Dall'ibristofilia al narcisismo: il fascino del male

Two cases of parenticide in Italy, which had a wide echo and which are briefly reported, provide the Authors with the opportunity to describe the phenomenon of hybristophilia, that is the attraction for a criminal as such, and to report what is proposed by the scientific literature on the subject. Both cases were followed by the creation of "fan groups". In the most recent case, the attraction for the parenticide led to the creation of a Facebook group: the Authors analyze 575 messages from this group, elaborate a typology, and draw conclusions about the motivations, the potential dangerousness of the group members, the narcissism underlying the type of communication analyzed.Due casi di parenticidio avvenuti in Italia, che hanno avuto vasta eco e che vengono brevemente riferiti, forniscono agli Autori l'occasione per descrivere il fenomeno dell'ibristofilia, cioè l'attrazione per il criminale in quanto tale, e per riportare quanto proposto dalla Letteratura scientifica in materia. Ciò in quanto entrambi i casi sono stati seguiti dalla creazione di gruppi di "fans". Nel secondo caso l'attrazione per il parenticida si è manifestata attraverso la creazione di un gruppo social di cui gli Autori analizzano 575 messaggi, elaborando una tipologia e traendo conclusioni in merito alle motivazioni, all'eventuale pericolosità dei partecipanti al gruppo, al sottostante narcisismo che muove il tipo di comunicazione analizzato

Short-term effects of microstructured surfaces: role in cell differentiation toward a contractile phenotype

Cell adhesion plays a key role in cell behavior, in terms of migration, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. All of these events concur with tissue regeneration and remodeling mechanisms, integrating a complex network of intracellular signaling modules. Morphogenetic responses, which involve changes in cell shape, proliferation and differentiation, are thought to be controlled by both biochemical and biophysical cues. Indeed, the extracellular matrix not only displays adhesive ligands necessary for cell adhesion but also plays an essential biomechanical role - responsible, for instance, for the acquisition of the contractile phenotype. The substrate topography around the forming tissues and the associated mechanical stresses that are generated regulate cellular morphology, proliferation and differentiation. Thus, the ability to tailor topographical features around cells can be a crucial design parameter in tissue engineering applications, inducing cells to exhibit the required performances.In this work, we designed micropillared substrates using highly spaced arrays (interspacing equal to 25 µm) to evaluate the effects of topography on C2C12 myoblasts' adhesion and differentiation. Optical and fluorescence microscopy images were used to observe cell adhesion, together with Western blot analysis on vinculin and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) expression, a protein highly involved in adhesive processes. Differentiation marker (Myf5, myogenin and myosin heavy chain [MHC]) expression was also studied, in relation to the effect of different substrate topographies on the enhancement of a contractile phenotype. Our results demonstrated that microstructured surfaces may play a key role in the regeneration of functional tissues

#Wetoo? Le molestie sessuali in ambito accademico Per una criminologia (anche) di genere

In the wake of the scientific interest shown towards gender-based violence by the Italian criminology and its affiliated Journal (Italian Journal of Criminology), the authors address a topic that has been much neglected so far, that is sexual harassment in academia. The paper provides definitions of sexual harassment, and explores the dimensions and aspects that characterise it. Data available in the world, specifically in Europe, are synthetically presented, along with the very few existing studies in Italy up to date. Factors that encourage the occurrence of sexual harass-ment within the academic world are explained taking into consideration the different disciplines (e.g., science or humanities). Difficulties in reporting any experience of sexual harassment endured and the “culture of silence” in which the phenomenon is embedded, are among the most prominent factors sustaining it. The negative consequences for the victims, and for academic institutions and research in general, are manifold. Particular attention is devoted to strategies to prevent and repress the sexual harassment in academia, reporting the suggestions that have emerged at an international level, the resources in the occupational and criminal law, and above all the proposals that have emerged from the scientific studies available. The implementation of criminological research – in which the authors are about to engage – is the first and one of the most important means of developing awareness about sexual harassment in academia, and its prevention.Sulla scia del crescente interesse dimostrato per la violenza di genere in tutte le sue declinazioni da parte della criminologia italiana e in particolare da parte della sua rivista, le Autrici affrontano un tema finora meno trattato, quello delle molestie sessuali in ambito accademico. Di queste si forniscono le definizioni e dunque gli elementi che le caratterizzano, si riportano i dati disponibili nel mondo, in Europa e, relativamente alle pochissime ricerche esistenti, in Italia. Sono spiegati i fattori che favoriscono il ricorrere delle molestie sessuali in università, anche in relazione ai differenti settori disciplinari. Fra questi motivi è di rilievo la difficoltà nelle denunce o addirittura la “cultura del silenzio” di cui si riferiscono le ragioni. Le conseguenze negative, che vengono elencate, sono molteplici, per le persone offese ma anche per le istituzioni accademiche e per la ricerca in generale. Particolare attenzione è riservata alle strategie per prevenire e reprimere il fenomeno, riportando i suggerimenti emersi a livello internazionale, le risorse negli ambiti giuridici lavoristico e penale, soprattutto le proposte emerse dalla ricerca. Proprio l’implementazione della ricerca criminologica – in cui le Autrici sono impegnate – è d’altro canto indicata come il primo importante mezzo per promuovere consapevolezza circa le molestie sessuali in ambiente accademico, e per avviare interventi preventivi

Minorenni vittime di omicidio a Milano (Italia): 1993-2017

This study aims to examine the phenomenon of homicide with victims under 18 years-old in a wide and multiethnic metropolitanarea in the north of Italy. We’re dealing with a type of crime that generates a widespread alarm and a common concern.The data analysis, approached with a multidisciplinary strategy, presented in this paper is based on forensic reports of the Instituteof Legal Medicine of the University of Milan, to provide a detailed framework of the homicides of minors that took place inthe territorial jurisdiction of Milan and Monza Prosecutor’s Office between 1993 and 2017. Quantitative and qualitative analysiswere conducted regarding victims’ socio-demographic characteristics (gender, age, nationality), weapons used, places and modalityof body discovery, murderers, motives of the killing and type of relationship between offenders and victims. Purpose of thispaper is to compare the present set of data with the ones provided by the international literature, as well as make some criminologicalobservations on this matter with a view to preventing the phenomenon. To this end, some representative case studieshave been added, their characteristics and also the relationships between offender and victim have been discussed.Questo studio esamina il fenomeno dell'omicidio con vittime di età inferiore ai 18 anni in una vasta e multietnica area metropolitanadel nord Italia, un tipo di crimine che genera allarme e preoccupazione. L'analisi dei dati, affrontata con una metodologia multidisciplinare,è basata sui verbali autoptici dell'Istituto di Medicina Legale dell'Università di Milano, al fine di fornire un quadro dettagliatodegli omicidi con vittima minorenne che si sono verificati nella giurisdizione territoriale della Procura di Milano e Monzatra il 1993 e il 2017. Sono state condotte analisi quantitative e qualitative sulle vittime, quali le caratteristiche socio-demografiche(genere, età, nazionalità), le armi utilizzate, i luoghi e le modalità di rinvenimento del corpo, le caratteristiche dell’omicida, i motividell'uccisione e il tipo di relazione tra criminale e vittima. Scopo di questo studio è confrontare l'attuale insieme di dati con quelliforniti dalla letteratura internazionale, nonché porre alcune considerazioni di carattere preventivo. A tal fine, sono stati presentatianche alcuni casi studio rappresentativi, discutendone le caratteristiche peculiari e le relazioni tra l'autore del reato e la vittima

Convalescent Plasma for Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Single-Center Experience

In Winter 2020, Italy, and in particular the Lombardy region, was the first country in the Western hemisphere to be hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Plasma from individuals recovered from COVID-19 (COVID-19 convalescent plasma, CCP) was the first therapeutic tool adopted to counteract the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this retrospective cohort study, we report the experience of the city hospital of Mantua, Lombardy region, on the compassionate use of CCP in patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19. Between April 2020 and April 2021, 405 consecutive COVID-19 patients received 657 CCP units with a median anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody (nAb) titer of 160 (interquartile range (IQR), 80–320). Their median age was 68 years (IQR, 56–78 years), and 62% were males. At enrollment, 55% of patients had an increased body mass index (BMI), and 25.6% had at least three comorbidities. The 28-day crude mortality rate was 12.6% (51/405). Young age (<68 years), mild disease (admission to low-intensity departments) and early treatment (<7 days from symptoms onset) with high nAb titer (≥320) CCP were found as independently associated with a favorable response to CCP treatment. No safety concerns were recorded, with a rate of CCP-related adverse reactions (all of mild intensity) of 1.3%. In our real-life experience, the first in the western world, early administration of high-titer CCP was a safe and effective treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients