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Policy processes in times of crises: the common european asylum system
No full textIn public policy literature and, more specifically, policy process research, crises are considered turning points that move policy subsystems from stability to change and learning. This assumption is also at the basis of many European Union integration theories, with the EU founding fathers’ statement that the EU will be forged in crisis. In the last fifteen years or so, crises are also becoming the new stability in the EU, with shocks succeeding one another (e.g., the Eurocrisis, refugee crisis, and Covid-19, among others). However, this connection between crises, policy processes and EU policymaking is still underexplored. This collection of articles attempts to fill this gap. By relying on the theories of the policy process, crisis management literature and the methodological tools of network analysis, the papers investigate EU migration and asylum policies (i.e., the Common European Asylum System) from different theoretical, analytical, methodological and empirical perspectives. Starting with a systematic literature review of crisis in policy process research, the second article of the collection analyses crisis’ effects on policy core beliefs over a timespan of more than ten years. The third paper explicitly includes the concept of ideational power to policy process research, and it tests the influence of Member States’ narratives in responding to the European Commission’s proposal for reform in the aftermath of a crisis. The last contribution of the collection proposes a novel way to analyse and measure how beliefs are translated into the final legislation, taking the latest EU migration and asylum policies reform as its empirical case. Overall, this collection of articles theoretically, analytically, methodologically and empirically contributes to public policy and policy process research, to EU policymaking literature, as well as to crisis management research in public policy
Deep brain stimulation outcomes in Parkinson's disease: a clinical and instrumental longitudinal study
No full textIntroduction: Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation(STN-DBS) is a widely regarded surgical treatment for Parkinson’s disease(PD). However, concerns remain regarding its effects on axial signs, cognition, and behavior, emphasizing the importance of tailoring surgical indications to optimize outcomes.
Objective: To describe STN-DBS effects trough a comprehensive evaluation of motor and non-motor outcomes, while exploring the interconnections among these aspects. Additionally, to examine controversial issue surrounding STN-DBS through instrumental assessments, including kinematic analysis and cardiovascular reflex tests(CRTs).
Methods: This longitudinal cohort study included 98 PD patients, evaluated before and 6 months post-surgery. Clinical assessments covered motor, cognitive, neuropsychiatric, sleep, autonomic, and quality of life aspects. Pre and post-DBS scores were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and reliable change indexes(RCI) were calculated. Logistic regression identified predictors of stimulation outcomes, followed by cluster analysis based on RCI to capture inter-variability in clinical outcomes.
Results: Motor symptoms and quality of life improved by 48% and 29%, respectively. Cognitive functions declined in some patients, with an incidental risk of mild cognitive impairment at 11%. Neuropsychiatric evaluations showed a significant reduction in behavioral fluctuations after surgery. Cluster analysis revealed three distinct groups: one with mild PD and limited motor benefits post-DBS, one with severe cognitive deficits showing further cognitive and functional declines; and a third group with severe motor symptoms but better cognition that achieved the highest improvements.
Kinematic analysis documented significant enhancements in gait parameters following surgery, with stimulation outperforming levodopa in gait speed, stride length, and turning.
CRTs showed no significant differences; however, the proportion of LD-induced orthostatic hypotension decreased from 25% to 5%.
Conclusion: This study introduces a multidimensional approach for assessing STN-DBS outcomes, highlighting the varied motor and non-motor benefits across patient profiles, and underscoring the importance of personalized approaches. Instrumental analysis also suggest that STN-DBS improves gait without affecting cardiovascular responses
Engineering of organic and hybrid phototransistor for effective near-infrared light detection and neuromorphic application
No full textLight-sensing components and devices are used in various fields, from nanomedicine and biomedicine to environmental and agrifood monitoring. Organic phototransistors offer advantages such as flexibility, light weight, low-cost fabrication, tunable properties, and low power consumption. In particular, multilayer phototransistors can be designed to optimize spectral sensitivity, response time, and gain, making them competitive for fast detection applications. However, in materials fabricated through solution processes, the optimization of optoelectronic performance is often limited by processing challenges to prevent degradation of underlying layers and by the lack of simple screening methods to correlate material or process modifications with device performance.
In the framework of the interplay between the assessment of new strategies in the design of phototransistor configurations and architectures and the implementation of innovative photoactive materials compatible with solution processing, my PhD internship identified multiple research topics to develop.
Firstly, a hybrid multilayer phototransistor based on an unconventional tri-channel architecture was realized and optimized aiming at obtaining a high- sensitive device. Then, an approach for assessing the photo-gain of solution-processed donor:acceptor bulk heterojunctions when used as photoactive layer in OPTs was proposed: a qualitative correlation between the space-charge-limited currents in simplified diode devices and the photosensitivity of the corresponding OPT devices was identified and demonstrated.
Following the smart design and the simplified methodology of characterization of the OPT devices, an innovative molecular electron-acceptor component (namely, a persistent neutral radical) was introduced for the first time in photoactive bulk heterojunction of multilayer solution-processed OPTs for improving optoelectronic performance.
Finally, by exploiting the peculiar property of these radical molecules to retain electrons for a long time, it was possible to demonstrate the use of this device for an appealing application such as neuromorphic optoelectronics
"You are a man, you are out of place": privileges and challenges of masculinity in schools and educational settings
No full textLa presente ricerca dottorale indaga la relazione tra maschilità e educazione dell’infanzia nei contesti scolastici italiani, con particolare attenzione alle rappresentazioni sociali e alle pratiche professionali degli insegnanti uomini operanti nella fascia 0-11 anni. Muovendo dalla constatazione della marcata femminilizzazione del settore, lo studio esplora le motivazioni che inducono gli uomini a intraprendere questa professione, l’immaginario sociale che ne struttura la percezione collettiva e le implicazioni della loro presenza nei processi di costruzione dell’identità di genere nei bambini e nelle bambine.
Il quadro teorico di riferimento si articola in un approccio multidisciplinare che integra contributi delle scienze dell’educazione, adottando una prospettiva gender-sensitive, socio-costruzionista e intersezionale.
Lo studio, di stampo qualitativo, si avvale di due principali strumenti di indagine: focus group con educatori e insegnanti di diversi generi e interviste individuali con insegnanti ed educatori uomini. Il campione è composto da 24 insegnanti/educatori uomini, attualmente in servizio o in pensione, provenienti da contesti educativi eterogenei (nidi, scuole dell’infanzia e primarie, sia pubbliche che private) e distribuiti su diverse aree geografiche. A integrazione dell’analisi, è stato coinvolto un gruppo di 6 insegnanti/educatrici donne.
Attraverso la metodologia della Reflexive Thematic Analysis, l’indagine esplora le rappresentazioni, gli stereotipi e i pregiudizi associati alla figura maschile nel settore educativo, nonché le modalità attraverso cui le mascolinità vengono performate o sovvertite nelle pratiche professionali e didattiche.
I risultati forniscono un contributo originale alla comprensione della presenza maschile nell’educazione dell’infanzia, mettendo in luce sfide e opportunità in un settore tradizionalmente femminilizzato e stimolando una riflessione critica sulla necessità di promuovere modelli educativi più equi e inclusivi.This doctoral dissertation explores the complex relationship between masculinity and early childhood education in Italian school settings, focusing on the social representations and professional practices of male teachers working with children aged 0–11. Given the strong feminization of the sector, the study investigates the motivations driving men to pursue this profession, the social imaginaries surrounding them, and the implications of their presence for the gender identity construction of boys and girls.
The research is framed within a multidisciplinary theoretical perspective, drawing on contributions from various educational sciences and adopting a gender-sensitive, socio-constructivist, and intersectional approach.
This qualitative study employs two primary research methods: focus groups with educators and teachers of different genders and individual interviews with male teachers and educators. The sample includes 24 male teachers and educators, either currently employed or retired, from diverse geographical areas and educational settings (nurseries, preschools, and primary schools, both public and private). Additionally, a group of six female teachers and educators was involved.
Through the analysis of participants' narratives and discourses, conducted using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, the research aims to explore the representations, stereotypes, and biases associated with male teachers, as well as how masculinities are performed or subverted within professional and educational practices
Identification of prognostic and predictive biomarkers in lymphoma patients treated with anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy
No full textChimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T-cell) therapy has emerged as a promising treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (r/r B-NHL) who have failed standard therapies. The overall response rate is 50–60%, but severe toxicities such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) can occur in about 30% of patients. In addition, CAR T-cell activity may be hampered by T-cell exhaustion or senescence. My PhD project aimed to study the post-infusion CAR T-cell biology and to identify biomarkers of therapy-related toxicity and clinical outcome. We collected whole blood, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and plasma samples from 88 r/r B-NHL patients treated with Axi-cel or Tisa-cel before and after treatment, to investigate patients immunophenotype, CAR T-cell fitness and expansion kinetic, and circulating nucleic acids as therapy biomarkers. The molecular tracking of CAR T-cell DNA, obtained with droplet digital PCR, showed expansion kinetics comparable to those measured using flow cytometry, but an improved capability to detect the CAR T-cell DNA at 1 year after therapy. To what concern toxicity, patients with high levels of circulating monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs) and a distinct miRNA profile before lymphodepletion were more prone to developing CRS or ICANS. As for outcome prediction, we reported that elevated pre-lymphodepletion levels of M-MDSCs and circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) were associated with significantly worse overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and time to progression (TTP), when compared to patients with low levels. Moreover, using multivariate logistic regression we identified a 4-variable model including 3 miRNAs (miR-542-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-26b-3p), able to predict a 3-month outcome with an accuracy of 82%. In conclusion, our analysis demonstrated the potential of liquid biopsy testing before anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy to assist the clinician in prognostic assessment and treatment decisions
Imprisoned mothers: motherhood experiences between detention facilities and schools
No full textLa ricerca etnografica indaga le esperienze di maternità vissute dalle donne all’interno dell’Istituto a Custodia Attenuata per Madri detenute (ICAM) e la casa-famiglia protetta di Milano, dove le madri godono dell’opportunità giuridica di vivere con i propri figli minori, ma sono al contempo oggetto di un potere disciplinare che limita fortemente il loro ruolo genitoriale. Dopo aver analizzato la legislazione che legittima e norma la coabitazione di donne e bambini nei contesti detentivi, la ricerca si è concentrata sulla relazione tra le madri in esecuzione penale e le scuole frequentate dai loro figli, al fine di comprendere come le esperienze di maternità vengano costruite nello spazio di incontro tra le due istituzioni. L’indagine si basa sull’analisi delle interviste semi-strutturate e dei focus group condotti con il personale educativo dei contesti detentivi e scolastici, evidenziando la complessità della costruzione del lavoro di rete tra le diverse realtà, le criticità che caratterizzano lo scambio tra madri detenute e insegnanti e le difficoltà di accompagnare la pratica educativa con una riflessività attenta alle rappresentazioni sociali e alla specificità dei contesti. Nonostante la persistenza di processi selettivi che condizionano l’accesso al campo dei luoghi di pena, le interviste narrative condotte con alcune madri hanno rappresentato uno strumento prezioso per generare una conoscenza situata dei contesti indagati, esplorare la trama di significati attribuita alle loro esperienze e mostrare in che modo le donne riaffermino il loro ruolo genitoriale nella relazione con i soggetti istituzionali.The ethnographic research investigates the experiences of motherhood as lived by women within the Institute for Attenuated Custody for Detained Mothers (ICAM) and the foster home in Milan. In these settings, mothers have the legal opportunity to live with their minor children but are simultaneously subjected to a disciplinary power that significantly restricts their parental role. After analyzing the legislation that legitimizes and regulates the cohabitation of women and children in detention contexts, the research focused on the relationship between incarcerated mothers and the schools attended by their children. The goal was to understand how motherhood experiences are constructed in the space of interaction between these two institutions. The study is based on an analysis of semi-structured interviews and focus groups conducted with educational staff from both detention and school settings. It highlights the complexity of building networked collaboration between different institutions, the challenges that characterize the exchanges between incarcerated mothers and teachers, and the difficulties of integrating educational practices with a reflexivity attentive to social representations and the specificity of contexts. Despite the persistence of selective processes that influence access to the penal field, the narrative interviews conducted with some mothers have proven to be a valuable tool for generating situated knowledge about the contexts under investigation. They allow for an exploration of the meanings attributed to their experiences and reveal how women reaffirm their parental role in their interactions with institutional actors
Adaptive cultural tourism in rural areas: a framework to support planners and decision-makers in a changing climate
No full textCultural tourism is emerging as a key-driver of socio-cultural regeneration and economic revitalization for rural areas. This opens new challenges around the need of valuing their cultural and natural resources through a coordinated territorial planning, to support the attractiveness of such territories while preserving rural identities and ensuring sustainable experiences for tourists. In such a context, accelerating climate change is raising urgent questions about the vulnerability of rural territories, strongly threatened by global warming and extreme events. Climate change may negatively impact tourism systems and resources through several direct and indirect pathways, influencing both supply and demand side. It has become evident that destinations must urgently learn how to adapt, manage climate risk and capitalize on new opportunities. Nevertheless, such concerns are rarely incorporated into territorial planning processes, and tourism adaptation responses are more often managed through short-term individual coping measures, rather than future-oriented, integrated and sustainable strategies.
This thesis aims to contribute to the discussion on climate change adaptation of cultural tourism in rural areas, supporting a wider understanding of the role of territorial planning towards a more adaptive cultural tourism. Moving from the concept of cultural tourism and its role in rural regeneration, a structured literature review discusses research trends and gaps on cultural tourism-climate change nexus in rural areas. Thus, the thesis proposes a conceptual and methodological framework for supporting local decision-makers and stakeholders in planning adaptive cultural tourism. It combines data-based and community-based approaches for conducting a spatially explicit multi-hazard risk assessment and co-designing adaptive solutions. A case study in the Fiastra Valley (Marche Region, Italy) tests the framework, making evidence of the importance of cross-sectoral, inter-territorial and inter-institutional cooperation for adapting cultural tourism to climate change. Lastly, this dissertation emphasizes the potential of transdisciplinary and participatory research to bridge science – policy – society divide
Beyond single-drug treatment for chronic pain: dissecting the molecular effects of pregabalin and ∆9-THC on opioid signaling modulation to implement innovative pharmacotherapy via a Quantitative Systems Pharmacology-based platform
No full textChronic pain is a multifaceted illness involving biological, psychological, and social factors severely lowering patients’ quality of life. Single-drug therapies seldom provide adequate relief and come with undesirable side effects. Multimodal analgesia—combining different drugs to target multiple pain-relieving mechanisms—has shown promise in reducing pain and minimizing opioid use. However, due to the incomplete understanding of pain mechanisms and the variability among individuals, the selection of effective drug combinations has largely been based on trial and error. Emerging technologies, such as Quantitative Systems Pharmacology (QSP), integrate in silico pharmacology, pharmacogenetics, and systems biology to characterize dynamic interplays between drugs and the physiopathology at multiple biological levels. To implement a QSP-based platform for predicting innovative combinations of existing opioid/non-opioid drugs eliciting analgesic synergy and reduced adverse effects, this research aims to investigate the effects of pregabalin and ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) co-administration on the signaling pathways associated to opioid receptors in brain region-specific rat and mouse primary neuronal cultures and in human cell models. Findings indicated that morphine, pregabalin, and their combination modulated the expression of pain/analgesia-related targets in a system- and brain region-specific manner. Low concentrations of pregabalin and THC affected morphine signaling at the µ opioid receptor (MOR), improving adenylyl cyclase inhibition and rescuing morphine’s activity following MORs desensitization. Additionally, the study confirmed that MOR and cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) colocalized. Mutating key residues at receptor interfaces altered signaling, further supporting the role of MOR-CB1 dimers in morphine-THC cross-talk. These results sustained combination therapy using gabapentinoids or cannabinoids with opioids, as low-dose co-administration could enhance analgesia while reducing side effects. The in vitro data collected, integrated with preclinical and clinical findings obtained by other QSPainRelief consortium partners, will populate the QSP database, contributing to developing a model platform for predicting more efficacious and secure medicine combinations to treat chronic pain
Treatment and nutrients recovery with Constructed Wetlands: closing the cycle of urban wastewater and agricultural drainage/runoff - exploration of novel setups, technologies and application
No full textConstructed wetlands (CWs) applied to municipal wastewater and agricultural drainage water (ADW) treatment were studied to remove and recover both water and nutrients within contained. In PRIMA FIT4REUSE and H2020 WATERAGRI research projects, novelties within the field as hybrid CWs, biochar as substrate, biomass revalorisation and aeration were explored. The reportedly promising properties of CWs were profitably applied both in urban and agricultural context, confirming such technology as a convenient and efficient choice for tackling the circularity challenges. The application of CWs after an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor granted considerable enhancement of the municipal wastewater treatment process: hybrid CWs granted increased performance in N and P removal, indicating that such NBSs can reach high removal rates without further intensification. Continuous CW aeration did not increase the performances, whereas partial and intermittent aeration granted a slight removal boost, arguably due to an enhancement of biotic metabolism, thus increasing the uptake by such components.
When applied to ADW, the best performing CW were identified as the surface-flow for N and P removal; biochar applied within horizontal flow CWs did not seem to influence the system performance, but further experiments are required.
In the same agricultural context, it was assessed that by regular harvesting the CW biomass (common reed) it is possible to exploit its nutrients uptake capacity providing soil with important nutrients. Composting the reed biomass can yield a valuable substance to be applied as soil amendment, with the potential to increase its properties, C pool and both nutrients content and availability, while decreasing the mineral fertiliser need. It was however assessed that reed should be mixed with additional substances, such as potato cuttings, to provide better properties. Further experiments should be performed to fully assess the potentials of agricultural waste recycling
Being human, being terrestrial: imaginaries and practices of climate justice in Ultima Generazione
No full textIl cambiamento climatico, inizialmente confinato ai dibattiti specialistici delle scienze climatologiche e poi a lungo assente dall'agenda politica e mediatica a causa di indolenza e dell'azione di occultamento da parte dell'industria dei combustibili fossili (Oreskes, 2022), è oggi al centro del discorso pubblico. Se le azioni richieste per contrastare il riscaldamento globale sono note, la gestione delle cause profonde della crisi climatica implica un cambiamento culturale radicale, che sfida la visione della natura come risorsa infinita e il mito dello sviluppo capitalistico (Beck, 2017; Van Aken, 2020). La crisi climatica è interpretata come una questione di giustizia climatica intersezionale, legata a disuguaglianze di potere tra esseri umani e altre specie (Cripps, 2022; Donovan e Adams, 1995; Lykke, 2009). Tali disuguaglianze si manifestano su vari livelli: dalla struttura sociale alla costruzione dell’identità e delle rappresentazioni simboliche (Kaijser e Kronsell, 2013). Inoltre, la democratizzazione e la politicizzazione del cambiamento sono cruciali per spostare il discorso da un progetto conservatore a uno che promuova una trasformazione radicale della società, affrontando le cause strutturali delle vulnerabilità climatiche (Mikulewicz, 2018). In questo contesto, i movimenti per il clima svolgono un ruolo fondamentale nella costruzione di nuove visioni del mondo, attraverso pratiche discorsive e culturali che sfidano le strutture di potere esistenti (Taylor e Van Dyke, 2004; Melucci, 1985, 1994). La presente ricerca, condotta tramite un approccio etnografico che ha incluso osservazione partecipante, interviste, analisi di documenti e media digitali, esplora come il movimento Ultima Generazione abbia integrato il cambiamento climatico nel proprio immaginario. I risultati suggeriscono che il movimento riconosce una condizione post-apocalittica, inserita nel quadro della giustizia climatica, e promuove pratiche che intrecciano azione, riflessione e trasformazione identitaria, evidenziando il valore politico dell’interdipendenza tra cura di sé, della comunità e del pianeta (Haraway, 2016).Climate change, initially confined to specialized debates within the field of climate sciences and for a long time absent from the political and media agenda due to indolence and the concealment efforts of the fossil fuel industry (Oreskes, 2022), is now at the center of public discourse. While the actions required to counter global warming are well known, addressing the root causes of the climate crisis involves a radical cultural shift, challenging the view of nature as an infinite resource and the myth of capitalist development (Beck, 2017; Van Aken, 2020). The climate crisis is understood as an issue of intersectional climate justice, linked to power inequalities between humans and other species (Cripps, 2022; Donovan and Adams, 1995; Lykke, 2009). These inequalities manifest at various levels, from social structures to the construction of identity and symbolic representations (Kaijser and Kronsell, 2013). Furthermore, the democratization and politicization of change are crucial in shifting the discourse from a conservative project to one that promotes a radical transformation of society, addressing the structural causes of climate vulnerabilities (Mikulewicz, 2018). In this context, climate movements play a fundamental role in constructing new worldviews through discursive and cultural practices that challenge existing power structures (Taylor and Van Dyke, 2004; Melucci, 1985, 1994). This research, conducted through an ethnographic approach that included participant observation, interviews, document analysis, and digital media analysis, explores how the Ultima Generazione movement has integrated climate change into its imaginary. The findings suggest that the movement recognizes a post-apocalyptic condition, framed within the context of climate justice, and promotes practices that intertwine action, reflection, and identity transformation, highlighting the political value of the interdependence between self-care, community care, and planetary care (Haraway, 2016)