Comandi straordinari e manipolazione dell’emergenza nel dibattito politico tra il 59 e il 49 a.C.

During the 1st century BCE the granting of extraordinary commands was – as it had been in the previous period – the subject of heated and sometimes violent debate. The opponents of these measures used to warn against the risks deriving from the novitas of the law and from the centralisation of great power in the hands of single individuals. This particular aspect has already been highlighted in many studies on the subject; this article intends rather to demonstrate that, between 59 and 49, the generals who had received such commands were often accused of having exploited the emergency theme in order to obtain or keep their power. An excursus among the extraordinary grants of this decade will therefore display the modalities, timing and purposes by which the opposition made use of this argument. At the same time, I will try to clarify whether these charges corresponded to the truth or if they were themselves the result of manipulation. Eventually, the analysis of available data will show that the perception of danger and crisis was variously instrumentalised for personal purposes by all the parties involved.Nel I secolo a.C. – come già nel periodo precedente – il conferimento di comandi straordinari fu al centro di un dibattito vivace e talvolta violento. Coloro che si opponevano a tale prassi erano soliti mettere in guardia dai rischi derivanti dalla novitas della misura in questione e dall’accentramento di vasti poteri nelle mani di singoli individui. Tale aspetto è ormai stato evidenziato in numerosi studi sul tema; nel presente contributo si intende invece dimostrare che nel decennio compreso fra il 59 e il 49 fu ricorrente anche l’accusa, rivolta ai beneficiari del conferimento, di aver sfruttato la tematica dell’emergenza per ottenere o conservare il potere. Un excursus fra le concessioni straordinarie del periodo permetterà innanzitutto di individuare le modalità, le tempistiche e le finalità con le quali l’opposizione si servì di questa argomentazione. Contestualmente, si cercherà di chiarire se tali accuse rispondessero alla realtà dei fatti o se fossero a loro volta frutto di una manipolazione. Dall’analisi dei dati in nostro possesso emergerà infine che la percezione del pericolo e della crisi fu variamente strumentalizzata da tutte le parti in causa a supporto della propria narrazione politica

CO2-free coal-fired power generation by partial oxy-fuel and post-combustion CO2capture: Techno-economic analysis

Among the carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies suitable for power generation plants, partial oxy-combustion coupled with post combustion CO2capture is gaining interest, since such a hybrid configuration could allow to reduce the size and enhance the performance of post-combustion CO2capture by operating combustion with air enriched with oxygen and reducing the dilution of flue gas. Moreover, partial oxy-combustion is a potential candidate for the retrofit of existing steam plants because it could be based on an almost conventional boiler and requires a smaller CO2capture section. This work presents the results of a comparative techno-economic analysis of a 1000 MWthpartial oxy-combustion plant based on an ultra-supercritical pulverized coal combustion power plant integrated with a post-combustion CO2capture system and geological storage in saline aquifer. In particular, plant performance is assessed by using simulation models implemented through Aspen Plus 7.3 and Gate Cycle 5.40 commercial tools, whereas economic performance are evaluated on the basis of the expected annual cash flow. The analysis shows that, for new plants, this hybrid approach is not feasible from the economic point of view and full oxy-combustion potentially remains the most profitable technology even if, in the short-term period, the lack of commercial experience will continue to involve a high financial risk

A Fast Matrix Compression Method for Large Scale Numerical Modelling of Rotationally Symmetric 3D Passive Structures in Fusion Devices

This paper illustrates the development of a recursive QR technique for the analysis of transient events, such as disruptions or scenario evolution, in fusion devices with three-dimensional conducting structures using an integral eddy current formulation. An integral formulation involves the solution, at each time step, of a large full linear system. For this reason, a direct solution is impractical in terms of time and memory consumption. Moreover, typical fusion devices show a symmetric/periodic structure. This can be properly exploited when the plasma and other sources possess the same symmetry/periodicity of the structure. Indeed, in this case, the computation can be reduced to only a single sector of the overall structure. In this work the periodicity and the symmetries are merged in the recursive QR technique, exhibiting a huge decrease in the computational cost. Finally, the proposed technique is applied to a realistic large-scale problem related to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)

Bio-Ecological Features Update on Eleven Rare Cartilaginous Fish in the Central-Western Mediterranean Sea as a Contribution for Their Conservation

Cartilaginous fish are commonly recognized as key species in marine ecosystems for their fundamental ecological role as top predators. Nevertheless, effective management plans for cartilagi- nous fish are still missing, due to the lack of knowledge on their abundance, distribution or even life-history. In this regard, this paper aims at providing new information on the life-history traits, such as age, maturity, reproductive period, in addition to diet characteristics of eleven rare cartilagi- nous fish inhabiting the Central-Western Mediterranean Sea belonging to the orders Chimaeriformes (Chimaera monstrosa), Hexanchiformes (Heptranchias perlo and Hexanchus griseus), Myliobatiformes (Aetomylaeus bovinus and Myliobatis aquila), Rajiformes (Dipturus nidarosiensis and Leucoraja circu- laris), Squaliformes (Centrophorus uyato, Dalatias licha and Oxynotus centrina) and Torpediniformes (Tetronarce nobiliana), useful for their assessment and for future management actions. Particularly, the present paper provides for the first time the age estimation of D. nidarosienis and L. circularis which were both found capable of becoming older than ten years. In addition, the present study updates the sizes of first maturity of C. uyato and D. licha, which appeared to be capable of reproducing earlier than what was previously hypothesized, representing very valuable information for a better understanding of these rare species populations status and, eventually, their conservation. On the basis of the stomach content analysis, it was possible to identify five different predator groups

Design, Test and Analysis of a Gyrotron Cavity Mock-Up Cooled Using Mini Channels

In 2016, we have designed, built and finally tested at the FE200 facility in Le Creusot (France) a planar mock-up mimicking the water-cooled cylindrical resonance cavity of the European 170 GHz, 1 MW gyrotron to be used for electron cyclotron plasma heating in ITER. The aim of the mock-up is the characterization of the cooling capability of the cavity. A Glidcop® target is heated with an electron beam gun with resulting peak heat fluxes relevant for the full-size cavity. Underneath the target surface, whose temperature is monitored by means of a pyrometer, a set of parallel semi-circular mini-channels, with diameter of 1.5 mm, allows the flow of pressurized water, entering the mockup at ~ 9 bar and 40 °C. Several thermocouples measure the target temperature, at different distances from the heated target surface. The experimental results show that the mock-up is capable to withstand a heat fluxes of 21 MW/m2, while the cooling system keeps the heated surface below ~ 400 °C, for flow conditions comparable to those of the full-size cavity. The test results are used to first calibrate the uncertain model parameters and then, with frozen parameters, to validate a previously developed CFD model, showing good agreement with the experiment. In view of its reliability, this model might eventually be a useful tool for the simulation of the full-size gyrotron cavity operation

On the presence of the Endangered white skate Rostroraja alba in Sardinian waters

The white skate Rostroraja alba is assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as Endangered globally and is now considered rare in the Mediterranean. This species has never been recorded in Sardinian seas (central western Mediterranean), but an empty eggcase was collected on a sandy bottom off the western Sardinia coasts during the MEDiterranean International Trawl Survey (MEDITS) program in 2019. A morphometric and morphological description of the Sardinian eggcase, after a comparison with measurements from other Mediterranean and Atlantic specimens, showed it to be clearly ascribable to Rostroraja alba

The Use of Reproductive Indicators for Conservation Purposes: The Case Study of Palinurus elephas in Two Fully Protected Areas and Their Surrounding Zones (Central-Western Mediterranean)

Simple Summary The European spiny lobster Palinurus elephas is a species with a high commercial value that inhabits the Mediterranean Sea and the adjacent Atlantic waters and is classified by IUCN as vulnerable due to its continuous overfishing. In this study, we analyse the reproductive parameters of P. elephas populations in two different fully protected areas, including their surrounding commercial zones, in Sardinia (Italy, central-western Mediterranean), where a restocking programme was carried out. Here, data on fecundity, size at maturity, vitellogenin concentration and temporal trends of egg production of P. elephas was provided, and the relevance of this information for fisheries management and conservation planning is discussed. In 1990s, the European spiny lobster Palinurus elephas, one of the most commercially important species in the Mediterranean, exhibited a population decline. For this reason, fully protected areas (FPAs) appeared effective in re-establishing natural populations and supporting fishery-management objectives. Here, the reproductive parameters of P. elephas populations in two different FPAs (Su Pallosu and Buggerru, central-western Mediterranean), where a restocking programme was carried out, and in their surrounding commercial zones, were investigated from quantitative and qualitative perspectives. The comparison of fecundity between females collected inside and outside FPAs did not show statistical differences as well as the vitellogenin concentration, which did not vary among eggs of different size classes of females caught inside and outside the FPAs, indicating the same reproductive potential. The study demonstrated a benefit of overexploited populations in terms of enhancement of egg production overtime (15 years for Su Pallosu and 6 years for Buggerru) with a mean egg production 4.25-5.5 times higher at the end of the study than that observed at the beginning of the study. The main driver of eggs production appeared to be size, with larger lobsters more present inside the FPAs than outside. Given these results, the dominant contribution of the two studied FPAs to the regional lobster reproduction is remarkable

Numerical Studies on the Influence of Cavity Thermal Expansion on the Performance of a High-Power Gyrotron

An iterative procedure is described, which models the influence of the thermal expansion of the gyrotron cavity on the expected gyrotron performance. It is a multiphysics simulation method, which involves electrodynamic, thermal-hydraulic, and thermo-mechanical simulations. The method is applied to the first European 170-GHz, 1-MW continuous wave prototype gyrotron for the ITER. According to the simulations, a performance reduction of 15% is expected at nominal operating parameters, because of the thermal expansion of the cavity. Alternative operating points to mitigate this effect are proposed and numerically validated. The numerical results are discussed in light of experimental findings

Molecular pathways triggered by COVID-19 in different organs: ACE2 receptor-expressing cells under attack? A review

OBJECTIVE: In human pathology, SARS-CoV-2 utilizes multiple molecular pathways to determine structural and biochemical changes within the different organs and cell types. The clinical picture of patients with COVID-19 is characterized by a very large spectrum. The reason for this variability has not been clarified yet, causing the inability to make a prognosis on the evolution of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed search was performed focusing on the role of ACE 2 receptors in allowing the viral entry into cells, the role of ACE 2 downregulation in triggering the tissue pathology or in accelerating previous disease states, the role of increased levels of Angiotensin II in determining endothelial dysfunction and the enhanced vascular permeability, the role of the dysregulation of the renin angiotensin system in COVID-19 and the role of cytokine storm. RESULTS: The pathological changes induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection in the different organs, the correlations between the single cell types targeted by the virus in the different human organs and the clinical consequences, COVID-19 chronic pathologies in liver fibrosis, cardiac fibrosis and atrial arrhythmias, glomerulosclerosis and pulmonary fibrosis, due to the systemic fibroblast activation induced by angiotensin II are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The main pathways involved showed different pathological changes in multiple tissues and the different clinical presentations. Even if ACE2 is the main receptor of SARS-CoV-2 and the main entry point into cells for the virus, ACE2 expression does not always explain the observed marked inter-individual variability in clinical presentation and outcome, evidencing the complexity of this disorder. The proper interpretation of the growing data available might allow to better classifying COVID-19 in human pathology

Genome-wide Analyses Identify KIF5A as a Novel ALS Gene

To identify novel genes associated with ALS, we undertook two lines of investigation. We carried out a genome-wide association study comparing 20,806 ALS cases and 59,804 controls. Independently, we performed a rare variant burden analysis comparing 1,138 index familial ALS cases and 19,494 controls. Through both approaches, we identified kinesin family member 5A (KIF5A) as a novel gene associated with ALS. Interestingly, mutations predominantly in the N-terminal motor domain of KIF5A are causative for two neurodegenerative diseases: hereditary spastic paraplegia (SPG10) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2 (CMT2). In contrast, ALS-associated mutations are primarily located at the C-terminal cargo-binding tail domain and patients harboring loss-of-function mutations displayed an extended survival relative to typical ALS cases. Taken together, these results broaden the phenotype spectrum resulting from mutations in KIF5A and strengthen the role of cytoskeletal defects in the pathogenesis of ALS.Peer reviewe