Immanuel Kant e l’etica ambientale. Tre proposte per rivisitare (e una per riattualizzare) la morale kantiana

The main aim of this paper is to demonstrate that in order to claim that Kant’s ethics is neither speciesist nor anthropocentric there is no need to reinterpret Kant’s theories pushing them over their anthroposcopism. I start by exploring the most relevant references to non-human animals and nature in Kant’s moral theory. Then I highlight the main reasons behind the critics of speciesism and anthropocentrism often referred to Kant’s philosophy. I show how non-anthropocentric environmental ethics reinterpretations of Kant’s moral theory offered by Christine Korsgaard, Sharon Anderson-Gold e Marc Lucht reply to the critics. In conclusion, I claim that staying with Kant’s anthroposcopism and formal approach to moral ethics could be enough to provide a stronger theoretical framework for an already widespread and widely accepted weak anthropocentric reformist environmental ethics

Eterno, infinito e innumerabile nel pensiero di Baruch Spinoza

Questo breve saggio intende esplorare le differenze riscontrabili all’interno del pensiero di Baruch Spinoza tra i concetti di eterno, infinito e innumerabile. Il principale intento è quello di ricostruire, tramite il confronto tra opere e corrispondenze dell’autore, un quadro unitario di riferimento che consenta di reinserire i tre concetti all’interno del suo stesso sistema metafisico

Performance Evaluation of LTE and LTE advanced standards for next generation mobile networks

Nel corso della trattazione sono analizzati gli standard 3GPP LTE e LTE-Advanced per la prossima generazione delle reti mobili cellulari. L'algoritmo OptiMOS, che può essere impiegato dalla Stazione Base per servire in modo efficiente connessioni VoIP, è descritto nel capitolo [8]. L’algoritmo di link scheduling Relay, finalizzato a ottimizzare le reti LTE avanzate in presenza di nodi relay è descritto nel capitolo [9]. Questo lavoro è stato presentato in adempimento parziale dei requisiti per la Laurea di Dottore di Ricerca in Ingegneria dell'Informazione presso l'ufficio informazioni Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Università degli Studi di Pisa, Italia

Throughput-optimal Resource Allocation in LTE-Advanced with Distributed Antennas

Distributed antennas are envisaged for LTE-Advanced deployments in order to improve the coverage and increase the cell throughput. The latter in turn depends on how resources are allocated to the User Equipments (UEs) at the MAC layer. In this paper we discuss how to allocate resources to UEs so as to maximize the cell throughput, given that UEs may re-ceive from several antennas simultaneously. We first show that the problem is both NP-hard and APX-hard, i.e. no polynomial-time algorithm exists that approximates the opti-mum within a constant factor. Hence, we pro-pose and evaluate two polynomial-time heuristics whose complexity is feasible for practical purposes. Our simulative analysis shows that, in practical scenarios, the two heuristics are highly accurate

The Road towards Predictable Automotive High-Performance Platforms

Due to the trends of centralizing the E/E architecture and new computing-intensive applications, high-performance hardware platforms are currently finding their way into automotive systems. However, the SoCs currently available on the market have significant weaknesses when it comes to providing predictable performance for time-critical applications. The main reason for this is that these platforms are optimized for averagecase performance. This shortcoming represents one major risk in the development of current and future automotive systems. In this paper we describe how high-performance and predictability could (and should) be reconciled in future HW/SW platforms. We believe that this goal can only be reached in a close collaboration between system suppliers, IP providers, semiconductor companies, and OS/hypervisor vendors. Furthermore, academic input will be needed to solve remaining challenges and to further improve initial solutions

origami inspired smart building skin

We propose the design of an environment-responsive, deployable origami-inspired structure to be used as a smart building skin. The folding structure is composed by rigid panels connected to each other through hinge-like connectors. The overall degree of openness of the whole structure is adjusted in response to variations of environmental parameters like lighting and temperature, recorded by a network of embedded sensors. The geometry and kinematics of the origami are selected so as the deployment of each module can be induced at some key points that only slide along a linear axis; in this way, electric motors with a positional control logic can prove efficient. By properly tuning the properties of each panel mounted on the frames, the proposed solution can be adopted as a shading or light refraction system, thus improving the comfort of the building interiors. Through digital prototyping and small-scale models, the effectiveness of the proposed solution is assessed. Some site-specific applications are finally discussed from the self-sensing, self-actuation and self-powering viewpoints

Serum Albumin Is Inversely Associated With Portal Vein Thrombosis in Cirrhosis

We analyzed whether serum albumin is independently associated with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver cirrhosis (LC) and if a biologic plausibility exists. This study was divided into three parts. In part 1 (retrospective analysis), 753 consecutive patients with LC with ultrasound-detected PVT were retrospectively analyzed. In part 2, 112 patients with LC and 56 matched controls were entered in the cross-sectional study. In part 3, 5 patients with cirrhosis were entered in the in vivo study and 4 healthy subjects (HSs) were entered in the in vitro study to explore if albumin may affect platelet activation by modulating oxidative stress. In the 753 patients with LC, the prevalence of PVT was 16.7%; logistic analysis showed that only age (odds ratio [OR], 1.024; P = 0.012) and serum albumin (OR, -0.422; P = 0.0001) significantly predicted patients with PVT. Analyzing the 112 patients with LC and controls, soluble clusters of differentiation (CD)40-ligand (P = 0.0238), soluble Nox2-derived peptide (sNox2-dp; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (P = 0.0078) were higher in patients with LC. In LC, albumin was correlated with sCD4OL (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient [r(s)], -0.33; P < 0.001), sNox2-dp (r(s), -0.57; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (r(s), -0.48; P < 0.0001) levels. The in vivo study showed a progressive decrease in platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and urinary 8-iso prostaglandin F2 alpha-III formation 2 hours and 3 days after albumin infusion. Finally, platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and isoprostane formation significantly decreased in platelets from HSs incubated with scalar concentrations of albumin. Conclusion: Low serum albumin in LC is associated with PVT, suggesting that albumin could be a modulator of the hemostatic system through interference with mechanisms regulating platelet activation

Prescription appropriateness of anti-diabetes drugs in elderly patients hospitalized in a clinical setting: evidence from the REPOSI Register

Diabetes is an increasing global health burden with the highest prevalence (24.0%) observed in elderly people. Older diabetic adults have a greater risk of hospitalization and several geriatric syndromes than older nondiabetic adults. For these conditions, special care is required in prescribing therapies including anti- diabetes drugs. Aim of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness and the adherence to safety recommendations in the prescriptions of glucose-lowering drugs in hospitalized elderly patients with diabetes. Data for this cross-sectional study were obtained from the REgistro POliterapie-Società Italiana Medicina Interna (REPOSI) that collected clinical information on patients aged ≥ 65 years acutely admitted to Italian internal medicine and geriatric non-intensive care units (ICU) from 2010 up to 2019. Prescription appropriateness was assessed according to the 2019 AGS Beers Criteria and anti-diabetes drug data sheets.Among 5349 patients, 1624 (30.3%) had diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. At admission, 37.7% of diabetic patients received treatment with metformin, 37.3% insulin therapy, 16.4% sulfonylureas, and 11.4% glinides. Surprisingly, only 3.1% of diabetic patients were treated with new classes of anti- diabetes drugs. According to prescription criteria, at admission 15.4% of patients treated with metformin and 2.6% with sulfonylureas received inappropriately these treatments. At discharge, the inappropriateness of metformin therapy decreased (10.2%, P < 0.0001). According to Beers criteria, the inappropriate prescriptions of sulfonylureas raised to 29% both at admission and at discharge. This study shows a poor adherence to current guidelines on diabetes management in hospitalized elderly people with a high prevalence of inappropriate use of sulfonylureas according to the Beers criteria

The emphatic civilization: the race to global consciousness in a world in crisis [Reseña de Libro]

Reseña de Libro: Jeremy Rifkin, The Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis (New York: Tarcher/Penguin, 2009), 688 pp

Il valore intrinseco della biodiversità

The main aim of this paper is to explore the legitimacy and the implications of ascribing intrinsic value to biodiversity. Several environmental problems are seriously undermining the traditional belief that the moral community should be restricted to human beings only. In this context, the notion of “biodiversity” offers an extremely urgent and inspiring call for philosophical research. Nevertheless, some environmental ethicists still claim that biodiversity has no intrinsic value. I show that the concept of “intrinsic value” has different meanings, depending on their epistemological, ontological, axiological, and normative bases. I argue that while biodiversity has no value in its own right, in itself, or for its own sake, it can be regarded as having value as such. I also claim that ascribing intrinsic value to biodiversity allows a true reconciliation between anthropocentric interests and the need to extend the moral community beyond humanity