Linguaggio teatrale, dispositivi narrativi e anti-antiziganismo

With this article based on his fieldwork in Šuto Orizari, a Municipality in the suburbs of Skopje (Macedonia), the author analyses how theatrical language and narrative techniques can be used to oppose the strengthening of anti-gypsism in public opinion. Šuto Orizari is the only Municipality in the world where romanés is used as an official language, and the Mayor and the majority of the members of the assembly of the municipality come from the Roma community, thus enjoying a degree of effective self-government. Andrea Mochi Sismondi and Fiorenza Menni lived there for two years trying to understand the different visions of the world originating among Roma, while collecting dramaturgical materials later used in the production of two theatrical performances, a book and several public events where Roma and Gadžé can exchange their points of view on fundamental issues concerning political philosophy. Freedom, equality, the legitimate aspiration to a better life, freedom of movement: all values modern constitutions are based on, and on which the two artists focused their long interviews and conversations with Šuto Orizari citizens and Roma colleagues. The work has been presented all over Italy and its results reveal how literary non-fiction and performing arts can be successfully used to show the weakness of the arguments alleging the cultural distance that would make the dialogue between Roma and Gadžé impossible.Basandosi sull’esperienza di ricerca vissuta a Šuto Orizari, l’autore approfondisce il ruolo che il linguaggio teatrale e i dispositivi narrativi possono assumere nel contrastare la diffusione e il rafforzamento dell’antiziganismo nell’opinione pubblica. Šuto Orizari è una delle dieci Municipalità di Skopje, capitale della Macedonia, ed è l’unica realtà istituzionale al mondo dove il romanés è utilizzato come lingua ufficiale e dove i rom eleggono un proprio Sindaco e possono contare sulla maggioranza del Consiglio Comunale. Andrea Mochi Sismondi e Fiorenza Menni vi hanno vissuto per due anni partecipando alle lunghe discussioni comunitarie, seguendone i rituali, confrontando paradigmi e visioni del mondo, raccogliendo materiali per produrre due spettacoli teatrali, un libro, e per organizzare diverse occasioni pubbliche di confronto sui temi fondanti della filosofia politica. Libertà e uguaglianza, aspirazione a una vita migliore e felice, possibilità di seguire un proprio autonomo progetto di vita, diritto di muoversi sul territorio attraverso i confini: temi che sono alla base delle Costituzioni degli Stati moderni e sui quali i due artisti hanno incentrato le lunghe interviste con i cittadini di Šuto Orizari. Il loro lavoro utilizza gli strumenti e le prassi della ricerca etnografica per elaborare opere artistiche capaci di rivelare l’infondatezza di quella presunta distanza culturale incolmabile che impedirebbe il dialogo e la reciproca conoscenza tra rom e non rom

Mirtazapine for the treatment of hot flushes in breast cancer survivors: a prospective pilot trial.

The purposes of the study are to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mirtazapine 30 mg/daily for 12 weeks to reduce hot flushes (HF) in women with previous breast cancer and to assess the influence of the same treatment on sleep quality and other menopausal symptoms. A prospective pilot trial was conducted in 40 breast cancer patients with at least seven HF per day. A HF diary was completed daily; sleep quality and other menopausal symptoms were assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and the SF-36 Health Survey. Treatment was never started by 13 out of 40 patients (32.5%) and was interrupted by 7 out of 27 patients (25%) due to of the occurrence of side effects (mostly somnolence). In the remaining 20 patients who completed the three months treatment period, there was a 55.6% (p < 0.05) reduction in HF frequency and 61.9% (p < 0.05) reduction in HF score as compared to baseline. A significant reduction in the MRS score (32.8%; p < 0.05) was observed. Mirtazapine appears to be effective in reducing HF in breast cancer survivors. The more frequent side effect was somnolence. A sizeable compiliance problem has been observed due to the reluctance to take antidepressant drugs and to side effects

Prognostic value of a novel circulating serum 90K antigen in breast cancer.

Monoclonal antibody SP-2 to the tumour-associated antigen 90K was generated by immunisation with conditioned medium of human breast cancer cells. We investigated whether circulating levels of 90K can influence the prognosis of patients with breast cancer. Serum samples were obtained from 425 patients with histologically proven breast cancer with no clinical evidence of disease after surgery (NED) and in 310 patients with metastatic disease. Serum 90K was determined by a new immunoradiometric assay (IRMA). Antigen levels in NED patients were elevated in 18.5% of cases, mean levels being higher than in healthy controls (P = 0.001). Among 375 evaluable patients, the 75-month overall survival for 90K-negative (< or = 11 U ml-1) and 90K-positive (> 11 U ml-1) patients was 78% and 53% respectively (P = 0.004). The prognostic value of 90K appeared to be limited to patients with node-positive disease. Number of metastatic axillary lymph nodes and level of 90K antigen were the only independent variables for predicting overall survival. Patients with metastatic breast cancer had elevated 90K in 51.3% of cases. High 90K levels were significantly associated with the presence of metastases to liver, shorter disease-free interval and younger age. We conclude that an elevated 90K antigen level in serum is a predictor of poor prognosis in breast cancer

Creatine kinase BB isoenzyme levels in tumour cytosols and survival of breast cancer patients.

Creatinine kinase BB (CK-BB) is elevated in many tumours including those of the breast. We have recently described a new, highly sensitive and specific method for measuring CK-BB, based on monoclonal antibodies and time-resolved fluorometry. Using this method, we quantitated CK-BB in 172 breast tumour cytosols and examined the associations between CK-BB and other clinicopathological variables and patient survival. High CK-BB levels were seen more frequently in tumours from patients who were younger (age < 50 years), patients who qualified for chemotherapy and patients with oestrogen receptor-positive tumours. No association was seen between CK-BB and tumour stage, grade, size, histological type or the progesterone receptor. In univariate analysis, the risk of relapse or death was higher in the group with tumours containing high CK-BB levels but the difference did not reach statistical significance. In multivariate analysis, the risk of death was statistically significantly higher in the high-CK-BB group. Analysis of subsets of patients revealed that patients with oestrogen receptor-negative cancer have higher risk of death if their tumours contain high levels of CK-BB. Our data suggest that, in general, CK-BB is associated with more aggressive tumours but its value as a prognostic indicator is limited. CK-BB content of breast tumours may be more useful as an aid in selecting therapy directed at inhibiting this enzyme activity and thus depriving tumour cells of their energy source

AP-2α regulates migration of GN-11 neurons via a specific genetic programme involving the Axl receptor tyrosine kinase

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neuronal migration is a crucial process that allows neurons to reach their correct target location to allow the nervous system to function properly. AP-2α is a transcription factor essential for neural crest cell migration and its mutation results in apoptosis within this cell population, as demonstrated by genetic models.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We down-modulated AP-2α expression in GN-11 neurons by RNA interference and observe reduced neuron migration following the activation of a specific genetic programme including the Adhesion Related Kinase (<it>Axl</it>) gene. We prove that <it>Axl </it>is able to coordinate migration per se and by ChIP and promoter analysis we observe that its transcription is directly driven by AP-2α via the binding to one or more functional AP-2α binding sites present in its regulatory region. Analysis of migration in AP-2α null mouse embryo fibroblasts also reveals an essential role for AP-2α in cell movement via the activation of a distinct genetic programme.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We show that AP-2α plays an essential role in cell movement via the activation of cell-specific genetic programmes. Moreover, we demonstrate that the AP-2α regulated gene <it>Axl </it>is an essential player in GN-11 neuron migration.</p

The meaning of materiality: reconsidering the materiality of Gramscian IR

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