316 research outputs found
Industrial Districts and the City: Relationships in the Knowledge Age. Evidence from the Italian Case
No full textThe spatial implications of fordist and district-based patterns of development have had a profound effect on the debate about the role of the city. While the city is reputed to be the crucial provider of basic public goods within the fordist model, its role seems more nuanced, if not disputable, when the district model prevails. This disregard for the city is probably due (a) to the fact that the revival of the debate on marshallian districts has placed strong emphasis on the agglomeration economies internal to the districts themselves, while relatively omitting the urban ones, when not emphasising the burden of urban diseconomies; (b) to the countryside roots of most district pioneers. The quarrel was further fuelled with the advent of ICTs, the fragmentation of the productive processes and the possibility of displacing phases at a global level. The paper argues that this is only the early part of the history. The advent of ICTs has had not only functional although important consequences on the internal organisation of firms and industry and on economic geography as a whole; it has also, however, made innovation and knowledge ? rather than cost-saving policies ? the crucial drivers of the competitiveness of firms and local economic systems. The notion of knowledge has profoundly changed too, and the main change consists in the shift that is occurring from Learning I to Learning II, that is from the “production and accumulation†of knowledge according to pre-established codes, to its “generation and articulation†thanks to an endless reshaping of cognitive codes. On this prospect, while firms, places and regions are increasingly conceptualised as Learning II milieus, cities are proving to be a crucial and irreplaceable milieu for knowledge generation. As a consequence, it is becoming necessary to reassess the relationships between industry and the city. Within this new situation, industrial districts may suffer a severe condition of marginality from the central driver of knowledge generation, owing to their lack of internal competences in dialoguing with the city, and/or the lack of suitable mediators.
Periagoge - Theory of Singularity and Philosophy as an Exercise of Transformation
No full textThis book returns to the question at the center of our existence, a question that the narcissistic culture in which we are immersed systematically tends to remove: “Why?” The underlying thesis is that the answer must not be sought in success or social recognition, but in a “fragment of truth”, hidden somewhere inside each of us, which reveals itself only if we detach ourselves from our ego and its certainties. It is not, therefore, a matter of finding yet another philosophical theory of the meaning of existence, but rather of shedding light on the conditions under which such meaning can emerge. The author shows us that the ultimate source of our existential orientation lies in the affective sphere, and that the current crisis of orientation is derived from the atrophy of the process of affective maturation on a large scale, and from a lack of knowledge and experience about which techniques are best to reactivate it. We are like glowworms that had once unlearned how to illuminate and have since begun to hover around the magic lantern of the ascetic ideal, already criticized by Nietzsche, and then around neon advertising signs. We are glowworms that have forgotten that we have within our own affective structure a precious source of orientation. The basic thesis is that this source of orientation can be reactivated through the care of desire and practices of emotional sharing
Funzioni cognitive e controllo glicemico: evidenze dallo studio di pazienti pediatrici con diabete mellito tipo 1 e bambini prematuri
No full textPremessa: Le funzioni esecutive sono funzioni cognitive di ordine superiore che includono le capacità di inibizione, memoria di lavoro e flessibilità cognitiva e rivestono un ruolo essenziale per la salute psicofisica dell’individuo. Lo sviluppo di queste funzioni è legato alla maturazione delle strutture corticali e sottocorticali che ne costituiscono substrato neurale. Il cervello attraversa nel corso dell’ età - gestazionale prima ed evolutiva poi - il massimo della propria maturazione. Problemi di natura metabolica, come una mancata regolazione dell’omeostasi glucidica e livelli anormalmente alti di glucosio nel sangue, costituiscono fattori di rischio per il neurosviluppo. Due popolazioni cliniche in particolare sono esposte ad esiti sfavorevoli in termini di funzionamento cognitivo e neurosviluppo a causa di episodi di ipoglicemie e iperglicemie: il neonato prematuro e il paziente con diabete mellito tipo 1 in età pediatrica. L’uso delle recenti tecnologie di monitoraggio della glicemia in continuo (CGM) permette l’individuazione precoce di episodi di ipoglicemia e iperglicemia e si è dimostrato promettente al fine di migliorare l’andamento glicemico.
Se molto è stato visto e dimostrato per quanto riguarda gli esiti in termini di controllo glicometabolico, controversi sono gli esiti in termini di outcome di qualità di vita e modeste sono le evidenze circa gli outcome sul neurosviluppo e adattamento psicosociale dell’uso dei CGM. Sono stati pertanto condotti due studi su queste popolazioni cliniche.
Obiettivo: indagare la validità dell’utilizzo precoce dei sistemi di monitoraggio della glicemia in continuo CGM al fine di prevenire poveri outcome in termini di neurosviluppo e di funzioni esecutive nelle due popolazioni cliniche: bambini nati prematuri e bambini/ragazzi con Diabete Mellito Tipo 1.
Risultati: Per quanto concerne la popolazione di neonati prematuri i risultati evidenziano outcome migliori in termini di comunicazione recettiva ed espressiva nei bambini con più bassa variabilità glicemica nelle prime due settimane di vita (p=0.016). Inoltre, una funzionalità migliore del sistema attentivo nei bambini con più alta percentuale di Time in Range (TIR) nelle prime settimane dopo la nascita (p=0.011).
Per quanto concerne la popolazione di bambini e ragazzi con DM1, i dati del presente studio mostrano che pazienti preadolescenti e adolescenti con sistemi di monitoraggio della glicemia integrati con pompe di insulina a sistema ibrido chiuso mostrano una migliore flessibilità cognitiva e velocità di elaborazione (p=0.006) rispetto ai pari in terapia multiniettiva, parimenti evidenziano livelli più elevati di TIR, più bassi di TAR e una più elevata Qualità di Vita.
Conclusioni: I risultati suggeriscono che un utilizzo precoce di sistemi di monitoraggio glicemico possano essere utili al fine di proteggere le funzioni esecutive e il neurosviluppo. Lo studio suggerisce la necessità di svolgere screening neuropsicologici e psicologici frequenti nelle due popolazioni analizzate al fine di intercettare precocemente eventuali problematiche a carico del sistema neuro-cognitivo ed affettivo e permettere un precoce intervento agendo positivamente nella traiettoria di sviluppo.Background: Executive functions are higher-level cognitive skills, including inhibition, working memory and cognitive flexibility. They play an essential role in the psychophysical health of the individual. The development of these functions is linked to the maturation of the cortical and subcortical structures, that constitute their neural substrate. During the gestational age and developmental age, the brain reaches the maximum of its maturation. Metabolic problems, such as impaired regulation of glucose homeostasis and abnormally high blood glucose levels, represent risk factors for neurodevelopment. Two particular clinical populations are exposed to adverse outcomes in terms of cognitive functioning and neurodevelopment, due to episodes of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia: preterm infants and youths with type 1 diabetes. The use of recent continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technologies allows early detection of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia episodes and has shown promising results improving glycemic control.
The outcomes in terms of glycometabolic control appear to be clarified and demonstrated. On the contrary, the outcomes in terms of quality of life are still controversial as well as the evidence regarding the outcomes on neurodevelopment and psychosocial adaptation of the use of CGMs. Therefore, two studies were conducted in these clinical populations.
Aim: investigate the validity of the early use of CGM, in order to prevent poor outcomes in terms of both neurodevelopment and executive functions development, in the two clinical populations: preterm infants and youths with type 1 diabetes.
Results: regarding preterm infants population, the results show better outcomes in terms of receptive and expressive communication in children with lower glycemic variability during the first two weeks of life (p=0.016). Furthermore, a better function of the attentional system in children with higher percentage of Time in Range (TIR) during the two weeks after the birth (p=0.011).
Concerning the population of children with type 1 diabetes, data from the present study show that preadolescent and adolescent patients with glucose monitoring systems integrated with hybrid closed-loop pump show improved cognitive flexibility and processing speed (p= 0.006), compared to peers in multi daily injection therapy. In the same time, they show higher levels of TIR, lower TAR, and a higher quality of life.
Conclusions: The results suggest that early use of continuous glucose monitoring systems may positively affect executive functions and neurodevelopment. Moreover, the study suggests the need to perform frequent neuropsychological and psychological screenings in the two populations analyzed, in order to early detect possible neuro-cognitive and affective problems, and to allow early intervention, with positive effects on the development trajectory
Milieus and Knowledge–creating services: Two interpretative tools for the knowledge economy
No full textAlthough the idea that we have entered a new techno-economic paradigm is quite widely shared, questions arise when it comes to outlining the distinctive features of the new paradigm. What initially appeared to be the outcome of the industry’s adjustment to the growing need for flexibility – ‘post-Fordism’ – is now viewed as being original in form, and is increasingly referred to as the ‘knowledge economy’. The paper shows that (a) the distinguishing and constitutive character of the knowledge economy consists in a new approach of the firm with regard to knowledge; (b) this new approach makes the firm a knowledge-creating milieu (KCM), and (c) specific kinds of services − knowledge-creating services − play a crucial role in enhancing the performance of both the firm as a KCM and its relationships with other KCMs, including those on a different scale, such as cities and territories
Quelle approche pour l’économie informelle ? De l’individualisme méthodologique à la perspective institutionnaliste
No full textAnalysis of the Behavior of a Dynamic Latch Comparator
No full textThis brief deals with the behavior of a dynamic latch used as a voltage comparator. A detailed analysis of the fine settling phase is reported, putting in evidence the non-idealities which lead to comparison errors. A technique to minimize such errors is suggested. An experimental chip has been fabricated and measurements are reported and discusse
Fully differential, switched capacitor, operational amplifier circuit with common-mode controlled output
No full textA switched operational amplifier with fully differential topology, alternately switchable on and off, and a control circuit. The operational amplifier has a first differential output (4a) and a second differential output, and a control terminal. The control circuit includes a capacitive detecting network including a first capacitor and a second capacitor connected between the first and second differential outputs and a common-mode node, and a third capacitor connected between the common-mode node and ground in a first operative condition, and between the common-mode node and the supply voltage in a second operative condition. A control transistor is connected between the common-mode node and the control terminal of the operational amplifier and supplies a control current correlated to the voltage on the common-mode node. A switchable voltage source, connected to the common-mode node, supplies a desired voltage in a first operative condition, when the operational amplifier is off
Direct and indirect factors of influence on adjustment of parents of children with solid tumor in active treatment
No full textOur cross-sectional study intended firstly to investigate whether childhood cancer impact on parents’ adult attachment, perceived social support, marital adjustment, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Second aim was to extend our understanding of the adjustment of parents whose children have cancer, by developing an integrative model linking attachment orientations (i.e., attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) to parents’ adjustment (i.e., anxiety and depression), taking into account the mediating role of dyadic adjustment with the partner, perceived social support, and coping style. 30 parents (20 mothers, 10 fathers; age: 30 – 54 years) of children in active treatment for solid tumor and 30 matched control parents of healthy children participated in the study. Participants completed: Experiences in Close Relationships–Revised questionnaire (ECR-R), Dyadic Adjustment Scale 4-item version (DAS-4), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y (STAI-Y) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and – only parents of the experimental group – Mini Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (Mini-MAC). The study group had significant higher scores of attachment avoidance
(t = 3.33, p = .002), state anxiety (t = 3.44, p = .001), and depression (t = 3.26, p = .002) and lower levels of dyadic adjustment (t = -2.72, p = .009) than the matched controls. Path analyses showed that attachment orientations, dyadic adjustment, social support have significant indirect influences on two coping styles of adjustment to cancer (i.e., helplessness/hopelessness, anxious preoccupation) which, in turns, affect parents’ psychological adjustment. Results suggest the importance to consider, during pediatric treatment for cancer, parents’ well-being and adjustment including not only biomedical but also psychosocial and relational factors, to improved familybased intervention in pediatric care
Acute rejection and graft survival in renal transplanted patients with viral diseases.
No full textTransplanted patients are susceptible to viral infections; thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the features of acute rejections and the outcome of the renal graft in transplanted patients with herpes virus diseases. Renal biopsies from 30 renal transplanted patients undergoing early acute rejection (type IA and IB according to the Banff 97 classification) were evaluated. In total, 15 of these patients experienced cytomegalovirus (CMV) or Epstein-Barr virus disease within the first year following transplantation (group I) and 15 patients showed no evidence of viral infection (group II). No significant differences between the groups in terms of age, male/female ratio, living/cadaveric donor ratio, cold ischemia time, HLA A-B matching, pretransplant panel reactive antibody test, occurrence of post-transplant tubular necrosis, plasma levels of cyclosporin A and mean percent increase of serum creatinine at the time of the biopsy were observed. In group I biopsies, the mean number of interstitial plasma cells, as well as the mean number of CD79a-positive cells (B lymphocytes and plasma cells) was significantly higher than in group II (P<0.01 and <0.01, respectively). There was a positive correlation between the number of infections and the number of plasma cells (P<0.05). In transplanted patients, CMV can trigger the formation of anti-endothelial cell antibodies, which have been proposed to play a role in antibody-mediated rejections. We investigated whether a deposition of C4d, a marker of antibody-mediated reactions, was present in renal peritubular capillaries. In group I C4d deposition was found in five cases, while in group II it was not observed (P<0.05). In group I, 7/15 patients developed chronic allograft nephropathy vs 1/15 patients in group II (P<0.05). The estimated 1-, 5- and 8-year cumulative graft survival rates were 80, 66 and 57%, respectively, in group I, while in group II the estimated 8-year cumulative survival rate was 100% (P<0.05). In conclusion, acute rejection biopsies of patients with viral infections displayed plasma cell infiltrates and, in several cases, C4d deposition. Our study suggests a role of B lymphocytes in the pathology of these rejections and confirms the association between viral infections and poor graft survival
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