Austerity, Competitiveness and Neoliberalism Redux: Ontario Responds to the Great Recession

This article examines the deepening integration of market imperatives throughout the province of Ontario. We do this by, first, examining neoliberalism’s theoretical underpinnings, second, reviewing Ontario’s historical context, and third, scrutinizing the Open Ontario Plan, with a focus on proposed changes to employment standards legislation. We argue that contrary to claims of shared restraint and the pressing need for public austerity, Premier McGuinty’s Liberal’s have re-branded and re-packaged core neoliberal policies in such a manner that costs are socialized and profits privatized, thereby intensifying class polarization along with its racialized and gendered diversities. Cet article analyse l’intégration de plus en plus profonde des impératifs du marché dans la province de l’Ontario. Nous faisons cette analyse, premièrement, en analysant les bases théoriques du néolibéralisme, deuxièmement, en décrivant le contexte historique de l’Ontario, et troisièmement, en examinant le “Open Ontario Plan”, sous l’angle particulier des propositions de changement de la législation sur le droit du travail. Nous soutenons que sous le couvert de discours prônant le partage de l’austérité et l’impérieuse nécessité de restreindre les dépenses publiques, les Libéraux du Premier McGuinty ont ré-étiqueté et reformulé les politiques néolibérales de façon que les coûts soient socialisés et les profits privatisés, aggravant ainsi la polarisation des classes ainsi que les inégalités liées à la race et au genre

Vincenzo Tieri, between theatre and politics in Italy in the first half of the twentieth century

L’articolo propone un rinnovato sguardo interpretativo su Vincenzo Tieri, figura non secondaria del teatro italiano del Novecento. Dalle prime esperienze, nel giornalismo e nel teatro amatoriali, alla piena maturità artistica a Roma. Qui il debutto nella scrittura teatrale, cui seguì un decennio dedicato alla critica. Poi il successo, con Taide, la sua commedia più fortunata, nel 1932. A seguire, l’attività di sceneggiatore e l’impegno politico nel Fronte dell’Uomo Qualunque di Giannini e nell’Assemblea Costituente. Gli incarichi istituzionali, quale componente della commissione per la vigilanza sulle radiodiffusioni e presidente della SIAD, presidente dell’IDI e commissario della Sezione Dor della SIAE. Nel dopoguerra si misurò con la regia e diresse il Piccolo teatro di Palermo nel biennio 1955-’57. Nel 1959, riprese l’attività giornalistica come critico teatrale e televisivo, su «Telesera» e «Il Tempo», sino alla morte, sopraggiunta il 4 gennaio 1970.The article offers a renewed interpretative gaze on Vincenzo Tieri, a not secondary figure of the Italian theater of the twentieth century. From the first experiences, in amateur journalism and theater, to full artistic maturity in Rome. Here the debut in theatrical writing, which was followed by a decade dedicated to criticism. Then the success, with Taide, his most fortunate comedy, in 1932. To follow, his work as a screenwriter and political commitment in Giannini’s Fronte dell’Uomo Qualunque and in the Assemblea Costituente. Institutional positions, as a member of the broadcasting supervision commission and chairman of the SIAD, chairman of the IDI and commissioner of the Dor Section of the SIAE. After the war he measured himself with directing and directed the Piccolo Teatro di Palermo in the two-year period 1955-57. In 1959, he resumed journalistic activity as a theater and television critic, on «Telesera» and «Il Tempo», until his death on January 4, 1970

Updated management of malignant biliary tract tumors: an illustrative review

The management of malignant biliary tumors (MBTs) is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Guidelines and methods of staging for biliary tumors have recently been released by main international societies, altering the clinical and radiologic approach to this pathologic condition. The aim of the present review is to detail the updated role of imaging in preoperative staging and follow-up and to illustrate clinical/therapeutic pathways. In addition, future perspectives on imaging and targeted/embolization therapies are outlined

La creazione di riserve idriche tramite sbarramenti: implicazioni ambientali e finanziarie

[ES] Los autores exponen algunas consideraciones sobre las necesidades de agua por diferentes usos posibles, los problemas ambientales y los problemas financieros y sociológicos asociados a la construcción de grandes presas. Se enfatiza la necesidad de planificar las grandes presas desde la óptica de la gestión integrada territorial de necesidades y recursos. Se defiende la realización de grandes presas debido, por un lado, a la irregularidad del ciclo hidrológico y por el otro, por el incremento de la demanda. Se citan en el texto algunos ejemplos de gestión ambiental apropiada.Fanelli, M.; Fanelli, M.; Niccolai, C. (2000). La creazione di riserve idriche tramite sbarramenti: implicazioni ambientali e finanziarie. Ingeniería del Agua. 7(4):375-390. https://doi.org/10.4995/ia.2000.2853SWORD37539074Buston, John. Alternative financing techniques for energy projects balancing risk and reward. OPET Central UnitR.A.Brealey, S.C.Myers, Principi di finanza aziendale -McGraw-HillThayer Scudder. Social Impacts of Large Dam Projects - In: Large Dams, learning from the past, looking at the future-Workshop proceedings (Gland, Switzerland, April 1997) Goldsmith & Hildyard - The Social and Environmental Effects of Large Dams -Sierra Club BooksFanelli, Michele - Estimaciòn del grado de seguridad en las presas: pràctica y crìtica. Ingeniería del agua, Vol. 4, N° 2, Junio 1997ICOLD - "Position Paper", web-site http:/www.icold-cigb.orgWORLD COMMISSION ON WATER - Draft Report, 1999 (visible on the Internet at http://www.icold-cigb.org./)Bonnin, Jacques: "L'eau dans l'antiquité", ed. Eyrolles, Paris, 1984Fanelli M., Fanelli, M., C. Niccolai: Paper R 15, Q 72, XIX° Congresso ICOLD, Firenze, Maggio 1997L'Acquedotto della Romagna - Consorzio Acque per le Province di Forlì e Ravenna - Ed. Morandi, 1991Fanelli Michele - General Report on Q. 68 (Safety Assessment and Improvement of Existing Dams), ICOLD XVIIIth Congress on Large Dams, Durban, 1994Colombo, Umberto e Lanzavecchia, Giuseppe, Ecologia: sviluppo sostenibile, Saggio monografico in "Enciclopedia del Novecento", vol. X, Istituto Treccani, 1998Niccolai, Carlo, Dalla città necessaria alla città sostenibile? Appunti per qualche ragionamento conclusivo, in "Il tempo della qualità", Gr.Ed. Faenza Editrice, 1999Niccolai, Carlo, Gli affidamenti, le speranze e anche le sublimi ambiguità di una città "necessaria', in "La città necessaria", Fi Gr.Ed. Faenza Editrice, 1998Niccolai, Carlo, Il progresso tecnologico: un interlocutore obbligato nel dialogo essenziale e difficile fra acqua e città, in "Continuità, sperimentazione, innovazione", Gr.Ed. Faenza Editrice, 199

Risk Factors for Immediate and Delayed-Onset Fever After Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage

Objectives To prospectively investigate the pre and intraprocedural risk factors for immediate (IF) and delayedonset (DOF) fever development after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD). Methods Institutional review board approval and informed patient consent were obtained. Between February 2013 and February 2014, 97 afebrile patients (77 at the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy and 20 at the Sun Yatsen University of Guangzhou, China) with benign (n = 31) and malignant (n = 66) indications for a first PTBD were prospectively enrolled. Thirty pre- and intra-procedural clinical/radiological characteristics, including the amount of contrast media injected prior to PTBD placement, were collected in relation to the development of IF (within 24 h) or DOF (after 24 h). Fever was defined as C37.5 C. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess independent associations with IF and DOF. Results Fourteen (14.4 %) patients developed IF and 17 (17.5 %) developed DOF. At multivariable analysis, IF was associated with pre-procedural absence of intrahepatic bile duct dilatation (OR 63.359; 95 % CI 2.658–1510.055; P = 0.010) and low INR (OR 4.7 9 10-4 ; 95 % CI 0.000–0.376; P = 0.025), while DOF was associated with unsatisfactory biliary drainage at the end of PTBD (OR 4.571; 95 % CI 1.161–17.992; P = 0.030)

Austerity, Competitiveness and Neoliberalism Redux: Ontario Responds to the Great Recession

This article examines the deepening integration of market imperatives throughout the province of Ontario. We do this by, first, examining neoliberalism’s theoretical underpinnings, second, reviewing Ontario’s historical context, and third, scrutinizing the Open Ontario Plan, with a focus on proposed changes to employment standards legislation. We argue that contrary to claims of shared restraint and the pressing need for public austerity, Premier McGuinty’s Liberal’s have re-branded and re-packaged core neoliberal policies in such a manner that costs are socialized and profits privatized, thereby intensifying class polarization along with its racialized and gendered diversities. Cet article analyse l’intégration de plus en plus profonde des impératifs du marché dans la province de l’Ontario. Nous faisons cette analyse, premièrement, en analysant les bases théoriques du néolibéralisme, deuxièmement, en décrivant le contexte historique de l’Ontario, et troisièmement, en examinant le “Open Ontario Plan”, sous l’angle particulier des propositions de changement de la législation sur le droit du travail. Nous soutenons que sous le couvert de discours prônant le partage de l’austérité et l’impérieuse nécessité de restreindre les dépenses publiques, les Libéraux du Premier McGuinty ont ré-étiqueté et reformulé les politiques néolibérales de façon que les coûts soient socialisés et les profits privatisés, aggravant ainsi la polarisation des classes ainsi que les inégalités liées à la race et au genre

Multiple sclerosis: changes in microarchitecture of white matter tracts after training with a video game balance board

Purpose: To determine if high-intensity, task-oriented, visual feedback training with a video game balance board (Nintendo Wii) induces significant changes in diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) parameters of cerebellar connections and other supratentorial associative bundles and if these changes are related to clinical improvement in patients with multiple sclerosis.Conclusion: Despite the low statistical power (35%) due to the small sample size, the results showed that training with the balance board system modified the microstructure of superior cerebellar peduncles. The clinical improvement observed after training might be mediated by enhanced myelinationrelated processes, suggesting that high-intensity, taskoriented exercises could induce favorable microstructural changes in the brains of patients with multiple sclerosis.Materials and Methods: The protocol was approved by local ethical committee; each participant provided written informed consent. In this 24-week, randomized, two-period crossover pilot study, 27 patients underwent static posturography and brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at study entry, after the first 12-week period, and at study termination. Thirteen patients started a 12-week training program followed by a 12-week period without any intervention, while 14 patients received the intervention in reverse order. Fifteen healthy subjects also underwent MR imaging once and underwent static posturography. Virtual dissection of white matter tracts was performed with streamline tractography; values of DTI parameters were then obtained for each dissected tract. Repeated measures analyses of variance were performed to evaluate whether DTI parameters significantly changed after intervention, with false discovery rate correction for multiple hypothesis testing.Results: There were relevant differences between patients and healthy control subjects in postural sway and DTI parameters (P <.05). Significant main effects of time by group interaction for fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity of the left and right superior cerebellar peduncles were found (F2,23 range, 5.555-3.450; P = .036-.088 after false discovery rate correction). These changes correlated with objective measures of balance improvement detected at static posturography (r = 20.381 to 0.401, P < .05). However, both clinical and DTI changes did not persist beyond 12 weeks after training

Work environment, volume of activity and staffing in neonatal intensive care units in Italy: results of the SONAR-nurse study

Neonatal units' volume of activity, and other quantitative and qualitative variables, such as staffing, workload, work environment, care organization and geographical location, may influence the outcome of high risk newborns. Data about the distribution of these variables and their relationships among Italian neonatal units are lacking

Predicting the profile of increasing disability in multiple sclerosis

Background: Effective therapeutic strategies to preserve function and delay progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) require early recognition of individual disease trajectories. Objectives: To determine the profiles of disability evolution, identify their early predictors and develop a risk score of increasing disability. Methods: We analysed demographic, clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from patients with relapsing MS, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 3.0–4.0 and follow-up≥2years. Attaining EDSS=6.0 defined increasing disability; relapses and/or MRI defined disease activity. Results: In total, 344 out of 542 (63.5%) patients reached EDSS≥6.0; of these, 220 (64.0%) showed disease activity. In patients with activity, the number of relapses before reaching EDSS 3.0–4.0 predicted increasing disability; age>45 at baseline predicted increasing disability without activity. Combining age and number of relapses increased the risk of and shortened the time to EDSS=6.0. Conclusion: Increasing disability is frequently associated with persistent activity. The high number of relapses identifies early those patients worsening in the presence of activity. Age predicts increasing disability in the absence of activity. The presence of both factors increases the risk of developing severe disability. As this study likely describes the transition to progression, our findings contribute to improving patient management and stratification in trials on progressive MS