Voluntary work as a new frontier in the precarisation of migrant workers: the case of asylum seekers in Italy

Within the deep work transformations that have taken place in recent decades, the European labour market has been affected by a process of structural precarisation which has created unprecedented forms of precarious work. Among such, unpaid work is an expression of extreme precarity due to the complete separation between work and wage. For several causes, migrant workers are one of the categories most affected by work casualisation and live a condition of double precarity (work and legal), mainly produced by migration policies. At the same time, immigration is involuntary a test bench for new forms of flexible work.This article examines the link between work casualisation and migration through the analysis of a specific form of unpaid work, i.e. the voluntary work by asylum seekers in Italy - institutionalised as a public policy in 2014. Considered as a mechanism of “public atonement” for the guilt of migration through activities of public interest, the article highlights how it constitutes an extreme form of precarisation of a vulnerable category. In merging elements questioning the unconditionality of the right of asylum and acquaintance with permanent precarity, it creates an unprecedented “grey area” of labour exploitation and cultural inferiorisationEn el marco de las transformaciones del trabajo, el mercado del trabajo europeo ha asistido a un proceso de precarización estructural que ha conllevado formas de trabajo precario inéditas. Entre ellas, el trabajo no remunerado es una expresión de precariedad extrema por su separación total entre prestación y salario. Por distintas causas, los trabajadores migrantes son una de las categorías más afectadas por la precarización y viven una condición de doble precariedad (laboral y legal), causada principalmente por las políticas migratorias. Al mismo tiempo, la inmigración es involuntariamente el laboratorio donde se experimentan nuevas formas de trabajo flexible. Este artículo examina la conexión entre precarización laboral y migración a través del análisis del trabajo voluntario de los solicitantes de asilo en Italia - institucionalizado como política pública en 2014. Interpretado como mecanismo de “expiación pública” de la culpa de la migración a través del trabajo voluntario de utilidad pública, el artículo hace hincapié en el hecho que ese constituye una forma extrema de precarización de una categoría vulnerable. Mezclando elementos que ponen en entredicho la incondicionalidad del derecho al asilo y la socialización hacia la precariedad permanente, pone de manifiesto una “zona gris” de explotación laboral y inferiorización cultural

For Dignity, Against Racism: The Struggles of Asylum Seekers in Italy

In Italy, over the last years in the world of social struggles asylum seekers have been in the spotlight several times, having led several episodes of mobilisations and protests. They emerged as political subjects, with their own claims and situations; parallel to the issue of reception, they expressed themselves in the public space as asylum seekers, with campaigns, pickets, and marches, with which the respect for their rights and dignity is advocated. This study analyses the causes, forms and repercussions of the struggles of asylum seekers in the last decade. After the analysis of the experience of immigrants’ struggles over the last three decades, the article examines the social roots and the features of the struggles of asylum seekers between 2011 to 2019, and considers their meaning in the political context

Il ‘volontariato’ dei richiedenti asilo in Italia

Riassunto L'articolo analizza la politica pubblica italiana che prevede il coinvolgimento dei richiedenti asilo in attività di 'volontariato' a favore delle amministrazioni locali per calmare il malcontento popolare causato dalla loro presunta inattività. In primo luogo l'autrice mette in discussione l'efficacia di tale policy e ne destruttura il discorso governativo mettendone in luce le mistificazioni. Mediante una ricerca esplorativa ispirata alla grounded theory si dimostra inoltre che la reale natura delle attività promosse risiede nel lavoro gratuito e che esse veicolano un messaggio di simbolica e percepita utilità dei profughi che impatta negativamente sull'immaginario collettivo rispetto al tema del diritto d'asilo

Le lotte dei richiedenti asilo in Italia

Il testo analizza le lotte dei richiedenti asilo in Italia nel periodo 2013-2020

Single-cell PCR analysis of murine embryonic stem cells cultured on different substrates highlights heterogeneous expression of stem cell markers

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: In the last few years, recent evidence has revealed that inside an apparently homogeneous cell population there indeed appears to be heterogeneity. This is particularly true for embryonic stem (ES) cells where markers of pluripotency are dynamically expressed within the single cells. In this work, we have designed and tested a new set of primers for multiplex PCR detection of pluripotency markers expression, and have applied it to perform a single-cell analysis in murine ES cells cultured on three different substrates that could play an important role in controlling cell behaviour and fate: (i) mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeder layer, as the standard method for ES cells culture; (ii) Matrigel coating; (iii) micropatterned hydrogel. RESULTS: Compared with population analysis, using a single-cell approach, we were able to evaluate not only the number of cells that maintained the expression of a specific gene but, most importantly, how many cells co-expressed different markers. We found that micropatterned hydrogel seems to represent a good alternative to MEF, as the expression of stemness markers is better preserved than in Matrigel culture. CONCLUSIONS: This single-cell assay allows for the assessment of the stemness maintenance at a single-cell level in terms of gene expression profile, and can be applied in stem cell research to characterise freshly isolated and cultured cells, or to standardise, for instance, the method of culture closely linked to the transcriptional activity and the differentiation potential

Single-cell PCR analysis of murine embryonic stem cells cultured on different substrates highlights heterogeneous expression of stem cell markers

none11BACKGROUND INFORMATION: In the last few years, recent evidence has revealed that inside an apparently homogeneous cell population there indeed appears to be heterogeneity. This is particularly true for embryonic stem (ES) cells where markers of pluripotency are dynamically expressed within the single cells. In this work, we have designed and tested a new set of primers for multiplex PCR detection of pluripotency markers expression, and have applied it to perform a single-cell analysis in murine ES cells cultured on three different substrates that could play an important role in controlling cell behaviour and fate: (i) mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeder layer, as the standard method for ES cells culture; (ii) Matrigel coating; (iii) micropatterned hydrogel. RESULTS: Compared with population analysis, using a single-cell approach, we were able to evaluate not only the number of cells that maintained the expression of a specific gene but, most importantly, how many cells co-expressed different markers. We found that micropatterned hydrogel seems to represent a good alternative to MEF, as the expression of stemness markers is better preserved than in Matrigel culture. CONCLUSIONS: This single-cell assay allows for the assessment of the stemness maintenance at a single-cell level in terms of gene expression profile, and can be applied in stem cell research to characterise freshly isolated and cultured cells, or to standardise, for instance, the method of culture closely linked to the transcriptional activity and the differentiation potential.noneFranzin, Chiara; Piccoli, Martina; Serena, Elena; Bertin, Enrica; Urbani, Luca; Luni, Camilla; Pasqualetto, Valerie; Eaton, Simon; Elvassore, Nicola; De Coppi, Paolo; Pozzobon, Michela*Franzin, Chiara; Piccoli, Martina; Serena, Elena; Bertin, Enrica; Urbani, Luca; Luni, Camilla; Pasqualetto, Valerie; Eaton, Simon; Elvassore, Nicola; De Coppi, Paolo; Pozzobon, Michel

Quantification of Extracellular Volume in CT in Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer: New Frontiers in Assessing the Cardiotoxicity of Anthracyclines and Trastuzumab

: Breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy with anthracyclines or trastuzumab can suffer cardiotoxic issues. Nowadays, the markers of cardiac damage are still not reliable, and extracellular volume (ECV) calculated from CT could be a promising cardiotoxic marker. Eighty-two patients, treated with two different chemotherapy regimens based on doxorubicin (DOX) or epirubicin-trastuzumab (EPI-TRAS), were retrospectively selected and the variations in extracellular volume (ECV) values were measured and analyzed. Whole Body CT (WB-CT) scans were acquired after 1 min, in the portal phase (PP), and after 5 min, in the delayed phases (DP), at the baseline (T0), after one year (T1) and after five years (T5) from the end of chemotherapies. The values measured by two radiologists with different levels of experience were evaluated in order to assess the inter-reader reproducibility assessment (ICC = 0.52 for PP and DP). Further, we performed a population-based analysis and a drug-oriented subgroup analysis in 54 DOX-treated and 28 EPI-TRAS-treated patients. In the general cohort of women treated with any of the two drugs, we observed in the lapse T0-T1 a relative increase (RI) of 25% vs. 20% (PP vs. DP, p < 0.001) as well as in the lapse T0-T5 an RI of 17% vs. 15% (PP vs. DP, p < 0.01). The DOX-treated patients reported in the lapse T0-T1 an RI of 22% (p < 0.0001) in PP and an RI of 16% (p = 0.018) in the DP, with ECV values remaining stably high at T5 both in PP (RI 14.0%, p < 0.0001) and in DP (RI 17%, p = 0.005) highlighting a possible hallmark of a persisting CTX sub-damage. On the other hand, ECV measured in EPI-TRAS-treated women showed an RI in T0-T1 of 18% (p = 0.001) and 29% (p = 0.006) in PP and DP, respectively, but the values returned to basal levels in T5 both in the PP (p = 0.12) and in DP setting (p = 0.13), suggesting damage in the first-year post-treatment and a possible recovery over time. For the 82 patients, an echocardiography was performed at T0, T1= 12 m + 3 m and T5 = 60 m + 6 m with LVEF values at T0 (64% ± 5%), T1 (54% ± 6%) and T5 (53% ± 8%). WB-CT-derived ECV values could provide a valid imaging marker for the early diagnosis of cardiotoxic damage in BC patients undergoing oncological treatments. We detected different patterns during the follow-up, with stably high values for DOX, whereas EPI-TRAS showed a peak within the first year, suggesting different mechanisms of cardiac damage

Role of computed tomography in transcatheter replacement of 'other valves': a comprehensive review of preprocedural imaging

: Transcatheter procedures for heart valve repair or replacement represent a valid alternative for treating patients who are inoperable or at a high risk for open-heart surgery. The transcatheter approach has become predominant over surgical intervention for aortic valve disease, but it is also increasingly utilized for diseases of the 'other valves', that is the mitral and, to a lesser extent, tricuspid and pulmonary valve. Preprocedural imaging is essential for planning the transcatheter intervention and computed tomography has become the main imaging modality by providing information that can guide the type of treatment and choice of device as well as predict outcome and prevent complications. In particular, preprocedural computed tomography is useful for providing anatomic details and simulating the effects of device implantation using 3D models. Transcatheter mitral valve replacement is indicated for the treatment of mitral regurgitation, either primary or secondary, and computed tomography is crucial for the success of the procedure. It allows evaluating the mitral valve apparatus, the surrounding structures and the left heart chambers, identifying the best access route and the landing zone and myocardial shelf, and predicting obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract, which is the most frequent postprocedural complication. Tricuspid valve regurgitation with or without stenosis and pulmonary valve stenosis and regurgitation can also be treated using a transcatheter approach. Computer tomography provides information on the tricuspid and pulmonary valve apparatus, the structures that are spatially related to it and may be affected by the procedure, the right heart chambers and the right ventricular outflow tract