A participatory project for the Librino Social Housing Community

Social housing is the outcome of policymaking aimed at guaranteeing adequate living conditions for disadvantaged social groups. In Italy, in the post-war reconstruction period, buildings designed by internationally renowned architects, led to results of such high design quality that it is essential to preserve them. Nevertheless, their advanced degradation and functional obsolescence are due to being built with construction systems focused on quick completion and cost-effectiveness, as well as a lack of maintenance. Such conditions now impose performance upgrades and reuse for services and collective spaces. The paper addresses the issue of the recovery of this housing stock in the Italian context, analyzing the case of Librino (Catania). The research question is based on evidence that the lack of services and collective spaces in the suburbs leads people to move to other areas of the city for work, health, education, culture, and leisure. The proposed approach investigates the overall organization of the neighborhood, up to reuse pilots, as for the Moncada Theater, to improve the overall quality and attractiveness of the area, even with minor renovations. The theatre, which was abandoned before completion, is an example of how only housing was built or completed in residential areas designed to provide a wide range of services for citizens as a result of a funding shortfall. Reuse decisions are the result of user involvement with a view to social and cultural sustainability

Public cultural heritage properties enhancement and reuse strategies

The sale and the granting of long-term licence to let private stakeholders use public buildings often lead to changes in the buildings’ use, requiring compliance with new needs. Reuse choices are often taken without a large-scale enhancing strategy concerning physical, economic and social context. Therefore it is necessary to define evaluation patterns to support the choices of the operators involved in the privatization process, in order to preserve the values of the assets and to guarantee the land’s development trends. The paper shows a method set to guide both local and central governments – as owners of cultural heritage properties – and public departments – performing control activities on cultural heritage management – in deciding new uses for buildings

Valori materiali e immateriali per la rigenerazione delle aree interne: tre contesti a confronto

The work illustrates the research activity carried out by the University of Naples “Federico II”, the University of Catania and the Polytechnic of Turin on the subject of the internal areas’ regeneration. According to the Strategy for European Cultural Heritage in the 21st century, the research proposes a model of systemic valorisation and management based on the following key elements: the “social” component, for the empowerment of heritage communities and inclusive governance; “territorial and economic development”, reinforcing the contribution of heritage for the enhancement of local resources, for the increase of quality in tourist use and for the expansion of employment opportunities; “knowledge”, consolidating the understanding of traditions in relation to the evolution of urban settlements and the vocations of the territory. The paper illustrates an enhancement model aimed at consolidating the relationships between tangible and intangible heritage, through the reuse and shared management of buildings and public spaces. The effectiveness of the model, in terms of increasing knowledge as well as production and service development, has been verified through trials in selected areas. The case studies analysed are in the internal regions of Piedmont, Campania and eastern Sicily. Valori materiali e immateriali per la rigenerazione delle aree interne: tre contesti a confrontoIl contributo illustra l’attività di ricerca svolta dalle Università di Napoli “Federico II”, di Catania e dal Politecnico di Torino sul tema della rigenerazione delle aree interne. In linea con la Strategia per il Patrimonio Culturale Europeo nel XXI° secolo, la ricerca propone un modello di valorizzazione e gestione sistemica fondato su tre elementi-chiave: la componente “sociale”, per l'empowerment delle comunità di patrimonio e la governance inclusiva; lo “sviluppo territoriale ed economico”, rafforzando il contributo del patrimonio per la valorizzazione delle risorse locali, per l’incremento della qualità nella fruizione turistica e per l’ampliamento delle opportunità di occupazione; la “conoscenza”, consolidando la comprensione delle tradizioni in relazione all’evoluzione degli insediamenti urbani ed alle vocazioni del territorio. Il contributo illustra un modello di valorizzazione finalizzato a consolidare le relazioni tra patrimonio materiale e immateriale, attraverso il riuso e la gestione condivisa di edifici e spazi pubblici. L’efficacia del modello, in termini di incremento della conoscenza e sviluppo produttivo e di servizi, è stata verificata prefigurandone l’applicazione ad ambiti territoriali differenziati, attraverso l’analisi di casi studio nelle aree interne del Piemonte, della Campania e della Sicilia orientale.Il contributo illustra l’attività di ricerca svolta dalle Università di Napoli “Federico II”, di Catania e dal Politecnico di Torino sul tema della rigenerazione delle aree interne. In linea con la Strategia per il Patrimonio Culturale Europeo nel XXI° secolo, la ricerca propone un modello di valorizzazione e gestione sistemica fondato su tre elementi-chiave: la componente “sociale”, per l'empowerment delle comunità di patrimonio e la governance inclusiva; lo “sviluppo territoriale ed economico”, rafforzando il contributo del patrimonio per la valorizzazione delle risorse locali, per l’incremento della qualità nella fruizione turistica e per l’ampliamento delle opportunità di occupazione; la “conoscenza”, consolidando la comprensione delle tradizioni in relazione all’evoluzione degli insediamenti urbani ed alle vocazioni del territorio. Il contributo illustra un modello di valorizzazione finalizzato a consolidare le relazioni tra patrimonio materiale e immateriale, attraverso il riuso e la gestione condivisa di edifici e spazi pubblici. L’efficacia del modello, in termini di incremento della conoscenza e sviluppo produttivo e di servizi, è stata verificata prefigurandone l’applicazione ad ambiti territoriali differenziati, attraverso l’analisi di casi studio nelle aree interne del Piemonte, della Campania e della Sicilia orientale. Material and Immaterial Values for the Regeneration of Internal Areas: Three Contexts in ComparisonThe work illustrates the research activity carried out by the University of Naples “Federico II”, the University of Catania and the Polytechnic of Turin on the subject of the internal areas’ regeneration. According to the Strategy for European Cultural Heritage in the 21st century, the research proposes a model of systemic valorisation and management based on the following key elements: the “social” component, for the empowerment of heritage communities and inclusive governance; “territorial and economic development”, reinforcing the contribution of heritage for the enhancement of local resources, for the increase of quality in tourist use and for the expansion of employment opportunities; “knowledge”, consolidating the understanding of traditions in relation to the evolution of urban settlements and the vocations of the territory. The paper illustrates an enhancement model aimed at consolidating the relationships between tangible and intangible heritage, through the reuse and shared management of buildings and public spaces. The effectiveness of the model, in terms of increasing knowledge as well as production and service development, has been verified through trials in selected areas. The case studies analysed are in the internal regions of Piedmont, Campania and eastern Sicily

Uncovering Predictors of Lipid Goal Attainment in Type 2 Diabetes Outpatients Using Logic Learning Machine: Insights from the AMD Annals and AMD Artificial Intelligence Study Group

Identifying and treating lipid abnormalities is crucial for preventing cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients, yet only two-thirds of patients reach recommended cholesterol levels. Elucidating the factors associated with lipid goal attainment represents an unmet clinical need. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a real-world analysis of the lipid profiles of 11.252 patients from the Annals of the Italian Association of Medical Diabetologists (AMD) database from 2005 to 2019. We used a Logic Learning Machine (LLM) to extract and classify the most relevant variables predicting the achievement of a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) value lower than 100 mg/dL (2.60 mmol/L) within two years of the start of lipid-lowering therapy. Our analysis showed that 61.4% of the patients achieved the treatment goal. The LLM model demonstrated good predictive performance, with a precision of 0.78, accuracy of 0.69, recall of 0.70, F1 Score of 0.74, and ROC-AUC of 0.79. The most significant predictors of achieving the treatment goal were LDL-C values at the start of lipid-lowering therapy and their reduction after six months. Other predictors of a greater likelihood of reaching the target included high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, albuminuria, and body mass index at baseline, as well as younger age, male sex, more follow-up visits, no therapy discontinuation, higher Q-score, lower blood glucose and HbA1c levels, and the use of anti-hypertensive medication. At baseline, for each LDL-C range analysed, the LLM model also provided the minimum reduction that needs to be achieved by the next six-month visit to increase the likelihood of reaching the therapeutic goal within two years. These findings could serve as a useful tool to inform therapeutic decisions and to encourage further in-depth analysis and testing

Myrtle-Functionalized Nanofibers Modulate Vaginal Cell Population Behavior While Counteracting Microbial Proliferation

Vaginal infections affect millions of women annually worldwide. Therapeutic options are limited, moreover drug-resistance increases the need to find novel antimicrobials for health promotion. Recently phytochemicals were re-discovered for medical treatment. Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) plant extracts showed in vitro antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties thanks to their bioactive compounds. The aim of the present study was to create novel nanodevices to deliver three natural extracts from leaves, seeds and fruit of myrtle, in vaginal milieu. We explored their effect on human cells (HeLa, Human Foreskin Fibroblast-1 line, and stem cells isolated from skin), resident microflora (Lactobacillus acidophilus) and on several vaginal pathogens (Trichomonas vaginalis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Candida kefyr, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei). Polycaprolactone-Gelatin nanofibers encapsulated with leaves extract and soaked with seed extracts exhibited a different capability in regard to counteracting microbial proliferation. Moreover, these nanodevices do not affect human cells and resident microflora viability. Results reveal that some of the tested nanofibers are interesting candidates for future vaginal infection treatments

Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Brain Endothelial Cells: Possible Role during Metastatic Extravasation

Cancer progression towards metastasis follows a defined sequence of events described as the metastatic cascade. For extravasation and transendothelial migration metastatic cells interact first with endothelial cells. Yet the role of endothelial cells during the process of metastasis formation and extravasation is still unclear, and the interaction between metastatic and endothelial cells during transendothelial migration is poorly understood. Since tumor cells are well known to express TGF-beta, and the compact endothelial layer undergoes a series of changes during metastatic extravasation (cell contact disruption, cytoskeletal reorganization, enhanced contractility), we hypothesized that an EndMT may be necessary for metastatic extravasation. We demonstrate that primary cultured rat brain endothelial cells (BEC) undergo EndMT upon TGF-beta 1 treatment, characterized by the loss of tight and adherens junction proteins, expression of fibronectin, beta 1-integrin, calponin and a-smooth muscle actin (SMA). B16/F10 cell line conditioned and activated medium (ACM) had similar effects: claudin-5 down-regulation, fibronectin and SMA expression. Inhibition of TGF-beta signaling during B16/F10 ACM stimulation using SB-431542 maintained claudin-5 levels and mitigated fibronectin and SMA expression. B16/F10 ACM stimulation of BECs led to phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3. SB-431542 prevented SMA up-regulation upon stimulation of BECs with A2058, MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 ACM as well. Moreover, B16/F10 ACM caused a reduction in trans-endothelial electrical resistance, enhanced the number of melanoma cells adhering to and transmigrating through the endothelial layer, in a TGF-beta-dependent manner. These effects were not confined to BECs: HUVECs showed TGF-beta-dependent SMA expression when stimulated with breast cancer cell line ACM. Our results indicate that an EndMT may be necessary for metastatic transendothelial migration, and this transition may be one of the potential mechanisms occurring during the complex phenomenon known as metastatic extravasation

Gramsci e o Estado: para uma releitura do problema

Pretende-se reler o problema do Estado no pensamento de Gramsci, analisado em seu tempo de forma já clássica por Massimo Salvadori e Christine Buci-Gluksmann, na convicção de que, na realidade, o perfeito alinhamento de Gramsci à tradição marxista da "extinção" do Estado, sustentado quase unanimemente pela crítica gramsciana contemporânea, deva ser reavaliado e até mesmo revogado. A exegese do texto de Gramsci será também levada avante valendo-se de instrumentos de análise lexical, destacando a presença, nos Quaderni del carcere, da expressão "vida estatal", da qual Gramsci faz amplo uso. Dessa expressão, podem decorrer elementos esclarecedores da concepção gramsciana de Estado, úteis para uma reconsideração da complexa reflexão sobre o problema "histórico" da democracia, com seu difícil equilíbrio entre crítica, renovação e exclusão das formas tradicionais da democracia moderna