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Introduzione: Recentemente la TMS ripetitiva (rTMS) è stata usata per inibire la corteccia motoria sana (M1S) in pazienti con stroke unilaterale, in modo da ridurre transitoriamente l’eccessiva inibizione trascallosale sulla corteccia motoria dell’emisfero leso (M1L) e aumentare conseguentemente l’eccitabilità di M1L. In questo studio indaghiamo l’effetto a lungo termine di un trattamento che combina l’inibizione di M1S e un trattamento riabilitativo (TR) task-oriented in pazienti con esiti di ictus che comportino paresi di entità moderata. Materiali e Metodi: Trenta pazienti a più di sei mesi dallo stroke sono stati arruolati in un trial clinico doppio-cieco randomizzato condotto presso gli Ospedali Riuniti di Ancona. I pazienti ricevevano 10 sessioni giornaliere di rTMS a bassa frequenza (1Hz) su M1S. In gruppi diversi, la stimolazione poteva essere attiva (rTMS-A) o sham (rTMS-S) e poteva essere somministrata immediatamente prima o dopo la seduta di TR condotta con il fisioterapista. Il TR era teso a migliorare la destrezza e la forza della key-grip (presa a chiave). Le misure di outcome includevano la destrezza (Jebsen-Taylor, Box&Block, e Nine hole test), la forza (key-grip), l’inibizione trascallosale e l’eccitabilità delle cortecce motorie ed erano monitorate per tre mesi successivi alla fine del trattamento. Risultati: Dopo rTMS-A si assisteva ad una riduzione di inibizione trascallosale da M1S a M1L e a un aumento di eccitabilità di M1L. Tutti i gruppi presentavano dei miglioramenti nelle abilità esercitate (destrezza e forza manuale). Nei pazienti sottoposti a rTMS-S (linee grigie nel grafico), i miglioramenti erano modesti e transitori. Nei pazienti sottoposti a rTMS-A, i miglioramenti erano significativamente maggiori e perduravano per almeno tre mesi. I pazienti sottoposti a rTMS-A immediatamente prima del TR (linee nere), mostravano miglioramenti robusti e stabili per tutti i follow-up. I pazienti sottoposti a rTMS-A dopo il TR (linee rosse), mostravano un miglioramento tendente al declino negli ultimi follow-up. Conclusioni: I nostri risultati suggeriscono che la rTMS-A prima del TR favorisce la plasticità uso-dipendente e ri-bilancia l’eccitabilità nelle due cortecce motorie. Il trattamento combinato appare un approccio valido e promettente per pazienti con stroke e disturbi motori. Lo studio fornisce evidenza di Classe I che la rTMS prima o dopo il TR migliora misure di destrezza e forza nell’arto malato in pazienti con disturbi motori a più di sei mesi dall’ictus (Avenanti et al., 2012). Bibliografia: Avenanti, Coccia, Ladavas, Provinciali, Ceravolo (2012) Low-frequency rTMS promotes use-dependent motor plasticity in chronic stroke. A randomized trial. Neurology. 2012;78:256-64

The economics of innovation presents a lot of taxonomy of innovation. In this research you introduce the scale of innovative intensity (SIIN) based on a meta-taxonomy that subsume other, less comprehensive taxonomy. The SIIN is similar to the seismic scale of Mercalli used for measuring the intensity of earthquakes. This scale is used for a theoretical framework of measurement - technometrics - based on the economic impact of the technological change on the economic system. The intensity of innovation is calculated by a integral of a function in an n-dimensional space.

This study analyzes the action of the 'space' variable on the technological transfer activity, matching the traditional space approach (physical distance) to the modern one (interactions). The aim of this piece of research is double: 1. Build indicators, using the two above mentioned approaches, for measuring and studying how the dynamics of technological transfer on territory 2. Assess the indicator reliability by checking the Hagerstrand proximity effect 3. Apply the indicators to cases of study for describing the additional information supplied in the phenomenon analysis. The indicators built were named Space Center of Gravity of the Technological Transfer (BASTT), Interactive Density Index (INDI), Spatial Attractiveness of Technological Transfer (ASTT); Force and Potential of Technological Transfer (FTT and PTT). data from ten Institutes of the Italian National Council of Research present in Piedmont, an industrialized region in the North-Western part of Italy, were used in order to check item 2 assessments. The results pointed out high values of attractiveness and intensity of the technological transfer activity of institutes located in industrial districts, a symptom of the environment dynamism issued from the successful technology-institutions-territory trinomial that creates knowledge spillover and external economies. Moreover the indicators passed item 2 test and the empirical analysis has shown the reduction of the technological transfer proximity effect of some R&D Institutes; the cause of this strange phenomenon can be explained by what has been called the magnetic effect. The technological flow follows the companies in the spatial delocalization activity, creating in this way a larger spatial attraction with productive specialization areas born far away from the research center, compared with the near ones.

Aim of this paper is to analyse the spatial aspects of technology transfer (t.t.) in Cnr Institutes of Piemonte, a highly industrialised region in North Western Italy. The specific purpose is to verify two hypotheses 1) If the spatial propagation of t.t. follows the Hägerstrand adjacencyeffect; 2) If there is a reduction of Hägerstrand adjacency-effect between Institutes and dynamical manufacturing areas which are localised far from knowledge sources. This work uses the data from internal administrative documents (invoices, customers' list) of the Institutes, for the 1996-1998 period. These hypotheses have been verified with geometrical and mathematical tools (Indices BASTT, ASTT, MITT, IDI). The latter have been built considering a spatial approach which is both neo-classical (physical distance) and modern (interaction). The empirical results confirm the hypotheses: the t.t. decreases when the physical space is more extended (Hp 1), moreover some Institutes have a strong t.t. activity toward industrial districts which are localised far (Hp 2). An example is t.t. from wool Institute localised in Biella to Prato and Vicenza textile areas or the t.t. from the agricultural mechanisation Institute of Turin toward firms localised in Reggio Emilia region.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the contributions of Social Identify Theory's variables to research performance. Regression models were applied on data of ten national research Council (Cnr) institutes of Piemonte, a highly industrialised region in North Western Italy. Results show that there is a low but positive correlation between performance and work satisfaction, which, the latter, has a strong positive correlation with the work involvement. Implications for R&D management are discussed.

The purpose of this work is to build a quali-quantitative method for measuring the endogenous performance in R&D organization which supports the process of evaluation. The method is tested on Cnr Institutes of Piemonte, a highly industrialised region in North Western Italy and the score of method is used for to classify the R&D structures in ranks. The results of econometric analysis are: the Anova test shows that the groups (Institutes) have different means, instead the Bartlett test shows the errors are homoscedastic. Another result of statistical analysis is that the estimates have a normal distribution with ?1 = -0.54 (negative skewness) and ?2 = -0.08 (hyponormal). The method, called Syn, is alike to Delphi but is much flexible because achieves the convergence of estimates in maximum three rounds.

The purpose of the present work is to find out innovation demand of firms in Piedmont with the aim of technology transfer of Cnr activity. The process has been developed in three phases: 1) individuation and monitoring of firms with filtering method; 2) technological audits; 3) evaluation of the feasibility of technology transfer and activation R&D projects. Needs especially come out from firms of mechanical and automation industry. Even if the number of firms which need some kind of technological help is much wider, only 4.5 % of them signed agreement with Cnr Institutes. It is very difficult to start technology transfer actions mostly because there are problems to find well defined competencies and when the competencies are well established the time to realise the cooperation is generally quite long.

The aim of this paper is an analysis of the technology transfers from Cnr Institutes of Turin Research Area to the subjects that could get benefits in the 1995-'97 period. Using the Cnr final budget, two statistical disaggregation levels were applied on the basis of data contained in internal documents of the Institutes to find out actions and subject's typologies. From this analysis of this period a substantial growth in self-financing of the Institutes was found; this is mostly due to an increase in calibration and testing activities, homologation of farm machinery and research activity under contracts with European Community and public administration.

Aim of this paper is to build methodologies of performance evaluation for research organisations, using a systemic approach. This approach considers the interrelations between administrative and scientific activities. The methods are based on: i) ranks, ii) ratios [Max Index : 100 = index lab i : x] and iii) research evaluations laboratories (relabs) function. The latter proves to be the best measurement system, because its indexes are a combination of quality, quantity and cost measures. The evaluation system described in the paper is applied to Institutes of National Research Council in Piedmont region. The comparison among the methods shows a Spearman's coefficient of rank correlation of about 0.8; these methods are simple, objective and focuses on outcome, not behaviour.

Aim of this paper is to analyse tacit transfers of knowledge from Cnr Institutes of Turin Research Area to the subjects that could get benefits in the 1995-'97 period. This work uses the data from Cnr final balance-sheets, integrated with internal administrative documents of the Institutes. The graphic representation of special index (value of technology transfer activity / Researches of Cnr Institutes) shows that the best Institutes in the tacit transfer of knowledge do not belong to the technological area but to the economics, phytovirology, phisics, geology and hydrobiology areas. The spatial distribution of this activity follows the "Hagerstrand adjacency-effect", as 78.5% is located in the regions of North Italy, near Cnr Institutes of Piedmont.

L'articolo presenta gli ambiti più diffusi inerenti gli sbocchi occupazionali e le relazioni con le competenze acquisite nel corso dell'ISEF in Italia. Si presentano i risultati di uno studio descrittivo sulle motivazioni dello studente e le più diffuse convinzioni riguardanti il profilo professionale in ambito motorio e sportivo.