Search

I defend a new account of conspiracy theories, which identifies the epistemological features that make them a socially relevant—and worrisome—phenomenon in our society. On my view, a conspiracy theory is an individual or group belief in a conspiracy which is resistant to disconfirmation by evidence. My approach diverges from the dominant accounts discussed in the literature in two major ways. First, rather than discussing conspiracy theories as a type of theory about a conspiracy, I focus on conspiracy theories as a type of belief in a conspiracy, namely, one that resists revision in light of new evidence. Secondly, conspiracy theories on my view are not only an individual phenomenon, but also, importantly, a collective one. The account I propose, and the shift in focus it produces, provides a new framework for understanding and addressing the phenomenon of conspiracy theories as a problem in our society with deep implications for our political environments.

BackgroundWe previously reported rare regressive genetic trajectories of KRAS pathogenic mutations as a specific hallmark of the genuine oligometastatic status in colorectal cancer (CRC).MethodsSurvival and prognostic impact of disease extent in 140 metastatic CRC patients were evaluated through the Kaplan–Meyer curves and the Log-Rank test. KRAS mutations were assessed through the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform and TruSight™ Oncology 500 kit. HLA typing was carried out by PCR with sequence-specific oligonucleotides. Lymphocyte densities in tumors were expressed as cells per square millimeter. NKs isolated and CD8+ from NK-depleted PBMCs were characterized through flow cytometry. CD107a externalization was evaluated as NKs/CD8 cytotoxicity toward human colon cancer cells HT29, SW620, HCT116, and LS174T carrying different KRAS mutations.ResultsThe oligometastatic status was a strong and independent variable for survival (HR: 0.08 vs. polymetastatic disease; 95% CI: 0.02–0.26; p KRAS was observed in 3 patients: patient (PAT)2, PAT5, and PAT8. PAT2 and PAT5 presented the highest levels of GrzB+ lymphocytes in the tumor cores of the metastases (120 ± 11.2 and 132 ± 12.2 cells/mm2, respectively). Six out of 9 patients (67%), including PAT2 and PAT5, expressed HLA-C7. Twopatients (PAT2 and PAT5) presented high CD3+/CD8+-dependent cytotoxicity against HLA-C7+ SW620 cells (p.G12V-mutated cells), which was consistent with their observed mutational regression (p.G12V/p.G13D in primary→p.G13D in metastatic tumor).ConclusionsWe provide evidence that CD3+/CD8+ lymphocytes from oligometastatic CRC patients display differential cytotoxicity against human colon cancer cells carrying KRAS mutations. This could provide an interesting basis for monitoring oligometastatic disease and developing future adoptive immunotherapies.

L���obiettivo del lavoro �� proporre una precisa categorizzazione dei molteplici strumenti utilizzabili, nell���ambito di una strategia di heritage marketing, per gestire in termini manageriali la narrazione della storia dell���impresa e dei suoi prodotti e/o marchi. A tal fine, �� stata realizzata una multiple case study research su 20 imprese ultracentenarie italiane che si sono distinte per le attivit�� di valorizzazione del proprio patrimonio storico. Secondo un approccio qualitativo di tipo narrativo, ciascun caso �� stato costruito integrando fonti orali (interviste), testuali (materiale aziendale) e visive (visite e osservazione diretta). In base alla diversa natura della narrazione, viene proposta una declinazione dell���heritage marketing mix in quattro categorie di strumenti, il cui utilizzo integrato e contestuale pu�� offrire un contributo fondamentale alla valorizzazione dell���identit�� racchiusa nel patrimonio storico aziendale, con particolare riferimento alle imprese del settore agroalimentare. Il lavoro costituisce un ���follow up��� di un precedente contributo pubblicato su questa Rivista, e mira a correggere la prospettiva d���analisi che era stata allora utilizzata, alla luce degli sviluppi pi�� recenti di un percorso di ricerca che non si �� mai interrotto e che risulta tuttora incompiuto. A conoscenza degli autori, si tratta della pi�� dettagliata declinazione dell���heritage marketing mix presente in letteratura. The aim of the paper is to propose a precise categorization of the multiple tools that can be used, as part of a heritage marketing strategy, to manage the narration of the history of the company and its products and/or its brands according to a strategic perspective. To this aim, a multiple case study research has been carried out on 20 Italian companies that have distinguished themselves for the enhancement of their historical heritage. According to a qualitative narrative approach, each case was built by integrating oral (interviews), textual (company material) and visual (visits and direct observation) sources. Based on the different nature of the narrative used, a definition of the heritage marketing mix is proposed, consisting in four categories of tools, whose integrated and contextual use can offer a fundamental contribution to the enhancement of the identity embedded in the company���s historical heritage, with particular reference to companies operating in the food and beverage industries. This paper is a ���follow up��� of a previous contribution published in this Journal, and aims to correct the analysis perspective that was then used, in light of the most recent developments of a research path that has never been interrupted and which is still unfinished. To the best of our knowledge, this is the most detailed definition of the heritage marketing mix that it is possible to find in the literature., IL CAPITALE CULTURALE. Studies on the Value of Cultural Heritage, Supplementi (10/2020) Cibo e vino: rappresentazioni, identit�� culturali e co-creazione di sviluppo sostenibile / Food and Wine: representations, cultural identities and co-creation for sustainable development