Interpretare e costruire mondi: pratiche inclusive a varie latitudini

Il contributo delle discipline umanistiche si rivela oggi più che mai essenziale per poter leggere e interpretare la complessità del mondo contemporaneo. Le molteplici crisi che hanno segnato la storia moderna e contemporanea hanno fatto (ri)emergere pericolose narrative di esclusione che intellettuali ed artisti si sono sentiti chiamati a decostruire. A fronte di diverse forme di marginalizzazione, pratiche di censura e di disuguaglianza sociale, la produzione culturale e artistica ha tentato di (ri)costruire nuove forme di solidarietà e di offrire nuove prospettive di miglioramento comune. Il numero 2/2022 della rivista DIVE-IN – An International Journal on Diversity and Inclusion contiene otto contributi, uniti dal fil rouge dell’inclusione, che offrono una interessante panoramica dei tentativi di (ri)costruzione che si articolano in diversi campi espressivi a varie latitudini geografiche e tematico-disciplinari

Installing oncofertility programs for common cancers in optimum resource settings (Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part II): a committee opinion

The main objective of Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part 2 is to learn more about oncofertility practices in optimum resource settings to provide a roadmap to establish oncofertility best practice models. As an extrapolation for oncofertility best practice models in optimum resource settings, we surveyed 25 leading and well-resourced oncofertility centers and institutions from the USA, Europe, Australia, and Japan. The survey included questions on the availability and degree of utilization of fertility preservation options in case of childhood cancer, breast cancer, and blood cancer. All surveyed centers responded to all questions. Responses and their calculated oncofertility scores showed three major characteristics of oncofertility practice in optimum resource settings: (1) strong utilization of sperm freezing, egg freezing, embryo freezing, ovarian tissue freezing, gonadal shielding, and fractionation of chemo- and radiotherapy; (2) promising utilization of GnRH analogs, oophoropexy, testicular tissue freezing, and oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM); and (3) rare utilization of neoadjuvant cytoprotective pharmacotherapy, artificial ovary, in vitro spermatogenesis, and stem cell reproductive technology as they are still in preclinical or early clinical research settings. Proper technical and ethical concerns should be considered when offering advanced and experimental oncofertility options to patients. Our Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part 2 proposed installing specific oncofertility programs for common cancers in optimum resource settings as an extrapolation for best practice models. This will provide efficient oncofertility edification and modeling to oncofertility teams and related healthcare providers around the globe and help them offer the best care possible to their patients

Inclusiveness Practices in Contemporary Feminist Narratives

Feminisms have gained increasing visibility in the last decade, becoming part of public and media discourse in Western societies. The popularisation of gender discourses has been accompanied by the growing production of feminist guides, handbooks and manifestoes produced by journalists, influencers and celebrities to spread feminism among young women. Nevertheless, the actual articulations of feminist narratives are often intertwined with neoliberal postfeminist discourses on individualism that reinforce existing hierarchies of power. These narratives are opposed by others that question individualism and deconstruct existing power hierarchies. This paper explores the problematic outcomes of the feminist entanglement with neoliberalism, which result in the flattening of gender, race and class differences. Then, the neoliberal postfeminist dominant narrative is contrasted by and confronted with a critical analysis of two contemporary feminist manifestoes that, in different ways, oppose individualism and deconstruct existing power structures through intersectional inclusive practices

Treatment of Hirsutism in a Woman With Familial Partial Lipodystrophy of Dunnigan Type A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Lipodystrophies are rare disorders. Familial partial lipodystrophy of the Dunnigan type (FPLD) is characterized by loss of subcutaneous fat from the limbs and trunk. Affected patients are insulin-resistant and may develop glucose intolerance and diabetes mellitus, hypertriglyceridemia, and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In these patients, the prevalence of polycystic ovaries and infertility is higher than in the general population. Besides infertility, clinical signs of hyperandrogenism can be of great importance for affected women. We report a case of a 32-year-old woman with FPLD. The patient suffered from severe hirsutism. Hormone serum measurements showed an elevated testosterone. After detailed consultation with the treating internist, antiandrogenic hormone therapy was initiated. The article summarizes the possibilities, problems, and results of antiandrogenic therapy in a patient with FPLD

p High cryo-resistance of SARS-CoV-2 virus: Increased risk of re-contamination at transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue after COVID-19 pandemic

Cryopreservation and re-transplantation of ovarian tissue after anticancer treatment is important medical technology. Today, during a pandemic, the risk of contamination of transplanted cells with SARS-CoV-2 virus is extremely high. Data about cryo-resistance (virulence and/or infectivity) of SARS-CoV-2 are limited. Analysis and systematization of literature data allow us to draw the following conclusions: 1) The cytoplasmic membrane of somatic cell, like envelope of corona viruses, consists of lipid bilayer and this membrane, like envelope of corona virus, contains membrane proteins. Thus, we can consider the cytoplasmic membrane of an ordinary somatic cell as a model of the envelope membrane of SARS-CoV-2. It is expected that the response of the virus to cryopreservation is similar to that of a somatic cell. SARS-CoV-2 is more poor-water and more protein-rich than somatic cell, and this virus is much more cryo-resistant. 2) The exposure of somatic cells at low positive temperatures increases a viability of these cells. The safety of the virus is also in direct proportion to the decrease in temperature: the positive effect of low temperatures on SARS-CoV-2 virus has been experimentally proven. 3) Resistance of SARS-CoV-2 to cryoprotectant-free cryopreservation is extremely high. The high viability rate of SARS-CoV-2 after freezing-drying confirms its high cryo-resistance. 4) The risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection after transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissues that have been contaminated with this virus, increases significantly. Our own experimental data on the increase in the viability of cancer cells after cryopreservation allow us to formulate a hypothesis about increasing of viability (virulence and/or infectivity) of SARS-CoV-2 virus after cryopreservation

Updates in preserving reproductive potential of prepubertal girls with cancer: Systematic review

Introduction: With increasing numbers of adult female survivors of childhood cancers due to advances in early diagnosis and treatment, the issue of preserving the reproductive potential of prepubertal girls undergoing gonadotoxic treatments has gained greater attention. Methods: According to PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review of the literature was performed for all relevant full-text articles published in PubMed in English throughout the past 15 years to explore the significant updates in preserving the reproductive potential of prepubertal girls with cancer. Results: The two established fertility preservation options, embryo freezing and egg freezing, cannot be offered routinely to prepubertal girls as these options necessitate prior ovarian stimulation and subsequent mature oocytes retrieval that are contraindicated or infeasible before puberty. Therefore, the most suitable fertility preservation options to prepubertal girls are (1) ovarian tissue freezing and autotransplantation, (2) in vitro maturation, and (3) ovarian protection techniques. In this review, we discuss in detail those options as well as their success rates, advantages, disadvantages and future directions. We also suggest a new integrated strategy to preserve the reproductive potential of prepubertal girls with cancer. Conclusion: Although experimental, ovarian tissue slow freezing and orthotopic autotransplantation may be the most feasible option to preserve the reproductive potential of prepubertal girls with cancer. However, this technique has two major and serious disadvantages: (1) the risk of reintroducing malignant cells, and (2) the relatively short lifespan of ovarian tissue transplants. Several medical and ethical considerations should be taken into account before applying this technique to prepubertal girls with cancer. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd

Advances in fertility preservation of female patients with hematological malignancies

Introduction: The most common forms of hematological malignancies that occur in female reproductive years are lymphoma and leukemia.Areas covered: Several aggressive gonadotoxic regimens such as alkylating chemotherapy and total body irradiation are used frequently in treatment of lymphoma and leukemia leading to subsequent iatrogenic premature ovarian failure and fertility loss. In such cases, female fertility preservation options should be offered in advance.Expert commentary: In order to preserve fertility of young women and girls with lymphoma and leukemia, several established, experimental, and debatable options can be offered before starting chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, each of those female fertility preservation options has both advantages and disadvantages and may not be suitable for all patients. That is why a fertility preservation strategy should be individualized and tailored distinctively for each patient in order to be effective. Artificial human ovary is a novel experimental in vitro technology to produce mature oocytes that could be the safest option to preserve and restore fertility of young women and girls with hematological malignancies especially when other fertility preservation options are not feasible or contraindicated. Further research and studies are needed to improve the results of artificial human ovary and establish it in clinical practice

Hysteroscopic management of intramural ectopic pregnancy

The uterine myometrium is the rarest location for an ectopic pregnancy resulting in the so-called 'intramural or intramyometrial ectopic pregnancy'. It presents a particular diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the treating physician. If passed undiagnosed can lead to life-threatening uterine rupture, which may warrant hysterectomy, leaving the woman with irreversible infertility. Different treatment modalities have been proposed for the management of this condition. In this case report, we are describing a rare case of intramural ectopic pregnancy and reporting the use of hysteroscopy for the surgical management of this case for the first time in the literature