Negotiating urban change. Strategies and tactics of patrimonialization in Hackney Wick, East London

The heritage category function of building collective identity, condensing in specific goods, tangible or intangible, a set of locally significant values and practices, has been often pointed out to show its use in managing relations between the authorities and local communities (Simonicca 2015). This happens nowadays with a particularly conscious approach in urban planning, not only in the practices and rhetorics of institutions, but also in the quotidian experience of people who develop their own informal planning. In this discussion, the heritage arguments become an appropriate tool to handle and shape the change, especially when these processes have a deep impact in the everyday lives of communities and territories, like in cases of gentrification

Il migrante nelle narrazioni quotidiane

I fenomeni d’immigrazione tendono ancora oggi a essere trattati come stati d’eccezione, di cui vanno narrati i momenti più eclatanti (il viaggio, la prima accoglienza) e i cui unici protagonisti sono i migranti stessi; le migrazioni vengono infatti quasi sempre narrate attraverso le azioni di chi si mette in movimento. Lungi dal voler negare la fondamentale importanza di una simile attenzione, ritengo però necessario anche mettere in luce le reazioni da parte degli abitanti dei territori dove i migranti, in maniera più o meno informale, si insediano. Sembra infatti rischioso abbandonare la riflessione sul punto di vista di queste persone, sulle immaginazioni e pratiche che mettono all’opera rispetto alla presenza dell’altro da sé nel territorio; si rischia infatti di lasciare tutto in mano ad agende politiche che cercano di cristallizzare il discorso sui temi dell’identità e della difesa della patria e dei suoi valori. Per queste ragioni, ritengo sia invece fondamentale che il lavoro dei ricercatori si occupi anche di questa prospettiva, per riappropriarsi di queste narrazioni, decostruirle e proporne di nuove. Presenterò quindi i risultati di una ricerca etnografica compiuta all’interno del territorio del III municipio di Roma, dove ho lavorato sull’utilizzo dei dispostivi mobili di comunicazione, internet e i social network, cercando di vedere in che modalità si sviluppassero all’interno di questi habitat discorsi riguardanti il territorio, le sue criticità, le sue qualità e la sua gestione. Non sorprenderà sapere che buona parte di questi discorsi convergono in maniera conflittuale sulla figura dello straniero, la cui rappresentazione ha continuamente luogo all’interno dei vari luoghi di discussioni “immateriali” attraverso una pedissequa narrazione degli effetti che l’arrivo degli immigrati provoca nei quartieri. Attorno a questi resoconti si formano discussioni che pongono ogni volta nuovi confini su cosa e come sia “l’altro”, seguendo due principali filoni narrativi: l’altro come simbolo e colpevole del degrado urbano e dell’impossibilità di un’integrazione, o l’altro “buono e lavoratore”, disposto a veri sacrifici per migliorare il “nostro” territorio e, attraverso questo sacrificio integrarsi. Entrambi questi stereotipi che vengono a formarsi contribuiscono a creare un’immagine distorta tanto dei comportamenti degli immigrati, quanto dei giusti comportamenti da tenere nei loro confronti da parte della popolazione “accogliente”, facendo spesso assurgere ogni comportamento semplicemente corretto a forme di “perbenismo”. L’osservazione di una simile dinamica risulta però fondamentale per comprendere profondamente le motivazioni di comportamenti simili, per quanto possano non piacerci. Attraverso questa comprensione infatti, credo sia possibile individuare le modalità più efficaci di instaurare con gli abitanti una decostruzione condivisa di questi stereotipi, e una costruzione di nuovi modelli di convivenza

Cúpulas clásicas romanas: geometría y construcción

El fenómeno del origen y desarrollo de las cúpulas clásicas romanas es de difícil lectura, si se considera la compleja suma de condiciones que las generaron. Numerosos son los estudios sobre el valor simbólico de las primeras cúpulas con la intención de reconocer su significado formal en la cultura que impulsa su difusión y su lugar en la historia de la arquitectura. Menos frecuentes son los textos que analizan el desarrollo de los sistemas constructivos y de las especiales características geométricas de estas formas. El objetivo del presente trabajo de investigación es realizar un estudio de las geometrías de las cúpulas clásicas romanas de planta circular o poligonal, en directa conexión con los temas más propiamente constructivos que permiten generar estas formas. El levantamiento métrico de estas cúpulas se concibe como herramienta fundamental para poder realizar un análisis comparado en base a datos concretos. En algunos de los casos se aplica el método de la fotogrametría digital para realizar el levantamiento del intradós de las cúpulas, aprovechando las propiedades de versatilidad y agilidad de ejecución de este tipo de restitución. En otros casos se realiza una toma de datos directa para registrar solo alguna medida de referencia, como puede ser el diámetro interno de las cúpulas, considerado un útil parámetro de comparación entre los modelos estudiados. Las conclusiones indican una posible lectura del desarrollo de estas estructuras, que muestran variaciones de materiales, proporciones, tamaño y geometría considerables, formando sin duda un capítulo sorprendente en la historia de la arquitectura romana

Exploiting genetic and genomic resources to increase the ascorbic acid content in the tomato fruit

The wild tomato species such as Solanum pennellii are an important source of genes that were lost during tomato selection and cultivation. The S. pennellii Introgression lines (ILs), which carry defined homozygous segments of the wild genome in the cultivated genetic background of cv.M82, are an important genetic resource to map quantitative traits loci (QTLs), such as those controlling plant yield and fruit quality, and to exploit the genetic diversity present in the wild species. Two introgression lines (IL12-4 and IL7-3) harbouring QTLs for ascorbic acid content were previously identified in the laboratory of Structural and Functional Genomics at the Department of Agricultural Sciences of University of Naples Federico II. These two ILs showed increased content of antioxidant compounds in the fruit compared to the cultivated S. lycopersicum cv. M82. Afterwards, sub-lines with reduced sizes of the introgressed region were obtained from IL7-3 and IL12-4. The first aim of the present thesis was to perform the phenotypic selection and characterization of the S. pennellii sub-lines in different environmental conditions. In the fruit of the different sub-lines, the level of soluble solids content in terms of °Brix, firmness and ascorbic acid was highly variable in three different environmental conditions. The sub-lines R182 and B27, deriving from IL7-3 and IL12-4, respectively, were selected for their better performances in terms of fruit quality since they exhibited a significantly higher firmness, °Brix and ascorbic acid content compared to M82. Moreover, the two sub-lines also showed a production comparable to that of the control line M82 in all the environment conditions tested. The second aim of the present thesis was to identify candidate genes involved in determing the high level of ascorbic acid in the fruit and mapping in the introgressed regions of the sub-lines R182 and B27. Since today the only reference genome used to investigate gene positions and functions in tomato still remains that of the first completely sequenced genome, i.e. that of S. lycopersicum cv. Heinz, the first step to reach this second aim was to reassembly the S. pennellii IL7-3 and IL12-4 genomes. In order to reassemble the genome of M82 and of the ILs, several resources were used. These consisted of Next Generation Sequence resources available today, such as the sequence data of the S. pennellii and different RNA-seq data related to the IL populations. By using an integrated bioinformatic approach a new reference genome and annotation for IL12-4 and the IL7-3 was built. Moreover, to confirm the reliability of the IL7-3 assembly and define the size of S. pennellii introgression region in the sub-line R182, a group of species-specific molecular markers were designed based on polymorphisms found comparing the genomes of the cultivated and the wild species. Finally, to identify candidate genes mapping in the wild regions better defined in the present thesis, a transcriptomic approach with RNA-Seq was carried out. Transcriptome analyses allowed identifying three candidate genes in the two sub-lines: the Solyc12g098480 encoding for the UDP-glucoronic-acid-4-epimerase in the wild introgressed region of B27 and the Solyc07go49310 and Solyc07g049290 corresponding to two Major facilitator superfamily (MFS) proteins in in the wild introgressed region of R182. The third aim of the present thesis was to carry out the functional validation of candidate genes potentially involved in the control of ascorbic acid content in the red ripe fruit. The first gene selected was the UDP-glucoronic-acid-4-epimerase gene mapping in the introgressed region of the sub-line B27. Its role in increasing ascorbic acid in this sub-line fruit was investigated through its over-expression in tomato fruit by stable and transient techniques. In addition, the genotyping and phenotyping evaluation of CRISP/Cas9 knock-out mutants for a non-canonical uORF carried by two GDP-L-galactosephosphorylases (GGP1, Solyc06g073320 and GGP2, Solyc02g091510) allowed demonstrating that these two genes are involved in the regulation of the ascorbate biosynthesis in tomato. In conclusion, the results obtained in the present thesis, allowed selecting two elite sub-lines that in the near future could be used as breeding material to improve tomato fruit for nutritional traits. In addition, the results achieved allowed increasing knowledge about genes involved in the control of ascorbic acid content in tomato fruit. Indeed, three candidate genes were identified exploiting the genomics resources available for tomato, and other two genes have been functionally validated. The transfer of these genes by conventional and innovative strategies will aid in the future the creation of new improved varieties

Adio Kerida: l’identità sefardita nel viaggio di Ruth Behar

International audienceThe purpose of this paper is to examine the travel as a way of identity reconstruction and essential feature of Sephardic identity through the analysis of the documentary film by Ruth Behar, Adio Kerida (2002). The anthropologist reconstructs her own identity and of the whole Cuban Sephardic community through the testimonies collected in her travels. From Behar path emerges a new essential feature of the Sephardic identity: the need to travel through several homelands not recognizing any place as home

A comparison between ecological-dynamic and cognitive approach to improve accuracy in basketball shot

Background The shot is a fundamental skill in basketball that requires high accuracy, because is the tool by which players translate their team's offensive actions into points. Basketball is one of the most practiced situational sports in physical education hours in schools. However, it is still mostly teaching according to a traditional, prescriptive-based model. The aim of the study was to compare prescriptive teaching with ecological-dynamic learning for improving shooting accuracy in a group of 3rd year high school students. Methods The sample is made up of 32 students (16 ± 0.72) divided into 2 groups: Group A, consisting of 16 students who were administered a training protocol based on the ecological-dynamic approach, and Group B, consisting of 16 students, who followed a cognitive approach. The close range shooting test was administered in and out to test the students' level of shooting accuracy. A t test for paired dependent samples was performed for each group to test which of the two groups had the greater improvement. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results The results were statistically significant in both cases (p < 0.05); however, group A had a greater improvement in shooting accuracy than group B. Conclusion The ecological-dynamic approach was able to improve accuracy in shot more than the cognitive approach in a group of high school students

Machine learning techniques to forecast non-linear trends in smart environments

L'abstract è presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen

Whether Undistributed Chapter 13 Payment Plan Funds Held By a Chapter 13 Trustee Should Be Distributed to the Debtor or the Debtor’s Creditors After Conversion from Chapter 13 to Chapter 7

(Excerpt) Qualified individuals seeking to reorganize their debts may file under Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. Under chapter 13, a debtor makes payments according to a court approved payment plan, which is administered by a chapter 13 trustee, and remains in possession of all the property of the estate. Once a debtor makes all his payments under the chapter 13 payment plan, he has a right to seek a discharge, provided that he meets certain requirements. These requirements include that the debtor: (1) certifying that he paid all domestic support obligations prior to the certification being made; (2) received no discharge in any case previously filed within a statutorily prescribed amount of time; and (3) completed a course in financial management. Despite the advantages of filing under chapter 13, these plans often fail when debtors can no longer make payments under the chapter 13 plan. In these situations, debtors may ask the court to dismiss their case, or they may convert their case from chapter 13 to chapter 7. A dismissal of a chapter 13 case essentially voids the bankruptcy filing, and therefore, creditors may proceed with any collection activities against the debtors. Upon conversion to a chapter 7 case, however, a chapter 7 trustee is assigned to administer the chapter 7 case and liquidate a debtor’s nonexempt assets to pay the creditors. At the same time, the chapter 13 trustee winds up. Notably, undistributed post-petition funds paid by the debtor to the chapter 13 trustee are not included in the chapter 7 estate, but the Bankruptcy Code does not expressly state, and courts have not agreed on, how those funds should be treated

CT-based tumour response criteria compared after combined treatment for liver metastases of colorectal cancer

open6noPurpose: The aim of this analysis is to compare different tumour response criteria (TRC) after chemotherapy combined with bevacizumab in liver metastases from colorectal cancer (mCRC) to ascertain the best early prognostic indicator of response. Methods and Materials: 103 target liver metastases from 65 mCRC patients treated with chemoterapy plus bevacizumab were examined at the Istituto Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCSS (March 2008-January 2013). All patients had baseline CT and at least one follow-up scan. Tumour response was retrospectively analyzed by two radiologists using RECIST1.1, modified Choi, and Chun morphologic criteria. Tumour response, classified as good (complete or partial response) or poor (stable or progressive disease), was compared with progression-free survival (PFS) at first follow-up (t1) and time of best response. Interobserver agreement and concordance between TRC were measured. Results: At t1, 32.31% showed a good response according to RECIST1.1 (median PFS 11.1), 84.62% according to Choi (median PFS 10.8). These percentages rose to 49.23% (median PFS 12.1) and 87.69% (median PFS 10.8), respectively, at the time of best response. According to Chun, 67.69% showed a good response at the time of best response (median PFS 10.8). The Choi criteria detected a higher proportion of good responders at t1, showing a better correlation with PFS; all methods correlated with PFS at the time of best response. Conclusion: The Choi criteria proved more consistent in the early detection of response in mCRC treated with chemotherapy plus bevacizumab, underscoring the importance of using these criteria in the early assessment of response to combined treatment.openopenVarotto, A.; Di Grazia, L.; Aliberti, C.; Bergamo, F.; Nardin, M.; Pomerri, F.Varotto, A.; Di Grazia, L.; Aliberti, C.; Bergamo, F.; Nardin, M.; Pomerri, Fabi

A Spatio-Temporal Examination of Canada’s Domestic Merger Activity, 1971-1991.

Cette étude examine les relations entre les centres urbains canadiens (régions métropolitaines de recensement) en ce qui a trait au phénomène de fusion d'entreprises pour les années 1971,1976,1981 et 1991. Une analyse loglinéaire décrivant les flux spatiaux pour ces années permet d'établir que les villes de Toronto, Montréal, Calgary et Vancouver connaissent le plus grand nombre de fusions du point de vue des entreprises achetées ou acheteuses.This study examines the relationship of Canada's urban centres (Census metropolitan areas), with respect to domestic merger activity for the years 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986 and 1991. Log-linear analysis is employed to provide a descriptive examination of the spatial merger flows for the years in question. It has been determined that from an acquiring and acquired firm perspective, Toronto, Montréal, Calgary and Vancouver, were the cities where the greatest number of merger activity was conducted