Common Frameworks for Regional Competitiveness - Insights from a Number of Local Knowledge Economies

1. Aims of the paper: in this paper we analysed a number of European regions that in the last ten to fifteen years experienced a process of industrial reconversion moving from traditional sectors-based economies to knowledge economies. With the aim of shaping the transformation paths driving their competitiveness recovery, the analysis was conducted on two levels. First, we tried to identify the most relevant factors of competitiveness behind each region’s renewal process and combined them to shape a number of common trajectories of regional competitiveness. Secondly, we outlined a taxonomy of transformation paths followed by each of the territories under investigation in their development process towards a knowledge economy. Interestingly, all regional ‘success histories’ are strongly dependent on the presence of a tri-polar regional innovation system (RIS) ‘gluing’ firms, institutions and academia. 2. Factors and trajectories of regional competitiveness: Some of the factors of regional competitiveness identified in the analysis (exhaustively listed and described in the full paper) are entrepreneurial motivation, managerial skills, access to private and public financing, the presence of a local technical university. By combining the competitiveness factors specific to each regional ‘success history’, we were able to spot a number of trajectories of regional competitiveness : (i) the Nokia economies trajectory, (ii) the knowledge creation upon invitation trajectory and (iii) the Cambridge way trajectory. The first trajectory includes the Nordic regions of Tampere and Goteborg. The leading factors of development of these regions can be brought back to the successful development strategies of Ericsson and Nokia, in turn based on excellent managerial and organisational skills and a strong international orientation. The second trajectory of regional competitiveness refers to Ireland, Scotland and Wales, characterized by an ‘industrialisation upon invitation’ type of growth based on foreign direct investments. The policy of FDI attraction is largely supported by public incentives and owes its success to the leading role taken up by regional development agencies. The last trajectory of regional competitiveness relates to the high tech cluster of Cambridge (UK), emerged and developed essentially thanks to the active role of Cambridge University in nurturing the cluster with human capital of excellence and in allowing the faculty members to commercially exploit their skills and technical know how. The most interesting result of this part of the analysis is that the regions under scrutiny owe their virtuous process of competitiveness recovery to three sets of factors, each originating from one of the three territorial actors making up a regional innovation system – firms, institutions, university – so that behind each regional renewal history it is possible to recognize the presence and the ‘functioning’ of a RIS. 3. A taxonomy of regional transformation paths: Next, we classified the development dynamics of the regions investigated above along three paths of economic restructuring. The first path, here defined as the RIS into process, is typical of industrial clusters in engineering-based sectors such as plant engineering, specialised advanced machinery and shipbuilding. Here the relationship with the RIS is developed at a later stage of the cluster life, as the RIS originates in response to the presence of the cluster. This is the case of a number of regions under scrutiny (Baden-Württemberg and Brabant, for instance) where the regional innovation system was specifically designed to support and strengthen local existing industrial specializations. The second regional development path, typical of industrial clustering in science-based sectors such as genetics, IT and biotechnology, follows the opposite ‘direction’. Here the RIS is the main source of the cluster creation and the cluster develops from the regional innovation system by exploiting all the local resources in terms of cooperation and interaction with universities and local institutions. This is the case of regions such as Shannon and Cambridge (UK), which have followed a transformation process here defined as RIS from process, where the pre-existence of the RIS represents a key factor for the organization of a science-based industrial system. The third path may be viewed as the result of a combination between the two different base ‘entities’ described above. In fact, in regions such as Wales, Tampere, Göteborg and North Rhine – Westphalia, science-based clusters have developed from declining engineering-based sectors, passing through the formation of a RIS. In this respect, the transformation process can be defined as RIS through process. In this group of regions, the regional innovation system acted as catalyst for the local system transformation process, driving the regional competitive repositioning through the development of clusters of innovative and high tech firms. In this respect, the process of territorial transformation has taken place thanks to a ‘systemic effort’ and as a result of social interdependencies among territorial actors.

The Dismissal of ‘Substance’ and ‘Being’ in Peirce’s Regenerated Logic

After introducing the debate between substance philosophy and process philosophy, and clarifying the relevance of the category of ‘substance’ in Peirce’s thought, the present paper reconstructs the role of ‘substance’ and ‘being’ from Peirce’s early works to his theory of the proposition, provided after his studies on the logic of relatives. If those two categories apparently disappear in Peirce’s writings from the mid-1890s onwards, the account of ‘subject’ and ‘copula’ in Peirce’s analysis of the proposition allows one to grasp the reasons why Peirce omits ‘substance’ and ‘being’ in favor of his three categories (Firstness, Secondness, Thirdness), and to understand why his philosophy cannot be considered as a substance philosophy

Reciprocal influences in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their caregivers: neurocognitive status in TBI subjects, attachement style and burden in caregivers.

Traumatic Brain injury (TBI) in war veterans and civilians is a formidable health and socio- economic issue. Beyond the large number of deaths following a TBI, the survivors often live with physical, psychological, cognitive and social limitations related to the injury. The challenge faced by them is also shared by family members, friends, and even more specifically by the primary caregiver. In this context, it is necessary to include caregivers in the equation of the rehabilitation of TBI individuals. In a 40-year follow-up study of Vietnam War veterans, we were interested in the reciprocal relationship between these two partners: the TBI individual and his/her caregiver. The TBI patients we studied had suffered penetrating traumatic brain injuries (pTBI) and while they are rarer than blunt or blast head injuries, their lesions are much more focal and it is easier to interpret the effects of pTBI on particular functions. In the first study, we investigated the effects of TBI-related brain lesions on long-term caregiver burden in relation to dysexecutive syndrome. Burden was greater overall in caregivers of TBI individuals compared to healthy controls veterans. Also, caregivers of individuals with brain lesions located in areas affecting cognitive and behavioral indicators of a dysexecutive syndrome (i.e., left dorsolateral prefrontal and dorsal anterior cingulate cortices) showed greater long-term burden than caregivers of participants with lesion(s) elsewhere in the brain. In a second study, we investigated the role of the caregiver attachment style on the TBI individual's cognitive trajectory. After controlling for other factors, cognitive decline was more pronounced in TBI individuals with a highly fearful caregiver, compared to those with a caregiver who demonstrated low levels of fearfullness. Consequently, there is a long-lasting reciprocal influence between these two partners. First, some TBI-related brain lesions have a lasting effect on long-term caregiver burden due to cognitive and behavioral factors. Second, it seems that caregivers exercise a significant impact on TBI individuals' environments, sometimes negatively. These results, combined with compelling evidence in the literature about neural plasticity and cognitive reserve, lend support to the impact of the caregiver on the TBI individual; the caregiver can be a surrogate for the environment and provides key stimulation that can both modify and facilitate plasticity. Finally, we discuss potential intervention strategies based on these new findings. -- Le traumatisme crânio-cérébral (TCC) est un problème socio-économique et sanitaire important, voire dramatique, chez les militaires comme chez les civils. En plus de la haute prévalence de décès parmi les personnes présentant un TCC, les survivants sont souvent confrontés à des séquelles physiques, psychologiques et cognitives, associées à un possible isolement social. L'inévitable défi de vie imposé par ce TCC implique non seulement la personne elle-même, mais également l'entourage et, plus particulièrement, le proche-aidant. Dans ce contexte, il est nécessaire d'intégrer le proche-aidant dans l'équation de la prise en charge globale de la personne avec un TCC. Lors d'une étude de suivi prospectif sur 40 ans chez des vétérans de la guerre du Vietnam victimes d'un TCC, nous nous sommes intéressés à la relation réciproque entre les deux partenaires, à savoir la personne avec un TCC et son proche-aidant. Les TCC étudiés dans ce travail sont de type pénétrant. Alors qu'ils sont moins fréquents que les TCC fermés, les lésions sont plus focales, ce qui facilite l'interprétation de leur association avec des fonctions cognitives. Dans notre première étude, nous avons investigué les effets des lésions cérébrales du sujet avec un TCC sur le fardeau de son proche-aidant, 40 ans après le TCC. Comme nous l'avions prédit, le fardeau des proche-aidants des sujets avec un TCC est plus sévère que celui des proche-aidants des sujets du groupe contrôle (vétérans de la guerre du Vietnam sans TCC). Par ailleurs, les proche-aidants des sujets avec un TCC qui présentent une lésion dans les aires cérébrales principalement impliquées dans les fonctions exécutives (à savoir les cortex préfrontal dorsolatéral et cingulaire antérieur gauches) ont une valeur de fardeau significativement supérieure à celle des proche-aidants dont les sujets n'ont pas de lésion dans les régions cérébrales précitées. Dans notre seconde étude, nous avons exploré le rôle du style d'attachement du proche-aidant sur l'évolution cognitive du sujet avec un TCC. Après avoir contrôlé pour les autres facteurs, nous avons mis en évidence un déclin cognitif significativement supérieur chez les sujets avec un TCC dont le proche-aidant présente un style d'attachement anxieux. Par conséquent, il existe une influence réciproque entre ces deux partenaires avec, premièrement, un effet à long-terme de la localisation cérébrale des lésions du sujet avec un TCC sur le fardeau du proche-aidant, probablement dû à des facteurs cognitifs et comportementaux liés aux fonctions exécutives ; Deuxièmement, il semble que le proche- aidant exerce un effet important sur l'environnement du sujet avec un TCC, parfois négativement. Ces résultats sont interprétés à la lumière de la littérature existante sur la plasticité neuronale et la réserve cognitive et sont accompagnés d'une réflexion sur les interventions thérapeutiques potentielles

Sugerencias en torno a la cosmología: la necesidad de la cosmología en la filosofía de Peirce

The aim of the present paper is to show the need for cosmology in Peirce’s thought. To reach this goal, I first clarify Peirce’s definition of cosmology and its place in the classification of the sciences. Then, I shed slight on the entailment of cosmology in Peirce’s understanding of metaphysics and of logic, and I elucidate these connections in view of Synechism. Finally, in the light of the results achieved through the analysis, I provide a summarily description of Peirce’s cosmology, far from the common interpretation of it.El objetivo del presente artículo es hacer patente la necesidad de una cosmología en el pensamiento de Peirce. Para alcanzar dicho objetivo me propongo clarificar en primer lugar la definición de cosmología de Peirce y su lugar en la clasificación de las ciencias. Luego me propongo arrojar luz sobre la implicación de la cosmología en la concepción de la metafísica y de la lógica de Peirce, y elucidar estas conexiones a la vista de su “Synechism”. Finalmente, a partir de los resultados obtenidos, intento aportar una descripción sumaria de la cosmología de Peirce, distinta de su interpretación habitual.Filosofí

Struttura e localizzazione dei gruppi di imprese in Emilia Romagna

This paper aims at investigating the presence and the main features of business groups in Emilia Romagna. The research is based on a sample comprising about 48 thousand firms and about 540 thousand employees from Emilia Romagna, the latter representing more than 42 per cent of the total regional employment. First, we find that the presence of corporate grouping in Emilia Romagna is comparable to that documented at national level. Moreover, and surprisingly enough, we show that the extension of the group organizational form is significant also in industrial districts, suggesting that ownership linkages among firms do play a role and should not be neglected in the analysis of these production systems. Although the analysis requires some further investigation, these results support the view that also in Emilia-Romagna the actual size of firms is larger and the number of owners is lower than official statistics reveal. This result has important economic policy implications, as the industrial policy of Emilia-Romagna has traditionally been oriented to supporting small and very small firms

Struttura e localizzazione dei gruppi di imprese in Emilia Romagna

This paper aims at investigating the presence and the main features of business groups in Emilia Romagna. The research is based on a sample comprising about 48 thousand firms and about 540 thousand employees from Emilia Romagna, the latter representing more than 42 per cent of the total regional employment. First, we find that the presence of corporate grouping in Emilia Romagna is comparable to that documented at national level. Moreover, and surprisingly enough, we show that the extension of the group organizational form is significant also in industrial districts, suggesting that ownership linkages among firms do play a role and should not be neglected in the analysis of these production systems. Although the analysis requires some further investigation, these results support the view that also in Emilia Romagna the actual size of firms is larger and the number of owners is lower than official statistics reveal. This result has important economic policy implications, as the industrial policy of Emilia Romagna has traditionally been oriented to supporting small and very small firms

THE PROBLEM OF NOVELTY ACCORDING TO C.S. PEIRCE AND A.N. WHITEHEAD

The present dissertation investigates the problem of novelty according to Charles Sanders Peirce and Alfred North Whitehead. Through the comparison of their thoughts, it aims to illustrate how Peirce and Whitehead contribute to clarifying the concept of novelty. To reach this goal, the dissertation is divided into three parts. The first part introduces the problem of novelty from a philosophical point of view, with special reference to the philosophy of the 20th century. Besides, it analyzes the historical, as well as the theoretical, connections between Peirce and Whitehead. In this way, the first part provides both the introduction to the issue at stake (novelty), and the ground for the comparison of Peirce\u2019s and Whitehead\u2019s thoughts. The second part examines Peirce\u2019s thought of novelty, while the third part Whitehead\u2019s one. In both cases, their views of novelty are analyzed according to three different, but connected, perspectives: phenomenological, gnoseological, and cosmological. To each of them corresponds a chapter. In the conclusion, the analyses on Peirce\u2019s and Whitehead\u2019s accounts of novelty, carried out in the second and the third part, are respectively summarized, and then compared to one another. Finally, it is delineated Peirce\u2019s and Whitehead\u2019s common contribution to the problem of novelty

Un piccolo elemento in terracotta in contesto a Tarquinia

This paper presents a fictile truncated pyramid-shaped artifact found during the excavations and research of the University of Milan at the 'monumental complex' of Tarquinia. It was found in a structure excavated in the bedrock during the Villanovan period in the H-M Sector, an unpublished context still under study. Not being able to place this finding in any of the classes of materials usually found due to its strong fragmentation, this contribution aims to present a preliminary report of the literary review and explore similarities and differences within the archaeological record from the formal and functional point of view.In questo studio si presenta un manufatto fittile a forma troncopiramidale rinvenuto durante gli scavi e le ricerche dell’Università degli Studi di Milano presso il ‘complesso monumentale’ di Tarquinia. Il manufatto proviene da una struttura sottoscavata di epoca villanoviana del settore H-M, contesto inedito e ancora in corso di studio. Non potendo inserire questo reperto in nessuna delle classi di materiali solitamente rinvenute, data anche la sua frammentarietà, questo contributo si propone di gettare le basi per il suo studio e sondare i possibili confronti formali e funzionali utili alla sua interpretazione

POTENTIAL MITOCHONDRIAL REGULATORS: FUNCTIONAL VALIDATION BY INTEGRATED APPROACHES

As sites of the main oxidative reactions and of the electron transport chain, mitochondria are the organelle committed to metabolic energy production required for all cellular functions. Because of their ubiquitous presence, mitochondrial density and function have a significant impact on whole-body metabolism. Many aspects at the basis of mitochondrial regulation have not been fully deciphered; hence, finding new mitochondrial regulators is a major challenge, both for basic science and for translational medicine. Integrating different approaches like high-throughput screening, staining assays, bioinformatics tools and biochemical and functional approaches, we were able starting from 27000 cDNAs to identify one new mitochondrial regulator, Zc3h10, whose metabolic function was previously completely unknown. The overexpression of this gene increases both the mitochondrial biogenesis and activity, at levels comparable to those observed in cells overexpressing PGC-1\u3b1, a very well known mitochondrial regulator, Notably, Zc3h10 increased mitochondrial respiration, without affecting ROS production or apoptosis. In addition, in mice Zc3h10 is expressed in different tissues, especially those characterized by high mitochondria content. Although the precise molecular mechanism by which Zc3h10 regulates mitochondria needs to be investigated in more detail, the findings reported in this thesis help to gain new insights on the biology of mitochondria