9,541 research outputs found
Education-job (mis)matching and interregional migration: Italian university graduatesâ transition to work
This paper explores the patterns of education-job (mis)matching of recent university graduates, focussing on the impact of interregional migration. With the aim of offering a place-based perspective on the topic, the paper looks at the three Italian macro-regions of the North, the Centre and the South, comparing them with the country as a whole. We use an indicator of education-job (mis)matching drawn and adapted from the literature, and apply both ordered logit and probit models with self-selection to a dataset on graduatesâ entry in the labour market produced by the Italian National Statistical Institute. Our results suggest that, in line with most previous studies, interregional migration contributes to reduce education-job gaps: however, we find that the analysis for Italy as a whole masks stark differences between macro-regions, for which the typical North-South dualism still holds, confirming once more the cumulative and path-dependent nature of regional development trajectories
The impact of heroin illicit market in the framework of COVID 19 pandemic
We read with interest the commentary of Tittarelli et al1
on the current diffusion of higher-purity
heroin in Italy and related rise of overdose cases1
. The author discussed not only recent increasing trend
in drug purity, but also on the presence of adulterants rising drug toxicity2-11 and on the possible risk of
the presence of new psychoactive substances as even more hazardous adulterants12. In the context of this
commentary, some short remarks as to the impact of heroin illicit market in the framework of COVID 19
pandemic can be of interest. Indeed, within the extremely serious health emergency that we have been
experiencing since the beginning of 2020, the rules set by the authorities during âlock downâ have led to a
significant drop in the street sale of psychotropic drugs. A scenario that opens up the hypothesis that drug
users are turning to the illicit market present in the âdark webâ, to obtain classic drugs such as cocaine,
hashish or heroin. It is plausible that in a period of home confinement, habitual consumers of drugs of
abuse no longer search for psychoactive substances stimulating socialization in recreational environments
such as cocaine, amphetamines or designer drugs, but rather for compounds to be consumed in solitude
to ease confinement anxiety such as tranquilizers (e.g. benzodiazepines) or narcotics (e.g. prescription or
illicit opioids and heroin)
Ethical and medico-legal remarks on uterus transplantation: may it solve uterine factor infertility?
Uterus transplantation was firstly tested with animal trials sixty-five years ago. Despite several successful attempts in human subjects, the different procedures still lay at the experimental stage, in need of further studies and investigations before they can be considered as standard clinical practices. Uterus transplant cannot be regarded as a life-saving procedure, but rather a method to restore woman ability to procreate, when lost, thus improving her quality of life. Uterus transplant is a complex surgical procedure and presents significant health threats. Medical staff should therefore always obtain informed consent from patients, emphasizing such risks. Before that, women undergoing uterine transplants should be thoroughly informed about the hazards inherent to the procedure and especially about the dangers of immunosuppressant drugs, administered after the surgery which may injure the fetus, eventually formed in the restored organ and even lead to its death, thus nullifying the purpose of the transplant itself. Therefore, the risk-benefit ratio of uterus transplantation needs to be carefully assessed and described
Laser driven self-assembly of shape-controlled potassium nanoparticles in porous glass
We observe growth of shape-controlled potassium nanoparticles inside a random
network of glass nanopores, exposed to low-power laser radiation. Visible laser
light plays a dual role: it increases the desorption probability of potassium
atoms from the inner glass walls and induces the self-assembly of metastable
metallic nanoparticles along the nanopores. By probing the sample transparency
and the atomic light-induced desorption flux into the vapour phase, the
dynamics of both cluster formation/evaporation and atomic photo-desorption
processes are characterized. Results indicate that laser light not only
increases the number of nanoparticles embedded in the glass matrix but also
influences their structural properties. By properly choosing the laser
frequency and the illumination time, we demonstrate that it is possible to
tailor the nanoparticles'shape distribution. Furthermore, a deep connection
between the macroscopic behaviour of atomic desorption and light-assisted
cluster formation is observed. Our results suggest new perspectives for the
study of atom/surface interaction as well as an effective tool for the
light-controlled reversible growth of nanostructures.Comment: 14 pages,6 figures, http://iopscience.iop.org/1612-202X/11/8/085902
Synthetic cathinones related fatalities: an update
Synthetic cathinones, more commonly known as "bath salts", are synthetic drugs chemically related to cathinone, a psychostimulant found in the khat plant. They are the first most consumed products among new psychoactive substances, which cause psychostimulant and hallucinogenic effects determining a number of fatalities worldwide. In this paper, we have systematically reviewed cases of synthetic cathinones-related fatalities analytically confirmed, which have occurred in the last few years.OBJECTIVE: Synthetic cathinones,
more commonly known as âbath saltsâ, are synthetic
drugs chemically related to cathinone, a
psychostimulant found in the khat plant. They are
the first most consumed products among new
psychoactive substances, which cause psychostimulant
and hallucinogenic effects determining
a number of fatalities worldwide. In this paper, we
have systematically reviewed cases of synthetic
cathinones-related fatalities analytically confirmed,
which have occurred in the last few years.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant scientific
articles were identified in Medline, Cochrane
Central, Scopus, Web of Science and Institutional/
government websites up to November 2017
using the following keywords: synthetic cathinones,
mephedrone, methylenedioxypyrovalerone,
MDPV, methylone, ethylone, buthylone, fatal
intoxication, fatalities and death.
RESULTS: In total, 20 citations met the criteria
for inclusion, representing several fatal cases
with analytically confirmed synthetic cathinones
in biological sample/s of the deceased. The
death was attributed to hyperthermia, hypertension,
cardiac arrest and more in general to the
classic serotonin syndrome. Only rarely did the
concentration of the parent drug causing fatality
overcome the value of 1 mg/L in post-mortem
biological fluids.
CONCLUSIONS: Abuse of synthetic cathinones
still represents a serious public health issue.
Systematic clinical studies on both the animal
and human model are lacking; therefore, the
only available data are from the users who experience
the possible hazardous consequences.
Analytical methodologies for the identification
of parent compounds and eventual metabolites
both in ante-mortem and post-mortem cases
need to be developed and validated. Analytical
data should be shared through different communication
platforms with the aim of stopping this
serious health threat for drug users
Nootropics use in the workplace. Psychiatric and ethical aftermath towards the new frontier of bioengineering
OBJECTIVE:
The authors have sought to expound upon and shed a light on the rise of nootropics, which have gradually taken on a more and more relevant role in workplaces and academic settings.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Multidisciplinary databases have been delved into by entering the following keys: "nootropics", "cognitive enhancement", "workplace", "productivity", "ethics", "bioengineering". In addition, a broad-ranging search has been undertaken on institutional websites in order to identify relevant analysis and recommendations issued by international institutions and agencies. Papers and reports have been independently pored over by each author. This search strategy has led to the identification of 988 sources but only 64 were considered appropriate for the purposes of the paper after being selected by at least 3 of the authors, independently.
RESULTS:
The notion of an artificially enhanced work performance - carried out by the 'superworker' - is particularly noteworthy and resonates with the conception of contemporary work on so many different levels: the rising need and demands for higher degrees of flexibility and productivity on the job, the implications of a '24/7' society, where more and more services are available at any time, the ever greater emphasis on entrepreneurial spirit, individual self-reliance and self-improvement, and last but not least, the impact of an ageing society on economic standards and performance.
CONCLUSIONS:
Moreover, it is worth mentioning that human enhancement technologies will predictably and increasingly go hand in hand with gene editing, bioengineering, cybernetics and nanotechnology. Applications are virtually boundless, and may ultimately affect all human traits (physical strength, endurance, vision, intelligence and even personality and mood)
Assisted suicide: article 17 of the Italian Code of Medical Ethics follows in the footsteps of the Italian Constitutional Court's landmark ruling
Less than a year ago, on September 25th 2019, the Italian Constitutional Court issued a landmark decision on assistance in dying, thus setting a long-awaited standard in terms of regulating
assisted suicide1
. The ruling related to the case of Fabiano Antoniani, also known as DJ Fabo, a
man in his forties who had made a pondered, steadfast decision to receive assistance in dying at
a Swiss euthanasia clinic in 2017.
Fabiano was left blind and tetraplegic in the aftermath of a catastrophic road accident in
2014. His death has since become the subject of heated debate in a country, such as Italy, where
euthanasia, whether active (i.e., doctors actively causing the patientâs death) or passive (the
self-administration by the patient of lethal drugs to end his or her life, the way Fabiano ended
his), is adamantly opposed by the Catholic Church.
Italyâs Constitutional Court has made it clear that euthanasia should be permitted by law in
certain circumstances, including those in which a patientâs irreversible condition was âcausing
physical and psychological suffering that he or she considers intolerableâ.
The courtâs ruling was centered around assisted dying and the âlegal framework concerning
end of life [situations]â. A request had in fact been made by a Milan court to provide a clear
interpretation of the law in the trial against pro-euthanasia politician, activist and campaigner
Marco Cappato, who had actively helped Antoniani with his journey to a Swiss clinic which provides assisted suicide
Singular perturbations and asymptotic expansions for SPDEs with an application to term structure models
We study the dependence of mild solutions to linear stochastic evolution equations on Hilbert space driven by Wiener noise, with drift having linear part of the type A+ΔG, on the parameter Δ. In particular, we study the limit and the asymptotic expansions in powers of Δ of these solutions, as well as of functionals thereof, as Δâ0, with good control on the remainder. These convergence and series expansion results are then applied to a parabolic perturbation of the Musiela SPDE of mathematical finance modeling the dynamics of forward rates
Significant reduction in arc frequency biased solar cells: Observations, diagnostics, and mitigation technique(s)
A variety of experiments were performed which identify key factors contributing to the arcing of negatively biased high voltage solar cells. These efforts have led to reduction of greater than a factor of 100 in the arc frequency of a single cell following proper remediation procedures. Experiments naturally lead to and focussed on the adhesive/encapsulant that is used to bond the protective cover slip to the solar cell. An image-intensified charge coupled device (CCD) camera system recorded UV emission from arc events which occurred exclusively along the interfacial edge between the cover slip and the solar cell. Microscopic inspection of this interfacial region showed a bead of encapsulant along this entire edge. Elimination of this encapsulant bead reduced the arc frequency by two orders of magnitude. Water contamination was also identified as a key contributor which enhances arcing of the encapsulant bead along the solar cell edge. Spectrally resolved measurements of the observable UV light shows a feature assignable to OH(A-X) electronic emission, which is common for water contaminated discharges. Experiments in which the solar cell temperature was raised to 85 C showed a reduced arcing frequency, suggesting desorption of H2O. Exposing the solar cell to water vapor was shown to increase the arcing frequency. Clean dry gases such as O2, N2, and Ar show no enhancement of the arcing rate. Elimination of the exposed encapsulant eliminates any measurable sensitivity to H2O vapor
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