The search of a new logic of public administration reforms: the case of metropolitan areas in Italy

The aim of this paper is to formulate some recommendations for the currently undergoing reform of Italian metropolitan areas. This case is particularly relevant since it clearly represents how, even if expected by law, reforms might not happen on the implementation side. We draw the recommendations from some basic assumptions of the collaborative governance model. Recommendations deal with the development of a systemic, collaborative and leadership oriented view of reforms. Indeed, reforms should be intended not only as a legislative process, but also as a complex change management process characterized by the decisive role of the human factor

Performance evaluation of single carrier 40-Gbit/s downstream for long-reach passive optical network

This paper presents a new long reach PON (LR-PON) scenario operating at a single carrier of 40-Gbit/s for downstream, as an upgrade option of the LR-PON evolutionary strategy. An electrical 3-level duobinary modulation format was proposed for the 40-Gbit/s downstream transmission. In this paper the required optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) and optical power budget were investigated based on analytic calculation of OSNR requirements and cascaded analysis with an optical link model. Numerical simulation results show that the 40-Gbit/s downstream operating at the wavelength of 1.5 μm can support a long reach up to 100 km and a high split ratio up to 256

Do changes in Lactuca sativa metabolic performance, induced by mycorrhizal symbionts and leaf UV-B irradiation, play a role towards tolerance to a polyphagous insect pest?

: The increased ultraviolet radiation (UV) due to the altered stratospheric ozone leads to multiple plant physiological and biochemical adaptations, likely affecting their interaction with other organisms, such as pests and pathogens. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and UV-B treatment can be used as eco-friendly techniques to protect crops from pests by activating plant mechanisms of resistance. In this study, we investigated plant (Lactuca sativa) response to UV-B exposure and Funneliformis mosseae (IMA1) inoculation as well as the role of a major insect pest, Spodoptera littoralis. Lettuce plants exposed to UV-B were heavier and taller than non-irradiated ones. A considerable enrichment in phenolic, flavonoid, anthocyanin, and carotenoid contents and antioxidant capacity, along with redder and more homogenous leaf color, were also observed in UV-B-treated but not in AMF-inoculated plants. Biometric and biochemical data did not differ between AMF and non-AMF plants. AMF-inoculated plants showed hyphae, arbuscules, vesicles, and spores in their roots. AMF colonization levels were not affected by UV-B irradiation. No changes in S. littoralis-feeding behavior towards treated and untreated plants were observed, suggesting the ability of this generalist herbivore to overcome the plant chemical defenses boosted by UV-B exposure. The results of this multi-factorial study shed light on how polyphagous insect pests can cope with multiple plant physiological and biochemical adaptations following biotic and abiotic preconditioning