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English credit: teoria e storia di una fede vittoriosa.
No full textThe following dissertation is divided into two parts. The first part is mainly theoretical and deals with one of the major riddles that have obsessed economic thinking at least from the times of Aristotle: the search for a theoretically sound and historically adequate account of the origins of money. The solutions offered, among other thinkers, by Adam Smith, Carl Menger, Alfred Mitchell Innes, Georg Friedrich Knapp, Philip Grierson have broadly been discussed, but eventually they have been found by the author insufficient to solve the mistery. A better result can be obtained if the problem is posed after an intellectual translation operated with the tools offered by analytic philosophy; more than a simple enlargement of the scope of the research, the - Wittgensteinian in spirit - solution I propose is an entirely new perspective that allows to escape the tantalizing finding of an essentialistic definition of money. In this way, the centre of the attention is more on “money” (the word) and less on money as object (the different kind of things taken into account by economic and anthropologic literature).
This new point of view is extensively used in the second part of my dissertation, which is mainly historical, and helps to clarify the still unclear role of the so–called “imaginary money” in the economic facts of the Ancien Régime. The last and most extensive chapter of my dissertation deals with the peculiar form of money that emerged from 17th-century England, particularly after the establishment of the Bank of England (1694). The originality of the reconstruction lies in the attempt to explain the birth of credit-money as the birth of new form of popular faith (Creditt)
Array-CGH in the investigation of karyotype changes of CD34+ haematopoietic stem cells in lymphoma and multiple myeloma patients who underwent to autologous transplantation.
No full textHematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) represents an effective treatment strategy for a variety of hematologic and not hematologic malignancies.
In particular, autologous transplantation of haematopoietic stem cells (ASCT) from bone marrow of patients with hematologic malignancies is feasible and has low treatment-related mortality (Gribben JG, 2009). However, literature assessed late mortality in 29.4% of individuals who had survived 2 or more years after autologous haematopoietic cell transplantation (Burns, L.J., 2009; Bhatia S. and al, 2005). This could be due to the purified stem cells which might carry a mutation on a chromosome predisposing to the disease and lead to the risk of pathology recurrence.
Lymphoma and myeloma are perfect candidates for autologous transplantation after G-CSF stimulation and bone marrow ablation trough chemotherapy.
However, in this case too, pathology relapse or secondary malignancies are found in a high percentage of patients.
The aim of this project is to verify the existence of detectable imbalanced chromosome anomalies in stem cells before any ablative treatment for HSCT or developed after G-CSF stimulation or chemotherapy.
A cohort of 24 lymphoma and myeloma patients have been analyzed trough array-CGH to identify significant imbalanced chromosome anomalies also present in low percentage of mosaicism. The result showed anomalies in 8/24 patients: one patient affected by Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) revealed a deletion of chromosome 2 in p16.1, where the REL gene is located and in part deleted; the amplification of chromosome 11 in q12.2q13.4 containing CCND1 gene (this patient was investigated both before and after transplantation) was found in one patient with multiple myeloma (MM); alterations of chromosome 14 in q32.31-33, where genes for variable chain of immune globulin are located, were found in five patients with Hodgkin and non Hodgkin lymphomas (HL/NHL). FISH on interphase nuclei has been used to confirm a-CGH data.
A short-time (36 months) clinical and haematological follow-up examination did not show a different trend between patients with chromosome imbalances and without but a long-term follow-up is needed to definitely correlate the imbalances with the clinical evolution and to have the indications of global survival of the considered population.
Work in progress is the extension of clinical and haematological observation to obtain evidence of a difference statistically significant and to reach the final goal of suggesting a possible protocol to candidate patients to purging treatments before the CD34+ cells re-infusion
Inward rectifier potassium current in dopaminergic periglomerular cells of mouse olfactory bulb.
No full textInward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels are important for neuronal signalling and membrane excitability. In this work, patch-clamp techniques were used to characterize Kir channels in mouse dopaminergic (DA) periglomerular (PG) cells. These interneurons are critically placed at the entry of the bulbar circuitry, in contact with terminals of olfactory sensory neurons and with dendrites of projection neurons.
Perforated-patch configuration was adopted to record Kir current in DA-PG cells in thin slice. IKir could be distinguished from the hyperpolarization-activated current by showing full activation in < 10 ms, no inactivation, suppression by Ba2+ in a typical voltage-dependent manner and reversal potential nearly coincident with EK.
DA-PG cells are autorhythmic and are target of numerous afferents releasing a variety of neurotransmitters, although their properties and role remain elusive. Depolarization induced by Ba2+ blocks spontaneous activity, although the Kir current is not an essential component of the pacemaker machinery.
The current is negatively modulated by intracellular cAMP, as shown by a decrease of its amplitude induced by forskolin. Several neuromodulatory effects were tested on the Kir current of DA-PG cell. Activation of metabotropic receptors - known to be present on these cells - shows that the current can be modulated by a multiplicity of pathways. The Kir current can be increased, as observed with agonists of muscarinic, α1 noradrenergic and GABAA receptors, or IKir modulation can caused the opposite effect, i.e. agonists of D2, 5-HT and histamine receptors.
These characteristics of the Kir currents provide the basis for additional flexibility of DA-PG cells signaling and function
Synthesis of novel nitrogen ligands and their application to transition metal catalyzed reactions.
No full textmissin
Declinazioni del "femminile" nell'antimodernismo tedesco. Ludwig Klages e i suoi contemporanei (1893-1933).
No full textAt the beginning of the 20th century, Johann Jakob Bachofen’s notion of the Maternal as the origin of all things opened a broader scholarly debate in which gender categories became critical tools against modernity. According to each scholar’s political view point, the Feminine is now perceived as the repressed Other of European history, a utopian alternative to modernity, linked to ideas such as archaism, naturalness or backwardness. The present study is an attempt to trace and explain the persistence of the Feminine in German Anti-Modernism and is something else than a contribution to the debate about the historical existence of matriarchies and the linked political and social implications.
Within this framework the reception of the matriarchy and of Bachofen’s theories by Ludwig Klages is compared with that of his contemporaries. Indeed, Klages’ radical employment of Bachofen’s matriarchy, considered as ‘feminine principle’ against the instrumental rationalism of the ‘masculine’ modernity, has a significant impact on his time. First of all his influence can be perceived in the so called Munich Cosmic Circle, of which Klages was one of the founder members together with Alfred Schuler and Karl Wolfskehl. Stefan George and the members of his Circle were also inspired by his work, as later the theorists of the Frankfurt School, especially Walter Benjamin, Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno and Ernst Bloch. Klages’ use of the “Feminine” is also compared with that of the feminist movement active in the same historical period, including the particular point of view supported by Franziska zu Reventlow in her novels.
Starting from the above-mentioned comparisons, the present study aims at demonstrating that the male-female dualism is crucial for the paradigmatic “struggle” for Bachofen and at defining the nature of the crisis of modernity
Preservation and diffusion of some native Italian chicken breeds.
No full textThe safeguard of animal biodiversity is a strong objective in developed countries. The genetic variability gives the chance to select individuals more adapted to climatic changes, diseases and potential market variations. Because of the different environments, up to decades ago, Italy showed a considerable biodiversity in native livestock breeds and populations. Within the last one hundred years, the number of endangered native breeds dramatically increased, leading to an irreversible loss of genetic resources. About 60% of chicken breeds reared in Italy until some decades ago are currently disappeared. The reason of this trend is mainly due to the selection of specialized breeds very efficient in converting feed into egg and meat. Contemporarily, the abandoning of rural breeding in favour of intensive farming system which uses few selected chicken lines exacerbates such negative trend. The extant breeds, excluded from commercial selection process, represent an important source of variability. The main critical point of local breeds is generally the low productivity which implies that a large part of body resources are used for maintenance (kinetic activity, immune response) and only the residual are assigned to production traits. This fact implies a low productivity but in the same time renders the animal adaptable to poor environment. In particular seems that such pure breed had more aptitude to elongate and desaturate essential fatty acids (linoleic acid, n-6 and α-linolenic acid, n-3) in their long chain derivates (arachidonic acid-AA, eicosapentaenoic acid-EPA, docosahexaenoic acidDHA), with a consequently greater accumulation on products. This would represent an important goal for the livestock word, since it provides a compromise: between rusticity and economic sustainability and designs a healthier chicken meat for nutritional-conscious consumers, also in accordance with a big problem of the safeguard of the biodiversity.
The aim of the present PhD work was to study the adaptation response of local chicken breed to extensive farming conditions. The experimental activity is divided into different experiments where we analyzed the behavior and welfare of different poultry breeds in extensive farming system and the quality of the products (meat and eggs) with a focus on lipid content and the metabolism of Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (LC-PUFA). It was also studied the metabolic pathways of LC-PUFA and how different genotypes respond to feed changes testing the hypothesis that nutrition can influence the ontogenetic development.
In detail the effect of extensive farming systems which implies large availability of pasture on different chicken genotypes (local breeds vs commercial hybrids) was compared. The main traits that have been evaluated are: productive performance, health and welfare, immune response and qualitative characteristics of product. Different physiological (IMMUNITY: lysozyme, complement, serum bactericidal activity; OXIDATIVE STATUS: ROS, antioxidant power), and ethological indicators (behavior, tonic immobility, body lesions) have been used for this purpose. Nutritional characteristics of eggs and meat, with particular attention to oxidative and fatty acid profile were studied through the evaluation of TBARS, tocopherols, carotenoids, polyphenols, PUFA n-3 and n-6 content. Great emphasis has been paid to the study of LC-PUFA since local strain seemed more efficient in the synthesis of these fatty acids.
In particular in the experiment 1 the adaptive response of Ancona laying hens to extensive farming system in comparison to commercial hybrids has been analyzed. Ancona birds showed a specific ethological profile associated with very good welfare conditions, better immune system and oxidative status. The Ancona breed seems more adapted to less controlled environment and showed a higher percentage of "natural” behavior. Such behaviors are high in energy cost, allowing the more selected birds to save energy which could be reallocated to production traits. At the same time, the lower productivity of Ancona birds resulted in a better balance with the extensive environment, as evidenced by health status and mortality rate.
In the experiment 2 the meat traits of six hundred male chicks from slow-growing (Leghorn, Ancona, Cornish x Leghorn), medium-growing (Naked Neck, Kabir) and fast-growing (Ross) strains have been studied. The physiological state of the birds appears to be inversely correlated with the genetic selection, indeed the slow-growing showed more marked natural behaviors, followed by the medium-growing. They showed a good adaptation to extensive environment. Indeed the slow-growth rate is only a prerequisite for adaptability to the extensive system; other traits as the grazing attitude, kinetic activity, body structure and the immune response greatly affect such adaptation. It has been reported that the most relevant role of grass in organic poultry is represented by the intake of several bioactive compounds (i.e. PUFA, vitamins and pigments) with a direct effect on the quality of meat and eggs. For these reasons, it is important to determine the intake and the nutritional relevance of pasture to develop suitable free-range diets and to investigate the transfer of the above-mentioned compounds into the poultry products. In the experiment 3 eggs quality was been assessed. Ancona hens produced a lower number of eggs than commercial line but markedly different from the qualitative point of view. Indeed, Ancona eggs compared to Hy-line had higher carotenoid, polyphenol and tocopherol contents that in turn have a relevant effect on human health. Even the fatty acid profile improved (lower n-6/n-3 ratio; higher C18:3n-3 and LC-PUFA n-3); this latter fact confirms the ability of the hen to elongate/desaturate linolenic acid and to transfer n-3 LC-PUFA to the egg where exert important role during the chick growth. These differences were mainly due to the availability of green pasture and to the higher pasture attitude of Ancona hens. In experiment 4 we analyzed the fatty acid and antioxidant profile of breast meat from chickens reared according to the organic system. The slow-growing strains are egg-type lines which seem to have a higher efficiency in LC-PUFA deposition respecting to meat-type, being that elongation is partly affected by the estrogen level. Concerning the content of saturated fatty acids (SFA), the highest value was observed in fast-growing genotype. However, the meat of slow-growing chickens had lower lipid stability despite higher antioxidant content probably due to the kinetic behavior and the resulting pro-oxidative metabolism. The results of this study indicate that in extensive farming chicken genotypes play an important role in the fatty acid composition of meat. This finding assumes great importance because health concerns over human fat intake are one of the main factors contributing to the decline of meat intake. The observed differences among poultry genotypes indicate that a suitable compromise between rusticity and economic sustainability could be found and a healthier chicken meat for nutrition-conscious consumers could be designed. With the aim to improve the nutritional value of products a relationship between genotype and desaturating ability was evidenced with a significant impact on the PUFA content in the meat. In the experiment 5 we have estimated the lipid indices of six chicken genotype organically reared. We can said that the differences in meat lipid content are affected by breed, and that the pure breed had a two time higher Δ5/Δ6-desaturase index value than medium and fast-growing strains. To confirm our previously estimated, we have evaluated the direct measure of different enzymatic activity and gene expression of the above-mentioned complex in liver mitochondria in the experiment 6. Three groups of laying hens for each genotype (slow-, fast- and slow x fast-growing crossing) were fed with a standard diet. To hatch, 5 chicks/genotype were sacrificed and the liver was taken for enzyme activity and gene expression of Δ6-desaturase. Slow-growing chicken in comparison to fast-growing strain showed a higher desaturase activity. Data showed that the mRNA expression of FADS2 gene is strongly correlated with genetic selection. It seems to be higher in mediumgrowing strains although their enzyme activity was intermediate. Finally, in the experiment 7 we have tested where possible to modified lipid metabolic pathway with dietary supplementation of precursor (linolenic acid) or directly LC-PUFA (EPA and DHA). Three groups of laying hens for each genotype (slow-growing vs fast-growing) were fed with three different diets: control (standard diet), LCPn-3 (standard diet with 3% fish oil) and LNA (standard diet with 10% of linseed). Enzyme activity and gene expression of Δ6-desaturase were assessed to chicks liver as previously mentioned. The results showed that diets slightly affected lipid metabolism whereas the genetic effect was confirmed. Data reported in these last experiments showed that the expression and activity of Δ6-desaturase is strongly correlated with the genotype, so reaching an important objective for the food industry, since dietary modifications do not seem able to change the lipid metabolism. Concluding, my PhD work has the aim to assess the use of Italian local strains in extensive farming system, not just to safeguard the breeds from extinction, but also to exploit them economically, given the higher adaptability to poorer environment and the particular PUFA metabolism. They could represent an important source of gene bank, indeed selection processes and crosses of such strain with other more productive strains, could be a good alternative. In particularly, these genotypes could be exploited as suitable strains for the production of meat and eggs having higher nutritional value
Identification and modulation of the allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) homologous in the medicinal leech Hirudo Medicinalis.
No full textAllograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) is a 17 kDa cytokine-inducible calcium-binding protein that in vertebrates plays an important role in allografts immune response and its expression is mostly limited to the monocyte/macrophage lineage. Recently it was assumed that AIF-1 was a novel molecule involved in inflammatory responses. To better clarify this aspect in the present study we investigated the expression of AIF-1 after bacterial challenge, wounds and tissue transplants and its potential role in regulating the innate immune response in an invertebrate model, the medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis). The analysis of an EST library from H. medicinalis CNS, revealed the presence of a gene, named Hmaif-1/alias Hmiba1, showing a high homology with vertebrate aif-1. Immunohistochemistry using an anti-HmAIF-1 polyclonal antibody showed that this protein is constitutively present in spread, CD68+ macrophage-like cells. A few hours after pathogen bacterial injection in the body wall, the amount of these immunopositive cells increases at the injected site, co-expressing HmAIF-1 and the common leukocyte marker CD45. A similar overview was observed in the early stages of wound healing, especially at 24 hours after injury, with a lot of immunopositive cells around the lesion site. Moreover here we demonstrated that the recombinant protein HmAIF-1 induced a massive angiogenesis and it was also a potent chemoattractant for macrophages. After rHmAIF-1 stimulation, macrophage-like cells co-expressed the macrophage marker CD68 and the surface glycoprotein CD45, which in Vertebrates is implicated in the integrinmediated adhesion of macrophages and plays a key role in regulating the functional responsiveness of cells to chemoattractants. We therefore hypothesized that CD45 could play a role for leech macrophage-like cells activation and migration towards the inflammation site and we examined its potential effect on HmAIF-1-induced signaling
Jets and accretion in heavy black holes across cosmic time.
No full textBlazars are Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) characterized by relativistic jets launched in the vicinity of the central engine (i.e. a supermassive black hole; SMBH), that are oriented close to our line of sight.
How jets in AGN form, collimate and accelerate is still an open issue, but a connection with the accretion process is sometimes suggested. We first investigated this issue, finding that in jetted AGN the SMBH can accrete both through a radiatively efficient, optically thick, geometrically thin accretion disc, and through a radiatively inefficient, geometrically thick hot accretion flow. The occurrence of these two accretion regimes depends on the accretion rate: if it is larger than ˙M ~ 0.1˙MEdd, the accretion is radiatively efficient, while if it is less than ~ 0.1˙MEdd the accretion is inefficient.
After this first insight on accretion and jets, we used these components as tools to study the extremely massive black hole population at high redshift (i.e. MBH > 109M, z > 4). A deep knowledge of these objects can provide fundamental clues to the models of formation and growth of the first supermassive black holes (106M_ < MBH < 109M). The peculiar orientation of blazars makes them the most effective tracers of their parent population, namely all the jetted AGN with similar intrinsic properties, but oriented in random directions. For this reason, we set up a systematic search of blazar candidates from a large quasar sample, in order to collect a complete sample of high–redshift blazars. We selected a sample of 19 extremely radio–loud, high–redshift quasars. We characterized their nuclear features (i.e. SMBH mass and accretion rate) by fitting their accretion disc spectra: we find that our criteria are efficient in selecting very massive and fast accreting black holes. We started our classification campaign, through X–ray observations. We successfully classified three quasars from our sample as blazars, along with a serendipitously selected (but analogous) candidate from the same area of sky. This means that our criteria are efficient in selecting good blazar candidates.
Comparing our findings with the known distribution of non–jetted AGN, we find that there are different formation epochs for extremely massive black holes hosted in jetted (z ~ 4) and non–jetted systems (z ~ 2.5). This is not easy to explain, according to the current black hole formation models in the early Universe. The search of very high–redshift jetted sources must be pursued, to learn more about the early stages of heavy black hole formation