La ricerca empirica in materia di droga

L’articolo discute alcuni elementi di metodo da tenere presenti nell’ambito dello studio dei fenomeni connessi alla droga. Prioritaria al riguardo è la considerazione di tale fenomeno criminale come “reato senza vittima” e la preponderante presenza della cifra oscura. Le soluzioni adottate per bilanciare questi e altri problemi tipici includono la rigorosa definizione logico/semantica dei termini oggetto di studio e il ricorso a criteri di analisi mutuati da altre discipline, su tutti la demografia e la topografia urbana. Di particolare importanza l’adozione di criteri correttivi dei dati offerti dalle statistiche ufficiali, consistenti nella proiezione ragionata degli indicatori raccolti per un numero di situazioni equivalenti riconosciute a partire dall’accurato esame di casi particolari. Inoltre la selezione nell’ambito delle basi di dati di sottoinsiemi limitati di controllo (estratti in maniera da essere esenti da possibili azioni di filtraggio più o meno consapevole) consente la validazione dei risultati raccolti e la valutazione di possibili ulteriori spunti di ricerca

Trabajo y educación de niñas, niños y adolescentes en América Latina y el Caribe

El trabajo realizado por las niñas, niños y adolescentes es señalado en la literatura como uno de los factores con mayor impacto sobre el abandono escolar y el rendimiento académico. Si bien existe evidencia de esta relación todavía hay mucho que aportar debido a su ambigüedad relativa: Muchos estudios muestran también que el trabajo de niñas, niños y jóvenes resulta un complemento (y no un sustituto) de su formación. En este trabajo se analizan los determinantes de la asistencia escolar y del trabajo infantil y adolescente y la relación entre ambas actividades, usando datos de 9 países de la región entre principios y mediados de la presente década. Se concluye que existe un trade-off importante entre el estudio y el trabajo y que dicho trade-off es mayor entre los varones.Trabajo infantil, Educación y trabajo, América Latina

Evaluating and improving social awareness of energy communities through semantic network analysis of online news

The implementation of energy communities represents a cross-disciplinary phenomenon that has the potential to support the energy transition while fostering citizens' participation throughout the energy system and their exploitation of renewables. An important role is played by online information sources in engaging people in this process and increasing their awareness of associated benefits. In this view, this work analyses online news data on energy communities to understand people's awareness and the media importance of this topic. We use the Semantic Brand Score (SBS) indicator as an innovative measure of semantic importance, combining social network analysis and text mining methods. Results show different importance trends for energy communities and other energy and society-related topics, also allowing the identification of their connections. Our approach gives evidence to information gaps and possible actions that could be taken to promote a low-carbon energy transition

Development and evaluation of a methodology to integrate technical and sensorial properties in materials selection.

In the materials selection process, the use of different tools, languages and perspectives frequently causes disagreement between engineers and industrial designers. The aim of the paper is to define an integrated method for materials selection that provides industrial designers with measurable data to support and explain aesthetic decisions on materials. A new method for materials selection consisting of multiple tools structured in a two-step framework is presented. The method is tested through a case study of professional kitchen appliances where metal components are replaced with polymers. The first step involved the application of an established technique to identify polymeric bulk solutions, based on their technical properties. The second step employed a sensory analysis test to choose suitable finishes. Thirty-seven individuals performed the test: the subjects highlighted their main perceptions of metal and metal-look polymer finishes. The research demonstrates that the proposed method is suitable for the evaluation of both technical and sensorial properties of materials. In particular, Mapping test represents a rapid, low cost and effective tool to help industrial designers justify Colour Materials and Finish (CMF) choices with quantifiable information

¿Es la pobreza un determinante crucial de la participación económica de niños, niñas y adolescentes? : Una exploración con datos de algunas regiones de la Argentina

De acuerdo con los modelos teóricos más usados para el estudio del trabajo infantil, uno de los principales determinantes de su nivel es la pobreza del hogar en el que residen los niños. Más concretamente, Basu y Van (1998) plantean a nivel teórico el llamado por ellos “luxury axiom” (la), según el cual los hogares están comandados por padres altruistas y pobres que recurren al trabajo infantil como un medio de escapar de la pobreza. Según este mismo esquema teórico y si la economía está en una situación de equilibrio múltiple, puede que la aplicación efectiva de las leyes que prohíben el trabajo infantil provoque un empeoramiento del bienestar de los hogares y aumente la pobreza. Para que esto se dé, es necesario también que el otro axioma del modelo de Basu y Van (1998), el “complementary axiom”, no se verifique en la realidad. Con datos provenientes de la Encuesta de Actividades de Niños, Niñas y Adolescentes (eanna) realizada en la Argentina en 2004, se exploran empíricamente estas hipótesis. En primer lugar, se trata de examinar en qué medida el ingreso familiar estaría actuando como un determinante de la participación económica de niños entre 5 y 17 años. Luego se procede a analizar la cuestión simulando una situación de política pública que reduzca en un porcentaje dado la participación económica de niños, niñas y adolescentes y observando su impacto sobre las tasas de pobreza de las distintas regiones de la Argentina. También se analizan hipótesis específicas, como, por ejemplo, la endogeneidad del ingreso familiar total que estaría recibiendo los efectos de un moral hazard en la conducta de los adultos.According to the theoretical models most widely used for the study of child labor, one of the main determinants of its level is household poverty. More precisely, at theoretical level Basu and Van (1998) propose what they call the “luxury axiom” (la) according to which the households which are led by altruistic and poor parents resort to child labor as a means to escape from poverty. According to the same theoretical scheme and if economy is in a multiple balance situation, the enforcement of laws that forbid child labor may reduce household welfare and increase poverty. For this to happen, it is also necessary that the other axiom of the model proposed by Basu and Van (1998), the“complementary axiom”, does not occur in reality. These hypothesis are empirically explored with data from the Survey on Activities by Boys, Girls and Teenagers (eanna) carried out in Argentina in 2004. In the first place, the aim is to examine to what extent family income is a determinant in the economic participation of children between 5 and 17 years of age. Next, a simulation is performed, where a public policy situation to reduce economic participation of boys, girls and adolescents in a given percentage is proposed, and its impact on poverty rates for the different regions in Argentina is observed.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

¿Es la pobreza un determinante crucial de la participación económica de niños, niñas y adolescentes? : Una exploración con datos de algunas regiones de la Argentina

De acuerdo con los modelos teóricos más usados para el estudio del trabajo infantil, uno de los principales determinantes de su nivel es la pobreza del hogar en el que residen los niños. Más concretamente, Basu y Van (1998) plantean a nivel teórico el llamado por ellos “luxury axiom” (la), según el cual los hogares están comandados por padres altruistas y pobres que recurren al trabajo infantil como un medio de escapar de la pobreza. Según este mismo esquema teórico y si la economía está en una situación de equilibrio múltiple, puede que la aplicación efectiva de las leyes que prohíben el trabajo infantil provoque un empeoramiento del bienestar de los hogares y aumente la pobreza. Para que esto se dé, es necesario también que el otro axioma del modelo de Basu y Van (1998), el “complementary axiom”, no se verifique en la realidad. Con datos provenientes de la Encuesta de Actividades de Niños, Niñas y Adolescentes (eanna) realizada en la Argentina en 2004, se exploran empíricamente estas hipótesis. En primer lugar, se trata de examinar en qué medida el ingreso familiar estaría actuando como un determinante de la participación económica de niños entre 5 y 17 años. Luego se procede a analizar la cuestión simulando una situación de política pública que reduzca en un porcentaje dado la participación económica de niños, niñas y adolescentes y observando su impacto sobre las tasas de pobreza de las distintas regiones de la Argentina. También se analizan hipótesis específicas, como, por ejemplo, la endogeneidad del ingreso familiar total que estaría recibiendo los efectos de un moral hazard en la conducta de los adultos.According to the theoretical models most widely used for the study of child labor, one of the main determinants of its level is household poverty. More precisely, at theoretical level Basu and Van (1998) propose what they call the “luxury axiom” (la) according to which the households which are led by altruistic and poor parents resort to child labor as a means to escape from poverty. According to the same theoretical scheme and if economy is in a multiple balance situation, the enforcement of laws that forbid child labor may reduce household welfare and increase poverty. For this to happen, it is also necessary that the other axiom of the model proposed by Basu and Van (1998), the“complementary axiom”, does not occur in reality. These hypothesis are empirically explored with data from the Survey on Activities by Boys, Girls and Teenagers (eanna) carried out in Argentina in 2004. In the first place, the aim is to examine to what extent family income is a determinant in the economic participation of children between 5 and 17 years of age. Next, a simulation is performed, where a public policy situation to reduce economic participation of boys, girls and adolescents in a given percentage is proposed, and its impact on poverty rates for the different regions in Argentina is observed.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

La psichiatria di consultazione e collegamento nell’ospedale generale: l’esperienza perugina

Objective - This study describes the Consultation-Liaison Service of the Perugia University and investigates the significant associations between a many variables of the assessed population. Results - During the time from July 2008 to June 2009, 722 consultations were performed at the general hospital in Perugia. First examinations were 605. Most consultations involved European patients (95,2%) of female gender (56.3%); mean age was 55.77 (SD ± 21.27). Emergencies were 22.5%; one fifth of patients were not informed of having been referred to our service and half of interventions were requested by departments of internal medicine. The primary reasons for the referral were depression (18.6%), unexplained physical symptoms (12.3%) and anxiety (10.4%); most patients were already taking psychotropic medication before our intervention (58.8%).The significant associations are the following: associations between gender and social status (p < 0.01), social condition (p < 0.01), work (p < 0.01) and advice about the need of the consultation (p < 0.05). The area (medical, surgical and specialized area) are related with the advice (p < 0.05), the reason (p < 0.01) and the type of the consultation (p < 0.01), the diagnostic explanations (p < 0.01), the liaison investigations (p < 0.01) and, at last, with the longrange plan after discharge (p < 0.01)

Air pollutants and daily number of admissions to psychiatric emergency services: evidence for detrimental mental health effects of ozone

Abstract Aims Aim of the current study is to investigate the associations between daily levels of air pollutants (particulate matter, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide) and daily admissions for mental disorders to the emergency department of two general hospitals in Umbria region (Italy). Methods We collected data about daily admissions to psychiatric emergency services of two general hospitals, air pollutants' levels and meteorological data for the time period 1 January 2015 until 31 December 2016. We assessed the impact of an increase in air pollutants on the number of daily admissions using a time-series econometric framework. Results A total of 1860 emergency department admissions for mental disorders were identified. We observed a statistically significant impact of ozone levels on daily admissions. The estimated coefficient of O3 is statistically significant at the 1% level. All other pollutants were not significantly associated with the number of daily admissions. Conclusions Short-term exposure to ozone may be associated with increased psychiatric emergency services admissions. Findings add to previous literature on existing evidence for air pollution to have an impact on mental health. Ozone may be considered a potential environmental risk factor for impaired mental health

No Efficacy of the Combination of Lopinavir/Ritonavir Plus Hydroxychloroquine Versus Standard of Care in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19: A Non-Randomized Comparison

Objectives: No specific treatment has been approved for COVID-19. Lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) have been used with poor results, and a trial showed advantages of combined antiviral therapy vs. single antivirals. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the combination of antivirals (LPV/r and HCQ) or their single use in COVID-19 hospitalized patients vs. standard of care (SoC). Methods: Patients ≥18 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection, defined as positive RT-PCR from nasal/oropharyngeal (NP/OP) swab or positive serology, admitted at L. Spallanzani Institute (Italy) were included. Primary endpoint: time to invasive ventilation/death. Secondary endpoint: time to two consecutive negative SARS-CoV-2 PCRs in NP/OP swabs. In order to control for measured confounders, a marginal Cox regression model with inverse probability weights was used. Results: A total of 590 patients were included in the analysis: 36.3% female, 64 years (IQR 51-76), and 91% with pneumonia. Cumulative probability of invasive ventilation/death at 14 days was 21.2% (95% CI 17.6, 24.7), without difference between SOC, LPV/r, hydroxychloroquine, HCQ + LPV/r, and SoC. The risk of invasive ventilation/death in the groups appeared to vary by baseline ratio of arterial oxygen partial pressure to fractional inspired oxygen (PaO2/FiO2). Overall cumulative probability of confirmed negative nasopharyngeal swabs at 14 days was 44.4% (95% CI 38.9, 49.9), without difference between groups. Conclusion: In this retrospective analysis, we found no difference in the rate of invasive ventilation/death or viral shedding by different strategies, as in randomized trials performed to date. Moreover, even the combination HCQ + LPV/r did not show advantages vs. SoC

Emulation of a Target Trial From Observational Data to Compare Effectiveness of Casirivimab/Imdevimab and Bamlanivimab/Etesevimab for Early Treatment of Non-Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19

OBJECTIVES: Comparative analysis between different monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 are lacking. We present an emulation trial from observational data to compare effectiveness of Bamlanivimab/Etesevimab (BAM/ETE) and Casirivimab/Imdevimab (CAS/IMD) in outpatients with early mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in a real-world scenario of variants of concern (VoCs) from Alpha to Delta. METHODS: Allocation to treatment was subject to mAbs availability, and the measured factors were not used to determine which combination to use. Patients were followed through day 30. Viral load was measured by cycle threshold (CT) on D1 (baseline) and D7. Primary outcome was time to COVID-19-related hospitalization or death from any cause over days 0-30. Weighted pooled logistic regression and marginal structural Cox model by inverse probability weights were used to compare BAM/ETE vs. CAS/IMD. ANCOVA was used to compare mean D7 CT values by intervention. Models were adjusted for calendar month, MASS score and VoCs. We evaluated effect measure modification by VoCs, vaccination, D1 CT levels and enrolment period. RESULTS: COVID19-related hospitalization or death from any cause occurred in 15 of 237 patients in the BAM/ETE group (6.3%) and in 4 of 196 patients in the CAS/IMD group (2.0%) (relative risk reduction [1 minus the relative risk] 72%; p=0.024). Subset analysis carried no evidence that the effect of the intervention was different across stratification factors. There was no evidence in viral load reduction from baseline through day 7 across the two groups (+0.17, 95% -1.41;+1.74, p=0.83). Among patients who experienced primary outcome, none showed a negative RT-PCR test in nasopharyngeal swab (p=0.009) and 82.4% showed still high viral load (p<0.001) on D7. CONCLUSIONS: In a pre-Omicron epidemiologic scenario, CAS/IMD reduced risk of clinical progression of COVID-19 compared to BAM/ETE. This effect was not associated with a concomitant difference in virological response