L’isola delle madri assenti: tracce di presenza femminile nella narrativa storica siciliana contemporanea (1990-2007)

The watershed constituted by the historical novels of Leonardo Sciascia (1921- 1989), Vincenzo Consolo (1933-2012) and Andrea Camilleri (born 1925), are starting points for analysing subsequent writings of history in Sicily, particularly those that deal with the hermeneutical function of literature as a means of critically reading official historiography. Nevertheless, whereas ample critical attention has been paid to male writers, whose work is deemed ‘mainstream’, there has been insufficient analysis of the role of female authors in relation to literary representations of Sicilian history. By considering the distinctiveness of the Sicilian literary tradition, the thesis identifies a series of transformations of the genre which have occurred in recent years within the context of feminine writing, and examines the historical narratives of contemporary Sicilian writers Maria Attanasio, Silvana La Spina and Maria Rosa Cutrufelli produced between 1990 and 2007. The study problematizes the lack of critical debate about feminine narratives in Sicily, and places these works in relation to developments in gender and genre theory, focusing particularly on Margherita Ganeri’s studies on the historical genre and the canon. After an introductory chapter which argues the case for examining Sicilian female historical fiction as a distinct literary practice, the subsequent chapters feature textual analyses of each author’s main historical fiction works, supporting the reading of the texts with theoretical readings, including the micro-history of Carlo Ginzburg, the écriture féminine of Hélène Cixous, the abjection theory of Julia Kristeva, the theoretical propositions on “experience” by Joan Wallach Scott and Teresa De Lauretis, and the theory of gender as performance proposed by Judith Butler. The analyses underline the importance of the authors’ distinct feminine perspective over Sicilian history and ultimately suggest that the three writers represent significant examples of a “nomadic writing” to be placed outside the Sicilian male literary tradition.

Investigations into selective metabolic aspects of bifidobacteria: carbohydrate metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis and plasmid biology

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a diverse ecosystem, and is colonised by a diverse array of bacteria, of which bifidobacteria are a significant component. Bifidobacteria are Gram-positive, saccharolytic, non-motile, non-sporulating, anaerobic, Y-shaped bacteria, which possess a high GC genome content. Certain bifidobacteria possess the ability to produce conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) from linoleic acid (LA) by a biochemical pathway that is hypothesised to be achieved via a linoleic isomerase. In Chapter two of this thesis it was found that the MCRA-specifying gene is not involved in CLA production in B. breve NCFB 2258, and that this gene specifies an oleate hydratase involved in the conversion of oleic acid into 10-hydroxystearic acid. Prebiotics are defined as non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon. Key to the development of such novel prebiotics is to understand which carbohydrates support growth of bifidobacteria and how such carbohydrates are metabolised. In Chapter 3 of this thesis we describe the identification and characterisation of two neighbouring gene clusters involved in the metabolism of raffinose-containing carbohydrates (plus related carbohydrate melibiose) and melezitose by Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003. The fourth chapter of this thesis describes the analysis of transcriptional regulation of the raf and mel clusters. In the final experimental chapter two putative rep genes, designated repA7017 and repB7017, are identified on the megaplasmid pBb7017 of B. breve JCM 7017, the first bifidobacterial megaplasmid to be reported. One of these, repA7017, was subjected to an in-depth characterisation. The work described in this thesis has resulted in an improved understanding of bifidobacterial fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism, Furthermore, attempts were made to develop novel genetic tools.

Composition portfolio and commentaries

In an attempt to provide an analytical entry point into my compositional practice, I have identified eight themes which are significantly recurrent: reduction – the selection of a small number of elements; imperfection – a damaged or warped characteristic of sound; hierarchy – a concern with the roles of instruments with regard to their relative prominence; motion – apparently static sound masses consist of fine internal movement; listener perception – expectations for change influence the experience of affect; translation – the transitioning of electronic sounds to the acoustic realm, and vice versa; immersion – the creation of an accommodating soundscape; blurring – smearing and overlapping sounds or genres. Each of these eight factors is associated with relevant precedents in the history and theory of music that have been influential on my work. These include the minimalist compositions of Steve Reich and Arvo Pärt; the lo-fi aesthetic of Boards of Canada and My Bloody Valentine; concerns with political hierarchy in the work of Louis Andriessen; the variations of dynamics and microtonal shifts of Giacinto Scelsi; Leonard B. Meyer's account of expectation in music; cross-fertilisation of the acoustic and electronic in pieces by Gérard Grisey and Gyorgy Ligeti; the immersive technique of Brian Eno's ambient music; and the overlapping sounds of Aphex Twin. These eight factors are variously applicable to the eleven submitted pieces, which are individually analysed with reference to the most significant of the categories. Together they form a musical language that sustains the interaction of a variety of techniques, concepts and genres.