576 research outputs found
Verso il Centenario dello scoppio della Grande guerra. Intervista a Patrizia Dogliani e Giovanna Procacci
No full textL’obiettivo di questa doppia intervista a Patrizia Dogliani e Giovanna Procacci è offrire uno sguardo critico sullo stato attuale della storiografia sulla Grande guerra. L’attenzione è posta in particolare sui temi che appaiono più significativi nel centenario dell’evento, come la memoria pubblica, le celebrazioni, i nuovi percorsi di ricerca, in una prospettiva comparativa che intende mettere a fuoco la situazione italiana collocandola nello scenario europeo
Independent Developers: The invisible urban regenerators
No full textMost of today’s urban development and regeneration is being provided by the private
sector. Cities are being regenerated and redeveloped by institutional developers with
projects that can change entire neighbourhoods and city centres. The majority of these
developers are interested primarily in institutional properties and other buildings that are
large enough to generate the required returns and revenues without bearing too much risks.
There are also areas and neighbourhoods that do not experience institutional development
and investment because their developmental values and sites are not encouraging to them.
Nevertheless, some of these areas gained economic growth and were regenerated without
any institutional developers being involved. These kinds of regenerations are either a result
of community development or they are the outcome of independent development. This type
of development culture is not much studied yet. Independent developers are the invisibles
working in the shadows of the big institutional property developers that are often covered in
the media and literature. Hardly anybody notices and writes about these small and
independent developers that, although developing smaller projects, still have an impact on
and are important for urban regeneration. This analysis of independent developers and their
projects will provide information on their approach to property development. The report will
discuss the major differences between institutional and independent development and how
they each address topics like location, market, intervention and funding. By drawing on
examples from interviews, literature and other publications, the report will examine
independent property developers in more detail and try to analyse their role and their
contribution to urban regeneration
Chapter 15 Novel Pharmacological Approaches to Schwann Cells as Neuroprotective Agents for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
No full textPeripheral neuropathies are common neurologic disorders, but current treatments are limited. Among the different approaches to treat the acquired neuropathies due to traumatic injuries, the pharmacological interventions directed to Schwann cell may represent a useful and challenging opportunity. Following nerve damage the distal axon and the ensheathing Schwann cells degenerate, ensuing a process known as "Wallerian degeneration". Schwann cells then dedifferentiate and proliferate to support neurite outgrowth. In the recent years, several pharmacological agents that may promote the Schwann cell in its role of supporting nerve regeneration have been proposed. However, in view of increased understanding of the cellular mechanisms controlling neuron-glial interactions, a great attention has focused on neurotransmitters, neuroactive steroids, and neurohormones. In this review, we survey the latest findings on these factors and assess their potential as novel promising treatments for peripheral neuropathies caused by injury
The role of language typology on L2 acquisition and learning, Special Issue
No full textThis special issue of the I-LanD Journal aims to explore the role of
language typology on second language acquisition (SLA) and learning.
The contributions to this special issue address the question as to
whether and in which ways typological contrasts of languages play a
crucial role in how events are expressed in adult second language (L2).
In this regard, Slobin (1996), by means of his Thinking for Speaking
hypothesis, argues that differences across languages predispose native
speakers to view and to talk about events differently and this seems to
have important consequences in discourse conceptualisation and
production even at very advanced levels of L2 proficiency.
Research on typological variation across languages has been
conducted for decades and important advances have been made in the
domain. For instance, it is well known that Germanic vs Romance
native speakers differ in the ways they conceptualise and verbalise
events. Consequently, speakers diverge in the preferred perspective
selected with respect to conceptual domains such as aspect, time,
motion, modality, both at the sentence level (von Stutterheim 2003)
and at discourse level (Klein/von Stutterheim 2002; Carroll/Lambert
2006) and this is partly due to the typological properties of languages.
Most studies show the challenges adult L2 learners face in restructuring
these patterns in the process of acquisition of another language with a
different set of patterns. This hard task for learners implies full or
partial crosslinguistic influence (CLI, cf. McManus 2022 for a more
recent overview). The latter, often used interchangeably with transfer
(cf. Odlin 1989, 2003, 2005), refers to the search for similarities/
differences between one’s prior linguistic knowledge (from the L1 or
any other previously acquired languages) and learning, knowledge
and use of the new language (Jarvis/Pavlenko 2010: 1). CLI is a key
component of the L2 learning process, and it seems particularly
relevant when learners try to map L2 words into the concepts of their
L1. In this sense, SLA can be seen as cognitive restructuring (HijazoGascón 2021: 2), since learners can experience a cognitive dissonance
between the L2 lexical items and the L1 notions. The question of
whether L1 typological properties may be transferred or not in the L2
discourse has been largely explored for the cognitive domains of time
(e.g. von Stutterheim 2003 for ongoingness vs boundness; McManus/
Marsden 2017, Giuliano/Anastasio 2021a for time and aspect) and
Introduction: The Role
of Language Typology
on L2 Acquisition and Learning
Simona Anastasio
University of Toulouse Jean Jaurès, France
[email protected]
Patrizia Giuliano
University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Italy
[email protected]
DOI: 10.26379/IL2022002_000
4 I-LanD Journal. The role of language typology on L2 acquisiti on and learning · n. 2/2022 · eISSN 2532-764X
Simona Anastasio - Patrizia Giuliano
space (e.g. Cadierno/Ruiz 2006; Hendriks et al. 2008; Carroll et al.
2012; Hijazo-Gascón 2021) and, to a lesser extent, for syntax (e.g.
Giuliano/Anastasio 2021b). More recently, research has also focused
on the co-speech gestures in the expression of events. As such, the
literature shows that the ways L2 learners’ gestures can reveal how
they keep on gesturing as in their L1 rather than in the L2 native-like
manner (e.g. Gullberg 2009; Stam 2018, 2023).
In spite of the evident role of inter-typological contrasts during the
process of SLA (along with other important variables such as the L2
input exposure, the L2 proficiency level, individual factors) in terms of
CLI, there is little research that focuses on the impact of intratypological variation, i.e. typological differences or similarities
between languages of the same type (except for Ibarretxe-Antuñano
2009, 2015; Anastasio 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022). Additionally, the
impact of language typology is still far from being fully understood
and this is due to several reasons: a) native speakers’ preferences go
beyond the clear-cut typological classification when encoding the
intended message (Slobin 2006; von Stutterheim et al. 2009; Beavers
etal. 2010); b) most studies look at learners with an L1/L2 combination
belonging to different genetic and typological families and very few
consider the impact of the L1 when the learners’ languages in contact
are typologically close (except for Benazzo/Andorno 2017; Anastasio
2019, 2021, 2022; Saturno 2020; Hijazo-Gascón 2021) and can,
however, lack equivalent form-function categories.
This special issue brings together recent empirical research on
inter- and intratypological contrasts and their role on L2 acquisition
and learning. Specifically, drawing upon a functional perspective, this
special issue aims to add to the SLA field by offering recent empirical
studies relying on original data, involving: different types of tasks;
quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods approaches; learners at
all stages of learning.
The key themes under focus explore morphological, syntactic, and
semantics differences between languages with their consequences for
framing events in L1 as well as in L2. In particular, three main domains
are investigated: a) affectedness; b) differential object marking; c)
space (static and dynamic location events). The data collected
represent a diversified selection of L1-L2 pairs: a) learners whose L1
and L2 are typologically and genetically closely-related (Isabel Repiso;
Jacopo Saturno); b) learners with an L1-L2 combination considered as
typologically distant (Christina Piot, Maria Hellerstedt); c) learners
whose L1 and L2 belong to different typological types but present
similarities in the linguistic devices for conveying events (Delia
Airoldi).
The first paper of this special issue deals with a still underexplored
domain in SLA functional approach, i.e. affectedness within Romance
languages. Specifically, Isabel Repiso examines the syntactic and
morphological realisation of affected arguments across two
typologically and genetically-related languages, French and Spanish,
and in L2 French of Spanish learners (A2-B2 levels of CEFR). The
crosslinguistic findings show different morpho-syntactic preferences
in French and Spanish productions to mark affectedness. As to L2
I-LanD Journal. The role of language typology on L2 acquisiti on and learning · n. 2/2022 · eISSN 2532-764X 5
Introduction: The Role of Language Typology on L2 Acquisition and Learning
results, CLI arises in terms of under/overuse of non-native like use of
L2 structures especially at less advanced stage. The author hypothesises
that, when confronting to the L2 verbalisation of a universal domain,
learners tend to rely on L2 constructions similar to those of the L1 as
a strategy to compensate lack of knowledge regarding TL uses.
Jacopo Saturno’s contribution also explores the morphosyntax
domain, by focusing on the differential object marking in nominal
morphology in L2 Polish of East Slavic learners (L1: Belorussian,
Russian, Ukrainian) of A1-B1 proficiency (CEFR). By means of a
quantitative study, the author confirms that CLI and universal
tendencies, such as markedness, may coexist as explanatory factors in
the differential object marking in an intercomprehension situation.
The subsequent three papers concern the role of typological
diversity in the expression of space in language. Christina Piot focuses
on multimodality in motion event construal. She first examines how
native speakers (French vs Dutch) express the same motion events in
their speech and co-speech gestures and then to what extent
multimodal and inter-/intralinguistic differences impact performances
of CLIL French learners of L2 Dutch (A1-B2 proficiency levels).
Participants were recruited in Belgium, whose context is not
particularly favourable for monolingual speakers, since it offers three
official languages: Flemish/Dutch speaking; Walloon/French speaking;
and, to a lesser extent, Ostbelgien German speaking. Analysis of
language use and gesture by native speakers shows not only
prototypical features of typological classifications, but also patterns
which are less typical of their language-category. As for L2 performance,
learners have their own thinking-for-speaking pattern which is inbetween the French and the Dutch tendencies. Moreover, the study
also highlights that gestures give information on event
conceptualisation.
With respect to a different language combination, Delia Airoldi’s
contribution also focuses on the expression of motion. Specifically, the
author compares the productions of native speakers of Italian and
German to the productions of German learners of L2 Italian
(intermediate and advanced) by using different types of stimuli. The
aim is to study inter- and intra-linguistic differences between German
and Italian and to see whether learners’ productions are target-like in
L2 motion event construal or still influenced by the L1 patterns.
In the final paper, Maria Hellerstedt discusses two types of space:
location and caused motion, as described by French and Swedish
native speakers and by intermediate and advanced French learners of
L2 Swedish. The larger goal is to investigate the semantic components
selected to describe static and dynamic location in L2 Swedish, namely
by means of posture verbs, and to identify learners’ strategies
(avoidance, over-using) justifying learners’ linguistic choices. On the
one hand, the paper shows the developmental trajectory of L2 Swedish
learners in the use of posture verbs in spatial events. On the other
hand, it highlights traces of CLI and other interlanguage strategies in
producing idiomatic posture verbs.
Taken together, the above contributions bring a timely update within
the research field of typology and L2 acquisition and learning by
6 I-LanD Journal. The role of language typology on L2 acquisiti on and learning · n. 2/2022 · eISSN 2532-764X
Simona Anastasio - Patrizia Giuliano
building on and complementing previous literature on the subject. In
particular, these papers provide empirical studies on different
linguistic domains, while offering new avenues for future research on
the issues under investigation in this special issue
Tumor–Stroma Cross-Talk in Human Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Focus on the Effect of the Extracellular Matrix on Tumor Cell Phenotype and Invasive Potential
No full textThe extracellular matrix (ECM) in the tumor microenvironment modulates the cancer cell phenotype, especially in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a tumor characterized by an intense desmoplastic reaction. Because the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process that provides cancer cells with a metastatic phenotype, plays an important role in PDAC progression, the authors aimed to explore in vitro the interactions between human PDAC cells and ECM components of the PDAC microenvironment, focusing on the expression of EMT markers and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that are able to digest the basement membrane during tumor invasion. EMT markers and the invasive potential of HPAF-II, HPAC, and PL45 cells grown on different ECM substrates (fibronectin, laminin, and collagen) were analyzed. While N-cadherin, αSMA, and type I collagen were not significantly affected by ECM components, the E-cadherin/β-catenin complex was highly expressed in all the experimental conditions, and E-cadherin was upregulated by collagen in PL45 cells. Cell migration was unaffected by fibronectin and delayed by laminin. In contrast, collagen significantly stimulated cell migration and the secretion of MMPs. This study’s results showed that ECM components impacted cell migration and invasive potential differently. Collagen exerted a more evident effect, providing new insights into the understanding of the intricate interplay between ECM molecules and cancer cells, in order to find novel therapeutic targets for PDAC treatment
Adipocyte-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Promote Prostate Cancer Cell Aggressiveness by Enabling Multiple Phenotypic and Metabolic Changes
No full textBackground: In recent decades, obesity has widely emerged as an important risk factor for prostate cancer (PCa). Adipose tissue and PCa cells have been shown to orchestrate a complex interaction network to support tumor growth and evolution; nonetheless, the study of this communication has only been focused on soluble factors, although increasing evidence highlights the key role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the modulation of tumor progression. Methods and Results: In the present study, we found that EVs derived from 3T3-L1 adipocytes could affect PC3 and DU145 PCa cell traits, inducing increased proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, conditioning of both PCa cell lines with adipocyte-released EVs resulted in lower sensitivity to docetaxel, with reduced phosphatidylserine externalization and decreased caspase 3 and PARP cleavage. In particular, these alterations were paralleled by an Akt/HIF-1α axis-related Warburg effect, characterized by enhanced glucose consumption, lactate release and ATP production. Conclusions: Collectively, these findings demonstrate that EV-mediated crosstalk exists between adipocytes and PCa, driving tumor aggressiveness
Activity of Experimental Mouthwashes and Gels Containing DNA-RNA and Bioactive Molecules against the Oxidative Stress of Oral Soft Tissues: The Importance of Formulations. A Bioreactor-Based Reconstituted Human Oral Epithelium Model
No full textBackground: DNA-RNA compounds have shown promising protection against cell oxidative stress. This study aimed to assess the cytotoxicity, protective, or preventive effect of different experimental formulations on oral epithelia’s oxidative stress in vitro. Methods: Reconstituted human oral epithelia (RHOE) were grown air-lifted in a continuous-flow bioreactor. Mouthwashes and gels containing DNA-RNA compounds and other bioactive molecules were tested on a model of oxidative stress generated by hydrogen peroxide treatment. Epithelia viability was evaluated using a biochemical MTT-based assay and confocal microscopy; structural and ultrastructural morphology was evaluated by light microscopy and TEM. Results: DNA-RNA showed non-cytotoxic activity and effectively protected against oxidative stress, but did not help in its prevention. Gel formulations did not express adequate activity compared to the mouthwashes. Excipients played a fundamental role in enhancing or even decreasing the bioactive molecules’ effect. Conclusion: A mouthwash formulation with hydrolyzed DNA-RNA effectively protected against oxidative stress without additional enhancement by other bioactive molecules. Active compounds, such as hyaluronic acid, β-Glucan, allantoin, bisabolol, ruscogenin, and essential oils, showed a protective effect against oxidative stress, which was not synergistic with the one of DNA-RNA. Incorporation of surfactant agents showed a reduced, yet significant, cytotoxic effect
Biodegradable hydrogels as scaffolds for nerve regeneration
No full textBiodegradable hydrogels as scaffolds for nerve regeneration
Valerio Magnaghi 1, Elisabetta Ranucci 2, Fabio Fenili 2, Patrizia Procacci 3, Giorgio Pivato 4, Paolo Cortese 4 and Paolo Ferruti 2
1 Department of Endocrinology, Physiopathology, Applied biology, Via Balzaretti 9, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
2 Department of Organic and Industrial Chemistry, University of Milan, Via Venezian 21, 20133 Milan, Italy
3 Department of Human Morphology and Biomedical Sciences - Citta' Studi, University of Milan, Via Mangiagalli 31, 20133 Milan, Italy
4 Hand Surgery Unit, IRCCS Multimedica, Via Milanese 300, 20099 Sesto San Giovanni, Italy
Transected peripheral nerves are typically reconnected by direct end-to-end surgery or by autologous nerve graft. However, artificial synthetic guide are a successful alternative which may prevent neuroma formation (1). Among biodegradable conduits a novel approach is represented by use of tuneable polyamidoamine (PAA)-based hydrogels, with specific diameters, different shapes and/or dimensions. Depending by their crosslinking degree, hydrogels made by PAAs are tough material which may absorb large amounts of water. PAA hydrogels are biocompatible and biodegradable in vitro to non-toxic low molecular weight products over a period of time varying from few weeks to months (2). In order to evaluate their ability to promote nerve regeneration, PAA hydrogels scaled as scaffold conduits (10mm lenght, 1mm internal diameter) were studied by using an experimental model of rat nerve transection. A conduit was used to join a gap of 4-5 mm in the sciatic nerve, and a longitudinal analysis was made at 30, 45, 60, 90 days post-surgery. We performed the gait analysis to evaluate locomotor coordination, the plantar test to study nociception and pain sensitivity, and the morphological-morphometric analysis to evaluate the nerve recovery. Preliminary results indicate that nerve ends can be successfully joined by these PAA-based hydrogel conduits. One month after surgery, in fact, the regeneration is appreciable inside the conduit and the nerve is resistant to mechanical traction, without signs of inflammation or serum infiltrate. In the implanted rats 45 days after surgery the footprints analysis reveals a trail similar to sham-operated animals, while the thermal hypersensitivity tend to normalize to the control levels at later times. The morphological evaluation of the explanted conduit at 90 days after surgery shows normal myelin structures, confirming nerve regeneration and complete scaffold re-absorption. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that PAA hydrogels might be a promising scaffold tube for nerve regeneration. Further studies on the hydrogels functionalization for drug delivery, with growth factors or hormones, are in progress in our labs.
References
1. Yannas, I.V., Hill, B.J., 2004. Selection of biomaterials for peripheral nerve regeneration using data from the nerve chamber model. Biomaterials 25, 1593-1600.
2. Jacchetti, E., Elimitri, E., Rodighiero, S., Indrieri, M., Gianfelice, A., Lenardi, C., Podestà, A., Ranucci, E., Ferruti, P. Milani, P., 2008. P. Biomimetic poly(amidoamine) hydrogels as synthetic materials for cell culture. J. Biothecnol. 6, 1
Whither Critical Management and Organization Studies? For a Performative Critique of Capitalist Flows in the Wake of the COVID‐19 Pandemic
No full textZanoni, P (corresponding author), Hasselt Univ, Hasselt, Belgium.
[email protected]
The antagonism of the prokineticin system counteracts bortezomib induced side effects : focus on mood alterations
No full textThe development of neuropathy and of mood alterations is frequent after chemotherapy. These complications, independent from the antitumoral mechanism, are interconnected due to an overlapping in their processing pathways and a common neuroinflammatory condition. This study aims to verify whether in mice the treatment with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (BTZ), at a protocol capable of inducing painful neuropathy, is associated with anxiety, depression and supraspinal neuroinflammation. We also verify if the therapeutic treatment with the antagonist of the prokineticin (PK) system PC1, which is known to contrast pain and neuroinflammation, can prevent mood alterations. Mice were treated with BTZ (0.4 mg/kg three times/week for 4 weeks); mechanical allodynia and locomotor activity were evaluated over time while anxiety (dark light and marble burying test), depression (sucrose preference and swimming test) and supraspinal neuroinflammation were checked at the end of the protocol. BTZ treated neuropathic mice develop anxiety and depression. The presence of mood alterations is related to the presence of neuroinflammation and PK system activation in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus with high levels of PK2 and PKR2 receptor, IL‐6 and TNF‐α, TLR4 and an upregulation of glial markers. PC1 treatment, counteracting pain, prevented the development of supraspinal inflammation and depression‐like behavior in BTZ mice
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