Community Development in Dublin. Political Subjectivity and State Cooption.

Between the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s, under the aegis of “Community Development” (CD), the Dublin inner city subaltern community struggles raised implicit and explicit political questions which differed substantially from those previously raised by the ‘official’ republican and socialist left. These questions concerned the lives of miscounted people, their place in the city and the resources available to them. They developed in unprecedented forms of political organization, which, for not being concerned with entering the domain of representative state power, kept themselves at a subjective distance from it. However, this independence had a short life. From the 1980s CD projects began to be rearticulated and ‘depoliticised’ under a bureaucratic framework of funding streams, management, expertise and service delivery. The prevailing emphasis on state defined concerns, concepts and modes of organization, as well as the decline of the original intellectual independence from the state apparatus, has progressively led to the present, paradoxical situation in which the taking away of state funds- officially justified by the financial crisis, and part of wider austerity measures imposed by the Irish state - is experienced by CD groups as their death knell. Through concepts of ‘post-party politics’, as formulated by contemporary sociological and political theory, I evaluate CD’s original political approach. After analysing CD’s history as a ‘political sequence’, I give an in-depth overview of present institutional tendencies, drawing from oral contributions by activists, state agents and policy makers, participatory methods and ethnographic observation . As a provisional conclusion, I point to possible future scenarios and provide some recommendations for an eventual re-construction of CD’s independency, which, in my view, can only be achieved by returning to the ephemeral events and the spontaneity of life shaping Dublin’s inner city popular neighbourhoods

Effect of COVID-19 on digitalisation of higher education. A tale of one business school

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed higher education institutions across the globe to switch from face-to-face teaching to remote teaching. This study explores how emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic affected university teachers’ perception of online teaching and discusses the future of e-learning after the pandemic. The analysis is based on the interview responses collected from twelve business school teachers at one Sino-foreign university in China. The results show that the perception of e-learning improved after a semester of involuntary remote teaching. We also discuss the factors that may act as barriers to the adoption of e-learning, such as poor quality of the Internet, high workload, and lack of proper online pedagogy training, and show that teachers tend to implement elements of online teaching even despite these barriers as long as they find the usage of the online contents beneficial for their practice. Finally, our findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the digitalisation of higher education and created new opportunities for the provision of online education

Freeze-dried mucoadhesive polymeric system containing pegylated lipoplexes : towards a vaginal sustained released system for siRNA

Topical vaginal sustained delivery of siRNA presents a significant challenge due to the short residence time of formulations. Therefore, a drug delivery system capable to adhere to the vaginal mucosa is desirable, as it could allow a prolonged delivery and increase the effectiveness of the therapy. The aim of this project is to develop a polymeric solid mucoadhesive system, loaded with lipoplexes, able to be progressively rehydrated by the vaginal fluids to form a hydrogel and to deliver siRNA to vaginal tissues. To minimize adhesive interactions with vaginal mucus components, lipoplexes were coated with different derivatives of polyethylene glycol: DPSE-PEG2000, DPSE-PEG750 and ceramide-PEG2000. Based on stability and diffusion properties in simulated vaginal fluids, lipoplexes containing DSPE-PEG2000 were selected and incorporated in hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) hydrogels. Solid systems, called sponges, were then obtained by freeze-drying. Sponges meet acceptable mechanical characteristics and their hardness, eformability and mucoadhesive properties are not influenced by the presence of lipoplexes. Finally, mobility and stability of lipoplexes inside sponges rehydrated with vaginal mucus, mimicking in situ conditions, were evaluated by advanced fluorescence microscopy. The release rate was found to be influenced by the HEC concentration and consequently by the viscosity after rehydration. This study demonstrates the feasibility of entrapping pegylated lipoplexes into a solid matrix system for a prolonged delivery of siRNA into the vagina

ROLE OF BACTERIA AND THE MUCUS SYSTEM IN INTESTINAL TUMORIGENESIS

Many studies on human colorectal cancer (hCRC) samples have documented a dysbiosis associated with the tumor at different levels. However a clear picture of the microorganisms whose abundance is altered during tumorigenesis and evidences of their functional implication in the tumorigenic process have not yet emerged. This study is aimed at dissecting the role of bacteria in CRC development by focusing on the intestinal mucus barrier as a key mediator in microbiota-host interaction. We used the ApcMin/+ murine model to demonstrate that in tumor-bearing mice, similarly to what happens in hCRC, the mucus barrier has altered properties. Mucin expression is altered at the level of dysplastic crypts, strictly relating mucus changes with neoplastic transformation. Being the mucus a fundamental component of the intestinal barrier we further addressed if bacterial penetrance was compromised in tumor-prone mice. As hypothesised upon oral administration we observe increased Salmonella penetration in the intestine and spreading to mesenteric lymph nodes of ApcMin/+ mice compared to wild types. To address the potential role of mucus alteration in the tumorigenic process we exogenously modified the mucus barrier. Upon treatment with Salmonella, a bacterium that is able to interact with the mucus, we observed an increase in colon tumorigenesis in ApcMin/+ mice. Moreover, when we coupled the AOM/DSS protocol of chemically induced colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis to mucolytic treatment we observed exacerbated colon tumorigenesis. We did also investigate whether there was a dysbiosis associated with tumor progression, and when it was arising. Metagenomic analysis in the faeces of mice at different ages highlighted a dysbiosis already at 4 weeks of age in ApcMin/+ mice when tumors are not yet established. In particular, Lactobacillus genus was expanded in ApcMin/+ mice concomitantly with a contraction in the Clostridium genus. Finally since epigenetic mechanisms have recently been hypothesised to contribute to the loss of heterozygosity of the normal apc allele and bacteria can alter miRNA expression we analysed miRNA profiles in WT and ApcMin/+ intestinal tissue observing alterations in ApcMin/+ ilei. We further tested if bacterial stimulation could drive alterations in the apc gene expression, possibly mediated by miRNA modulation, in the intestinal mucosa. Salmonella and E. coli, either invasive or not, did not produce alterations in apc gene expression in an ex-vivo organ culture model that allows polarized stimulation of the intestinal mucosa. In conclusion we found that the mucus layer and intestinal barrier properties are altered in tumor bearing mice. This could lead to the establishment of a dysbiosis, although the cause-effect relationships of this do not emerge clearly from the present work. Bacterial species that are underrepresented in tumor bearing subjects could be protective and their administration could delay tumor progression. Finally, dysbiosis could induce miRNA-mediated control of apc gene expression and this could be a mechanism involved in tumor initiation in the model used. However, even if bacterial stimuli can modulate miRNA expression patterns, the ones tested in this work are not efficient in modulating apc expression

LE STREGHE NEL SETTECENTO VENEZIANO

Il contributo tratta della caccia alle streghe nei confronti delle popolazioni slave residenti nei territori della Serenissima nel secolo XVIII secolo, quando i roghi erano ormai praticamente scomparsi. I documenti presi in esame non hanno evidenziato alcuna differenza rispetto alla stregoneria nel resto dei territori italiani. Tuttavia, la caccia alle streghe veniva ancor sempre perpetrata con esecuzioni capitali in diversi Paesi dell’Europa orientale, in particolare in Ungheria e in Polonia, dove tale pratica raggiunse l’apice in questo periodo.U ovom je doprinosu razmotreno nekoliko sudskih postupaka za vještičarenje, a protiv osoba slavenskog porijekla ili Slavena s prebivalištem u Veneciji tokom 18. stoljeća, u razdoblju kada su lomače bile već gotovo ugašene. Za vještice su naglašene osobine kao što su samoća i ludilo kao i neki čarobni postupci, što nije činilo veliku razliku u odnosu na optužbe za vještičarenje u drugim krajevima Europe. Obrađeni su akti Rimske inkvizicije (Lucija, rodom iz Kopra, optužena za čedomorstvo; korištenje čarobnog magneta; magični napici) te krivični postupak (vođen od države a ne od inkvizicije) protiv jedne bogomolje koja je bila začarana jednom jabukom, tjelesno iskorištena i podvrgnuta egzorcističkom postupku, a pokreću ga tri suca istražitelja poslana u Makarsku sredinom 18. stoljeća. U tom dugom procesu nitko nije osuđen, ali tako nije bilo u ostatku Europe (Škotska, Finska, Austrija, Mađarska) gdje se krajem 17. i tokom 18. stoljeća vodio nemilosrdan lov na vještice. Treba još napomenuti da je i u današnje vrijeme u nekim zemljama Afrike progon vještica tužna stvarnost

LE STREGHE NEL SETTECENTO VENEZIANO

Il contributo tratta della caccia alle streghe nei confronti delle popolazioni slave residenti nei territori della Serenissima nel secolo XVIII secolo, quando i roghi erano ormai praticamente scomparsi. I documenti presi in esame non hanno evidenziato alcuna differenza rispetto alla stregoneria nel resto dei territori italiani. Tuttavia, la caccia alle streghe veniva ancor sempre perpetrata con esecuzioni capitali in diversi Paesi dell’Europa orientale, in particolare in Ungheria e in Polonia, dove tale pratica raggiunse l’apice in questo periodo.U ovom je doprinosu razmotreno nekoliko sudskih postupaka za vještičarenje, a protiv osoba slavenskog porijekla ili Slavena s prebivalištem u Veneciji tokom 18. stoljeća, u razdoblju kada su lomače bile već gotovo ugašene. Za vještice su naglašene osobine kao što su samoća i ludilo kao i neki čarobni postupci, što nije činilo veliku razliku u odnosu na optužbe za vještičarenje u drugim krajevima Europe. Obrađeni su akti Rimske inkvizicije (Lucija, rodom iz Kopra, optužena za čedomorstvo; korištenje čarobnog magneta; magični napici) te krivični postupak (vođen od države a ne od inkvizicije) protiv jedne bogomolje koja je bila začarana jednom jabukom, tjelesno iskorištena i podvrgnuta egzorcističkom postupku, a pokreću ga tri suca istražitelja poslana u Makarsku sredinom 18. stoljeća. U tom dugom procesu nitko nije osuđen, ali tako nije bilo u ostatku Europe (Škotska, Finska, Austrija, Mađarska) gdje se krajem 17. i tokom 18. stoljeća vodio nemilosrdan lov na vještice. Treba još napomenuti da je i u današnje vrijeme u nekim zemljama Afrike progon vještica tužna stvarnost

Approximate Bayesian computation for estimating number concentrations of monodisperse nanoparticles in suspension by optical microscopy

We present an approximate Bayesian computation scheme for estimating number concentrations of monodisperse diffusing nanoparticles in suspension by optical particle tracking microscopy. The method is based on the probability distribution of the time spent by a particle inside a detection region. We validate the method on suspensions of well-controlled reference particles. We illustrate its usefulness with an application in gene therapy, applying the method to estimate number concentrations of plasmid DNA molecules and the average number of DNA molecules complexed with liposomal drug delivery particles

LE AVVENTURE DELL’OSTIA: PROCESSO A DOMENICO ZANNONA (1758-1767)

Dalmazia nel ‘700 (ex Repubblica di Venezia). Abuso di ostia consacrata con invocazione demoniaca. Processo secolare nel secondo Settecento con rischio di pena capitale.Ovaj ~lanak donosi tijek svjetovne sudske parnice, zapo~ete u Zadru 1758. i premje{tene u Veneciju, protiv jednog podanika Mleta~ke republike koji je, dok je slu‘io vojni rok, poku{ao prizvati vraga bogohulnom upotrebom posve}ene hostije, jer je osjetio mogu}nost da bude premje{ten iz Zadra u daleki Kotor. Domenico Zannona je jednostavna li~nost koja budi emotivnu suosje}ajnost. Mislio je da bi ga hostija mogla ~udotvorno prenijeti u domovinu pored Belluna, te da bi tako izbjegao premje{taj u dana{nju Crnu Goru. Nakon {to je otkriven, osu|en je 1767. u Veneciji na do‘ivotni zatvor (nepoznat je datum smrti), jer je zbog nedovoljnog broja glasova u Vije}u desetorice (8 za, 6 protiv i 1 suzdr‘an) izbjegao osudu na smrt odrubljivanjem glave i spaljivanjem na loma~i. To je ogledni primjer svjetovne sudske parnice (1767.), koji potvr|uje tezu da civilne vlasti krajem 18. stolje}a (ograni~en na Veneciju, ali se mo‘e zemljopisno pro{iriti na cijeli talijanski teritorij), nisu bile ni{ta fleksibilnije od Inkvizicije prema takvim slu~ajevima i njihovih gotovo ve} uga{enih loma~a