Corpo-identità-soggetto. Un seminario

Nel 2016 con un gruppo di dottorandi di Spettacolo dell’Università la Sapienza di Roma, abbiamo tenuto un seminario che si proponeva di riflettere sulla relazione tra corpo, identità e soggetto nelle pratiche teatrali contemporanee. Le tre categorie sono state infatti ambito di riflessione tanto in campo filosofico quanto in quello teatrale. Il seminario nasce da un’interrogazione intorno al termine ʻcorpoʼ, sopravvenuta a partire dalle questioni che la tesi di Dalila D’amico, Le aporie del corpo eccentrico, sollevavano. Che cosa si intende per corpo, di che cosa si parla quando si parla di corpo? Perché si parla di corpo e non di soggetto? Quali funzioni esplica il corpo-identità-soggetto in scena nel repertorio di spettacoli, ambito delle nostre indagini? Quali autori, studiosi, testi ci sono stati d’aiuto per elaborare le nostre analisi e trovare le risposte ai nostri interrogativi

assessing natural mineral water microbiology quality in the absence of cultivable pathogen bacteria

Abstract Italian Directives recommend the good quality of natural mineral waters but literature data assert a potential risk from microorganisms colonizing wellsprings and mineral water bottling plants. We evaluated the presence of microorganisms in spring waters (SW) and bottled mineral waters (BMW) samples. Routine microbiological indicators, additional microorganisms like Legionella spp., Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and amoebae (FLA) were assessed in 24 SW and 10 BMW samples performing cultural and molecular methods. In 33 out of 34 samples, no cultivable bacteria ≥10 CFU/L was found. Cultivable FLA were detected in 50% of water samples. qPCR showed the presence of Legionella qPCR units in 24% of samples (from 1.1 × 102 to 5.8 × 102 qPCR units/L) and NTM qPCR units in 18% of samples (from 1 × 102 to 1 × 105 qPCR units/L). Vermamoeba vermiformis and Acanthamoeba polyphaga were recovered respectively in 70% of BMW samples (counts from 1.3 × 103 to 1.2 × 105 qPCR units/L) and 42% of SW samples (from 1.1 × 103 to 1.3 × 104 qPCR units/L). Vahlkampfia spp. was detected in 42% of SW and 70% of BMW samples (from 1.2 × 103 to 1.2 × 105 qPCR units/L). Considering the presence of FLA, we underline the importance of a wider microbiological risk assessment in natural mineral waters despite the absence of cultivable bacteria

Colonization by Legionella spp. of water networks in residential buildings of the Province of Pisa, Italy

Despite the increase of community acquired cases of legionellosis in Italy over the last years, the Italian guidelines do not give indications for prevention and control of Legionella in the hot water networks (or centralized conditioning systems) of residential buildings. We performed a survey on eight medium sized apartment buildings in the Pisa district to assess the prevalence of Legionella spp. in the water network and the respondance to drinking water requisites at the point of use, according to the Italian norms

Presence of Legionella spp. in Hot Water Networks of Different Italian Residential Buildings: A Three-Year Survey

Although the European reports highlight an increase in community-acquired Legionnaires' disease cases, the risk of Legionella spp. in private houses is underestimated. In Pisa (Italy) we performed a three-year survey on Legionella presence in 121 buildings with an independent hot water production (IB); 64 buildings with a central hot water production (CB); and 35 buildings with a solar thermal system for hot water production (TB). From all the 220 buildings Legionella spp. was researched in two hot water samples collected either at the recirculation point or on the first floor and on the last floor, while the potable water quality was analysed in three cold water samples collected at the inlet from the aqueduct network, at the exit from the autoclave, and at the most remote tap. Legionella pneumophila sg1, Legionella pneumophila sg2-16, and non-pneumophila Legionella species were detected in 26% of the hot water networks, mostly in CB and TB. In these buildings we detected correlations between the presence of Legionella and the total chlorine concentration decrease and/or the increase of the temperature. Cold water resulted free from microbiological hazards, with the exception of Serratia liquefaciens and Enterobacter cloacae isolated at the exit from two different autoclaves. We observed an increase in total microbial counts at 22 °C and 37 °C between the samples collected at the most remote taps compared to the ones collected at the inlet from the aqueduct. The study highlights a condition of potential risk for susceptible categories of population and supports the need for measures of risk assessment and control

Evaluation of Legionella pneumophila Decrease in Hot Water Network of Four Hospital Buildings after Installation of Electron Time Flow Taps

Legionella spp. control is a critical issue in hospital with old water networks. Chemical disinfection methods are applied as a control measure over prolonged time periods, but Legionella may be resistant to chemical agents in pipeworks with low flow and frequent water stagnation. We evaluated Legionella spp. colonization in the hot water network of Italian hospitals after the installation of time flow taps (TFTs). In the period between 2017 and 2019, TFTs were installed in four hospital water networks. They were programmed in order to obtain a hot water flow of 192 L/day from each TFTs. A continuous chlorination system (chlorine dioxide) and a cold water pre-filtration device were applied in all the buildings. Before and after TFT installation, Legionella spp. was investigated at scheduled times. Before TFT installation, Legionella pneumophila was detected in all the hospitals with counts ranging from 2 × 102 to 1.4 × 105 CFU/L. After TFT installation, a loss in Legionella pneumophila culturability was always achieved in the period between 24 h and 15 days. Total chlorine concentration (Cl2) was detected in the range between 0.23 and 0.36 mg/L while temperature values were from 44.8 to 53.2 °C. TFTs together with chemical disinfection represent a method which improve water quality and disinfectant efficacy, reducing Legionella colonization in dead-end sections

Evaluation of a modified cleaning procedure in the prevention of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clonal spread in a burn intensive care unit using a high-sensitivity luminometer

Background: Enhanced environmental cleaning practices are among the most accepted measures for controlling the spread of carbapenem-resistant . Acinetobacter baumannii (CR-Ab). Aim: To evaluate the impact of heightened cleaning on an ongoing CR-Ab outbreak in a burn intensive care unit (BICU) of an Italian teaching hospital, where chlorhexidine-60% isopropyl alcohol was applied as a complementary disinfectant on high-touch surfaces. Methods: Compliance with the microbial limit proposed for the BICU by AFNOR-NF-S90-351 (20 colony-forming units/100cm2) was assessed by plate count, and compared with the results obtained with intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) detection. Genotyping was performed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Findings: During the standard cleaning regimen, three out of 23 samples (13%) gave results over the AFNOR limit and five (21.7%) showed unacceptable ATP levels with 100 relative light units/100cm2 as the benchmark limit (sensibility 86.4%, specificity 92.2%). Following improvement of the cleaning procedure, only two samples out of 50 (4%) did not satisfy the microbiological criteria and seven (14%) exceeded the ATP limit. In a successive phase, eight of 30 samples collected showed unacceptable results (27%). Conclusions: Adding chlorhexidine-60% isopropyl alcohol as complementary disinfectant proved to be effective for reducing environmental microbial contamination, ATP levels and CR-Ab infection/colonization in patients admitted to the BICU. Real-time monitoring by ATP assay was useful for managing the cleaning schedule and reducing hospital infections, although the calculated values must be interpreted as cleanliness indicators rather than risk indicators

Application of hydrogen peroxide as an innovative method of treatment for Legionella control in a hospitalwater network

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide (HP) use as a disinfectant in the hospital water network for the control of Legionella spp. colonization. Methods: Following the detection of high levels of Legionella contamination in a 136-bed general hospital water network, an HP treatment of the hot water supply (25 mg/L) was adopted. During a period of 34 months, the effectiveness of HP on Legionella colonization was assessed. Legionella was isolated in accordance with ISO-11731 and identification was carried out by sequencing of the mip gene. Results: Before HP treatment, L. pneumophila sg 2-15 was isolated in all sites with a mean count of 9950±8279 cfu/L. After one-month of HP treatment, we observed the disappearance of L. pneumophila 2-15, however other Legionella species previously not seen were found; Legionella pneumophila 1 was isolated in one out of four sampling sites (2000 cfu/L) and other non-pneumophila species were present in all sites (mean load 3000±2887 cfu/L). Starting from September 2013, HP treatment was modified by adding food-grade polyphosphates, and in the following months, we observed a progressive reduction of the mean load of all species (p < 0.05), resulting in substantial disappearance of Legionella colonization. Conclusion: Hydrogen peroxide demonstrated good efficacy in controlling Legionella. Although in the initial phases of treatment it appeared unable to eliminate all Legionella species, by maintaining HP levels at 25 mg/L and adding food-grade polyphosphates, a progressive and complete control of colonization was obtained

A simplified genomic profiling approach predicts outcome in metastatic colorectal cancer

The response of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) to the first-line conventional combination therapy is highly variable, reflecting the elevated heterogeneity of the disease. The genetic alterations underlying this heterogeneity have been thoroughly characterized through omic approaches requiring elevated efforts and costs. In order to translate the knowledge of CRC molecular heterogeneity into a practical clinical approach, we utilized a simplified Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) based platform to screen a cohort of 77 patients treated with first-line conventional therapy. Samples were sequenced using a panel of hotspots and targeted regions of 22 genes commonly involved in CRC. This revealed 51 patients carrying actionable gene mutations, 22 of which carried druggable alterations. These mutations were frequently associated with additional genetic alterations. To take into account this molecular complexity and assisted by an unbiased bioinformatic analysis, we defined three subgroups of patients carrying distinct molecular patterns. We demonstrated these three molecular subgroups are associated with a different response to first-line conventional combination therapies. The best outcome was achieved in patients exclusively carrying mutations on TP53 and/or RAS genes. By contrast, in patients carrying mutations in any of the other genes, alone or associated with mutations of TP53/RAS, the expected response is much worse compared to patients with exclusive TP53/RAS mutations. Additionally, our data indicate that the standard approach has limited efficacy in patients without any mutations in the genes included in the panel. In conclusion, we identified a reliable and easy-to-use approach for a simplified molecular-based stratification of mCRC patients that predicts the efficacy of the first-line conventional combination therapy

The S100B Inhibitor Pentamidine Ameliorates Clinical Score and Neuropathology of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Mouse Model

S100B is an astrocytic protein acting either as an intracellular regulator or an extracellular signaling molecule. A direct correlation between increased amount of S100B and demyelination and inflammatory processes has been demonstrated. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible role of a small molecule able to bind and inhibit S100B, pentamidine, in the modulation of disease progression in the relapsing-remitting experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse model of multiple sclerosis. By the daily evaluation of clinical scores and neuropathologic-molecular analysis performed in the central nervous system, we observed that pentamidine is able to delay the acute phase of the disease and to inhibit remission, resulting in an amelioration of clinical score when compared with untreated relapsing-remitting experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice. Moreover, we observed a significant reduction of proinflammatory cytokines expression levels in the brains of treated versus untreated mice, in addition to a reduction of nitric oxide synthase activity. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that the inhibition of S100B was able to modify the neuropathology of the disease, reducing immune infiltrates and partially protecting the brain from the damage. Overall, our results indicate that pentamidine targeting the S100B protein is a novel potential drug to be considered for multiple sclerosis treatment