Ropeginterferon alfa-2b (Ropeg) is a long-acting, monopegylated interferon approved for the treatment of polycythemia vera (PV). It offers a potentially disease-modifying treatment option with a convenient dosing schedule and promising hematologic and molecular responses; however, real-world data on its use, particularly regarding longitudinal response patterns, remain limited. This observational real-world study included 113 PV (median age 52.7 years; 68.1% male) patients treated with Ropeg at nine hematology centers across Italy. Baseline data, treatment history, dosing and subsequent hematologic responses at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months and discontinuation data were recorded. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between early dose escalation, treatment duration, and median dose with the likelihood of achieving complete hematologic response (CHR), using a longitudinal dataset with repeated observations for each patient. Before Ropeg, 74.3% received hydroxyurea (including 2 patients also treated with ruxolitinib) for a median of 17 months; discontinuation was mainly due to intolerance (84.5%). Ropeg was used as first-line therapy in 29 patients. The mean treatment duration was 10.7 months (range 1–33.7); response data are reported in Figure1. Logistic regression analysis showed that early dose escalation (β=0.646, p<0.001) and longer treatment duration (β=0.310, p<0.001) were both independently and synergistically associated with increased response rates. Conversely, higher median doses were negatively associated with CHR (β=-0.006, p<0.001). A significant interaction between early escalation and treatment duration (β=0.611, p<0.001) indicated that the benefit of prolonged treatment was amplified in patients who escalated the dose early. The model demonstrated good fit (AIC=8442.4). Ropeg was discontinued in 20 patients (17.7%) after a median of 6.8 months, mainly due to adverse events (9.7%), lack of response (6.1%; including 3 with persistent itching), and patient choice (1.7%). This real-world study showed that Ropeg is effective in managing PV, with early dose escalation and longer treatment duration associated with better responses. The lack of a positive dose-response correlation may reflect treatment resistance among patients requiring higher doses. Discontinuation rates were low, supporting Ropeg's safety and tolerability. These findings offer practical guidance for optimizing Ropeg treatment in PV, though further research is needed to confirm long-term outcomes.
Abstract The aim of this article is to analyse the Italian Nuova Destra. The first part examines the birth of the Nuova Destra within the current of the Movimento Sociale Italiano (MSI), referring particularly to Pino Rauti, a founder and leader. Following the experience of the magazine La Voce della Fogna and the Hobbit Camps, the first publishing initiatives of the Nuova Destra – Diorama letterario and Elementi , influenced by Alain de Benoist and the French Nouvelle Droite – were established. The second part analyses the path of the Nuova Destra as an autonomous cultural current. After Marco Tarchi’s expulsion from the MSI in 1981, the Nuova Destra launched an aggressive publishing strategy that failed to make the necessary organisational leap and came to an end around 1994. Nevertheless, the Nuova Destra has created a recognisable current, culturally eclectic and capable of ranging over different fields of knowledge with ‘metapolitics’ and ‘right-wing Gramscism’.
Mohamed MAKKAOUI, Fatima-Zahra HANNOUN, Khalid OUAZIZI
et al.
Introduction: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between spirituality at work and
employees' psychological well-being in the Moroccan context.
Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive, and quantitative study involved a sample of 1,110 employees, of which 57.8% were men. Data were collected using an online questionnaire that included sociodemographic data, the “Spirituality at Work” scale, and the Psychological Well-being scale. Descriptive statistics and correlational analyses were utilized to analyse the data and investigate the research objectives of interest.
Results: Our findings indicated a positive correlation between spirituality at work and well-being at work, with a significant impact indicated by a beta coefficient of 0.635 (p < 0.001). Among the dimensions of workplace spirituality, meaningful work emerged as a key predictor of well-being with a beta coefficient of 0.893. At the same time, a sense of community also showed a strong correlation with well-being at 0.724. The dimension of inner life had a moderate impact, reflected by a beta coefficient of 0.417. In terms of psychological well-being, dimensions such as autonomy (β = 0.363), positive relationships with others (β = 0.421), personal growth (β = 0.534), and purpose in life (β = 0.188) were all significantly associated, though purpose in life had the lowest correlation. Discussion: This study demonstrates that enhancing spirituality at work significantly contributes to employees' psychological well-being. Meaningful work and a strong sense of community are critical components of this relationship. The findings suggest that organizations should institutionalize spiritual values to foster a supportive and productive work environment, ultimately enhancing employee well-being and organizational effectiveness.
The end of the 19th century in Europe saw the spread of naturist utopias which, in reaction to the industrialisation of society, advocated a regeneration of the body based on renewed contact with nature, nudism and pacifism. In Italy, naturist ideas spread later on and took a radically different turn. When Futurists Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and Arnaldo Ginna wrote their manifesto of Futurist naturism in 1934, they refused any form of social nudity, which was seen as savage, immoral behaviour. Rather, they celebrated the communion between nature and technology and envisioned a new ideal body that would be virile, bellicose and Fascist. The present essay seeks to bring out the profound contradiction existing between the Futurists’ interests in alternative philosophies of the body and ecological thinking, on the one hand, and their subjugation to the Fascist programme for the hygienic regeneration of the Italians on the other. As a case study, it offers a new perspective on the cultural history of the body in Italy as well as a more general appreciation of contemporary issues concerning the relationship between body, nature and power, and the way body ecologies can be exploited by the propaganda of a totalitarian regime.
<p>The article highlights the history of the library of Russian artists in Rome, which N.V. Gogol took part in the creation. The fate of the Roman library of the writer remains unknown to this day. Gogol's books (which belonged to him or those that he could hold in his hands during his stay in Italy), apparently, may be in the private library of A.A. Ivanov in Rome, now owned by relatives of the artist; or in the collections of the Central Scientific Library in Rome, which received the former library of Russian artists — Roman boarders.</p>
Rachele Macirella, Vittoria Curcio, Abdalmoiz I. M. Ahmed
et al.
Lead (Pb) is a non-essential, highly toxic, and persistent element widely recognized as one of the most concerning pollutants. It is listed on the Priority List of Hazardous Substances. Widespread environmental contamination from Pb is a serious issue for human health and wildlife. In fish, Pb mainly accumulates in the liver, which is a key component for metal detoxification and excretion processes. In this study, we investigated, for the first time, the morphological and functional injuries induced in zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) liver by two very low and environmentally relevant concentrations of Pb (2.5 and 5 μg/L) after 48, 96, and 192 h of exposure. We observed significant histological alterations in all the exposed samples, and it was demonstrated that the extent of injuries increased with dose and exposure time. The most common modifications observed were congestion of blood vessels and sinusoids, cytoplasmic vacuolizations, parenchyma dyschromia, and macrophage proliferation. Pb administration also resulted in a significant increase in lipid content and the upregulation of key genes that are involved in metal detoxification (<i>mtf1</i>) and the defensive response against oxidative stress (<i>sod1</i> and <i>cat</i>). We show that even very low doses of Pb can disrupt liver morphology and function.
Nelle fonti medievali relative alla pianura veronese occidentale si trova indicata talvolta una via di San Pietro. Attraverso la ricognizione sui luoghi e lo spoglio di una ricca documentazione d’archivio – in particolare atti notarili degli enti monastici proprietari in antico delle terre attraversate dalla via (soprattutto quello di San Zeno), il Campion delle strade formato dal Comune di Verona nel 1589, i Libri d’Estimo dei Comuni interessati dal percorso della via, la topografia medievale e moderna disponibile, a cominciare dalla così detta Carta dell’Almagià, della seconda metà del Quattrocento, per giungere fino Catasto Unico Italiano, istituito nel 1886 – si ricostruisce il percorso che risulta unire anticamente la città di Verona al paese di San Pietro in Valle, ai limiti del territorio veronese, attraversando l’intera pianura occidentale. In particolare, essa consentiva un diretto collegamento tra il grande e potente monastero di San Zeno al piccolo monastero di San Pietro di Moratica che da questo dipendeva.
History (General) and history of Europe, History of Italy
Elisa Borroni, Gianfranco Frigerio, Gianfranco Frigerio
et al.
Background and aimShift work, especially including night shifts, has been found associated with several diseases, including obesity, diabetes, cancers, and cardiovascular, mental, gastrointestinal and sleep disorders. Metabolomics (an omics-based methodology) may shed light on early biological alterations underlying these associations. We thus aimed to evaluate the effect of night shift work (NSW) on serum metabolites in a sample of hospital female nurses.MethodsWe recruited 46 nurses currently working in NSW in Milan (Italy), matched to 51 colleagues not employed in night shifts. Participants filled in a questionnaire on demographics, lifestyle habits, personal and family health history and work, and donated a blood sample. The metabolome was evaluated through a validated targeted approach measuring 188 metabolites. Only metabolites with at least 50% observations above the detection limit were considered, after standardization and log-transformation. Associations between each metabolite and NSW were assessed applying Tobit regression models and Random Forest, a machine-learning algorithm.ResultsWhen comparing current vs. never night shifters, we observed lower levels of 21 glycerophospholipids and 6 sphingolipids, and higher levels of serotonin (+171.0%, 95%CI: 49.1–392.7), aspartic acid (+155.8%, 95%CI: 40.8–364.7), and taurine (+182.1%, 95%CI: 67.6–374.9). The latter was higher in former vs. never night shifters too (+208.8%, 95%CI: 69.2–463.3). Tobit regression comparing ever (i.e., current + former) and never night shifters returned similar results. Years worked in night shifts did not seem to affect metabolite levels. The Random-Forest algorithm confirmed taurine and aspartic acid among the most important variables in discriminating current vs. never night shifters.ConclusionsThis study, although based on a small sample size, shows altered levels of some metabolites in night shift workers. If confirmed, our results may shed light on early biological alterations that might be related to adverse health effects of NSW.
Residue was found in two cylindrical apothecary jars with similar inscriptions in the Rijksmuseum’s collection. There is a considerable difference in the age of these jars: the majolica albarello was made in Italy in the early sixteenth century, whereas the albarello made of tin-glazed earthenware was made in Delft more than two centuries later. Their inscriptions (JERA PIGRA and EL/ HIRAE PICRAE respectively) refer to the pharmaceutical preparation ‘hiera picra’ (Holy Bitter). The history of this medicine, which was said to give supernatural powers, goes back more than two thousand years. The main ingredient of this preparation was aloe Socotrina, which gave it its bitter taste. The research included the technique, shape, inscriptions, use and contents of these objects. Samples were taken from the residues found in both objects in order to determine the chemical composition. This was achieved using gas chromatographymass spectrometry (THM-GCMS) in combination with pyrolysis. A link to hiera picra could not be established, but the research provided a great deal of information about the background of both objects.
The small island of Lampedusa, a key destination of the Central Mediterranean Route connecting Africa to Italy, offers a special observatory on the contemporary trans-Mediterranean odyssey of migrants, although often transformed into a “border spectacle.” Upon landing, migrants are stripped of their belongings, as these are impounded by the authorities. Such an act of dispossession is intended to deprive them of their histories, family ties and cultural identity. Photographer Mario Badagliacca has portrayed a selection of these lost and retrieved items in his work Fragments (2013). Each object reveals expectations, fears, desires, endurance, but cannot tell a full story. They are fragments of an open-ended narrative that requires to be framed and told, if we wish to gain a better understanding of the Black Mediterranean, its history, and consequences. What remains untold can only be imagined. Writer Maaza Mengiste imagines what lies behind two smudged photographs portrayed by Badagliacca. As always, the force of imagination provides signification, solidarity, and survival in the fractured history of the African Diaspora.
The article describes Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky's visit to Italy. Fyodor Mikhailovich was in Italy three times. For the first time in 1862, after visiting Paris and London, in his winter Notes on summer impressions, he fought both for the mores, especially the bourgeois ones, and for the inhabitants, whom he despises to the maximum and ridicules them. Dostoevsky was not an ordinary tourist: he was interested in the history of the country, Italian politics, risorgimental movements, the struggle for unification. He was a big fan of Garibaldi. He visited Italy for the second time with his great love Apollinaria Suslova in 1863. The third time he arrived in Italy in 1868, after marrying Anna in 1867, they decided to move to Europe in order to avoid the imprisonment of Dostoevsky F. M. for debts, and also to protect Anna from the oppression that the family had caused her to suffer. Also Dostoevsky F. M. was strongly impressed by painting and in his works you can notice the presence of art in general and in particular Raphael.
Stefania Sarno, Rosalba Petrilli, Paolo Abondio
et al.
Abstract Calabrian Greeks are an enigmatic population that have preserved and evolved a unique variety of language, Greco, survived in the isolated Aspromonte mountain area of Southern Italy. To understand their genetic ancestry and explore possible effects of geographic and cultural isolation, we genome-wide genotyped a large set of South Italian samples including both communities that still speak Greco nowadays and those that lost the use of this language earlier in time. Comparisons with modern and ancient populations highlighted ancient, long-lasting genetic links with Eastern Mediterranean and Caucasian/Near-Eastern groups as ancestral sources of Southern Italians. Our results suggest that the Aspromonte communities might be interpreted as genetically drifted remnants that departed from such ancient genetic background as a consequence of long-term isolation. Specific patterns of population structuring and higher levels of genetic drift were indeed observed in these populations, reflecting geographic isolation amplified by cultural differences in the groups that still conserve the Greco language. Isolation and drift also affected the current genetic differentiation at specific gene pathways, prompting for future genome-wide association studies aimed at exploring trait-related loci that have drifted up in frequency in these isolated groups.
Lorenzo Ammirati, Nicola Mondillo, Ricardo Adolfo Rodas
et al.
Underground mining can produce subsidence phenomena, especially if orebodies are surficial or occur in soft rocks. In some countries, illegal mining is a big problem for environmental, social and economic reasons. However, when unauthorized excavation is conducted underground, it is even more dangerous because it can produce unexpected surficial collapses in areas not adequately monitored. For this reason, it is important to find quick and economic techniques able to give information about the spatial and temporal development of uncontrolled underground activities in order to improve the risk management. In this work, the differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR) technique, implemented in the SUBSOFT software, has been used to study terrain deformation related to illegal artisanal mining in Ecuador. The study area is located in Zaruma (southeast of El Oro province), a remarkable site for Ecuadorian cultural heritage where, at the beginning of the 2017, a local school collapsed, due to sinkhole phenomena that occurred around the historical center. The school, named “Inmaculada Fe y Alegria”, was located in an area where mining activity was forbidden. For this study, the surface deformations that occurred in the Zaruma area from 2015 to 2019 were detected by using the Sentinel-1 data derived from the Europe Space Agency of the Copernicus Program. Deformations of the order of five centimeters were revealed both in correspondence of known exploitation tunnels, but also in areas where the presence of tunnels had not been verified. In conclusion, this study allowed to detect land surface movements related to underground mining activity, confirming that the DInSAR technique can be applied for monitoring mining-related subsidence.
Questo articolo indaga le attività e l’uso di reti di studiosi da parte di Teodoro Monticelli, il geologo, funzionario e segretario dell’Accademia scientifica di Napoli all’inizio del XIX secolo. L’autore pone in evidenza come Monticelli costruì una rete di connessioni con i suoi colleghi studiosi e geologi in tutta la penisola italiana, che, allo stesso tempo, era collegata a una rete internazionale di studiosi, centrata principalmente su Parigi, ma che si estendeva alla Russia e al Nuovo Mondo. Le reti venivano sostenute attraverso lo scambio di informazioni per corrispondenza e la condivisione di pubblicazioni, e attraverso il dono, il baratto, lo scambio e la vendita di esemplari geologici. Queste connessioni hanno superato ostacoli come le cattive comunicazioni e la censura con l’uso di viaggiatori, alcuni italiani, più spesso stranieri, come intermediari: essi trasportavano lettere, pubblicazioni ed esemplari geologici tra diversi centri in cambio di raccomandazioni, che consentivano loro accesso a studiosi, collezioni, università e accademie. La rete all’interno della penisola italiana ha cercato consapevolmente di sviluppare la scienza “italiana”. A Napoli Monticelli usò il fascino scientifico del Vesuvio e il suo speciale ruolo di principale esperto locale per promuovere le riforme all’interno del Regno delle Due Sicilie e per realizzare la sua visione di Napoli come centro di indagine scientifica.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, History of Italy
Ziphiidae (beaked whales) are a successful family of medium- to large-sized
toothed whales. Their extant members perform regular deep dives beyond the
photic zone to forage for cephalopods and fish. Conversely, extinct
long-snouted stem ziphiids are interpreted as epipelagic predators. However,
some aspects of this hypothesis remain unclear due to the lack of clear
morphological proxies for recognizing regular deep divers.
<br><br>
We compared the forelimb, neck, and pterygoid sinus system of the fossil
ziphiid <i>Messapicetus gregarius</i> with those of other odontocetes to evaluate the potential of these
body regions as proxies to assess deep-diving specialization. The
reconstructed musculature of the neck and forelimb of <i>M. gregarius</i> was also compared
with that of other odontocetes. We also quantified variation in the
proportions of the forelimb and the hamular fossa of the pterygoid sinus
(HF) using 16 linear measurements. The degree of association between diving
behaviour in extant odontocetes and these measurements was evaluated with and
without phylogenetic correction.
<br><br>
Reconstruction of the neck musculature suggests that <i>M. gregarius</i>
possessed a neck more flexible than most extant ziphiids due to the lower
degree of fusion of the cervical vertebrae and the large insertions for the
M. longus colli and Mm. intertransversarii ventrales cervicis. While neck
rigidity might be related to deep diving, differences in neck flexibility
among extant ziphiids indicate a more complex functional interpretation. The
relationship between forelimb morphology and diving behaviour was not
significant, both with and without phylogenetic correction, suggesting that it cannot be used to assess deep-diving
abilities
with the parameters considered here. Measurements of the HF revealed successful to evaluate deep-diving
abilities in odontocetes, with an enlargement of this structure in deep
divers. Considering other evidence that suggests an epipelagic behaviour, we
propose different scenarios to explain the observation of an enlarged HF in
<i>M. gregarius</i>: (1) this species may have fed at different depths; (2)
it performed deep dives to avoid potential predators; or (3) the enlarged HF
and deep-diving habitat correspond to an ancestral condition, with <i>M. gregarius</i> returning to a more epipelagic habitat.
This essay proposes that the medal dedicated by Giulio Della Torre to her daughter Beatrice was struck to celebrate her marriage to Zeno Turchi (1523). Through the medal’s iconography, fashioned on a coin of the Empress Faustina Minor, Giulio Della Torre outlines for Beatrice an image consistent with the traditional female virtues. However, in the local context, in which works of art depicting women as an autonomous subject are scanty, this choice appears to be original and can be justified by Giulio’s acquaintance with two remarkable women, such as Laura Brenzoni Schioppo and Margherita Pellegrini.
History (General) and history of Europe, History of Italy
Teaching languages to migrants through ICT L-Pack Project for Italian and other languages (Citizenship Language Pack for Migrants in Europe)The most recent trends in technology and the internet, commonly called Web 2.0., have determined new concepts in teaching and learning that involve autonomy, multimodality and flexibility. New approaches to ‘knowledge by technology’ are changing both teachers’ and learners’ roles, responding to their different aims and needs. At the same time, nearly 4 million people are presently involved in massive migration processes all over Europe, coming either from outside Europe or from another EU member state. The EU policies on migrants state the importance of a basic knowledge of the host country’s language, history and institutions for an effective integration process, and EU governments are expected to contribute to this aim. This paper describes the European Project ‘L-PACK: Citizenship Language Pack For Migrants in Europe’ (2011-2016), whose main aim consisted in developing a series of internet video texts, accompanied with materials and resources to lead adult migrants to A2 level (according to QCER levels scale) in different EU languages. The project has been developed in two main stages. In the first part of the programme, called L-Pack 1, from 2011 to 2013, the languages were Italian, Spanish, German, Lithuanian, Greek and Czech. In the second part, called L-Pack 2 extended, from 2014 to 2016, the project added English and French and was integrated with new resources and tools. The L-PACK course, which consists of 60 short video dialogues from everyday life, supported by comprehension activities and linguistic explanation and rules, is totally free and available through Youtube, Wikibooks and Soundcloud. The dedicated website http://www.l-pack.eu was visited by 120.000 users from 146 countries in the period 2011-2016. L-Pack teaching materials have also been used by teachers in classroom activities. The authors analyze and evaluate the results of the L-Pack Project, from pilot to dissemination, in different learning contexts both in situ and through e-learning. This is carried out on the basis of surveys concerning the project as a whole and in particular its use in Italian language teaching classes for migrants in Italy.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, History of Italy
Recensione di: Claudia Boscolo e Stefano Jossa (a cura di), Scritture di resistenza. Sguardi politici dalla narrativa italiana contemporanea, Roma, Carocci Editore, 2014, 204 p. ISBN: 9788843074143, € 16,00.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, History of Italy
Abstract
A remembrance can be oral, written or visual and reflects the behavior of memory, which proceeds by
associations, in “leaps and bounds”, remembering what it wants to remember. If memory becomes a
“documented culture” or a culture “organized in a social memory”, then individual memory becomes historical
and shared, it becomes a strong element of the identity in which it was imprisoned and evokes the memory of
all those who lived the same historical period. If individual memory is important in order to live the present,
collective memory is just as important, because it strengthens the sense of belonging and reawakens the past.
In the current study, the meaning of being the same age and the significance of “generational” remembrance
will be explored. Modern technologies provide great ways to remember, because they rekindle old memories
and make us appreciate past events of our life. Perhaps the most widespread technology is television, which in
Italy has proved to be a useful means to create and maintain national identity. Individual memory adds to
collective memory and individuals trust their memories and the past that they remember, even if history has
been rewritten several times. However, the effort goes towards finding common points rather than diverging
ones and the past in which we believe is the same in which others also believe. Thus, shared memory is
confirmed as an important element of collective and cultural identity.