L\u27Italiano a Miami: An Investigation of the Current Status of the Teaching and Learning of the Italian Language in Miami and of Students\u27 Motivational Factors

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the current status of the study of Italian in Miami and particularly to identify the motivational factors behind student enrollment in local Italian programs. A qualitative study was carried out based on interviews with the local director of “Società Dante Alighieri” and four students studying Italian in two different settings. Gardner and Lambert’s (1959) concepts of instrumental and integrative motivation and the motivation components identified by Csizér and Dörnyei (2005) provided the conceptual framework for this study. According to the information obtained from the five participants the study of Italian in Miami is mostly linked to integrative motivation and particularly to the motivation components referred by Csizér and Dörnyei as “attitude toward the L2 speakers/community” and “culture interest”. These findings are in line with previous research that linked the study of Italian in the United States to cultural and ethnic factors related to integrative motivation

La gestione degli autori di reati sessuali tra psicopatologia e rischio di recidiva, prospettive trattamentali

Sex crimes provoke alarm and strong reactions from the public to a greater extent than any other type of crimes; this occurs especially when the victims are perceived to be particularly weak subjects and/or the perpetrators are affected by psychiatric disease. For these reasons, over the last few years a growing attention has been paid to abusive sex behaviors in the medical and legal fields, leading to the introduction and development of legal procedures and alternative treatments to allow comprehensive management of the different aspects of the phenomenon. This paper analyzes the relationship between mental disorders and sex crimes. Moreover, we focus on the treatment programs offered to sex offenders in some European and North American countries and, in view of the reported results, evaluate their possible introduction in Italy. Such programs are currently in force in many countries, including the United States, Scandinavia, France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom. They include a first phase of evaluation of the level of risk posed by the perpetrator, followed by a treatment phase, that often includes psychiatric therapy and the use of drugs. To illustrate this type of approach, we describe the U.S. and the German experiences of subject evaluation and classification, as well as the treatments administered and the benefits observed. The data available on sex offenders show a strong risk of reiteration of the crime and therefore the need for a specific management of the problem. This has convinced certain countries to adopt specific treatment strategies, even mandatory ones, that raise ethical and legal issues, especially when they involve the mandatory use of drugs. We believe these issues warrant further in-depth analysis, as well as evaluation of the role that such programs could have in Italy

The "Bestie of Satana" murders

In recent years, satanic groups have been responsible for various types and degrees of crimes. We report the case of a number of murders committed in Italy by a group of young people calling themselves the “Bestie di Satana”. Forensic psychiatric assessment of the members of a satanic sect charged with the crime revealed that all the young people had a fragile, immature personality, a very low level of education and were socially disadvantaged. The trial of the members of the “Bestie di Satana” sect was concluded with the verdict of deliberate murder, and all the members were given long jail sentences. This report should lead us to explore social and cultural responses to juvenile satanism, statistically shown to be a relatively rare phenomenon but with a high criminal potential

Il satanismo acido. Alcune riflessioni su due recenti casi

Gli Autori si soffermano sul fenomeno del satanismo \u201cgiovanile\u201d o \u201cacido\u201d, termine con il quale si intendono di solito gruppi \u201corganizzati\u201d di giovani che celebrano riti satanisti, condividono luoghi, abbigliamento, simboli, gesti, musica e, soprattutto, sostanze stupefacenti. Spesso sotto l\u2019effetto di alcool e droghe i satanisti \u201cacidi\u201d commettono gesti dissacratori, e, talvolta, reati violenti fino ad arrivare a delitti efferati, come nei casi che qui si presentano. Si tratta di delitti commessi da gruppi che si davano una definizione di satanisti, ma che non coincidevano affatto con il fenomeno storico-culturale del satanismo, trattandosi piuttosto di giovani marginali e violenti.The authors dwell in particular on the phenomenon of "juvenile" or "acid Satanism". This term generally means "organized" groups of young people celebrating Satanic rites, having in common and sharing places, clothing, symbols, gestures, music, and most of all drugs. Often under the influence of alcohol and drugs the Acid Satanists often commit irreverent gestures, and sometimes, violent crimes or heinous crimes, as in the cases presented here. The murders were committed by groups of young people defining themself Satanists, having however no coincidence with the historical and cultural phenomenon of Satanism, being rather marginalized and violent young people

The pavilions of Expo 2015 in Milan, as a privileged observatory about the concept of sustainable construction in all languages of the world

The organization of Expo 2015 in the city of Milan has prompted massive organizational efforts to set up a new fair district in one of the largest Italian cities. The urban layout of the metropolitan city has been redesigned in order to accommodate all participating nations event. Expo 2015 established through guidelines the necessity to adopt sustainable solutions for the temporary buildings of the exhibition. The article aims to see how the concepts of sustainability and recyclability have been interpreted in the language of 40 designers from different countries. Through data provided by information papers of the exhibition, a valuation of materials used in buildings was made. This research led to an analysis of different building typology involved and the materials most used to reach the goals of guidelines drawn up by Expo 2015. The perception of an event characterized by green constructions was achieved, but not every construction was aimed to be a nearly zero emission building

Aluminum Nitride piezo-MEMS on polyimide flexible substrates

In this work the micro-fabrication of flexible MicroElectroMechanical transducers based on the piezoelectric effect is reported. We developed the technological protocol to realize a piezoelectric transducer composed by a Molybdenum (Mo) top electrode, the Aluminum Nitride active layer and a Mo bottom electrode on a polymeric tape. The process starts from the DC sputtering deposition of the Molybdenum layer at room temperature on Kapton HN. The Molybdenum is chosen not only for its electrical properties but also because it enhances the crystal orientation of AlN. The next step is the deposition of AlN that occurs at high temperature, around 250^oC. Temperature and physical sputtering enhanced by applying a DC bias on the substrates are two important parameters to improve the crystal orientation of the film. These extreme growth conditions guarantee a very good crystal structure without damaging the Kapton substrate. Then a final Mo layer is sputtered at room temperature. SU8-25 thick photo resist is used to define the top electrode and the AlN layer, and in a second mask step the Mo bottom electrode. The developer, the PG remover and SU8 negative resist itself have shown a chemical compatibility with Kapton HN. We measured the piezoelectric response on a capacitor test structure: through the Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer we applied controlled forces, and at the same time, by an LCR meter we performed measurements of the capacitance

Fantasie sessuali, disturbi organici, violenze sessuali

The study takes a look at the theme of sexual fantasies and the role it plays in the realm of sexuality, looking at both the more usual manifestations, which can be considered as being within the boundaries of normality, and at those which are considered more extreme and pathological, often at the origins of heinous serial crimes. The literature taken into consideration highlights how it is, above all, the content which characterises pathological fantasies and provides their ability to separate paraphilic sexual behaviour from behaviour which can be deemed as being normal. Among the pathological sexual fantasies the more frequent are those of violence, sadism and power, fantasies which are found precociously as pertaining to absolute control in the sexual offenders, often existing as a form of compensation for profound feelings of personal inadequacy and not uncommon to fears of physical shortcomings or to a self perception of being so. The study includes experiential data, arising from expert studies on various types of sexual offenders, which suggests how the fear of physical inadequacy represents an important factor in the manifestation and perpetuation of paraphilic behaviour.Gli Autori affrontano il tema delle fantasie sessuali e del ruolo che esse rivestono nella sessualità, sia nelle sue manifestazioni usuali, che possono definirsi normali, sia nelle sue forme più devianti e patologiche, alla base spesso di delitti seriali efferati. La letteratura presa in considerazione sottolinea come siano soprattutto i contenuti a caratterizzare le fantasie patologiche ed a consentire di tenere separati i comportamenti sessuali parafilici da quelli normali. Fra le fantasie sessuali patologiche le più frequenti sono le fantasie di violenza, sadiche e di potere. Fantasie che si ritrovano, precocissime, con un ruolo di assoluta preminenza, nei sexual offender. Nei quali, spesso, le fantasie di potere compensano, in realtà, profondi sentimenti di inadeguatezza. A cui non sono estranei timori di non essere fisicamente adeguati o di percepirsi come tali. Gli Autori riportano a riguardo alcuni dati esperienziali, rivenienti dall’attività peritale personale su differenti tipologie di sexual offender. Dati che suggeriscono come timori di inadeguatezza fisica rappresentino un fattore importante nell’affermarsi e nel perpetuarsi del comportamento parafilico

La "terrazza proibita": dalla violazione alla ricostruzione della relazione genitoriale “infranta”

On the basis of a case of presumed sexual abuse of a minor that came to their observation, and was concluded with the request to close the case, the Authors propose some reflections on the possible pathways for restoring the family balance after a parental crisis triggered by such a traumatic experience. In particular, they analyze the recent proposals for supporting and restoring family relations with the aid of new professional figures that could, in this type of situation, conduct specific interventions in the home, in the form of family therapy encouraging all members of the family to shoulder their responsibilities.Gli Autori prendono l'avvio da un caso di presunto abuso sessuale intra-familiare giunto alla loro osservazione, conclusosi con la richiesta di archiviazione dell’imputato, per proporre una riflessione più ampia su possibili percorsi di recupero della genitorialità messa in crisi in analoghe vicende. In particolare, gli Autori si soffermano su recenti proposte di sostegno e recupero delle relazioni intra-familiari da parte di figure professionali nuove che, nell'ottica appena delineata, con interventi domiciliari specifici, potrebbero promuovere una responsabilizzazione di tutti i protagonisti della vicenda giudiziaria

Forensic Radiology: An Update

Forensic radiology is a specialized area of medical imaging using radiological techniques to assist physicians and pathologists in matters related to the law. The forensic application of diagnostic medical radiology can be applied in many fields; the prime target of evaluation is the osseous skeleton, but soft tissues and abdominal and thoracic viscera may offer key findings. The technological progress in clinical radiology provides a lot of potential tools to forensic radiology, allowing wider fields of applications in this matter

Sex offenders dichiarati non imputabili per infermità mentale: caratteristiche cliniche e legali

Sexual offenders constitute a diversified group with mixed specifics, motive and criminal acts. Significant evidences in research suggest that these offenders suffer from large proportions of psychiatric disorders, along with psychotic disorders, mood disorders, paraphilic disorders and Substance Use Disorders. It has been recently ascertained considerable percentages of personality disorders among sex offenders as well: borderline/narcisistic/antisocial. This is a cross-sectional study in which we included all the patients admitted in the 8 REMSs in Castiglione delle Stiviere from January 2009 to December 2018 sentenced for sexual offenses. The result of this study is that most of individuals found NGRI for a sexual offense have a psychotic disorder as a primary diagnosis. The majority of our sample was known by the local mental health services, even if the proportion of whom were not known was high.I sex offender rappresentano un gruppo eterogeneo di autori di reato con motivazioni varie. Le evidenze scientifiche suggeriscono che questi autori di reato, in larga parte sono affetti da disturbi mentali. Fra di essi disturbi psicotici, disturbi dell’umore, disturbi parafilici e disturbi da uso di sostanze e, del tutto recentemente, disturbi di personalità, fra cui in particolare, disturbo borderline, narcisitico ed antisociale di personalità. Il presente studio è trasversale: abbiamo incluso tutti i pazienti ammessi nelle 8 REMS di Castiglione delle Stiviere da gennaio 2009 a dicembre 2018 per aver commesso reati sessuali. Lo studio ha dimostrato che la grande maggioranza dei sex offender con vizio totale di mente erano affetti da un disturbo psicotico. Per lo più si trattava di pazienti già noti ai servizi psichiatrici, sebbene fosse alta anche la percentuali di quelli sconosciuti