The combination of student Self-Regulation (SR) and the context of Regulatory Teaching (RT), each in varying degree, has recently been demonstrated to have effects on achievement emotions, factors and symptoms of stress, and coping strategies. The aim of the present research study is to verify its possible further effects, on academic behavioral confidence and procrastination. A total of 1193 university students completed validated online questionnaires with regard to specific subjects in their degree program. Using an ex post facto design, multivariate (...) analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM) were carried out in order to test the relationships predicted by the model. SR and RT had a significant joint effect in determining the degree of academic behavioral confidence and of procrastination. Academic behavioral confidence also significantly predicted reasons for procrastinating, and these in turn predicted activities of procrastination. Conclusions are discussed, insisting on the combined weight of the two variables in determining academic behavioral confidence, reasons for procrastinating and activities subject to procrastination, in university students. Implications for guidance and educational support of university students and teachers are analyzed. (shrink)

The informed consent process is the legal embodiment of the fundamental right of the individual to make decisions affecting his or her health., and the patient’s permission is a crucial form of respect of freedom and dignity, it becomes extremely important to enhance the patient’s understanding and recall of the information given by the physician. This statement acquires additional weight when the medical treatment proposed can potentially be detrimental or even fatal. This is the case of thalassemia patients pertaining to (...) class 3 of the Pesaro classification where Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation remains the only potentially curative treatment. Unfortunately, this kind of intervention is burdened by an elevated transplantation-related mortality risk , equal to 30% according to published reports. In thalassemia, the role of the patient in the informed consent process leading up to HSCT has not been fully investigated. This study investigated the hypothesis that information provided by physicians in the medical scenario of HSCT is not fully understood by patients and that misunderstanding and communication biases may affect the clinical decision-making process. (shrink)

Hoy, difícilmente encontramos adolescentes que no vivan patrocinados por las marcas. Con orgullo, les vemos pasearse con las Niké anunciadas en TV, la sudadera Diesel a juego con la camiseta GAP, el Nokia última generación, y los Calvin Klein asomando por debajo de sus Levi's� Aunque los "genéricos" sigan siendo los mismos� para los adolescentes no es así. Como si su vida dependiera de ello, con un cuidado que ya nos gustaría que tuvieran para otras cosas eligen en qué tienda (...) comprar, a qué peluquería ir, cómo vestir y qué complementos ponerse. (shrink)

BackgroundBeta thalassemia major is a severe inherited form of hemolytic anemia that results from ineffective erythropoiesis. Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains the only potentially curative therapy. Unfortunately, the subgroup of adult thalassemia patients with hepatomegaly, portal fibrosis and a history of irregular iron chelation have an elevated risk for transplantation-related mortality that is currently estimated to be about 29 percent.DiscussionThalassemia patients may be faced with a difficult choice: they can either continue conventional transfusion and iron chelation therapy or (...) accept the high mortality risk of HSCT in the hope of obtaining complete recovery.Throughout the decision making process, every effort should be made to sustain and enhance autonomous choice. The concept of conscious consent becomes particularly important. The patient must be made fully aware of the favourable and adverse outcomes of HSCT. Although it is the physician's duty to illustrate the possibility of completely restoring health, considerable emphasis should be put on the adverse effects of the procedure. The physician also needs to decide whether the patient is eligible for HSCT according to the "rule of descending order". The patient must be given full details on self-care and fundamental lifestyle changes and be fully aware that he/she will be partly responsible for the outcome.SummaryOnly if all the aforesaid conditions are satisfied can it be considered reasonable to propose unrelated HSCT as a potential cure for high risk thalassemia patients. (shrink)

Il concetto di omologia riveste un ruolo centrale nella biologia teoretica contemporanea perché attorno ad esso e per suo tramite trovano articolazione numerosi progetti di ricerca miranti a ripensare la centralità dell’organismo, i suoi percorsi evolutivi e il significato della sua interazione con la realtà ambientale. La rete di omologie che tesse l’organismo permette di strutturarne e canalizzarne le innovazioni morfologiche e funzionali. Appunto questa componente sistemica rende dunque l’omologia un concetto fondamentale per una considerazione dinamica della forma vivente, come (...) quella cui mira un’estetica che non intenda limitarsi a indagare sull’atteggiamento estetico e sulle produzioni artistiche, ma sappia tematizzare in senso più comprensivo la questione (eminentemente propria della tradizione morfologica) dell’unità dell’agire e del percepire come configurazione estetica del vivente.Il presente studio propone una ricognizione di alcuni dei principali momenti fondativi del concetto di omologia, a partire dalle ricerche botaniche di Goethe e dal significato che esse rivestono nel progetto morfologico goethiano, per proseguire con l’elaborazione del concetto di “elemento anatomico” da parte di Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire e la sua problematica rilettura da parte di Arthur Schopenhauer, conducendo sino alla fondazione del concetto moderno di omologia con Richard Owen, alla sua messa in relazione col concetto di analogia e all’elaborazione del concetto di “archetipo del vertebrato”. In tal modo, il presente studio mira a individuare alcuni motivi salienti di attualità del concetto e delle potenzialità teoriche che in esso trovano espressione, fra prospettiva morfologica e attenzione ai vincoli materiali della forma. (shrink)

In Resp. 509c7 and 9 Socrates declares that he has omitted many things in the exposition of the analogy between the supreme Good and the sun. In fact Socrates’ exposition leaves some questions open which are seminal with regard to the interpretation of the aforesaid analogy : 1) Why Plato designates the sun as analogon of the Good? 2) Why the original manifestation of the Good consists in a plurality of intelligible beings? 3) Why the original manifestation of the Good (...) consists not only in a purely objective intelligible being, but also in an intellect, that is in a form of consciousness? 4) How can be explained the fact that Plato perceives the Good as origin not only of intelligible, but also of physical reality? While the first question can be simply answered by referring to the infinite manifestativity of the Good, the other three questions require a significant effort in the field of speculation. Basing on some clues given by Plato in the exposition of the analogy between the Good and the sun, this article attempts to answer these questions by conjecturing that Plato could have presupposed the image of an infinite sphere consisting in intelligible light. This image, which could have already been presupposed by Parmenides, would offer a conceptual background capable of explaining on the one hand the unity of intelligibility and intellect characterizing the original manifestation of the Good, on the other hand why in Plato’s perspective the Good can be perceived as origin not only of intelligible, but also of physical light. (shrink)

Questo saggio, risultato del lavoro seminariale svolto presso la Fondazione Centro Studi Campostrini, avanza una proposta teoricasulla base di un’ipotesi. L’ipotesi è che quando usiamo il vocabolariodella credenza diciamo qualcosa di specifico e irriducibile adaltre nozioni. Alla ricerca del nucleo di irriducibilità e specificitàdella credenza Giuseppe Di Salvatore scarta tutte quelle forme dicredenza che dipendono in maniera più o meno diretta da unaconsiderazione in termini di conoscenza o da un’implicazione dellaverità. Se alcuni tipi di giustificazione della credenza possono essereutili (...) a individuarne l’irriducibilità, solo le credenze primitive, unacomplessa nozione di “credenza soggettiva” e un originale modellofiduciario della credenza fungono da buoni candidati per difenderela specificità della credenza. Dopo la discussione di alcune tesi diLudwig Wittgenstein e il ricorso a fonti eterogenee, da William Jamesa Henry Habberley Price fino a Niklas Luhmann, l’autore proponela nozione originale di “credenza progressiva” come il migliorcandidato che confermi l’ipotesi di partenza. In essa una precisaidea di rischio e la fiducia, al cui dibattito è dedicata un’ampiaattenzione, contribuiscono a delineare la credenza progressivainsieme ad alcuni suoi aspetti soggettivi, così profilandola comeuna postura sperimentale. Il saggio si completa con una riflessionesulla peculiarità della questione filosofica della credenza religiosa,la quale viene approcciata nella sua preliminare generalità, quindiconfrontata con la credenza progressiva. (shrink)

Aim of this paper is to outline a new evolutionary interpretation of aesthetic emotions, in the light of the most recent developments in Evolutionary Biology, in particular the so-called “Extended Synthesis of Evolution” (Pigliucci-Müller 2010). Focussing on the biological concept of homology, the Author argues that, in order to effectively understand role and evolutionary value of aesthetic emotions, it should be asked not “what aesthetic emotions are for?”, rather “what kind of constraints and homologies influence the specific “shape” of human (...) aesthetic emotions?”. In a few words, we should move from a functionalist approach to human aesthetic emotions towards a morphological one. (shrink)

This paper aims to examine the use of the circle metaphor within the functionalist perspective by Jakob von Uexküll and the morphological perspective by Viktor von Weizsäcker. Whereas the functionalist theory dissolves the unity of the organism in the multiplicity of functional relationships, Weizsäcker’s morphology recognizes the fundamental unity of the biological act, leading to a new concept of the living organism.

Herder is usually considered to be one of the mayor sources of the aesthetics of empaty. The present contribution aims at offering a brief rewiew of some main places in Herder aesthetical theory and at reconstructing the genesis of the family of concepts including fühlen, Gefühl, Mitfühlen, Familiengefühl, in order to understand their relationship with regard to the theory of knowledge, the aesthetics, the politics.