Prevalence, Risk Factors and Genotypes of Giardia duodenalis in Sheltered Dogs in Tuscany (Central Italy)

In sheltered dogs, the prevalence of Giardia duodenalis is frequently high and may include potential zoonotic genotypes. The prevalence, genotypes and potential risk factors of G. duodenalis were assessed in 168 dogs from four kennels (Pistoia, Prato, Florence, Valdarno) in Tuscany, central Italy and compared with data from previous Italian studies. The prevalence of other intestinal parasites was also investigated. Individual dog faecal samples collected from each kennel were examined by parasitological techniques and a rapid immunoassay for the detection of G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium faecal antigens. On Giardia-positive samples, molecular analysis was performed for genotype identification. Overall, 69 dogs scored positive for G. duodenalis (41%), but significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were found among the four kennels and sampling seasons. The potentially zoonotic assemblages A and B and the canine-specific assemblage C (Pistoia: A-AII, B, C; Prato: A-AII, B; Florence: A-AII; Valdarno: A and C) were identified. Toxocara canis (8.9%), Trichuris vulpis (3.6%), hookworms (1.19%) and Cryptosporidium sp. (0.6%) were also identified. The high prevalence of G. duodenalis and the identification of potentially zoonotic genotypes in all examined kennels underline the need to improve routine parasite monitoring and control measures and to provide insights into the zoonotic potential of G. duodenalis.

Samoświadomość metakognitywna w kształceniu sprawności pisania na studiach neofilologicznych. Na przykładzie italianistyki Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego

The paper presents the results of a survey conducted in the academic year 2018/2019 among students of Italian Studies at the University of Wroclaw on metacognitive self-consciousness concerning Italian writing proficiency. The questions concerned the students' practice of written forms of expression in their private lives; the contribution (actual or anticipated) of writing proficiency in their current and future professional career; and the evaluation of the teaching of writing proficiency within the university curriculum of Italian Studies. The study was qualitative and conducted from an emic perspective, involving students in metacognitive reflection. The results of the study indicate limited metacognitive self-consciousness on the part of the students of Italian Studies, who are not, however, devoid of any criticism of the practical Italian language course curriculum.

Sobre a tradução poética e o Poetry Slam: crepa! – uma análise e muitos diálogos

RESUMO: O presente trabalho visa a ratificar o papel do tradutor como mediador entre culturas ao discutir as estratégias utilizadas na tradução e na retradução de um poema escrito em língua italiana. O corpus de análise, o poema crepa! criado pelo escritor e poeta sardo Sergio Garau, traduzido para língua portuguesa e apresentado na edição da FLUP de 2016, é um expoente da poetry slam, atribuindo a importância da oralidade, da métrica e das rimas do original durante o ato tradutório. Nesta modalidade, cuja performance artística é essencial para agregar significado ao poema, a meta objetivada seria produzir uma tradução satisfatoriamente fiel tanto no que diz respeito à forma quanto ao conteúdo. À luz de teóricos como Paulo Henriques Brito, Umberto Eco, dentre outros, evidenciamos dificuldades e soluções durante o desafio da tradução poética intercultural. Neste, também comentamos sobre outras questões igualmente pertinentes como a possibilidade de contato com o autor para solucionar eventuais dúvidas; a importância do trabalho em equipe na busca de outras perspectivas para a transposição do poema à língua de chegada; a validade de uma tradução e a necessidade de uma nova versão da mesma em prol da aprimoração constante do trabalho realizado pelo tradutor.Palavras-chave: Tradução poética. Tradução intercultural. Italianística. ABSTRACT: Questo lavoro si propone di confermare il ruolo del traduttore come mediatore tra culture discutendo le strategie utilizzate nella traduzione e nella ritraduzione di una poesia scritta in italiano. Il corpus di analisi, il poema crepa! creato dallo scrittore e poeta sardo Sergio Garau, tradotto in portoghese e presentato nell'edizione della FLUP 2016, è un esponente del poetry slam, attribuendo l'importanza dell'oralità, della metrica e delle rime dell'originale durante l'atto di traduzione. In questa modalità, la cui esecuzione artistica è essenziale per aggiungere significato al poema, l'obiettivo mirato sarebbe quello di produrre una traduzione soddisfacentemente fedele sia in termini di forma che di contenuto. Alla luce di teorici come Paulo Henriques Brito, Umberto Eco, tra gli altri, mettiamo in evidenza difficoltà e soluzioni durante la sfida della traduzione poetica interculturale. In questo commentiamo anche altre questioni altrettanto pertinenti come la possibilità di contattare l'autore per risolvere eventuali dubbi; l'importanza del lavoro di squadra alla ricerca di altre prospettive per trasporre la poesia nella lingua di destinazione; la validità di una traduzione e la necessità di una nuova versione per migliorare costantemente il lavoro svolto dal traduttore.Parole chiave: Traduzione poetica. Traduzione interculturale. Italianistica.ABSTRACT: This work aims to confirm the role of the translator as a mediator between cultures by discussing the strategies used in the translation and re-translation of a poem written in Italian. The corpus of analysis, the poem crepa! created by sardinian writer and poet Sergio Garau, translated into portuguese and presented in the 2016 edition of FLUP, it’s an exponent of poetry slam, attributing the importance of orality, meter and rhymes of the original during the translation act. In this modality, whose artistic performance is essential to add meaning to the poem, the aimed goal would be to produce a satisfactorily faithful translation both in terms of form and content. In the light of theorists such as Paulo Henriques Brito, Umberto Eco, among others, we highlight difficulties and solutions during the challenge of intercultural poetic translation. In this work, we also comment on other equally pertinent issues such as the possibility of contacting the author to resolve any doubts; the importance of teamwork in search of other perspectives for transposing the poem to the target language; the validity of a translation and the need of a new version in order to constantly improve the work performed by the translator.Key words: Poetic Translation. Intercultural Translation. Italian Studies.

Factors Associated with Mortality among Elderly People in the COVID-19 Pandemic (SARS-CoV-2): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the factors associated with the mortality of elderly Italians diagnosed with coronavirus who resided in institutions or who were hospitalized because of the disease. Methods: A systematic review following the recommendations of The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) was carried out, utilizing the PEO strategy, i.e., Population, Exposure and Outcome. In this case, the population was the elderly aged over 65 years old, the exposure referred to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the outcome was mortality. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI/PubMed), Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE) and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases were used until 31 July 2020. Results: Five Italian studies were included in this meta-analysis, with the number of elderly people included varying between 18 and 1591 patients. The main morbidities presented by the elderly in the studies were dementia, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and hypertension. Conclusions: The factors associated with the mortality of elderly Italian people diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 who lived in institutions or who were hospitalized because of the disease were evaluated. It was found that dementia, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and hypertension were the main diagnosed diseases for mortality in elderly people with COVID-19.

Rethinking welfare history through a transnational and global lens. A gender-focused analysis of the Italian case

This article examines recent Italian historiography on welfare, with a particular focus on gender-oriented research. It relates recent Italian studies to the international debate, in order to identify acquisitions, open problems and perspectives. Its aim is to show how these studies could improve if a transnational and, broadly speaking, global approach was adopted, and it discusses a series of possible themes and issues to be addressed.

“Prevalence of orthorexia nervosa in a sample of patients attending Sligo/Leitrim mental health services with a diagnosis of eating disorder”

AimsThe main aim of this study is to investigate its presence in a sample of patients already diagnosed with a canonical eating disorder and also to understand eventual overlaps with other clinical disorders in order to optimize treatment and follow-up. The ORTO-15 questionnaire, developed by an Italian team of researchers in 2005, was used to achieve the above aims: it is a tool comprehensive of 15 questions that assesses eating habits perceived as healthy. Really interesting and fascinating is to comprehend if people with a diagnosis of eating disorder present orthorectic behaviour and how this emerging reality fits in the Irish society with its peculiarities and uniqueness.MethodEvery patient was asked to complete a demographic grid (elaborated by the researchers, which includes information regarding: age, gender, race, weight, height, hours of weekly exercise, years of education, employment situation, medical illnesses, smoking habits, type of diet, average weekly alcohol intake) and the Orto-15 questionnaireResultThe Point Prevalence obtained is 17.9%.ConclusionThe results obtained from this study give a clear indication of the profile of the orthorexic patient, considered that the sample was obtained from a population of people with a diagnosis of Eating Disorder: Caucasian woman in her 30sExercising 5 hours per weekSecondary educationUnemployedNon-smokerDiagnosis of Anorexia NervosaNo other comorbid psychiatric illnessesStandard pattern of eatingMinimal or absent alcohol consumptionNormal range BMIAccording to previous Italian studies (Ramacciotti et al. 2011), the expected rates of Orthorexia Nervosa in the general population are between 6.9% and 57.6%, with a peak of 81.8% in specific populations, fact that places our examined sample in the lower side of the prevalence previously considered. It is very difficult to comprehend and explain the reasons behind this fact and probably this is due to an overshadowing of symptoms with the major eating disorders. It is also significant the absence of correlation found between OCD and ON and also the fact that ON is more linked to Bulimia Nervosa in our sample rather then Anorexia Nervosa.