Differential Response of Ribonucleic Acid Polymerase in Preneoplastic and Neoplastic Ovaries of Mice Following Oestradiol Treatment

The activity of RNA polymerase has been determined in the nuclear fraction of normal mouse ovaries, 60-day-old preneoplastic intrasplenic ovarian grafts, and ovarian tumours developed after 7 months of ovary grafting into the spleen. In preneoplastic grafts, RNA polymerase activity corresponds to that of normal ovaries, while in ovarian tumours, the enzyme value was 2-3 times higher. Oestradiol injected for 10 days, acting as depressant of the host pituitary gonadotrophic potency, decreased the enzyme level in the grafts, whereas no change was observed in similarly treated tumours. These facts indicate that hormonal mechanisms regulating the genetic nuclear expression are operating only in the 2-month-old preneoplastic ovarian cell, while autonomy from these regulating mechanisms is achieved by 7-month-old tumour cells

A system for monitoring NO2 emissions from biomass burning by using GOME and ATSR-2 data

In this paper, we propose a system for monitoring abnormal NO2 emissions in troposphere by using remote-sensing sensors. In particular, the system aims at estimating the amount of NO2 resulting from biomass burning by exploiting the synergies between the GOME and the ATSR-2 sensors mounted on board of the ERS-2 satellite. Two different approaches to the estimation of NO2 are proposed: the former, which is the simplest one, assumes a linear relationship between the GOME and ATSR-2 measurements and the NO2 concentration. The latter exploits a nonlinear and nonparametric method based on a radial basis function (RBF) neural network. The architecture of such a network is defined in order to retrieve the values of NO2 concentration on the basis of the GOME and ATSR-2 measurements, as well as of other ancillary input parameters. Experimental results, obtained on a real data set, confirm the effectiveness of the proposed system, which represents a promising tool for operational applications

LEGAL ASPECTS OF ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION IN ITALY

ABSTRACT Informed consent is of paramount importance in any field of surgery, both from the ethical and the legal points of view. Concerning organ transplantation, potential recipients are fully informed before entering the waiting list. However, according to Italian law, they have to sign another informed consent form before entering the operating room. In our opinion, not only should recipients be informed of the quality of the donor and of the particular organ(s) they are going to receive, but also before entering the waiting list they should accept or refuse the future possibility of receiving an organ from a so-called marginal or extended criteria donor (ECD) and/or a non–heart-beating donor (NHBD)

Distributed simulation and industry: Potentials and pitfalls

We present the views of five researchers and practitioners of distributed simulation. Collectively we attempt to address what the implications of distributed simulation are for industry. It is hoped that the views contained herein, and the presentations made by the panelists at the 2002 Winter Simulation Conference will raise awareness and stimulate further discussion on the application of distributed simulation methods and technology in an area that is yet to benefit from the arguable economic benefits that this technique promises

Shaping flood risk governance through science-policy interfaces: insights from England, France and The Netherlands

In the face of increasing threats from flooding, there are growing calls to strengthen and improve arrangements of flood risk governance (FRG). This endeavour requires an appreciation of the multitude of factors stabilising and driving governance dynamics. So-called catalyst flood events, policy champions and advocacy coalitions have tended to dominate this study to date, whilst the potential role played by Science Policy Interfaces (SPIs) has been somewhat neglected and often approached in a reductionist and fragmented way. This paper addresses this gap by drawing from in-depth policy analysis and stakeholder interviews conducted within England, France and the Netherlands under the auspices of the EU-FP7 STAR-FLOOD project. The analysis reveals four prominent ways in which SPIs shape FRG, by i) facilitating the diversification of Flood Risk Management (FRM) strategies; ii) increasing their connectivity, iii) facilitating a decentralisation of FRM and iv) fostering inter-country learning. It identifies different roles of specific interfaces (structures) and interfacing mechanisms (processes) in shaping governance dynamics. This way, the analysis reveals various ‘entry points’ through which SPIs can steer FRG, either along existing pathways, or towards new and potentially transformative change. The study shows that SPIs are a hitherto underexposed factor explaining dynamics in flood risk governance which merits additional systematic empirical study

El crimen de los oligarcas corcirenses (Th. III 70.4)

At Th. 3.70.4, a number of Corcyraean oligarchs are convicted of illegally ‘cutting stakes’ (τέμνειν χάρακας) in two local sanctuaries. The significance of this charge is disputed among commentators. We offer detailed support of Hornblower’s conclusion that the Corcyraean oligarchs are charged with cutting saplings from sacred land for use as vine-stakes in their own fields. Our argument places Thucydides’ account of events in a larger philological, ecological and social framework, and suggests that the details of the accusation help establish abuse of communally controlled natural resources and the court system as prodromal stages in the social deterioration that ultimately produces the stasis on Corcyra and by implication elsewhere as well.En Th. III 70.4 se acusa a un grupo de oligarcas de Corcira por ‘cortar estacas’ (τέμνειν χάρακας) ilegalmente en dos santuarios locales. Los comentaristas discuten el significado de esta acusación. Ofrecemos apoyo detallado a la conclusión de Hornblower, según la cual se acusa a los oligarcas corcirenses de cortar árboles jóvenes de terreno sagrado para usarlos como puntales de viñas en sus campos privados. Nuestro argumento sitúa el relato de Tucídides en un marco filológico, ecológico y social más amplio, y sugiere que los detalles de la acusación ayudan a establecer el abuso de recursos naturales controlados por la comunidad y el sistema judicial como fases preliminares en el deterioro social que terminó produciendo la stasis en Corcira e implícitamente también en otros lugares

Coproducing flood risk management through citizen involvement: insights from cross-country comparison in Europe

Across Europe, citizens are increasingly expected to participate in the implementation of flood risk management (FRM), by engaging in voluntary-based activities to enhance preparedness, implementing property-level measures, etc. While citizen participation in FRM decision-making is widely addressed in academic literature, citizens' involvement in the delivery of FRM measures is comparatively understudied. Drawing from public administration literature, this paper adopts the notion of 'co-production' as an analytical framework for studying the interaction between citizens and public authorities, from the decision making process through to the implementation of FRM in practice. The paper considers to what extent co-production is evident in selected EU Member States, drawing from research conducted within the EU project 'STAR-FLOOD'. On the basis of a cross-country comparison between Flanders (Belgium), England (UK), France, the Netherlands and Poland, this research highlights the varied forms of co-production and reflects on how these have been established within divergent settings. Co-production is most outspoken in discourse and practice in England, and is emergent in France and Flanders. By contrast, FRM in the Netherlands and Poland remains almost exclusively reliant on governmental protection measures and thereby consultation-based forms of co-production. Analysis reveals how these actions are motivated by different underlying rationales, which in turn shape the type of approaches and degree of institutionalization of co-production. In the Netherlands, co-production is primarily encouraged to increase societal resilience, while public authorities in the other countries use it as well to improve cost-efficiency and redistribute responsibilities to its beneficiaries