Incidence of Sarcoma Histotypes and Molecular Subtypes in a Prospective Epidemiological Study with Central Pathology Review and Molecular Testing

International audienceBACKGROUND: The exact overall incidence of sarcoma and sarcoma subtypes is not known. The objective of the present population-based study was to determine this incidence in a European region (Rhone-Alpes) of six million inhabitants, based on a central pathological review of the cases. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: From March 2005 to February 2007, pathology reports and tumor blocks were prospectively collected from the 158 pathologists of the Rhone-Alpes region. All diagnosed or suspected cases of sarcoma were collected, reviewed centrally, examined for molecular alterations and classified according to the 2002 World Health Organization classification. Of the 1287 patients screened during the study period, 748 met the criteria for inclusion in the study. The overall crude and world age-standardized incidence rates were respectively 6.2 and 4.8 per 100,000/year. Incidence rates for soft tissue, visceral and bone sarcomas were respectively 3.6, 2.0 and 0.6 per 100,000. The most frequent histological subtypes were gastrointestinal stromal tumor (18%; 1.1/100,000), unclassified sarcoma (16%; 1/100,000), liposarcoma (15%; 0.9/100,000) and leiomyosarcoma (11%; 0.7/100,000). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The observed incidence of sarcomas was higher than expected. This study is the first detailed investigation of the crude incidence of histological and molecular subtypes of sarcomas

Quaternary glacial history of the Mediterranean mountains

Glacial and periglacial landforms are widespread in the mountains of the Mediterranean region. The evidence for glacial and periglacial activity has been studied for over 120 years and it is possible to identify three phases of development in this area of research. First, a pioneer phase characterized by initial descriptive observations of glacial landforms; second, a mapping phase whereby the detailed distribution of glacial landforms and sediments have been depicted on geomorphological maps; and, third, an advanced phase characterized by detailed understanding of the geochronology of glacial sequences using radiometric dating alongside detailed sedimentological and stratigraphical analyses. It is only relatively recently that studies of glaciated mountain terrains in the Mediterranean region have reached an advanced phase and it is now clear from radiometric dating programmes that the Mediterranean mountains have been glaciated during multiple glacial cycles. The most extensive phases of glaciation appear to have occurred during the Middle Pleistocene. This represents a major shift from earlier work whereby many glacial sequences were assumed to have formed during the last cold stage. Glacial and periglacial deposits from multiple Quaternary cold stages constitute a valuable palaeoclimatic record. This is especially so in the Mediterranean mountains, since mountain glaciers in this latitudinal zone would have been particularly sensitive to changes in the global climate system. © 2006 Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd

Exploring the effects of corporate venturing on new business creation

One of the main problems of large firms is that they tend to lose their entrepreneurial orientation (EO) once they have grown.The launch of corporate ventures (CV) has been adopted by managers, and studied by scholars, as the means to create new businesses within large companies with a low level of EO. Extensive research on CV has been carried out to understand how these projects can effectively lead to new business creation. However, there are no studies on the effect of CV projects on new business creation after the project has ended. More specifically, scholars have overlooked the prospect that a CV project may continue to influence new business creation and how this is possible. This article explores how CV projects have an effect on new business creation after they end, if any.The discussion builds on the analysis of the case study of Riso Gallo, an Italian company operating in the rice industry, which developed a CV project between 1988 and 1996 to sidestep a poor EO

The emergence of organisational networks: two cases in the cultural industry

18-20 July 200

The effects of proximity on innovation driven collaborations in regional cultural clusters

24-25 gennaio 201

Il rinnovamento strategico delle medie imprese in condizioni di maturità settoriale / Renewal of strategic medium business sector in terms of maturity

Questo articolo è dedicato all’esplorazione dei modelli di comportamento strategico di successo intrapresi dalle medie imprese all’interno di settori caratterizzati da maturità. Il tema è centrale, dato che nelle economie sviluppate più di due terzi dei settori industriali presentano le caratteristiche di un settore maturo. Ciononostante, l’argomento appare piuttosto trascurato negli studi di strategia degli ultimi anni. Si è quindi deciso di affrontarlo calando la discussione nel mondo della media impresa, ove i fenomeni legati alla maturità settoriale si mostrano con maggiore intensità e, in molti casi, non solo con effetti di contrazione delle performance ma anche minacciando la sopravvivenza delle imprese stesse. A tale scopo si sono esplorati i modelli di comportamento strategico di successo in atto in un tipico settore maturo, il settore tessile italiano. Dallo studio emerge che le medie imprese possono ambire alla costruzione di vantaggi competitivi di tipo sostenibile attraverso percorsi di rinnovamento strategico tesi alla definizione di una strategia di nicchia globale e capaci di costruire sulle caratteristiche stesse assicurate dalla loro dimensione / This article is dedicated to the exploration of models of strategic behavior undertaken by the successful medium-sized enterprises in sectors with maturity. The theme is central, as in developed economies more than two-thirds of the industries exhibit the characteristics of a mature industry. Nevertheless, the argument is rather neglected in studies of strategy in recent years. It was therefore decided to deal with dropping the discussion of the average company in the world, where the phenomena related to the maturity sector to show themselves with greater intensity and, in many cases, not only with the effects of contraction of the performance, but also threatening the survival of enterprises. To this end we have explored models of strategic behavior for success in place in a typical mature industry, the Italian textile industry. The study shows that midsize companies can aspire to build sustainable competitive advantages through such strategic renewal paths leading to the definition of a global niche strategy and can build on the features themselves insured by their siz