Sibilla Aleramo da Una donna a amo dunque sono. La scrittura autobiografica come documento di verità e di poetica Al Femminile

The article offers a reflection on Sibilla Aleramo's writing through the comparison between two novels that are among the most representative of her literary production. While Una donna represents the manifest of Italian feminism, as a document of harsh truth and social denunciation, Amo dunque sono, an epistolary novel, offers a writing now mature in poetics al femminile, all centered on the theme of universal love that expresses the sensitivity of the new woman-writer now emancipated, renewed and rebuilt, with a new identity.L'articolo propone una riflessione sulla scrittura di Sibilla Aleramo attraverso il confronto tra due romanzi tra i più rappresentativi della sua produzione letteraria. Mentre Una donna rappresenta il manifesto del femminismo italiano, in quanto documento di dura verità e di denuncia sociale, Amo dunque sono, romanzo epistolare, offre una scrittura ormai matura di poetica al femminile, tutto incentrato sul tema dell'amore universale che esprime la sensibilità della nuova donna-scrittrice ormai emancipata, rinnovata e ricostruita; con una nuova identità

Amo dunque sono, traduzione in spagnolo. Sibilla Aleramo: rinascere attrarverso la scrittura

Tesis inédita de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Filología, Departamento de Filología Italiana, leída el 26-01-2016La temática de la escritura al femminile de Sibilla Aleramo surge como objeto del presente trabajo tras asistir dentro del Curso de Doctorado “Texto y Contextos” a la asignatura “La escritura con pluma de mujer”. Durante el curso tuve la oportunidad de leer numerosos textos escritos por mujeres italianas en los primeros años del Novecento, lo que me hizo sentir el deseo de escribir sobre una de ellas: Sibilla Aleramo, su escritura y su existencia, empezando por su novela autobiográfica: Una donna. Ese texto fue el que más me llamó la atención por la historia que contaba: la de una mujer cuya vida había sido excepcional; la originalidad de su personaje con su singular biografía y la naturaleza de su producción literaria me empujaron a querer escribir sobre ella. Sibila Aleramo puede ser considerada como una feminista ante litteram; la pionera del feminismo italiano, en el sentido de que fue la primera escritora que en la Italia de aquel entonces, tuvo el valor de no conformarse con toda una serie de principios que regentaba el universo humano y social de las mujeres. Su feminismo, ni teórico ni de acción, es una actitud moral instintiva, un pensamiento personal aislado que nunca se alineó con movimientos organizados, fue ante todo la obediencia a un imperativo interior que no podía no seguir...The al femminile writings of Sibilla Aleramo were chosen as the subject of this work after attending the module “La escritura con pluma de mujer” (Writing with a woman’s pen) as part of the doctorate course “Texto y Contextos” (Texts and Contexts). During the course I was able to read a number of texts written by Italian women during the early years of the twentieth century, and was inspired to write about one of them: Sibilla Aleramo, her life and her work, starting with her autobiographical novel: Una donna. This work caught my attention above all because of the story it told: that of a woman who had led an exceptional life. The originality of her character, her unique life story and the quality of her writing were what encouraged me to write about her. Sibila Aleramo can be considered anante litteramfeminist; she was a pioneer of Italian feminism, the first female writer in Italy at the time who was brave enough to reject a whole series of principles that governed the human and social world of women..L’interesse per la scrittura al femminile di Sibilla Aleramo, oggetto di questo lavoro, nasce in seguito ad aver assistito alla materia “La escritura con pluma de mujer” (La scrittura delle donne) del Corso di Dottorato “Testo e Contesti”. Durante il corso ebbi l’opportunità di leggere numerosi testi scritti da donne italiane nei primi anni del Novecento e mi venne il desiderio di scrivere su una di loro: Sibilla Aleramo; raccontare la sua esistenza e parlare della sua scrittura partendo dal romanzo autobiografico: Una donna. Questo testo suscitò in modo particolare il mio interesse per la storia che raccontava: quella di una donna la cui vita fu eccezionale; l’originalità del suo personaggio insieme alla singolare biografia e la natura della sua produzione letteraria mi spinsero a voler scrivere su questa scrittrice. Sibilla Aleramo può essere considerata una femminista ante litteram; la pioniera del femminismo italiano, nella misura in cui fu la prima scrittrice che nell’Italia di allora, ebbe il coraggio di non rassegnarsi a una serie di principi che governava l’universo umano e sociale delle donne. Il suo femminismo, né teorico né di azione, fu un atteggiamento morale istintivo, un pensiero personale isolato che non si allineò mai a movimenti organizzati ma che fu, prima di tutto, l’obbedienza ad un imperativo interiore che non poteva non ascoltare...Depto. de Estudios Románicos, Franceses, Italianos y TraducciónFac. de FilologíaTRUEunpu

Buccal mucosa is a promising graft in Peyronie's disease surgery. Our experience and a brief literature review on autologous grafting materials.

Aim: Peyronie's Disease (PD) is an under reported acquired benign condition that, at the moment, is not curable with medical therapy. Surgery represent the gold standard of treatment. Surgical approaches are several and they consist in "plication techniques" or plaque incision/excision with grafting of resulting albuginea defect. Among grafting procedures, albuginea defect substitution with autologous materials demonstrated over the years not inferior results respect to heterologous grafts. Buccal mucosa graft (BMG) is not usually emphasized in many review articles and clinical series are yet limited. Methods: We present our experience with seventeen plaque incision procedures and BMG in surgical correction of complex penile curvatures due to PD performed in a period of 30 months. Our analyses was focused on buccal mucosa graft characteristics as major determinant of the surgical success. We also conducted a brief literature review on autologous grafting materials used in reconstructive penile surgery for PD. Results: Our cosmetics and functional results consists in a 100% of functional penile straightening with no relapses and 5,8% of de novo erectile dysfunction. Mean age was 56.4 years, mean follow-up of 22.5 (6-36) months. No complications graft related were observed. Operative time was 115.3 minutes in mean. Over 94% of patients referred they were "really much better" and "much better" satisfied based on PGI-I questionnaire administrated at the last follow- up visit. Conclusion: BMG is revealing as an optimal choice for reconstructive surgery in PD. Anatomical characteristics consisting in the great elasticity, the quick integration time and the easy harvesting technique lead to high cosmetics and functional success rate, without omitting economical and invasiveness aspects

The effect of high glucose on the inhibitory action of C21, a selective AT2R agonist, of LPS-stimulated tissue factor expression in human mononuclear cells

Background: Intimate links connect tissue factor (TF), the principal initiator of the clotting cascade, to inflammation, a cross-talk amplified by locally generated Angiotensin (AT) II, the effector arm of the Renin Angiotensin System (RAS). C21, a selective AT2R agonist, downregulates the transcriptional expression of TF in LPS-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cell(PBMC)s implying the existence of ATII type 2 receptor (AT2R)s whose stimulation attenuates inflammation-mediated procoagulant responses. High glucose, by activating key signalling pathways and increasing the cellular content of RAS components, augments TF expression and potentiates the inhibitory effect of AT1R antagonists. It is unknown, however, the impact of that stimulus on AT2R-mediated TF inhibition, an information useful to understand more precisely the role of that signal transduction pathway in the inflammation-mediated coagulation process. TF antigen (ELISA), procoagulant activity (PCA, 1-stage clotting assay) and TF-mRNA (real-time polymerase chain reaction) were assessed in PBMCs activated by LPS, a pro-inflammatory and procoagulant stimulus, exposed to either normal (N) or HG concentrations (5.5 and 50 mM respectively). Results: HG upregulated TF expression, an effect abolished by BAY 11-7082, a NFκB inhibitor. C21 inhibited LPS-stimulated PCA, TFAg and mRNA to an extent independent of glucose concentration but the response to Olmesartan, an AT1R antagonist, was quite evidently potentiated by HG. Conclusions: HG stimulates LPS-induced TF expression through mechanisms completely dependent upon NFkB activation. Both AT2R-stimulation and AT1R-blockade downregulate inflammation-mediated procoagulant response in PBMCs but HG impacts differently on the two different signal transduction pathway

Chapter Il Piccolo Masaccio e le Terre Nuove. Creativity and Computer Graphics for Museum Edutainment

Since its opening, the Museum of the New Towns, housed in the Palazzo di Arnolfo in San Giovanni Valdarno, has dedicated a particular attention to the relationship with its audiences. In this context, the video “Il piccolo Masaccio e le Terre Nuove” has the purpose of bringing children and young people, in particular, closer to the museum main themes. The video presents a series of very different techniques, such as live shots, taken also by drone, Computer Graphics, 2D drawings executed with a tablet, drawings sketched with traditional techniques, such as India ink and watercolours, and digital videos taken from Google Earth

Non enzymatic upregulation of tissue factor expression by gamma-glutamyl transferase in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Background Besides maintaining intracellular glutathione stores, gamma-glutamyltransferase(GGT) generates reactive oxygen species and activates NFkB, a redox-sensitive transcription factor key in the induction of Tissue Factor (TF) gene expression, the principal initiator of the clotting cascade. Thus, GGT might be involved in TF-mediated coagulation processes, an assumption untested insofar. Methods Experiments were run with either equine, enzymatically active GGT or human recombinant (hr) GGT, a wheat germ-derived protein enzymatically inert because of missing post-translational glycosylation. TF Procoagulant Activity (PCA, one-stage clotting assay), TF antigen(ELISA) and TFmRNA(real-time PCR) were assessed in unpooled human peripheral blood mononuclear cell(PBMC) suspensions obtained from healthy donors through discontinuous Ficoll/Hystopaque density gradient. Results Equine GGT increased PCA, an effect insensitive to GGT inhibition by acivicin suggesting mechanisms independent of its enzymatic activity, a possibility confirmed by the maintained stimulation in response to hrGGT, an enzymatically inactive molecule. Endotoxin(LPS) contamination of GGT preparations was excluded by heat inactivation studies and direct determination(LAL method) of LPS concentrations <0.1 ng/mL practically devoid of procoagulant effect. Inhibition by anti-GGT antibodies corroborated that conclusion. Upregulation by hrGGT of TF antigen and mRNA and its downregulation by BAY-11-7082, a NFkB inhibitor, and N-acetyl-L-cysteine, an antioxidant, was consistent with a NFkB-driven, redox-sensitive transcriptional site of action. Conclusions GGT upregulates TF expression independent of its enzymatic activity, a cytokine-like behaviour mediated by NFκB activation, a mechanism contributing to promote acute thrombotic events, a possibility in need, however, of further evaluation

Effect of RNS60 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a phase II multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background and purpose Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with limited treatment options. RNS60 is an immunomodulatory and neuroprotective investigational product that has shown efficacy in animal models of ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. Its administration has been safe and well tolerated in ALS subjects in previous early phase trials. Methods This was a phase II, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. Participants diagnosed with definite, probable or probable laboratory-supported ALS were assigned to receive RNS60 or placebo administered for 24 weeks intravenously (375 ml) once a week and via nebulization (4 ml/day) on non-infusion days, followed by an additional 24 weeks off-treatment. The primary objective was to measure the effects of RNS60 treatment on selected biomarkers of inflammation and neurodegeneration in peripheral blood. Secondary objectives were to measure the effect of RNS60 on functional impairment (ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised), a measure of self-sufficiency, respiratory function (forced vital capacity, FVC), quality of life (ALS Assessment Questionnaire-40, ALSAQ-40) and survival. Tolerability and safety were assessed. Results Seventy-four participants were assigned to RNS60 and 73 to placebo. Assessed biomarkers did not differ between arms. The mean rate of decline in FVC and the eating and drinking domain of ALSAQ-40 was slower in the RNS60 arm (FVC, difference 0.41 per week, standard error 0.16, p = 0.0101; ALSAQ-40, difference -0.19 per week, standard error 0.10, p = 0.0319). Adverse events were similar in the two arms. In a post hoc analysis, neurofilament light chain increased over time in bulbar onset placebo participants whilst remaining stable in those treated with RNS60. Conclusions The positive effects of RNS60 on selected measures of respiratory and bulbar function warrant further investigation

The polymorphism L412F in TLR3 inhibits autophagy and is a marker of severe COVID-19 in males

The polymorphism L412F in TLR3 has been associated with several infectious diseases. However, the mechanism underlying this association is still unexplored. Here, we show that the L412F polymorphism in TLR3 is a marker of severity in COVID-19. This association increases in the sub-cohort of males. Impaired macroautophagy/autophagy and reduced TNF/TNFα production was demonstrated in HEK293 cells transfected with TLR3L412F-encoding plasmid and stimulated with specific agonist poly(I:C). A statistically significant reduced survival at 28 days was shown in L412F COVID-19 patients treated with the autophagy-inhibitor hydroxychloroquine (p = 0.038). An increased frequency of autoimmune disorders such as co-morbidity was found in L412F COVID-19 males with specific class II HLA haplotypes prone to autoantigen presentation. Our analyses indicate that L412F polymorphism makes males at risk of severe COVID-19 and provides a rationale for reinterpreting clinical trials considering autophagy pathways. Abbreviations: AP: autophagosome; AUC: area under the curve; BafA1: bafilomycin A1; COVID-19: coronavirus disease-2019; HCQ: hydroxychloroquine; RAP: rapamycin; ROC: receiver operating characteristic; SARS-CoV-2: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; TLR: toll like receptor; TNF/TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor

An explainable model of host genetic interactions linked to COVID-19 severity

We employed a multifaceted computational strategy to identify the genetic factors contributing to increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection from a Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) dataset of a cohort of 2000 Italian patients. We coupled a stratified k-fold screening, to rank variants more associated with severity, with the training of multiple supervised classifiers, to predict severity based on screened features. Feature importance analysis from tree-based models allowed us to identify 16 variants with the highest support which, together with age and gender covariates, were found to be most predictive of COVID-19 severity. When tested on a follow-up cohort, our ensemble of models predicted severity with high accuracy (ACC = 81.88%; AUCROC = 96%; MCC = 61.55%). Our model recapitulated a vast literature of emerging molecular mechanisms and genetic factors linked to COVID-19 response and extends previous landmark Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS). It revealed a network of interplaying genetic signatures converging on established immune system and inflammatory processes linked to viral infection response. It also identified additional processes cross-talking with immune pathways, such as GPCR signaling, which might offer additional opportunities for therapeutic intervention and patient stratification. Publicly available PheWAS datasets revealed that several variants were significantly associated with phenotypic traits such as "Respiratory or thoracic disease", supporting their link with COVID-19 severity outcome.A multifaceted computational strategy identifies 16 genetic variants contributing to increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection from a Whole Exome Sequencing dataset of a cohort of Italian patients