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The paper presents considerations on the possible consequences associated with the lockdown condition that ensued on the coronavirus pandemic. On the one hand, the infection brought about a notable intensification of primary relationships, in particular within the family and the domestic space in general, while, on the other hand and especially at the start, it generated strong symbolic integration, shown for example by events such as flashmobs and other forms of the grassroot involvement of individuals. Through empirical research data, we will attempt to understand to what extent the cultural climate prevalent in Italy through March and April influenced the attitudes of the Italians in terms of general interpersonal trust or trust in the institutions, as well as in terms of culture and civic engagement. For this purpose, the paper uses data taken from two empirical research on a sample of about 1,000 cases among the Italian population. It will be compared the evidence resulting from a first survey realized at the end of 2017 and the data collected in a second survey carried out on a sample of the same size (that presents a panel quota of 700 cases) ending on April 30 2020, i.e., at the end of the lockdown period. The variables to be analysed are relative to general interpersonal trust, trust in the institutions and civic engagement activities. Such items will function as dependent variables and will be analysed in a diachronic perspective comparing the two panel samples. Furthermore, they will be observed in relation to their distribution throughout Italy, to the age of the interviewees and to their civil status, in an attempt to discover any connection between family life and the attitude towards civil society, keeping in mind the dynamics triggered in everyday life by the pandemic., Italian Sociological Review, Vol 10, No 3S (2020)

Ghrelin (Ghre), a gut-brain peptide hormone, and its receptor (GHS-R 1A) are expressed in different part of the central nervous system. Recently, several studies describe this peptide as a neuroprotective factor showing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. Olfactory Ensheathing Cells (OECs) are particular glial cells responsible for the continuous neurogenesis in the mammalian olfactory system. Studies on axonal regeneration in animals with a spinal cord damage have showed that OEC transplantations may restore the injury. Furthermore, the OECs are able to secrete a variety of neurotrophic factors, promote axonal growth and support the remyelination of damaged axons. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate on the effect of Ghrelin on the OECs. Primary OECs were isolated from neonatal rodent olfactory bulbs. Some cells were processed immunocytochemically to the detection of Ghre and its receptor. Other cells were grown with Ghrelin peptide at different concentrations (1?M and 2?M) and times (1-3 and 7 days). To analyse the results, 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl] tetrazolium bromide test (MTT) and immunocytochemical procedures were used. Our immunocytochemical study highlights, for the first time, that OECs express both Ghre and GHS-R1A and in addition show an OEC characterization towards a neuronal phenotype, as they are Neuregulin and MAP-2 positive. Moreover, the results obtained through the MTT test indicate that Ghre at 2?M after 7 days stimulates cell viability, in fact a significant increase (p

Il terzo settore è un fenomeno sociale che ha guadagnato negli anni una consistenza nella società italiana. È una presenza che copre vari ambiti della vita sociale. L’ambito delle politiche sociali da cui ha preso avvio lo sviluppo del fenomeno a partire dagli anni Ottanta del Novecento, è oramai solo uno dei contesti in cui opera il terzo settore. Nel nostro Paese la riflessione scientifica sul fenomeno è stata particolarmente ricca, ha accompagnato e probabilmente promosso la sua diffusione sociale. Nel presente capitolo proponiamo al lettore di osservare qual è stato negli ultimi dieci anni il cammino percorso dal terzo settore e trarre dall’esperienza alcune indicazioni di prospettiva per il futuro. In particolare il paragrafo 2 propone una riflessione su alcuni elementi del dibattito teorico ancora vivo sull’identità e sul ruolo del terzo settore nelle società moderne. Il paragrafo 3 si confronta con il percorso istituzionale disegnato per il terzo settore dalla sfera politica nelle legislature che hanno caratterizzato il nuovo secolo. Il paragrafo 4 si concentra invece sull’analisi di documenti contenenti linee di indirizzo e indicazioni per possibili riforme normative sul terzo settore e sui rapporti delle organizzazioni nonprofit con la Pubblica Amministrazione.

A morphological atlas is a very useful tool to understand the spatial organization and relationships among morphological structures. In order to fulfill a gap in our comparative knowledge of the structure, organisation and correlations of the central nervous system in Chondrohycthyes and Ostehycthyes we undergo the realization of a stereotactic atlas of some species of commercial interest. Here we present some images relative to the microscopic morphology of the brain of Scyliorhinus canicula and Liza aurata

Olfactory Ensheathing Cells (OECs) are cells that display Schwann Cell or astrocyte-like properties. They are a source of growth factors and adhesion molecules which play a very important role as neuronal support enhancing cellular survival. Over the past 10 years, OECs have emerged as a leading reparative candidate, when transplanted into the injured spinal cord, having shown significant promise in regeneration of spinal cord lesions. In this study we assessed the efficacy of OECs on the survival and neurite outgrowth of hippocampal neurons in vitro. Co-cultures of OECs and hippocampal cells of postnatal rats were successfully established and cells were immunocytochemically characterized. Some hippocampal cultures were added with growth factors, as bFGF, NGF and GDNF. Furthermore, conditioned medium from OECs cultures was used to feed some hippocampal neurons. Our results show that in co-cultures of hippocampal neurons and OECs the number of neurons and their neurite outgrowth were significantly increased in comparison with controls. Moreover, we showed that NGF and GDNF promoted a more positive effect in both neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth than bFGF. OEC-conditioned media stimulated both the neuronal survival and dense neurite outgrowth. These data indicate that OECs, as a source of growth factors, can promote the survival and the neurite outgrowth of hippocampal neurons in vitro and that bFGF, NGF and GDNF support them differently. Therefore, as OECs and their secreted growth factors appear to exert a neuroprotective effect for functional restoration and for neural plasticity in neurodegenerative disorders, they might be considered an approach for functional recovery.

Conclusion. Functional recovery of facial muscles following hypoglossal-facial anastomosis (HFA) may be dependent not only on sensory information, relayed via the trigeminal nuclei to the hypoglossal nucleus, but also on extratrigeminal fibers, originating from the hypoglossal nucleus that travel in the infraorbital nerve (ION). This fact helps to explain the ability of hypoglossal neurons, after HFA, to induce contractions of muscles originally innervated from other nervous structures. Objective. The aim of the study was to better understand the role of the trigeminal nerve in reinnervation of facial muscles by hypoglossal motoneurons following HFA. Materials and methods. Central afferences of the ION were analyzed in rats by labeling the exposed nerve with horseradish peroxidase (HRP), whereas central organization of the efferent projections to the vibrissal area was analyzed by labeling the whisker pad muscles of the rat with a 5% solution of 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (Dil) in N,N-dimethylformamide. Results. The results show that extratrigeminal fibers, originating in the hypoglossal nucleus, travel along the ION. Retrograde tracing applied to ION or injected into the whisker pad showed labeled neurons in the Pr5 nucleus and all Sp5 trigeminal subnuclei. Small labeled neurons (10-15 microm diameter; 10-12 neurons per section), were also found in the hypoglossal nucleus.

The neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) is involved in various physiological functions via multiple receptor subtypes. These have been classified in seven receptor families (5-HT1-7) on the basis of their structures and functional characteristics. In this study, we examined the expression of 5-HT7 receptors in the rat hypothalamic neurons cultured "in vitro" during postnatal development. Neuronal cultures were prepared from postnatal pups P2, P3 and P5, were treated with bFGF and processed by means of immunofluorescence technique using a polyclonal 5-HT7 receptor antibody. In P2, we found a low density of 5-HT7 labeled hypothalamic bFGF-treated neurons and no 5-HT7 immunolabeling in control cultures; in P3, a moderate number of bFGF-treated neurons were observed but they were not bright. No 5-HT7 immunolabeling was found in controls. In P5, a heavy labeling of small sized bipolar neurons was seen in bFGF-treated neurons, while in control cultures, few labeled neurons with a low stained density were observed. These results suggest that 5-HT7 receptors in hypothalamic neurons begin to appear at P5 and then could be involved in many physiological implications that are not exerted at P2 and P3. This indicates that 5-HT7 receptors have a potential significance in the rat hypothalamus during early postnatal development.