Dalla conquista statutaria allo scontro rivendicativo con lo Stato: l’istituzione della Regione autonoma della Sardegna = From the Statutory Achievement to the Clash of Claims with the State: The Establishment of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia

Based on an accurate reconstruction of the historical, political, cultural, and intellectual debate that arose following the unification of Sardinia to the Savoy mainland states in 1848 and the consequent political-institutional repercussions that this union had on the Island, with the development of the so-called “Sardinian question”, the essay intends to reflect on the State-Region relationship starting from the birth of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia in 1949. This relationship was characterised by a latent conflict that gradually led the Sardinian’s political and intellectual elites to clash with the State authority for the affirmation of the autonomist ideal as legitimated by the Special Statute approved by the Constituent Assembly in 1948, which shortly afterwards led to the foundation of the regional authority, and to request extraordinary interventions from the national governments to resolve the ancestral economic and social problems that conditioned the Island’s growth and impeded its development

Investigating the effect of current density in ultra-fast electrolytic zinc phosphate deposition

The influence of the current density utilized during electrolytic zinc phosphate deposition on the properties of the final coatings has been investigated. The adoption of a concentrated electrolyte allows satisfactory coating properties with current densities as high as 100 mA cm 2, resulting in exceptional deposition rates. The size of the Zn3PO4 crystals was shown to decrease with the current density, which in turn affected the coatings final properties. An explanation to this finding was provided following classical nucleation theory. Samples obtained at 25 and 50 mA cm 2 featured more compact layers while samples obtained at 100 mA cm 2 were thicker but porous. Scratch test was used to assess wear resistance, which was observed to be increasing with the applied current density. The more compact layers obtained at 25 and 50 mA cm 2 provided an enhanced corrosion resistance as highlighted by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The adoption of an electrolytic setup allowed for co-deposition of metallic Zn which can further protect the steel substrate by galvanic coupling

Should we give antibiotics to neonates with mild non-progressive symptoms? A comparison of serial clinical observation and the neonatal sepsis risk calculator

ObjectiveTo compare two strategies [the neonatal sepsis risk calculator (NSC) and the updated serial clinical observation approach (SCO)] for the management of asymptomatic neonates at risk of early-onset sepsis (EOS) and neonates with mild non-progressive symptoms in the first hours of life.MethodsThis was a single-center, retrospective cohort study conducted over 15 months (01/01/2019–31/03/2020). All live births at ≥34 weeks of gestation were included. Infants were managed using SCO and decisions were compared with those retrospectively projected by the NSC. The proportion of infants recommended for antibiotics or laboratory testing was compared in both strategies. McNemar's non-parametric test was used to assess significant differences in matched proportions.ResultsAmong the 3,445 neonates (late-preterm, n = 178; full-term, n = 3,267) 262 (7.6%) presented with symptoms of suspected EOS. There were no cases of culture-proven EOS. Only 1.9% of the neonates were treated with antibiotics (median antibiotic treatment, 2 days) and 4.0% were evaluated. According to NSC, antibiotics would have been administered in 5.4% of infants (absolute difference between SCO and NSC, 3.51%; 95% CI, 3.14–3.71%; p <0.0001) and 5.6% of infants would have undergone “rule out sepsis” (absolute difference between SCO and NSC, 1.63%, 95% CI 1.10–2.05; p <0.0001).ConclusionSCO minimizes laboratory testing and unnecessary antibiotics in infants at risk of EOS or with mild non-progressive symptoms, without the risk of a worse neonatal outcome. The NSC recommends almost three times more antibiotics than the SCO without improving neonatal outcomes

A Small Molecule SMAC Mimic LBW242 Potentiates TRAIL- and Anticancer Drug-Mediated Cell Death of Ovarian Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer remains a leading cause of death in women and development of new therapies is essential. Second mitochondria derived activator of caspase (SMAC) has been described to sensitize for apoptosis. We have explored the pro-apoptotic activity of LBW242, a mimic of SMAC/DIABLO, on ovarian cancer cell lines (A2780 cells and its chemoresistant derivative A2780/ADR, SKOV3 and HEY cells) and in primary ovarian cancer cells. The effects of LBW242 on ovarian cancer cell lines and primary ovarian cancer cells was determined by cell proliferation, apoptosis and biochemical assays. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: LBW242 added alone elicited only a moderate pro-apoptotic effect; however, it strongly synergizes with tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) or anticancer drugs in inducing apoptosis of both ovarian cancer cell lines and primary ovarian cancer cells. Mechanistic studies show that LBW242-induced apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells is associated with activation of caspase-8. In line with this mechanism, c-FLIP overexpression inhibits LBW242-mediated apoptosis. CONCLUSION: LBW242 sensitizes ovarian cancer cells to the antitumor effects of TRAIL and anticancer drugs commonly used in clinic. These observations suggest that the SMAC/DIABLO mimic LBW242 could be of value for the development of experimental strategies for treatment of ovarian cancer

Dalla ricostruzione al piano di rinascita. Politica e società in Sardegna nell’avvio della stagione autonomistica (1949-1959)

Nel trattare il primo decennio autonomistico della Sardegna (1949-1959), il volume si basa sullo studio delle fonti archivistiche e a stampa per ricostruire l’esperienza dei primi governi regionali e la programmazione degli interventi approvati per la rottura dell’isolamento geografico ed economico in una stagione che segna l’avvio del dibattito sulla Rinascita

Chiesa e società in Sardegna. Trasformazioni economiche e mutamenti sociali dal dopoguerra al postconcilio

Il ventennio (1950-1970) di storia della Chiesa e della società civile in Sardegna affrontato in questo volume rappresenta il momento cruciale del Novecento per quella regione agli inizi della sua autonomia nella appena costituita Repubblica, nella tensione verso la sua modernizzazione e nella valorizzazione del suo ricco patrimonio culturale, sociale ed umano. Una vasta storiografia ha già illustrato molti degli aspetti della vita dell'isola in quel periodo, ma il lavoro di Luca Lecis presenta una doppia originalità: anzitutto uno scavo tanto negli archivi di alcuni protagonisti del movimento cattolico, quanto in una vasta documentazione edita in giornali, atti ufficiali, memorialistica sinora poco presa in considerazione; in secondo luogo e soprattutto l'analisi delle vicende ecclesiali compiuta in stretto riferimento a quelle politiche, sociali ed economiche, uscendo in tal modo da una visione prevalentemente interna e contribuendo così ad offrire una lettura integrata del percorso di una comunità civile e della sua Chiesa

Tra ridimensionamento e rinnovamento. L’Azione cattolica sarda negli anni postconciliari (1965-1995)

Il volume conclude un progetto di ricerca sui cinquant'anni del Concilio Vaticano II, focalizzandosi sulla ricezione delle risultanze nelle Chiese locali d'Italia da parte dell'Azione cattolica. Undici storici raccontano il cammino e l'impegno nell'immediato post-Concilio di undici Chiese locali e in esse dell'associazione: quattro diocesi dell'Italia settentrionale, tre del centro e tre del territorio meridionale. Una attuazione del Concilio variamente articolata, più spedita o a volte più lenta, piena di entusiasmo o a tratti resistente. Il libro inquadra quindi bene il cammino conciliare dell'associazione e il suo rinnovarsi nell'ultimo cinquantennio, pur restando limpida la sua identità religiosa