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Pesticides governance is at the centre of a thick web of interests and values. The use of pesticides is coessential to the prevailing model of agricultural production, thus playing an important role in the provision of stable food supplies globally. Pesticides are also a highly remunerative business: in 2019, the global pesticides market has reached a value of nearly 84.5 billion $. 1On the other hand, pesticides are chemical compounds that may pose substantial risks to both human health and the environment, including biodiversity. 2Hence, their regulation entails striking a delicate balance between political, economic and public health and environmental considerations. Critically, all three are heavily informed by scientific evidence, with the consequence that regulatory-scientific expertise plays a key role in pesticides’ legal and regulatory governance, in particular when it comes to their risk assessment.

The Dry Andes region of Argentina and Chile is characterized by a highly developed periglacial environment. In these arid or semi-arid regions, rock glaciers represent one of the main pieces of evidence of mountain creeping permafrost and water reserves in a solid state. However, their distribution, degree of activity, and response to global warming are not yet well understood. In this context, this work aims to show the potential of the Sentinel-1-based interferometric technique (DInSAR) to map active rock glaciers at a regional level. In particular, the paper presents an active rock glacier inventory for the study area, which covers approximately 40,000 km2, ranging from latitude 30°210S to 33°210S. A total of 2116 active rock glaciers have been detected, and their elevations show a high correlation with the west-east direction. This result was obtained by using only 16 interferometric pairs. Compared to other remote sensing classification techniques, the interferometric technique offers a means to measure surface displacement (active rock glacier). This results in a reliable classification of the degree of activity compared to other methods, based on geomorphological, geomorphometric, and/or ecological criteria. This work presents evidence of this aspect by comparing the obtained results with existing optical data-based inventories. We conclude that the combination of both types of sensors (radar and optical) is an appropriate procedure for active rock glacier inventories, as both mapping methodologies are complementary. © 2018 by the authors.

NRAS mutations occur in 3-5% of colorectal cancer. Differently from KRAS and BRAF mutations, the role of NRAS mutations as prognostic and predictive markers in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has been investigated to a lesser extent. A retrospective series suggested the role of NRAS mutations as predictors of resistance to anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) in chemo-refractory patients with mCRC. In our study, KRAS codons 12, 13, 61 and BRAF codon 600 mutational status were evaluated in mCRCs referred to our Institution from 2009 to 2012. NRAS codons 12, 13 and 61 mutational status was analyzed in KRAS/BRAF wt patients. We collected pathological and clinical features in the overall population and outcome data in a subset of NRAS mutated chemo-refractory patients treated with anti-EGFR MoAbs in advanced lines. NRAS was mutated in 47/786 (6%) mCRCs. NRAS and KRAS mutated tumors did not show significant differences in terms of clinical and pathological characteristics, except for a lower prevalence of mucinous histology (p = 0.012) and lung metastases (p = 0.012) among NRAS mutated tumors. In the uni- and multivariate model, NRAS mutations were associated with shorter overall survival (OS) compared to all wt patients (median OS 25.6 vs 42.7 months; univ: HR = 1.91, 95% CI 1.39-3.86, p = 0.0013; multiv: HR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.1.3-2.72, p = 0.013). None of the chemo-refractory NRAS mutated patients evaluable for response to anti-EGFRs achieved response. In conclusion, NRAS mutations have a relevant incidence in patients with mCRC and showed an association with specific clinical and pathological features. NRAS mutations affect mCRC patients' prognosis and predict lack of response to anti-EGFRs.

As part of the preparation of the PS as an injector for the LHC, a prototype 20 MHz rf system has been used, to demonstrate that the nominal longitudinal performance of the proton beam for LHC can be obtained using multiple bunch-splittings. Based on these successful results obtained during 2000, the development of the operational rf system began in 2001. To allow the preparation of bunch trains with a bunch spacing of 25 or 75 ns, this system must operate either at 20 or 13.3 MHz respectively. Two new ferrite cavities and their associated amplifiers have been designed and built. Each one can provide a maximum voltage of 20 kV peak during 200 ms with a 10% duty cycle. The cavities are equipped with fast (~20 ms) gap shorting relays, and rf feedback reduces their Q below 10 at both frequencies. A single system is sufficient to generate the nominal beam for LHC. The second one will then be both a "hot spare" and a very valuable performance enhancement providing the possibility of handling a larger than nominal emittance or generating bunch trains with different spacings in the same PS supercycle. The design and the results measured on the final device are described and discussed.

The LHC injection kicker is made by a lumped element delay line using capacitors and single turn inductors. For these inductors different types of ferrites (Philips 8C11 and 4A4) are considered. At the time when this report was written only 4A4 ferrite was available for a prototype kicker construction, as well as for impedance measurements by the wire method. The 4A4 ferrite comes in standard blocks (42 x 54 x 74 mm) which are quite expensive, so there were virtually no spare blocks available which could be machined for use in the standard coaxial technique. Thus we have developed a strip-line test jig which permits testing material parameters on existing ferrite blocks without additional (destructive) machining. Special aspects, advantages and difficulties of this method are discussed. The bench measurements and also theoretical and numerical estimates of the beam coupling impedance of the kickers are under way.

An estimate of the resistive losses in the LHC beam screen is given from cold surface resistance measurements using the shielded pair technique, with particular emphasis on the effect of a high magnetic field. Two different copper coating methods, namely electro-deposition and co-lamination, have been evaluated. Experimental data are compared with theories including the anomalous skin effect and the magneto-resistance effect. It is shown whether the theory underestimates or not the losses depends strongly on the RRR value, on the magnetic field and on the surface characteristics. In the pessimistic case and for nominal machine parameters, the estimated beam-induced resistive wall heating can be as large as 260 mW/m for two circulating beams.

A time resolved experiment to measure the photoelectron production was carried out at the EPA machine (Electron-Positron Accumulator for LEP)[1] in June 1998. We used an existing synchrotron radiation beam line with a stainless steel test chamber[2] and irradiated the inner surface of the test chamber to produce photoelectrons. The generated photoelectrons were collected by an electrode and analysed by an oscilloscope. In this report we discuss the experimental layout and present the results of the data analysis.

In this paper we demonstrate that a thin layer of metallization on the inner surface of the ceramic pipe in an abort kicker will provide an effective way to screen the kicker's magnets from the electr omagnetic fields generated by the LHC bunches. The other objective of this paper was to measure the kicker impedance in a wide frequency range (up to 1 GHz).

In connection with electron-cloud induced heating of the LHC beam screen, multipacting tests with a resonant coaxial cavity have been successfully performed in presence of a solenoid and a dipole magn etic field. We have developed a simple and reliable technique, based on amplitude modulation of the input signal, to detect electronically the onset of multipacting and to monitor the field and power level in the resonator. Several multipacting patterns have been systematically investigated under the effect of a variable DC-bias applied to the inner conductor of the coaxial setup. The results at r oom temperature are qualitatively similar to those obtained during cold tests (below 20 K in a cryostat) with a dipole magnetic field up to 7.5 T. A weak solenoid field of about 50 Gauss is usually su fficient to stop the multipacting, but the same longitudinal field is ineffective in presence of a strong vertical dipole field (up to 1.5 T). We have also measured the rise time of the multipacting v ersus the intensity of the solenoid field. Moreover, a substantial decrease of the multipacting threshold is observed when the dipole magnetic field has an intensity such that the electron cyclotron f requency is equal to the resonant frequency of the coaxial cavity.

Synchrotron radiation from proton bunches in the LHC creates photoelectrons at the beam screen wall. These photoelectrons are accelerated towards the positively charged proton bunch and drift across t he beam pipe between successive bunches.When they hit the opposite wall, they generate secondary electrons which can in turn be accelerated by the next bunch if they are slow enough to survive. We sum marize the results of an intensive research program set up atCERN and discuss recent multipacting tests as well as the importance of several key parameters, such as photon reflectivity, photoelectron and secondary electron yield.Then, based on analytic estimates and simulation results, we discuss possible solutions to avoid the fast build-up of an electron cloud with potential implications for bea m stability and heat load on the cryogenic system.

Si ricorda anzitutto che il diritto all’esistenza libera e dignitosa previsto dalla Costituzione italiana, dalla Carta sociale europea e dalla Carta dei diritti fondamentali dell’UE comporta il diritto all’assistenza nelle situazioni di bisogno che ognuno può vivere durante la propria esperienza di vita. Si approfondisce anche la distinzione tra i contenuti minimi del diritto all’assistenza sociale ricavabili da tali norme e i livelli essenziali delle prestazioni dell’assistenza sociale che devono essere assicurati su tutto il territorio nazionale, anche con finanziamenti statali. Nella situazione italiana in cui i bisogni cre- scono e i fondi scarseggiano tale diritto non è assicurato a tutti, né dallo Stato, né dalle Regioni e dai Comuni, né da enti del privato sociale agevolati dai pubblici poteri, sia perché le agevolazioni fiscali e i trasferimenti monetari sono insufficienti a garantire livelli minimi di sussistenza, tali da far uscire dalle situazioni di povertà e di indigenza cronica, sia perché i livelli essenziali delle prestazioni concernenti l’assistenza sociale non sono stati ancora determinati per tutti i settori, sia per la loro complessa o scarsa prevedibilità (in cui però scelte tecniche e scelte politiche sono strettamente collegate), sia per la loro indubbia ricaduta finanziaria ritenuta incompatibile con le necessità finanziarie statali collegate alla crisi economica, o sono stabiliti da leggi statali troppo vaghe o poco attuate. A tale mancata determinazione generale tentano di sopperire misure legislative assistenziali disposte con leggi statali di dubbia legittimità costituzionale, sia altri strumenti politico-tecnici, tra cui il nuovo ISEE, il nomenclatore nazionale dei servizi, la determinazione dei fabbisogni standard delle funzioni fondamentali dei Comuni in materia di gestione dei servizi sociali a livello locale, che potrebbe finalmente costituire il presupposto per un sistema nazionale omogeneo dell’assistenza sociale

È noto che il locus standi dei singoli innanzi alla Corte di giustizia è sottoposto a condizioni stringenti dal diritto primario (solo tangenzialmente modificate dalla riforma di Lisbona), rispetto alle quali la giurisprudenza sovranazionale – nonostante le aperture mostrate in pronunce di primo grado e da alcuni Avvocati generali – ha sin qui adottato un approccio di particolare rigore. Quanto appena detto acquista poi ancor più rilievo con riferimento alla tutela apprestata rispetto alle politiche di austerity adottate per fare fronte alla crisi economico-finanziaria che ha colpito i Paesi UE a partire dal 2008. In questo caso, peraltro, non si pone solo, una questione di accesso alla giustizia, determinata tanto dal limitato locus standi di cui i singoli beneficiano quanto dalla natura delle misure controverse e dal loro legame con l’ordinamento UE. Ad emergere è pure il tema relativo all’ampiezza della cognizione esercitabile dai giudici di Lussemburgo su tali misure, di norma concepite come strumenti adottati per il perseguimento di un interesse generale asseritamente superiore (in ultimo riconducibile alla sopravvivenza della zona euro) e spesso caratterizzate da una forte connotazione di matrice tecnica. Il presente lavoro intende analizzare questi due profili, contribuendo in tal modo a ricostruire i limiti – strutturali e sostanziali – all’accesso alla giustizia sovranazionale in subiecta materia.