Soft Skills Identification for Guidance and Job Placement. Presentation of the Project UNIMC (Macerata University) for Soft Skills

The issue of recognition, validation and certification of skills, especially those developed in non-formal and informal fields, is becoming a current topic for all educative institutions, including University. Soft skills is a psycho-sociological term relating to a cluster of personality traits, social abilities, communication, language, personal attitudes that characterize relationships with other people. Soft skills complement hard skills which are the occupational requirements of a job and many other activities. In Italy the legal framework on skills is leaded by the Legislative Decree n. 13/13. According to the Decree, University should assure the effective implementation of lifelong learning through guidance and counselling services. The University of Macerata (UNIMC) has been involved from a long time in the field of soft skills with many activities, formal as well as informal and non-formal. A system to recognize and validate them has been experienced in the last years. The objective of the paper is to describe the designed procedures aimed to the recognition and validation of soft skills such as observation, active listening, communication in small group and problem solving. Each skill was operationalized through the identification of specific indicators to recognize three level of expertise: basic, intermediate, advanced. Moreover several tasks were tested in order to identify a set of activities useful for the aim of a kind of formal recognition

Gut microbiota profiles and characterization of cultivable fungal isolates in IBS patients

Studies so far conducted on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have been focused mainly on the role of gut bacterial dysbiosis in modulating the intestinal permeability, inflammation, and motility, with consequences on the quality of life. Limited evidences showed a potential involvement of gut fungal communities. Here, the gut bacterial and fungal microbiota of a cohort of IBS patients have been characterized and compared with that of healthy subjects (HS). The IBS microbial community structure differed significantly compared to HS. In particular, we observed an enrichment of bacterial taxa involved in gut inflammation, such as Enterobacteriaceae, Streptococcus, Fusobacteria, Gemella, and Rothia, as well as depletion of health-promoting bacterial genera, such as Roseburia and Faecalibacterium. Gut microbial profiles in IBS patients differed also in accordance with constipation. Sequence analysis of the gut mycobiota showed enrichment of Saccharomycetes in IBS. Culturomics analysis of fungal isolates from feces showed enrichment of Candida spp. displaying from IBS a clonal expansion and a distinct genotypic profiles and different phenotypical features when compared to HS of Candida albicans isolates. Alongside the well-characterized gut bacterial dysbiosis in IBS, this study shed light on a yet poorly explored fungal component of the intestinal ecosystem, the gut mycobiota. Our results showed a differential fungal community in IBS compared to HS, suggesting potential for new insights on the involvement of the gut mycobiota in IBS. KEY POINTS: Comparison of gut microbiota and mycobiota between IBS and healthy subjects Investigation of cultivable fungi in IBS and healthy subjects Candida albicans isolates result more virulent in IBS subjects compared to healthy subjects

Energy Innovative Start-ups and Knowledge-based Strategies: The Italian Case

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the energy innovative start-ups currently existing in Italy. An investigation on whether those firms are able to implement a knowledge-based strategy (KS) is described: in particular, it is a strategy based on a high investment in qualified human resources and, in general, this is reflected in the fact that the company adopting a KS pays its employees more than the average of other companies belonging to the same sector. Furthermore the ability to generate a return on the investment in knowledge is analyzed. A methodology already proposed in other papers by the same authors was applied in order to identify firms that adopt a KS understanding also the sustainability of such kind of strategy. A discussion on how firms that do not implement a profitable knowledge-based strategy can improve and consolidate their position in terms of knowledge is proposed. Keywords: Energy innovative start-ups, knowledge-based strategy, human capital efficiency, value creation JEL Classifications: M13, M20, M41, O32, O34 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.792

Estudo de materialidades em movimento : um recorte do processo de “Um tango em clave”

O presente artigo tem por objetivo compreender de que forma a relação entre o corpo e o objeto poderia ser alçada pela perspectiva de diálogo a dois, sendo o objeto uma matéria vibrante. Dessa forma, através da abordagem metodólogica da empatia cinestésica, foi sendo construída uma escrita da experiência que se constitui entre os textos teóricos e as anotações de uma das artistas pesquisadoras. Sendo assim, este artigo aponta os elementos presentes nesta experiência incorporada refletindo sobre as potências da materialidade durante o evento-movido.The present article aims understand how the relationship between body and object could be build from the dialog of the partners perspective, assuming that the object are vibrant matter. In this way the methodological approach kinesthetic empathy help to create a writing of experience that was made of theory texts and notes from one of the artists researcher. Therefore, this article points from the elements of these embodied experience reflecting the materiality potentials during the movement-event

Secondary Stroke Prevention in Women

In a meta-analysis of results from 21 randomized trials comparing antiplatelet therapy with placebo in 18,270 patients with prior stroke or transient ischemic attack, antiplatelet therapy was associated with a 28% relative odds reduction in nonfatal strokes and a 16% reduction in fatal strokes, while another trial for secondary prevention with atorvastastin 80 mg showed a 16% risk reduction in time to first occurrence of stroke (adjusted hazard ratio: 0·84, 95% CI: 0·71–0·99). However, few studies have examined the sex differences regarding the efficacy of these treatments. Specifically, recent studies have reported higher rates of perioperative complications during endarterectomy in women. Nonetheless, to date, the data on the effects of carotid artery stenting in women, coming from diverse studies and meta-analyses, have been limited owing to the small number of female patients examined. Owing to this, the evidence of the benefit for women is unclear. Peculiar pathophysiological aspects of stroke, the h..

A Preliminary Study on Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Staphylococcus spp. and Enterococcus spp. Grown on Mannitol Salt Agar in European Wild Boar ( Sus scrofa) Hunted in Campania Region-Italy

The importance of wild boar lies in its role as a bioindicator for the control of numerous zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases, including antibiotic resistance. Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA) is a selective medium used for isolation, enumeration, and differentiation of pathogenic staphylococci. Other genera such as Enterococcus spp. are also salt tolerant and able to grow on MSA. The present study focused on the identification, by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), of bacteria grown on MSA isolated from the nasal cavities of 50 healthy wild boars hunted in Campania Region (southern Italy) in the year 2019. In addition, the antimicrobial resistance phenotype of the isolated strains was determined by disk diffusion method. Among genus Staphylococcus, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) were the most common isolated species, with Staphylococcus xylosus as the most prevalent species (33.3%). Furthermore, Enterococcus spp. strains were isolated, and Enterococcus faecalis was the species showing the highest frequency of isolation (93.8%). For staphylococci, high levels of resistance to oxacillin (93.3%) were recorded. Differently, they exhibited low frequencies of resistance to tested non-β-lactams antibiotics. Among enterococci, the highest resistances were observed for penicillin (93.7%), followed by ampicillin (75%), and ciprofloxacin (68.7%). Interestingly, 43.7% of the isolated strains were vancomycin-resistant. In conclusion, this study reports the phenotypic antibiotic resistance profiles of Staphylococcus spp. and Enterococcus spp. strains isolated from nasal cavities of wild boars hunted in Campania Region, highlighting that these wild animals are carriers of antibiotic resistant bacteria

Long-Term Results of Radiofrequency Energy Delivery for the Treatment of GERD: Results of a Prospective 48-Month Study

Since 2000, radiofrequency (RF) energy treatment has been increasingly offered as an alternative option to invasive surgical procedures for selected patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Out of 69 patients treated since June 2002 to December 2007 with the Stretta procedure, 56 of them reached by the end of 2010 a 48-month followup. RF treatment significantly improved heartburn scores, GERD-specific quality of life scores, and general quality of life scores at 24 and 48 months in 52 out of 56 patients (92,8%). At each control time both mean heartburn and GERD HRQL scores decreased (P = 0.001 and P = 0.003, resp.) and both mental SF-36 and physical SF-36 ameliorated (P = 0.001 and 0.05, resp.). At 48 months, 41 out of 56 patients (72,3%) were completely off PPIs. Morbidity was minimal, with only one relevant but transient complication. According to other literature data, this study shows that RF delivery to LES is safe and durably improves symptoms and quality of life in well-selected GERD patients

Th Inducing POZ-Kruppel Factor (ThPOK) Is a Key Regulator of the Immune Response since the Early Steps of Colorectal Carcinogenesis

We purposed to evaluate the role of Th inducing POZ-Kruppel Factor (ThPOK), a transcriptional regulator of T cell fate, in tumour-induced immune system plasticity in colorectal carcinogenesis. The amounts of CD4+, CD8+ and CD56+ and ThPOK+ cells infiltrate in normal colorectal mucosa (NM), in dysplastic aberrant crypt foci (microadenomas, MA), the earliest detectable lesions in colorectal carcinogenesis, and in colorectal carcinomas (CRC), were measured, and the colocalization of ThPOK with the above-mentioned markers of immune cells was evaluated using confocal microscopy. Interestingly, ThPOK showed a prominent increase since MA. A strong colocalization of ThPOK with CD4 both in NM and in MA was observed, weaker in carcinomas. Surprisingly, there was a peak in the colocalization levels of ThPOK with CD8 in MA, which was evident, although to a lesser extent, in carcinomas, too. In conclusion, according to the data of the present study, ThPOK may be considered a central regulator of the earliest events in the immune system during colorectal cancer development, decreasing the immune response against cancer cells

IL-13 mRNA tissue content identifies two subsets of adult ulcerative colitis patients with different clinical and mucosa-associated microbiota profiles

BACKGROUND AND AIM: A personalized approach to therapy has great promise to improve disease outcomes. To this end, the identification of different subsets of patients according with the prevalent pathogenic process might guide in the choice of therapeutic strategy. We hypothesize that UC patients might be stratified according to distinctive cytokine profiles and/or to a specific mucosa-associated microbiota. METHODS: In a cohort of clinically and endoscopic active UC patients and controls, we analyzed by qPCR the mucosal cytokine mRNA content and the mucosa-associated microbiota composition assessed by the 16SrRNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: We demonstrate, by means of data-driven approach, the existence of a specific UC patient subgroup characterized by elevated IL-13mRNA tissue content separated by patients with low IL-13 mRNA tissue content. The two subsets differ in clinical-pathological characteristics. High IL-13mRNA patients are younger at diagnosis and show higher prevalence of extensive colitis than low IL-13mRNA ones. They also show a more frequent use of steroid/immunosuppressant/anti-TNFα therapy during a one-year follow-up. The two subgroups show a differential enrichment of mucosa associated microbiota genera with prevalence of Prevotella in patients with high IL-13mRNA tissue content and Sutterella and Acidaminococcus in patients with low IL-13mRNA tissue content. CONCLUSION: Assessment of mucosal IL-13mRNA might help in the identification of the patients' subgroup that might benefit from a therapeutic approach modulating IL-13

Pleiotropic actions of melatonin in testicular peritubular myoid cells of immature Syrian hamsters

Background: Peritubular myoid cells are emerging as key regulators of testicular function in adulthood. However, little is known about the role of testicular peritubular myoid cells (TPMCs) in the development of the male gonad. We found that, compared to testes of young adult hamsters, gonads of 21 day-old animals show increased melatonin concentration, seminiferous tubular wall thickening and a heterogeneous packaging of its collagen fibers thus raising the question whether melatonin may be involved in the regulation of TPMCs. Methods: We established primary cultures of TPMCs from immature hamsters (ihaTPMCs), which we found express melatonergic receptors. Results: Exogeneous melatonin decreased the levels of inflammatory markers (NLRP3 inflammasome, IL1β) but increased the expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2, key enzyme mediating prostaglandin synthesis) and of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in ihaTPMCs. Melatonin also stimulated ihaTPMCs proliferation and the expression of extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen type I and IV. Furthermore, collagen gel contraction assays revealed an enhanced ability of ihaTPMCs to contract in the presence of melatonin. Conclusion: Melatonin regulates immune and inflammatory functions as well as contractile phenotype of the peritubular wall in the hamster testis. General significance: If transferable to the in vivo situation, melatonin-dependent induction of ihaTPMCs to produce factors known to exert paracrine effects in other somatic cell populations of the gonad suggests that the influence of melatonin may go beyond the peritubular wall and indicates its contribution to testicular development and the establishment of a normal and sustainable spermatogenesis.Fil: Riviere, Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Rossi, Soledad Paola. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Departamento de Bioquímica Humana. Cátedra de Química Biologica; ArgentinaFil: Tavalieri, Yamil Ezequiel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Muñoz de Toro, Monica Milagros. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Calandra, Ricardo Saul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Mayerhofer, Artur. Ludwig Maximilians Universitat; AlemaniaFil: Matzkin, Maria Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Departamento de Bioquímica Humana. Cátedra de Química Biologica; ArgentinaFil: Frungieri, Monica Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentin