TOWN, small and medium sized towns in Europe – Interim report

status: publishe

Inner Peripheries: towards an EU placebased agenda on territorial peripherality

The main goal of this paper is to propose a sound interpretative and policy framework for \u2018Inner Peripheries\u2019 at the EU level. Its ambition is to bridge conceptual approaches to peripherality with the policy objectives set by key documents such as the Territorial Agenda 2020 and other recent reports on economic, social and territorial cohesion. An integrated multi-scalar approach, grounded on the notion of spatial disparity, is therefore connected with a \u2018place-based\u2019 approach to policy design. The breakthrough experience of the Italian programme on Inner Areas is an opportunity to broaden the reflection on inner peripheries and policies that are most apt to reconnect them. A more comprehensive analytical framework is proposed here, which looks at the foundational economy, spatial justice and territorial cohesion. The framework deals with both the \u2018condition\u2019 of peripherality and the \u2018process\u2019 by which endogenous and exogenous drivers determine the marginalisation of specific territories. Such tenets are fleshed out in the development of an original approach bridging theory and practice, analysis and policy, crucially assuming multi-scale governance design as the enabling framework for greater coherence between top-down and community-led initiatives

Facile and bioinspired approach from gallic acid for the synthesis of biobased flame retardant coatings of basalt fibers

A sustainable, bioinspired approach to functionalize basalt fibers with an innovative gallic acid (GA)-iron phenyl phosphonate complex (BF-GA-FeP), for the purpose of improving the flame retardancy in composite materials, is developed. BFs were at first pretreated with O3, obtaining surface free hydroxyl groups that allowed the subsequent covalent immobilization of biosourced GA units on the fiber through ester linkages. Phenolic −OH groups of the GA units were then exploited for the complexation of iron phenyl phosphonate, resulting in the target-complex-coated BF fiber (BF-GA-FeP). Microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses of BF-GA-FeP highlighted an increase in iron content, modification of fiber morphology, and occurrence of phosphorus, respectively. BFs, modified with a low amount of the developed complex, were used to reinforce a poly(lactic acid) (PLA) matrix in the production of a biocomposite (PLA/BF-FeP). PLA/BF-FeP showed a higher thermal stability than neat PLA and PLA reinforced with untreated BFs (PLA/BF), as confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis. The cone calorimeter test highlighted several advantages for PLA/BF-FeP, including a prolonged time to ignition, a reduced time to flame out, an 8% decrease in the peak heat release rate, and a 15% reduced fire propagating index compared to PLA/BF

Patisiran in ATTRv amyloidosis with polyneuropathy: "PatisiranItaly" multicenter observational study

Background: Hereditary amyloid transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (ATTRv-PN) is a rare, inherited, multisystemic, progressive adult-onset disease, affecting sensorimotor nerves, and various organs. It is caused by mutations in the TTR gene, leading to misfolded monomers that aggregate, forming amyloid fibrils. Patisiran is a small, double-stranded interfering RNA encapsulated in a lipid nanoparticle, designed to enter hepatocytes and selectively target TTR mRNA to reduce both variant TTR and wild-type TTR (wt). This study presents a multicenter, real-life experience of patisiran's effectiveness and safety in ATTRv-PN. Methods: We enrolled genetically confirmed ATTRv-PN patients from 29 specialized Italian centers. All subjects underwent neurological assessments, including familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) staging, the Neuropathy Impairment Score (NIS), quality-of-life assessment using the Norfolk Quality of Life-Diabetic Neuropathy (Norfolk QOL-DN) questionnaire, and the Compound Autonomic Dysfunction Test (CADT). Additional assessments included baseline and follow-up measures of serum NT-proBNP and interventricular septal thickness. Results: A total of 181 ATTRv patients (69% male) were enrolled. Neurological onset was reported in 60.2% of cases. At baseline, 83.4% of patients exhibited multisystemic involvement, while only 16.6% presented isolated polyneuropathy. For approximately 70% of patients, patisiran was the first treatment; the remainder transitioned from tafamidis or inotersen. Following treatment, most patients demonstrated stabilization of neuropathy progression, regardless of baseline disease severity or genotype. The treatment was well-tolerated, with 90% of patients reporting no adverse events. Conclusion: Patisiran can be considered a valid therapeutic option for the management of patients with ATTRv amyloidosis. Considering its mechanism of action, similar outcomes could also be expected with the wider utilization of newly approved gene silencers for ATTRv therapy, such as vutrisiran

NFATc1 and NFATc2 regulate glucocorticoid resistance in pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia through modulation of cholesterol biosynthesis and the WNT/β-catenin pathway

The glucocorticoid (GC) resistance onset in pediatric T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL) patients remains one of the biggest challenges in current cancer treatment. The mechanisms driving this resistance are still not fully understood, making it difficult to predict patient outcomes and to develop effective therapies. Our study uncovered critical insights into the biological processes underlying GC resistance, offering potential breakthroughs for future treatments. Building on our previous research on LCK kinase hyperactivation in GC-resistant T-ALL patients, we have now delved deeper into the LCK downstream NFAT transcription factor family’s contribution to GC resistance. We discovered that, even at the time of diagnosis, GC resistant T-ALL patients exhibit an intrinsic low glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activity coupled with high NFATc1 and NFATc2 ones. This dysregulation creates a roadblock to effective GC therapy. Indeed, in the absence of either NFATc1 or NFATc2, the normal transcriptional activity of GR is restored, re-sensitizing the leukemia cells to dexamethasone treatment both in vitro and in vivo. This suggests that NFATc1 and NFATc2 are central to driving GC resistance, as they directly regulate crucial pathways like cholesterol biosynthesis and WNT/β-catenin signaling. The identification of NFAT transcription factors as key players in leukemia therapy resistance offers a promising target for future therapeutic strategies, potentially transforming the way we approach treatment for these challenging conditions or autoimmune disorders where glucocorticoids are a cornerstone of treatment

The rapid spread of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant in Italy reflected early through wastewater surveillance

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged in South Africa in November 2021, and has later been identified worldwide, raising serious concerns. A real-time RT-PCR assay was designed for the rapid screening of the Omicron variant, targeting characteristic mutations of the spike gene. The assay was used to test 737 sewage samples collected throughout Italy (19/21 Regions) between 11 November and 25 December 2021, with the aim of assessing the spread of the Omicron variant in the country. Positive samples were also tested with a real-time RT-PCR developed by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), and through nested RT-PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Overall, 115 samples tested positive for Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. The first occurrence was detected on 7 December, in Veneto, North Italy. Later on, the variant spread extremely fast in three weeks, with prevalence of positive wastewater samples rising from 1.0% (1/104 samples) in the week 5–11 December, to 17.5% (25/143 samples) in the week 12–18, to 65.9% (89/135 samples) in the week 19–25, in line with the increase in cases of infection with the Omicron variant observed during December in Italy. Similarly, the number of Regions/Autonomous Provinces in which the variant was detected increased fromone in the first week, to 11 in the second, and to 17 in the last one. The presence of the Omicron variant was confirmed by the JRC real-time RT-PCR in 79.1% (91/115) of the positive samples, and by Sanger sequencing in 66% (64/97) of PCR amplicons