46 research outputs found
Presentazione
No full textL’estetica animale come campo di studi ha mostrato negli ultimi due decenni uno sviluppo importante all’interno dell’estetica ambientale. Mentre gli approcci sperimentali e speculativi (teoretici) hanno in qualche modo dominato l’estetica ambientale dalla sua nascita come campo specifico di studi dell’estetica, le ricerche specifiche indirizzate all’estetica animale hanno visto uno sviluppo per certi versi simile ma con un maggior apporto interdisciplinare.[1] Linee di ricerca filosofiche anche molto diverse fra loro prendono avvio spesso da osservazioni tratte dall’etologia o da branche specifiche della zoologia, come l’entomologia. Allo stesso tempo, biologi impegnati nelle aree più disparate della vita animale e vegetale arrivano a toccare, forse più marcatamente che nel passato, questioni squisitamente filosofiche, e in particolare, estetologiche. Se una tale commistione di approcci e linee di ricerca ha certamente generato un fiorire di studi sul comportamento artistico animale – studi spesso arricchiti da preziose osservazioni tratte dal lavoro “sul campo” – allo stesso tempo, il richiamo a concetti tradizionalmente adottati dal pensiero filosofico (arte, sensibilità, tecnica, istinto, etc.) ha generato un bisogno sempre più impellente di chiarezza concettuale a cui autori dalle formazioni teoriche più diverse stanno cercando di dare risposta.
In questa direzione, è sembrato puntuale e necessario proporre un numero della nostra rivista incentrato sull’estetica animale e su alcuni aspetti rilevanti della problematica animale. Abbiamo deciso di raccogliere alcuni contributi dalla natura anche molto diversa tra loro e con impostazioni metodologiche diverse (dalla fenomenologia, alla critica letteraria, ad esempio), in modo che il lettore possa farsi un’idea, la più problematizzante possibile, rispetto agli attuali sviluppi dell’estetica animale. In ogni caso, non abbiamo escluso dal nostro volume approcci più storici rispetto al problema dell’animale, in modo che le tematiche affrontate siano contestualizzate anche nella tradizione del pensiero occidentale. In queste brevi righe introduttive ci limiteremo dunque a indicare alcune linee di lettura che il paziente lettore potrà (o meno) decidere di seguire, per costruire un filo conduttore che unisca tutti i contributi brevemente introdotti al termine di queste pagine, e che armonizzi voci così diverse fra loro, in un panorama tanto vario e complesso come quello degli animal studies.
[1] Si veda, A. Carlson, “Ten Steps in the Development of Western Environmental Aesthetics” in M. Drenthen, J. Keulatz (Ed.) Environmental aesthetics: crossing divides and breaking ground, New York, Fordham University Press, 2014, pp. 14-15
The Intentional Structure of Image: Attentive Meaning and Image Consciousness in Husserl’s Phenomenology = La estructura intencional de la imagen. Mentar atencional y conciencia de imagen en la fenomenología de Husserl
No full textThis article considers Edmund Husserl's description of image consciousness from the viewpoint of the role played by attentive meaning (meinen) in the intention of the image subject. We argue that the intention of the image subject has to be interpreted in the sense of the attentive meaning as presented in the second part of Husserl's 1904/5 lecture on Phenomenology and Theory of Knowledge. Attentive meaning performs 1) the segregation of a specific apprehension along with the attentive articulation of experience, and 2), as a formative and preferential function, it introduces a difference in the objective consideration. First, we explain the connection between apprehension, attentive meaning, and object; then, we clarify the relationship between apprehension and attentive meaning in image consciousness in the 1898 manuscripts and the 1904 lecture; finally, we set forth the motivation for the intending of the image subject on the basis of the image apprehension.Este artículo considera la descripción de Edmund Husserl de la conciencia de imagen desde el punto de vista del papel que desempeña el mentar atencional (meinen) en la intención del sujeto que aparece en la imagen. Argumentamos que la intención del sujeto que aparece en la imagen tiene que interpretarse en el sentido del mentar atencional tal como se presenta en la segunda parte del curso de Husserl de 1904/05 sobre Fenomenología y teoría del conocimiento. El mentar atencional realiza 1) la segregación de una aprehensión específica junto con la articulación atenta de la experiencia, y 2), como función configuradora y privilegiante, introduce una diferencia en la consideración del objeto. En primer lugar, explicamos la conexión entre aprehensión, mentar atencional y objeto; a continuación, aclaramos la relación entre aprehensión y mentar atencional en la conciencia de imagen en los manuscritos de 1898 y en el curso de 1904/05; por último, exponemos la motivación de la intencionalidad del sujeto que aparece en la imagen sobre la base de la aprehensión de la imagen
The Teleological Thinking in Nicolai Hartmann. A Conversation between Hartmann’s Theory of the Final Causality of Nature and Kant’s Views on Teleology
No full textThe work aims at presenting an interpretation of Nicolai Hartmann’s investigation of teleology, which would make possible a confrontation with Kant’s critical philosophy and teleological thought. Kant’s influence on the theoretical position assumed by Hartmann regarding the problem of finality is elucidated in the article. Kant’s influence on Hartmann will be explained in two steps: by considering the definition of purposiveness as a heuristic principle and by analyzing Hartmann’s approach to the problem of human freedom. Then Hartmann’s analysis of the categories is addressed, the philosopher’s exposition of the origin of the final nexus in the structure of consciousness being fundamental for his entire interpretation of the problem of teleology. By means of that, the faculty of consciousness to set for itself a purpose and its temporality as the origin of this faculty are analyzed. Hence, the question about the categorical claim of finality turns into the problem concerning its position with respect to the level of Being as exposed by Hartmann. Following that, the case of the organic is investigated, where the question of teleology is crucially at stake. Even though finality and purposiveness are necessarily given as related to a consciousness, this latter cannot represent something dominating the world and the organic. That excludes the possibility of finality in the organic—at least in this form. Considering Kant’s influence on defining the heuristic principle and causality of human freedom, monism in the determinations of reality is excluded in principle, while the position and possibility of finality in nature are newly defined
Souriau’s Animal Aesthetics In Context: Nature, Sensibility, and Form
No full textThe work defines three aspects of Souriau’s animal aesthetics by stressing
their relevance in the context of early and contemporary ethology: in (1), the concept
«biological nature» which is interpreted by Souriau as a realm of appearances and as
intrinsically aesthetic; in (2), the concept of animal sensibility, which makes it possible
to reframe animals’ artistic behaviours and the sense by which such phenomena estab-
lish a meaningful relationship with the environment; in (3), the concept of form, in the
description of natural appearances, is presented as it enters into the process of insti-
tution that, accordingly to Souriau’s interpretation of biological nature, encompasses
non-human animals and humans. All three definitions will allow us a), to present Sou-
riau’s critique of anthropomorphism and his proposal of an «healthy» zoomorphism;
b) to reformulate animals’ sensibility in a non-reductionistic fashion; and finally, c) to
address the issue with the supposedly sole communicative function of animal artistic
behaviors
Creatività e progettualità alla prova dell’estetica
No full textCreativity and innovation are common terms used as synonyms in political, economic, and scientific contexts. However, a certain field-specific interpretation of creativity is required when the European research and innovation programs for science and creative sectors are considered. Creativity is interpreted by aesthetics in relation to artistic production, play, and imagination. The paper considers the European policy for creative projects to show the common features of creativity as recognized by aesthetics
NFT: tra esperienza estetica e nuovi mercati dell’arte
No full textIl presente lavoro affronta il tema degli NFTs artistici da un punto di vista
estetologico, cercando di individuare le categorie assiologiche maggiormente interessanti
di questo recente fenomeno artistico. Lo scopo è guardare al loro valore senza ridurlo al
mero valore di mercato e di scambio. Dopo aver descritto brevemente l’origine di questa
tecnologia, il suo rapporto con la crypto art, e la declinazione delle categorie valoriali di
unicità, autenticità e scarsità nel complesso connubio di blockchain e produzione artistica,
guarderemo ai potenziali effetti degli NFTs nel mercato dell’arte.This work addresses the topic of artistic NFTs from an aesthetic point of view, trying to
identify the most interesting axiological categories of this recent artistic phenomenon. The
aim is to look at their value without reducing it to mere market and exchange value. After
briefly describing the origin of this technology, its relationship with crypto art, and the
declination of the value categories of uniqueness, authenticity and scarcity in the complex
combination of blockchain and artistic production, we will look at the potential effects of
NFTs in the crypto market Art
Late-Onset Focal Epilepsy: Electroclinical Features and Prognostic Role of Leukoaraiosis
No full textThe aim of this study was to describe the electroclinical and prognostic characteristics, and to investigate the role of leukoaraiosis in outpatients with new-onset elderly focal epilepsy aged ≥60 years, referred to a tertiary epilepsy center between 2005 and December 31, 2020. Among the 720 patients who were referred to the center, we retrospectively selected 162 consecutive outpatients, with a first referral for recent-onset focal epilepsy of unknown cause (UC) or structural cause (SC), and collected a clinical and standard-Electroencephalogram (S-EEG), 24-h ambulatory EEG (A-EEG), and neuroimaging data. We also analyzed the seizure prognosis after titration of the first antiseizure medication (ASM). One hundred and four UC and 58 SC patients, followed up for 5.8 ± 5.3 years (mean ± SD), were included. Compared with the SC group, the patients with UC showed a predominance of focal seizures with impaired awareness (51.9% of cases) and focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures during sleep (25%); conversely, the SC group, more frequently, had focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures during wakefulness (39.6%) and focal aware seizures (25.8%) (p < 0.0001). Oral or gestural automatisms were prevalent in UC epilepsy (20.2 vs. 6.9% in the SC group, p = 0.04). In UC compared to patients with SC, interictal epileptiform discharges showed a preferential temporal lobe localization (p = 0.0007), low expression on S-EEG, and marked activation during deep Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep (p = 0.003). An overall good treatment response was found in the whole sample, with a probability of seizure freedom of 68.9% for 1 year. The cumulative probability of seizure freedom was significantly higher in the UC compared with the SC group (p < 0.0001). The prognosis was worsened by leukoaraiosis (p = 0.012). In the late-onset focal epilepsy of unknown cause, electroclinical findings suggest a temporal lobe origin of the seizures. This group showed a better prognosis compared with the patients with structural epilepsy. Leukoaraiosis, per se, negatively impacted on seizure prognosis
Efficacy of a Selective Binder of αVβ3 Integrin Linked to the Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Sunitinib in Ovarian Carcinoma Preclinical Models
No full textOvarian carcinoma, the most lethal gynecological cancer, is characterized by late diagnosis, with drug resistance limiting the efficacy of platinum-based therapy. Since some integrins are upregulated in cancer, including ovarian carcinoma, they represent a potential target for drug delivery. Receptor tyrosine kinases are also deregulated in cancer and their expression has been associated with drug resistance. Here, the antitumor effects of three conjugates possessing a selective binder of the extracellular portion of integrin αVβ3 covalently linked to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib were investigated in cisplatin-sensitive and -resistant ovarian carcinoma cells expressing both tyrosine kinase VEGFR2 and αVβ3 at different levels. We found that one of the three compounds was active in inhibiting the growth of both drug-sensitive and -resistant cells in the micromolar range with a slightly increased potency in resistant cells as compared to sunitinib. The same compound markedly impaired cell migratory and invasive abilities and reduced paxillin phosphorylation. Antitumor activity studies in IGROV-1/Pt1 cells xenografted in nude mice revealed a striking activity of this conjugate versus sunitinib. Taken together, our results support the interest of integrin-targeted sunitinib conjugates for the treatment of drug-resistant tumors
Cisplatin plus paclitaxel and maintenance of bevacizumab on tumour progression, dissemination, and survival of ovarian carcinoma xenograft models
No full textBackground:Bevacizumab is being incorporated as first-line therapy with standard-of-care chemotherapy on epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). We investigated bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy on tumour progression and mouse survival in EOC xenograft models.Methods:Bevacizumab was administered concomitantly with cisplatin plus paclitaxel (DDP+PTX), continued after induction (maintenance) or started after chemotherapy. The effect on tumour progression was monitored by bioluminescence imaging (BLI) (1A9-luc xenograft). Tumour dissemination into the peritoneal organs and ascites formation (HOC22 xenograft) was evaluated by histological analysis at the end of treatment (interim) and at euthanasia (survival). The effects on overall survival (OS) were investigated in both EOC models.Results:Bevacizumab with PTX+DDP delayed tumour progression in mice bearing EOC xenografts. OS was significantly extended, with complete responses, by bevacizumab continued after stopping chemotherapy in the HOC22 xenograft. Bevacizumab alone inhibited ascites formation, with only limited effect on tumour burden, but combined with PTX+DDP reduced ascites and metastases. Bevacizumab started after induction with PTX+DDP and maintained was equally effective on tumour progression and survival on 1A9-luc xenograft.Conclusion:Bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy not only affected tumour progression, but when administered as maintenance regimen significantly prolonged survival, reducing ascites, and tumour dissemination. We believe our findings are consistent with the clinical results and shed light on the potential effects of this kind of treatment on tumour progression
EMILIN-1 deficiency promotes chronic inflammatory disease through TGFβ signaling alteration and impairment of the gC1q/α4β1 integrin interaction
No full text: Alterations in extracellular matrix (ECM) components that modulate inflammatory cell behavior have been shown to serve as early starters for multifactorial diseases such as fibrosis and cancer. Here, we demonstrated that loss of the ECM glycoprotein EMILIN-1 alters the inflammatory context in skin during IMQ-induced psoriasis, a disease characterized by a prominent inflammatory infiltrate and alteration of vessels that appear dilated and tortuous. Abrogation of EMILIN-1 expression or expression of the EMILIN-1 mutant E933A impairs macrophage polarization and leads to imbalanced tissue homeostasis. We found that EMILIN-1 deficiency is associated with dilated lymphatic vessels, increased macrophage recruitment and psoriasis severity. Importantly, the null or mutant EMILIN-1 background was characterized by the induction of a myofibroblast phenotype, which in turn drove macrophages towards the M1 phenotype. By using the transgenic mouse model carrying the E933A mutation in the gC1q domain of EMILIN-1, which abolishes the interaction with α4- and α9-integrins, we demonstrated that the observed changes in TGFβ signaling were due to both the EMI and gC1q domains of EMILIN-1. gC1q may exert multiple functions in psoriasis, in the context of a final, more consistent inflammatory condition by controlling skin homeostasis via interaction with both keratinocytes and fibroblasts, influencing non-canonical TGFβ signaling, and likely acting on lymphatic vessel structure and function. The analyses of human psoriatic lesions, in which lower levels of EMILIN-1 were present with a very rare association with lymphatic vessels, support the multifaceted role of this ECM component in the skin inflammatory scenario
