Book Review [Romaphobia. The Last Acceptable Form of Racism, by Aydan McGarry, London: Zed Books, 2017, 294 pp]

The text of Aydan McGarry brings to light a topic which, despite its relevance in contemporary society, has not attracted much scholarly attention: Romaphobia. As the author emphasizes in the title, Romaphobia is the last acceptable form of racism; a fact that is sadly observable not only in the increasing xenophobic attacks on Roma all over Europe, but also in the general tendency of justifying and legitimizing racist comments towards this community within media and political debates

Mikey Walsh. 2010. Gypsy Boy. My Life in the Secret World of the Romany Gypsies. New York: Thomas Dunne Books St. Martin’s Press.

Gypsy Boy is the autobiographical story of Mikey Walsh, a Romani boy belonging to the Gypsy community[1] in the UK, who had to abandon his family because of his LGBTIQ identity. Throughout the book, the author describes his childhood in a Romani family, residing in caravans, moving to different campsites, earning a living via various formal and informal activities, segregated from the rest of society. Mikey’s childhood is marked from the beginning by a violent relationship with his father who, unsuccessfully, tries to make him a bare-knuckle fighter, and the difficulties of blending into the patriarchal environment in which he finds himself. Here, sex is taboo, preventing him from speaking openly about his sexuality. Gender roles are sharply defined: men are expected to fight other men, experience sex at an early age with gadjo (non-Roma) and marry a Gypsy woman a few years later, spend nights drinking in pubs talking about fights and money, and prove their virility both inside and outside their community. As a result, all forms of sexuality which fall outside this model must be hidden and rejected, with no opportunity to face them. Mikey pays the tragic price for this when he falls victim to sexual violence committed by his uncle, which his father, even when told of it, refuses to acknowledge. Only at the end of the novel does the author have the strength to escape this circle of violence and find someone willing to accept and support him

Adequate for whom? Reflections on the right to adequate housing from fieldwork on Roma inclusion in Italy

The definition of 'adequate housing', a term widely used in the protection of the related right and the development of housing policies, has never been fully questioned, despite the acknowledged importance of shelter for the well-being of the individual beyond its physical function. This article analyses the weaknesses of the current definition of this term through the findings of reflexive fieldwork conducted in Italy with Roma targeted by inclusion policies in the housing sector. Departing from the analysis of the impact of anti-gypsyism in the Italian policy context, the interviews highlight how policies constructed around ideas of adequacy focused solely on the physical structure of the dwelling contribute to the neglect of the variety of social, cultural, economic and emotional factors that affect housing choices, leading to the failure of initiatives aimed at providing adequate housing solutions

A right to home or an individual preference? The impact of the definition of home in international and European legislation on cases concerning Roma, Travellers, and Gypsies

This article analyses how the concept of home is interpreted by the European Court of Human Rights and how its definition affects the decisions on cases concerning the Right to Home of Romani individuals. The analysis is conducted departing from a series of renowned cases that have been brought in front of the European Court by individuals of Romani origin. It has often been argued that these cases are steps towards the recognition of the Romani ???special needs,??? although such narrative has already been criticized for reproducing a stereotypical idea of Roma. In opposition to this argument and in light of the academic debate on the definition of the home, this article claims that the decisions of the Court are mainly based on the association between the home and a sense of stability, which fails to recognize other ideas of the home. The article, though, also highlights possible evolutions in the jurisprudence of the Court emerging from latter cases which may result in a reinforcement of the housing rights of these groups

Sweet cherries from the end of the world: options and constraints for fruit production systems in South Patagonia, Argentina

Tesis para obtener el grado de Philosophical Doctor (PhD), de la Wageningen University, en 2007North Patagonia (Neuquén and Río Negro Provinces), and in particular the upper valley of Río Negro, is a traditional region of fruit production. Here most of the Argentinean apples and pears are produced. However, in South Patagonia (Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego Provinces), development of this agricultural sector has been rather limited and concerns almost exclusively the production of sweet cherry, with an area increase from 176 ha in 1997 to 578 ha at the end of 2006. These new orchards are all designed as intensive systems (modern training systems with high planting density, drip irrigation systems and sprinkler irrigation as frost control method) and planted with cultivars that potentially produce high quality fruit, suitable for export markets. Growers from the Lower Valley of Chubut River, Los Antiguos, Sarmiento and Comodoro Rivadavia have been exporting sweet cherries to Europe for some time. Concurrently, provincial organisations and INTA (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria) were convinced of the possibilities to expand sweet cherry production and have been supporting the development of this crop through applied research and extension. Diversification towards other fruit-tree crops has not really developed, neither does policy promote it. Different fruit crops need packing facilities and labour at different times of the season, and they have similar commercial canals and logistic knowledge requirements. Hence, even though sweet cherry seems currently the most profitable crop in the region, other fruit crops may be interesting to increase the use efficiency of the available resources, to complement income and to spread risk. The general objective of this study was to assess constraints and opportunities for fruit production systems in Chubut and Santa Cruz Provinces (South Patagonia, Argentina). Nevertheless, emphasis was on sweet cherry, because this is currently the most important fruit-tree crop, while at the same time many important aspects, such as yield and quality potential of - and frost damage risk to - this crop are poorly understood. In the context of cherry production for export, it is important to define fruit quality and how this can be affected. Although quality has different meanings for different stakeholders (producers, distributors, consumers, etc.) consumer acceptance seems to be the most important factor to be considered. Several parameters can be used to estimate indirectly consumer acceptance, but independent of consumer liking,La Patagonia Norte (Provincias de Neuquén y Río Negro), y en particular el Alto Valle de Río Negro, es la región donde tradicionalmente se producen frutas. Aquí se producen la mayoría de las manzanas y peras argentinas. Sin embargo, en Patagonia Sur (Provincias de Chubut, Santa Cruz y Tierra del Fuego), el desarrollo de este sector agrícola ha estado bastante limitado y concerniente casi exclusivamente a la producción de cerezas, con un incremento en área de 176 ha en 1997 a 578 ha a finales de 2006. Estos nuevos montes han sido diseñados como sistemas intensivos (sistemas modernos de conducción con alta densidad de plantación, sistemas de riego por goteo, y riego por aspersión como método de control de heladas) y plantados con cultivares que potencialmente producen fruta de alta calidad, apropiada para mercados de exportación. Desde hace algún tiempo, productores del Valle Inferior del Río Chubut, Los Antiguos, Sarmiento y Comodoro Rivadavia han estado exportando cerezas a Europa. Al mismo tiempo, organizaciones provinciales y el INTA (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria) han estado convencidos sobre las posibilidades de expansión de la producción de cerezas y han estado apoyando el desarrollo de este cultivo mediante investigación aplicada y extensión. La diversificación hacia otros cultivos frutícolas arbóreos realmente no ha empezado a desarrollarse, ni tampoco ha habido una política de promoción en ese sentido. Diferentes cultivos frutícolas requieren mano de obra e instalaciones de empaque en diferentes momentos de la temporada, y tienen similares canales comerciales y requerimientos de conocimiento sobre logística. Por lo tanto, a pesar de que el cerezo parece ser hoy en día el cultivo más rentable en la región, otros cultivos frutícolas podrían ser interesantes para incrementar la eficiencia de uso de los recursos disponibles, como así también para complementar el ingreso y para disminuir el riesgo. El objetivo general de este estudio fue evaluar las restricciones y oportunidades para los sistemas de producción de frutas en las Provincias de Chubut y Santa Cruz (Patagonia Sur, Argentina). No obstante, el énfasis fue puesto en el cerezo, debido a que hoy en día es el cultivo frutícola arbóreo más importante, mientras que al mismo tiempo hay una insuficiente comprensión sobre muchos aspectos importantes, tales como el potencial de rendimiento y de calidad, y el riesgo de daño por heladas.Noord Patagonia (de provincies Neuquén en Rio Negro), en in het bijzonder het stroomopwaartse gedeelte van de vallei waardoor de Rio Negro stroomt, is traditioneel gezien de regio waar fruit wordt geproduceerd. Hier komen de meeste appels en peren vandaan die in Argentinië worden geproduceerd. De ontwikkeling van deze landbouwsector is in Zuid Patagonia (de provincies Chubut, Santa Cruz en Tierra del Fuego) achtergebleven en beperkt zich hoofdzakelijk tot de productie van kersen. Het areaal onder kersen is van 1997 tot het einde van 2006 wel gegroeid van 176 ha tot 578 ha. Deze nieuwe boomgaarden zijn allemaal ontworpen als intensieve systemen, gekenmerkt door hoge plantdichtheden, moderne snoeimethoden, druppelirrigatiesystemen en sproeiinstallaties ter voorkoming van nachtvorstschade. De gebruikte cultivars zijn potentieel hoog producerend met kersen van goede kwaliteit, geschikt voor de exportmarkt. Fruittelers uit de Lower Valley van de Chubut River, Los Antiguos, Sarmiento en Comodoro Rivadavia exporteren al enige tijd kersen naar Europa. Bovendien waren provinciale organisaties en INTA (Instituto Nacional de Tecnologica Agropecuaria, het nationale onderzoeksinstituut) overtuigd van de mogelijkheden voor uitbreiding van de kersenproductie en hebben de ontwikkeling van deze teelt gestimuleerd door toegepast onderzoek en voorlichting. Diversifiëren van de fruitteelt door teelt van andere vruchten dan alleen kersen is niet echt op gang gekomen en wordt ook niet geopromoot door de overheid. Wanneer verschillende fruitsoorten in één bedrijf zouden worden verbouwd, zouden bestaande verpakkingsfaciliteiten en aanwezige arbeid gedurende langere tijd gebruikt kunnen worden, terwijl dezelfde logistieke kennis en kanalen voor vermarkten gebruikt zouden kunnen worden. Hoewel kersenteelt op dit moment het meest winstgevend lijkt in deze regio, kan de teelt van andere soorten fruit interessant zijn om de efficiëntie van gebruik van faciliteiten en arbeid te verhogen. Bovendien kan teelt van verschillende soorten fruit het risico verminderen en het inkomen van fruittelers complementeren. De algemene doelstelling van deze studie was het verkennen van beperkingen en mogelijkheden voor fruitproductiesystemen in de provincies Chubut and Santa Cruz (Zuid Patagonia, Argentinië). Toch lag het accent op kersenteelt, omdat deze teelt op dit moment het belangrijkst is en er tegelijkertijd nog weinig bekend is over veel aspecten van de teelt, zoals het potentieel aan opbrengst en kwaliteit, en het risico van vorstschade.EEA ChubutFil: Cittadini, Eduardo Daniel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Chubut. Grupo de Fruticultura; Argentin

Development of a simulation model for potential production of sweet cherry: its usefulness to analyse planting density

Tesis para obtener el grado de Magíster Scientiae Crop Sciences, Production Ecology, de la Wageningen University, en 2002A simulation model for potential production of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) was developed using information from literature. Parameterisation was done using values from literature and experimental measurements. An experiment with four different densities (2051, 2564, 3419 and 5128 trees ha-1) in two cultivars (Karina and Regina) was evaluated to (1) obtain the values of some parameters and (2) to (partially) test the model. The main objectives of the research were: 1) To understand and explain yield differences between combinations of densities and cultivars from an ecophysiological point of view. 2) To find out if a mechanistic model for sweet cherry can explain yield differences due to planting densities. 3) To study if light interception is the main parameter explaining yield differences. 4) To estimate which is the optimum LAI (and light interception) to maximise fruit production. In the experiment, both LAI and fruit production did not differ between treatments, suggesting that intra-specific competition compensated the effect of differences in planting density. In both the experiment and in the simulations in the conditions of the experiment, no reduction of fresh weight of individual fruits was observed under any yield value. This situation would indicate that potential sweet cherry production is generally limited by reproductive sink strength, therefore being more sensitive to flower bud differentiation and fruit-set rather than to light interception. The model was suitable to explain the main mechanisms of fruit production, even considering that prediction of absolute values could not be properly tested. A LAI-value between 4 and 5 and about 40 fruits per m2 of leaf area seem to be good targets to optimise fruit production without detrimental effects in fresh weight of individual fruits.EEA ChubutFil: Cittadini, Eduardo Daniel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Chubut. Grupo de Fruticultura; Argentin

FLIP the (Flow) table: Fast lightweight policy-preserving SDN updates

We propose FLIP, a new algorithm for SDN network updates that preserve forwarding policies. FLIP builds upon the dualism between replacements and additions of switch flow-table rules. It identifies constraints on rule replacements and additions that independently prevent policy violations from occurring during the update. Moreover, it keeps track of alternative constraints, avoiding the same policy violation. Then, it progressively explores the solution space by swapping constraints with their alternatives, until it reaches a satisfiable set of constraints. Extensive simulations show that FLIP outperforms previous proposals. It achieves a much higher success rate than algorithms based on rule replacements only, and massively reduces the memory overhead with respect to techniques solely relying on rule additions

Fruit dry weight and quality of 'bing' sweet cherries grown without source limitations

Understanding the seasonal pattern of potential fruit growth is important for identification and timing of possible management operations, and quantification of this pattern is an important prerequisite to serve as input for crop growth models. `Bing¿ sweet cherry trees were heavily thinned at 63 degree-days (DD) (=8 days) after full bloom so weight and quality of the remaining fruit could be monitored under conditions of limiting and non-limiting carbohydrate supply. The effect of fruit thinning on mean shoot growth and trunk cross-sectional area also was analysed to detect possible translocation from reproductive to vegetative growth. Mean Fruit Dry Weight (MFDW) of tagged fruit was estimated weekly, based on fruit diameter, to identify the moment of the onset of competition between fruit within trees. At harvest, Fruit Number to Leaf Area Ratio (FNLAR, fruits m-2 LA) was 52% lower in heavily-thinned trees than in non-thinned trees. Yield per tree was higher (

Safe, Efficient, and Robust SDN Updates by Combining Rule Replacements and Additions

IEEE Disruption-free updates are a key primitive to effectively operate SDN networks and maximize the benefits of their programmability. In this paper, we study how to implement this primitive safely (with respect to forwarding correctness and policies), efficiently (in terms of consumed network resources) and robustly to unpredictable factors, such as delayed message delivery and processing. First, we analyze the fundamental limitations of prior proposals, which either: 1) progressively replace initial flow rules with new ones or 2) instruct switches to maintain both initial and final rules. Second, we show that safe, efficient, and robust updates can be achieved by leveraging a more general approach. We indeed unveil a dualism between rule replacements and additions that opens new degrees of freedom for supporting SDN updates. Third, we demonstrate how to build upon this dualism. We propose FLIP, an algorithm that computes operational sequences combining the efficiency of rule replacements with the applicability of rule additions. FLIP identifies constraints on rule replacements and additions that independently prevent safety violations from occurring during the update. Then, it explores the solution space by swapping constraints that prevent the same safety violations, until it reaches a satisfiable set of constraints. Fourth, we perform extensive simulations, showing that FLIP can significantly outperform prior work. In the average case, it guarantees a much higher success rate than algorithms only based on rule replacements, and massively reduces the memory overhead needed by techniques solely using rule additions

Growth hormone in heart failure revisited: An old story retold

Heart failure (HF) is a disease characterized by increasing prevalence, huge direct and indirect costs, and an ominous prognosis, worse than many cancers. At the beginning of the 90s, growth hormone (GH) was proposed as potential adjunctive therapy in HF mostly due to its growth-promoting, vasodilating, and anti-apoptotic actions. However, although several uncontrolled clinical studies showed that GH therapy improved several cardiovascular parameters, two robust trials failed to confirm these findings. Dwelling upon potential explanations for such apparent discrepancy led to the hypothesis that HF patients exhibit an inhomogeneous basal activity of the GH/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) axis, ranging from GH/IGF-1 deficiency to GH resistance. This complex phenomenon was then reconsidered in the context of the so-called multiple hormone deficiency syndrome (MHD), that is the recognition that HF is characterized not only by the hyperactivation of several signaling pathways including the adrenergic, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and cytokine systems, but also by a reduced anabolic drive leading to a state of anabolic/catabolic imbalance. Mounting evidence support the concept that such imbalance is not a mere epiphenomen, since it exerts a significant impact on clinical performance and more importantly, on survival. Therefore, the paradigm shift to reconsider HF as MHD represented the underpinning to implement clinical trials focused on hormone replacement therapies in congestive heart failure (CHF). With regard to GH replacement therapy, one controlled single-blind study yielded promising results, and we are currently conducting a double-blind controlled trial, as well a large Registry study to evaluate the impact of MHD on HF progression