Keynes, Marshall e i filosofi di Cambridge

L'influenza esercitata da Marshall sul pensiero di Keynes è stata per un lungo periodo oggetto di scarsa attenzione. In generale, gli studi su Keynes riconoscono come fonti del suo pensiero filosofico e metodologico, Russell (in una prima fase), Moore e Wittgenstein, tralasciando del tutto il ruolo di Marshall. Nell 'ultimo decennio tuttavia l'influenza marshalliana sul pensiero filosofico e metodologico di Keynes è stata affrontata da più parti. I contatti biografici e gli scambi intellettuali tra Marshall e Keynes si susseguirono dal periodo della formazione di Keynes nel laboratorio marshalliano (1905) alla ripresa da parte di Keynes del pensiero di Marshall dopo la sua morte (1924) in occasione della stesura dello scritto commemorativo e della pubblicazione postuma degli "Official Papers" (1926), curata da Keynes. Il confronto delle reazioni di Keynes in questi due momenti di vicinanza al pensiero di Marshall mostra come egli passi nel corso degli anni da un 'iniziale resistenza ad una successiva completa acquisizione delle idee marshalliane sulla natura, gli scopi e il metodo dell 'economia. In più mostra come il ruolo di Marshall nella formazione del pensiero di Keynes non sia stato affatto marginale anzi abbia avuto un 'importanza cruciale, e possa collocarsi alla base della revisione di Keynes per l'entusiasmo nei confronti di logica e matematica. Il ruolo di Marshall è stato importante anche per la maturazione dell 'idea che la teoria debba adattarsi alla pratica e non viceversa, che caratterizzerà l'esito delle riflessioni di Keynes rispetto a quello dei filosofi di Cambridge, con il pensiero dei quali si era a lungo confrontato. La prospettiva dell'influenza esercitata dai filosofi di Cambridge su Keynes, e soprattutto della interpretazione originale che egli ne hafornito, è utile per chiarire il ruolo svolto da Marshall nella formazione del pensiero filosofico, metodo logico ed economico di Keynes e, più in generale, per comprendere l'origine e le caratteristiche delle affinità tra le idee di Marshall e quella di Keynes sulla natura, gli scopi e il metodo dell'economia.

Downgraded dreams: labor market outcomes and mental health in undocumented migration

Undocumented immigrant workers are particularly exposed to mental health risk factors, including occupational downgrading – i.e. the loss in occupational status upon arrival. This study breaks new ground by examining the relationship between occupational downgrading and mental health among this hard-to-reach population, offering the first-ever investigation of its kind. Leveraging a unique dataset collected by a primary care outpatient clinic in Milan, Italy, which combines medical evaluations with detailed occupational information, we construct a direct measure of occupational downgrading, which adds to the literature. We employ logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for mental and behavioral disorders. The study also offers fresh evidence on the socioeconomic and health status of a sizable sample of undocumented migrants. The study sample consists of 1738 individuals that had their first medical examination in 2017–18. Prevalence of mental health conditions is 5.58%. Data also highlight poor labor market integration: one third of individuals in the sample is employed, mostly in elementary occupations; 66.63% of immigrant workers experienced occupational downgrading. Regression results show that undocumented immigrants who undergo occupational downgrading are at considerably higher risk of mental disorders. ORs range from 1.729 (95% CI 1.071–2.793), when the model only includes individual characteristics determined prior to migration, to 2.659 (CI 1.342–5.271), when it accounts for all the available controls. From a policy perspective, our study underscores the need to consider the broader impact of policies, including restrictive entry and integration policies, on migrant health. Additionally, ensuring access to primary care for all immigrants is crucial for early detection and treatment of mental health conditions

La ricostruzione virtuale del paesaggio di Torre Guaceto (Brindisi, Italia)

This paper describes the design and development of mobile applications that use Augmented Reality technology (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to improve the dissemination of the archaeological evidence found at the State Nature Reserve and Protected Marine Area of Torre Guaceto (Brindisi); the finds are part of the Bronze Age fortified settlement of Scogli di Apani. In more general terms, they also help in understanding the natural and anthropic character of its coastal territory during the second millennium B.C.La pubblicazione descrive la progettazione e lo sviluppo di applicazioni per dispositivi mobili che sfruttano le tecnologie della Realtà Aumentata (AR) e della Realtà Virtuale( VR) finalizzate a migliorare la divulgazione e la comprensione delle evidenze archeologiche presenti presso la Riserva Naturale dello Stato e Area Marina Protetta di Torre Guaceto (Brindisi), facenti parte dell’insediamento fortificato dell’età del Bronzo di Scogli di Apani e, più in generale, indirizzate alla conoscenza dei caratteri naturali e antropici del suo territorio costiero nel corso del II millennio a.C

A systematic and critical review of life cycle approaches to assess circular economy pathways in the agri-food sector

This study provides a literature review of life cycle approaches used to assess circular economy (CE) pathways in the agri-food sector. The scope of this review is to understand how and how much the LC-based analysis is useful to evaluate if CE strategies are more sustainable than linear/traditional economic models in agri-food production systems. To carry out the systematic and critical literature review the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol was employed. The literature search was performed employing scientific databases (Scopus and Web of Science). The results highlight that 52 case studies out of 84 (62% of the total) use stand-alone life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the benefits/impacts of circular economy strategies. Only eight studies (9.5%) deal with the life cycle costing (LCC) approach combined with other analyses, while no paper deals with the social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) methodology. We argue that experts in life cycle methodologies must strive to adopt some key elements to ensure that the results obtained fit perfectly with the measurements of circularity and that these can even be largely based on a common basis

Dopamine inhibits cytosolic Ca2+ increases in rat lactotroph cells. Evidence of a dual mechanism of action.

Single rat lactotroph cells were studied after loading with the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) indicator fura-2 either 1 or 3 days after cell dispersion. Under unstimulated conditions, two groups of lactotrophs were observed, the first (predominant at day 1) with large [Ca2+]i fluctuations (peaks up to 300 nM) probably due to spontaneous action potentials and the second (predominant at 3 days) with stable [Ca2+]i (values variable between 65 and 200 nM). The effect of dopamine on the resting [Ca2+]i was different in the two groups. Even at high dopamine concentrations, no change occurred in the second group; whereas in the first, disappearance of fluctuations and marked decrease of [Ca2+]i were observed. These effects of dopamine appear to be due to hyperpolarization that was demonstrated by the use of a specific fluorescent indicator, bis(oxonol). Two types of triggered [Ca2+]i transients were studied in detail: those due to redistribution of Ca2+ from the intracellular stores (induced by thyrotropin-releasing hormone) and those due to Ca2+ influx through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (induced by high [K+]). Dopamine (1 microM) markedly inhibited both these transients by the action of D2 receptors (blocked by 1-sulpiride and domperidone). All effects of dopamine were prevented by treatment of the cells with pertussis toxin, indicating the involvement of one (or more) GTP-binding protein(s). Another consequence of D2 receptor activation is the inhibition of adenylate cyclase. Treatments (cholera toxin, forskolin), known to raise cAMP levels, were found to dissociate the effects of dopamine on [Ca2+]i inasmuch as they markedly relieved the inhibition of the redistributive transients by thyrotropin-releasing hormone but left hyperpolarization and inhibition of K+ transients unaffected. The spectrum of intracellular signals elicited by the activation of D2 receptors is therefore complex and includes at least two mechanisms that involve [Ca2+]i, one related and the other independent of the decrease of cAMP levels

Ammonia concentration and bacterial evaluation of feline whole blood and packed red blood cell units stored for transfusion

Ammonia concentrations increase in human, canine and equine WB and PRBC units during storage. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of storage on ammonia concentration in feline WB and PRBC units stored in a veterinary blood bank and to evaluate possible correlations with bacterial contamination. Ammonia concentration was evaluated in 15 WB units and 2 PRBC units on day 1 and at the end of storage after 35 and 42 days, respectively. In an additional 5 WB units and 4 PRBC units ammonia concentrations were determined daily until the day the normal reference range was exceeded and then weekly to the end of storage. All units were evaluated for bacterial contamination. Ammonia increased markedly during storage as a linear function over time. On the 35th and 42th day of storage at 4±2°C mean±SD ammonia concentration reached 909±158 µg/dl and 1058±212 µg/dl in WB and PRBC units, respectively. Bacterial culture was negative in all units. High ammonia concentrations in stored WB and PRBC units could result in toxicity, particularly in feline recipients with liver failure, portosystemic shunts or those receiving large transfusion volumes. Clinical in vivo studies evaluating the effects on recipients should be performed

MetaSurface Structure Design and Channel Modelling for THz Band Communications

International audienceRecently, a huge interest has been raised in controlling and manipulating electromagnetic waves by means of MetaSurfaces. This type of material makes possible the control of phase and amplitude of electromagnetic waves paving the way of different applications, like cloaking and communications in THz band. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for designing metasurface-based structures that are independent from the geometry and the frequency. As a proof of concept, we realize a 3D curvilinear metasurface and we show this approach can be effectively applied in different applications. In particular, for the THz-based system, we consider a transmitting antenna emitting a signal that impinges on the metasurface. Our analysis focuses on the evaluation of the attenuation of the incident signal on the metasurface in respect of characteristic design parameters, the length of the medium and the frequency

Mouse Genome-Wide Association Mapping Needs Linkage Analysis to Avoid False-Positive Loci

We carried out genome-wide association (GWA) studies in inbred mouse strains characterized for their lung tumor susceptibility phenotypes (spontaneous or urethane-induced) with panels of 12,959 (13K) or 138,793 (140K) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Above the statistical thresholds, we detected only SNP rs3681853 on Chromosome 5, two SNPs in the pulmonary adenoma susceptibility 1 (Pas1) locus, and SNP rs4174648 on Chromosome 16 for spontaneous tumor incidence, urethane-induced tumor incidence, and urethane-induced tumor multiplicity, respectively, with the 13K SNP panel, but only the Pas1 locus with the 140K SNP panel. Haplotype analysis carried out in the latter panel detected four additional loci. Loci reported in previous GWA studies failed to replicate. Genome-wide genetic linkage analysis in urethane-treated (BALB/c×C3H/He)F2, (BALB/c×SWR/J)F2, and (A/J×C3H/He)F2 mice showed that Pas1, but none of the other loci detected previously or herein by GWA, had a significant effect. The Lasc1 gene, identified by GWA as a functional element (Nat. Genet., 38:888–95, 2006), showed no genetic effects in the two independent intercross mouse populations containing both alleles, nor was it expressed in mouse normal lung or lung tumors. Our results indicate that GWA studies in mouse inbred strains can suffer a high rate of false-positive results and that such an approach should be used in conjunction with classical linkage mapping in genetic crosses

trabecular bone score tbs and bone metabolism in patients affected with type 1 neurofibromatosis nf1

In patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and low levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 (25OHD) have been reported. Recently, the trabecular bone score (TBS) measurement has been proposed as index of bone microarchitecture and fracture risk. In 74 NF1 patients (48 females, 26 males, age 41 ± 12), we measured TBS and investigated clinical stage, lifestyle, vitamin D, serum bone turnover markers, vertebral and femoral BMD. A homogenous cohort of 61 healthy subjects was used as control group. TBS was lower in NF1 patients (1.266 ± 0.113 vs. 1.346 ± 0.105) without differences between sexes. No correlations with 25OHD, low exercise, low calcium intake, reduced sun exposure, and number of skin neurofibromas were observed. As expected, hypovitaminosis D was common (98.6%), as well as BMD reduction in hip and spine sites: In NF1 patients, bone texture evaluated by TBS was low in both sexes without any correlation with clinical or metabolic parameters, suggesting a direct role of the fibromin mutation