Vittorio Alfieri’s tormented relationship with Aeschylus: Agamennone between Tradition and Innovation

In 1783, Vittorio Alfieri, one of the most prominent cultural figures of 18th-century Italy, published his first tragedies, amongst which both Agamennone and Oreste. Standing between humanistic freedom when dealing with the ancients and his rationalistic world, Alfieri endeavors to expand and question the linguistic, theatrical and political limits of Italian theatre, challenging his contemporaries with a new notion of the tragic. Particularly interesting is his Agamemnon, which stands out as a new Italian classic: its contemporary strength originates from an emulation of Aeschylus’ homonymous play, which he reads through Brumoy’s Théâtre des Grecs, and of Seneca’s Agamemnon, which the critics have always been prone to recognize as Alfieri’s main source. However true this might be on a superficial (and linguistic) level, I will argue that Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, via Brumoy, plays as essential a role in the creation of Alfieri’s masterpiece as Seneca’s tragedy. The craggy Aeschylean representation of the gods and fixity of the characters are transposed on the figure of Clytemnestra, becoming tyrannical inner forces: in other words, Aeschylus’ play converts into a tragedy about the inner tyranny that our psyches exert on ourselves, an interpretation that will enjoy widespread appreciation throughout the centuries. In the history of the reception of ancient drama in Early Modern Europe, Alfieri stands at the end of the chain: a hybrid figure, anchored to the ancients, yet inevitably imbued with modern anxiety

Luis Alfaro, The Greek Trilogy of Luis Alfaro. 231 Edited by Rosa Andújar. London: Methuen Drama series, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020, pp. 304

The much-acclaimed and award-winning Griego (‘Greek’) trilogy of Chicanx and Latinx performance artist, playwright, writer and social activist Luis Alfaro is published for the very first time in an edition by Rosa Andújar (King’s College London) for the Methuen Drama series (Bloomsbury, 2020). Equipped with Andújar’s excellent introduction to Alfaro’s work generally and to each adaptation, plus a production history and interview with Alfaro, this book not only makes the scripts of three very successful plays available for the first time for everyone, but also presents a unique and fascinating way of engaging with the ancient Greek dramas of which Alfaro’s plays are adaptations, something that Andújar repeatedly highlights in the introductions. These adaptations, Andújar comments, are already beginning to “chart a new course for the three most popular Greek figures [Electra, Oedipus, Medea] onto the US stage” (6)

Indigenous and introduced species of the Bemisia tabaci complex in sweet potato crops from Argentina

La batata (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) es uno de los cultivos más importantes en el mundo. Recientemente se observó una severa sintomatología viral en cultivos de la región pampeana argentina, en la que están identificados begomovirus y crinivirus, ambos transmitidos exclusivamente por mosca blanca. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar las especies de B. tabaci en cultivos de batata en Colonia Caroya, mediante el análisis de secuencias mitocondriales de la citocromo oxidasa subunidad I (mtCOI). Se identificaron dos haplotipos (especies crípticas) ya descriptos en el mundo: New World2 (especie nativa) y MEAM1 (especie introducida). Los resultados indican la presencia de ambas especies, las cuales son potenciales vectores de begomovirus y crinivirus en batata en Argentina.Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) is one of the most important crops worldwide. Recently, the appearance of severe viral symptoms has been observed in sweet potato crops in the pampas region of Argentina and both begomovirus and crinivirus, exclusively transmitted by whiteflies, have been identified. The aim of this study was to identify B. tabaci species from sweet potato crops in Colonia Caroya by analysing mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) sequences. Two previously described haplotypes were identified: New World2 (indigenous species) and MEAM1 (introduced species). The results indicate the presence of both species, which are potential vectors of begomovirus and crinivirus in Argentina.Fil: Alemandri, V.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Patología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Martino, Julia Andrea. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Patología Vegetal; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Di Feo, Liliana del Valle. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Patología Vegetal; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Truol, G.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Patología Vegetal; Argentin

Nanoparticle Dynamics in Oxide-Based Memristive Devices

In microelectronics a device's functionality is shaped by its interfaces. While classical semiconductor research aimed for preparation of nearly ideal interfaces, the emerging paradigm is that new functionalities can arise from interfaces with less perfection. Memristive devices rely on the control of such less-perfect interfaces. They are the building blocks for a new range of applications, including new memory and logic architectures and neuromorphic computing. Research on memristive systems and applications demands an interdisciplinary approach across disciplines including solid-state physics, electrochemistry and biochemistry. Advanced metrology is the key for a better understanding and finally a better control of such interfaces and novel device technologies. In this featured article we highlight such recent advances in characterization and the understanding of electrochemical reactions on the (sub-) nanoscale and the dynamics of the nanoparticles and clusters involved during operation of memristive devices acting as a model system. We focus particularly on in operando real time monitoring of the memristive switching effect by transmission electron microscopy and a novel plasmon enhanced spectroscopy method

Reconstructing Late Quaternary Paleovalley Systems of Italy Through mHVSR: A Tool for Seismic Hazard Assessment in Modern Coastal Lowlands

Effective site characterization in highly urbanized coastal lowlands requires accurate stratigraphic and geophysical investigations. In these regions, which typically host shallowly buried paleovalley systems formed in response to Quaternary glacio-eustatic fluctuations, the marked lithologic contrast between soft sediment paleovalley fills and the adjacent, stiff substrate has the potential to modify earthquake motions, and assessment of critical parameters, such as shear wave velocities (VS) and resonance frequencies (f), should be coupled with detailed stratigraphic architecture. To evaluate the potential of the microtremor horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (mHVSR) for paleovalley recognition and mapping, we performed mHVSR measurements along the Adriatic coastal plain of Italy, where two paleovalley systems (Pescara and Manfredonia) have been recently identified. In both areas, we detected rapid lateral variations in resonance frequencies and highlighted laterally continuous impedance contrasts. Relying on a robust stratigraphic framework, we carefully evaluated the relation between geological and geophysical data and identified the stratigraphic surfaces responsible for the observed resonances. We derived VS models for the sediment fill, reconstructing the geometry of the two buried paleovalleys. We address the importance of evaluating the geological context when designing microzonation studies, for a reliable interpretation of changes in resonance frequencies.When earthquakes occur, buildings shake differently based on several factors, including seismic wave velocity, natural resonance frequencies, and local geological characteristics. Beneath modern coastal lowlands, the presence of paleovalley systems can significantly modify the ground motion. Identification of these buried bodies is therefore essential to assess and reduce seismic hazard. Paleovalleys are shallow incisions formed under periods of fluvial erosion in response to Quaternary climate fluctuations, and subsequently filled with very soft clay. These bodies are found worldwide, and do not have any geomorphological evidence, making their recognition challenging. Geologists typically use expensive sediment core analysis to identify paleovalleys, but this method can only provide spotty information. Geophysical exploration techniques that rely on microtremors (small vibrations on the Earth) can complement mapping of these buried bodies. In this work, we tested this technique in Pescara and Mafredonia (Adriatic coastal plain, Italy), providing dense information about paleovalley geometries and geophysical parameters crucial for predicting how the ground will shake during an earthquake. This study also highlights the importance of integrating disciplines to improve our understanding of subsoil and to design future studies to mitigate seismic hazards.Paleovalley fills are key sediment bodies made up of soft clay, tens of m thick and few km wide, buried beneath coastal lowlands worldwideMicrotremor-based paleovalley profiles and stratigraphic cross-sections exhibit strong similarityMicrotremor can provide shear wave velocities and resonance frequencies of paleovalleys, key parameters for seismic hazard mitigatio

Fuzzy Functions, Relations, and Fuzzy Transforms (2012)

Fuzzy functions, fuzzy relations, and fuzzy transforms are applied to fuzzy systems and like in the first issue published in 2011, here these terms must be intended in general sense. Indeed, the topics concerning fuzzy optimizations with fuzzy functions and relations (including also clustering and PSO algorithms), applications of fuzzy relations/transforms to fusion images, and detection coarse grained fuzzy association rules in the datasets and fuzzy convex processes are dealt with widely in this second issue. The contents of any single paper are resumed in the following sequel

Paediatric ambulatory care sensitive hospitalisation and Italian deprivation index. Retrospective multilevel analysis of administrative data from 2008 to 2018 in the Abruzzo Region (Southern Italy)

OBJECTIVES: to estimate and analyse the trend of paediatric hospitalisations for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs) from 2008 to 2018 in a region of southern Italy and to assess the association with the socio-economic deprivation index (DI). DESIGN: retrospective observational study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: ACSC hospitalisations in children (<=18 years) were identified. Discharges for ACSC of the Abruzzo Region from 2008 to 2018 were selected and the deprivation index of the municipality of residence was assigned to the hospital discharge record where the patient's residence was reported. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: the rate of paediatric preventable admissions (PPHs) related to ACSC, standardized by age and gender with the direct method, was calculated for the years of observation. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) was calculated with a trend analysis. In addition, the odds ratios (ORs) of hospitalisation for ACSC were calculated using a hierarchical logistic regression model. RESULTS: 252,513 hospitalisations were examined, of which 16,264 (6.4%) attributable to ACSC. During the study period, the hospitalisation rate decreased from 8.59 per 1,000 to 6.12 per 1,000 residents, with an AAPC of -3.7, which was statistically significant (p<0.05). Furthermore, an association was highlighted between hospitalisations related to ACSC and the deprivation of the municipality of residence. Using as a comparison people residing in the municipalities belonging to the first quintile, the least deprived, the strength of the association between PPHs and DI increased from the third quintile (OR 1.13; CI95% 1.02-1.24) up to the fifth quintile, most deprived (OR 1.14; CI95% 1.01-1.30). CONCLUSIONS: paediatric patients residing in Abruzzo have a risk of undergoing a preventable hospitalisation associated with an ACSC which depends on the deprivation index of the municipality of residence. Although it is difficult to evaluate the mechanisms involved in the relationship between economic deprivation and hospitalisation, DI can be useful to identify the areas which are most at risk on which to prioritize public health interventions

Three years field trials to assess the effect of kaolin made particles and copper on olive-fruit fly (B.oleae Gmelin) infestations in Sicily

In most countries of Mediterranean Basin, Bactrocera oleae (Gmel), the olive fruit fly, is the key pest insect on olives. In Sicily this pest causes losses of fruits and a poor quality olive oil. Many researchers have recently carried out some field studies which were based on the use of kaolin and copper against the olive-fruit fly. In the last years these products have been effective several times in reducing olive fly infestation. Kaolin had, also, some important effect in reducing heat-stress in fruit crops and olive-trees. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of kaolin and copper treatment on olive infestations in Sicily and to evaluate chemical and sensory parameters of oils extracted. For this reason, within 2003-2005, the IX Servizio of Assessorato Regionale Agricoltura e Foreste, selected some olive groves where to carry out trials with kaolin and copper and to realize information and divulgation activities

The Multifaceted Activity of the VirF Regulatory Protein in the Shigella Lifestyle

Shigella is a highly adapted human pathogen, mainly found in the developing world and causing a severe enteric syndrome. The highly sophisticated infectious strategy of Shigella banks on the capacity to invade the intestinal epithelial barrier and cause its inflammatory destruction. The cellular pathogenesis and clinical presentation of shigellosis are the sum of the complex action of a large number of bacterial virulence factors mainly located on a large virulence plasmid (pINV). The expression of pINV genes is controlled by multiple environmental stimuli through a regulatory cascade involving proteins and sRNAs encoded by both the pINV and the chromosome. The primary regulator of the virulence phenotype is VirF, a DNA-binding protein belonging to the AraC family of transcriptional regulators. The virF gene, located on the pINV, is expressed only within the host, mainly in response to the temperature transition occurring when the bacterium transits from the outer environment to the intestinal milieu. VirF then acts as anti-H-NS protein and directly activates the icsA and virB genes, triggering the full expression of the invasion program of Shigella. In this review we will focus on the structure of VirF, on its sophisticated regulation, and on its role as major player in the path leading from the non-invasive to the invasive phenotype of Shigella. We will address also the involvement of VirF in mechanisms aimed at withstanding adverse conditions inside the host, indicating that this protein is emerging as a global regulator whose action is not limited to virulence systems. Finally, we will discuss recent observations conferring VirF the potential of a novel antibacterial target for shigellosis