THE “STOCK AND FLOW” APPROACH TO THE GOVERNANCE OF SELF-SUSTAINABLE RURAL SYSTEMS

The aim of this study is to present the “stock and flow” model - based on the Georgescu-Roegen bio economic paradigm and on the ecological economics principles - in a regional key and to discuss the implications of such an approach on the local system governance in order to guarantee a long term economic, social and environmental self-sustainability. These theories give a dynamic characteristic to this approach, by interconnecting the production process (supply) with the responsibilities of the welfare generation (demand). Starting from this theoretical model, it is possible to look at the integrating modes of production and consumption processes at a local scale that consent to guide a rural system towards conditions of sustainability. This perspective of rural system governance imposes the relocation of the control of resources (stock) to a local level and, therefore, a deep change in the idea of the politic procedures.Ecological economics, Stock and flow, Ecological footprint, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Environmental Economics and Policy, Public Economics,

La LIM in classe. Un’ipotesi di lavoro per la formazione degli insegnanti

Il lavoro si focalizza sulla formazione degli insegnanti all’uso della LIM. Presenta un intervento per la progettazione e sperimentazione di risorse didattiche basato sul modello del networked lesson study, una modalità di ricerca e produzione di contenuti didattici incentrato sul lavoro in piccoli gruppi e sull’impiego di tecniche di reciproca osservazione per la formazione degli insegnanti. Il modello è stato ripreso, adattato e sperimentato nel progetto AMELIS, finanziato nell’ambito dell’Iniziativa INNOVASCUOLA 2008-20010. Il progetto ha coinvolto dieci scuole tra Toscana e Umbria ed è stato seguito da un team di ricercatori costituito da Maria Ranieri, Giovanni Bonaiuti e Antonio Fini.The paper focuses on teachers’ training to the use of the interactive witheboard. It discusses an intervention for the design and the testing of the educational resources based on the networked lesson study model (NLS). The NLS is a research and production approach to the development of educational materials which is centered on teamwork and on the use of mutual observation techniques for the training of the teachers. This model has been adopted, adapted and tested within the AMELIS project, funded within the initiative INNOVASCUOLA 2008-20010. The project involved a network of ten school distributed between Tuscany and Umbria. The research team which leaded the research project was made up of Maria Ranieri, Giovanni Bonaiuti and Antonio Fini (University of Florence)

Mobile learning for the integration of groups that risk being marginalized

Social inclusion and cohesion are two of the objectives that the European Union has very often proclaimed in its documents, in the past ten years. At the same time, community policies have emphasized the role that ICTs can play to encourage and support participation and integration opportunities of disadvantaged citizens. Within this context, the ENSEMBLE project, presented here, aims at developing a strategy of use of ICTs to promote socio-cultural integration of immigrant citizens by using technologies such as MP3 players and mobile phones, and by experimenting instructional methods and communication models suitable for the adopted instruments. The present paper focuses particularly on the educational communication design of MMS messages

A systematic review of the risk factors for clinical response to opioids for all-age patients with cancer-related pain and presentation of the paediatric STOP pain study

Inter-patient variability in response to opioids is well known but a comprehensive definition of its pathophysiological mechanism is still lacking and, more importantly, no studies have focused on children. The STOP Pain project aimed to evaluate the risk factors that contribute to clinical response and adverse drug reactions to opioids by means of a systematic review and a clinical investigation on paediatric oncological patients

Risk of acute and serious liver injury associated to nimesulide and other NSAIDs: data from drug-induced liver injury case-control study in Italy

Aim: Drug-induced liver injury is one of the most serious adverse drug reactions and the most frequent reason for restriction of indications or withdrawal of drugs. Some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were withdrawn from the market because of serious hepatotoxicity. We estimated the risk of acute and serious liver injury associated with the use of nimesulide and other NSAIDs, with a prevalence of use greater than or equal to 5%. Methods: This is a multicentre case–control study carried out in nine Italian hospitals from October 2010 to January 2014. Cases were adults, with a diagnosis of acute liver injury. Controls presented acute clinical disorders not related to chronic conditions, not involving the liver. Adjusted odds ratio (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated initially with a bivariate and then multivariate analysis. Results: We included 179 cases matched to 1770 controls. Adjusted OR for acute serious liver injury associated with all NSAIDs was 1.69, 95% CI 1.21–2.37. Thirty cases were exposed to nimesulide (adjusted OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.28–3.47); the risk increased according to the length of exposure (OR > 30 days: 12.55, 95% CI 1.73–90.88) and to higher doses (OR 10.69, 95% CI 4.02–28.44). Risk of hepatotoxicity was increased also for ibuprofen, used both at recommended dosages (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.13–3.26) and at higher doses (OR 3.73, 95% CI 1.11–12.46) and for ketoprofen ≥ 150 mg (OR 4.65, 95% CI 1.33–10.00). Conclusion: Among all NSAIDs, nimesulide is associated with the higher risk, ibuprofen and high doses of ketoprofen are also associated with a modestly increased risk of hepatotoxicity

STOP Pain Project—Opioid Response in Pediatric Cancer Patients and Gene Polymorphisms of Cytokine Pathways

Moderate to severe cancer pain treatment in children is based on the use of weak and strong opioids. Pharmacogenetics play a central role in developing personalized pain therapies, as well as avoiding treatment failure and/or intolerable adverse drug reactions. This observational study aimed to investigate the association between IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα genetic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and response to opioid therapy in a cohort of pediatric cancer patients. Pain intensity before treatment (PI(t0)) significantly differed according to IL-6 rs1800797 SNP, with a higher PI for A/G and G/G individuals (p = 0.017), who required a higher dose of opioids (p = 0.047). Moreover, compared to G/G subjects, heterozygous or homozygous individuals for the A allele of IL-6 rs1800797 SNP had a lower risk of having a PI(t0) > 4. Dose(24h) and Dose(tot) were both higher in G/G individuals for TNFα rs1800629 (p = 0.010 and p = 0.031, respectively), while risk of having a PI(t0) > 4 and a ∆(VAS) > 2 was higher for G/G subjects for IL-6 rs1800795 SNP compared to carriers of the C allele. No statistically significant association between genotypes and safety outcomes was found. Thus, IL-6 and TNFα SNPs could be potential markers of baseline pain intensity and opioid dose requirements in pediatric cancer patients

Post-traumatic stress symptoms and burnout in healthcare professionals working in neonatal intensive care units: Results from the STRONG study

BackgroundNewborns’ deaths and life-threatening conditions represent extremely stressful events for parents and professionals working in NICUs, facilitating the onset of secondary traumatic stress symptoms. The STRONG study aims to better understand the psychological impact on Italian NICUs staff of bereavement care.MethodsThe STRONG (STress afteR lOss in NeonatoloGy) study is a cross-sectional study based on a web survey consisted of four sections: sociodemographic, CommuniCARE-Newborn questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised.Results227 NICU workers (42.7% nurses, 23.3% midwives, 22.2% physicians, 11.8% other HCPs) answered the survey. The hardest tasks were “communicating baby’s death” and “informing on autopsy results”; 44.7% of HCPs did not receive formal training in communicating bad news, 44.2% ‘learned from the field’ by watching other colleagues; 41.2% declared that they do not have any communication strategy. More than 90% of professionals thought that training on bereavement care is necessary. The majority of HCPs showed some degree of post-traumatic stress symptoms: 34% medium and 35.3% severe. Professionals with training in bereavement care and/or in communication had less probability to develop stress symptoms. A multivariate analysis showed that higher levels of burnout were associated with 4 or more monthly losses and medium or severe stress symptoms. Having a well-defined communication strategy for breaking bad news was independently associated with a better personal accomplishment.ConclusionDealing with newborns’ deaths is a highly stressful task; professionals should receive proper support such as debriefing, psychological support and training in order to prevent post-traumatic stress symptoms and reduce professional burnout.</p

Systematic review of outcome measures of walking training using electromechanical and robotic devices in patients with stroke

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