The Problem of Multimodality: What Data-Driven Research Can Tell Us About Online Writing Practices

This article investigates the writing mode, multimodal aspects, and folksonomic elements of digital composition gathered from a WordPress-based ePortfolio platform. Focusing on the student perspective, data was gathered through both surveys of first year students and text analysis of digital compositions in order to produce quantitative results that can be replicated and aggregated. This research demonstrates the impact of assignment design and platform affordances on student composition practices. Results show that incoming students do not fit the “digital native” myth, nor are they prepared to engage in digital scholarship at the college level without significant guidance and specific requirements that scaffold digital work

Positive selection of hearing loss candidate genes,based on multiple microarray platforms experiments and data mining

2006/2007Secondo le stime del World Health Organization, le perdite uditive colpiscono circa 278 milioni di persone in tutto il mondo. Approssimativamente 1 bambino ogni 100, nasce con problemi d’udito. Nonostante l’identificazione negli ultimi 10 anni di più di 100 loci genetici associati a fenotipi di perdita uditiva, non tutti i corrispettivi geni causativi sono stati identificati. Normalmente utilizzando un approccio sperimentale di linkage tradizionale non è sempre possibile identificare un intervallo genomico sufficientemente corto da essere analizzato per la ricerca di mutazioni. Il lavoro presentato in questa tesi ha lo scopo di selezionare un set limitato di geni potenzialmente coinvolti nelle perdite uditive non sindromiche, utilizzando la combinazione di un approccio biologico e bioinformatico. Il punto di partenza dell’analisi è stato il gene GJB2. Il gene GJB2 codifica la Connessina 26, proteina coinvolta nella formazione delle gap junction tra le cellule, ma anche implicata in più del 50% dei casi di perdite uditive non sindromiche. Per questa ragione è stato suggerito un ruolo chiave nella biologia dell’orecchio, che va oltre la sua funzione di proteina canale. In questa tesi è stato esaminato il profilo d’espressione genica di cellule HeLa transfettate con la forma naturale e con delle forme mutate della Connessina26. Le analisi dei dati hanno identificato numerosi geni differenzialmente espressi e si è quindi deciso di passare ad un approccio informatico per ridurne il numero. Questa analisi ha permesso di identificare 19 geni in 11 loci privi di geni causativi selezionandoli in base alla loro espressione rispetto librerie di cDNA prodotte da orecchio. Sono stati quindi identificati i geni omologhi in topo per 5 dei 19 geni, con lo scopo di verificare la loro rilevanza con la perdita uditiva. Per tutti questi 5 geni è stata confermata l’espressione nell’organo di corti in topo e con Real-time RT-PCR nelle linee cellulari transfettate impiegate negli esperimenti di microarray. Il progetto proseguirà ora con lo screening di mutazioni nei geni candidati in famiglie di pazienti selezionate.According to WHO estimates hearing impairment affects 278 million people worldwide. Approximately 1/1000 children are born with a significant hearing impairment. To date approximately 100 genetic loci involved in deafness have been described. Despite the fact that such a large number of genetic locations associated with deafness phenotypes are known, not all the genes involved have been identified yet. Using a traditional linkage approach, however, it is not always possible to map a locus to intervals short enough to be amenable for costly mutation analysis. So far no more than 40 deafness genes have been identified and these encode very heterogeneous proteins. The work presented in this thesis aims to identify a limited set of candidate genes with high potential to be involved in Non-Syndromic Hearing Loss using a combination of biological and bioinformatics approaches. The starting point of the analysis was the GJB2 gene. The GJB2 gene encodes for the gap junction protein Connexin26 and is responsible for more than half of the non-syndromic hearing loss cases. For this reason it has been proposed that this protein might play a wider role in the biology of the ear, beyond its mere channel function. I therefore performed whole genome expression profiles of HeLa cells transfected with the wild type form of the GJB2 gene and compared them to that of cells transfected with mutant forms of this gene to shed light on its function. Initially this experiment yielded a bewildering number of differentially expressed genes (4,984). Thus I devised an in silico strategy to narrow down this number, focusing on genes which were positionally linked to specific non-syndromic hereditary hearing loss conditions, as well as found within human ear cDNA libraries, thus potentially causative of the disease. This further analysis yielded 19 genes within 11 loci. In order to assess their relevance to hearing loss, the mouse homologs of these genes were identified for 5 of them and indeed they were all found to be expressed in the mouse organ of corti. These five genes were also validated by Real-time RT-PCR in the human cell line used for the microarray experiments.197

Is immunotherapy an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease?

Immunotherapy in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is rapidly becoming a hot topic of modern geriatric and clinical gerontology. Current views see immunization with Aβ peptide, the amyloidogenic protein found in senile plaque of AD patient's brains, or the infusion of preformed antibody specific for human Aβ, as possible therapeutic approaches to improve the cognitive status in the disease. Animal models of the disease have provided positive results from both approaches. Thus, an initial clinical trial using immunization with human Aβ in AD patients was started, but then shortly halted because of an unusually high incidence (6%) of meningoencephalitis. A long and currently ongoing debate in the scientific community about the pro or contra of vaccination or passive immunization with Aβ in AD is thereafter started. Here, the authors would like to stress few points of concern regarding these approaches in clinical practice

Hepatitis C virus NS5A targets the nucleosome assembly protein NAP1L1 to control the innate cellular response

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA hepatotropic virus. Despite cellular defenses, HCV is able to replicate in hepatocytes and to establish a chronic infection that could lead to severe complications and hepatocellular carcinoma. An important player in subverting the host response to HCV infection is the viral non-structural protein NS5A that, in addition to its role in replication and assembly, targets several pathways involved in the cellular response to viral infection. Several unbiased screens identified the nucleosome-assembly protein 1-like 1 (NAP1L1) as an interaction partner of HCV NS5A. Here we confirm this interaction and map it to the C-terminus of NS5A of both genotype 1 and 2. NS5A sequesters NAP1L1 in the cytoplasm blocking its nuclear translocation. However, only NS5A from genotype 2 HCV, but not from genotype 1, targets NAP1L1 for proteosomal-mediated degradation. NAP1L1 is a nuclear chaperone involved in chromatin remodeling and we demonstrate the NAP1L1-dependent regulation of specific pathways involved in cellular responses to viral infection and cell survival. Among those we show that lack of NAP1L1 leads to a decrease of RELA protein levels and a strong defect of IRF3 TBK1/IKKϵ-mediated phosphorylation leading to inefficient RIG-I and TLR3 responses. Hence, HCV is able to modulate the host cell environment by targeting NAP1L1 through NS5A

Drivers and barriers to a green economy. A review of selected balkan countries

Abstract Balkan countries typically share remarkable similarities in culture and history. However, this specific region received little academic attention and produced fewer scholarly deals with the green economy. Our intended purpose is to gather the most recent literature on the green economy about Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are also produced in local Universities and show that these countries possess the potential for an easy green conversion despite barriers and lack of sufficient motivation; The first two countries as mentioned above are members of the EU, while the other two have an EU candidate status. We obtained national experts' opinions and policy recommendations through a Scopus database search (mostly) 2015–2020. Through a SWOT analysis matrix, we gather evidence of both internal and external pushes. The first push is the role of national institutions and consumers; the latter is the EU's considerable influence, which provides essential incentives to carefully foster alignment with European regulatory standards. The internal push typically bears more social responsibility in shaping domestic policies and going green. In Croatia and Slovenia, the transition towards a greener economy goes ahead positively; in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Slovenia, the lack of adequate policies and awareness (among people and companies) and the inefficient allocation of external resources remain barriers to such a greener transition. These Balkan countries deserve more attention in the academic literature, both theoretical and empirical, thanks to their unexploited green potential, which could help policymakers make their countries greener

Predictive diagnostics and personalized medicine for the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases

Progressive increase of mean age and life expectancy in both industrialized and emerging societies parallels an increment of chronic degenerative diseases (CDD) such as cancer, cardiovascular, autoimmune or neurodegenerative diseases among the elderly. CDD are of complex diagnosis, difficult to treat and absorbing an increasing proportion in the health care budgets worldwide. However, recent development in modern medicine especially in genetics, proteomics, and informatics is leading to the discovery of biomarkers associated with different CDD that can be used as indicator of disease’s risk in healthy subjects. Therefore, predictive medicine is merging and medical doctors may for the first time anticipate the deleterious effect of CDD and use markers to identify persons with high risk of developing a given CDD before the clinical manifestation of the diseases. This innovative approach may offer substantial advantages, since the promise of personalized medicine is to preserve individual health in people with high risk by starting early treatment or prevention protocols. The pathway is now open, however the road to an effective personalized medicine is still long, several (diagnostic) predictive instruments for different CDD are under development, some ethical issues have to be solved. Operative proposals for the heath care systems are now needed to verify potential benefits of predictive medicine in the clinical practice. In fact, predictive diagnostics, personalized medicine and personalized therapy have the potential of changing classical approaches of modern medicine to CDD

L’elezione di un prete cattolico a Rettore dell’Università di Strasburgo: “une tempête dans un verre d’eau”?

SOMMARIO: 1. La vicenda - 2. Gli argomenti pro e contro l’elezione di un sacerdote a Rettore di una università pubblica - 3. Le incompatibilità dei ministri di culto - 4. La possibile incidenza dei principi riguardanti la c.d. “laïcité d’apparence” - 5. L’intervento dei giudici amministrativi - 6. Conclusioni: l’irrilevanza dell’ordinazione non accompagnata dall’esercizio di funzioni ministeriali. The election of a Catholic priest as Rector of the University of Strasbourg: “Much ado about nothing”? ABSTRACT: This study examines the question of compatibility between the principle of neutrality of public services in force in French law and the election of a minister of the Catholic religion as Rector of a public university. The Author rules out the existence of any form of incapacity. However, since the duty of discretion of the public official (“devoir de réserve”) operates even outside the exercise of his functions, it may limit the freedom to exercise pastoral ministry in specific cases, as well as the performance of the most typical tasks that are inherent in the status of minister of worship, due to the inevitable repercussions on the image of the university

Le virtù nascoste della laïcité. A proposito di certificat de verginité e dintorni

SOMMARIO: 1. Preludio: l’idea francese di una proposta di legge contro i “separatismi” - 2. I termini della questione concernente l’introduzione del divieto di rilascio dei certificat de verginité e del dibattito che ne è scaturito - 3. La presa di posizione dell’Organizzazione mondiale della sanità sui test di verginità - 4. Intermezzo: verginità e ordine pubblico nella vicenda giudiziaria dei coniugi di Lille - 5. Epilogo: la verginità tra libero consenso matrimoniale, potere certificativo del medico e valori irrinunciabili per il vivere insieme. The hidden virtues of laïcité. About certificates of virginity and some related topics ABSTRACT: The purpose of the present study was to examine the announced France’s draft bill to prohibit the issue of certificates of virginity. To do so, we first reconstructed the terms of the current debate provoked by the bill. Then, we examined the recent WHO statement which establishes that States should develop plans of action to encourage the elimination of the practice of so-called virginity testing. Finally, we illustrated the advantages and the risks of any solely restrictive approach in this matter

Normativa anti Covid vs. Free Exercise Clause nella giurisprudenza della Corte Suprema USA: un ritorno alla dottrina della “neutralità” nell’interpretazione dei principi costituzionali in materia religiosa?

SOMMARIO: 1. L’intervento della Suprema Corte federale americana in tema di compatibilità della normativa emergenziale con la Free Exercise Clause - 2. I termini della questione originariamente sollevata e la pronunzia del giudice di primo grado - 3. L’appello dinanzi alla Corte del Nono Circuito e l’opinione dissenziente del giudice Collins - 4. Il problema della costituzionalità delle misure restrittive incidenti sulla libertà di culto nei contrapposti orientamenti seguiti dalle Corti inferiori - 5. Gli argomenti posti a fondamento del ricorso alla Corte Suprema - 6. La contrapposizione tra judicial deference e lettura rigorosamente neutrale dei termini della vicenda portata all’esame dei giudici - 7. Una riproposizione dei canoni di stretta neutralità anche nell’interpretazione dei principi costituzionali in materia religiosa? - 8. Notazioni conclusive. Anti-Covid Law vs. Free Exercise Clause in US Supreme Court Case Law: is it a Return to the Doctrine of “Neutrality” in the Interpretation of Religious Clauses of the First Amendment? ABSTRACT: The paper analyzes the question of wheter the Stay-at-Home Order and the Reopening Plan that were issued by the State of California to combat the Covid-19 pandemic discriminate against places of worship in violation of the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. In South Bay United Pentecostal Church vs. Newsom, the Supreme Court of the United States upholds California’s guidelines for places of worship that limit religious worship services to 25% of a building’s capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, because similar restrictions apply to comparable secular gatherings

La Corte costituzionale torna protagonista dei processi di transizione della politica ecclesiastica italiana?

Contributo sottoposto a valutazione SOMMARIO: 1. Due sentenze che rompono un silenzio durato un decennio – 2. La portata del principio affermato dalla sent. n. 52 del 2016: dal riconoscimento del “diritto a negoziare” l’intesa alla (ribadita) insindacabilità dell’atto di avvio delle trattative – 3. Le ragioni poste a base della decisione della Corte – 4. La libertà di culto di fronte alla rinnovata attenzione per le esigenze di “sicurezza” della collettività nella sent. 63 del 2016 – 5. “Eguale libertà” vs “libertà diversamente graduata” – 6. I riflessi della pronunzia n. 52 del 2016 sul problema della qualificazione del gruppo come “confessione religiosa” – 7. Le oscillazioni della Corte in tema di “laicità” e le criticità emergenti del diritto ecclesiastico italiano.The Constitutional Court once again the leading character of the transition processes of the Italian ecclesiastical politics?ABSTRACT: The present essay analyses the impact of the 2016 Constitutional Court judgements n. 52 and n. 63 on the very “identity”of Italian Ecclesiastical Law, which is characterized by the principles of secularism, equal freedom of religious denominations and by a system of agreements aimed at regulating the specifities of the different religious groups. According to the Author, because of the inactivity of the Legislator, the Constitutional Court is compelled to play a substitute role in searching a satisfactory balance between all these elements and the very settlement of some basic trends in Ecclesiastical Law, as such a subject has to face increasingly new challenges and emerging problems in the management of the religious factor