The Impossible Mission: Global Justice Movement against Transnational Organized Crime

This article argues that the best counterattack against globally oriented transnational organized crime (TOC) is by a global response. The contribution of participating states and the creation of a collective identity against TOC are both necessary. This creation would be more effective through transnational social movements. Therefore, activating the global justice movement (GJM) against TOC would be a significant achievement. This has not yet taken place for both structural and ideological reasons which are on the surface quite rational. If GJM activists create a more unified movement, however, and adhere more strictly to non-violence as have other social movements like the Libera anti-Mafia association of Italy and Flare Network of Europe, there is potential for convergence

Dendritic-Cell (DC)-Based Immunotherapy: Tumor Endothelial Marker 8 (TEM8) Gene Expression of DC Vaccines Correlates with Clinical Outcome

ABSTRACT\ud Previous studies have shown that tumor-endothelial markers (TEMs) are upregulated in immunosuppressive, pro-angiogenic dendritic cells (DCs) found in tumor microenvironments. \ud We reported that pro-angiogenic monocyte-derived DCs (Mo-DCs), utilized for therapeutic vaccination of cancer patients upon maturation, markedly differ in their ability to up-regulate tumor-endothelial marker 8 (TEM8) gene\ud expression. A DC vaccination trial of 17 advanced cancer patients (13 melanoma and 4 renal cell carcinoma), carried out at the Cancer Institute of Romagna (I.R.S.T.) in Meldola, highlighted a significant correlation between delayed-type hypersensitivity test (DTH) and overall survival (OS). In the study, relative TEM8 mRNA and protein expression levels (mature (m) vs. immature (i) DCs), in DCs obtained for therapeutic vaccines were evaluated by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and cytofluorimetric analysis, respectively. mDCs from six healthy donors were included for comparison purposes. Eight non-progressing patients, all DTH-positive, had a mean fold increase\ud (mfi) of 1.97 in TEM8 expression. Similarly, a TEM8 mRNA mfi = 2.7 was found in healthy donor mDCs. Conversely, mDCs from nine progressing patients, all but one with negative DTH, had a TEM8 mRNA mfi of 12.88. Thus, mDC TEM8 expression levels would seem to identify (p = 0.0018) patients who could benefit from DC therapeutic vaccination

SOCIAL NETWORKS OF THE ITALIAN MAFIA; THE STRONG AND WEAK PARTS

In this paper, it is argued that well-built, social network system has enabled the Mafia to\ud reach a certain level of success through three main networks: members, local people, and\ud politicians. I assert that the role of the executive power of the state has been partially\ud supportive in this success. Moreover, this paper also concludes that to combat different\ud Mafia groups, it is essential to know their strong and weak parts. Consequently, it is found\ud that their well-built network system does not solely comprise of strong parts but that the\ud weak parts also exist, albeit, that they have not yet played a defective role in the resolution of\ud the Mafia. Therefore, this paper suggests that the illustration of both the strong and weak\ud parts of these networks can have prominent and assisting role in the combat against the\ud Mafia phenomenon in the future, either by strengthening the weak parts or by weakening the\ud strong parts of its networks

Evaluation of the activity of the immune system and age-related tissue markers in Turquoise killifish \ud (Nothobranchius furzeri, Jubb 1971) \ud and their role in cell ageing\ud

Currently the Turquoise Killifish is considered the best animal model suitable for aging research. \ud This annual fish, from south east Africa, shows an exceptionally adaptive behaviour to dry periods: indeed, due to this extreme environmental characteristics, the life cycle of Nothobranchius furzeri is very fast, with an average lifespan of just about 8-9 weeks, making this species (more similar to highly developed vertebrates than nematodes or fruit flies) highly practical for aging studies. \ud The present study has evaluated the activity of the immune system as well as the expression of AGE-RAGE system, cell-damage related proteins (Bcl2, p53), mitosis activity marker (PCNA), and pro-apoptosis activity by T.U.N.E.L. method on the liver of four lifespan-specific strains of Turquoise Killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri, Jubb 1971), correlating the results with aging processes and tumor incidence. Some groups underwent caloric restriction in order to module their expected lifespan.\ud The results demonstrated an increase of age-related lesions along with the age in all the strains tested, due to a decrease of cellular-turn-over. This aspect was also influenced by the strain of the fish: longest lifespan strains showed later the similar lesions than short lifespan strains. Moreover caloric restriction groups showed lower incidence and severity of hepatic degeneration than control groups. Furthermore, there was a linear correspondence between the age of the model and its expected lifespan with the incidence and severity of neoplasm. The same relationship could be found in the expression of cell-damage related proteins (p53, Bcl2), age-related markers (AGE-RAGE system) and pro-apoptosis activity, as well as in the development of neoplasms. These results demonstrated the high feasibility of this fish as an excellent model to study the effects of aging processes and cancer genesis.\u

Resistance against the Mafia: A Civic Struggle to Defy an Uncontestable Power

This study is based on participant observation of a protest against the Mafia that occurred in Rome on 26 September 2009. First, this essay offers an analysis by using symbols and their meanings, which are illustrated through the 'pyramid of social protest'. Second, the framing and process of the protest are analysed. Two new concepts are presented: the culture of lawfulness frame and the implicit contested process. Third, this essay shows that defying the Mafia begins with individual motivation but ends with the collective motivation behind the decision to be an activist. This decision includes ethically oriented reasons rather than being based on a materialistically calculated reasoning. Finally, the struggle of anti-Mafia movement illuminates cultural anthropology through its desire for a progressive society in which strong symbolic interactionism among the activists play an important role

Libri e Scienza nell’Università di Camerino tra ‘800 e ‘900

Nell’aprile 2003 fu emanato il decreto ministeriale n. 748, ad attuazione della legge 10.1.2000 n. 6, che regolamenta la presentazione delle richieste di contributi finalizzati alla diffusione della cultura scientifica. Il servizio di supporto alla ricerca diffuse il decreto all’interno dell’Ateneo, stimolando così la mia curiosità progettuale; sembrava infatti essere un’opportunità interessante per concentrare energie su collezioni e documenti poco visibili o del tutto trascurati nel corso degli anni, che certamente esistevano, ma che erano stati sempre relegati nell’ambito poco frequentato della “storia della scienza”: alcuni scritti sulle particolari vicende storiche dell’Università di Camerino, testimonianza esemplare dell’evoluzione tutta\ud italiana dell’istituzione universitaria dal Medioevo alle riforme post-unitarie, mi avevano infatti destato un notevole interesse su quanto l’Ateneo locale avesse influenzato la scienza nell’800 , così come era certamente avvenuto per il diritto.\ud L’esperienza del grande progetto inglese RSLP aveva dimostrato quanto sia ricco di stimoli e di sorprese dedicare energie alla creazione di strumenti di navigazione nelle risorse bibliografiche dedicate alla storia della scienza. Nel nostro contesto le iniziative organizzate dai\ud dipartimenti nell’ambito delle settimane dedicate alla diffusione della cultura scientifica avevano sempre prodotto mostre tematiche e conferenze dedicate alla scienza nella sua attualità, senza coinvolgere però le biblioteche ed il loro posseduto....

Contribution of the autochthonous lactic acid bacteria population in a\ud production of raw milk Mozzarella cheese- CONTRIBUTO DELLA POPOLAZIONE LATTICA AUTOCTONA\ud IN UNA PRODUZIONE DI MOZZARELLA AL LATTE CRUDO\ud CON STARTER TERMOFILI COMMERCIALI

Mozzarella cheese is one of the most popular members of the Pasta Filata cheeses.The present research was aimed at\ud investigating the microbial population of a raw milk Mozzarella cheese manufacture\ud produced in the hinterland of the Marche region by using a commercial starter\ud culture of thermophilic cocci. At this aim, both molecular and phenotypic\ud assays were performed. The polyphasic approach utilized revealed an high diversity\ud of the autochthonous LAB population investigated, both at the species and\ud strain level.\ud Keywords: Mozzarella cheese, autochthonous lactic acid bacteria, RAPD, PFGE,\ud acidifying activit

C17-ORF37 AND HER2 RELATIONSHIP: MOLECULAR AND FUNCTIONAL STUDIES

Cancer is the leading killer in the United States, surpassing heart disease in 2004. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1,500 people die each day from cancer and over 16 million people have been diagnosed with cancer since 1990.\ud In recent years, medical science has taken great strides in understanding and treating cancer. However, prior to 1997, the majority of treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, were not based on the underlying biology of cancer growth. These treatments are also often associated with serious side effects.\ud Cancer is the result of oncogenic transformation of normal cells to produce cells which have the potential for uncontrolled division, producing a tumour cell mass\ud which invades and destroys the tissue in which it arose, and has the potential to metastatize. It is now recognized that oncogenic transformation is the result of\ud genetic mutations affecting systems controlling the cell cycle and cell death. This has implications for the way in which anti-cancer therapies are developed, because\ud the identification of factors or pathways that are altered in cancer cells may allow the development of specific therapies that target these changes (Hortobagyi, 1999).\ud Growth factors act by binding to cell surface receptors and activating pathways that result in the expression or inhibition of proteins that control cell function. In contrast, tumour suppressor genes are involved in the control of programmed cell death (apoptosis) and prevent uncontrolled proliferation. The balance between the\ud expression of proto-oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes is critical if tissues have to grow and be maintained normally. Research has shown that a series of\ud mutations in these genes is at least partially responsible for the progression from normal breast epithelium to breast cancer and the maintenance of the malignant phenotype (Aaronson, 1991, Harris, 1992). Genes that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of breast cancer include c-myc (Escot, 1986), H-ras (Agnantis, 1986),\ud hst (Lidereau, 1988), int2 (Lidereau, 1988), p53 (Cossman & Schlegel, 1991, Kovach, 1991) and the human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) gene family (Benz ,1992, Chazin, 1992)