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The Rise of the Brothers of Italy. Organisation, Leadership, and Ideology
No full textThis book offers a comprehensive account of the Italian party Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy), covering the period from its foundation in December 2012 to the summer of 2025, marking almost three years of the Meloni government. It examines the factors that have contributed to the rise of Brothers of Italy and its leader, Giorgia Meloni, establishing the party as the cornerstone of Italy’s right-wing coalition and of the current government. The authors, Valerio Alfonso Bruno and Mara Morini, place the key dimensions of Meloni’s party at the centre of their analysis, including its ideology, leadership, policy agenda, and electoral base. They also explore the party’s relations with the other members of the right-wing coalition—Salvini’s Lega and Berlusconi’s Forza Italia—as well as with far-right movements in Italy and abroad.
The first part of the book analyses the party’s first decade (2012–2022), tracing its trajectory from the breakaway from Berlusconi’s Popolo della Libertà, amid the sovereign debt crisis and the technocratic government led by Mario Monti, to its victory in the 2022 general election. The second part focuses on the organization, structure, ideology, and leadership of the party, concluding with an in-depth examination of its policies. This book will appeal to students, scholars, and researchers of political science in general, and electoral studies in particular, seeking a deeper understanding of the Brothers of Italy party and contemporary Italian electoral politics
The neurobiology of play: a narrative review of evidence from mice and humans for advancing neurorehabilitation
No full textObjective
This narrative conceptual review explores the neurobiological underpinnings of play behaviour across species, with an emphasis on how play affects brain development, social functioning, and cognitive outcomes from early life through aging.
Methods
We synthesize current neuroscientific literature from animal and human studies, focusing on translational evidence involving specific brain regions (e.g., prefrontal cortex, amygdala, striatum), neurochemical systems (e.g., dopamine, opioids), and behavioral domains (e.g., executive function, emotional regulation, and social cognition). Studies are categorized by developmental stage and functional impact.
Results
Evidence from rodent models demonstrates the activation of distinct neural circuits during structured and spontaneous play (e.g., hide-and-seek, rough-and-tumble), with sex-specific differences in cortical and subcortical engagement. In humans, play emerges in infancy and supports neural plasticity, language development, and executive functioning. Later in life, playfulness correlates with cognitive resilience and may act as a protective factor against neurodegeneration. The review also highlights play-based rehabilitation approaches (e.g., sensory-motor therapy, LEGO®-based interventions, sports) with demonstrated neurological and psychosocial benefits.
Conclusion
Play is a multidimensional, evolutionarily conserved behaviour that engages neurobiological systems critical to development and health. Although promising evidence supports play-based interventions, further research is needed to clarify mechanisms, optimize therapeutic use, and bridge species-specific findings in translational neuroscience
Progressive Inclusion and the Basis of Equality. A Puzzle in Contemporary Egalitarianism
No full textA standard account of collective moral progress understands it as a progressive inclusion of previously discriminated entities in the realm of equal moral consideration. Against this background, this article puts in question the idea that claims for inclusion go hand in hand with claims for equal inclusion. First, it provides an outline of the difference between the logic of inclusion and the logic of equality. From this difference, diverging justificatory and normative implications follow. Second, by analyzing the problem of the basis of equality in Taylor’s, Regan’s and Cochrane’s
theories, the article aims to reconstruct the tensions between the need for inclusion of as many (sentient)entities as possible and the need for a proper ground of equality. Finally, the article also provides some constructive considerations as to the form that a theory should have in order to appropriately ground equality and normatively respond to it
Dall'archivio al laboratorio di storia: scritture migranti tra luoghi, percorsi e progetti didattici
No full textL'insegnamento della storia rappresenta uno snodo nevralgico nel sistema educativo, uno “spazio” in
cui si aprono orizzonti pedagogici e didattici oggetto di un’approfondita riflessione metodologica,
determinata da domande sempre nuove sui processi storici legate alle istanze del presente. Le sfide
partono infatti dalla percezione, diffusa tra i discenti, di una disciplina relegata al passato e distante
dalle dinamiche – se non dalle criticità – del mondo contemporaneo: una presunta disconnessione che
alimenta la necessità di rinnovamento delle metodologie didattiche tradizionali di insegnamento, che
implica una riconsiderazione epistemologica della disciplina stessa, promuovendo una visione della
storia a scuola – dalla primaria fino all’università – non come mero elenco di fatti conclusi, bensì
come processo dinamico di interpretazione, analisi critica e costruzione di significati attualizzati.
In un'epoca caratterizzata da rapidi cambiamenti sociali, culturali e tecnologici, interrogarsi sul ruolo
e sul significato della storia in ambito educativo appare ineludibile. Abbiamo ancora bisogno della
storia? Questa domanda, apparentemente retorica, sottende un dibattito vivace e di lungo periodo
sull'importanza di comprendere il passato, di sviluppare un pensiero critico e costruire una coscienza
collettiva consapevole. La risposta a tale interrogativo risiede, in parte, nella capacità di ripensare la
narrazione della storia al fine di abbandonare una visione lineare e spesso eurocentrica – prospettiva
che sembra invece riemergere dalle nuove Indicazioni nazionali di storia proposte dal Ministero
dell’Istruzione e del Merito nel 2025 – e porre l'accento sulla pluralità delle voci, la complessità degli
eventi e sull'interconnessione tra il locale e il globale, tra dimensione soggettiva e collettiva. In questo
paradigma, il punto di vista culturale assume un ruolo centrale, permettendo di comprendere le
mentalità, i valori e le pratiche delle società del passato e offrendo strumenti interpretativi più ricchi
e sfaccettati per comprendere il presente. In tale contesto il laboratorio di storia si configura come
uno spazio di apprendimento privilegiato per progettare materiali didattici coerenti a situazioni della
vita reale (Autenticità), che favoriscano il pensiero critico (Riflessione) e promuovano
l’apprendimento tra pari (Collaborazione), come suggerito dalle rilevazioni internazionali condotte
negli ultimi anni dall’Organizzazione per la Sicurezza e la Cooperazione in Europa (OCSE),
dall’Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l’Educazione, la Scienza e la Cultura, la Comunicazione
e l’Informazione (UNESCO) e dai risultati dell’indagine Trends in International Mathematics and3
Science Study (TIMSS): un ambiente dinamico in cui gli studenti sono chiamati a "fare storia", a
interrogare le fonti, a elaborare interpretazioni e a confrontarsi su prospettive differenti, perfino
divergenti. L'esplorazione del passato attraverso le scritture personali di gente comune, voci spesso
marginali e marginalizzate, dischiude ad esempio dal punto di vista didattico ampie possibilità di
comprensione delle esperienze umane e delle dinamiche sociali che si sviluppano nel contesto dei
grandi avvenimenti storici.
Affinché tale approccio possa esprimere il suo potenziale è fondamentale che l’insegnamento della
storia si apra al territorio, inteso come archivio diffuso e rete di relazioni, alimentando un dialogo
costante tra scuola e comunità. La collaborazione tra istituzioni scolastiche e culturali rappresenta
quindi un elemento cruciale per arricchire l'offerta formativa, per connettere l'apprendimento in aula
con il patrimonio storico e culturale presente nella comunità – che diventa a sua volta strumento
didattico – per promuovere una cittadinanza attiva e consapevole.
Partendo da tali premesse, la presente ricerca – alla luce delle principali proposte didattiche offerte
da varie istituzioni culturali nazionali – esplora le potenzialità dell’uso dei materiali di scrittura
popolare per costruire e comunicare la storia, in particolar modo nella scuola secondaria di secondo
grado, analizzando metodi e pratiche capaci di promuovere un'educazione di qualità. Le
testimonianze scritte soggettive, intese come patrimonio culturale, divengono così il fulcro di un
processo educativo che mira a sviluppare negli studenti la capacità di interpretare criticamente il
passato, attraverso singoli vissuti che funzionano come tessere di un puzzle.
In particolare, il fenomeno migratorio italiano tra Ottocento e Novecento, con la sua ricchezza di
storie individuali e collettive, viene assunto come case study: l'approccio metodologico incentrato
sulla valorizzazione dei materiali conservati in archivio – luogo percepito e vissuto attraverso la
prospettiva “eccentrica” della pedagogia rispetto all’ambito disciplinare puramente storico –
dischiude una preziosa opportunità di confronto e l'attenzione si è focalizzata sulle modalità attraverso
le quali le migrazioni vengono narrate e rappresentate attraverso le fonti conservate all'interno di
questi specifici contesti archivistici.––
Il percorso si articola seguendo una metodologia che prevede, in primo luogo, una ricognizione critica
e una riflessione sulla didattica della storia, declinata anche nel contesto della storia delle migrazioni,
definendo lo scopo della ricerca e gli obiettivi specifici prefissati. Un aspetto cruciale dello studio è
rappresentato dalla creazione di reti territoriali per lo sviluppo di percorsi di apprendimento innovativi
di cui il percorso di ricerca è stato parte integrante, soprattutto in relazione alla sinergia stabilita tra
l'Archivio Ligure della Scrittura Popolare (ALSP) attivo nel Dipartimento di Scienze della
Formazione primaria dell'Università di Genova, il Sistema Museale dell'Ateneo genovese (SMA) e
l'Istituto Nazionale di Documentazione, Innovazione e Ricerca Educativa (INDIRE).
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La selezione delle fonti primarie è avvenuta all’interno dall’ALSP e si è concentrata su quattro fasi
chiave dell'esperienza migratoria: i motivi e i preparativi della partenza, il viaggio e le esperienze a
bordo, l'arrivo e l'inclusione nel Paese di accoglienza, l'eventuale ritorno alla terra d'origine. I
materiali, che spaziano da lettere a diari, da fotografie a cartoline, si sono rivelati preziosi e per certi
aspetti insostituibili al fine di ricostruire le microstorie, il vissuto dei protagonisti delle migrazioni.
Una volta selezionato, il corpus di fonti ha costituito il nucleo fondamentale per la realizzazione del
percorso didattico dedicato alla storia delle migrazioni italiane, che ha visto nella sua fase
sperimentale il coinvolgimento di sei istituti scolastici secondari di secondo grado dislocati sul
territorio genovese. Scopo di questo percorso laboratoriale, che ha incluso anche la progettazione di
uno strumento ludico-didattico, il MigraStorie, è stato trasformare le testimonianze dirette del passato
in strumenti di apprendimento dinamici e coinvolgenti per le nuove generazioni.
L’analisi dei dati raccolti attraverso questionari pre e post-intervento, unitamente alle osservazioni
condotte in itinere durante il laboratorio, ha permesso di riflettere sull'impatto della sperimentazione
didattica in riferimento alle conoscenze pregresse e acquisite, oltre che sulle competenze e le
percezioni degli studenti nei confronti del fenomeno migratorio. L'analisi dei risultati ottenuti ha
consentito inoltre di individuare buone pratiche didattiche, di raccogliere spunti per future ricerche e
sperimentazioni, ma anche di delineare i limiti di tale approccio.
La tesi si propone infine come contributo alla riflessione sulle modalità attraverso le quali la storia,
raccontata e vissuta attraverso le testimonianze dirette, possa divenire uno strumento per la
formazione dei nuovi cittadini.The teaching of history represents a crucial junction within the educational system, a “space” in which pedagogical and didactic horizons open up to in-depth methodological reflection, shaped by ever-new questions about historical processes linked to the demands of the present. The challenges stem in fact from a widespread perception among students of history as a discipline relegated to the past and distant from the dynamics—if not the critical issues—of the contemporary world. This presumed disconnection fuels the need to renew traditional teaching methodologies, implying an epistemological reconsideration of the discipline itself and promoting a vision of history at school—from primary education to university—not as a mere list of concluded facts, but as a dynamic process of interpretation, critical analysis, and the construction of meanings relevant to the present.
In an era marked by rapid social, cultural, and technological change, questioning the role and significance of history in education appears unavoidable. Do we still need history? This seemingly rhetorical question underlies a long-standing and lively debate on the importance of understanding the past, developing critical thinking, and building a conscious collective awareness. The answer lies partly in the ability to rethink historical narration in order to move beyond a linear and often Eurocentric perspective—a viewpoint that seems instead to re-emerge in the new National Guidelines for History proposed by the Italian Ministry of Education and Merit in 2025—and to emphasize the plurality of voices, the complexity of events, and the interconnection between the local and the global, between subjective and collective dimensions. Within this paradigm, the cultural perspective plays a central role, enabling an understanding of the mentalities, values, and practices of past societies and offering richer and more nuanced interpretative tools for understanding the present.
In this context, the history laboratory emerges as a privileged learning space for designing teaching materials coherent with real-life situations (Authenticity), fostering critical thinking (Reflection), and promoting peer learning (Collaboration), as suggested by international surveys conducted in recent years by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and by the results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). It is a dynamic environment in which students are called upon to “do history,” to interrogate sources, develop interpretations, and engage with different—even divergent—perspectives. From a didactic point of view, the exploration of the past through the personal writings of ordinary people, voices often marginal and marginalized, opens up broad possibilities for understanding human experiences and social dynamics unfolding within major historical events.
For this approach to fully express its potential, it is essential that the teaching of history opens itself to the territory, understood as a diffuse archive and a network of relationships, fostering constant dialogue between school and community. Collaboration between educational and cultural institutions thus represents a crucial element for enriching the educational offer, connecting classroom learning with the historical and cultural heritage of the community—which in turn becomes a teaching tool—and promoting active and informed citizenship.
Starting from these premises, the present research—considering the main educational proposals offered by various national cultural institutions—explores the potential of using popular writing materials to construct and communicate history, particularly in upper secondary education, by analysing methods and practices capable of promoting quality education. Subjective written testimonies, understood as cultural heritage, thus become the core of an educational process aimed at developing students’ ability to critically interpret the past through individual life experiences that function as pieces of a larger puzzle.
In particular, Italian migration between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with its wealth of individual and collective stories, is adopted as a case study. The methodological approach centred on the enhancement of archival materials—archives perceived and experienced through the “eccentric” perspective of pedagogy with respect to the purely historical disciplinary field—opens up a valuable opportunity for comparison. The research focuses on the ways in which migrations are narrated and represented through the sources preserved within these specific archival contexts.
The research pathway is structured around a methodology that first involves a critical survey and reflection on history didactics, also framed within the context of migration history, defining the purpose of the research and its specific objectives. A crucial aspect of the study is represented by the creation of territorial networks for the development of innovative learning pathways, of which the research itself was an integral part, particularly with regard to the synergy established between the Ligurian Archive of Popular Writing (ALSP), active within the Department of Primary Education Sciences of the University of Genoa, the University Museum System of Genoa (SMA), and the National Institute for Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research (INDIRE).
The selection of primary sources took place within the ALSP and focused on four key phases of the migratory experience: the reasons for and preparations for departure, the journey and experiences on board, arrival and integration in the host country, and the possible return to the country of origin. The materials—ranging from letters and diaries to photographs and postcards—proved to be valuable and, in some respects, irreplaceable for reconstructing micro-histories and the lived experiences of migration protagonists.
Once selected, the corpus of sources constituted the core for the creation of an educational pathway dedicated to the history of Italian migration, which in its experimental phase involved six upper secondary schools located in the Genoa area. The aim of this laboratory-based pathway, which also included the design of a game-based educational tool, MigraStorie, was to transform direct testimonies of the past into dynamic and engaging learning tools for younger generations.
The analysis of data collected through pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, together with observations conducted during the laboratory activities, made it possible to reflect on the impact of the didactic experimentation in relation to prior and acquired knowledge, as well as on students’ skills and perceptions regarding the migratory phenomenon. The analysis of the results also allowed for the identification of good teaching practices, the collection of insights for future research and experimentation, and the delineation of the limits of this approach.
Finally, the thesis aims to contribute to reflection on the ways in which history, narrated and experienced through direct testimonies, can become a tool for the education of new citizens
From Emerging LEO Satellite Constellations to the Space Cloud: Emulation Platforms and Orchestration Methods
No full textIn the rapidly advancing field of satellite communications, mega-constellations of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are gaining significant attention from the academic and industrial sectors. Managing these expanding constellations has become increasingly complex, and integrating them with classical cellular networks presents new automation challenges. We envision a Space Cloud in which Multiaccess Edge Computing (MEC) services are deployed within cross-liked space networks to address emerging Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) latency demands. Integrating computation services in orbit will be instrumental in unlocking a Space Cloud that reduces the need to route computation requests to the Internet backbone. This study’s first contribution is MeteorNet, an open-source constellation and edge computing emulation platform aimed at assessing the expected performance of future Space Clouds. MeteorNet realistically replicates the behavior of edge computing in a synthetic satellite constellation network hosting onboard containerized servers. The second contribution comprises two innovative edge orchestration strategies based on fuzzy logic and reinforcement learning.
These strategies leverage historical data on task loads and processing failures to control the activation of on-orbit edge servers, ensuring efficient resource utilization. A Pareto-efficient analysis of multiple Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) using MeteorNet proves the approach’s feasibility in space missions with energy constraints and limited computation resources
LANCL2 and ERRα Interaction and Functional Collaboration in Cardiomyocytes
No full textAbscisic acid (ABA), a terpenoid phytohormone classically associated with plant stress responses, has emerged as an endogenous mammalian hormone with a conserved role in energy metabolism and immune regulation. In mammals, ABA modulates glucose homeostasis, mitochondrial function, and oxidative metabolism through its receptors, lanthionine synthetase C–like proteins LANCL1 and LANCL2. The orphan nuclear receptor estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα) is a master transcriptional regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and metabolic flexibility in tissues with high energetic demand, including muscle and immune cells. Although both ABA/LANCL signaling and ERRα independently control cellular energy metabolism, their potential functional interplay has not been previously investigated. The objective of this doctoral research was to investigate the molecular and functional collaboration between the ABA/LANCL hormone–receptor system and ERRα signaling in cardiomyocytes and immune cells, with particular emphasis on nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, mitochondrial function, and transcriptional regulation. By integrating cellular, molecular, biochemical, and advanced imaging approaches, this study aimed to investigate the possible role of ERRα as a downstream effector of ABA/LANCL signaling and to explore the relevance of this axis in both metabolic and immune contexts.
Using rat embryonic H9c2 cardiomyocytes as a cell model, ABA stimulation and genetic modulation of LANCL1/2 expression were combined with ERRα silencing or overexpression. ROS production was quantified using H2DCFDA and mitochondrial superoxide–specific MitoSOXTM assays, while NO signaling was evaluated through analysis of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression. Transcriptional and protein-level changes were assessed by qPCR and Western blotting. Confocal microscopy and FRET–FLIM imaging were employed to investigate the subcellular localization and physical proximity of LANCL2 and ERRα, providing evidence of their spatial and functional association. In parallel, recombinant human ERRα was expressed and purified in Escherichia coli and reintroduced by plasmid transfection into LANCL2-overexpressing cardiomyocytes to validate causality in signaling responses. The results demonstrate that the ABA/LANCL1–2 system regulates NO and ROS metabolism in cardiomyocytes through an ERRα-dependent mechanism. ABA stimulation enhanced eNOS transcription and NO production, while concomitantly limiting excessive ROS generation, thereby promoting a metabolically efficient and redox-balanced phenotype. ERRα silencing significantly blunted these effects, establishing ERRα as a critical mediator of ABA/LANCL signaling. Confocal and FRET–FLIM analyses revealed co-localization and close molecular interaction between LANCL2 and ERRα in H9c2 supporting the existence of a functional signaling hub linking membrane-associated ABA perception to nuclear transcriptional control of mitochondrial metabolism. To extend these findings to the immune system, LANCL2 expression was selectively silenced or increased in human CD14+ monocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). These experiments confirmed the feasibility of modulating the ABA/LANCL axis in immune cells and provided initial evidence that LANCL2 expression levels influence cellular metabolic and signaling competence, consistent with the established role of ERRα in immune cell activation and metabolic reprogramming. Together, these data suggest that the ABA/LANCL–ERRα axis represents a conserved metabolic signaling pathway operative in both cardiomyocytes and immune cells.
In conclusion, this thesis identifies ERRα as a novel downstream effector and functional partner of the ABA/LANCL hormone–receptor system, linking extracellular metabolic cues to transcriptional programs controlling mitochondrial function, redox homeostasis, and energy metabolism. These findings provide new mechanistic insight into insulin-independent, ABA-mediated metabolic regulation and highlight the ABA/LANCL–ERRα axis as a promising therapeutic target for metabolic disorders, cardiomyopathies, and immune-metabolic dysregulation. Future perspectives include in vivo validation of this signaling pathway, exploration of its role in blood glucose homeostatis, metabolic and inflammatory diseases, and the development of pharmacological or nutraceutical strategies aimed at selectively modulating ERRα activity downstream of ABA signaling
Exploring regional inequities in food safety practices and food security in Italy: A cross-sectional study
No full textDynamic model and performance assessment of the natural motion of a SCARA-like manipulator in pick-and-place tasks
No full textThe energy efficiency of manipulators performing cyclic motions can be enhanced by utilizing the so-called natural motion, namely, the natural oscillations that occur when elastic elements are placed in series or parallel with the actuators. In this paper, the natural motion of the RR-4R-R robot is discussed. This manipulator exhibits a 4-DOF mobility similar to that of the widespread SCARA robot, but the vertical prismatic joint is replaced by a four-bar mechanism. This modification, along with the adoption of a direct-drive actuator for the four-bar mechanism, makes it easier to achieve the elastic balancing of the robot, allowing the exploitation of its natural motion. The robot dynamics is analysed using the Lagrangian approach. Two types of elastic balancing are considered: one using a torsional spring and one using a linear coil spring. A simplified model of the vertical motion is then proposed, decoupled from the inertial effects of the horizontal motion, and used to estimate the vertical natural period. The behaviour of the manipulator with natural elastic balancing is compared with that obtained with exact elastic balancing, which provides an indifferent equilibrium in any robot position. This comparison is first carried out in the time domain, and then the space of the robot operating conditions is sampled through multibody simulations, performed to investigate the threshold of convenience between exact and natural balancing. Simulation results indicate that exploiting the natural motion of the RR-4R-R manipulator can significantly reduce energy consumption in a wide range of industrial applications involving pick-and-place tasks
The Cost of Hegemony: The Interplay Between Urban Concentration and Growth (1400–1800)
No full textThe article investigates the influence of institutional frameworks on spatial development patterns in the preindustrial world, exploring how the degree of urban concentration may determine whether societies experienced urbanization ‘with’ or ‘without’ growth. We hypothesize that the emergence of centralized/extractive institutions in the capital city, which tend to siphon resources from hinterland cities, results in artificially inflated urbanization levels despite congestion problems and economic stagnation. In contrast, decentralized/inclusive institutions, fostering a balanced and autonomous urbanization process, are associated with economic growth. We conduct a historical and empirical analysis of the Republic of Genoa from 1400 to 1800. Our findings suggest that extractive and centralized institutions in the capital city of Genoa led to centralized and congested urban growth, restricting the autonomy and expansion of peripheral cities and negatively impacting the Republic's overall economic development, at least until new policies were enacted in the eighteenth century. Consequently, the emergence of more inclusive institutions fostered the development of peripheral cities, resulting in urbanization that was more balanced and coupled with economic growth. This pattern shows that urbanization is virtuous when decoupled from urban concentration, whereas their simultaneous increase reflects economic stagnation, integrating both urbanization ‘with’ and ‘without’ growth into a unified framework