among secondary diagnoses in any further admission.</p