Il teatro come unico cielo: il testo, la voce, l'uditorio

Grotowski, Stanislavskij, Artaud, Bene... come Odisseo l’attore attraversa la storia del teatro, la storia dell’umanità, adoperandosi per quel risultato comune visibile attraverso lo spettacolo: esemplificazione di tale unico cielo. Aver riportato l’uomo al centro del teatro, l’attore al centro della scena, è anche domandarsi come questa reazione possa continuare. Il metodo di Alschitz, del quale riporto un’esperienza diretta, nasce per mantenere tale centralità e sostenere il teatro in una prospettiva di utilità all’interno delle dinamiche contemporanee. Nella messinscena, divengono centrali non la parola (che è testo, opera scritta, autore) ma piuttosto l’attore col suo “gesto vocale” (cioè, ancora una volta, l’uomo): voce che significa al di là della parola detta, che significa anche nel suo silenzio, voce quale momento di presenza umana e unicità. Emerge l’intimità vissuta pubblicamente nell’atto della scena: in quella illusione gli inganni non sono possibili, c’è solo verità. Il testo non è rinnegato, ma è semplicemente un mezzo per incontrare qualcuno o qualcosa, in sintesi, un mezzo per “incontrarsi”. Il teatro è il luogo dell’incontro, di quell'appuntamento

Biodiversity loss in a small riverine wetland of the Ticino river (Lombardia, Northern Italy)

Wetlands are heterogeneous habitats that include various biotopes with different formations, structures and geographical positions. There are many small wetlands in the Ticino river area around Pavia (Lombardia, Northern Italy), many of which evolve naturally and originate from abandoned riverbeds, isolated river meanders, oxbow lakes or small ponds fed by terrace springs or underground waters. We decided to consider the evolution of one of these wetlands, namely the Topo oxbow lake. It had previously been studied 24 years ago (1988-1990), so we compared the results with those collected during a recent one-year investigation (June 2011-June 2012) on the following aspects: dimensions, hydrometric level fluctuation and bathymetry, principal chemical-physical parameters, hygrophytic and aquatic vegetation, and zooplankton communities. The resulting geo-morphological and biotic community changes are typical of riverine wetlands, thus supporting the hypothesis that this oxbow lake is following its natural evolution. Morphological changes in the oxbow lake should influence its biotic communities: the high plant biomass that existed in the past could be considered to have been the first step towards eutrophication, but the oxbow lake remained at mesotrophic level due to high biodiversity and dissolved oxygen levels in the water. Nowadays, the lower biodiversity in aquatic plants and zooplankton suggests a trophic level shift towards eutrophication due to the endogenous evolution of the oxbow lake. However, these ideas are not supported by the physical and chemical parameters of the water which indicate that the oxbow lake is still at mesotrophic level. We would suggest planning a gentle restoration of this biotope, with the aim of rejuvenating the physical habitat to ensure the long-term ecological functioning of the aquatic environment

First record of eyeless specimens of Gammarus roeselii Gervais 1835 (Amphioda, Gammaridae) in a small stream of the sub-lacustrine Ticino River basin (Lombardy, Northern Italy)

In this short communication, we report the unusual presence of blind specimens of the non-native Gammarus roeselii Gervais 1835 (Amphioda, Gammaridae) in the sub-lacustrine Ticino River basin (Po River floodplain, Northern Italy). Considering that G. roeselii is present in almost all small semi-natural tributaries of the Ticino River, it is important to carry out further research on this well-established exotic species to verify its genetic variability

Terrace springs: habitat haven for macrobenthic fauna in the lower plain of the River Ticino (Lombardy, Northern Italy)

Springs are important environments between hypogean and epigean habitats; the interaction between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems is an important factor for their biotic communities. We investigated the ecology of the macrobenthic community of two lowland springs in the River Ticino valley, focusing on the autoecology of some relevant species and on the role of springs as hotspots of biodiversity in an area threatened by anthropogenic pressure. We collected 26 taxa in total: diptera (8), trichoptera (6), gastropods (5), coleoptera (2), crustacea (2), lumbricidae (1), odonata (1), plathelminthes (1). Some of them are stenothermal and oligotrophic species thus quite unusual for a flood plain area characterized by intensive agricultural activities. In conclusion, our study highlights the importance of lowland springs in conserving some habitat-selective macrobenthic species

Specific Biomarkers Are Associated with Docetaxeland Gemcitabine-Resistant NSCLC Cell Lines

AbstractFive-year survival rate for lung cancer is limited to 10% to 15%. Therefore, the identification of novel therapeutic prognostic factors is an urgent requirement. The aim of this study is thus to highlight specific biomarkers in chemoresistant non-small cell lung cancer cell lines. Therefore, we checked—in the control condition as well as after short-term pharmacological treatment with either docetaxel or gemcitabine—the expression of genes such as tumor suppressor genes (CDKN2A, DAPK, FHIT, GSTP1, MGMT, RARβ2, RASSF1A, and TIMP3), genes associated with drug resistance (BRCA1, COX2, ERCC1, IGFBP3, RRM1, and TUBB3), and stemness-related genes (CD133, OCT4, and SLUG) in two cellular models of squamous carcinoma (CAEP) and adenocarcinoma (RAL) of the lung originally established. Their promoter methylation profile was also evaluated. Drug-related genes were upregulated. Cisplatin resistance matched with high levels of BRCA1 and ERCC1 in both cell lines; docetaxel sensitivity of CAEP cells was associated to levels of TUBB3 lower than RAL cells. Although CAEP cells were more sensitive to gemcitabine, both cell lines showed high levels of RRM1. Stemness-related genes were downregulated in the control condition but became upregulated in docetaxel-resistant cells, indicating the selection of a population with stemness features. We did not find an unequivocal correspondence between gene expression and respective DNA promoter methylation status, suggesting the involvement of additional mechanisms of gene expression regulation. These results highlight specific biomarkers consistent with the different responses of the two cell lines to standard pharmacological treatments and indicate specific molecular traits for their chemoresistance

the increasing distribution of gammarus roeselii gervais 1835 first record of the non indigenous freshwater amphipod in the sub lacustrine ticino river basin lombardy italy

This paper reports the first record of the non-indigenous species Gammarus roeselii Gervais, 1835 in the sub-lacustrine Ticino River basin (Po river floodplain, Northern Italy). Up to now in Italy, this Balkanian amphipod, known as an "exotic species, well established" in Central Europe, had only been reported in the North-Eastern part of the country (Sile River basin). Gammarus roeselii has a low spreading potential, so its presence in other parts of Europe can only be explained by human activities. However, the available data suggests that its presence in the sub-lacustrine Ticino River basin does not currently represent a threat to the population of the native Echinogammarus stammeri, which is still very healthy in this area

Pathogenesis of tendinopathies: inflammation or degeneration?

The intrinsic pathogenetic mechanisms of tendinopathies are largely unknown and whether inflammation or degeneration has the prominent role is still a matter of debate. Assuming that there is a continuum from physiology to pathology, overuse may be considered as the initial disease factor; in this context, microruptures of tendon fibers occur and several molecules are expressed, some of which promote the healing process, while others, including inflammatory cytokines, act as disease mediators. Neural in-growth that accompanies the neovessels explains the occurrence of pain and triggers neurogenic-mediated inflammation. It is conceivable that inflammation and degeneration are not mutually exclusive, but work together in the pathogenesis of tendinopathies

Correlations between chest-CT and laboratory parameters in SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia: A single-center study from Italy

To investigate the relationship between damaged lung assessed by chest computed tomography (CT) scan and laboratory biochemical parameters with the aim of finding other diagnostic tools. Patients who underwent chest CT for suspected Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia at the emergency department admission in the first phase of COVID-19 epidemic in Italy were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with both negative chest CT and absence of the novel coronavirus in nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) swabs were excluded from the study. A total of 462 patients with positive CT scans for interstitial pneumonia were included in the study (250 males and 212 females, mean age 57 ± 17 years, range 18–89). Of these, 344 were positive to RT-PCR test, 118 were negative to double RT-PCR tests. CTs were analyzed for quantification of affected lung volume visually and by dedicated software. Statistical analysis to evaluate the relationship between laboratory analyses and CT patterns and amount of damaged lung related with COVID-19 pneumonia was performed in 2 groups of patients: positive RT-PCR COVID-19 group and negative RT-PCR COVID-19 group, but both with positive CT scans for interstitial pneumonia. Lymphocytopenia, C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), d-dimer, and fibrinogen increased levels occurred in most patients without statistically significant differences between the 2 groups with CT scans suggestive for COVID-19. In fact, in both groups the volume of lung damage was strongly associated with altered laboratory test results, even for patients with negative RT-PCR test. The decreased number of lymphocytes, and the increased levels of CRP, LDH, d-dimer, and fibrinogen levels are associated with SARS-CoV 2 related pneumonia. This may be useful as an additional diagnostic tool in patients with double negative RT-PCR assay and with highly suspected clinic and chest CT features for COVID-19 to isolate patients in a pandemic period.publishedVersio

Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) Index and mortality in COVID-19 patients admitted to the emergency department

Liver damage worsens the prognosis of coronavirus 19 disease (COVID-19). However, the best strategy to stratify mortality risk according to liver damage has not been established. The aim of this study is to test the predictive value of the validated Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) Index and compared it to liver transaminases and to the AST-to-Platelet ratio index (APRI). Multicenter cohort study including 992 consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to the Emergency Department. FIB-4 > 3.25 and APRI > 0.7 were used to define liver damage. Multivariable Cox regression and ROC curve analysis for mortality were performed. Secondary endpoints were (1) need for high-flow oxygen and (2) mechanical ventilation. 240 (24.2%) patients had a FIB-4 > 3.25. FIB-4 > 3.25 associated with an increased mortality (n = 119, log-rank test p  3.25 was also superior to APRI > 0.7 (AUC 0.58, 95% CI 0.553-0.615, p = 0.0008). Using an optimized cut-off > 2.76 (AUC 0.689, 95% CI 0.659-0.718, p  3.25 (p = 0.0302), APRI > 0.7 (p  51 (p = 0.0119) and ALT > 42 (p < 0.0001). FIB-4 was also associated with high-flow oxygen use (n = 255, HR 1.69, 95% CI 1.25-2.28, p = 0.001) and mechanical ventilation (n = 39, HR 2.07, 95% CI 1.03-4.19, p = 0.043). FIB-4 score predicts mortality better than liver transaminases and APRI score. FIB-4 score may be an easy tool to identify COVID-19 patients at worse prognosis in the emergency department

Composition of Metallic Elements and Size Distribution of Fine and Ultrafine Particles in a Steelmaking Factory

Background: The characteristics of aerosol, in particular particle size and chemical composition, can have an impact on human health. Particle size distribution and chemical composition is a necessary parameter in occupational exposure assessment conducted in order to understand possible health effects. The aim of this study was to characterize workplace airborne particulate matter in a metallurgical setting by synergistically using two different approaches; Methodology: Analysis of inhalable fraction concentrations through traditional sampling equipment and ultrafine particles (UFP) concentrations and size distribution was conducted by an Electric Low-Pressure Impactor (ELPI+™). The determination of metallic elements (ME) in particles was carried out by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; Results: Inhalable fraction and ME concentrations were below the limits set by Italian legislation and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH, 2017). The median of UFP was between 4.00 104 and 2.92 105 particles/cm3. ME concentrations determined in the particles collected by ELPI show differences in size range distribution; Conclusions: The adopted synergistic approach enabled a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the particles in steelmaking factories. The results could lead to a better knowledge of occupational exposure characterization, in turn affording a better understanding of occupational health issues due to metal fumes exposure