This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page A key contributor to the oil and gas industry’s recovery in Angola Ponticelli Angoil operates as a trusted full-service provider to the country’s petrochemical and industrial sectors Africa has developed a long-standing reputation for being one of the world’s primary oil and gas providers, with a reported 10 million barrels of crude oil generated per day, contributing to approximately 10 percent of global production around 75 percent of the continent’s crude oil is exported across the world whilst a vast majority of its petroleum products are imported placing Africa in a highly unique position compared to other regional oil producers The continent’s unparalleled position can be attributed to its extensive list of oil and gas producers which stand as key players in Africa’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) production the oil and gas sector remains a cornerstone of the country’s economy and a primary pillar in its wider energy landscape offering numerous opportunities for growth the Angolan oil and gas industry has faced significant disruption and turbulence as a surge in global oil demand coincided with plummeting prices following the COVID-19 pandemic This is evidenced by the fact that the nation produced 1.3 million tonnes of oil per day in 2020 which was its lowest production level in a decade Limited public and private investment from both domestic and international sources further compounded this resulting in a major impact on the sector’s growth Angola’s oil and gas industry continues to offer a vibrant and opportunistic environment due to numerous legislations that have driven major industry innovations and increased investment into the country’s mature gas fields which has helped stabilise production and create a more robust industry landscape the Angolan government launched the Hydrocarbon Exploration Strategy in 2020 to incentivise the replacement of ageing oil reserves over a five-year period and combat the country’s decline in hydrocarbon production paving the way for greater exploration activity The industry has also experienced myriad technological enhancements to help make exploration and production more sustainable whilst enhancing existing energy infrastructure These advancements offer promising potential for technological innovation opening the door to new projects in both subsea and topside operations across Angola “It is a dynamic and evolving space, balancing stable output from mature fields with exciting new prospects as the industry adapts to global energy trends,” introduces François Bacci, Managing Director of Ponticelli Angoil a leading provider of industrial oil and gas services in Angola Ponticelli Angoil was established as a result of Ponticelli Frères Group’s (Ponticelli Group) international expansion into the Angolan oil and gas market The parent company has experienced substantial growth over the past century as it now stands as one of Europe’s main service suppliers providing cutting-edge solutions and infrastructure for a vast range of energy sectors Ponticelli Group’s unmatched energy expertise began in 1921 when the group was born from steadfast determination “Its history begins with three Ponticelli brothers – Céleste established the foundations of this great company from nothing,” Bacci informs Ponticelli Group still upholds a strong tie to its family roots whilst providing the oil and gas industry’s major global players with critical design and maintenance expertise for their facilities span the pre-project design stage to detailed end studies offering vital support to ensure the success of its clients’ projects Ponticelli Group is also proud to be a construction specialist providing expertise in key mechanics trades state-of-the-art plants as well as developing the capacities of existing installations for its onshore and offshore clients across the world The group is additionally renowned for its specialist maintenance services for industrial facilities and compliance of plants to enable operators to maximise productive potential With such a vast pool of knowledge to draw from Ponticelli Angoil leverages and applies Ponticelli Group’s industry expertise to the Angolan oil and gas landscape “We use the knowledge acquired by the group over the decades to operate successfully maintaining the values that have cemented reputation – quality services with the utmost respect for safety and deadlines to ensure client satisfaction,” Bacci highlights Ponticelli Group strives to uphold its commitment to quality which contributes to the group’s client satisfaction-oriented approach As a highly reputable provider of industrial services across Angola Ponticelli Angoil specialises in engineering and decommissioning support for the nation’s oil and gas and petrochemical sectors “This end-to-end service capability enables clients to rely on the company as a full-service partner,” Bacci points out solidifying the company’s commitment to quality Ponticelli Angoil operates four fabrication plants across three strategic locations – Luanda and Soyo – which allow it to provide localised services and support to clients The company’s international client base includes the Angolan state-owned oil organisation and many other significant players in the oil and gas sectors Ponticelli Angoil prioritises building long-term relationships with clients by deeply understanding each of their needs and differentiating it from the standardised solutions of its competitors the company prides itself on its ability to offer tailor-made solutions that cater to clients’ particular requirements This flexibility allows it to adapt to a variety of operational environments whether on offshore platforms or onshore sites Ponticelli Angoil’s ability to not only meet but exceed set targets is demonstrated by its proven operational track record which has earned it a strong reputation for consistently delivering complex projects on time and within budget for major oil and gas companies “Our extensive experience in managing large-scale technically demanding projects gives the company a significant competitive advantage,” Bacci attests Ponticelli Angoil upholds a steadfast commitment to safety in the workplace which is of the utmost importance in the oil and gas industry “The company maintains a strong culture of safety adhering to stringent international standards and regulations This dedication to safety and compliance ensures operational dependency and instils confidence in clients,” he expands Ponticelli Angoil is further distinguished by its deep-rooted vision which centres around a strategic approach making significant investments in technology “This long-term perspective allows us to build strong consistently improve our service offerings and adapt to the evolving needs of the oil and gas industry.”  A critical element of Ponticelli Angoil’s success is its unparalleled subsea capabilities which the company has placed considerable effort and investment into in recent years expanding its operations and establishing itself as a strong player in subsea fabrication “We began with simpler structures and equipment and experience to tackle more complex structures including pipeline end terminations (PLETS) and flowline end terminations (FLETS),” Bacci outlines These projects have strengthened the company’s core competencies in subsea fabrication and allowed it to develop new areas of proficiency we are proud to say that Ponticelli Angoil can cover the full range of subsea fabrication scopes including manifolds and suction pipes.”    the company boasts an ambitious project schedule for the coming year with its flagship operation being the completion of its subsea works at the Begonia oil field by mid-2025 working with McDermott on a contract for TotalEnergies The operation includes the fabrication and load-out of subsea structures where Ponticelli Angoil’s team plays a crucial role in ensuring the systems are built to strict specifications and adhere to the highest standards of quality “We are committed to supporting contractors throughout the process ensuring that the installation is seamlessly integrated and fully operational enhancing the facility’s capabilities.”    this project aligns with the company’s mission to drive innovation and deliver top-tier service to the oil and gas sector and is vital for boosting Angola’s offshore production capability A further critical element of Ponticelli Angoil’s success is its extensive supply chain as the business endeavours to maintain strong partnerships with both local and international partners we work closely with a network of suppliers and contractors to ensure seamless operations across all our projects,” Bacci expands Local partnerships are particularly important to the company as they contribute to the national economy and help develop regional capabilities Prioritising regional suppliers also aligns with the government’s drive for increased local content which it has brought to the fore with a vast range of legislation that it hopes will stimulate domestic market growth global partnerships provide invaluable access to advanced technology and high-quality materials that prove crucial for Ponticelli Angoil’s more complex projects “The balance between leveraging local talent and international know-how enables us to maintain a high standard of service whilst being competitive in a dynamic market,” he states one of Ponticelli Angoil’s key objectives going forwards is to enhance its local content by empowering regional companies and encouraging global organisations to establish a presence in Angola Angola’s labour market has witnessed high unemployment rates in recent years and Ponticelli Angoil was no stranger to industry-wide adversity “We certainly faced significant challenges with labour shortages last year and the demand for skilled workers was high across the sector due to the number of simultaneous projects in the market,” Bacci recalls Ponticelli Angoil implemented a more structured approach to talent acquisition and invested in training programmes to quickly upskill new recruits This is evidenced by the sheer number of welders it has trained and qualified for subsea projects which have subsequently experienced an outstandingly low repair rate The company is currently experiencing a stabilisation in the number of ongoing market projects which is providing it with the opportunity to focus more on the training and development of its personnel the company has more time to invest in upskilling its team and ensuring it is fully equipped to meet the needs of future projects Ponticelli Angoil is able to build a stronger and more capable workforce and strengthen its internal resources to improve readiness for future growth Employing 1,500 members of staff worldwide technical workforce comprising engineering teams and tradespeople dedicated to delivering excellence “Our staff are at the heart of the company and commitment to excellence,” Bacci prides Ponticelli Angoil recognises that its success is directly linked to the contributions of its employees which is why empowering them is a core part of the company’s philosophy it heavily invests in training and development to retain teams and ensure they are equipped with the latest skills and knowledge to meet the demands of the oil and gas sector The maintenance of staff is also supported by employee shareholding and living by Ponticelli Group’s founding motto – ‘Union This not only helps staff grow professionally but also ensures they are confident in delivering high-quality work on complex projects and possess the in-depth knowledge necessary to operate cutting-edge technologies whether through specialised training or leadership development programmes Ponticelli Angoil is committed to helping its staff advance their careers the strong sense of teamwork and collaboration are what distinguish the company from the competition “The environment here fosters a culture of shared knowledge and mutual support in which every individual plays a vital role in achieving our goals,” he impassions Ponticelli Angoil’s dedication to corporate social responsibility (CSR) stems from its parent company’s steadfast commitment to civic duty and community investment which is deeply integrated into its business strategy Ponticelli Group believes economic development is impossible without the key consideration of environmental CSR is at the core of its corporate strategy ensuring that the group’s long-term operations contribute meaningfully to a better Ponticelli Group’s devotion to environmental responsibility is exemplified by the fact that it has been a signatory of the UN’s Global Compact – a voluntary initiative that pursues sustainable development goals for businesses The group proactively communicates with the UN annually on its sustainable actions and how it hopes to continue these initiatives going forwards Ponticelli Angoil proactively engages in a number of CSR activities spanning several key areas such as educational programmes to support local communities “We collaborate with local organisations to promote healthcare contributing to the long-term growth and well-being of the regions where we operate,” Bacci shares the company has distributed approximately 5,000 mosquito nets to local communities since 2015 Ponticelli Angoil has donated vast numbers of food products annually to the Boa Vista community in Luanda The company also prioritises environmental responsibility by implementing eco-friendly practices and reducing its carbon footprint “As the energy sector shifts towards more sustainability Ponticelli Angoil is leading the way by integrating environmentally responsible practices into its operations and embracing greener technologies,” Bacci divulges The Angolan oil and gas sector is set for substantial growth in the coming year as it was projected to grow by 15 percent between 2022 and 2027 and is well on the way to achieving this target This progression is spurred by encouraging a sustainable market within the industry complemented by the promotion of upstream investment Ponticelli Angoil’s priorities for 2025 are centred around further growth one of its main priorities is the ongoing expansion of its subsea capabilities tapping into new technologies and methodologies that have recently inundated the industry in order to enhance its service offerings to help stay abreast with industry changes and solidify its leading position in the Angolan oil and gas sector the company hopes to pursue new contracts and reinforce its relationships with key clients such as Sonangol In addition to expanding its operational reach Ponticelli Angoil is placing a strong emphasis on sustainability and innovation This is emphasised by the company’s plan to invest in digitalisation and green technologies to support Angola’s transition to cleaner energy sources and ensure that its services remain future-proof in an evolving energy landscape Ponticelli Angoil is focused on achieving operational excellence by streamlining its internal processes and maintaining high safety and quality standards Its targets specifically include reducing project lead times and streamlining project management to deliver better results for clients “Another critical priority for us is to continue improving our local content by training and upskilling Angolans at every level of our organisation We see this as a long-term investment in both the local economy and the future of our business,” Bacci concludes We use 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If you continue using our website, we'll assume you agree to our cookie policy Volume 7 - 2020 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2020.604961 This article is part of the Research TopicDiagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges in Rare and Complex Autoimmune DiseasesView all 17 articles Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a histological term that describes a pathologic renal entity affecting both adults and children with a wide array of possible underlying etiologies leads to altered permeability of the glomerular barrier which may result in massive proteinuria and relentless renal function deterioration A definite cause of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis can be confirmed in a minority of cases while most forms have been traditionally labeled as primary or idiopathic increasing evidence indicates that primary forms are a heterogenous group rather than a single disease entity: several circulating factors that may affect glomerular permeability have been proposed as potential culprits and both humoral and cellular immunity have been implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease immunosuppressive drugs are considered as the cornerstone of treatment for primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis but response to these agents and long-term outcomes are highly variable In this review we provide a summary of historical and recent advances on the pathogenesis of primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis focusing on implications for its differential diagnosis and treatment which historically fall under the classification of “idiopathic” or “primary.” Despite this unifying definition increasing evidence indicates that primary forms may be caused by several distinct pathogenic processes and could therefore benefit from a targeted treatment Autoimmunity has been consistently reported as a pivotal player in the pathogenesis of these forms and recent studies suggest that both humoral and cellular immunity may be involved we focus on the immune and molecular aspects of podocyte damage associated with a FSGS pattern of injury and discuss current and novel therapeutic options for patients presenting with this condition Such changes lead to a severe alteration in the glomerular structure loss of filtration barrier selectivity and variable degrees of proteinuria Several factors may concur in causing podocyte damage and ultimately lead to FSGS many of which have been extensively described Primary FSGS still remains a diagnosis of exclusion and requires ruling out definite etiologies the pathogenesis of primary FSGS remains poorly defined The search for a unifying pathogenic mechanism for these forms has been largely unsuccessful and it is now evident that primary FSGS entails many different diseases with a common phenotype Secondary causes of FSGS (Table 1) include all those conditions that result in a low nephron number and/or single-nephron hyperfiltration, which are generally categorized as “maladaptive” FSGS (7). In these forms, glomeruli are submitted to an increased mechanical stress that eventually results in hemodynamic alterations, dysfunctional reparative processes and focal sclerosis (8) A constantly increasing number of mutations in genes encoding for podocyte proteins has been described in both de novo and hereditary forms of FSGS (3). In addition, susceptibility genes such as the APOL1 variant are important risk factors for FSGS in selected populations (9, 10) Immune and molecular mechanisms of FSGS pathogenesis Relevant immune and inflammatory pathways leading to alterations in podocyte foot process architecture are summarized (dashed lines: hypothetical/incompletely understood pathway); please refer to text for explanation Janus kinases (JAK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins (STAT) signaling pathway; MCP-1 soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor; T confirmation by other research groups has not been reported to date External validation of CLCF-1 as a permeability factor in independent patient cohorts is definitely required to clarify the relative impact of this molecule on FSGS pathogenesis and to plan targeted interventions in the future but external validation has not been reported yet thus suggesting that anti-CD40 antibodies and suPAR may synergize in inducing αvβ3 integrin activation and FSGS lesions Studies to assess the pathogenicity of the other autoantibodies identified by Delville and colleagues and to validate anti-CD40 antibodies as a permeability factor in additional patient cohorts are eagerly awaited thus identifying a possible additional therapeutic target The pathognomonic features of FSGS initially affect only a few glomeruli and are characterized by tuft sclerosis which is limited to a portion of the otherwise normal glomerulus These lesions are initially predominant in juxtamedullary glomeruli but progressively spread to the outer cortex if renal biopsy is performed early in the course of the disease particularly when the number of sampled glomeruli is small and the biopsy specimen contains only superficial cortex tissue On electron microscopy (EM), foot process effacement, podocyte detachment, and segmental sclerosis with podocyte loss are the most common findings. Foot process effacement is often diffuse (>80%) and severe in tip, cellular and collapsing variants, while this feature can be more variable in NOS and less severe in the perihilar variant (2, 98) the degree of foot process effacement has important implications for the differential diagnosis of FSGS causes and for the correct identification of primary forms Proteinuria is the most common feature at presentation in FSGS and may range from sub-nephrotic levels to full-blown nephrotic syndrome with hypoalbuminemia Newborns with congenital nephrotic syndrome are usually premature with low birth weight, and severe nephrotic syndrome is diagnosed soon after birth. FSGS is due to genetic mutations in most of these cases, and ESRD typically develops in infancy. These patients have a comparable mortality, growth, and time to transplantation as infants with other primary renal diseases (99) Children and adolescents frequently present with signs and symptoms of nephrotic syndrome such as periorbital and dependent edema Owing to the high frequency of steroid-sensitive MCD in this age group renal biopsy is usually not performed in patients presenting with isolated nephrotic syndrome Histologic evaluations are usually reserved for those patients with atypical characteristics (syndromic features positive autoimmune panel) and for steroid-resistant cases but even sub-nephrotic proteinuria may eventually increase to the nephrotic range over time Microscopic hematuria is found initially in about half of cases and impaired renal function may be already present at the time of referral in up to 25% of patients with FSGS renal biopsy should be performed in all adult patients to confirm the diagnosis and to guide future management Histological findings may also help in assessing renal outcomes. The prognosis is usually severe in patients with diffuse interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (113, 114). In addition, mesangial proliferation at renal biopsy was associated with a 4.6 relative risk of serum creatinine doubling in some series (107) Diffuse and multiple segmental sclerotic areas at the initial biopsy and an increase in the number of globally sclerotic glomeruli in follow-up biopsies correlate with chronic kidney disease development After renal transplantation, primary FSGS has a high rate of recurrence in the allograft, which significantly reduces long-term graft survival (118). There is considerable variability among case series, but recent data from pediatric and adult cohorts indicate that the overall recurrence rate is similar across age groups, affecting approximately one third of patients (23, 119) These reports may however underestimate the true incidence of primary FSGS recurrence because most studies defined primary forms irrespective of the presence of nephrotic syndrome or the degree of foot process effacement on EM likely including secondary FSGS forms in the analysis Disease remission with treatment can be achieved only in half of cases which makes recurrent FSGS a largely unmet medical need A correct differential diagnosis between primary and secondary FSGS forms is paramount to guide management. Even though light microscopy alone cannot differentiate primary from secondary FSGS, primary forms share some typical features, including the presence of a full-blown nephrotic syndrome (proteinuria >3.5 g/day, albuminemia <3.0 g/dL) and EM ultrastructural findings consistent with diffuse (>80%) foot process effacement (Table 2) since primary FSGS is still a diagnosis of exclusion and genetic forms should be always ruled out Characteristics of primary and secondary FSGS forms Infections should be identified by an appropriate work-up and treated accordingly as remission with disease-specific treatment can be frequently achieved prompt identification and removal of the offending agent are paramount Asymptomatic patients with non-nephrotic proteinuria and stable renal function usually do not progress to ESRD and are not exposed to the potential complications of nephrotic syndrome no specific treatment besides conservative management (including salt restriction and inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system) is strictly necessary serum creatinine and blood pressure should be monitored over time and hypercoagulability are frequent complications in patients with nephrotic syndrome whose treatment is critical to improve life-expectancy and quality of life Jiroveci prophylaxis and use of biphosphonates in women over 50 years should be also considered even though the relapse rate upon discontinuation can be excessively high although the anti-proteinuric effects of CNI are well-demonstrated there is no established evidence that these agents can prevent FSGS progression in the long-term long-term CNI use has been avoided due to fear of development or aggravation of tubular atrophy This risk may largely depend on the doses used and although some individuals are particularly prone to CNI toxicity (perhaps because of altered pharmacodynamics) progressive renal damage is less likely to occur in patients with normal kidney function using low CNI doses (<2.5–3.0 mg/Kg/day for cyclosporine and <0.05 mg/Kg/day for tacrolimus) As activation of the TNF pathway may be a prerogative of only a subgroup of FSGS cases a trial to assess whether adalimumab can normalize the urinary concentration of TNF pathway activation biomarkers (MCP-1 and TIMP-1) in these patients has been planned (NCT04009668) dose-escalation study to test the efficacy of an oral inhibitor of the MCP-1 receptor CCR2 in adult patients with primary FSGS is currently ongoing (NCT03703908) The history of primary FSGS has been characterized by the rise and fall of biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets like very few other disorders in nephrology. 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Acthar gel in the treatment of nephrotic syndrome: a multicenter retrospective case series Efficacy and safety of adrenocorticotropic hormone treatment in glomerular diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis Rituximab targets podocytes in recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis Rituximab protects podocytes and exerts anti-proteinuric effects in rat adriamycin-induced nephropathy independent of B-lymphocytes B cell–derived IL-4 acts on podocytes to induce proteinuria and foot process effacement Current understandings in treating children with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome High-dose rituximab ineffective for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: a long-term observation study Rituximab in adult minimal change disease and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis Rituximab in children with resistant idiopathic nephrotic syndrome Ofatumumab for rituximab-resistant nephrotic syndrome PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Low-dose ofatumumab for rituximab-resistant nephrotic syndrome Low-dose ofatumumab for multidrug-resistant nephrotic syndrome in children: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Successful treatment with abatacept in recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis after kidney transplant Case series: CTLA4-IgG1 therapy in minimal change disease and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis B7–1 blockade does not improve post–transplant nephrotic syndrome caused by recurrent FSGS Extracorporeal therapies in the treatment of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis FSGS permeability factor-associated nephrotic syndrome: remission after oral galactose therapy Efficacy of galactose and adalimumab in patients with resistant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: report of the font clinical trial group What are we missing in the clinical trials of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis Citation: Podestà MA and Ponticelli C (2020) Autoimmunity in Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis: A Long-Standing Yet Elusive Association Received: 10 September 2020; Accepted: 26 October 2020; Published: 20 November 2020 Copyright © 2020 Podestà and Ponticelli. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Manuel Alfredo Podestà, bWFudWVsLnBvZGVzdGFAdW5pbWkuaXQ= Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish The new body horror series is by Scott Hoffman and Alberto Ponticelli A new series from writer Scott Hoffman and artist Alberto Ponticelli "pushes every boundary," according to its publisher, DSTLRY an irradiated New York is full of mutants and wracked with crime Escort Vin and cop Jarrod must join forces to find a killer but their investigations lead them to a biotech corporation and a mysterious project named Warm Fusion Here's two Ponticelli covers for the first issue.. (Image credit: DSTLRY)(Image credit: DSTLRY)DSTLRY founding editor Will Dennis has described Warm Fusion as "one of those rare projects that pushes every boundary." "Warm Fusion is a deep dive into the grotesque possibilities of biotechnology and its impact on humanity," added Hoffman in a statement and everyone caught in the gutters between This is an evolution of the body horror classics I watched growing up and perfect for a time when humanity is obsessed with (and achieving) provocative new levels of post-humanism." "Working on Warm Fusion has been an exhilarating experience," said Ponticelli "The world Scott and I have incubated straddles horror and hope and imagining the extremes humanity will warp itself into in the coming decades has been perverse and delightful." Each issue of Warm Fusion runs to 48 pages and is published in perfect-bound Prestige format with wraparound covers You can find out just how strange this future is going to be when the first issue is published by DSTLRY on December 4 Brian Azzarello and Stephanie Phillips discuss their brilliant new sci-fi crime thriller LIFE which is quite a long time if you stop and think about it At Future he launched the scary movie magazine Horrorville and has written for every issue of SFX magazine for well over a decade His music writing has appeared in The Quietus Newcity Music by | March 12 Alfonso Ponticelli Musical Gypsy Caravan/Photo: Alfonso Ponticelli Played by the Romany tribes of Southeast Europe the Flamencos of Spain and eventually the jazzmen of France and America the music of the Gypsies is the original “world music.” Alfonso Ponticelli is Chicago’s most prominent representative of this music Having held a weeknight “Gypsy jazz” spot at the Green Mill for almost twenty years he has also taught Gypsy jazz guitar at the Old Town School of Folk Music and has hosted the annual Chicagoland Gypsy Jazz Festival since 2003 Ponticelli learned his craft by visiting and studying in the Gypsy camps in France traveling and performing out of his own “Vardo,” or Gypsy wagon about one-thousand years ago,” Ponticelli says while preparing for his weekly show at the Green Mill “They traveled along the Silk Road through what was then Persia all the areas where they brought their culture The Gypsies also brought their instruments with them,” Ponticelli continues “Instruments like the Oud from the Moors in the Middle East eventually morphed into the guitar the Spanish Gypsy music on guitar and the northern Gypsies that play the steel string guitars While popular American culture portrays Gypsy women as fortune tellers and the men as shady merchants mended weapons and cobbled copper cookware for the armies that traveled throughout Persia and suffered continual castigation and abuse especially under Transylvanian Prince Vlad the Impaler One way the Gypsies both made a living and found acceptance in strange lands was through entertaining and playing music learning the traditional folk music and instruments,” Ponticelli says And the French Gypsies are of course with the guitars is credited not only with bringing these various Gypsy styles together but also adding elements of classical and jazz music to form the musical art form known as “Gypsy jazz.” “Django Reinhardt was unique in that he went to southern France/northern Spain’s Santa Maria del Mar Festival and incorporated the Flamenco music of the south with the rhythms of the northern Gypsies and the jazz of Louis Armstrong that he heard in Paris,” Ponticelli says “He also was influenced by French composers Chopin and Debussy and he played jazz with a rhythm almost like a drum that he gained from the Flamenco.” and violinist Stéphane Grappelli that gave birth to Gypsy jazz via the famous Quintette du Hot Club de France It is this melting pot of so many cultures regions and styles to which Ponticelli has devoted most of his musical career Born in Chicago and raised in the northern suburbs His sister Elvira is a classically trained vocalist who has performed as part of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Riccardo Muti Ponticelli has also performed with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and won the National Mountain Dulcimer Championship in 1994 he began playing in church and then went into rock and blues learning the solos of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin and transcribing the saxophone solos of Charlie Parker “I went to college and got a degree in jazz studies at DePaul but always looking for that style and voice that really spoke to me,” Ponticelli says “I started listening to Django and Paco De Lucía and I realized that this was something that might be it.” One of the premier segments of Gypsy music and Gypsy jazz is Flamenco The origins of this style began during the reign of King Philip V During that time Romani from Hungary came to Spain to fight in what was called the “Flemish War.” After twenty years of fighting they settled in Spain and were known as “the lost Flamencos.” Yet they were not fully accepted and made to work as servants or entertainers such as dancers not making eye contact and stomping their feet The other key element to Flamenco is the guitar which combined the styles of the Moors and Arabic countries with those of the Europeans Spain to study under Flamenco masters Rafael Riqueni and Manolo Sanlúcar watching them perform at venues like the famous Flamenco Guitar Festival in Córdoba He then traveled to New Mexico to study under Chuscales and Pedro Cortes and performed under legendary Flamenco singer and guitarist Pansequito for over two years Another element is the European or Romani style of music While many use “Romani” as the politically correct term for “Gypsy,” Romani is actually a single tribe (with some others being the Sinti Caló and Gitano)—most members of the culture see the terms “Gypsy” and “Romani” as somewhat interchangeable Ponticelli has gone to many Gypsy jazz festivals throughout Europe and the United States including the festival in Samois-sur-Seine where he was able to camp next to Django Reinhardt’s son Babik He then took the lessons he learned and began to play throughout Chicago “In the late 1990s there was really no Gypsy jazz scene in Chicago,” Ponticelli says “You had a lot of true Gypsy performers like Alex Udvary and the father-and-son team of Juliano and Danillo playing at the Hungarian Romanian and other Eastern European restaurants along North Lincoln Avenue between Addison and Lawrence which was where much of the gypsy community lived at that time.” In 1996 Ponticelli began performing in various Gypsy bands and formed the group “Swing Gitan” in 2003 Ponticelli still occupies his regular Wednesday night spot at the Green Mill As part of the show the band performed a mix of jazz standards like “Autumn Leaves,” “Oh Marie,” and “Don’t Mean A Thing” (if you ain’t got that swing) “Csardas.” They then launched into “Tchavalo Swing.” Given worldwide exposure in Tony Gatlif’s seminal Gypsy film “Latcho Drom,” the song has in many ways replaced “Dark Eyes” as the gypsy anthem With Ponticelli’s guitar rhythm and leads racing like a team of horses through the Ural Mountains and notes exploding from Stephanie Pielok’s violin-like sparks from a Gypsy bonfire the song makes you want to get off your feet throw the glasses against the wall and dance until your legs can’t move “Gypsy music is about the spirit,” Ponticelli says that Gypsy flair or spirit to make it its own.” Alfonso Ponticelli and Swing Gitan play at Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, 4802 North Broadway, on Wednesday, March 13, 8pm–midnight. Cover $10. More here After graduating with a Theatre BFA (with a concentration in Stage Management), Max Ponticelli ’09 went on to get an MBA in 2020. He is now a lecturer for URI’s Theatre Department and General Manager of The Wilbury Theatre Group in Providence How did your URI degree best prepare you for your career path My degree prepared me to be a well-rounded and hard worker regardless of the path I took going forward and made me excited to start a career in the non-profit arts sector what is the value of the arts both academically and in the community The arts improves all of our lives; from what we do to escape in our free time to telling the important history and lessons of our communities Living around arts organizations actually improves quality of life – seriously The arts teaches us how to be better humans and what in life is worth living for What advice would you give to current students or to young people thinking of pursuing a Fine Arts degree just because you’re in the arts doesn’t mean you can’t study anything you want Copyright © 2025 University of Rhode Island | University of Rhode Island URI is an equal opportunity employer committed to the principles of affirmative action by | January 12 If I could understand why certain music genres come into vogue all I can do is marvel at the regularity with which the postmillennium throws us a cultural curve ball like making a cult sensation of gypsy jazz—a style that hasn’t been much in vogue since Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli were hard at it way back in the first half of the last century But if you have any doubt that it’s returned with a vengeance just insert yourself into the SRO crowd at The Green Mill on any given Wednesday night when Alfonso Ponticelli and Swing Gitan hold court I balk at citing Ponticelli as Reinhardt’s and Grappelli’s heir He certainly has the charisma to lay claim to the title; he’s as much a stage animal as he is a virtuoso musician and is not above such grandstanding tricks as playing his guitar with a beer in one hand (using the bottle to fret the strings) But he keeps such tricks to a minimum; he obviously knows that the real jaw-dropper he’s got to offer is the sheer fleetness athleticism and gorgeous resonance of his playing Ponticelli’s discernment gets at least as much credit as his playing; he uses a classical guitar so that during his ballads it’s not just his gypsy-jazz forebears he recalls but high-culture virtuosos like Andrés Segovia brims with topflight talent as well; the usual crew includes Steve Gibons on violin Jason Miller on rhythm guitar and John Bany on bass but guest players are more the rule than the exception (hint: if you like their Facebook page I suppose… so much so that my advice to you is you’ll want to jump out of it; but trust me You’ve got a job to get to in the morning; whereas for Alfonso Ponticelli and Swing Gitan Wednesdays, 9pm-1am at The Green Mill, 4802 North Broadway, greenmilljazz.com; $6. Robert Rodi is an author, spoken-word performer and musician who has served as Newcity’s Music Editor since 2014. He’s written more than a dozen books, including the travel memoir “Seven Seasons In Siena,” and his literary and music criticism has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Salon, The Huffington Post and many other national and regional publications. Contact: robert@newcity.com Israeli ministers approve plan to expand operations, seize Gaza Strip Trump threatens 100% tariffs on imported movies, film industry in shock 15th annual Red Dress Day remembering First Nations women, girls Canadian vets honoured during 80th anniversary of Netherlands Liberation Day ceremony in Hamilton Red Dress Day ceremony on Hamilton Mountain raises awareness for abused people Political analyst discusses the seriousness behind Alberta’s referendum idea PWHL play-by-play announcer Daniella Ponticelli is a leader for women in sports media On this Sportsline Podcast with host Bubba O’Neil Ponticelli discussed how she deals with those who push back progress with negativity Emily Vukovic went birding at Urban Nature Store in Ancaster To celebrate Mother’s Day and raise funds for Halton Women’s Place A beautiful and powerful new piece of jewelry has joined Lofttan‘s collection The IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s is taking place at the ‘Women of Soul’ is a captivating production that is revitalizing timeless soul CHCH-TV started broadcasting in 1954 and is proud to be the news leader for Hamilton and the surrounding Halton and Niagara regions Copyright © 2025 CHCH. 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Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker As the only countries that have won world championships or Olympic gold were among the few women’s hockey games that attracted large audiences The debut this past week of the six-team Professional Women’s Hockey League — where numerous members of those rival U.S and Canada squads have now become teammates joined by a handful of international players — reportedly drew 714,000 viewers on a CBC/TSN/streaming/radio simulcast That audience compares favourably to CFL numbers Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Along the way she’s gotten support from legendary play-by-play caller Chris Cuthbert Saskatoon sports broadcaster Wray Morrison and former Pats voice Phil Andrews She is working out of Toronto now as a contracted broadcaster While many viewers were surprised by the physicality of the PWHL games and the emotions generated by the league’s debut “I was absolutely expecting that (emotion) because draft day to me was a teaser,” said Ponticelli I was prepping for a Riders game while watching this history unfold and I was getting emotional historic,’ but this really is the beginning of something By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Headline News will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. “Thankfully I wasn’t on air for the opening ceremony because I felt the weight of that evening, appreciating that Billie Jean King was there to see her legacy unfold right before her eyes. It was incredibly moving. Being next to (analyst and former Canadian team member) Cheryl Pounder, who talked about it on the broadcast, she has been so open about it, this impossible dream that she really didn’t ever think was going to happen.” Also noteworthy was the aggressiveness the games, especially for viewing novices used to seeing female players pursue a puck in the corner while veering away from hitting their opponents. Instead there were post-whistle scrums, a few punches thrown and lots of heavy collisions. Although open-ice body checks are illegal, the players want to have lots of contact, which makes for an entertaining and true-to-form hockey game. “If you watch enough women’s hockey, you’ll see all of that there,” said Ponticelli. “It might be called more, but you’ll see the retaliation, that give-and-take. I talked to (PWHL chair) Jayna Hefford and she said the officials are such a key piece, being consistent because the league has made it clear it’s a physical game, that calling every touch will slow the game down. These women want to play physical. They know what it’s like, they’ve prepared for it.” King, the tennis icon who continues fighting to diminish disparities between women’s and men’s sports, invested in and helped spark the formation of the PWHL. King conducted the pregame faceoff before the inaugural game in Toronto. During the second game, Ponticelli also conducted between-period interviews with players. “I’ve always loved talking to women hockey players,” she said. “They’re so honest, from the heart. “A lot of them have put their own sweat and tears into building this, to have a fully professional league comes with a lot of sacrifices. Hey, I have a full-time job and I’m adding this into the mix, right? If those women had not given their all to the game, this wouldn’t be here. When you have all that context, there’s nothing but respect for the players.” transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account 10-year-old Daniella Ponticelli was excited to be emigrating to Canada from Cape Town Full of anticipation for the adventure ahead Ponticelli didn’t feel like she was leaving much behind nor was she fully aware of a bright future on the horizon A local TV news station was at the airport in Winnipeg to cover her family’s arrival because Ponticelli’s mom was a radiation therapist who had been recruited to help with the brand-new CancerCare Centre in the area Ponticelli was joined by her dad Mark and older brother Stefano Despite being jet-lagged from nearly two days of flying the family members were so excited to have arrived at their new home While Maylene charted a new path in her career the sight of the news crew sparked something in little Daniella’s mind Ponticelli has worked at a variety of journalism jobs in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan The latest posting is noteworthy because she’s the first female to be part of the radio broadcasts for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders working as a sideline reporter during home games “Being on the sideline is unreal — the sound of players clashing and crashing into each other how they communicate when the home crowd is so loud,” she says You can hear Ponticelli before and after games as she hosts the Countdown to Kickoff pre-game show as well as the SportsCage Radio Roundtable post-game show on 620 CKRM Along with Ponticelli’s duties on Rider game days, she will be serving as the radio voice for the University of Regina Rams in the upcoming Canada West football season. Doing play-by-play is nothing new for Ponticelli, who can also be heard calling games for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team — a role she plans to return to once both the CFL and Canada West seasons conclude. Ponticelli may be breaking new ground over the airwaves in Saskatchewan, but it’s in the air where she first made her mark. From 2006 to 2016, Ponticelli was an aerial acrobat, specializing in the use of silks, trapeze, hoop, stilts and rope. She got into the sport simply because the Winnipeg studio where she was learning and teaching dance — Monica’s Danz Gym — started offering classes in acrobatics. “For a while, I didn’t think I could do it because I wasn’t a gymnast,” she says. “But I started training one summer and got totally hooked.” During Ponticelli’s career as an acrobat, she and her teammates — known collectively as Momentum Aerial & Acrobatic Troupe — represented Canada at two world gymnastics events (2007 in Dornbirn, Austria, and 2011 in Lausanne, Switzerland). The Canadians did not bring home any awards, but the events were more exhibitions than contests to see which country was best. “It was incredible,” Ponticelli recalls. “Wearing the maple leaf, seeing and hearing the crowd respond when Canada was announced and performed, and then the kindness shown everywhere we went — it made me realize how special it is to represent this country.” It’s not lost on Ponticelli that she has gone from representing Canada to being a member of the radio broadcast crew for “Canada’s Team.” “I do see similarities, for sure, especially when it comes to the connections you make with sometimes total strangers,” she says. “We hear from fans listening all over the world to game days. “I also believe there is considerable responsibility when representing a country, a team or its official broadcaster. (It’s important) to carry yourself with dignity and respect, and treat others the same way.” In fact, interacting with Rider Nation is one of the things Ponticelli enjoys the most. Following each Rider home game, she heads from Mosaic Stadium to Rose Street and 12th Avenue to host the post-game show alongside “The Professor” Don Hewitt and former Roughriders tailback Wes Cates, a 2007 Grey Cup champion. Ponticelli plays the role of conductor as she and her co-hosts take calls from fans of all ages and mindsets. “Everyone wants to be heard, and we offer that space for them to do that,” she says. “We’ve also had some amazing young callers share their thoughts and it lights me up inside; this should be an accessible way for people to feel even closer to the game.” As soon Ponticelli is finished covering one game, it is time to begin preparations for the following week’s contest and its surrounding programming. The first thing Ponticelli does is take notes on all the post-game reactions from players and coaches. Throughout the week, she begins to craft story lines for the next time she is on the air. Once all the dust has settled, it is time to head back to Mosaic Stadium and start the process over again. Ponticelli could be considered a pioneer in local sports broadcasting, but she doesn’t look at it that way. She wasn’t even aware that she was the first woman to work on a Roughriders’ radio broadcast until after she signed her contract. “I’m just me. And it’s hard not to feel that way. Like, ‘Hey, I’m just me; I have my dreams and I have my goals and I want to move forward,'” adds Ponticelli, who does acknowledge that it would be an honour if she’s able to inspire other women to get into sports broadcasting. “But at the end of the day, I’m just going into my work because I love it and because I always want to be growing and I want to always be challenging myself.” Posted in: Bad Idea, Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News | Tagged: , , Bad Idea Comics seems to be worried that some comic book readers won;t get any copies of Destroyer #1 by Mae Catt and Alberto Ponticelli Bad Idea Comics seems to be worried that some comic book readers will destroy their comic book store, if they haven't got any copies of Destroyer #1 by Mae Catt and Alberto Ponticelli next month And they are using lots of exclamation marks to make that point Time is running out to guarantee your copy of THE DESTROYER Place your pre-order with your local BAD IDEA Destination Store by Monday November 20th or risk missing out on this winter's next smash-hit release Visit our website to find your local BAD IDEA Destination Store today Prepare for the landmark comic experience with your very first lettered preview of the soon-to-be sci-fi classic Clocking in at a whopping 72 pages with no ads THE DESTROYER is set to be your newest favorite when it comes to a comic store near you Read the preview and prepare to be astonished!" Now, as we all know, there is a national shortage of exclamation marks, and comic books use a disproportionate amount of them. We all have to do our bit. So, I don't know; read the preview below, and if you fancy more, order the comic book from your comic shop And stop them having to send out more exclamation mark-filled copy As a high energy physicist at the most classified installation in the world The radiance of a thousand suns let loose a new force That he will soon be beyond life and beyond death But Erik knows his secret threatens the lives of those he holds dear and the powers he works for Play dice with the gods and everyone loses A tour de force from superstar film and TV writer Mae Catt (Netflix's Transformers) and Eisner Award winning artist Alberto Ponticelli (Unknown Soldier Orc Island), THE DESTROYER comes to a comic store near you on December 20th PLUS: A HERO TRADE story of forbidden love An all-new BAD IDEA B-Side from New York Times bestseller Matt Kindt (BRZRKR) and Eisner Award winner David Lapham (Stray Bullets) HERO TRADE: HUDSON is coming to comic stores this heartbreaking tale will be available ONLY at a BAD IDEA Destination Store near you Posted in: Bad Idea, Comics, Comics Publishers | Tagged: , , , Bad Idea is the new comics publisher from Dinesh Shamdasani eschewing digital and trade paperbacks in favour of one-cover one-per-person comic book sales from big comic book names Last year they announced that they were ceasing publishing operations More books are being revealed through the day and into the evening on this schedule Pre® Brands sells grass-fed and humanely raised beef without antibiotics Ponticelli will activate their next phase of growth is pleased to announce that Kevin Ponticelli former Chief Operating Officer and President of Mizkan American Inc. He brings more than 30 years of diverse consumer packaged goods (CPG) experience across sales "Pre aligns perfectly with consumer trends tastes terrific and is winning in the market," states Ponticelli "Everyone in our organization is committed to scaling the business successfully as we expand nationwide and continue to build the Pre brand." Ponticelli was the Chief Operating Officer and President of Mizkan American Inc. an operating subsidiary of Japan-based Mizkan Group a leader in condiments and sauce distribution across the United States and Canada Ponticelli was the Group Vice President and President of Kraft for their North American Cheese and Dairy Sector "Kevin's appointment is timely and we're very excited to have such high-level talent coming on board to lead the team through the next phase of expansion," said Pre board member Jeff Klunzinger "We welcome his tremendous experience in consumer-packaged businesses sales and general management and we're confident that he will take Pre to the next level of growth." "Lenny's vision for this company was instrumental to Pre's success to date and his experience was invaluable at such a pivotal time," said Klunzinger.  The most innovative consumer brand in beef named Category Captain of Beef by Progressive Grocer for two consecutive years Pre is a Chicago-based premium fresh foods startup dedicated to bringing beef-loving consumers exactly what they want: the best-tasting Through revolutionary curation criteria and patented packaging Pre delivers an outstanding consumer experience every time building consumer confidence and enabling them to feel good about eating beef from health Pre's dedication to ongoing consumer engagement continually informs its insights and data-led business model fueling its unique ability to drive demand Pre's non-GMO certified beef is grass fed and finished Pre is available nationally in retail and online Kevin Ponticelli has held multiple senior leadership positions in the consumer food/beverage sector he was the Chief Operating Officer and President of Mizkan American Inc where his scope included approximately 1000 cross functional staff and 17 factories Kevin was the Chief Executive Officer/Board Member for Discovery Foods Fleischer and Lowe private equity operating company as Senior Executive Vice President for Dairy Management Inc the largest US producer funded commodity marketing and business development organization in the country operated with oversight by the US Department of Agriculture and as Group Vice President and President of Kraft's North American Cheese and Dairy sector operating division Kevin serves as an advisory committee member to the IE/Brown University Executive MBA program and is a Board Member of Gilman Cheese Company Kevin holds an MBA from Michigan State University and a BS from Wayne State University (Michigan) and is a member of the Wayne State University Athletic Hall of Fame Pre® Brands is a Chicago-based leader in branded beef market http://www.pre-brands.com one of the nation's leading grass-fed and grass-finished premium lean beef proteins is pleased to now offer an expanded line-up of the.. With protein emerging as a primary focus of consumers' dietary lifestyles many are choosing Pre® Brands portfolio of 100% grass-fed Retail Food & Beverages Beverages Personnel Announcements Do not sell or share my personal information: SK – It’s the 106th season of Regina Pats Hockey and Access Communications (Access) is thrilled to announce it will be broadcasting 17 regular season home and away games this year in partnership with the Western Hockey League (WHL) 11) play-by-play broadcaster on AccessNow TV will be Daniella Ponticelli She will become the first woman to do hockey play-by-play for Access “We’re delighted to be delivering Pats hockey action into the homes and on-the-go for Access customers through our AccessNow TV channels and App,” said Carmela Haines President and CEO of Access Communications “We’re honoured that on our broadcast Daniella will become the first woman to ever do play-by-play on AccessNow can enjoy our schedule of Regina Pats games from the convenience of their mobile devices The broadcast schedule features 17 home and three away games The three away games feature the Pats in Edmonton to take on the Oil Kings on November 24 and Feb 28 when the Pats will play their first-ever game against the Wenatchee Wild and March 1 against the Portland Winterhawks In addition to Daniella’s groundbreaking broadcast tonight she will also do play-by-play for games on November 1 and 24 as well as Dec The rest of the Access broadcast team will feature various combinations of play-by-play and colour commentary with Michael Ball Reporting from ice-level will be Rina Hanowski “The WHL is pleased to extend our cable broadcast partnership with Access Communications for the 2023-24 WHL season,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison “Access continues to be the leader for cable television coverage in Saskatchewan Fans can once again look forward to outstanding WHL hockey on Access Included here is the full broadcast schedule Schedule subject to change. Please check your local AccessNow TV channel listings for the most up-to-date program times or visit www.myaccess.ca/pats for more information Which team is the favourite to win the 2025 WHL Championship View Results Becky Kellar and Claudine Douville have come together from many different career paths to become the voice of a new league This article was published more than 6 months ago Commentator Daniella Ponticelli and colour analyst Saroya Tinker watch their broadcast segment while waiting for May 5's PWHL game to start at Toronto's Mattamy Athletic Centre.Melissa Tait/The Globe and Mail Daniella Ponticelli got her start broadcasting roller derby Kenzie Lalonde once did commentary for high-school sports often soccer in the pouring rain when half the players weren’t wearing jersey numbers Claudine Douville got behind a microphone some 40 years ago and waited decades to meet other women doing sport play-by-play They’ve each had a fascinating range of broadcast experiences but today these Canadian women share something in common They’re among several broadcasters in the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s inaugural season women whose voices have quickly become the soundtrack of this burgeoning pro league Ponticelli did play-by-play for the inaugural PWHL game on Jan a game that drew a combined 2.9 million viewers across the country over the league’s three Canadian broadcasters as the jubilant New York defender was swarmed by teammates Ponticelli has called more than two dozen PWHL games for the Canadian networks this season including the current playoff series between Toronto and Minnesota There are many women starring on PWHL broadcasts Not every broadcast of the PWHL is an all-female broadcast team authoritative in her running commentary of the action introducing viewers to players and their stories in the long-awaited new six-team pro league former players such as Canadian Olympic gold medalists Becky Kellar and Cheryl Pounder Ponticelli has called more than two dozen PWHL games since the league's debut in January May 5's showdown between Toronto and Ottawa was the last regular-season match.Melissa Tait/The Globe and Mail is one of Ponticelli's regular colour analysts as are Olympians Becky Kellar and Cheryl Pounder.Melissa Tait/The Globe and Mail and moved to Winnipeg with her family at 10 when her mother came to work as a radiation therapist at a new cancer facility even performed as an aerial acrobat with Team Canada at the World Gymnaestrada She studied communications at Red River College and University of Winnipeg then worked a variety of journalism jobs in Manitoba and Saskatchewan she joined a roller-derby team in Saskatoon in 2016 and that full-contact sport on roller skates provided her eureka moment when she saw two women calling a roller-derby bout and I want to do that.” So she volunteered to call the action learning to educate an audience that didn’t know roller-derby rules and the stories of its little-known athletes she has been host of shows for the Saskatchewan Rush lacrosse team was the first female play-by-play voice for University of Regina Rams football and the first woman on Saskatchewan Roughriders radio broadcasts as host and sideline reporter She did colour commentary for hockey’s Junior A Regina Pats play-by-play for University of Saskatchewan women’s hockey for para hockey and some women’s international hockey events “I just wanted to keep saying yes,” Ponticelli said ‘She scores!’ Listen to a sample of Ponticelli’s play-by-play from May 5′s game She was invited to audition for the PWHL play-by-play in a Toronto studio She landed the gig and relocated to Toronto Ponticelli has called games for all three Canadian teams this season leaning over the table and her notes as she calls the action She and her broadcast partners prepare meticulously The PWHL says viewers from some 88 countries have watched games on its YouTube channel “It’s about constant preparation for all of us,” Kellar said when I watch NHL hockey games I’m studying like Kellar juggles her PWHL and international hockey work with a colour-commentary job for the Toronto Marlies of the AHL She gets coaching from veteran broadcasters such as long-time Toronto Raptors NBA broadcaster Leo Rautins Sportsnet and CBC have all carried games in Canada during the PWHL’s regular season Kenzie Lalonde and Cheryl Pounder are broadcasting the other PWHL semi-final They brought audiences a wild Game 1 on Thursday inside a packed Place Bell have also broadcast many of the biggest women’s international games of the past few years and later in a provincial league that also featured some of the PWHL stars – such as Toronto’s Sarah Nurse and Montreal’s Laura Stacey – she now covers She played hockey at Mount Allison University in Sackville She started out making videos for the school’s athletic department exposed to everything from girls soccer to volleyball to ringette when she called the Nova Scotia high-school girls hockey championships for Eastlink Community TV she became the first woman to call QMJHL games on television when she covered a Halifax Mooseheads game “Community programming is hard to find nowadays so I’m so grateful I was given an outlet to try different roles,” Lalonde said “I would do play-by-play on a Quebec major-junior game then the next morning I’d host a community TV show talking about Pancake Week She got her foot in the door at TSN in 2021 calling the 2021 women’s world hockey championship in the Calgary bubble during the pandemic and has been a constant voice at that event since doing women’s hockey play-by-play and reporting on the Montreal Canadiens Her experience and knowledge of the players made her an obvious choice to call PWHL games “It’s finally happening and I want to do it justice because it’s very much about broadcasting to new fans,” Lalonde said These women are the best in the world at what they do usually just the biggest international games She was lucky to get four broadcasts a year Now TSN calls a lot more games at those events is thrilled by the volume of women’s hockey on TV now “Now I’m doing in one month what I used to do in a whole year,” Pounder said “Now here is an opportunity for women to play hockey professionally after college and that same opportunity exists in broadcasting You get a young girl hearing Kenzie’s voice It’s another platform to get other voices into the game.” Pounder marvels on air at scenes such as Marie Philip-Poulin’s edge work “Mark that,” she calls to the TV production truck during the game pushing her talk-back button to request isolated clips so she can later break down that play for the audience She learned it from her old teammate and broadcasting veteran As Thursday’s Montreal-Boston game went to overtime Pounder and Lalonde explained to viewers that in the PWHL playoffs After Boston’s Susanna Tapani scored in OT to surprise Montreal the two broadcasters said nothing for several seconds as the silence of the crowd told the story They’ve been helping others learn the trade welcoming young broadcasters to shadow them in the booth and to tell them how they can get experience “It’s difficult in this industry to get reps,” Pounder said “But you need reps to get good at the craft and when you get your shot Veteran sports broadcaster Claudine Douville provides the French-language play-by-play of PWHL Montreal games for RDS including that overtime thriller on Thursday night calling everything from Major League Soccer and the World Cup Esso Cups and big women’s international hockey games Starting soccer play-by-play in the 1990s she never saw other women in announcer roles Douville divides her time calling PWHL games and MLS matches in order to broadcast Game 2 of Montreal’s playoff series with Boston Douville will miss calling CF Montreal’s home game against Inter Miami and global soccer superstar Lionel Messi She is joined in the hockey booth by colour analyst Isabelle Leclaire coach of the Université de Montréal Carabins women’s hockey team The PWHL gives more regular opportunities for media to spend time around women players and coaches and Douville says that has enriched her storytelling “I feel that we are writing history,” she said Douville says she feels honoured to be involved as the PWHL breaks new ground for women in sport.Selena Phillips-Boyle/The Globe and Mail The WNBA is coming to Toronto, adding a 14th franchise to the growing league Sarah Nurse, one of hockey’s most marketable stars, is booked, busy and basking in it Two-thirds of Canadians are fans of women’s sports, survey says Simon Houpt: The PWHL needs to make sure its success doesn’t kill what makes it special Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Editorial code of conduct Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following LAURA STACEY HAS PWHL MONTREAL'S FIRST-EVER PLAYOFF GOAL! #PWHL pic.twitter.com/Ugxl57BQjp Laura Stacey marque le premier but de 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For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions Volume 2 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fneph.2022.984613 This article is part of the Research TopicReviews in Frontiers in NephrologyView all 18 articles Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most frequent and severe organ manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that is a chronic autoimmune disease Despite improvement in patient and renal prognosis the disease continued to be associated with a high rate of end stage kidney disease it seems that the epidemiology of LN and its clinical presentation have progressively changed The forms with renal insufficiency at presentation seem to have progressively reduced in developed countries in favour of more mild clinical presentations with urinary abnormalities only To this clinical change does not correspond a less severe histological lesions the extent of active lesions at kidney biopsy are unchanged whereas chronic lesions are becoming less frequent and less severe new types of severe LN defined by the variable association of demographic histological characteristics at diagnosis or during the follow-up are gradually emerging and require attention in assessing the therapy and prognosis randomized controlled trials have reported the efficacy of new drugs in association with standard therapy to improve the rate of short- and medium-term renal response One of the advantages is that these results were obtained with reduced dosage of corticosteroids whose protracted use is associated with increase of chronic organ damage tailored on the demographic clinical and histological characteristics with combination of old and new drugs are urgently needed for severe LN The term severe LN may be used to indicate the absent or the incomplete response to first-line conventional therapy with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents LN can also be defined “severe” in the presence of clinical and/or demographic features that can predict a poor outcome Clinically, increased levels of serum creatinine, high grade proteinuria, and active urine sediment are important prognostic signs of progressive and severe forms of LN (6). The occurrence of renal flares along the course of the disease is another predictor of poor kidney prognosis (7, 8) CNI are not easy to handle and may be responsible of important side effects including hypertension The rare cases of AKI with normal glomeruli at light microscopy that can develop during lupus podocytopathy, usually respond well to corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents but may show a high rate of relapses. Instead, in case of AKI and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis(FSGS) the response to therapy is worse with a low rate of complete remission (47). Collapsing variants of FSGS in LN, with poor response to aggressive therapy have been reported (48) Until few years ago patients with Lupus TMA were treated with plasma infusions or plasmapheresis. This treatment reduced the mortality in comparison with patients who did not receive these treatments, but many patients did not respond to this therapy (49). Eculizumab, a recombinant, fully humanized IgG2/IgG4 monoclonal antibody that inhibits C5activation, proved to be a very efficacious therapy in lupus TMA (50) New drugs have been tested to increase the rate of response, diminish the risks of flares, and reduce the doses and side effects of corticosteroids and CNI (Table 1) Table 1 Results of recent randomized controlled trials in Lupus nephritis response was significantly more frequent when urine protein/creatinine ratio was <3g/g than when proteinuria was higher These results suggest that adding belimumab to standard initial therapy in severe LN not only can improve the response but may also reduce renal flares and the corticosteroids dosage belimumab in association with MMF can be added to induction therapy in active class IV LN in patients with history of renal relapses and in those who require a reduction/withdrawal of corticosteroids voclosporin can be started in association with MMF and with low dose corticosteroids in active proliferative LN particularly in presence of severe nephrotic syndrome Although it seems not necessary to check the blood levels of voclosporin renal function monitoring is necessary particularly during the first months of therapy to modulate the dosage of the drug Looking at those rates of response it seems that neither CYC nor MMF can successfully manage patients with severe LN the induction therapy of severe forms consisted of three intravenous MPP (500-1000 mg/die) followed by oral prednisone 0.75-1 mg/kg/die for 2-4 weeks tapered to 10 mg/day associated with oral cyclophosphamide (1.5-2 mg/kg/die) for at most 3 months We checked every 7-10 days the number of white blood cells and adjusted the dosage of cyclophosphamide accordingly One important point is the regular monitoring of the patients particularly during the first months If renal function did not recover within two/three months a new course of methylprednisolone pulses a repeat kidney biopsy can be of help to exclude over-imposed TMA Table 2 Rate of ESKD and death in patients with Lupus Nephritis with eGFR < or ≥ 60/mil/min at kidney biopsy that an add-on therapy with a novel agent may be helpful especially in presence of low chronicity index Despite progressive improvement in renal survival lupus nephritis continues to be a disease with high risk of ESKD and death The management of severe LN is a real challenge It requires a careful clinical/histological assessment to predict the short-term and long-term outcomes the choice of a treatment that may couple efficacy and safety and a regular monitoring of patients by a dedicated team The simultaneous or alternate combination of time-honored and new promising drugs might allow to interfere with different pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease achieve higher rate of complete and stable response Further drugs for the treatment of LN are under investigation GM contributed to conception and design of the review and wrote the first draft of the manuscript 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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) *Correspondence: Gabriella Moroni, Z2FicmllbGxhLm1vcm9uaUBodW5pbWVkLmV1 the Court of Session was asked to consider whether an employee's rights under his employer's share incentive plan transferred with him to his new employer under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) It concluded those rights did transfer and the new employer had to provide a substantially equivalent scheme post transfer Mr Gallagher had applied to join a share incentive plan (SIP) operated by his employer Total Exploration and Production UK Limited (Total) This was an optional benefit and there was no reference to it in his contract of employment his rights were recorded in a partnership share agreement with Total and the trustees of the SIP Total's business was sold to Ponticelli and Mr Gallagher was told his employment would transfer to Ponticelli under TUPE Mr Gallagher was also told that Ponticelli did not have a SIP and instead it offered to pay Mr Gallagher a one-off payment of £1,855 as compensation for loss of this benefit This was equivalent to two years' contributions into the SIP Mr Gallagher was not satisfied with the offer of compensation and turned to the Employment Tribunal (ET) to seek a determination that he was entitled to be offered membership of an equivalent SIP with Ponticelli He relied on Regulation 4(2)(a) of TUPE which provides that all of Total's rights duties and liabilities under or in connection with his employment contract transferred to Ponticelli under TUPE While the SIP was not in his contract of employment Mr Gallagher said the right arose in connection with his employment contract and was therefore covered by Regulation 4(2)(a) The ET and the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) agreed with Mr Gallagher and found that he was entitled to be offered membership of a SIP that was substantially equivalent and of comparable value to the plan in which he had been with Total Ponticelli appealed to the EAT but the decision of the ET was upheld Ponticelli appealed again to the Inner House of the Court of Session on the basis that the contractual arrangements concerning the SIP were distinct from Mr Gallagher's contract of employment and were not covered by Regulations 4(2)(a) The Court of Session agreed with the ET and the EAT finding that the right to join the SIP arose in connection with Mr Gallagher's contract of employment it found that Mr Gallagher's contributions to the SIP were made through salary deduction and other optional benefits under the SIP were linked to Total's contractual bonus scheme It was found that the SIP was an integral part of Mr Gallagher's remuneration package and he would be financially disadvantaged by the removal of the SIP This decision follows in the footsteps of another recent case the EAT found that a financially beneficial scheme to which an employee belonged transferred via TUPE even though the scheme also fell outside the employee's employment contract the EAT highlighted that the purpose of TUPE was to protect employee rights on a TUPE transfer It cautioned against a restrictive interpretation of TUPE in relation to benefits even if they were not expressly stated in the contract of employment employers could simply avoid obligations under TUPE by creating separate contracts to grant benefits to their employees which would then not be protected on a TUPE transfer because they were not expressly stated in the contract of employment.  The effect of both these decisions is that employers need to conduct careful due diligence of employee benefits when contemplating a TUPE transfer to identify any rights and obligations arising from the employment contract and any other benefits which may be connected to that employment contract The implications are potentially wide-ranging as arguably most benefits are connected with the employment contract as they only exist by virtue of the employment relationship Particular care should be taken in assessing whether the buyer of a business is required to establish an equivalent share (or similar incentive) plan for transferring employees as that is a potentially costly and onerous requirement on the new employer The Ponticelli case confirms the longstanding trend of courts adopting a purposive approach to interpretation of TUPE to protect employee rights in a transfer Email me claire.maclean@dentons.com Dentons is a global legal practice providing client services worldwide through its member firms and affiliates This website and its publications are not designed to provide legal or other advice and you should not take You will now be taken from the global Dentons website to the $redirectingsite website 大成 is a partnership law firm organized under the laws of the People’s Republic of China and is Dentons' Preferred Law Firm in China with offices in more than 40 locations throughout China Dentons Group (a Swiss Verein) ("Dentons") is a separate international law firm with members and affiliates in more than 160 locations around the world please see dacheng.com/legal-notices or dentons.com/legal-notices View Photogallery Made possible  through  the support of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance WEST BOYLSTON - In a joint meeting with selectmen last week the School Committee elected Jason Ponticelli to fill a vacancy on the school group until the June 6 the two boards heard from candidates William Sandvois and Maureen Gonelli and highlighted his more than 50-year involvement in education Texas and other places throughout his career He has four grandchildren who are teachers "Lower level (elementary) teachers are critical," he said while discussing his experience raising his own children Sandvois also spoke of his extensive work in testing of teachers for their psychological fitness "I offer a lot of background and experience" in this area Selectman Siobhan Bonnson asked Sandvois if he had any experience working on town committees here in West Boylston helping to connect people in transition to services in the area "I really would like to be a voice for the kids Her job in quality assurance for an insurance company involves a great deal of review and understanding of policy which would be of great help in this position reviewing goals and metrics to identify gaps and areas of opportunity is a familiar task Bonnson asked if she had served on any town or school committees But then "I saw that it (the position) was temporary," and thought now would be a good time When asked if she would consider running in next year's election The School Committee asked what she saw as a pressing issue in the district going to vocational schools and things," Gonelli said "I would like to see some different programs offered for kids who maybe aren't going to college." he has been a history teacher in Shrewsbury for the past 13 years He holds a degree in middle school education and history from Fitchburg State and a master's degree in those subjects from Worcester State He said he saw the opening on the committee as an opportunity to be an active As to why he chose to move to West Boylston while still teaching in Shrewsbury "I felt that my children would flourish in a smaller school district." Bonsson asked what he would put "at the top of his list" in working with the School Committee and the school system has to make changes as the town grows He has worked with the Shrewsbury School Committee and other committees over the past 13 years Ponticelli would not be able to serve on the two-member negotiations subcommittee because he is an active teacher After a few brief comments thanking the candidates for coming forward Gonelli and Ponticelli were both nominated and activist Chaz Bono makes his debut on the premiere of the 13th season of Dancing With The Stars this Monday for many Americans it will be the first time they knowingly welcome a transgendered person into their living rooms Though the announcement of Bono’s inclusion in the show created controversy among some media pundits and viewers local advocates for trans rights hope that the increase in visibility will improve the lives of those they serve “The Chaz (Bono)s of the world help us to have a voice,” said Lillith Ponticelli founder of the North East Transwomen’s Alliance Inc. the only active organization in the region dedicated to serving transsexual and transgendered individuals “Some people will say they have a problem with him but we need more people like him out there.” Ponticelli is not only an advocate for the rights of trans people on the North Shore and she spends her days educating and connecting trans people to vital services “There is a lot of things people don’t realize about the lives transgendered people lead,” Ponticelli said “There are misconceptions that we are all gay We are more likely to be discriminated against by employers and even doctors and more likely to be the targets of sexual violence There’s a lot of work to do for trans rights even in open and accepting communities like Salem.” married with children and a career in the Marines and later as an information technology contractor “The average age for a transgendered person becoming aware of their identity is around 6 and that was true with me as well,” Ponticelli said and it got to the point where I couldn’t hide anymore.” Ponticelli began presenting as a woman in the workplace and legally changed her identity she has lost many things — her job and home in Beverly and contact with many members of her family — but gained a vocation and didn’t realize how much I would lose,” Ponticelli said “But as I was doing the research to find services I could use for myself I realized other people could benefit from my experiences Though NETA’s services are specifically tailored for transwomen Ponticelli said that many transmen and intersexed individuals have taken advantage of her services as well “We have an open door policy and great relationships with trans-positive therapists and other community service groups in the region,” Ponticelli said and Ponticelli said she is working on getting 501(c)3 status “My ultimate dream is to open a transwomen’s group home that would allow homeless transwomen a safe environment and I’d like it to be in Salem,” Ponticelli said NETA may soon be joined by an affiliated group for transmen that is the subject of a feasibility study by PRISM LGBT Community Health in Beverly “We’re in a discussion now where we’re trying to assess the needs of our community and find out if that’s a service we should offer or if maybe it should be done by someone else,” said Brian King “If it will fit into our programming and mission King said there was a real need for services that specifically target transgendered people the Massachusetts Tri-County Transgender Needs Assessment was completed by researchers at Salem State University,” King said “It stated that trangendered people are more likely to suffer from depression as well as other transgendered and transsexual celebrities would help people become more open-minded in the future “We don’t want to be understood as a novelty “What would the world be like if all the norms were reversed People in the majority would have to worry about fitting in Total's Ofon Phase 2 project offshore Nigeria calls for construction of four new platforms for the shallow water Ofon field the company is modifying existing facilities which have been in service since 1997 which will be compressed and sent to shore and to develop oil reserves and increase production The Ponticelli Frères Group has been awarded the $200-million contract for tie-ins and modifications on existing facilities Its previous major overhaul job was on Total's Girassol FPSO offshore Angola to prepare the facility to receive production from the satellite Rosa field But the work on Ofon is the company's most complex and demanding offshore assignment to date oil & gas business development manager of the Ponticelli Frères Group The workscope includes installation of 300 metric tons (330 tons) of piping and equipment 200 metric tons (220 tons) of new steel structures and instrumentation/telecommunications work on the existing Ofon OFD1 and OFP1 drilling and production platforms in 40 m (131 ft) water depth The upgrades are needed to accommodate production from new wells that will be drilled from two new drilling platforms and one new platform and to connect the installations to the new bridge-linked OFP2 production platform that Hyundai Heavy Industries is building in South Korea Ponticelli is EPC contractor for the program As with all new Nigerian offshore projects the emphasis is on maximizing local content Ponticelli has subcontracted detailed engineering locally to ISEL in Lagos Since the contract signing in September 2011 the main focus has been on procurement of items such as valves Prefabrication of replacement piping and steel structures started in late 2012 at the Ponticelli Nigeria-owned Silhouette yard in Port Harcourt and Ponticelli specialists will probably be based on the installations for a further two years beyond the planned start-up of Phase 2 in 2014 "This is a SIMOPS (simultaneous operations) situation a field in which we are specialists," Cau says "We have to maximize the amount of hot work that can be done offshore without disrupting normal operations and organize tasks on the facilities during the various shutdowns planned later this year and next year during marine operations A lot of the platforms' primary structures have to be changed and we have to reassess the structural conditions due to all the new equipment that has to be put in." An overall reassessment of the facilities' structural integrity is also planned Some structural elements will likely have to be replaced to meet long-term production requirements Total plans to drill three new wells," Cau said "We will modify the jacket structure to support three new conductor pipes by installing a frame below the water line with electrical installations subcontracted to Group SNEF and we have to adapt the existing pipe network to the gas-lift system on the new production platform And due to Total's commitment to stop gas flaring the nose of the existing flare on OFP1 will be modified for depressurization – again this job will be subcontracted to a specialist company." although a 2-million man-hour job offshore basically involved tie-ins of a few large modules we are installing and changing out a large number of small pieces and each section of pipe or structure has to be integrated Doing this requires a careful assessment of the associated risk and involves a lot of paperwork for a 50-ton module as for a single piece of pipe weighing less than 1 ton." Ponticelli expects to maintain a crew of 50-60 specialists on the two platforms working on a SIMOPS basis with most of the work completed by mid-2014 when the new production platform is due to be installed and the bridge links are in place The team is deployed from a floating accommodation barge stationed close to the platform Following a halt to and subsequent suspension of construction activities at Kallo in late July and early August Groupe Ponticelli Frères—Borealis’ newly selected contractor for mechanical and specialized piping installation on the PDH plant—restarted works at the site on Oct While construction works on the new plant will gradually continue to ramp up the 2-month suspension of construction activities will delay commissioning of the PDH plant to second-half 2024 from its previously targeted startup in 2023 Plant construction initially came to a halt on July 27 after news reports surfaced accusing project contractor IREM SPA of human-rights violations at the site including allegations of human trafficking according to separate releases from Borealis and Ponticelli which was jointly awarded the initial contract with IREM for mechanical works—equivalent to about 80% of overall project construction—on the plant in February 2022 Borealis decided to indefinitely suspend construction under the IREM-Ponticelli contract to allow enough time for an investigation by Belgian authorities as well as to implement additional measures to control and prevent any further potential wrongdoing by subcontractors at the site Borealis terminated its contract entirely with IREM IREM said it was not directly the subject of any formal accusations from the Belgian authorities but that it was fully complying with an investigation focusing on non-European Union workers hired by IREM for the Kallo PDH plant project With the investigation presumably still ongoing further details regarding the allegations have yet to be officially confirmed The nearly €1-billion Kallo PDH plant project which began construction in September 2019 had reached nearly 80% completion as of August 2022 Robert Brelsford joined Oil & Gas Journal in October 2013 as downstream technology editor after 8 years as a crude oil price and news reporter on spot crude transactions at the US Gulf Coast He holds a BA (2000) in English from Rice University and an MS (2003) in education and social policy from Northwestern University Ed Reed Workers from Ponticelli Frères are going to work on TotalEnergies’ Alima FPU Total has not yet responded to a request for comment on the impact on production of maintenance at the vessel Ponticelli has said it will carry out work into December on the FPU It will mobilise up to 200 people for the work The company has a long track record of working with Total in Congo It has worked on Phase 1 Bis of the Moho Nord development It won work on the fabric maintenance contract in 2021 on the Moho Bilondo and Moho Nord projects in addition to the Likouf FPU and a tension-leg platform (TLP) The Alima FPU began producing from two reservoirs in 2008 The Phase 1 Bis involved upgrading of the FPU and connections to nine new wells Total launched Moho Nord in 2017 to develop the two remaining reservoirs Ponticelli reported it had carried out a complex lifting operation for Total in Congo Its crane maintenance team replaced cables on a crane It also carried out crane maintenance at two cranes on Alima in March