La \u201csolitudine\u201d di Achille Loria: Positivismo, questione sociale e distribuzione

Achille Loria fu professore nell\u2019Universit\ue0 di Torino dal 1903 fino al 1932. Questo periodo fu caratterizzato dal lungo declino del suo prestigio come economista e dalla sua \u201csolitudine\u201d. Tuttavia questa solitudine non fu originata dalla ignoranza della moderna teoria economica, per la quale, invece, mostr\uf2 in diverse occasioni una genuina curiosit\ue0 intellettuale. Piuttosto, egli rimase sempre consapevolmente fedele a una concezione classica dell\u2019economia politica, basata sulla teoria della distribuzione del sovrappi\uf9 e della divisone tra le classi sociali, e a una visione dell\u2019evoluzione della societ\ue0 e della scienza fortemente influenzata da un positivismo ormai abbandonato dalla maggior parte degli intellettuali. Oltre alla distribuzione fondamentale del reddito tra lavoratori produttivi e proprietari dei mezzi di produzione, Loria analizz\uf2 anche la redistribuzione conflittuale del sovrappi\uf9 fra differenti classi e gruppi sociali (proprietari fondiari, capitalisti produttivi e improduttivi e lavoratori improduttivi). In questo quadro elabor\uf2 la sua teoria del \u201csubprodotto\u201d, secondo la quale il prodotto effettivo \ue8 generalmente minore del prodotto potenziale in un\u2019economia capitalistica. Loria concentr\uf2 la sua attenzione sulle condizioni di produzione e neg\uf2 che il risparmio potesse non essere prontamente trasformato in investimento. Tuttavia egli riconobbe anche che la sua teoria del \u201ccapitale improduttivo\u201d era analoga all\u2019analisi della circolazione finanziaria svolta nel Trattato sulla moneta da Keynes. Per quanto riguarda il positivismo, uno degli elementi che caratterizzano i suoi scritti \ue8 la tensione tra l\u2019analisi di una societ\ue0 e di un sistema economico complessi e articolati, e la volont\ue0 di ricondurre comunque questa complessit\ue0 a sistema e di analizzarla a partire da un\u2019unica causa determinante, il rapporto tra l\u2019uomo e le risorse produttive naturali. Da una parte c\u2019\ue8 quindi un\u2019analisi che tende a mostrare, anche attraverso indagini interdisciplinari, l\u2019articolazione delle classi e dei gruppi sociali, dei loro rapporti economici e di potere, dall\u2019altra il principio di causalit\ue0 si traduce nella convinzione che tutti i fenomeni, da qualsiasi punto di vista siano analizzati, vanno quasi immediatamente ricondotti in modo semplicistico ad un\u2019unica causa che spieghi ad un tempo l\u2019evoluzione storico-economica, la struttura economica, la distribuzione del prodotto, il progresso della produttivit\ue0 del lavoro e la costituzione politica

Rileggendo Guida a Produzione di merci a mezzo di merci di Massimo Finoia: riflessioni su alcuni esiti del dibattito dopo Sraffa

Il presente lavoro prendo lo spunto dal libro di Massimo Finoia \u201cGuida a produzione di merci a mezzo di merci\u201d di Piero Sraffa. In questo libro \ue8 esposta efficacemente la teoria di Sraffa e il dibattito che ne \ue8 scaturito. dagli elementi interpretativi della teoria di Sraffa e dal modo in cui \ue8 riportato il dibattito successivo vorrei partire per svolgere alcune considerazioni. Finoia illustra infatti, sinteticamente e con efficacia, gli esiti di un dibattito che oggi sono largamente accettati dagli studiosi e che per\uf2, per certi versi, a chi scrive non sembrano definitivi. La rilettura di Guida a produzione di merci, pu\uf2 quindi servire a riaprire una riflessione feconda. In primo luogo la teoria dei prezzi di Sraffa \ue8 esposta come un sistema naturale di prezzi. In realt\ue0 questa affermazione pu\uf2 essere sostenuta solo per la prima serie di equazione dei prezzi che si riferiscono ad un sistema economico che non produce sovrappi\uf9. Quando compare il sovrappi\uf9 entrano invece nei prezzi la societ\ue0 e le sue regole di distribuzione, che non sono affatto naturali. In secondo luogo nel libro di Sraffa la societ\ue0 entra solo per quanto attiene alla distribuzione del sovrappi\uf9. La teoria del valore di Marx, invece, mirava ad analizzare l\u2019economia non solo dal punto di vista dei rapporti di distribuzione, ma anche da quello dei rapporti di produzione. Introducendo nello schema di prezzi di Sraffa la lunghezza della giornata lavorativa si riporta l\u2019attenzione a ci\uf2 che avviene all\u2019interno della scatola opaca del processo produttivo, al lavoro nel suo esplicarsi e ai rapporti sociali di produzione oltre che di distribuzione, cio\ue8 a ci\uf2 che a molti \ue8 sembrato indicibile dopo la pubblicazione del libro di Sraffa

What does Social Agency have to do with it? Positive Pathways to Adulthood for Groups of Opportunity Youth and College Students in Rhode Island

Opportunity youth are emerging adults 16–24 years old, neither in a career nor attending college. In 2018, there were 13,600 opportunity youth in Rhode Island, many are low-income, young people of color historically excluded from educational and career pathways. The study introduces an alternate lens grounded in the capability approach to human development and provides new terminology for thinking about the positive trajectory to adulthood for marginalized young people. The research offers an asset-based construct to view social agency [and the dimensions of hope, empowerment, voice, choice, and comm(unity)] as a foundational capability. The mixed methods study measures strength of social agency and level of social agency facilitators (intermediaries required to actualize social agency). Conducted in 2017 and 2018 through a web-based survey, focus groups, and a community-engaged research group, the study compares opportunity youth members of Year Up Rhode Island (a national career preparedness and educational program) and students at Rhode Island College. Based on quantitative and qualitative data, the two groups share many similarities in social agency, but require different enabling conditions in order to activate their agency. Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, the multivariate regression illustrates that there are no significant differences in strength of social agency. Data from the survey and focus groups confirmed that both samples had similar levels of social agency facilitators; however, the college students had access to different activities, opportunities, and personal connections including community mentors and work experiences. When asked to identify the most important social agency facilitators, focus group participants most frequently cited social and emotional attributes. Higher levels of social agency facilitators were significantly correlated with stronger social agency (p\u3c.001). Race and ethnicity and mother’s education did not significantly account for variation in social agency or social agency facilitators, although older emerging adults had stronger (but not significant) social agency and female emerging adults had significantly higher levels of social agency facilitators. Finally, the preliminary data support the need for improved understanding of marginalized young people’s capabilities (including social agency), and targeted public policies that promote alternative pathways for all emerging adults to lead healthy lives

Formulation and Stability Study of Eslicarbazepine Acetate Oral Suspensions for Extemporaneous Compounding

Eslicarbazepine acetate is an anticonvulsant drug with a recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for expanded use in children and adolescents. Currently, eslicarbazepine acetate is only available in the U.S. as 200-mg to 800-mg strength tablets (Aptiom), which are not easy to administer for pediatric patients. This study was initiated to develop an oral suspension formulation for extemporaneous compounding by pharmacists and to generate stability data for storage recommendations. Nine suspension formulations of eslicarbazepine acetate were prepared from Aptiom tablets and commercially available liquid vehicles using the standard mortar/pestle method. The vehicles varied mainly in their solvents, viscosities, and sweeteners. The formulations were evaluated for ease of preparation, physical properties, and initial potency. Two lead formulations were selected for a two-month stability study at room temperature or under refrigeration (2°C to 8°C). The stability samples were withdrawn at pre-determined time points and analyzed by visual inspection, pH measurement, and a stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic assay. The majority of the 9 formulations were found to be easy to prepare and administer at a concentration of 40-mg/mL eslicarbazepine acetate. Particle settling was observed in several formulations over time, but they were re-suspended satisfactorily upon shaking. Two suspensions in 50:50 v/v mixtures of Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF with Ora-Plus were selected as the lead formulations for the two-month stability study. At the initiation of the study, all samples appeared as white and smooth suspensions with pH ranging from 4.39 to 4.46. The high-performance liquid chromatographic results confirmed that the initial samples contained 100.4% to 102.2% of the label claim strength. Over two months of storage at room temperature or refrigeration, there were no significant changes in visual appearance, re-suspendability, pH, or potency for any samples. No new degradation peaks were observed in any highperformance liquid chromatograms. Based on the study results, two eslicarbazepine acetate suspensions are recommended for extemporaneous compounding from Aptiom tablets. The formulations consist of 40 mg/mL eslicarbazepine acetate in 50:50 v/v Ora-Sweet:Ora-Plus or Ora-Sweet SF:Ora-Plus. Once prepared, these suspensions can be stored at room temperature or under refrigeration for up to two months

Blazar surveys with WMAP and Swift

We present the preliminary results from two new surveys of blazars that have direct implications on the GLAST detection of extragalactic sources from two different perspectives: microwave selection and a combined deep X-ray/radio selection. The first one is a 41 GHz flux-limited sample extracted from the WMAP 3-yr catalog of microwave point sources. This is a statistically well defined sample of about 200 blazars and radio galaxies, most of which are expected to be detected by GLAST. The second one is a new deep survey of Blazars selected among the radio sources that are spatially coincident with serendipitous sources detected in deep X-ray images (0.3-10 keV) centered on the Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB) discovered by the Swift satellite. This sample is particularly interesting from a statistical viewpoint since a) it is unbiased as GRBs explode at random positions in the sky, b) it is very deep in the X-ray band (\fx \simgt $10^{-15}$ \ergs) with a position accuracy of a few arc-seconds, c) it will cover a fairly large (20-30 square deg.) area of sky, d) it includes all blazars with radio flux (1.4 GHz) larger than 10 mJy, making it approximately two orders of magnitude deeper than the WMAP sample and about one order of magnitude deeper than the deepest existing complete samples of radio selected blazars, and e) it can be used to estimate the amount of unresolved GLAST high latitude gamma-ray background and its anisotropy spectrum.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Proc. of the 1st GLAST Symposium, Feb 5-8, 2007, Stanford, AIP, Eds. S. Ritz, P. F. Michelson, and C. Meega

The Case of Ditto Block: A Study of Special Weapons and Tactics, Antisocial Personality, Mental Illness and Barricade Offenders

Comprehensive analysis of a repeat barricade offender as part of a Sanity at the Time of Offense evaluation is presented. Sources of information included law enforcement, legal, medical, mental health, and correctional documents from before, during, and after both barricades. Analysis included triangulation of validity interviews from multiple sources against multiple barricade offender databases and research. Incident and offender characteristics at time of barricade one is compared against barricade two. After the first barricade, the offender completed Fitness to Stand Trial restoration, found fit to stand for a jury trial, found not guilty and released. One year later, he was involuntarily admitted to a mental health hospital. Within one week after court-ordered release, the second barricade occurred. During barricade two, the Special Weapons and Tactics team had no intelligence regarding the first barricade. The offender foresaw negotiation strategies and cut off communication. He predicted Special Weapons and Tactic team tactics; he ambushed the team, stalled the entry, retreated, and created a standoff that concluded in a failed suicide by cop incident. Different Third-Party Intermediaries participated in both barricades. During barricade one, the Third-Party Intermediary (his sister) provided intelligence. During barricade two, the Third-Party Intermediary (ex-girlfriend) did not provide intelligence until after the dynamic entry failed, and a team member gathered intelligence from her. Mental health providers never provided intelligence to law enforcement. Analysis reveals Special Weapons and Tactical Teams cannot operate without behavioral specialists. Community leaders' continuous comprehensive oversight of Special Weapons and Tactical Teams is required for appropriate communication among professionals and policy decisions derived from pattern analysis of Post Incident Reports. Offender risk assessment require law enforcement, corrections, and mental health contributions. Repeat barricade offender scenarios are required components of professional development for Special Weapons and Tactics teams, mental health providers, attorneys, judges, and community leaders