La metanarrativa: le teoria, la storia, i testi

Il lavoro di questa tesi si propone di fornire un quadro dettagliato, anche se non esaustivo, della presenza della metanarrativa nella letteratura occidentale fin dai suoi esordi. Con metanarrativa infatti si intende generalmente quel processo letterario per cui un\u2019opera parla di s\ue9, eppure le definizioni date nel corso degli anni a questa tecnica sono state molteplici e, a volte, hanno generato confusione. Nel mio lavoro ho scelto di seguire entrambe le strade tracciate dagli studiosi che si sono applicati al fenomeno metanarrativa negli anni Settanta e Ottanta del Novecento. La prima di queste strade si ritrova nelle definizioni fornite rispettivamente da Patricia Waugh nel saggio Metafiction, teory and practice of Self Conscious Fiction del 1984 e in Linda Hutcheon in Poetics on Postmodernism del 1988. In questi due lavori le studiose sottolineano come la riflessione del testo su se stesso sia in realt\ue0 una riflessione del testo sulla realt\ue0 e sui suoi meccanismi retorici e di finzione. La seconda linea di pensiero di cui si \ue8 tenuto conto \ue8 quella fornita dallo studioso franco\u2010americano Raymond Federman in Surfiction, un saggio del 1975. Dal punto di vista di Federman la metanarrativa non ha sempre un rapporto di esegesi della struttura della realt\ue0 ma a volte essa \ue8 semplicemente un gioco, un divertissement colto che considera i suoi testi al di fuori e al di sopra della realt\ue0 (il nome Surfiction contiene un palese riferimento al Surrealismo degli anni Venti), tali testi sono completamente avulsi dalla struttura tipica del romanzo e la loro leggibilit\ue0 risulta seriamente compormessa. Il contenuto di questa tesi si articola in tre parti: la prima affronta lo studio della metanarrativa da un punto di vista storico, sottolineando come essa sia un fenomeno non ascrivibile ad un solo periodo letterario ma, al contrario, presente in molte epoche storiche. Si \ue8 tuttavia creduto di scorgere due epoche fondamentali, entrambe novecentesche, in cui la metanarrativa \ue8 risultata pi\uf9 fruttuosa; si tratta degli gli anni Venti e Trenta in Europa e degli anni Sessanta e Settanta negli Stati Uniti. Di queste due epoche si sono messe in luce le caratteristiche peculiari della loro metanarrativa, arrivando a due diverse categorizzazioni. Nella prima epoca si riscontra infatti uno spiccato interesse a potenziare la figura dei personaggi rispetto a quella del narratore e si \ue8 messa in relazione questa tendenza alle nuove tendenze filosofiche e politiche di quegli anni; nella seconda invece \ue8 pi\uf9 difficile circoscrivere una tendenza maggioritaria, essa si presenta piuttosto come un susseguirsi di sperimentalismi differenti nei contenuti come nella forma volti soprattutto allo 'svelamento', ossia alla dimostrazione della finzione nella realt\ue0. La seconda parte della tesi si applica invece a uno studio sulla materia di tipo formalistico, segnalando tutte le tecniche (inventariate dai maestri dello Strutturalismo) che non sono del tutto ascrivibili alla metanarrativa ma che ne spiegano, e a volte ne provocano, l'esistenza. In questa sezione si \ue8 lavorato soprattutto sul concetto di morte dell\u2019autore cos\uec come \ue8 stato espresso da Roland Barthes nel 1968 e su quello di allegoria, figura retorica antica e per secoli dimenticata, che torna ad avere molto spazio nel Novecento e che in qualche modo \ue8 correlata al concetto di simulacro, elaborato da Jean Baudrillard in Simulacres and simulation nel 1981 e cos\uec importante per il Postmoderno. Nella terza e ultima parte del lavoro ci si \ue8 dedicati a segnalare alcuni esempi, tratti dai testi della metanarrativa di queste due epoche, ponendo soprattutto l\u2019attenzione sulla metanarrativa americana degli anni Sessanta e Settanta, in quanto quella \ue8 l\u2019epoca in cui la metanarrativa ha avuto i suoi seguaci pi\uf9 numerosi. I testi sono divisi secondo la struttura utilizzata: si va dalle "varianti narratologiche" (quei testi in cui \ue8 ancora preservata una certa \u201cleggibilit\ue0\u201d) allo \u201csperimentalismo diegetico\u201d (in cui la trama dei testi risulta completamente s composta lasciando il puzzle da ricomporre al suo lettore). L\u2019ultimo capitolo del lavoro si applica a ricercare quali, tra le forme di metanarrativa precedentemente inventariate, siano sopravvissute nella contemporaneit\ue0 della letteratura occidentale.This thesis aims to provide a detailed description, yet not exhaustive, of the presence of the metanarrative in western literature from its very first appearance. The metanarrative refers to the literary process whereby a piece of literature focuses on itself, however numerous definitions of this technique have been given over the course of the years which, at times, have generated a lot of confusion. In my work I have chosen to follow both descriptions given to the phenomenon of the metanarrative by critics in the seventies and eighties of the 20th century. The first is provided by Patricia Waugh in her essay Metafiction, Theory and Practice of Self Conscious Fiction in 1984 and by Linda Hutcheon in Poetics on Postmodernism in 1988. Both literary works underline how the auto\u2010reflection of the text is really a reflection on the reality of a text and its rhetoric mechanisms and pretences. The second line of thought followed is that provided by the Franco\u2010American writer Raymond Federman in Surfiction, an essay written in 1975. Federman's view of the metanarrative is that it doesn't always have an exegesis relationship with the structure of the reality, however, at times, it is simply a game, a cultured divertissement which considers its texts out of touch with reality (the name Surfiction contains a clear reference to twenties Surrealism), such texts are completely taken out of the typical structure of the novel and their readability becomes seriously compromised. The content of this thesis is divided into three parts: the first confronts the study of the metanarrative from a historical point of view, highlighting the fact that this phenomenon is not ascribable to only one literary period, on the contrary, it is present in many historic epochs. The metanarrative is however believed to be distinguished in two main epochs, both in the 20th century where it experienced its greatest success; in Europe in the twenties and thirties and in the United States in the sixties and seventies. These two epochs highlight the peculiar characteristics of the metanarrative, forming two different categories. In the first epoch there was a marked interest to enhance the figure of the characters compared to that of the narrator, and this tendency corresponds to new philosophical and political movements in those years. In the second epoch it is not circumscribed as a majority movement but rather as experimental success, different in content and form and mainly directed towards the unveiling, or rather the demonstration of the fiction in the reality. The second part of the thesis is dedicated however to the study of the formalistic materials, highlighting and listing all the techniques of the masters of Structuralism which are not all ascribable to the metanarrative but explain, and at times provoke, its existence. This section has focused mainly on the concept of the death of the author as conveyed by Roland Barthes in 1968, on allegory, the antique rhetoric figure forgotten for centuries which made a come back in the 20th century and is in some way correlated to the concept of simulacra, elaborated by Jean Baudrillard in Simulacres and Simulation in 1981, very important for Postmodernism. The third and final part of the thesis is dedicated to highlighting some examples, pieces of metanarrative texts from those two epochs, mainly drawing attention to the American metanarrative in the sixties and seventies when the metanarrative had a large following. The texts are divided according to the structure used: from \u201cvariants of narratology\u201d (those texts which still maintain a certain readability) to \u201cexperimental narrative\u201d (where the plot of the texts are completely broken up leaving the reader to put the puzzle back together. The final chapter of the thesis aims to discover which of the metanarratives previously listed have survived into the contemporary western literature

Clinical Spectrum Time Course in Anti Jo-1 Positive Antisynthetase Syndrome

Anti Jo-1 antibodies are the main markers of the antisynthetase syndrome (ASSD), an autoimmune disease clinically characterized by the occurrence of arthritis, myositis, and interstitial lung disease (ILD). These manifestations usually co-occur (for practical purpose complete forms) in the same patient, but cases with only 1 or 2 of these findings (for practical purpose incomplete forms) have been described. In incomplete forms, the ex novo occurrence of further manifestations is possible, although with frequencies and timing not still defined. The aim of this international, multicenter, retrospective study was to characterize the clinical time course of anti Jo-1 positive ASSD in a large cohort of patients. Included patients should be anti Jo-1 positive and with at least 1 feature between arthritis, myositis, and ILD. We evaluated the differences between complete and incomplete forms, timing of clinical picture appearance and analyzed factors predicting the appearance of further manifestations in incomplete ASSD. Finally, we collected 225 patients (58 males and 167 females) with a median follow-up of 80 months. At the onset, complete ASSD were 44 and incomplete 181. Patients with incomplete ASSD had frequently only 1 of the classic triad findings (110 cases), in particular, isolated arthritis in 54 cases, isolated myositis in 28 cases, and isolated ILD in 28 cases. At the end of follow-up, complete ASSD were 113, incomplete 112. Only 5 patients had an isolated arthritis, only 5 an isolated myositis, and 15 an isolated ILD. During the follow-up, 108 patients with incomplete forms developed further manifestations. Single main feature onset was the main risk factor for the ex novo appearance of further manifestation. ILD was the prevalent ex novo manifestation (74 cases). In conclusion, ASSD is a condition that should be carefully considered in all patients presenting with arthritis, myositis, and ILD, even when isolated. The ex novo appearance of further manifestations in patients with incomplete forms is common, thus indicating the need for an adequate clinical and instrumental follow-up. Furthermore, the study clearly suggested that in ASSD multidisciplinary approach involving Rheumatology, Neurology, Pneumology, and Internal Medicine specialists is mandatory

Involvement of MBD4 inactivation in mismatch repair-deficient tumorigenesis

The DNA glycosylase gene MBD4 safeguards genomic stability at CpG sites and is frequently mutated at coding poly-A tracks in mismatch repair (MMR)-defective colorectal tumors (CRC). Mbd4 biallelic inactivation in mice provided conflicting results as to its role in tumorigenesis. Thus, it is unclear whether MBD4 alterations are only secondary to MMR defects without functional consequences or can contribute to the mutator phenotype. We investigated MBD4 variants in a large series of hereditary/familial and sporadic CRC cases. Whereas MBD4 frameshifts were only detected in tumors, missense variants were found in both normal and tumor DNA. In CRC with double-MBD4/MMR and single-MBD4 variants, transition mutation frequency was increased, indicating that MBD4 defects may affect the mutational landscape independently of MMR defect. Mbd4-deficient mice showed reduced survival when combined with Mlh1−/− genotype. Taken together, these data suggest that MBD4 inactivation may contribute to tumorigenesis, acting as a modifier of MMR-deficient cancer phenotype

Influence of Antisynthetase Antibodies Specificities on Antisynthetase Syndrome Clinical Spectrum TimeCourse

Introduction: Increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality is observed in inflammatory joint diseases (IJDs) such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis. However, the management of CV disease in these conditions is far from being well established.Areas covered: This review summarizes the main epidemiologic, pathophysiological, and clinical risk factors of CV disease associated with IJDs. Less common aspects on early diagnosis and risk stratification of the CV disease in these conditions are also discussed. In Europe, the most commonly used risk algorithm in patients with IJDs is the modified SCORE index based on the revised recommendations proposed by the EULAR task force in 2017.Expert opinion: Early identification of IJD patients at high risk of CV disease is essential. It should include the use of complementary noninvasive imaging techniques. A multidisciplinary approach aimed to improve heart-healthy habits, including strict control of classic CV risk factors is crucial. Adequate management of the underlying IJD is also of main importance since the reduction of disease activity decreases the risk of CV events. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may have a lesser harmful effect in IJD than in the general population, due to their anti-inflammatory effects along with other potential beneficial effects.This research was partially funded by FOREUM—Foundation for Research in Rheumatolog

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles 2018 (MISEV2018):a position statement of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles and update of the MISEV2014 guidelines

The last decade has seen a sharp increase in the number of scientific publications describing physiological and pathological functions of extracellular vesicles (EVs), a collective term covering various subtypes of cell-released, membranous structures, called exosomes, microvesicles, microparticles, ectosomes, oncosomes, apoptotic bodies, and many other names. However, specific issues arise when working with these entities, whose size and amount often make them difficult to obtain as relatively pure preparations, and to characterize properly. The International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) proposed Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles (“MISEV”) guidelines for the field in 2014. We now update these “MISEV2014” guidelines based on evolution of the collective knowledge in the last four years. An important point to consider is that ascribing a specific function to EVs in general, or to subtypes of EVs, requires reporting of specific information beyond mere description of function in a crude, potentially contaminated, and heterogeneous preparation. For example, claims that exosomes are endowed with exquisite and specific activities remain difficult to support experimentally, given our still limited knowledge of their specific molecular machineries of biogenesis and release, as compared with other biophysically similar EVs. The MISEV2018 guidelines include tables and outlines of suggested protocols and steps to follow to document specific EV-associated functional activities. Finally, a checklist is provided with summaries of key points

Evolving trends in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 waves. The ACIE appy II study

Background: In 2020, ACIE Appy study showed that COVID-19 pandemic heavily affected the management of patients with acute appendicitis (AA) worldwide, with an increased rate of non-operative management (NOM) strategies and a trend toward open surgery due to concern of virus transmission by laparoscopy and controversial recommendations on this issue. The aim of this study was to survey again the same group of surgeons to assess if any difference in management attitudes of AA had occurred in the later stages of the outbreak. Methods: From August 15 to September 30, 2021, an online questionnaire was sent to all 709 participants of the ACIE Appy study. The questionnaire included questions on personal protective equipment (PPE), local policies and screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection, NOM, surgical approach and disease presentations in 2021. The results were compared with the results from the previous study. Results: A total of 476 answers were collected (response rate 67.1%). Screening policies were significatively improved with most patients screened regardless of symptoms (89.5% vs. 37.4%) with PCR and antigenic test as the preferred test (74.1% vs. 26.3%). More patients tested positive before surgery and commercial systems were the preferred ones to filter smoke plumes during laparoscopy. Laparoscopic appendicectomy was the first option in the treatment of AA, with a declined use of NOM. Conclusion: Management of AA has improved in the last waves of pandemic. Increased evidence regarding SARS-COV-2 infection along with a timely healthcare systems response has been translated into tailored attitudes and a better care for patients with AA worldwide