Badiou; Democracy: Citizenship; Democracy Into and Onto the Web

Taking the most discussed question of ‘democracy' from the Greek myths and Prometheus'gifts up to nowadays, the paper pursues two main tasks: first, gets together some suggestions shed through the agile volume ‘Democracy in What State, second, pausing at the known Plato's Allegory of the Cave goes on to the Alain Badiou's Plato' Republic hyper -translation. All the way up to the end, as an appendix, explores such connections/ disconnections within the disputed issue of Democracy into the net and onto the net, and finally come down to Derridean ‘democracy to come'. Although the paper pursues these seemingly disparate tasks, it must be regarded as a unified whole that  above all brings in focus the theme of democracy yesterday, and today, and tomorrow

Bi-medial Plato, Derrida's pharmakon

Only ten years since Derrida’s death, with critical detachment, is it possible to be in touch with him again, to start from the beginning of his philosophizing in company with Plato, and from this vantage point to re-read Dissemination? What really stands between Plato and Derrida? In the first page of Pharmacia Derrida writes: “We will take off here from the Phaedrus ... Only a blind or grossly insensitive reading, could indeed spread the rumour that Plato was simply condemning the writer’s activity”.1 Hence the question: Is the nexus writing/pharmakon profitable for thinking of something ambivalent and irreducible, present and absent, something bearer of indefinitely deferred presence in the play of infinite real or imaginary substitutions? The main enterprise of this essay orbits about the problematic of writing, understood as τέχνη, but also as a key locus of relation Plato/ Derrida. Here technology - and thinking of its function and value- I would like to argue, regards the technical and non-technical, the practical and theoretical, seeing that thinking of their function remains always a “parasitical contamination”, seeing that writing is another speech, and, according this statement, we may regard Plato as he who paves the way for Derrida. In what follows, through textual analysis I will focus on some interesting unrolling, connected and disconnected threads by discussing the readings of different scholars and philosophers such as the disputed classicist E. A. Havelock, the historians of ancient philosophy G. Reale and C. H. Kahn. In particular I will explore, first, the nexus speech/writing, and argue that historically Plato was a bi-medial philosopher and writer, an aspect taken for granted, but not sufficiently attended by scholarship. In the second part of the essay I hold that the Derridean reading of ‘Plato’s Pharmacy’ discovers a special deconstruction at work within Plato’s dialogues. In the light of the manifold τέχνη, and of the hybrid Khora, at the end the apparent ambiguity in Plato’s stance and Derrida’s φάρμακον invites us to identify Plato as the Father of deconstruction

The Other Heading and Europe

In Politics of Friendship, the aporias of friendship transposed to democracy indicate that if democracy is a promise of the universal inclusiveness of each singular one counting equally, and if its fraternal or national limitation naturalizes the ineluctable decision of inclusion and exclusion, then true friendship requires dis-proportion. It demands a certain rupture in reciprocity and equality, as well as the interruption of all fusion between the you and the me. In this way democracy remains an un-fulfillable promise. In what follows, an imaginary voyage to Europe inspired by the so-called Syracuse-paradigm, by means of a close reading of Derrida‘s The Other Heading: Reflections on Today's Europe, a sort of ’untimely meditation’ a la Nietzsche, I critically argue that Derrida’s idea of European identity, begotten by the irruption of the other, involves the radical other as a force that shows the limits of identity and of the self. Re-viewed, revisited and re-thought in the optic of the deconstructive standpoint, The Other Heading acquires a new light focusing on the possible/impossible relation between the political and the ethical (the Other Heading, i.e. democracy to come, Europe to come). The deconstructive standpoint I use here falls within the well known Derrida’s binary conception that undergird his way of thinking: presence/absence, speech/writing, and so forth

Clinical Usefulness of the Serological Gastric Biopsy for the Diagnosis of Chronic Autoimmune Gastritis

Aim. To assess the predictive value for chronic autoimmune gastritis (AIG) of the combined assay of anti-parietal-cell antibodies (PCA), anti-intrinsic-factor antibodies (IFA), anti-Helicobacter pylori (Hp) antibodies, and measurement of blood gastrin. Methods. We studied 181 consecutive patients with anemia, due to iron deficiency resistant to oral replacement therapy or to vitamin B12 deficiency. Results. 83 patients (45.8%) tested positive for PCA and underwent gastroscopy with multiple gastric biopsies. On the basis of the histological diagnosis, PCA-positive patients were divided into 4 groups: (1) 30 patients with chronic atrophic gastritis; they had high concentrations of PCA and gastrin and no detectable IFA; (2) 14 subjects with metaplastic gastric atrophy; they had high PCA, IFA, and gastrin; (3) 18 patients with nonspecific lymphocytic inflammation with increased PCA, normal gastrin levels, and absence of IFA; (4) 21 patients with multifocal atrophic gastritis with “borderline” PCA, normal gastrin, absence of IFA and presence of anti-Hp in 100% of the cases. Conclusions. The assay of four serological markers proved particularly effective in the diagnostic classification of gastritis and highly correlated with the histological profile. As such, this laboratory diagnostic profile may be considered an authentic “serological biopsy.

Prevalence of anti-CCP antibodies in systemic sclerosis

Joint involvement in systemic sclerosis (SSc) commonly occurs as arthralgias, while a true arthritis is less frequent. The most common arthritis developing in SSc is rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its diagnosis may be misled by concomitant joint contracture or tendon sheath involvement due to SSc. Anti-citrullinated cyclic peptide (CCP) antibodies are an emerging tool to diagnose RA and have shown to be more specific than rheumatoid factor. We assessed the prevalence of anti-CCP antibodies in SSc patients and evaluated their sensitivity and specificity for associated RA. Searching for RF and anti-CCP antibodies and joint examination were carried out in sixty consecutive SSc patients. Hands and feet standard x-rays were performed in patients complaining with arthralgia and/or arthritis. Six out of sixty (10%) SSc patients had RA according to 1987 ARA revised criteria. Anti-CCP were detected in 5 patients (sensitivity 83%) and RF was present in all RA patients (sensitivity 100%). However, anti-CCP antibodies had a much higher specificity (94%) than RF (41%) for RA. Our study suggests that anti-CCP antibodies are a useful test to identify patients with SSc having also RA. This is crucial in the management of SSc because may allow an adequate therapy of RA and prevent further joint damage in patients who already have a poor quality of life

Anti-DFS70 antibodies detected by specific methods in patients with thrombosis or recurrent pregnancy loss: no evidence of an association

A dense fine speckled pattern (DFS) caused by antibodies to the DFS70 kDa nuclear protein is a relatively common finding while testing for anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on HEp-2 cells. However, despite many efforts and numerous studies, the clinical significance of anti-DFS70 antibodies is still unknown as they can be found in patients with various disorders and even in healthy subjects. In this study we aimed at verifying whether these antibodies are associated with thrombotic events or with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). We studied 443 patients with venous or arterial thrombosis or RPL and 244 controls by IIF on HEp-2 cells and by a DFS70-specific chemiluminescent immunoassay (CIA). The DFS pattern was observed in IIF in 31/443 (7.0%) patients and in 6/244 (2.5%) controls (p\u2009=\u20090.01) while anti-DFS70 specific antibodies were detected by CIA in 11 (2.5%) patients and in one (0.4%) control (p\u2009=\u20090.06). Positive samples, either by IIF or by CIA, were then assayed by a second DFS70-specific line-immunoassay (LIA) method: 83.3% of the CIA positive samples were confirmed DFS70 positive versus only 29.7% of the IIF positive samples. These findings show that IIF overestimates anti-DFS70 antibody frequency and that results obtained by specific CIA and LIA assays do not indicate that venous or arterial thrombosis or RPL are linked to a higher prevalence of anti-DFS70 antibodies

Serological epitope profile of anti-Ro52-positive patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases

Background: Ro52 is an interferon-inducible protein of the tripartite motif family. Antibodies against Ro52 have been described in patients with different autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Sj\uf6gren's syndrome, that are often associated with anti-Ro60 antibodies. The Ro52 autoantigen is extraordinarily immunogenic, and its autoantibodies are directed against both linear and conformational epitopes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to the five Ro52 domains, as well as to Ro52 176- to 196-amino acid (aa) and 200-239-aa peptides, in different systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs). We also aimed to verify whether antibodies to a single domain or domain association could increase their diagnostic specificity for any SARD. Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 100 anti-Ro52 antibody-positive patients with SARDs and from 68 controls (50 healthy donors and 18 patients with other autoimmune or allergic diseases). A special line immunoassay was created containing a full-length Ro52 antigen expressed in insect cells using the baculovirus system, five recombinant Ro52 antigen fragments [Ro52-1, Ro52-2, Ro52-3, Ro52-4 (partly overlapping Ro52-1 and Ro52-2), and Ro52-5 (partly overlapping Ro52-2 and Ro52-3)], and two Ro52 peptides (176-196 aa and 200-239 aa), all expressed in Escherichia coli. Results: In patients with SARDs, fragment prevalence rates were as follows: Ro52-1 = 3 %, Ro52-2 = 97 %, Ro52-3 = 0 %, Ro52-4 = 9 %, Ro52-5 = 28 %, Ro52 175-196-aa peptide = 6 %, and Ro52 200-239-aa peptide = 74 %. All control samples were negative for the full-length Ro52 and for the five fragments tested. Conclusions: The main epitope of the Ro52 antigen was localized on fragment 2 (aa 125-267), and the majority (97 %) of SARD sera had antibodies that target this fragment. As most of the samples were positive for fragment 2 and only some for fragments 4 or 5, which partially overlap fragment 2, it seems that the target epitope is localized in the middle of fragment 2 or in the area between fragments 4 and 5. No antibody against a single epitope or a combination of epitopes was linked to any of the single SARDs

Impaired lymphoid extracellular matrix impedes antibacterial immunity in epidermolysis bullosa

Genetic loss of collagen VII causes recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), a skin fragility disorder that, unexpectedly, manifests also with elevated colonization of commensal bacteria and frequent wound infections. Here, we describe an unprecedented systemic function of collagen VII as a member of a unique innate immune-supporting multiprotein complex in spleen and lymph nodes. In this complex, collagen VII specifically binds and sequesters the innate immune activator cochlin in the lumen of lymphoid conduits. In genetic mouse models, loss of collagen VII increased bacterial colonization by diminishing levels of circulating cochlin LCCL domain. Intraperitoneal injection of collagen VII, which restored cochlin in the spleen, but not in the skin, reactivated peripheral innate immune cells via cochlin and reduced bacterial skin colonization. Systemic administration of the cochlin LCCL domain was alone sufficient to diminish bacterial supercolonization of RDEB mouse skin. Human validation demonstrated that RDEB patients displayed lower levels of systemic cochlin LCCL domain with subsequently impaired macrophage response in infected wounds. This study identifies an intrinsic innate immune dysfunction in RDEB and uncovers a unique role of the lymphoid extracellular matrix in systemic defense against bacteria

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have an altered circulatory aggrecan profile

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic auto-immune disease with extensive articular cartilage destruction. Aggrecan depletion, mediated by aggrecanases is one of the first signs of early cartilage erosion. We investigated, whether measurement of aggrecan and fragments thereof in serum, could be used as biomarkers for joint-disease in RA patients and furthermore characterized the fragments found in the circulation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study consisted of 38 patients, 12 males (62.2 ± 16.0 years) and 26 females (59.8 ± 20.7 years) diagnosed with RA: 41.5 ± 27.5 mm/h erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), 38.4 ± 34.7 mg/ml C-reactive protein (CRP) and 4.8 ± 1.7 disease activity score (DAS) and 108 healthy age-matched controls. Aggrecan levels were measured using two immunoassays, i.e. the ³⁷⁴ARGSVI-G2 sandwich ELISA measuring aggrecanase-mediated aggrecan degradation and the G1/G2 sandwich assay, detecting aggrecan molecules containing G1 and/or G2 (total aggrecan) We further characterized serum samples by western blots, by using monoclonal antibodies F-78, binding to G1 and G2, or by BC-3, detecting the aggrecanase-generated N-terminal ³⁷⁴ARGSVI neo-epitope.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Total aggrecan levels in RA patients were significantly decreased from 824.8 ± 31 ng/ml in healthy controls to 570.5 ± 30 ng/ml (31% decrease, P < 0.0001), as measured by the G1/G2 ELISA. Western blot analysis with F-78 showed one strong band at 10 kDa, and weaker bands at 25 and 45 kDa in both healthy controls and RA patients. In contrast, staining for aggrecanase-activity revealed only one strong band in RA patients of 45 kDa.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first study, which characterizes different aggrecan fragments in human serum. The data strongly suggests that total aggrecan levels, i.e. aggrecan molecules containing G1 and/or G2 are lower in RA patients, and that RA patients have at least one specific subpopulation of aggrecan fragments, namely aggrecanse generated ³⁷⁴ARGSVI fragments. Further clinical studies are needed to investigate the potential of G1/G2 as a structure-related biochemical marker in destructive joint-diseases.</p