The seasonal characteristics of the breeze circulation at a coastal Mediterranean site in South Italy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Federico, S.; Pasqualoni, L.; Sempreviva, Anna Maria

2010-01-01

We present a study on the characteristics of the sea breeze flow at a coastal site located in the centre of the Mediterranean basin at the southern tip of Italy. This study is finalized to add new data on breeze circulations over a narrow peninsula and present a unique experimental coastal site...... at about 600 m from the coastline in a flat open area at the foot of a mountain chain located in a region of complex orography. We study the seasonal behaviour of the sea-land breeze circulation by analysing two years of hourly data of wind speed and direction, temperature, radiation and relative humidity...

Trends and Extremes Analysis of Daily Weather Data from a Site in the Capitanata Plain (Southern Italy

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Domenico Vitale

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The impacts of the climate change for agriculture is an ambitious and unresolved topic due to the complexity of the natural phenomena. The high variability of the Mediterranean basin does not allow us to generalize with enough certainty the results obtained from other researches and other locations. Therefore, a site specific analysis in Capitanata plain was conducted. The aim is to provide a detailed picture of recent change in climate regime in one of the most important agricultural area of South Italy. Climate analysis was carried out and several indices of extreme events were studied on the basis of temperature and precipitation observations registered at experimental station ‘Podere 124’ (CRA-SCA. The period under study is 1979-2008. Increasing trends were identified for the summer season with an intensification of the number of heat waves.

Reasonable research expenditure in Italy. An assessment model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pieri, G.

2001-01-01

The percentage of GDP expenses for Research in Italy is commonly thought paltry but it is not so easy to establish which level of expenditure is reasonable for our industrial development and our international role. A direct comparison with other different economic systems can be misleading and the simple claim for an adjustment to the percentages of the greater investors can turn out to be too much ambitious and also ineffective objective. In order to stimulate a debate on such important topic, just as basic argument, it is proposed a simple model developed starting from projects profitability [it

Non-communicable diseases: mapping research funding organisations, funding mechanisms and research practices in Italy and Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephani, Victor; Sommariva, Silvia; Spranger, Anne; Ciani, Oriana

2017-10-02

Evidence shows that territorial borders continue to have an impact on research collaboration in Europe. Knowledge of national research structural contexts is therefore crucial to the promotion of Europe-wide policies for research funding. Nevertheless, studies assessing and comparing research systems remain scarce. This paper aims to further the knowledge on national research landscapes in Europe, focusing on non-communicable disease (NCD) research in Italy and Germany. To capture the architecture of country-specific research funding systems, a three-fold strategy was adopted. First, a literature review was conducted to determine a list of key public, voluntary/private non-profit and commercial research funding organisations (RFOs). Second, an electronic survey was administered qualifying RFOs. Finally, survey results were integrated with semi-structured interviews with key opinion leaders in NCD research. Three major dimensions of interest were investigated - funding mechanisms, funding patterns and expectations regarding outputs. The number of RFOs in Italy is four times larger than that in Germany and the Italian research system has more project funding instruments than the German system. Regarding the funding patterns towards NCD areas, in both countries, respiratory disease research resulted as the lowest funded, whereas cancer research was the target of most funding streams. The most reported expected outputs of funded research activity were scholarly publication of articles and reports. This cross-country comparison on the Italian and German research funding structures revealed substantial differences between the two systems. The current system is prone to duplicated research efforts, popular funding for some diseases and intransparency of research results. Future research will require addressing the need for better coordination of research funding efforts, even more so if European research efforts are to play a greater role.

Nuclear engineering aspects of glioma BNCT research in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curzio, G.; Mazzini, M.

1998-01-01

A research project on Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCZ) of gliomas has been set up in Italy, with the participation of Departments of Oncology and Mechanical and Nuclear Construction (DCMN) of the University of Pisa, as well as the Neuroscience and Physics Departments of the Universities of Roma. The specific objective of DCMN Research Unit is the study of the physical-engineering aspects related to BNCT. The paper outlines the research lines in progress at DCMN: Monte Carlo calculations of neutron dose distribution for BNCT treatment planning; measurements of neutron fluxes, spectra and doses by neutron detectors specifically set up; design of modifications to the nuclear reactors of ENEA Casaccia Center. In particular, the paper emphasizes the most original contributions on dosimetric aspects, both from informatic and experimental points of view.(author)

Schemes of Funding Music Research in Italy: A Case Study in Comparison with other European Countries

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Carolyn Gianturco

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The awareness of the central government and other supportive agencies in Italy as to the need for research to be accomplished in music and music history in that country is determined by first stating what that support has been for such research in the 1990s, together with its accessibility to groups and/or individuals working in that field, and then reporting how such aid has been reduced in the more recent times of financial crises. In order to assess Italy’s position not in isolation but more realistically by considering it within a broader geographical frame, the same investigation has been accomplished for a group of other culturally developed countries in Europe which offer sufficient areas of comparison: Spain, France, England, Germany. Sadly, Italy does not come off well. Perhaps surprisingly but still sadly this is shown not to be due to the present financial crises but to a long-standing absence of respect for the entire musical history of the country and for the need that it be known and understood thoroughly. In short, the government in Italy seems not to have been sufficiently aware of its responsibility to acknowledge and preserve its musical patrimony by adequately supporting research which aims at uncovering the country’s rich past, understanding it, and thereby making it available to professional performing musicians and, through them, also to the people of Italy and the rest of the world.

Chemical weathering of palaeosols from the Lower Palaeolithic site of Valle Giumentina, central Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Degeai, Jean-Philippe; Villa, Valentina; Chaussé, Christine; Pereira, Alison; Nomade, Sébastien; Aureli, Daniele; Pagli, Marina; Nicoud, Elisa

2018-03-01

The major archaeological site of Valle Giumentina (Abruzzo) contains a well-dated Lower Palaeolithic pedosedimentary sequence that provides an excellent opportunity to study the relationships among soil weathering, volcanism and climate change at the glacial/interglacial and submillennial timescales in central Italy and the Mediterranean area during the Middle Pleistocene, as well as the human-environment interactions of some of the earliest settlements in central southern Europe. High-resolution analyses of geochemistry and magnetic susceptibility revealed the presence of eleven palaeosols, ten of which (S2-S11) were formed between 560 and 450 ka based on 40Ar/39Ar dating of sanidine in tephras, i.e. spanning marine isotope stages (MIS) 14-12. The evolution of the major and trace element composition suggests that the palaeosols were mainly formed by in situ weathering of the parent material. The major phases of soil weathering occurred during the MIS 13 interglacial period (S8 and S6) as well as during episodes of rapid environmental change associated with millennial climatic oscillations during the MIS 14 and 12 glaciations (S11 and S2, respectively). Although global forcing such as orbital variations, solar radiation, and greenhouse gas concentrations may have influenced the pedogenic processes, the volcanism in central Italy, climate change in the central Mediterranean, and tectono-sedimentary evolution of the Valle Giumentina basin also impacted and triggered the formation of most palaeosols, which provided subsistence resources for the Lower Palaeolithic human communities. This study highlights the importance of having high-resolution palaeoenvironmental records with accurate chronology as close as possible to archaeological sites to study human-environment interactions.

Italy, EURATOM and Early Research on Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion (1957-1962)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curli, Barbara

2017-01-01

This chapter traces the early origins of European collaboration in controlled thermonuclear fusion research, within the larger picture of Cold War nuclear policy in the late 1950s-early 1960s, and as a consequence of the signing of the EURATOM treaty in 1957. It then presents some preliminary findings on the Association contract which was signed in 1960 between EURATOM and Italy, in order to carry out research in controlled thermonuclear fusion at the then newly created 'Laboratori nazionali di Frascati', near Rome, within the framework of the Comitato Nazionale Energia Nucleare (CNEN), the Italian civilian nuclear energy agency.

The Vie Cave Geomorphological Site in Southern Tuscany (Italy: Problems of Decay and Conservation

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Elena Pecchioni

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The Vie Cave are a suggestive network of roads deeply entrenched in the rock, dating back to the Etruscan civilization; these ancient roads connect various settlements and necropolises existing mainly in the area of Sovana, Sorano and Pitigliano towns (Southern Tuscany, Italy. The Vie Cave are located in a peculiar geomorphological site, characterized by the presence of extensive pyroclastic deposits, which have been incised by a parallel network of deep gorges. In this paper, the geomorphological, geological and lithological setting of the Vie Cave area, where several Etruscan archaeological sites are found, are described. The precarious stability of the Vie Cave walls and the several archaeological structures carved into them, the high grade of decay shown by the constituent materials, together with the dense vegetation that has developed over the rocky scarps, are taken into account with the aim to provide a complete assessment of the conditions in which the site lies. Finally, we propose some targeted actions related to the preservation of this territory, showing so distinctive morphology, in order to protect the area from further decay to which it would be subjected if it remained abandoned.

Microgravity vertical gradient measurement in the site of VIRGO interferometric antenna (Pisa plain, Italy

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F. Fidecaro

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The site of the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO located in the countryside near Pisa (Tuscany, Italy was investigated by a microgravity vertical gradient (MVG survey. The EGO site houses the VIRGO interferometric antenna for gravitational waves detection. The microgravity survey aims to highlight the gravity anomalies of high-frequency related to more superficial geological sources in order to obtain a detailed model of the lithologic setting of the VIRGO site, that will allow an estimate of the noise induced by seismic waves and by Newtonian interference. This paper presents the results of the gradiometric survey of 2006 in the area of the interferometric antenna. MVG measurements allow us to enhance the high frequency signal strongly associated with the shallow structures. The gradient gravity map shows a main negative pattern that seems related to the trending of the high density layer of gravel that was evidenced in geotechnical drillings executed along the orthogonal arms during the construction of the VIRGO complex. Calibrating the relationship between the vertical gradient and the depth of the gravel interface we have computed a model of gravity gradient for the whole VIRGO site, defining the 3D distribution of the top surface of this layer. This latter shows a NE-SW negative pattern that may represent a palaeo-bed alluvial of the Serchio from the Bientina River system.

Multidisciplinary Investigations embedded in a photogrammatric three dimensional survey in an archaeological site and St Peter and Paul Church in Agro Valley (Messina, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Crupi, Vincenza; D'Amico, Sebastiano; Majolino, Domenico; Paladini, Giuseppe; Persico, Raffaele; Saccone, Mauro; Spagnolo, Grazia; Venuti, Valentina

2017-04-01

In the framework of the National School "Science and Cultural Heritage: from Non-Invasive Analysis to 3D Recostruction" (19-23 September 2016, Messina-Valle d'Agrò, Italy), organized by the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Physical Sciences and Earth Sciences of the University of Messina, in co-opeartion with the Department of Geosciences of the University of Malta and in agreement with the Regional Order of Geologists of Sicily, non-invasive investigations have been performed aimed at the exploitation, fruition and safeguard of the archaeological site of Scifì and the St Peter and Paul Church in Agro Valley. Different georadar prospections [1-2] were carried out at both sites. Prospections have been performed by using a Ris-Hi mode system equipped with a dual antenna at the central frequencies of 200 and 600 MHz [3], and made along an orthogonal grid with 40 cm spacing. Data processing involved a zero timing, background removal on all tracks, a gain in-depth, a one-dimensional Butterworth filtering and a Kirchoff migration. Measurements of ambient vibrations were also performed [4-5], that revealed the absence of remarkable side heterogeneities, or large impedance contrasts associated surface stratigraphy. Measurements were also taken to measure the natural frequency of the church. In the two investigated sites, we also conducted spectroscopic investigations. The analysis was mainly focused on the study of variations, in terms of elemental composition by means of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements as well as Raman spectrospopy which allow to determine the elemental composition of the sample under investigation. In addition, several images (by means of drones) were also collected in order to create a detailed 3D model for each site the ultimate goal of creating a digital archive for the virtual use of sites of interest. References [1] M. Pieraccini, L. Noferini, D. Mecatti, C. Atzeni, R. Persico, F. Soldovieri, Advanced Processing Techniques

Ethnophytotherapeutical research in the high Molise region (Central-Southern Italy

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Lucchese Fernando

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the years 2003–2005 research was carried out concerning ethno-medicine in the high Molise (central- southern Italy, a region that has been the object of very little investigation from the ethnobotanical point of view. Upper Molise is a continuation of the mountain profiles of the Abruzzi Appenines: a series of hills, steep slopes and deep fluvial valleys making communications difficult. Primordial traditions (e.g. harvest feasts are typical of the region. Methods Field data were collected through open interviews in the field. These were conducted on both an individual and group level, fresh plants gathered from surrounding areas being displayed. In other cases, individual interviews were conducted by accompanying the person involved to the places where they perform their activities (for example, in the woods with woodcutters, kitchen gardens and fields with housewives, pastures with shepherds, etc.. In total 54 individuals were interviewed. Results Data of 70 taxa belonging to 39 families were gathered. Among the species, 64 are used in human therapy, 5 as insect repellents, 11 in veterinary medicine, 1 to keep eggs and cheeses and 4 for magic purposes. The most important findings in ethno-medicine relate to the lichen Lobaria pulmonaria (L. Hoffm. (wounds and to some vascular plant species: Asplenium trichomanes L. and Ceterach officinarum Willd. (to regularize menstruation, Cyclamen hederifolium (chilblains, Centaurium erythraea Rafn. and Pulmonaria apennina Cristof. & Puppi (bruises, while in the ethno-veterinary field, we have Valeriana officinalis L. (wounds sustained by mules. Also worthy of note, given the isolation of the area, is the number of plants used to protect foodstuffs from parasites, among which Allium sativum L. and Capsicum frutescens L. Conclusion The research revealed a deep-rooted and widespread habit of husbanding the family's resources. Whilst isolation and snowfalls contributed to the widespread

Diagnostic analysis of stone materials from underwater excavations: the case study of the Roman archaeological site of Baia (Naples, Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aloise, P.; Ricca, M.; La Russa, M.F.; Ruffolo, S.A.; Crisci, G.M.; Belfiore, C.M.; Padeletti, G.

2014-01-01

This work belongs to the framework of the national research project ''COMAS'' (Planned COnservation, ''in situ'', of underwater archaeological artifacts), funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR), concerning the submarine archaeological area of Baia (Naples, Italy). The site includes remains of the ancient cities of Baiae and Portus Iulius, which, since the 4th century AD, started to be submerged because of the bradyseism phenomenon. The work aims to the characterization of four different types of stone materials collected from the site, specifically marbles, limestones, ignimbrites, and bricks, in order to investigate their state of conservation. In particular, specimens were sampled from some masonry structures and pavement slabs (opus sectile) in a specific area of the submerged site, called ''Villa a Protiro''. In order to characterize archaeological samples from a mineralogical-petrographic point of view, polarized optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses were carried out, while to assess their conservation state, the surface colonization by biodeteriogen agents and their interaction with the substrate were studied through observations under a stereomicroscope, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Marble and limestone samples revealed an intense bioerosion phenomena, attributable to epilithic and endolithic forms, particularly boring sponges. On the contrary, ignimbrites suffer a lower degree of biological colonization related to the activity of other species, such as serpulids and bryozoans. In bricks, biocolonisation is correlated to the type of temper used in the artifact, the quartz pastes having a greater susceptibility to biological attack than the volcanic ones. (orig.)

Diagnostic analysis of stone materials from underwater excavations: the case study of the Roman archaeological site of Baia (Naples, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Aloise, P.; Ricca, M.; La Russa, M. F.; Ruffolo, S. A.; Belfiore, C. M.; Padeletti, G.; Crisci, G. M.

2014-03-01

This work belongs to the framework of the national research project "COMAS" (Planned COnservation, " in situ", of underwater archaeological artifacts), funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR), concerning the submarine archaeological area of Baia (Naples, Italy). The site includes remains of the ancient cities of Baiae and Portus Iulius, which, since the 4th century AD, started to be submerged because of the bradyseism phenomenon. The work aims to the characterization of four different types of stone materials collected from the site, specifically marbles, limestones, ignimbrites, and bricks, in order to investigate their state of conservation. In particular, specimens were sampled from some masonry structures and pavement slabs ( opus sectile) in a specific area of the submerged site, called " Villa a Protiro". In order to characterize archaeological samples from a mineralogical-petrographic point of view, polarized optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses were carried out, while to assess their conservation state, the surface colonization by biodeteriogen agents and their interaction with the substrate were studied through observations under a stereomicroscope, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Marble and limestone samples revealed an intense bioerosion phenomena, attributable to epilithic and endolithic forms, particularly boring sponges. On the contrary, ignimbrites suffer a lower degree of biological colonization related to the activity of other species, such as serpulids and bryozoans. In bricks, biocolonisation is correlated to the type of temper used in the artifact, the quartz pastes having a greater susceptibility to biological attack than the volcanic ones.

Environment and health in contaminated sites: the case of Taranto, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pirastu, Roberta; Comba, Pietro; Iavarone, Ivano; Zona, Amerigo; Conti, Susanna; Minelli, Giada; Manno, Valerio; Mincuzzi, Antonia; Minerba, Sante; Forastiere, Francesco; Mataloni, Francesca; Biggeri, Annibale

2013-01-01

The National Environmental Remediation programme in Italy includes sites with documented contamination and associated potential health impacts (National Priority Contaminated Sites-NPCSs). SENTIERI Project, an extensive investigation of mortality in 44 NPCSs, considered the area of Taranto, a NPCS where a number of polluting sources are present. Health indicators available at municipality level were analyzed, that is, mortality (2003-2009), mortality time trend (1980-2008), and cancer incidence (2006-2007). In addition, the cohort of individuals living in the area was followed up to evaluate mortality (1998-2008) and morbidity (1998-2010) by district of residence. The results of the study consistently showed excess risks for a number of causes of death in both genders, among them: all causes, all cancers, lung cancer, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, both acute and chronic. An increased infant mortality was also observed from the time trends analysis. Mortality/morbidity excesses were detected in residents living in districts near the industrial area, for several disorders including cancer, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases. These coherent findings from different epidemiological approaches corroborate the need to promptly proceed with environmental cleanup interventions. Most diseases showing an increase in Taranto NPCS have a multifactorial etiology, and preventive measures of proven efficacy (e.g., smoking cessation and cardiovascular risk reduction programs, breast cancer screening) should be planned. The study results and public health actions are to be communicated objectively and transparently so that a climate of confidence and trust between citizens and public institutions is maintained.

Donatello Strangio & Giuseppe Sancetta (Eds.), Italy in a European Context: Research in Business, Economics, and the Environment

OpenAIRE

CUCARI, Nicola

2016-01-01

Abstract. Contributing to support the diffusion of an European culture and sense of citizenship. This is the aim of the book “Italy in a European Context: Research in Business, Economics, and the Environment” edited by Donatella Strangio & Giuseppe Sancetta.  It is a collection of scholarly articles that cover the main issues related to role of Italy offering different perspectives ranging from economics and management, among others. It is a good read not only for students and scholars wi...

Group Psychotherapy in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Giannone, Francesca; Giordano, Cecilia; Di Blasi, Maria

2015-10-01

This article describes the history and the prevailing orientations of group psychotherapy in Italy (psychoanalytically oriented, psychodrama, CBT groups) and particularly group analysis. Provided free of charge by the Italian health system, group psychotherapy is growing, but its expansion is patchy. The main pathways of Italian training in the different group psychotherapy orientations are also presented. Clinical-theoretical elaboration on self development, psychopathology related to group experiences, and the methodological attention paid to objectives and methods in different clinical groups are issues related to group therapy in Italy. Difficulties in the relationship between research and clinical practice are discussed, as well as the empirical research network that tries to bridge the gap between research and clinical work in group psychotherapy. The economic crisis in Italy has led to massive cuts in health care and to an increasing demand for some forms of psychological treatment. For these reasons, and because of its positive cost-benefit ratio, group psychotherapy is now considered an important tool in the national health care system to expand the clinical response to different forms of psychological distress.

Cogeneration at FIAT AVIO (Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cantoni, A.

1991-01-01

Brief notes are provided on the FIAT (Italy) - Foster Wheeler joint venture to equip about 20 FIAT manufacturing plants with 50 MW(e) combined cycle cogeneration plants which will make use of a gas turbine whose design is based on that of the successful General Electric aeronautic LM 6000 engine. The paper also discusses solutions, e.g., wet and dry methods, being considered for nitrogen ox des control, and cites the need in Italy for the optimization of Government licensing procedures for small and medium sized manufacturing firms opting for on-site power generation through cogeneration plants

Earthquake-induced ground failures in Italy from a reviewed database

Science.gov (United States)

Martino, S.; Prestininzi, A.; Romeo, R. W.

2014-04-01

A database (Italian acronym CEDIT) of earthquake-induced ground failures in Italy is presented, and the related content is analysed. The catalogue collects data regarding landslides, liquefaction, ground cracks, surface faulting and ground changes triggered by earthquakes of Mercalli epicentral intensity 8 or greater that occurred in the last millennium in Italy. As of January 2013, the CEDIT database has been available online for public use (http://www.ceri.uniroma1.it/cn/gis.jsp ) and is presently hosted by the website of the Research Centre for Geological Risks (CERI) of the Sapienza University of Rome. Summary statistics of the database content indicate that 14% of the Italian municipalities have experienced at least one earthquake-induced ground failure and that landslides are the most common ground effects (approximately 45%), followed by ground cracks (32%) and liquefaction (18%). The relationships between ground effects and earthquake parameters such as seismic source energy (earthquake magnitude and epicentral intensity), local conditions (site intensity) and source-to-site distances are also analysed. The analysis indicates that liquefaction, surface faulting and ground changes are much more dependent on the earthquake source energy (i.e. magnitude) than landslides and ground cracks. In contrast, the latter effects are triggered at lower site intensities and greater epicentral distances than the other environmental effects.

Siting of research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

The purpose of this document is to develop criteria for siting and the site-related design basis for research reactors. The concepts presented in this document are intended as recommendations for new reactors and are not suggested for backfitting purposes for facilities already in existence. In siting research reactors serious consideration is given to minimizing the effects of the site on the reactor and the reactor on the site and the potential impact of the reactor on the environment. In this document guidance is first provided on the evaluation of the radiological impact of the installation under normal reactor operation and accident conditions. A classification of research reactors in groups is then proposed, together with a different approach for each group, to take into account the relevant safety problems associated with facilities of different characteristics. Guidance is also provided for both extreme natural events and for man-induced external events which could affect the safe operation of the reactor. Extreme natural events include earthquakes, flooding for river or coastal sites and extreme meteorological phenomena. The feasibility of emergency planning is finally considered for each group of reactors

Diagnostic analysis of stone materials from underwater excavations: the case study of the Roman archaeological site of Baia (Naples, Italy)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aloise, P.; Ricca, M.; La Russa, M.F.; Ruffolo, S.A.; Crisci, G.M. [Universita della Calabria, Dipartimento di Biologia, Ecologia e Scienze della Terra (DiBEST), Arcavacata di Rende (Italy); Belfiore, C.M. [Universita della Calabria, Dipartimento di Biologia, Ecologia e Scienze della Terra (DiBEST), Arcavacata di Rende (Italy); Universita di Catania, Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali - Sezione di Scienze della Terra, Catania (Italy); Padeletti, G. [CNR-ICMAT, Roma (Italy)

2014-03-15

This work belongs to the framework of the national research project ''COMAS'' (Planned COnservation, ''in situ'', of underwater archaeological artifacts), funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR), concerning the submarine archaeological area of Baia (Naples, Italy). The site includes remains of the ancient cities of Baiae and Portus Iulius, which, since the 4th century AD, started to be submerged because of the bradyseism phenomenon. The work aims to the characterization of four different types of stone materials collected from the site, specifically marbles, limestones, ignimbrites, and bricks, in order to investigate their state of conservation. In particular, specimens were sampled from some masonry structures and pavement slabs (opus sectile) in a specific area of the submerged site, called ''Villa a Protiro''. In order to characterize archaeological samples from a mineralogical-petrographic point of view, polarized optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses were carried out, while to assess their conservation state, the surface colonization by biodeteriogen agents and their interaction with the substrate were studied through observations under a stereomicroscope, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Marble and limestone samples revealed an intense bioerosion phenomena, attributable to epilithic and endolithic forms, particularly boring sponges. On the contrary, ignimbrites suffer a lower degree of biological colonization related to the activity of other species, such as serpulids and bryozoans. In bricks, biocolonisation is correlated to the type of temper used in the artifact, the quartz pastes having a greater susceptibility to biological attack than the volcanic ones. (orig.)

A Database of Historical Information on Landslides and Floods in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Guzzetti, F.; Tonelli, G.

2003-04-01

For the past 12 years we have maintained and updated a database of historical information on landslides and floods in Italy, known as the National Research Council's AVI (Damaged Urban Areas) Project archive. The database was originally designed to respond to a specific request of the Minister of Civil Protection, and was aimed at helping the regional assessment of landslide and flood risk in Italy. The database was first constructed in 1991-92 to cover the period 1917 to 1990. Information of damaging landslide and flood event was collected by searching archives, by screening thousands of newspaper issues, by reviewing the existing technical and scientific literature on landslides and floods in Italy, and by interviewing landslide and flood experts. The database was then updated chiefly through the analysis of hundreds of newspaper articles, and it now covers systematically the period 1900 to 1998, and non-systematically the periods 1900 to 1916 and 1999 to 2002. Non systematic information on landslide and flood events older than 20th century is also present in the database. The database currently contains information on more than 32,000 landslide events occurred at more than 25,700 sites, and on more than 28,800 flood events occurred at more than 15,600 sites. After a brief outline of the history and evolution of the AVI Project archive, we present and discuss: (a) the present structure of the database, including the hardware and software solutions adopted to maintain, manage, use and disseminate the information stored in the database, (b) the type and amount of information stored in the database, including an estimate of its completeness, and (c) examples of recent applications of the database, including a web-based GIS systems to show the location of sites historically affected by landslides and floods, and an estimate of geo-hydrological (i.e., landslide and flood) risk in Italy based on the available historical information.

Amphibians of the Simbruini Mountains (Latium, Central Italy

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Pierangelo Crucitti

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Little attention has been paid to the herpetological fauna of the Simbruini Mountains Regional Park, Latium (Central Italy. In this study, we surveyed 50 sites in the course of about ten years of field research, especially during the period 2005-2008. Nine amphibian species, four Caudata and five Anura, 60.0% out of the 15 amphibian species so far observed in Latium, were discovered in the protected area: Salamandra salamandra, Salamandrina perspicillata, Lissotriton vulgaris, Triturus carnifex, Bombina pachypus, Bufo balearicus, Bufo bufo, Rana dalmatina, Rana italica. Physiography of sites has been detailed together with potential threatening patterns. For each species the following topics have been discussed; ecology of sites, altitudinal distribution, phenology, sintopy. Salamandra salamandra and Bombina pachypus are at higher risk. The importance of the maintenance of artificial/natural water bodies for the conservation management of amphibian population of this territory is discussed.

RPAS AND TLS TECNIQUES FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY: THE CASE STUDY OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF ERACLEA MINOA (ITALY

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M. Lo Brutto

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Digital documentation and 3D modelling of archaeological sites are important for understanding, definition and recognition of the values of the sites and of the archaeological finds. The most part of archaeological sites are outdoor location, but a cover to preserve the ruins protects often parts of the sites. The possibility to acquire data with different techniques and merge them by using a single reference system allows creating multi-parties models in which 3D representations of the individual objects can be inserted. The paper presents the results of a recent study carried out by Geomatics Laboratory of University of Palermo for the digital documentation and 3D modelling of Eraclea Minoa archaeological site. This site is located near Agrigento, in the south of Sicily (Italy and is one of the most famous ancient Greek colonies of Sicily. The paper presents the results of the integration of different data source to survey the Eraclea Minoa archaeological site. The application of two highly versatile recording systems, the TLS (Terrestrial Laser Scanning and the RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, allowed the Eraclea Minoa site to be documented in high resolution and with high accuracy. The integration of the two techniques has demonstrated the possibility to obtain high quality and accurate 3D models in archaeological survey.

The CRACK programme: a scientific alliance for bridging healthcare research and public health policies in Italy

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Giovanni Corrao

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Healthcare utilisation databases, and other secondary data sources, have been used with growing frequency to assess health outcomes and healthcare interventions worldwide. Their increased popularity as a research tool is due to their timely availability, the large patient populations covered, low cost, and applicability for studying real-world clinical practice. Despite the need to measure Italian National Health Service performance both at regional and national levels, the wealth of good quality electronic data and the high standards of scientific research in this field, healthcare research and public health policies seem to progress along orthogonal dimensions in Italy. The main barriers to the development of evidence-based public health include the lack of understanding of evidence-based methodologies by policy makers, and of involvement of researchers in the policy process. The CRACK programme was launched by some academics from the Lombardy Region. By extensively using electronically stored data, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, pharmacologists and clinicians applied methods and evidence to several issues of healthcare research. The CRACK programme was based on their intention to remove barriers that thwart the process of bridging methods and findings from scientific journals to public health practice. This paper briefly describes aim, articulation and management of the CRACK programme, and discusses why it might find articulated application in Italy.

Noninvasive characterization of the Trecate (Italy) crude-oil contaminated site: links between contamination and geophysical signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Cassiani, Giorgio; Binley, Andrew; Kemna, Andreas; Wehrer, Markus; Orozco, Adrian Flores; Deiana, Rita; Boaga, Jacopo; Rossi, Matteo; Dietrich, Peter; Werban, Ulrike; Zschornack, Ludwig; Godio, Alberto; JafarGandomi, Arash; Deidda, Gian Piero

2014-01-01

The characterization of contaminated sites can benefit from the supplementation of direct investigations with a set of less invasive and more extensive measurements. A combination of geophysical methods and direct push techniques for contaminated land characterization has been proposed within the EU FP7 project ModelPROBE and the affiliated project SoilCAM. In this paper, we present results of the investigations conducted at the Trecate field site (NW Italy), which was affected in 1994 by crude oil contamination. The less invasive investigations include ground-penetrating radar (GPR), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and electromagnetic induction (EMI) surveys, together with direct push sampling and soil electrical conductivity (EC) logs. Many of the geophysical measurements were conducted in time-lapse mode in order to separate static and dynamic signals, the latter being linked to strong seasonal changes in water table elevations. The main challenge was to extract significant geophysical signals linked to contamination from the mix of geological and hydrological signals present at the site. The most significant aspects of this characterization are: (a) the geometrical link between the distribution of contamination and the site's heterogeneity, with particular regard to the presence of less permeable layers, as evidenced by the extensive surface geophysical measurements; and (b) the link between contamination and specific geophysical signals, particularly evident from cross-hole measurements. The extensive work conducted at the Trecate site shows how a combination of direct (e.g., chemical) and indirect (e.g., geophysical) investigations can lead to a comprehensive and solid understanding of a contaminated site's mechanisms.

Integrated geochronology of Acheulian sites from the southern Latium (central Italy): Insights on human-environment interaction and the technological innovations during the MIS 11-MIS 10 period

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Alison; Nomade, Sébastien; Moncel, Marie-Hélène; Voinchet, Pierre; Bahain, Jean-Jacques; Biddittu, Italo; Falguères, Christophe; Giaccio, Biagio; Manzi, Giorgio; Parenti, Fabio; Scardia, Giancarlo; Scao, Vincent; Sottili, Gianluca; Vietti, Amina

2018-05-01

We have explored the multimethod approach combining 40Ar/39Ar on single crystal, ESR on bleached quartz, and ESR/U-series on teeth to improve the age of four neighbours "Acheulian" sites of the Frosinone Province (Latium, Italy): Fontana Ranuccio, Cava Pompi (Pofi), Isoletta, and Lademagne. Ages obtained by the three methods are in mutual agreement and confirm the potential of dating with confidence Middle Pleistocene sites of Italy using these methods. At Fontana Ranuccio, the 40Ar/39Ar age (408 ± 10 ka, full external error at 2σ) obtained for the archaeological level (unit FR4) and geochemical analyses of glass shards performed on the Unit FR2a layer allow us to attribute the studied volcanic material to the Pozzolane Nere volcanic series, a well-known caldera-forming event originated from the Colli Albani volcanic district. These new data ascribe the Fontana Ranuccio site, as well as the eponym faunal unit, to the climatic optimum of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11. Ages obtained for the Cava Pompi, Isoletta, and Lademagne sites cover a relatively short period of time between 408 ka and 375 ka, spanning MIS 11 climatic optimum to the MIS 11-10 transition. Analysis of small collections of lithic industries, bifacial tools, and small cores technologies from Isoletta, Lademagne, and the neighbour site of Ceprano-Campogrande shows common technical strategies for the period comprised between MIS 11 and MIS 9 (410-325 ka), such as the elaboration of flaked elephant bone industries found over the whole Latium region. However, some features found only in the Frosinone province area, like large-sized bifaces, suggest particular regional behaviours. The presence of one Levallois core in the oldest layer of Lademagne (i.e. > 405 ± 9 ka) suggests a punctual practice of this technology, also proposed as early as MIS 10/11 in the neighbour site of Guado San Nicola (Molise) in central Italy.

Estimating the snow water equivalent on a glacierized high elevation site (Forni Glacier, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Senese, Antonella; Maugeri, Maurizio; Meraldi, Eraldo; Verza, Gian Pietro; Azzoni, Roberto Sergio; Compostella, Chiara; Diolaiuti, Guglielmina

2018-04-01

We present and compare 11 years of snow data (snow depth and snow water equivalent, SWE) measured by an automatic weather station (AWS) and corroborated by data from field campaigns on the Forni Glacier in Italy. The aim of the analysis is to estimate the SWE of new snowfall and the annual SWE peak based on the average density of the new snow at the site (corresponding to the snowfall during the standard observation period of 24 h) and automated snow depth measurements. The results indicate that the daily SR50 sonic ranger measurements and the available snow pit data can be used to estimate the mean new snow density value at the site, with an error of ±6 kg m-3. Once the new snow density is known, the sonic ranger makes it possible to derive SWE values with an RMSE of 45 mm water equivalent (if compared with snow pillow measurements), which turns out to be about 8 % of the total SWE yearly average. Therefore, the methodology we present is interesting for remote locations such as glaciers or high alpine regions, as it makes it possible to estimate the total SWE using a relatively inexpensive, low-power, low-maintenance, and reliable instrument such as the sonic ranger.

Stakeholders involvement in the decommissioning processes in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dionisi, Mario

2006-01-01

The aim of this paper is to present the situation about stakeholders involvement in Italy in the framework of the decommissioning process of the Italian nuclear installations, and in particular the specific experience of the Italian Regulatory Body APAT. Specific aspects and APAT initiatives for building confidence of stakeholders in the process of the release of solid material from the regulatory control are presented. Content: Decommissioning activities in Italy, Decommissioning licensing procedures (Site and material release, APAT - ARPA Partnership approach in the clearance process)

GPR Activities in Italy: a Review

Science.gov (United States)

Tosti, Fabio; Ambrosanio, Michele; Battaglia, Enzo; Bianchini Ciampoli, Luca; De Carlo, Lorenzo; Matera, Loredana; Prontera, Santo; Sileo, Maria

2015-04-01

the ASTM D 4748-98 and the ASTM D 6432-99 dealing with, respectively, thicknesses evaluation of bound layers in road pavements, and equipment, field procedures and data-interpretation for the electromagnetic evaluation of subsurface materials, it has to be noted that the Italian body of laws and rules tackles the ground-penetrating radar applications under an indirect and partial approach. Despite of such situation, national guidelines concerning utilities-detection activities as well as other theoretical and practical guidelines established by the major Italian private enterprises on this field can be also considered highly relevant. Moreover, a further focus on the activities and main devices of the major Italian ground-penetrating radar manufacturers have been thoroughly described. Under a research and innovation perspective, the most important test sites, such as the site of the University of Salento to reconstruct archaeological and urban subsurface scenarios have been listed along with the main advances reached in integrating ground-penetrating radar with other non-destructive techniques, to inform and potentially improve the possibility of new developments and collaborations. Acknowledgements - This work is a contribution from the Training School on "Civil Engineering Applications of GPR" held in Pisa, Italy, on September 22nd - 25th, 2014, within the framework of the COST Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar".

Racism, "Race" and Ethnographic Research in Multicultural Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Gobbo, Francesca

2011-01-01

This article is divided into two parts: in the first one, after mentioning episodes of violence against immigrants, the author discusses the issues of "race" and racism within the debate on immigration and diversity taking place in Italy. Pointing out a number of relevant indications and reflections that qualify such debate, she argues…

Some aspects of the state of the art of contaminated sites remediation in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Pietro Beretta

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The remediation of contaminated sites has been faced in Italy and elsewhere in the world with a series of works originated by the availability of specific technologies for the recovery of soils and groundwater quality, acting in accordance with the principle of sustainability. A framework of rules (target values and type of intervention and a summary of the quality of soil and groundwater in Italian contaminated sites must be mentioned first. The design of the remediation was also permitted by the improvement of the site characterization, with specific equipments addressed for example to identify the stratigraphy of the contaminants, the presence of volatile compounds, the sampling of water of significant groundwater quality, etc.. The text describes some interventions relating to physical and hydraulic barriers that involve substantial capital and O&M costs and also the consumption of natural resources. Subsequently they are also considered important in situ interventions that resulted in a reduction in the concentration and significant recovery of the pollutants mass. The evolution of the residual concentration in the groundwater must be considered by monitoring natural attenuation. Despite the recovery of the mass of pollutants even up to 90-99%, values of cleanup (expected concentrations of the order of μg/L which are established by national legislation have not been achieved. It can be stated that the scientific community is considering the new paradigm expressed by the “order of magnitude of the flow of pollutant mass” to replace the old paradigm consisting in the “limit value of final concentrations”.

A foetal tile from an archaeological site: anthropological investigation of human remains recovered in a medieval cemetery in Northern Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Licata, Marta; Rossetti, Chiara; Tosi, Adelaide; Badino, Paola

2018-06-01

The recovery of foetal remains is very sporadic in archaeology, especially due the scarce degree of bone mineralisation. This paper presents the singular archaeological discovery of a foetal tile preserving the bone remains, object of our anthropological examination. The foetal tile was discovered during an archaeological excavation in a medieval site (Northern Italy). The tile was analysed by CT scan and later, human remains were anthropologically examined. The archaeological investigation revealed a special ritual destined to foetuses while forensic anthropological analysis allowed estimating the gestational age near to 21-24 weeks.

Electric-powered vehicles in Italy; Les vehicules electriques en Italie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bordel, St.; Carles, R.

2003-09-01

The aim of this study is to make a synthesis about the development of electric-powered vehicles, in particular in Italy. After a brief historical review of this type of propulsion system, a state-of-the-art review is made which allows to show up the different existing architectures and their characteristic specificities. This review allows to identify the key scientific and technical domains in the existing research programs in progress in order to make these 'alternative' transportation systems economically viable. The second part of the study explains the situation of Italy with respect to these propulsion systems. The political commitments are analyzed first and then some of the university and industry centers of competences for these key domains are presented. Finally, some trans-national collaborations in progress are shown. (J.S.)

A review of the nuclear safety activities in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merelli, A.

1989-01-01

A review of research programs carried out in Italy in the field of nuclear reactor safety was done in 1986, in the frame of the activities of the Commission of the European Communities, the International Energy Agency and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The report contains information on these programs, as well as information on the organization of safety research in Italy and the evolution of safety research programs

Research and Development Activities in Italy in the Field of Aerospace Structures and Materials,

Science.gov (United States)

1979-03-01

Aerotecnica, Missili e Spazio ” . An extensive historical and critical analysis of such long lasting research cannot be given here; the more recent results are...in the AGARD SMP Program on “ Critically Loaded Hole Technology ” carrying Out Falstaff spectrum fatigue tests on behalf of Italy ,~~ 7. The Un... Metodo degli Elementi Fi— niti — Prestampa n . 5 , IV °Congresso Nazionale A . I . D . A . A . ,M i l a — no ,1977 . 20. Cella Analisi di problein i

Italy's Prime Minister visits CERN

CERN Multimedia

Stefania Pandolfi

2015-01-01

On Tuesday, 7 July 2015, the Prime Minister of the Italian Republic, Matteo Renzi, visited CERN. He was accompanied by a delegation that included Italy's Minister for Education, University and Research, Stefania Giannini.   From left to right: Fernando Ferroni, President of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN); Sergio Bertolucci, CERN Director for Research and Scientific Computing; Stefania Giannini, Italy's Minister of Education, University and Research; Matteo Renzi, Prime Minister of the Italian Republic; Fabiola Gianotti, CERN Director-General Designate; Rolf Heuer, CERN Director-General.   The Prime Minister was welcomed by members of the CERN Management together with former CERN Director-General and Senator for Life of the Italian Republic, Carlo Rubbia. After a brief general introduction to CERN’s activities by Rolf Heuer, the Italian delegation visited LHC Point 1. After a tour of the ATLAS control room, they donned helmets to visit th...

Cryptostroma corticale in the northern Apennines (Italy

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Claudia Maria OLIVEIRA LONGA

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Cryptostroma corticale was observed on declining trees of Acer pseudoplatanus L. at Montovolo, a mountain site located in the northern Apennines, Italy. Morphological and biomolecular analyses confirmed the presence of the fungus in affected trees, which has not yet been officially described as occurring in Italy. No damage by the pathogen was observed on other species of Acer in the affected area, while drought–related decline symptoms were present on Quercus pubescens and Ostrya carpinifolia near the affected site, confirming the possible role of climate and especially repeated drought periods in the appearance of the problem. st1\\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Tabella normale"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}

ANDRILL educational activities in Italy: progettosmilla.it, a case-study of an interactive project

Science.gov (United States)

Cattadori, M.

2008-12-01

In January 2006, the Italian ANDRILL (Antartic Geological Drilling) team selected the project progettosmilla.it and its instructor Matteo Cattadori, a high school teacher and collaborator of Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali (TN - Italy) to represent Italy in the ANDRILL-ARISE team. The ARISE (Andrill Research Immersion for Science Educators) comprised a group of teachers from 4 nations (US, New Zealand, Germany and Italy) and is part of the initiative Public and Educational Outreach component of the ANDRILL project. The selected teachers are sent to Antarctica and are actively involved in all stages of the scientific investigation, with the main aim of establishing a bridge between research and the schools in the participating countries. Progettosmilla.it was selected to take part in the first edition of ANDRILL-ARISE held at the American Antarctic base of Mc Murdo during the 2006-2007 austral summer.The project makes use of different tools, techniques and forms of communication-education to stimulate the interest and motivation of students, teachers and organizers/trainers in ANDRILL research and polar sciences in general. Activities are organized and scheduled according to a fixed timetable that cover 2/3 of an academic year and are centered on the site www.progettosmilla.it. This site feature daily reports, as well as online activities and various services for users in Italian schools. Among the online materials, more conventional ones are: - summaries of the ANDRILL research and the Antarctic environment; including multimedia (1200 photos, 10 video and audio); resource folders for teachers on 10 different subjects of study; course work for the participating school students. - ITC-oriented materials such as: videoconferencing and chat sessions with Antarctica or between classes, blogs, web-quest, animations and interactive teaching. -Many services are implemented in collaboration with other teachers and allow the ARISE team to perform distant collaborative

Climate indicators for Italy: calculation and dissemination

Science.gov (United States)

Desiato, F.; Fioravanti, G.; Fraschetti, P.; Perconti, W.; Toreti, A.

2011-05-01

In Italy, meteorological data necessary and useful for climate studies are collected, processed and archived by a wide range of national and regional institutions. As a result, the density of the stations, the length and frequency of the observations, the quality control procedures and the database structure vary from one dataset to another. In order to maximize the use of those data for climate knowledge and climate change assessments, a computerized system for the collection, quality control, calculation, regular update and rapid dissemination of climate indicators was developed. The products publicly available through a dedicated web site are described, as well as an example of climate trends estimates over Italy, based on the application of statistical models on climate indicators from quality-checked and homogenised time series.

Environment and Health in Contaminated Sites: The Case of Taranto, Italy

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Roberta Pirastu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The National Environmental Remediation programme in Italy includes sites with documented contamination and associated potential health impacts (National Priority Contaminated Sites—NPCSs. SENTIERI Project, an extensive investigation of mortality in 44 NPCSs, considered the area of Taranto, a NPCS where a number of polluting sources are present. Health indicators available at municipality level were analyzed, that is, mortality (2003–2009, mortality time trend (1980–2008, and cancer incidence (2006-2007. In addition, the cohort of individuals living in the area was followed up to evaluate mortality (1998–2008 and morbidity (1998–2010 by district of residence. The results of the study consistently showed excess risks for a number of causes of death in both genders, among them: all causes, all cancers, lung cancer, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, both acute and chronic. An increased infant mortality was also observed from the time trends analysis. Mortality/morbidity excesses were detected in residents living in districts near the industrial area, for several disorders including cancer, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases. These coherent findings from different epidemiological approaches corroborate the need to promptly proceed with environmental cleanup interventions. Most diseases showing an increase in Taranto NPCS have a multifactorial etiology, and preventive measures of proven efficacy (e.g., smoking cessation and cardiovascular risk reduction programs, breast cancer screening should be planned. The study results and public health actions are to be communicated objectively and transparently so that a climate of confidence and trust between citizens and public institutions is maintained.

MEMS sensor technologies for human centred applications in healthcare, physical activities, safety and environmental sensing: a review on research activities in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciuti, Gastone; Ricotti, Leonardo; Menciassi, Arianna; Dario, Paolo

2015-03-17

Over the past few decades the increased level of public awareness concerning healthcare, physical activities, safety and environmental sensing has created an emerging need for smart sensor technologies and monitoring devices able to sense, classify, and provide feedbacks to users' health status and physical activities, as well as to evaluate environmental and safety conditions in a pervasive, accurate and reliable fashion. Monitoring and precisely quantifying users' physical activity with inertial measurement unit-based devices, for instance, has also proven to be important in health management of patients affected by chronic diseases, e.g., Parkinson's disease, many of which are becoming highly prevalent in Italy and in the Western world. This review paper will focus on MEMS sensor technologies developed in Italy in the last three years describing research achievements for healthcare and physical activity, safety and environmental sensing, in addition to smart systems integration. Innovative and smart integrated solutions for sensing devices, pursued and implemented in Italian research centres, will be highlighted, together with specific applications of such technologies. Finally, the paper will depict the future perspective of sensor technologies and corresponding exploitation opportunities, again with a specific focus on Italy.

MEMS Sensor Technologies for Human Centred Applications in Healthcare, Physical Activities, Safety and Environmental Sensing: A Review on Research Activities in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gastone Ciuti

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Over the past few decades the increased level of public awareness concerning healthcare, physical activities, safety and environmental sensing has created an emerging need for smart sensor technologies and monitoring devices able to sense, classify, and provide feedbacks to users’ health status and physical activities, as well as to evaluate environmental and safety conditions in a pervasive, accurate and reliable fashion. Monitoring and precisely quantifying users’ physical activity with inertial measurement unit-based devices, for instance, has also proven to be important in health management of patients affected by chronic diseases, e.g., Parkinson’s disease, many of which are becoming highly prevalent in Italy and in the Western world. This review paper will focus on MEMS sensor technologies developed in Italy in the last three years describing research achievements for healthcare and physical activity, safety and environmental sensing, in addition to smart systems integration. Innovative and smart integrated solutions for sensing devices, pursued and implemented in Italian research centres, will be highlighted, together with specific applications of such technologies. Finally, the paper will depict the future perspective of sensor technologies and corresponding exploitation opportunities, again with a specific focus on Italy.

The dialect in Italy after the union

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Anna Grochowska

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Italian dialects occupy an important position in the history of Italian linguistics and are still present and relevant in the linguistic panorama of modern Italy. The purpose of this article is to outline the linguistic image of Italy by drawing attention to its dialects. Through analysis of the situation after unification in Italy in 1861, the author attempts to mark off functions and roles which dialects used to serve. In the second part of the article she concentrates on the phenomena of nuova dialettalità, or the new perspective and collocation of dialect in the Italian linguistic panorama of the 21st century. This article is a part of a research project dedicated to functions and uses of dialects in the Italian cinematography.

The Strategic Plan for Tourism Development in Italy

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Silvia ANGELONI

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Conceptual works on tourism destination competitiveness affirm the central importance of planning the process of value creation within destination. Italy is an emblematic case of why and how a leading tourism destination may lose competitiveness along the years. Up to the 1980s Italy was in fact the top international tourism destination, but then such ranking gradually decreased, because of more complexity of sector and, over all, because of marginality of tourism in the government agenda and more in general of the country. After years of strategic myopia, Italy finally has a tool that formalizes its vision and indicates the key factors that can be leveraged in order to regain ground. In 2013, Italy adopted a National Strategic Plan. Therefore, this paper aims to describe an important turning point in tourism policies for the economic and cultural development of Italy. The research highlights the problematic areas of Italy’s tourism industry and explains how a new approach should make the Italian destination able to successfully compete on the international tourism market.

Some possible precursors of the main earthquakes of the Tornimparte (Central Italy) seismic sequence occurred in 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bella, F.; Biagi, P.F.; Della Monica, G.; Ermini, A.; Sgrigna, V.

1987-01-01

Two tiltmeters installed at Peschiera site (Central Italy) generally showed trends that differ from the ones obtained at the network located in the Apennine region of Central Italy. Detrended tilt recordings reveal the presence of an anomalous variation during the first months of 1985

Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

1987-04-01

For "Background Notes" on Italy, the U.S. State Department, Bureau of Public Affairs, covers geography, people, history, government, politics, economy, defense and foreign relations. Italy had 57.3 million persons in 1986, with a growth rate of 2.3%. The life expectancy is 73 years; the infant mortality rate is 14.3/1000 live births. 98% of the people are literate. The current constitutional republic has existed since 1948. Mean per capita income is $6,447. The people work mainly in services (60%), industry (30%) and agriculture (10%). Most of the country is mountainous, without significant food, energy or natural resources, so Italy's central position in the Mediterranean has influenced economic development since ancient times. The nation is highly homogeneous, as the government is centralized. Although there are several influential political parties, the diverse structure of the Christian Democrats has given them power since the war. The current prime minister, Bettino Craxi, is a member of the centralist Italian Socialist Party. The Italian Communist Party is the largest such party in the free world, polling 30% of the vote in 1983. Italy is a member of NATO.

A comparison between PIXE and ICP-AES measurements of metals in aerosol particulate collected in urban and marine sites in Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Traversi, R.; Becagli, S. [Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, I-50019 Sesto F.no, Florence (Italy); Calzolai, G.; Chiari, M.; Giannoni, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence and I.N.F.N., Florence, Via G. Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto F.no, Florence (Italy); Lucarelli, F., E-mail: lucarelli@fi.infn.it [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence and I.N.F.N., Florence, Via G. Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto F.no, Florence (Italy); Nava, S. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence and I.N.F.N., Florence, Via G. Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto F.no, Florence (Italy); Rugi, F.; Severi, M.; Udisti, R. [Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, I-50019 Sesto F.no, Florence (Italy)

2014-01-01

PIXE and ICP-AES techniques are largely used in atmospheric aerosol studies. Since PIXE is able to provide the total elemental concentrations, while ICP-AES results depend on the extraction conditions, parallel PIXE and ICP-AES measurements of Fe, Al, Cu, Pb, Mn, Cr, Ni, V, As on PM10 and PM2.5 samples were compared. Two extraction procedures were applied to samples from 5 sites at different anthropization level in Italy: a “weak” extraction (HNO{sub 3} at pH = 1.5) and a “strong” extraction (micro-wave oven in HNO{sub 3} and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} – following EU rules). The amount of the metal extracted in the different conditions resulted to be strongly dependent on the sampling site, on the main sources of the particle (crustal or anthropic) containing the metal and on the sampled size class.

Information resources in toxicology--Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Preziosi, Paolo; Dracos, Adriana; Marcello, Ida

2003-01-01

The purpose of the present paper is to provide an overview of current resources in the field of toxicology in Italy. The discussion will begin with a brief history of toxicology in this country, which includes the study of the toxicity of plants and other natural substances, and the birth of industrial and forensic toxicology. We will also provide information on research, education, and hazard control in the field of toxicology. Within this context we will examine the public bodies responsible for surveillance and regulatory activities, state-owned and private structures involved in toxicological research, and the educational programs and research activities of universities. Particular emphasis will be placed on the activities of the National Health Service, which plays an important role in areas such as clinical toxicology, food safety, and animal health, as well as those of national and regional agencies dedicated to the protection of the environment. The presentation will be organized as follows: - A Brief History of Toxicology in Italy; - Professional Societies; - National Health Service; - National Bodies; - Resources for the Environment; - Biomedical Websites; - Recent Publications; - Research Structures; - Graduate and Postgraduate Programs; - Legislation

Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Italy [Italian Version, Executive Summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-07-01

This review analyses the energy challenges facing Italy and provides sectoral critiques and recommendations for further policy improvements. It is intended to help guide Italy towards a more sustainable energy future. The Italian government has made substantial progress in a number of sectors since the last IEA in-depth energy policy review in 2003. The success of the green certificate and white certificate schemes and continued reform of the electricity and natural gas supply markets are just a few examples and build on the recommendations contained in the previous review. Nonetheless, many challenges remain. Italy recognises the need to diversify its energy supply portfolio to reduce its heavy dependence on fossil fuels and electricity imports, and to decrease its growing greenhouse gas emissions. In 2008, the government announced its intention to recommence the countrys nuclear power program and start building a new nuclear power plant by 2013. To do so, Italy must first develop an efficient process for identifying critical energy infrastructure, including nuclear power, and subjecting it to an effective, streamlined siting and permitting process. Italy will face another major challenge in complying with Europe’s new climate and energy package, particularly in relation to renewable energy and emissions targets. Italy must step up efforts to comply with its new responsibilities, specifically by developing and putting in place a comprehensive climate change strategy for the years until 2020. In mid-2009, the legislature enacted a comprehensive new law that will facilitate the emergence of a robust long-term energy policy. The government must respond to this opportunity and elaborate, with industry, a comprehensive long-term strategy for the development of the energy sector. This review analyses the energy challenges facing Italy and provides sectoral critiques and recommendations for further policy improvements. It is intended to help guide Italy towards a more

Evolution of geotechnical investigations in Italy after the Second World War

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ferruccio Cestari

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper the writer presents the evolution of on site geothecnical investigations based on its own real-life experiences during more than fifty years of activity, both in Italy and in many sites abroad. The object of the paper is to give a panorama of methods and equipments development, to perform geotechnical site investigations, from a very poor initial practice to an European and Worldwide appreciated mastery of this activity

The nuclear in Italy - state of the art; Le nucleaire en Italie - etat des lieux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schifano, F.; Ziller, T

2007-02-15

This report aims to evaluate the italian situation in matter of the nuclear, following the referendum of 1987 which decided to stop the nuclear power plants in the country. The first part is devoted to the historical aspects of the nuclear sector in Italy. The second chapter presents the institutional and legislative framework. The third chapter discusses the today situation and the italian actors of the nuclear, from the radioactive wastes management and the dismantling of nuclear installations to the engineering service realized in other countries. It discusses also the research and development programs. The last chapter proposes perspectives of the debate around a possible restart of the nuclear activity in Italy.

OGS improvements in 2012 in running the Northeastern Italy Seismic Network: the Ferrara VBB borehole seismic station

Science.gov (United States)

Pesaresi, Damiano; Romanelli, Marco; Barnaba, Carla; Bragato, Pier Luigi; Durì, Giorgio

2013-04-01

The Centro di Ricerche Sismologiche (CRS, Seismological Research Center) of the Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS, Italian National Institute for Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics) in Udine (Italy) after the strong earthquake of magnitude M=6.4 occurred in 1976 in the Italian Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, started to operate the Northeastern Italy Seismic Network: it currently consists of 17 very sensitive broad band and 18 simpler short period seismic stations, all telemetered to and acquired in real time at the OGS-CRS data center in Udine. Real time data exchange agreements in place with other Italian, Slovenian, Austrian and Swiss seismological institutes lead to a total number of about 100 seismic stations acquired in real time, which makes the OGS the reference institute for seismic monitoring of Northeastern Italy. The southwestern edge of the OGS seismic network stands on the Po alluvial basin: earthquake localization and characterization in this area is affected by the presence of soft alluvial deposits. OGS ha already experience in running a local seismic network in high noise conditions making use of borehole installations in the case of the micro-seismicity monitoring of a local gas storage site for a private company. Following the ML=5.9 earthquake that struck the Emilia region around Ferrara in Northern Italy on May 20, 2012 at 02:03:53 UTC, a cooperation of Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, OGS, the Comune di Ferrara and the University of Ferrara lead to the reinstallation of a previously existing very broad band (VBB) borehole seismic station in Ferrara. The aim of the OGS intervention was on one hand to extend its real time seismic monitoring capabilities toward South-West, including Ferrara and its surroundings, and on the other hand to evaluate the seismic response at the site. We will describe improvements in running the Northeastern Italy Seismic Network, including details of the Ferrara VBB

Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review: Site Map

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review: Site Map. Journal Home > About the Journal > Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review: Site Map. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

Science, Technology and Arts Research Journal: Site Map

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Science, Technology and Arts Research Journal: Site Map. Journal Home > About the Journal > Science, Technology and Arts Research Journal: Site Map. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

The burden of rare cancers in Italy: the surveillance of rare cancers in Italy (RITA) project.

Science.gov (United States)

Trama, Annalisa; Mallone, Sandra; Ferretti, Stefano; Meduri, Francesca; Capocaccia, Riccardo; Gatta, Gemma

2012-01-01

The project Surveillance of rare cancers in Italy (RITA) provides, for the first time, estimates of the burden of rare cancers in Italy based on the list of rare cancers proposed in collaboration with the European project Surveillance of Rare Cancers in Europe (RARECARE). RITA analyzed data from Italian population-based cancer registries (CR). The period of diagnosis was 1988 to 2002, and vital status information was available up to December 31, 2003. Incidence rates were estimated for the period 1995-2002, survival for the years 2000-2002 (with the period method of Brenner), and complete prevalence at January 1, 2003. Rare cancers are those with an incidence <6/100,000/year. In Italy, every year there are 60,000 new diagnoses of rare cancers corresponding to 15% of all new cancer diagnoses. Five-year relative survival was on the average worse for rare cancers (53%) than for common cancers (73%). A total of 770,000 patients were living in Italy in 2008 with a diagnosis of a rare cancer, 22% of the total cancer prevalence. Our estimates constitute a useful base for further research and support the idea that rare cancers are a public health problem that deserves attention. Centers of expertise for rare cancers that pool cases, expertise and resources could ensure an adequate clinical management for these diseases. Our data also showed that cancer registries are suitable sources of data to estimate incidence, prevalence and survival for rare cancers and should continue to monitoring rare cancers in Italy.

Improvement of basic food crops in Africa through plant breeding, including the use of induced mutations. Report of the third research co-ordination meeting of FAO/IAEA/ITALY co-ordinated research programme. Working material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-12-01

A Co-ordinated Research Programme, on ``Improvement of basic food corps in Africa through plant breeding including the use of induced mutations``, funded by the Italian Governmnet, was initiated in the Joint Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization and International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna. The primary objective of this CRP was to breed improved varieties of staple food crops of Africa with main emphasis on the indigenous species and local cultivars. The Third Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) under the FAO/IAEA/ITALY Co-ordinated Research Programme was held in Nairobi, Kenya, 20-24 September 1993 in which 24 persons participated and 18 scientific reports were presented. These included reports from 10 Research Contract holders from Africa, 3 Technical Contract holders from Italy and the update on the backstopping of research carried out at the IAEA Laboratories, Seibersdorf. The reports, and conclusions and recommendations made by the participants are presented in this publication. Refs, figs, tabs.

Improvement of basic food crops in Africa through plant breeding, including the use of induced mutations. Report of the third research co-ordination meeting of FAO/IAEA/ITALY co-ordinated research programme. Working material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

A Co-ordinated Research Programme, on ''Improvement of basic food corps in Africa through plant breeding including the use of induced mutations'', funded by the Italian Governmnet, was initiated in the Joint Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization and International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna. The primary objective of this CRP was to breed improved varieties of staple food crops of Africa with main emphasis on the indigenous species and local cultivars. The Third Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) under the FAO/IAEA/ITALY Co-ordinated Research Programme was held in Nairobi, Kenya, 20-24 September 1993 in which 24 persons participated and 18 scientific reports were presented. These included reports from 10 Research Contract holders from Africa, 3 Technical Contract holders from Italy and the update on the backstopping of research carried out at the IAEA Laboratories, Seibersdorf. The reports, and conclusions and recommendations made by the participants are presented in this publication. Refs, figs, tabs

In A Queer Place in Time: Fictions of Belonging in Italy 1890-2010

Science.gov (United States)

Atwood, Christopher Burke

In a Queer Place in Time: Fictions of Belonging in Italy 1890-2010 maps the "elsewheres"---spatial, temporal and intertextual--- that authorize same-sex desire in modern Italy. Tracing a genealogy that spans from nineteenth century travel writing about Italy to contemporary Italian novels, I argue that texts exported from the Northern Europe and the U.S. function as vital site of affiliation and vexing points of discrepancy for Italy's queers. Pier Vittorio Tondelli's Camere separate (1989), for instance, cites the British novelist Christopher Isherwood as proof that -- somewhere else -- silence did not yoke homosexuality. Rather than defining sexuality as a constant set of desires, I demonstrate it to be a retroactive fiction. It is the fleeting affinity that the reading of inherited texts can evoke. In examining the reception of transnational gay narratives in the national context of Italy, this dissertation argues that the concept of "Western" homosexuality is internally riven. Ultimately, In a Queer Place in Time illuminates how local histories -- including affective differences like shame, estrangement and backwardness -- continue to haunt gay culture's global fictions. !

A new multiparametric geophysicalstation to detect self-potentialand seismometric signals at Tito site(Southern Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. R. Gallipoli

2001-06-01

Full Text Available n this work we present the main features of a new multiparametric station able to jointly detect self-potential and seismometric signals in a seismic active area of Southern Italy. The new station has been designed and installed at the Tito Laboratories of National Research Council (Italy that are located in the Southern Apennines, one of the most tectonically active areas of the whole Mediterranean. It combines advanced technologies for data acquisition with robust statistical techniques to pick out extreme events from self-potential recordings. The completely automatic station is equipped with electrical and seismometric sensors (16 channels, A/D 24 bit, sampling rate of 0.25 Hz, range dynamics of 133 dB. After a preliminary filtering procedure, mainly devoted to removing any influence of meteo-climatic conditions and/or cultural electrical noise, we evaluated the performance of the new monitoring station investigating the possible correlation between anomalous patterns of the self-potential signals and local seismic activity. Objective criteria and robust statistical tools have been applied to identify extreme events in electrical measurements and to select the earthquakes that may be responsible for strain effects at the measuring point. The short period of the measuring activity does not allow us to give firm conclusions, however the first results encourage us to continue the monitoring activity by increasing the number of remote stations and improving the use of statistical packages for data processing. We identified a well based monitoring strategy that in the near future could be useful to better understand the possible correlation between anomalous self-potential signals and local seismic activity.

8 October 2014 - Inauguration of the Industrial exhbition Italy@CERN by Ambassador M. Serra, permanent representative of Italy to the UNOG with CERN Director-General R. Heuer.

CERN Multimedia

Egli, Laurent

2014-01-01

His Excellency Mr Maurizio Serra Ambassador Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva on the occasion of the Inauguration of the Industrial Exhibition Italy@CERN Wednesday 8 October 2014 H. E. Mr Maurizio Serra Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva Dr Sergio Bertolucci Director for Research and Scientific Computing Prof. Rolf Heuer Director-General Mr Sigurd Lettow Director for Administration and General Infrastructure

New ESR/U-series data for the early Middle Pleistocene site of Isernia la Pineta, Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shao Qingfeng; Bahain, Jean-Jacques; Falgueres, Christophe; Peretto, Carlo; Arzarello, Marta; Minelli, Antonella; Thun Hohenstein, Ursula; Dolo, Jean-Michel; Garcia, Tristan; Frank, Norbert; Douville, Eric

2011-01-01

Located in Southern Italy, the Early Palaeolithic site of Isernia la Pineta has provided numerous palaeontological remains and artefacts in well-defined fluvio-lacustrine sequence. The normal magnetization of the main archaeological layer t3a and 39 Ar/ 40 Ar date of 610 ± 10 (2σ) ka, obtained from the immediately overlaying geological level, put the Isernia assemblage in the first part of the Middle Pleistocene. Previous ESR/U-series analyses of Isernia fossil teeth have displayed both recent U-uptake and severe underestimation of the ESR/U-series dates in comparison with the 39 Ar/ 40 Ar age. In order to identify the cause of this age underestimation, new analyses were realized in the present study on four bovid teeth directly recovered from the archaeological surface t3a. The ESR/U-series dates obtained were once again strongly underestimated, with an error weighted mean age of 435 ± 24 (1σ) ka. These too young dates could be associated to a change of the environmental γ-dose rate during the geological history of the Isernia site, related to the revealed recent U-uptake into the palaeontological remains of the archaeological level. If we consider that this dose rate change was coeval with a wet interglacial period and taking the 39 Ar/ 40 Ar age as geochronological reference, simulations with two dose rate steps indicate that this change could be correlated with marine isotopic stage 7 (MIS 7).

New ESR/U-series data for the early Middle Pleistocene site of Isernia la Pineta, Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shao Qingfeng, E-mail: shao@mnhn.fr [Departement de Prehistoire du Museum National d' Histoire Naturelle, UMR 7194 CNRS, 1 rue Rene Panhard, F-75013 Paris (France); Bahain, Jean-Jacques; Falgueres, Christophe [Departement de Prehistoire du Museum National d' Histoire Naturelle, UMR 7194 CNRS, 1 rue Rene Panhard, F-75013 Paris (France); Peretto, Carlo; Arzarello, Marta; Minelli, Antonella; Thun Hohenstein, Ursula [Dipartimento di Biologia ed Evoluzione, Universita di Ferrara, C.so Ercole I d' Este 32, I-44121 Ferrara (Italy); Dolo, Jean-Michel; Garcia, Tristan [CEA, LIST, Laboratoire National Henri Becquerel, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex (France); Frank, Norbert; Douville, Eric [Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l' Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, UMR 8212 CNRS-CEA-UVSQ, Domaine du CNRS, F-91198 Gif/Yvette cedex (France)

2011-09-15

Located in Southern Italy, the Early Palaeolithic site of Isernia la Pineta has provided numerous palaeontological remains and artefacts in well-defined fluvio-lacustrine sequence. The normal magnetization of the main archaeological layer t3a and {sup 39}Ar/{sup 40}Ar date of 610 {+-} 10 (2{sigma}) ka, obtained from the immediately overlaying geological level, put the Isernia assemblage in the first part of the Middle Pleistocene. Previous ESR/U-series analyses of Isernia fossil teeth have displayed both recent U-uptake and severe underestimation of the ESR/U-series dates in comparison with the {sup 39}Ar/{sup 40}Ar age. In order to identify the cause of this age underestimation, new analyses were realized in the present study on four bovid teeth directly recovered from the archaeological surface t3a. The ESR/U-series dates obtained were once again strongly underestimated, with an error weighted mean age of 435 {+-} 24 (1{sigma}) ka. These too young dates could be associated to a change of the environmental {gamma}-dose rate during the geological history of the Isernia site, related to the revealed recent U-uptake into the palaeontological remains of the archaeological level. If we consider that this dose rate change was coeval with a wet interglacial period and taking the {sup 39}Ar/{sup 40}Ar age as geochronological reference, simulations with two dose rate steps indicate that this change could be correlated with marine isotopic stage 7 (MIS 7).

Visible and infrared spectroscopy to evaluate soil quality in degraded sites: an applicative study in southern Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Ancona, Valeria; Matarrese, Raffaella; Salvatori, Rosamaria; Salzano, Roberto; Regano, Simona; Calabrese, Angelantonio; Campanale, Claudia; Felice Uricchio, Vito

2014-05-01

Land degradation processes like organic matter impoverishment and contamination are growing increasingly all over the world due to a non-rational and often sustainable spread of human activities on the territory. Consequently the need to characterize and monitor degraded sites is becoming very important, with the aim to hinder such main threats, which could compromise drastically, soil quality. Visible and infrared spectroscopy is a well-known technique/tool to study soil properties. Vis-NIR spectral reflectance, in fact, can be used to characterize spatial and temporal variation in soil constituents (Brown et al., 2006; Viscarra Rossel et al., 2006), and potentially its surface structure (Chappell et al., 2006, 2007). It is a rapid, non-destructive, reproducible and cost-effective analytical method to analyse soil properties and therefore, it can be a useful method to study land degradation phenomena. In this work, we present the results of proximal sensing investigations of three degraded sites (one affected by organic and inorganic contamination and two affected by soil organic matter decline) situated southern Italy close to Taranto city (in Apulia Region). A portable spectroradiometer (ASD-FieldSpec) was used to measure the reflectance properties in the spectral range between 350-2500 nm of the soil, in the selected sites, before and after a recovery treatment by using compost (organic fertilizer). For each measurement point the soil was sampled in order to perform chemical analyses to evaluate soil quality status. Three in-situ campaigns have been carried out (September 2012, June 2013, and September 2013), collecting about 20 soil samples for each site and for each campaign. Chemical and spectral analyses have been focused on investigating soil organic carbon, carbonate content, texture and, in the case of polluted site, heavy metals and organic toxic compounds. Statistical analyses have been carried out to test a prediction model of different soil quality

OGS improvements in 2012 in running the North-eastern Italy Seismic Network: the Ferrara VBB borehole seismic station

Science.gov (United States)

Pesaresi, D.; Romanelli, M.; Barnaba, C.; Bragato, P. L.; Durì, G.

2014-07-01

The Centro di Ricerche Sismologiche (CRS, Seismological Research Centre) of the Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS, Italian National Institute for Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics) in Udine (Italy) after the strong earthquake of magnitude M=6.4 occurred in 1976 in the Italian Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, started to operate the North-eastern Italy Seismic Network: it currently consists of 17 very sensitive broad band and 18 simpler short period seismic stations, all telemetered to and acquired in real time at the OGS-CRS data centre in Udine. Real time data exchange agreements in place with other Italian, Slovenian, Austrian and Swiss seismological institutes lead to a total number of about 100 seismic stations acquired in real time, which makes the OGS the reference institute for seismic monitoring of North-eastern Italy. The south-western edge of the OGS seismic network (Fig. 1) stands on the Po alluvial basin: earthquake localization and characterization in this area is affected by the presence of soft alluvial deposits. OGS ha already experience in running a local seismic network in high noise conditions making use of borehole installations in the case of the micro-seismicity monitoring of a local gas storage site for a private company. Following the ML = 5.9 earthquake that struck the Emilia region around Ferrara in Northern Italy on 20 May 2012 at 02:03:53 UTC, a cooperation of Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, OGS, the Comune di Ferrara and the University of Ferrara lead to the reinstallation of a previously existing very broad band (VBB) borehole seismic station in Ferrara. The aim of the OGS intervention was on one hand to extend its real time seismic monitoring capabilities toward South-West, including Ferrara and its surroundings, and on the other hand to evaluate the seismic response at the site. We will describe improvements in running the North-eastern Italy Seismic Network, including details of

AMS {sup 14}C dating at CIRCE: The Major Temple in Cumae (NA – Italy)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Capano, M., E-mail: capano@cerege.fr [Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli – CIRCE (Centre for Isotopic Research on Cultural and Environmental Heritage), San Nicola la Strada, CE (Italy); Rescigno, C.; Sirleto, R. [Dipartimento di Lettere e Beni Culturali, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Santa Maria Capua Vetere, CE (Italy); Passariello, I. [INNOVA-CIRCE, San Nicola la Strada, CE (Italy); Marzaioli, F.; D’Onofrio, A.; Terrasi, F. [INNOVA-CIRCE, San Nicola la Strada, CE (Italy); Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Caserta (Italy)

2015-10-15

We present here one recent CIRCE (Centre for Isotopic Research on Cultural and Environmental Heritage) – Caserta (Italy) project on cultural heritage field, analysing several mice bones, discovered in the Major Temple on the acropolis of Cumae (Napoli, Southern Italy). The bones were found in a vase linked to the holy context. In order to know their dating and formulate an hypothesis on their presence on the site, if it was an accidental rodent inclusion (believed on the base of archaeological context to have occurred during building abandonment periods (IV–V or XIII centuries AD)) or an intentional and ritual remain, the bones were {sup 14}C dated by AMS at CIRCE. The results indicate that the mice bones date to the IV century BC and are contemporaneous with building construction. This dating seems to exclude an accidental rodent presence and it supports the hypothesis of Apollo veneration in the temple, based on the already known link between mice and Apollo worship rituals.

Geochemical survey of an illegal waste disposal site under a waste emergency scenario (Northwest Naples, Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrara, L; Iannace, M; Patelli, A M; Arienzo, M

2013-03-01

Since the mid 1980s, Naples and the Campania region have suffered from the dumping of wastes into overfilled landfills. The aim was to characterise a former cave located in Roccarainola (Naples, Italy) for its eventual destination to a controlled landfill site. A detailed hydro-geochemical survey of the area was carried out through drilling of 14 boreholes and four monitoring wells. Samples of water, sediment and soil were analysed for heavy metals and organic contaminants from a dew pond placed in the middle of the cave. The underneath aquifer was also surveyed. The nature of gases emitted from the site was investigated. Results of the geognostic survey revealed the presence of huge volumes of composite wastes, approximately half a million of cubic metre, which accumulated up to a thickness of 25.6 m. In some points, wastes lie below the free surface level of the aquifer. The sampled material from the boreholes revealed levels of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sn, Tl and Zn exceeding the intervention legal limits. Outstanding loads of Cd, Pb and Zn were found, with levels exceeding of about 50, 100 and 1,870 times the limit. In several points, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon load was extremely high, 35 vs 1 mg kg(-1) of the threshold. The aquifer was also very heavily polluted by Cd, Cr-tot, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn, with impressive high load of Cr and Mn, up to 250-370 times the limits. Hot gases up to 62 °C with presence of xylene and ethylbenzene were found. Results indicated that the site needs an urgent intervention of recovery to avoid compromising the surrounding areas and aquifers of the Campania plain.

Chemical characterization and spatial distribution of PAHs and heavy hydrocarbons in rural sites of Campania Region, South Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Monaco, D; Riccio, A; Chianese, E; Adamo, P; Di Rosa, S; Fagnano, M

2015-10-01

In this paper, the behaviour and distribution patterns of heavy hydrocarbons and several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) priority pollutants, as listed by the US Environmental Protection Agency, were evaluated in 891 soil samples. The samples were collected in three expected polluted rural sites in Campania (southern Italy) as part of the LIFE11 ECOREMED project, funded by the European Commission, to test innovative agriculture-based soil restoration techniques. These sites have been selected because they have been used for the temporary storage of urban and building waste (Teverola), subject to illicit dumping of unknown material (Trentola-Ducenta), or suspected to be polluted by metals due to agricultural practices (Giugliano). Chemical analysis of soil samples allowed the baseline pollution levels to be determined prior to any intervention. It was found that these areas can be considered contaminated for residential use, in accordance with Italian environmental law (Law Decree 152/2006). Statistical analysis applied to the data proved that average mean concentrations of heavy hydrocarbons could be as high as 140 mg/kg of dry soil with peaks of 700 mg/kg of dry soil, for the Trentola-Ducenta site; the median concentration of analytical results for hydrocarbon (HC) concentration for the Trentola-Ducenta and Giugliano sites was 63 and 73.4 mg/kg dry soil, respectively; for Teverola, the median level was 35 mg/kg dry soil. Some PAHs (usually benzo(a)pyrene) also exceeded the maximum allowed level in all sites. From the principal component analysis applied to PAH concentrations, it emerged that pollutants can be supposed to derive from a single source for the three sites. Diagnostic ratios calculated to determine possible PAH sources suggest petroleum combustion or disposal practice. Our sampling protocol also showed large dishomogeneity in soil pollutant spatial distribution, even at a scale as small as 3.3 m, indicating that variability could emerge at very

Shared worlds: multi-sited ethnography and nursing research.

Science.gov (United States)

Molloy, Luke; Walker, Kim; Lakeman, Richard

2017-03-22

Background Ethnography, originally developed for the study of supposedly small-scale societies, is now faced with an increasingly mobile, changing and globalised world. Cultural identities can exist without reference to a specific location and extend beyond regional and national boundaries. It is therefore no longer imperative that the sole object of the ethnographer's practice should be a geographically bounded site. Aim To present a critical methodological review of multi-sited ethnography. Discussion Understanding that it can no longer be taken with any certainty that location alone determines culture, multi-sited ethnography provides a method of contextualising multi-sited social phenomena. The method enables researchers to examine social phenomena that are simultaneously produced in different locations. It has been used to undertake cultural analysis of diverse areas such as organ trafficking, global organisations, technologies and anorexia. Conclusion The authors contend that multi-sited ethnography is particularly suited to nursing research as it provides researchers with an ethnographic method that is more relevant to the interconnected world of health and healthcare services. Implications for practice Multi-sited ethnography provides nurse researchers with an approach to cultural analysis in areas such as the social determinants of health, healthcare services and the effects of health policies across multiple locations.

The Swedish Research Infrastructure for Ecosystem Science - SITES

Science.gov (United States)

Lindroth, A.; Ahlström, M.; Augner, M.; Erefur, C.; Jansson, G.; Steen Jensen, E.; Klemedtsson, L.; Langenheder, S.; Rosqvist, G. N.; Viklund, J.

2017-12-01

The vision of SITES is to promote long-term field-based ecosystem research at a world class level by offering an infrastructure with excellent technical and scientific support and services attracting both national and international researchers. In addition, SITES will make data freely and easily available through an advanced data portal which will add value to the research. During the first funding period, three innovative joint integrating facilities were established through a researcher-driven procedure: SITES Water, SITES Spectral, and SITES AquaNet. These new facilities make it possible to study terrestrial and limnic ecosystem processes across a range of ecosystem types and climatic gradients, with common protocols and similar equipment. In addition, user-driven development at the nine individual stations has resulted in e.g. design of a long-term agricultural systems experiment, and installation of weather stations, flux systems, etc. at various stations. SITES, with its integrative approach and broad coverage of climate and ecosystem types across Sweden, constitutes an excellent platform for state-of-the-art research projects. SITES' support the development of: A better understanding of the way in which key ecosystems function and interact with each other at the landscape level and with the climate system in terms of mass and energy exchanges. A better understanding of the role of different organisms in controlling different processes and ultimately the functioning of ecosystems. New strategies for forest management to better meet the many and varied requirements from nature conservation, climate and wood, fibre, and energy supply points of view. Agricultural systems that better utilize resources and minimize adverse impacts on the environment. Collaboration with other similar infrastructures and networks is a high priority for SITES. This will enable us to make use of each others' experiences, harmonize metadata for easier exchange of data, and support each

Urbs oblivionalis. Urban Spaces and Terrorism in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Pirazzoli

2016-03-01

Urbs oblivionalis. Urban Spaces and Terrorism in Italy was the research focusing the planning reaction after terroristic attacks occurred in this country between 1961 and 1993. In this text the two authors underline the essential points of their research, still open and sadly actual.

Nuclear decommissioning in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tripputi, I.

2005-01-01

Italy is in a unique position. Italy has been in the past among the leading countries in the pacific use of nuclear energy, but, as a consequence of the 1987 referendum decided to shutdown all operating power plants, to leave uncompleted the plants under construction and to stop all related research and industrial activities declaring a 5 years moratorium on any future initiative. The moratorium ended unnoticed in 1992, since there was no political move to restart nuclear power in Italy and, in practice, it is still acting. Therefore, now the major efforts in the nuclear field are focused on the closure of past liabilities assuring safety and security highest levels. This is a duty to be carried out by the generation that used this form of energy, but, at least for somebody, also a precondition for the acceptance of any future renaissance of nuclear energy in Italy. SOGIN is a Company carrying out a service for the country and fully committed to solve the liabilities left by the interrupted nuclear industry in Italy. To this aim SOGIN is managed as a private company to assure the highest possible efficiency, but, at the same time, is driven by moral and ethical objectives and the vision of protecting the environment and health and safety of the public. SOGIN blends in a synergic way the various ENEL experiences (design and operation of NPP's) and ENEA experiences (engineering and operation of R and D and industrial facilities supporting NPP's). Such a comprehensive combination of technical competences should not be dispersed in the medium and long term and the management is committed to facilitate the technical growth of the impressing number of motivated young people joining the Company, whose enthusiasm is contaminating every day also the 'veterans', to assure for the country an asset and a presidium of very specialized multi-disciplinary nuclear competences. Speaking of possible scenarios for the future, we should mention that the current international situation

Colloid research for the Nevada Test Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bryant, E.A.

1992-05-01

Research is needed to understand the role of particulates in the migration of radionuclides away from the sites of nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site. The process of testing itself may produce a reservoir of particles to serve as vectors for the transport of long-lived radionuclides in groundwater. Exploratory experiments indicate the presence of numerous particulates in the vicinity of the Cambric test but a much lower loading in a nearby well that has been pumped continuously for 15 years. Recent groundwater colloid research is briefly reviewed to identify sampling and characterization methods that may be applicable at the Nevada Test Site

Discourses of Merit. The Hot Potato of Teacher Evaluation in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Barzanò, Giovanna; Grimaldi, Emiliano

2013-01-01

Italy is well known for its difficulty in introducing any educational evaluation system. This paper explores the dynamics which occurred in Italy in 2010-2011, within the context of the umpteenth national pilot of school and staff evaluation. Our research object is an unfinished project, observed in its development. We get close to the struggles…

Lithological-morphological map of Italy: Instrument for environmental protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noe', L.

1991-01-01

This paper describes the development by ENEA (Italian Commission for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment) of a map which identifies and coordinates the principal lithological and morphological features of Italy's environmental ecosystems. The map is intended especially for use in site characterization studies and environmental impacts assessments in construction projects involving hydroelectric power dams and geothermal power plants

THE NEED OF DASHBOARD IN SOCIAL RESEARCH NETWORK SITES FOR RESEARCHERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siti Hawa Apandi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, dashboard has been widely used by organizations to display information based on their objectives such as monitoring business performance or checking the current trend in the niche market. There is a need to investigate whether the researchers also need the dashboard in assisting their research works. There are some issues facing by researchers while using Social Research Network Sites (SRNS since they could not noticed with information related to research field that they might be interested in because they are huge amounts of information in the SRNS. The inclusion of dashboard in the SRNS has to be explored to understand its relevancy in supporting the researchers work. We review previous works regarding dashboard usage to find the purposes of having dashboard and find researcher needs by reviewing researchers use scenario in the social networking sites. Then, we analyze whether the dashboard purposes can satisfy the researcher needs. From the analysis, we found out that the dashboard is a significant tool in assisting the researchers on: measuring their own research performance, monitoring research trends and alerting them with upcoming events.

Integration of Geomatics Techniques for Digitizing Highly Relevant Geological and Cultural Heritage Sites: the Case of San Leo (italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Girelli, V. A.; Borgatti, L.; Dellapasqua, M.; Mandanici, E.; Spreafico, M. C.; Tini, M. A.; Bitelli, G.

2017-08-01

The research activities described in this contribution were carried out at San Leo (Italy). The town is located on the top of a quadrangular rock slab affected by a complex system of fractures and has a wealth of cultural heritage, as evidenced by the UNESCO's nomination. The management of this fragile set requires a comprehensive system of geometrical information to analyse and preserve all the geological and cultural features. In this perspective, the latest Geomatics techniques were used to perform some detailed surveys and to manage the great amount of acquired geometrical knowledge of both natural (the cliff) and historical heritage. All the data were also georeferenced in a unique reference system. In particular, high accurate terrestrial laser scanner surveys were performed for the whole cliff, in order to obtain a dense point cloud useful for a large number of geological studies, among others the analyses of the last rockslide by comparing pre- and post-event data. Moreover, the geometrical representation of the historical centre was performed using different approaches, in order to generate an accurate DTM and DSM of the site. For these purposes, a large scale numerical map was used, integrating the data with GNSS and laser surveys of the area. Finally, many surveys were performed with different approaches on some of the most relevant monuments of the town. In fact, these surveys were performed by terrestrial laser scanner, light structured scanner and photogrammetry, the last mainly applied with the Structure from Motion approach.

Raman microscopy: The identification of lapis lazuli on medieval pottery fragments from the south of Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Robin J. H.; Curri, M. Lucia; Laganara, Caterina

1997-04-01

The technique of Raman microscopy has been used to investigate the pigments used in the glazes of fragments of medieval items of pottery dating back to the second half of the 13th century, which were found buried beneath a church in the abandoned village of Castel Fiorentino, near Foggia, in Southern Italy. The research has led to the first identification of lapis lazuli in a blue pigment pottery glaze; the identification was confirmed for six other shards from the same site. The brown—black pigment in these shards could not be identified.

Self-potential monitoring of a crude oil contaminated site (Trecate, Italy): first results of the modelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Giampaolo, V.; Rizzo, E.; Titov, K.; Maineult, A.; Lapenna, V.

2012-04-01

The contamination of soils and groundwater by hydrocarbon, due to blow out, leakage from tank or pipe and oil spill, is a heavy environmental problem because infiltrated oil can persist in the ground for a long time. The existing methods used for the remediation of these contaminated sites are invasive, time consuming and expensive. Therefore, in the last years, there was a growing interest in the use of geophysical methods for environmental monitoring (Atekwana et al., 2000; Chambers et al., 2004; Song et al., 2005; French et al., 2009). A particular attention is given to the self-potential (SP) method because SP is sensitive to the contaminant chemistry and redox processes generated by bacteria during the biodegradation (Atekwana et al., 2004; Naudet and Revil, 2005; Revil et al., 2010). Here we show the results of SP investigations carried out at Trecate site (Italy). This site was affected by a crude oil contamination from a well blowout in 1994. Four SP surveys (October 2009, March 2010, October 2010, and March 2011) were conducted at the site, both in the contaminated and uncontaminated regions. Significant changes are observed between SP data collected at different times. In particular, we found mostly negative electrical potential in October surveys and positive electrical potential in March surveys. The SP distributions can be interpreted as the superposition of many components, including a horizontal water-flow in the saturated shallow aquifer toward South-East, the infiltration movement of water in the unsaturated zone and, possibly, the oxidation-reduction phenomena due to bacterial activity. As the groundwater flow usually produces SP linear trends, the data were detrended by linear regression, taking into account the measured piezometric heads in the aquifer. The detrended SP data show that the SP distribution within the contaminated zone is generally bipolar in October: the southern part of the contaminated area is characterized by negative values

On Site Investigation and Health Monitoring of a Historic Tower in Mantua, Italy

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Antonella Saisi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The paper describes the strategy adopted to assess the structural condition of the tallest historic tower in Mantua (Italy after the Italian seismic sequence of May–June 2012 and exemplifies the application of health monitoring using (automated operational modal analysis. The post-earthquake survey (including extensive visual inspection, historic and documentary research, non-destructive (ND material testing, and ambient vibration tests highlighted the poor state of preservation of the upper part of the tower; subsequently, a dynamic monitoring system (consisting of a few accelerometers and one temperature sensor was installed in the building to address the preservation of the historic structure, and automated modal identification was continuously performed. Despite the low levels of vibration that existed in operational conditions, the analysis of data collected over a period of about 15 months allowed to assess and model the effects of changing temperature on modal frequencies and to detect the occurrence of abnormal behavior and damage under the changing environment. The monitoring results demonstrate the potential key role of vibration-based structural health monitoring, implemented through low-cost hardware solutions and appropriate software tools, in the preventive conservation and the condition-based maintenance of historic towers.

Characterization of Roman glass tesserae from the Coriglia excavation site (Italy) via energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Donais, Mary Kate; Sparks, Andrew; Redente, Monica [Saint Anselm College, Department of Chemistry, Manchester, NH (United States); Pevenage, Jolien van; Moens, Luc; Vincze, Laszlo [Ghent University, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent (Belgium); George, David B. [Saint Anselm College, Department of Classics, Manchester, NH (United States); Vandenabeele, Peter [Ghent University, Department of Archaeology, Ghent (Belgium)

2016-12-15

The combined use of handheld energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, and micro-energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry permitted the characterization of Roman glass tesserae excavation from the Coriglia (Italy) archeological site. Analyses of ten different glass colors were conducted as spot analyses on intact samples and as both spot analyses and line scans on select cross-sectioned samples. The elemental and molecular information gained from these spectral measurements allowed for the qualitative chemical characterization of the bulk glass, decolorants, opacifiers, and coloring agents. The use of an antimony opacifier in many of the samples supports the late Imperial phasing as determined through numismatic, fresco, ceramics, and architectural evidence. And dealinization of the exterior glass layers caused by the burial environment was confirmed. (orig.)

Long-period amplification in deep alluvial basins and consequences for site-specific probabilistic seismic-hazard: the case of Castelleone in the Po Plain (Northern Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Barani, S.; Mascandola, C.; Massa, M.; Spallarossa, D.

2017-12-01

The recent Emilia seismic sequence (Northern Italy) occurred at the end of the first half of 2012 with main shock of Mw6.1 highlighted the importance of studying site effects in the Po Plain, the larger and deeper sedimentary basin in Italy. As has long been known, long-period amplification related to deep sedimentary basins can significantly affect the characteristics of the ground-motion induced by strong earthquakes. It follows that the effects of deep sedimentary deposits on ground shaking require special attention during the definition of the design seismic action. The work presented here analyzes the impact of deep-soil discontinuities on ground-motion amplification, with particular focus on long-period probabilistic seismic-hazard assessment. The study focuses on the site of Castelleone, where a seismic station of the Italian National Seismic Network has been recording since 2009. Our study includes both experimental and numerical site response analyses. Specifically, extensive active and passive geophysical measurements were carried out in order to define a detailed shear-wave velocity (VS) model to be used in the numerical analyses. These latter are needed to assess the site-specific ground-motion hazard. Besides classical seismic refraction profiles and multichannel analysis of surface waves, we analyzed ambient vibration measurements in both single and array configurations. The VS profile was determined via joint inversion of the experimental phase-velocity dispersion curve with the ellipticity curve derived from horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios. The profile shows two main discontinuities at depths of around 160 and 1350 m, respectively. The probabilistic site-specific hazard was assessed in terms of both spectral acceleration and displacement. A partially non-ergodic approach was adopted. We have found that the spectral acceleration hazard is barely sensitive to long-period (up to 10 s) amplification related to the deeper discontinuity whereas the

Anaerobic treatment in Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Del Borghi, M; Solisio, C; Ferrailo, G

1984-02-01

In Italy, environmental protection and energy conservation have become very important since the increase in oil prices. The law requires that all waste waters have a B.O.D. of 40 mg/l by 1986 so there has been an expansion of purification plants since 1976, using anaerobic digestion. The report deals with the current state of anaerobic treatment in Italy with particular reference to (1) animal wastes. In intensive holdings, anaerobic digestion leads to a decrease in pollution and an increase in biogas generation which can be used to cover the energy demand of the process. The factors which influence the builders of digestors for farms are considered. (2) Non toxic industrial wastes. These are the waste waters emanating from the meat packing, brewing, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Particular reference is made to the distillery plants using anaerobic treatment prior to aerobic digestion. (3) Urban wastes. The advantages and the disadvantages are considered and further research and development is recommended. 20 references.

Research from Afar: Considerations for Conducting an Off-Site Research Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Reg Arthur; Hagerty, Bonnie M.; Hoyle, Kenneth; Yousha, Steven M.; Abdoo, Yvonne; Andersen, Curt; Engler, Dorothy

1999-01-01

Critical elements in the success of off-site research projects include the following: negotiation, attention to personnel issues, communication, participation of research subjects, data management, and concern for privacy issues. (SK)

ask 6 - Gubbio - Deliverable D21: Geological model of the Gubbio basin (Italy) for the characterization of local seismic response

OpenAIRE

Fiorini, E.; Pacor, F.; Bindi, D.; Rovelli, A.; Cara, F.; Di Giulio, G.; Milana, G.; Monachesi, G.; Nieto, D.; Bohm, G.; Albarello, D.; D'Amico, V.; Picozzi, M.; Mucciarelli M.; Scarascia Mugnozza, G.

2007-01-01

Within the framework of the project S3 “Ground shaking scenarios for some strategic areas in Italy-Task6” the town of Gubbio has been selected as a test site to compute ground motion taking into account finite fault and site effects. Gubbio is located in central Italy, on the northern slopes of one of the many valleys characterising the central Appennines. The historical settlement is located on a rocky slope, while new developments extend on the Quaternary fluvio-lacustrine de...

Renewable energy sources cost benefit analysis and prospects for Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ariemma, A.; Montanino, G.

1992-01-01

In light of Italy's over-dependency on imported oil, and due to this nation's commitment to the pursuit of the strict environmental protection policies of the European Communities, ENEL (the Italian National Electricity Board) has become actively involved in research efforts aimed at the commercialization of renewable energy sources - photovoltaic, wind, biomass, and mini-hydraulic. Through the use of energy production cost estimates based on current and near- future levels of technological advancement, this paper assesses prospects for the different sources. The advantages and disadvantages of each source in its use as a suitable complementary energy supply satisfying specific sets of constraints regarding siting, weather, capital and operating costs, maintenance, etc., are pointed out. In comparing the various alternatives, the paper also considers environmental benefits and commercialization feasibility in terms of time and outlay

Geological activity of humans represented in the world heritage sites of India, Italy, and Russia: Evidence of the anthropocene

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Ansari M K.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The idea of the Anthropocene attracts attention of scientists, policy-makers, and broad public to the geological activity of humans and poses new important questions for the modern stratigraphy. The growth of the Anthropocene-related knowledge and its promotion can be based potentially on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS. On the one hand, many of these sites provide spectacular evidence of the human activity. On the other hand, these are remarkable tourist attractions. The WHSs of three heritage-rich countries, namely India, Italy, and Russia, have been assessed with regard to how these reflect the geological activity of humans. It is established that 65-90% of all WHSs in each country provide direct and indirect evidence of such an activity (artificial caves, terrace building, etc., which appears to be enough for the general discussion of the idea of the Anthropocene. However, the distribution of the WHSs by their age allows focusing only on the “early” (before 1800 AD start of the Anthropocene, which is not enough for full discussion of the lower limit of this unit. The examples considered in the present study imply that some WHSs alone provide very important pieces of the Anthropocene-related knowledge.

Meeting report: 28th International Conference on Antiviral Research in Rome, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Vere Hodge, R Anthony

2015-11-01

The 28th International Conference on Antiviral Research (ICAR) was held in Rome, Italy from May 11 to 15, 2015. This article summarizes the principal invited lectures. Phillip Furman, the Elion award recipient, described the research leading to sofosbuvir. Dennis Liotta, who received the Holý award, described how an investigation into HIV entry inhibitors led to a new therapy for cancer patients. Erica Ollmann Saphire, winner of the Prusoff Young Investigator award, explored the world of viral proteins and how they remodel to perform different essential roles in viral replication. The keynote addresses, by Raffaele De Francesco and Michael Manns, reported on the remarkable progress made in the therapy of chronic HCV infections. A third keynote address, by Armand Sprecher, related the difficulties and successes of Médicins Sans Frontières in West Africa ravaged by the Ebola outbreak. There were three mini-symposia on RNA Viruses, Antiviral Chemistry and Emerging Viruses. There was a good collection of talks on RNA viruses (norovirus, rabies, dengue, HEV, HCV, and RSV). A highlight of the chemistry was the preparation of prodrugs for nucleotide triphosphates as this opens a door to new options. The third mini-symposium emphasized how research work in the antiviral area is continuing to expand and needs to do so with a sense of urgency. Although this meeting report covers only a few of the presentations, it aims to illustrate the great diversity of topics discussed at ICAR, bringing together knowledge and expertise from the whole spectrum of antiviral research. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Erionite and other fibrous zeolites in volcanic environments: the need for a risk assessment in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Cavallo, A.; Rimoldi, B.

2012-04-01

linked to erionite in Italy is extremely scarce: INAIL, through its database of occupational diseases, can provide essential information for epidemiological research. An effective risk assessment in Italy will require coordinated actions from government agencies, local health authorities, Universities and research centers, in order to record the actual presence of fibrous zeolites, recognizing mineral species and quantifying their abundance in rock deposits. The different geological conditions through time of volcanic deposits will be compared with an updated "database" on the physical-chemical-geological conditions of formation of zeolites. In sites where the presence of fibrous zeolites has been validated by laboratory tests, we will proceed with accurate field surveys and sampling campaigns, in order to determine detailed geological-stratigraphic and structural features, and resolving precisely the thickness, areal extent and volume of lithostratigraphic units containing these minerals. These data will be entered into a GIS to produce a result that can be used immediately and in the long-period by research institutes, local authorities and regional agencies for environmental protection. In sites where the presence of hazardous fibrous minerals has been validated, we will plan airborne fibers sampling campaigns, and we will assess the extent of airborne dispersion produced by natural agents and by man activity. In the case that these sites host active mining or quarrying activities, we will quantify the airborne fibers contamination at workplaces and propose measures for environmental risk mitigation.

Professional conduct among registered nurses in the use of online social networking sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Levati, Sara

2014-10-01

To explore the use of Facebook by Registered Nurses (RNs) in Italy and the United Kingdom (UK), focusing on the disclosure of personal and professional information. The use of online social network sites among medical students and doctors is posing new ethical challenges to the profession. To date, little research has explored the use of online social networking sites among nurses. A cross-national survey. Data were assessed on 124 nurses' profile pages, readily available without viewing restrictions. Content analysis and inferential statistics were undertaken to describe usage and identify similarities and differences between the two country-groups of nurses. Data were collected between December 2011-January 2012. Overall, UK and Italian RNs showed a similar use of the online platform, tending to disclose personal pictures, home town and current home location, as well as updates and comments related to personal and work-related activities. A statistically significant higher proportion of nurses in Italy disclosed their sexual orientation. In both groups, a few cases were observed of potentially unprofessional content in relation to the use of alcohol, nudity and material of a salacious nature. Although most of the UK and Italy RNs appear to be aware of the risks posed by their online exposure, their online activity indicates the blurring of their personal and professional lives; this is posing new ethical, legal and professional challenges to members of the nursing profession. Further research and debate is encouraged at national and international level. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Naturalizing Alterity: Edward Maturin’s Bianca: A Tale of Erin and Italy and Lady Morgan's Italy

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Donatella Abbate Badin

2011-08-01

Full Text Available In the nineteenth century the image of Italy appealed also to Irish Romantic writers. But the way in which they naturalized the Italian alterity is quite ambivalent. On the one hand they filtered their images of the southern country through their relationship with England and thus ended up mirroring stereotypes common to the English-speaking world, and on the other hand they established a special, personal relationship with it shaped by their ideological and cultural differences from the British. This essay tackles the representations of Italy in two texts, namely Edward Maturin’s Bianca: A Tale of Erin and Italy, published in 1852, and in the earlier Italy (1821 by Lady Morgan. Both these works show that at that time there was a certain awareness, in Ireland, of the special historical and political conditions of Italy and of possible similarities with Ireland. Italy, oppressed by foreign domination yet aspiring to freedom, became a yardstick for gauging issues of subjugation, injustice, and national identity and invited sympathy from the citizens of a colonized country. Therefore, Italy was perceived as a mirror in which to reflect the Irish identity torn by aspirations which were hard to confess publicly or even to oneself. Keywords: Maturin, Lady Morgan, alterity, Italy, Irish Romanticism

Host-feeding patterns of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in urban and rural contexts within Rome province, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Valerio, Laura; Marini, Francesca; Bongiorno, Gioia; Facchinelli, Luca; Pombi, Marco; Caputo, Beniamino; Maroli, Michele; Della Torre, Alessandra

2010-04-01

Knowledge of the frequency of contact between a mosquito species and its different hosts is essential to understand the role of each vector species in the transmission of diseases to humans and/or animals. However, no data are so far available on the feeding habits of Aedes albopictus in Italy or in other recently colonized temperate regions of Europe, due to difficulties in collecting blood-fed females of this diurnal and exophilic species. We analyzed Ae. albopictus host-feeding patterns in two urban and two rural sites within the area of Rome (Italy). Ae. albopictus was collected using sticky-traps and the blood-meal origin of 303 females was determined by direct dot-ELISA. The blood-fed sample, although representing only 4% of the total Ae. albopictus collected, demonstrates the useful application of sticky-trap in studying the feeding behavior of the species. The human blood index was significantly different among sites, ranging from 79-96% in urban sites to 23-55% in rural sites, where horses and bovines represented the most bitten hosts. The results obtained confirm the plastic feeding behavior shown by Ae. albopictus in its original range of distribution and highlights the high potential of this species as a vector of human pathogens in urban areas of Italy, where both humans and the mosquito itself may reach very high densities.

THE 3rd SCHIZOPHRENIA INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SOCIETY CONFERENCE, 14-18 APRIL 2012, FLORENCE, ITALY: SUMMARIES OF ORAL SESSIONS

Science.gov (United States)

Abbs, Brandon; Achalia, Rashmin M; Adelufosi, Adegoke O; Aktener, Ahmet Yiğit; Beveridge, Natalie J; Bhakta, Savita G; Blackman, Rachael K; Bora, Emre; Byun, MS; Cabanis, Maurice; Carrion, Ricardo; Castellani, Christina A; Chow, Tze Jen; Dmitrzak-Weglarz, M; Gayer-Anderson, Charlotte; Gomes, Felipe V; Haut, Kristen; Hori, Hiroaki; Kantrowitz, Joshua T; Kishimoto, Taishiro; Lee, Frankie HF; Lin, Ashleigh; Palaniyappan, Lena; Quan, Meina; Rubio, Maria D; Ruiz de Azúa, Sonia; Sahoo, Saddichha; Strauss, Gregory P; Szczepankiewicz, Aleksandra; Thompson, Andrew D; Trotta, Antonella; Tully, Laura M; Uchida, Hiroyuki; Velthorst, Eva; Young, Jared W; O’Shea, Anne; DeLisi, Lynn E.

2013-01-01

The 3rd Schizophrenia International Research Society Conference was held in Florence, Italy, April 14-18, 2012.and this year had as its emphasis, “The Globalization of Research”. Student travel awardees served as rapporteurs for each oral session and focused their summaries on the most significant findings that emerged and the discussions that followed. The following report is a composite of these summaries. We hope that it will provide an overview for those who were present, but could not participate in all sessions, and those who did not have the opportunity to attend, but who would be interested in an update on current investigations ongoing in the field of schizophrenia research. PMID:22910407

A REVIEW OF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES IN ITALY: WHERE IS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH GOING?

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Francesca Tessitore

2017-08-01

Full Text Available According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR, nowadays, 65,3 million individuals have been forcibly displaced worldwide. In Europe, Italy is one of the countries with the highest number of asylum seeker arrivals per year and the emergency nature of the present-day migratory flows are increasingly involving researchers and clinicians to come up with and develop new models of research and interventions. This article aims to conduct a review of the Italian psychological research in the field of forced migration in order to systematise the Italian studies, to compare the Italian situation with the international one and to define limits, resources and future directions of current Italian research. A literature review in the databases Scopus, PubMed and Web of Knowledge for documents published from 2012 to 2017 was conducted. From the analysis, twelve articles emerged principally following two main trajectories of investigation: a clinical and mental health-related trajectory and a psychosocial and community-based one. Compared with the wider international field of research, a general underdevelopment of Italian research emerged. Research into protective factors with regard to the development of psychopathological outcomes and on interventions is highly recommended. Results highlighted support for future research on the theme of asylum seekers and refugees. Some cause for reflection as regards levels of criticality, the direction of future research and specific links between research and Italian social policies were given.

ENEA initiatives in Southern Italy: Progress report, analysis, prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santandrea, E.

1991-01-01

In the past, technological development in Italy was concentrated in the country's heavily industrialized northern regions. The motive for this choice was the conception that to be successful in a highly competitive market, research investment had necessarily to favour those developed areas with an already proven capacity for guaranteed fast and high returns. Unfortunately this policy has created a technologically and economically depressed area, known as Mezzogiorno, in southern Italy. Within the framework of new national energy and economic policies calling for balanced economic and technological development, ENEA (Italian Commission for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment) has been entrusted with the planning and managing of research, commercialization and technology transfer programs designed to stimulate high-technology industrial activity in Italy's southern regions so as to allow them to become more competitive in the upcoming European free trade market. Small business concerns shall be favoured in this new development scheme which shall respect the existing local social-economic framework. Emphasis shall be placed on privileging such elements as quality, flexibility and versatility, as opposed to lost cost mass production. Priority is to be given to the development of renewable energy sources, energy conservation techniques and environmentally compatible technologies

Fusion research at Culham site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tolonen, P.; Toppila, T.

1998-01-01

One of the many targets on the Finnish Nuclear Society (ATS) excursion to England was the Culham fusion research site. The site has divided into two parts. One of them is UKAEA Fusion with small scale fusion reactors and 200 employees. UKAEA has 3 fusion reactors at Culham site. One of is the START (Small Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak) which was operational since 1991 but is today already out of operation. UKAEA has been operating a JET-like tokamak fusion reactor COMPASS-D since 1989. The latest of three reactors is MAST (Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak), which is still under construction. The first plasma will take place in the end of 1998. Another part of Culham site is JET (Joint European Torus), an all-European fusion undertaking with 350 employees. 150 of them are from various European countries and the rest 200 are employed by UKAEA. JET is the biggest fusion reactor ever and it represents the latest step in world wide fusion programme. In October 1997 JET achieved a world record in fusion power and energy. JET produced 16,1 MW power for 1 s and totally 21,7 MJ energy. This is the closest attempt to achieve break-even conditions. The next step in world wide fusion programme will be international ITER-reactor. This undertaking has some financial problems, since United States has taken distance to magnetic fusion research and moved closer to inertial fusion with funding of US Department of Defence. The planned reactor, however, is physically twice as big as JET. The step after this phase will be DEMO, which is purposed to produce fusion energy. According to our hosts in Culham this phase is 40 years ahead. (author)

Persistence of phlebotomine Leishmania vectors in urban sites of Catania (Sicily, Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Lisi, Oscar; D'Urso, Vera; Vaccalluzzo, Valerio; Bongiorno, Gioia; Khoury, Cristina; Severini, Francesco; Di Muccio, Trentina; Gramiccia, Marina; Gradoni, Luigi; Maroli, Michele

2014-12-09

Pioneering research on "Mediterranean Kala-Azar" carried out by Adler and Theodor early in the past century (~1930s) had identified Catania city (Sicily) as a major focus of the disease nowadays known as zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Despite the fact that disease in both humans and dogs has continued to be highly prevalent in the Catania province up to the present times, research on Leishmania vectors in this urban focus dates back to that distant period. This study aimed to evaluate the persistence and current composition of the sand fly fauna in urban environments of Catania in recent years, 2006 and 2013. In 2006 fifty-one suitable collecting sites were identified within 44 sub-units of a grid drawn to include the urban Catania area. In 2013 the survey was restricted to four of the most productive and representative sites resulting from the 2006 survey. In both periods 3 collections per month were performed using standard sticky traps set for 3 days in wall holes/cavities along public roads, from the end of April through December. 43/51 sites (84.3%) were found positive for sand flies. The 2006 collections accounted for a total of 4341 specimens including six species. Among competent Leishmania vector species, P. perniciosus was the most prevalent (36.5%) being identified in all sand fly-positive sites, with significant abundance in those of the old city centre. Other species of interest were P. sergenti (2.5%) and P. neglectus (1.5%). The 2013 survey produced 1130 sand flies, of which 39.5% were P. perniciosus, 1.6% P. sergenti and 0.7% P. neglectus. A search for Leishmania DNA in a small sample of 72 P. perniciosus females revealed 11% infection prevalence. Our findings from an old urban focus of leishmaniasis demonstrate that phlebotomine sand flies have adapted fairly well to the drastic environmental changes that have occurred in cities of the Western world in the past century and still represent a potential risk for Leishmania transmission.

Italy in Postcolonial Discourse

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Concilio, Carmen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this essay, I would like to explore the representations of Italy through the eyes of three outstanding postcolonial writers: Jhumpa Lahiri, Michael Ondaatje and Nuruddin Farah. Even though Italy is an oasis of art and culture, Jhumpa Lahiri looks at it with a profound sense of both admiration and sadness in Hema and Kaushik (2008. Her scrutiny of the ancient, pre-imperial ruins of the Etruscan period leads her characters to question life, death and marital life. Similarly, Ondaatje opposes an Italian Renaissance villa to the debris left behind by war in his well-known The English Patient (1992. His Punjabi character Kirpal Singh mentions Gabicce Mare, a place that soon after World War II will become a memorial and cemetery for the Indian troops who fought and died for the liberation of Italy. This discourse is picked up by Helena Janaczeck, a Polish-Italian writer who combines a narrative on Polish migration in Italy with an elegiac narrative about the cemetery and memorial in Cassino, where a Maori goes to visit the tombs of his ancestor, who also participated with the Commonwealth troops in World War II. Nuruddin Farah too, who provides a reportage on Somali immigrants to Italy, seems to consider the country as a springboard either to other North European destinations or to a possible destiny back home. All three writers present Italy according to varied and unusual perspectives.

Free-lance nursing in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Galli, E; Lindsay, J S

1993-01-01

In 1987 Registered Nurses Ernesta 'Tina' Galli and Joanne Lindsay embarked on a unique venture--a private agency* organized and run by nurses that engages free-lance nurses to fill the need for nursing assistance both at home and in public and private institutions. The response has been overwhelming. Today they have branches throughout Italy and have expanded their services to include research and primary health care. Below, their story.

A new multiparametric geophysical station to detect self-potential and seismometric signals at Tito site (Southern Italy)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balasco, M.; Lapenna, V.; Chianese, D.; Gallipoli, M. R. [Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Ist. di Metodologie Avanzate di Analisi Ambientale, Tito Scalo, PZ (Italy); Di Bello, G. [Potenza Universita' della Basilicata, Potenza (Italy). Dipt. di Ingegneria e Fisica dell' Ambiente

2001-04-01

In this work are presented the main features of a new multiparametric station able to jointly detect self-potential and seismometric signals in a seismic active area of Southern Italy. The new station has been designed and installed at the Tito Laboratories of National Research Council (Italy) that are located in the Southern Apennines, one of the most tectonically active areas of the whole Mediterranean. It combines advanced technologies for data acquisition with robust statistical techniques to pick out extreme events from self-potential recordings. The completely automatic station is equipped with electrical and seismometric sensors (16 channels, A/D 24 bit, sampling rate of 0.25 Hz, range dynamics of 133 dB). After a preliminary filtering procedure, mainly devoted to removing any influence of meteo-climatic conditions and/or cultural electrical noise, it was evaluated the performance of the new monitoring station investigating the possible correlation between anomalous patterns of the self-potential signals and local seismic activity. Objective criteria and robust statistical tools have been applied to identify extreme events in electrical measurements and to select the earthquakes that may be responsible for strain effects at the measuring point. The short period of the measuring activity does not allow anybody to give firm conclusions, however the first results encourage everybody to continue the monitoring activity by increasing the number of remote stations and improving the use of statistical packages for data processing. It was identified a well based monitoring strategy that in the near future could be useful to better understand the possible correlation between anomalous self-potential signals and local seismic activity.

Hanford National Environmental Research Park (NERP): a descriptive summary of the site and site-related research programs, 1952--1977

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaughan, B.E.; Rickard, W.H.

1977-11-01

The Hanford National Environmental Research Park site is described in general terms and major plant communities and special habitats are discussed. Important bird, mammal, and fish populations are listed. Current research programs on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and radioecology are reviewed briefly. A list is included of some 100 publications that report results of research studies in detail

The "Planet Earth Week": a National Scientific Festival helping Italy Discover Geosciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Seno, S.; Coccioni, R.

2017-12-01

The "Planet Earth Week- Italy Discovering Geosciences: a More Informed Society is a More Engaged Society" (www.settimanaterra.org) is a science festival that involves the whole of the Italian Regions: founded in 2012, it has become the largest event of Italian Geosciences and one of the biggest European science festivals. During a week in October several locations distributed throughout the Country (see map) are animated by events, called "Geoeventi", to disseminate geosciences to the masses and deliver science education by means of a wide range of activities: hiking, walking in city and town centers, open-door at museums and research centers, guided tours, exhibitions, educational and experimental workshops for children and young people, music and art performances, food and wine events, lectures, conferences, round tables. Universities and colleges, research centers, local Authorities, cultural and scientific associations, parks and museums, professionals organize the Geoeventi. The festival aims at bringing adults and young people to Geosciences, conveying enthusiasm for scientific research and discoveries, promoting sustainable cultural tourism, aware of environmental values and distributed all over Italy. The Geoeventi shed light both on the most spectacular and on the less known geological sites, which are often a stone's throw from home. The Planet Earth Week is growing year after year: the 2016 edition proposed 310 Geoeventi, 70 more than in 2015. The number of places involved in the project also increased and rose from 180 in 2015 to 230 in 2016. This initiative, that is also becoming a significant economic driver for many small companies active in the field of science divulgation, is analyzed, evaluated and put in a transnational network perspective.

Decontamination and decommissioning techniques for research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Won Zin; Won, H. J.; Jung, C. H.; Choi, W. K.; Kim, G. N.; Lee, K. W.

2002-05-01

Evaluation of soil decontamination process and the liquid decontamination waste treatment technology are investigation of organic acid as a decontamination agent, investigation of the liquid waste purification process and identification of recycling the decontamination agents. Participation on IAEA CRP meeting are preparation of IAEA technical report on 'studies on decommissioning of TRIGA reactors and site restoration technologies' and exchange the research result, technology, experience and safety regulation of the research reactor D and D of USA, Great Britain, Canada, Belgium, Italy, India and so forth

The contribution of nuclear energy to meeting Italy's electric power needs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angelini, A.M.

1977-01-01

ENEL's policy in the development of nuclear energy is based on a number of factors which differentiate Italy's situation from that of most industrialized countries. Among these are the scarcity of natural resources, including energy sources, available in Italy. An extensive recourse to nuclear energy is the best way to achieve that diversification of energy supplies vital to the Italian economy, which, because of the very lack of natural resources, is predominantly based on processing. ENEL's nuclear plan calls for the construction of the four 1000-MW units already on order and of 16 additional units of the same size, divided into two 8-unit blocks, to be decided on respectively in the very near future. The necessary flexibility of the plan for nuclear units to go into service by 1986 is ensured by the subdivision into blocks, with provision for the postponement of the second 8-unit block should the country's economic development require a revision in electric power forecasts. The paper considers in particular the integration between the nuclear plan and ENEL's extensive plan for pumped-storage hydroelectric power plants and the related technical and economic advantages, also on an international scale. The review of Italy's nuclear plan concludes by stressing two essential problems: financing and the availability of sites for nuclear power plants. Finally, the paper supplies some information on the nuclear research, development and demonstration activities connected with the long-term plans; they are centred on the CNEN-ENEL project for the 40,000-kW CIRENE prototype and above all on the EdF-ENEL-RWE joint project for the construction of two over-1000-MW demonstration plants equipped with sodium-cooled breeder reactors. With such reactors it would be possible to achieve a virtually complete energy independence for the nuclear source. (author)

Journal of Research in Forestry, Wildlife and Environment: Site Map

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Research in Forestry, Wildlife and Environment: Site Map. Journal Home > About the Journal > Journal of Research in Forestry, Wildlife and Environment: Site Map. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

Decontamination of soil from the research reactor site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won, H. Z.; Kim, K. N.; Choi, W. K.; Jeong, J. H.; Oh, W. J.

2002-01-01

The two research reactors (TRIGA MARK II and III) in Korea are to be decommissioned in the near future. When the reactors are completely dismantled, the site may remain contaminated due to the long period of operation. We assume that the site is radioactively contaminated by Co-60. Soils gathered from the research reactor site were artificially contaminated with Co 2+ ion. The desorption characteristics of Co 2+ ion from the soil surface by citric acid solution were investigated. Decontamination performances of citric acid and EDTA on soil stored in the radioactive waste drums was examined. The feasibility test of recycling the citric acid was also performed. We concluded that the radioactive waste volume could be reduced significantly by soil washing with a citric acid solution

Sediment budget in the Lagoon of Venice, Italy

OpenAIRE

Sarretta, Alessandro; Pillon, Simone; Molinaroli, Emanuela; Guerzoni, Stefano; Fontolan, Giorgio

2009-01-01

This is the accepted manuscript of the paper "Sediment budget in the Lagoon of Venice, Italy", published ad final paper in "Continental Shelf Research Volume 30, Issue 8, 15 May 2010, Pages 934-9499" (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2009.07.002)

Studies on the History of Special Education in Italy: State of the Art and Paths for Future Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Cristina Morandini

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The history of special education in Italy is a highly recent field of study. Prior to this, the theme had only been treated in a small number of publications that were limited in scope, primarily hagiografic and journalistic in style, and whose authors themselves worked in special education. In 1993, the article by Roberto Sani, devoted to Severino Fabriani, educator of female deaf mutes in Restoration Modena, marked the beginning of a history of special education that was researched using an interdisciplinary approach and situated within the broader framework of social and political history, and the history of institutions and cultural processes. Following in the line of enquiry into the history of special education inaugurated by Sani, further studies have been published since the beginning of the new millennium, by both established historians of education and young scholars joining the field. Some of these authors have maintained a focus on the world of education for the deaf; others have extended this model of interpretation to related field (educational institutions for children affected by rickets and by blindness. What avenues of research remain open to those wishing to pursue the history of special education? Numerous are the aspects still awaiting systematic investigation. It might therefore be to investigate the educational models and school programs offered over time for persons with disabilities affecting more than one sense (e.g., those who are both deaf and blind. How to reference this article Morandini, M. C. (2016. Studies on the History of Special Education in Italy: State of the Art and Paths for Future Research. Espacio, Tiempo y Educación, 3(1, 235-247. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14516/ete.2016.003.001.12

GDS (Geomagnetic Depth Sounding in Italy: applications and perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Gambetta

1998-06-01

Full Text Available The analysis of geomagnetic field variations is a useful tool to detect electrical conductivity contrasts within the Earth. Lateral resolution of outlined patterns depends on the array dimensions and density of measurement sites over the investigated area. The inspection depth is constrained by the period of geomagnetic variations considered in data processing. Regions with significant geological features such as boundaries of continental plates, marginal areas of contact between tectonic units or other geodynamical processes, are of primary interest for the application of the MagnetoVariational (MV method. In the last ten years, in the frame of the ElectroMagnetic (EM sounding techniques in applied geophysics, this method has been applied in Italy by researchers of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica, Rome, the Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universitá di Genova and the Czech Science Academy of Prague. The Ivrea body in the Northwestern Alps and their junction with the Apennine chain, the micro-plate of the Sardinian-Corsican system and, recently, the central part of the peninsula along Tyrrhenian-Adriatic lithospheric transects were investigated. Studies in time and frequency-domain used in the first investigations, have been followed by more refined analysis involving tests on the induced EM field dimension, computations of single site Transfer Functions (TFs through Parkinson arrows' and Fourier maps in the Hypothetical Event technique (HE. It was possible to describe the electrical conductivity distribution in the inner part of the SW Alpine arc and to confirm the presence of lithospheric and asthenospheric anomalies obtained by other geophysical methods. For the Sardinia-Corsica system, 2D and 3D inversion models highlighted the existence of two major conducting bodies, one north of Corsica, and the other south of Sardinia. In Central Italy, the regional electrical conductivity distribution pointed out a deep conductive structure

Interconnection France-Italy; Interconnexion France-Italie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

These documents presents the rules, defined by RTE, of the attribution of electric power transportation capacity between France and Italy. The contract form and the general principles are given in annexes. A guide to the application form is provided. (A.L.B.)

Historical research in the Hanford site waste cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerber, Michele S.

1992-01-01

This paper will acquaint the audience with role of historical research in the Hanford Site waste cleanup - the largest waste cleanup endeavor ever undertaken in human history. There were no comparable predecessors to this massive waste remediation effort, but the Hanford historical record can provide a partial road map and guide. It can be, and is, a useful tool in meeting the goal of a successful, cost-effective, safe and technologically exemplary waste cleanup. The Hanford historical record is rich and complex. Yet, it poses difficult challenges, in that no central and complete repository or data base exists, records contain obscure code words and code numbers, and the measurement systems and terminology used in the records change many times over the years. Still, these records are useful to the current waste cleanup in technical ways, and in ways that extend beyond a strictly scientific aspect. Study and presentations of Hanford Site history contribute to the huge educational and outreach tasks of helping the Site's work force deal with 'culture change' and become motivated for the cleanup work that is ahead, and of helping the public and the regulators to place the events at Hanford in the context of WWII and the Cold War. This paper traces historical waste practices and policies as they changed over the years at the Hanford Site, and acquaints the audience with the generation of the major waste streams of concern in Hanford Site cleanup today. It presents original, primary-source research into the waste history of the Hanford Site. The earliest, 1940s knowledge base, assumptions and calculations about radioactive and chemical discharges, as discussed in the memos, correspondence and reports of the original Hanford Site (then Hanford Engineer Works) builders and operators, are reviewed. The growth of knowledge, research efforts, and subsequent changes in Site waste disposal policies and practices are traced. Examples of the strengths and limitations of the

The nuclear in Italy - state of the art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schifano, F.; Ziller, T.

2007-02-01

This report aims to evaluate the italian situation in matter of the nuclear, following the referendum of 1987 which decided to stop the nuclear power plants in the country. The first part is devoted to the historical aspects of the nuclear sector in Italy. The second chapter presents the institutional and legislative framework. The third chapter discusses the today situation and the italian actors of the nuclear, from the radioactive wastes management and the dismantling of nuclear installations to the engineering service realized in other countries. It discusses also the research and development programs. The last chapter proposes perspectives of the debate around a possible restart of the nuclear activity in Italy

Data-Driven Research and Site-Based Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Karr-Kidwell, PJ; Beauchamp, Deanna

This paper reports on a field research project designed to provide staff members of one particular Texas middle school the knowledge and ability to affect student attendance. The purpose of the field research was to identify effective strategies, led by site-based management teams, to enhance student attendance. Data were collected from a review…

The origins of the research on the foundations of quantum mechanics (and other critical activities) in Italy during the 1970s

Science.gov (United States)

Baracca, Angelo; Bergia, Silvio; Del Santo, Flavio

2017-02-01

We present a reconstruction of the studies on the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics carried out in Italy at the turn of the 1960s. Actually, they preceded the revival of the interest of the American physicists towards the foundations of quantum mechanics around mid-1970s, recently reconstructed by David Kaiser in a book of 2011. An element common to both cases is the role played by the young generation, even though the respective motivations were quite different. In the US they reacted to research cuts after the war in Vietnam, and were inspired by the New Age mood. In Italy the dissatisfaction of the young generations was rooted in the student protests of 1968 and the subsequent labour and social fights, which challenged the role of scientists. The young generations of physicists searched for new scientific approaches and challenged their own scientific knowledge and role. The criticism to the foundations of quantum mechanics and the perspectives of submitting them to experimental tests were perceived as an innovative research field and this attitude was directly linked to the search for an innovative and radical approach in the history of science. All these initiatives gave rise to booming activity throughout the 1970s, contributing to influence the scientific attitude and the teaching approach.

Hydrogeological map of Italy: the preliminary Sheet N. 348 Antrodoco (Central Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Amanti

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The Geological Survey of Italy, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research is realizing the Sheet N.348 Antrodoco (Central Italy of the Hydrogeological map of Italy as a cartographical test of the Italian hydrogeological survey and mapping guidelines, in the frame of the Italian Geological Cartography Project. The study area is characterized by structural units deeply involved in the Apennine Orogeny (Latium and Abruzzi region territory, Rieti and L’Aquila provinces and including deposits of marine carbonate shelf, slope, basin and foredeep environments hosting relatively large amounts of groundwater resources. The map was realized to obtain the best possible representation of all hydrogeological elements deriving from field surveys, in order to characterize the hydrogeological asset. A control network for monthly measurement of surface and groundwater flow rates and hydrogeochemical parameters was performed. Data were uploaded in a geographic information system to perform the present preliminary hydrogeological cartography consisting in a main map showing the following hydrogeological complexes based on relative permeability degree (from bottom to top: i calcareous (Jurassic-Cretaceous; high permeability; ii calcareous-marly (Upper Cretaceous-Middle Eocene; intermediate permeability; iii marly-calcareous and marly (Upper Eocene- Upper Miocene; low permeability; iv flysch (Upper Miocene; low permeability; v conglomeratic-sandy and detritic (Upper Pliocene- Pleistocene; intermediate permeability; vi alluvial (Quaternary; low permeability. Among other elements shown in the main map there are hydrographical basin and sub-basin boundaries, stream gauging stations, meteo-climatic stations, streamwater-groundwater exchange processes, hydrostructure boundaries, point and linear spring flow rates, groundwater flow directions. Furthermore, complementary smaller-scale sketches at the margin of the main map were realized (e

Progress of application, research and development, and design guidelines for shape memory alloy devices for cultural heritage structures in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Castellano, Maria G.; Indirli, Maurizio; Martelli, Alessandro

2001-07-01

A wide ranging R&D Project (ISTECH) on validation and application of the Innovative Antiseismic Techniques (IATs) for the restoration of Cultural Heritage Structures (CUHESs), especially masonry buildings, based on the Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs), has been funded by the European Commission (EC), in the framework of the Environment and Climate RTD Programme. Because Traditional Restoration Techniques (TRTs) have sometimes proved inadequate in avoiding collapses and often too invasive, the use of superelastic SMA Devices (SMADs) has been developed. Theoretical and numerical studies, as well as intensive testing of material specimens, devices, structural models and in situ campaigns, show that SMADs can substantially increase the stability of masonry CUHESs exposed to an earthquake. Different SMAD types have been investigated to fulfil different structural needs and they can be custom designed taking into account each monument's characteristics. The successful results of the research and its exploitation led to important applications in Italy: the S. Giorgio Church Bell-Tower, located at Trignano, S. Martino in Rio, Reggio Emilia, damaged by the 15th October 1996 earthquake, the transept tympana of the S. Francesco Basilica in Assisi and the S. Feliciano Cathedral façade in Foligno, both heavily damaged by the September 1997 earthquake. In addition, further studies and applications of SMAD technology are foreseen in Italy in the next future, in the framework of Italian and European research projects and proposals.

Costs associated with rheumatoid arthritis in Italy: past, present, and future

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benucci M

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Maurizio Benucci,1 Veronica Rogai,2 Fabiola Atzeni,3 Volker Hammen,4 Piercarlo Sarzti-Puttini,3 Alberto Migliore5 1Rheumatology Unit, S.Giovanni di Dio Hospital, Florence, Italy; 2Eli Lilly Italia SpA, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; 3Rheumatology Unit, L Sacco Hospital, Milan, Italy; 4Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Bad Homburg, Germany; 5Villa San Pietro Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Rome, Italy Abstract: This literature review examines available evidence on the current and past costs associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA in Italy, together with the future health-economic prospects for the disease. Studies have been conducted to date on the prevalence, or the associated costs, of RA in Italy. Although future changes in the incidence of RA are a matter of debate, the impact of RA on health care costs is expected to grow in coming decades in line with projected increases in life expectancy and in the proportion of elderly people in Italy. It has been estimated that the indirect (productivity loss and informal care and intangible (deterioration in health-related quality of life costs of the disease will contribute to an increase in national health service expenditure, which will correspond to 1% of the total health care costs of the nation in the near future. The introduction of biological agents for the treatment of rheumatic diseases has resulted in an increase in the direct costs of RA; however, economic analyses that exclude indirect costs will underestimate the full economic impact of RA. The effectiveness of innovative therapies in preventing disease progression and functional impairment may, over time, attenuate the cost impact of RA in terms of hospitalizations and work absenteeism. Further research is needed to develop estimates of the economic impact of different therapeutic approaches in patients with RA in Italy, in order to provide tools that can drive the choice of the most cost-effective therapeutic option while maintaining high-quality care

Using local research sites to engage undergraduates in environmental science research

Science.gov (United States)

Varner, R. K.

2016-12-01

For the first time in their undergraduate experience, students in the University of New Hampshire's Techniques in Environmental Science course are immersed in learning approaches to scientific investigation that they can implement as part of their senior capstone research experience or other REU type programs. The course begins with an understanding of the value of note taking in the field and working collaboratively in groups. The students then embark upon a series of field experiences that include using both simple and complex tools for mapping elevation, species composition and above ground biomass estimates in a forest and wetland, carbon cycling through measurement of greenhouse gas exchange at both a wetland and at an organic dairy farm, assessing hydrology and water quality through both ground and surface water measurements at locations on campus, and finally analysis of atmospheric chemistry data collected locally. Over the course of a semester the students learn how to describe their methodology and the importance of their work concisely. Eventually the students are given instrumentation and a field site and learn to ask their own research question and develop their approach to answering it. This course model provides a foundation for students to pursue their capstone research experiences but also for understanding complex environmental questions such as the impact of land use change on water and air quality and carbon cycling and its role in our climate system. Students are provided a unique opportunity to address questions at field sites that are local and are part of larger research programs which allows for a larger context to place their work. This course has also been a framework for the NSF funded REU program- Northern Ecosystems Research for Undergraduates (EAR#1063037). Sallie's Fen, a wetland research site, is used as an initial field setting for students to learn techniques, build their ability to ask research questions and to plan research

UNESCO SITES AS PUBLIC GOODS: COMPARATIVE EXPERIENCES IN ITALY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Cellini

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The inclusion of a site in the UNESCO World Heritage List is a "recognition" that can be interpreted as alocal public good. This paper analyzes the effectiveness of the UNESCO recognition in promoting tourism and, more generally, local economic development. We document relevant performance differences across Italian UNESCO sites. We argue that the relevant key factor is the ability of generating additional public goods, starting from the process of recognition. The most recent approach of UNESCO in selecting the sites to include in its list underlines the importance of the immaterial culture embedded in the sites, and the role of local communities in their relationships with the environment and heritage: this is interpreted as a sign of the importance which has to be due to the generation of common goods for making the UNESCO recognition an effective tool to preserve heritage and to use it to promote economic, social and cultural development.

SEISMIC SITE RESPONSE ESTIMATION IN THE NEAR SOURCE REGION OF THE 2009 L’AQUILA, ITALY, EARTHQUAKE

Science.gov (United States)

Bertrand, E.; Azzara, R.; Bergamashi, F.; Bordoni, P.; Cara, F.; Cogliano, R.; Cultrera, G.; di Giulio, G.; Duval, A.; Fodarella, A.; Milana, G.; Pucillo, S.; Régnier, J.; Riccio, G.; Salichon, J.

2009-12-01

The 6th of April 2009, at 3:32 local time, a Mw 6.3 earthquake hit the Abruzzo region (central Italy) causing more than 300 casualties. The epicenter of the earthquake was 95km NE of Rome and 10km from the center of the city of L’Aquila, the administrative capital of the Abruzzo region. This city has a population of about 70,000 and was severely damaged by the earthquake, the total cost of the buildings damage being estimated around 3 Bn €. Historical masonry buildings particularly suffered from the seismic shaking, but some reinforced concrete structures from more modern construction were also heavily damaged. To better estimate the seismic solicitation of these structures during the earthquake, we deployed temporary arrays in the near source region. Downtown L’Aquila, as well as a rural quarter composed of ancient dwelling-centers located western L’Aquila (Roio area), have been instrumented. The array set up downtown consisted of nearly 25 stations including velocimetric and accelerometric sensors. In the Roio area, 6 stations operated for almost one month. The data has been processed in order to study the spectral ratios of the horizontal component of ground motion at the soil site and at a reference site, as well as the spectral ratio of the horizontal and the vertical movement at a single recording site. Downtown L’Aquila is set on a Quaternary fluvial terrace (breccias with limestone boulders and clasts in a marly matrix), which forms the left bank of the Aterno River and slopes down in the southwest direction towards the Aterno River. The alluvial are lying on lacustrine sediments reaching their maximum thickness (about 250m) in the center of L’Aquila. After De Luca et al. (2005), these quaternary deposits seem to lead in an important amplification factor in the low frequency range (0.5-0.6 Hz). However, the level of amplification varies strongly from one point to the other in the center of the city. This new experimentation allows new and more

Review of fast reactor activities in Italy, April 1977

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierantoni, F.

1977-01-01

In the frame of the cooperation with France, a short outline of the main results, as well as the status of the research and development work in Italy is given. (Sodium technology, core and fuel development, economic and strategic studies, PEC Reactor...)

Current Research Status of KHNP for Site Risk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Kyemin; Jeon, Ho-Jun; Bahng, Ki-In; Na, Jang-Hwan [KHNP CRI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

In Korea, by the geographical characteristics, many Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) have been constructed and operated at a single site. This is above average level or number of plants per site in the world. For this reason, the public concerns for the safety of nuclear facilities increased after Fukushima Daiichi accident. As a result, comprehensive risk assessment and management for the site which have multi-unit NPPs were strongly asked. Currently, to solve it, many researches and projects has carried out by various Korean companies, research centers, and regulatory authorities. In this paper, R and D plans of KHNP for multi-unit risk were summarized. Firstly, the needs of multi-unit PSA were reviewed. R and D activities and plans of KHNP were summarized in the last part. In this paper, we summarized the R and D plans of KHNP for assessing the multi-unit risk. Currently, multi-unit risk or multi-unit PSA are important and practical issues in both nuclear industry and national energy policy. After Fukushima accident, several countries stopped the construction and the operation of NPPs, other countries which is maintaining the NPPs are being strongly asked to assess the risk for multi-unit NPPs at the same site. Because of Korean geographical characteristics, the number of NPPs which are above average level or number of plants per site in the world is being constructed and operated at a single site. The population density nearby each site is considered to be higher than that of other countries.

Current Research Status of KHNP for Site Risk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Kyemin; Jeon, Ho-Jun; Bahng, Ki-In; Na, Jang-Hwan

2016-01-01

In Korea, by the geographical characteristics, many Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) have been constructed and operated at a single site. This is above average level or number of plants per site in the world. For this reason, the public concerns for the safety of nuclear facilities increased after Fukushima Daiichi accident. As a result, comprehensive risk assessment and management for the site which have multi-unit NPPs were strongly asked. Currently, to solve it, many researches and projects has carried out by various Korean companies, research centers, and regulatory authorities. In this paper, R and D plans of KHNP for multi-unit risk were summarized. Firstly, the needs of multi-unit PSA were reviewed. R and D activities and plans of KHNP were summarized in the last part. In this paper, we summarized the R and D plans of KHNP for assessing the multi-unit risk. Currently, multi-unit risk or multi-unit PSA are important and practical issues in both nuclear industry and national energy policy. After Fukushima accident, several countries stopped the construction and the operation of NPPs, other countries which is maintaining the NPPs are being strongly asked to assess the risk for multi-unit NPPs at the same site. Because of Korean geographical characteristics, the number of NPPs which are above average level or number of plants per site in the world is being constructed and operated at a single site. The population density nearby each site is considered to be higher than that of other countries

Site Characteristics Influencing the Translation of Clinical Research Into Clinical Practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smed, Marie; Getz, Kenneth A.

2014-01-01

Investigative sites participating in clinical trials play an instrumental role in aiding market adoption. Site experiences in clinical research help physician investigators and research professionals gain familiarity with and exposure to investigational treatments. This knowledge may be passed...

A Europe-wide system for assessing the quality of rivers using macroinvertebrates: the AQEM Project* and its importance for southern Europe (with special emphasis on Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanna L. KEMP

2001-09-01

Full Text Available The AQEM Project aims to develop a Europe-wide system for monitoring the ecological quality of rivers using macroinvertebrates, to satisfy the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive. Three main types of anthropogenic perturbation are being investigated: morphological degradation, water (organic pollution and acidification (the last is not under investigation in Italy. The selection of reference and impaired study sites is discussed. Particular attention is paid to the problems encountered when defining reference conditions. The initial stages of the project highlighted the lack of a Europe-wide definition of river types. The future development of such a typology from the AQEM database is discussed. The standard AQEM data gathering methods are presented, from background information about sites to the microhabitat-based macroinvertebrate sampling method. The extended fieldwork methods used in Italy are described. These included the separate analysis of the invertebrate assemblages from each replicate, the recording of additional microhabitat variables for each replicate and the completion of large-scale survey techniques for each site (including RHS. The extended method was designed to enhance the important ecological information available from the dataset, particularly relevant in Italy where significant gaps exist in the taxonomic and ecological knowledge of many macroinvertebrate taxa. Preliminary and expected findings are presented, including examples of the range and habitat selection of two species of Ephemeroptera endemic to Italy, as well as data relating to the number of taxa found at a site with increasing numbers of microhabitat replicates taken. The importance of the AQEM Project not only for biomonitoring, but also for ecology, taxonomy and conservation, in Italy and for the south of Europe in general, is emphasised.

Guide to effective research-management collaboration at long-term environmental research sites

Science.gov (United States)

Frederick J. Swanson; Steve Eubanks; Mary Beth Adams; John C. Brissette

2010-01-01

The Forest Service system of experimental forests and ranges (EFRs) and other sites of long-term silvicultural, watershed, and ecological research have contributed to science and natural resource management for more than a century. An important aspect of the success of EFR programs is strong collaboration between the research and land manager communities. This guide...

Nevada National Security Site: Site-Directed Research and Development (SDRD) Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bender, Howard A. [National Security Technologies, LLC. (NSTec), Mercury, NV (United States). Site-Directed Research and Development Program

2016-04-01

This report presents results of multiple research projects, new and ongoing, funded under the Site-Directed Research and Development Program for the Nevada National Security Site during federal fiscal year 2015. The Site's legacy capabilities in remote sensing combined with new paradigms for emergency response and consequence management help drive the need to develop advanced aerial sensor platforms. Likewise, dynamic materials science is a critical area of scientific research for which basic physics issues are still unresolved. New methods of characterizing materials in extreme states are vitally needed, and these efforts are paving the way with new knowledge. Projects selected in FY 2015 for the Exploratory Research portfolio exhibit a strong balance of NNSS mission relevance. Geoscience, seismology, and techniques for detecting underground nuclear events are still essential focus areas. Many of the project reports in the second major section of this annual report are ongoing continuations in multi-year lifecycles. Diagnostic techniques for stockpile and nuclear security science figured prominently as well, with a few key efforts coming to fruition, such as phase transition detection. In other areas, modeling efforts toward better understanding plasma focus physics has also started to pay dividends for major program needs.

Population size structure indices and growth standards for Salmo (trutta trutta Linnaeus, 1758 in Central Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedicillo G.

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to provide reference data on the growth and population structure of brown trout Salmo (trutta trutta Linnaeus, in Central Italy. Standards for growth (percentiles and a standard growth model were developed from the von Bertalanffy growth model by using length-at-age data obtained from 122 sampling sites in the River Tiber basin. Length-frequency indices provide a numeric estimation for deviations of the population structure from a balanced population. We adapted the traditional North American Relative Stock Density (RSD and Proportional Stock Density (PSD indices to brown trout populations in Central Italy by means of two methods. In the first method, the benchmarks of length categories were established by using percentages applied to the largest individual in the dataset. In the second method, asymptotic length and size at maturity were used to define the length categories for index calculation. Both methods were tested on length-frequency data from 263 sampling sites in the River Tiber basin. The results showed that the PSD calculated by the first method provided a better insight into the population structures of brown trout. These results provide tools that will help ichthyologists and fish managers to compare the growth and population structure of brown trout throughout Central Italy.

Que faire? A Bioeconomy and Solar Energy Institute at Italy's Research Council in the Context of the Global Transition to the Solar Economy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pagliaro, Mario; Meneguzzo, Francesco

2017-11-02

Driven by insight for which new research and education requires new institutional organisation, and drawing on two decades of research and educational efforts, we devise the profile and activities of a new bioeconomy and solar energy institute at Italy's Research Council. We further articulate the institute's activities suggesting avenues on how to deploy sound and giving more useful research, education and policy advice in these crucial fields for making tomorrow's common development sustainable. The outcomes of the study are of general interest, because the transition to a solar economy is of intrinsic global nature and the challenges involved are similar in many countries. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fatto in Italia: Refashioning Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tiziana Ferrero-Regis

2008-09-01

Full Text Available This article discusses how the Made in Italy brand helped Italy to recover from economic recession in the 1980s, but also how it redefined the country's identity after the traumatic years of terrorism and especially after the murder of the Christian Democratic Party Secretary, Aldo Moro, at the hands of the Red Brigades. In this period cinema as a form of artistic achievement declined, while fashion and industrial design moved at the centre stage of economic and creative success. The rampant consumerism of the 1980s, fuelled by tax reforms that favoured a wider urban middle class, the retreat of unionism, the abandonment of collective bargaining in many industrial sectors, industrial restructuring with the consequent growth of black market economy in the provincial areas of the so-called Third Italy first and the South later, were all factors that contributed to a social and economic shift within Italy itself. Commercial consumption, propagated by the proliferation of local commercial television networks, hedonism and a re-articulation of identity through appearance replaced the 1970s' political activism and ideological opposition to fashion. Ultimately, 'Made in Italy' was a multidimensional phenomenon that presented itself as a new cultural model for the country’s political tribes of the 1970s.

Fossil fuel power plant combustion control: Research in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasini, S.; Trebbi, G.

1991-01-01

Electric power demand forecasts for Italy to the year 2000 indicate an increase of about 50% which, due to the current moratorium on nuclear energy, should be met entirely by fossil fuel power plants. Now, there is growing public concern about possible negative health impacts due to the air pollution produced through the combustion of fossil fuels. In response to these concerns, ENEL (Italian National Electricity Board) is investing heavily in air pollution abatement technology R ampersand D. The first phase involves the investigation of pollution mechanisms in order to develop suitable mathematical models and diagnostic techniques. The validity of the models is being tested through through measurements made by sophisticated instrumentation placed directly inside the combustion chambers of steam generator systems. These are allowing engineers to develop improved combustion control methods designed to reduce air pollution at source

The 2016 Central Italy Earthquake: an Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Amato, A.

2016-12-01

The M6 central Italy earthquake occurred on the seismic backbone of the Italy, just in the middle of the highest hazard belt. The shock hit suddenly during the night of August 24, when people were asleep; no foreshocks occurred before the main event. The earthquake ruptured from 10 km to the surface, and produced a more than 17,000 aftershocks (Oct. 19) spread on a 40x20 km2 area elongated NW-SE. It is geologically very similar to previous recent events of the Apennines. Both the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake to the south and the 1997 Colfiorito to the north, were characterized by the activation of adjacent fault segments. Despite its magnitude and the well known seismic hazard of the region, the earthquake produced extensive damage and 297 fatalities. The town of Amatrice, that paid the highest toll, was classified in zone 1 (the highest) since 1915, but the buildings in this and other villages revealed highly vulnerable. In contrast, in the town of Norcia, that also experienced strong ground shaking, no collapses occurred, most likely due to the retrofitting carried out after an earthquake in 1979. Soon after the quake, the INGV Crisis Unit convened at night in the Rome headquarters, in order to coordinate the activities. The first field teams reached the epicentral area at 7 am with the portable seismic stations installed to monitor the aftershocks; other teams followed to map surface faults, damage, to measure GPS sites, to install instruments for site response studies, and so on. The INGV Crisis Unit includes the Press office and the INGVterremoti team, in order to manage and coordinate the communication towards the Civil Protection Dept. (DPC), the media and the web. Several tens of reports and updates have been delivered in the first month of the sequence to DPC. Also due to the controversial situation arisen from the L'Aquila earthquake and trials, particular attention was given to the communication: continuous and timely information has been released to

Atmospheric deposition and environmental quality in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mosello, R.

1993-01-01

For Italy's Po River hydrological basin, artificial reservoirs have a great importance; water reserve is about 1600 million cubic meters for the hydroelectric reservoirs and about 76 million cubic meters for irrigation. Relevant to studies on water quality and acidification in the Po River Basin, this paper reviews some aspects of research on atmospheric deposition, i.e., geographical variability, long term trends, and effects on surface waters

DOE Research Set-Aside Areas of the Savannah River Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, C.E.; Janecek, L.L.

1997-08-31

Designated as the first of seven National Environmental Research Parks (NERPs) by the Atomic Energy Commission (now the Department of Energy), the Savannah River Site (SRS) is an important ecological component of the Southeastern Mixed Forest Ecoregion located along the Savannah River south of Aiken, South Carolina. Integral to the Savannah River Site NERP are the DOE Research Set-Aside Areas. Scattered across the SRS, these thirty tracts of land have been set aside for ecological research and are protected from public access and most routine Site maintenance and forest management activities. Ranging in size from 8.5 acres (3.44 ha) to 7,364 acres (2,980 ha), the thirty Set-Aside Areas total 14,005 acres (5,668 ha) and comprise approximately 7% of the Site`s total area. This system of Set-Aside Areas originally was established to represent the major plant communities and habitat types indigenous to the SRS (old-fields, sandhills, upland hardwood, mixed pine/hardwood, bottomland forests, swamp forests, Carolina bays, and fresh water streams and impoundments), as well as to preserve habitats for endangered, threatened, or rare plant and animal populations. Many long-term ecological studies are conducted in the Set-Asides, which also serve as control areas in evaluations of the potential impacts of SRS operations on other regions of the Site. The purpose of this document is to give an historical account of the SRS Set-Aside Program and to provide a descriptive profile of each of the Set-Aside Areas. These descriptions include a narrative for each Area, information on the plant communities and soil types found there, lists of sensitive plants and animals documented from each Area, an account of the ecological research conducted in each Area, locator and resource composition maps, and a list of Site-Use permits and publications associated with each Set-Aside.

Direct radiative effects by anthropogenic particles at a polluted site: Rome (Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergamo, A.; De Tomasi, F.; Perrone, M.R.

2008-01-01

The direct radiative effect (DRE) by all (anthropogenic plus natural) and anthropogenic aerosols is calculated at the solar (0.34 μm) and infrared (4-200 μm) spectral range to better address the annual cycle of the anthropogenic aerosols impact at a site (Rome, Italy) significantly affected by pollution. Aerosol optical and microphysical properties from 2003 AERONET Sun/sky-photometer measurements and solar albedos based on MODIS satellite sensor data constitute the necessary input to radiative transfer simulations. Clear- and all-sky conditions are investigated by adopting ISCCP monthly products for high-, mid-and low-cloud cover. It is shown that monthly mean values of aerosol optical depths by anthropogenic particles (AOD a ) are on average more than 50% of the corresponding all-aerosol-optical-depth (AOD) monthly means. In particular, the AOD a /AOD ratio that varies within the (0.51-0.83) on autumn-winter (A W, October-March), varies within the (0.50-0.71 range on spring-summer (S S, April-September) as a consequence of the larger contribution of natural particles on S S. The surface (sfc), all-sky DRE by anthropogenic particles that is negative all year round at solar wave-lengths, represents on average 60% and 51% of the all-sky sfc-DRE by all aerosols on A W and S S, respectively. The all-sky atmospheric forcing by anthropogenic particles (AF a ) that is positive all year round, is little dependent on seasons: it varies within the (1.0-4.1) W/m 2 and (2.0-4.2) W/m 2 range an A W and S S, respectively. Conversely, the all-sky A F by all aerosols is characterized by a marked seasonality. As a consequence, the atmospheric forcing by anthropogenic particles that on average is 50% of the A F value on A W, decreases down to 36% of the A F value on S S. Infrared aerosols DREs that are positive all year round are significantly smaller than the corresponding absolute values of solar DREs. Clouds decrease on average ToA- and sfc-DRE absolute values by anthropogenic

Network cyberinfrastructure as a shared platform to support multi-site research

Science.gov (United States)

Multi-site research across the Long-term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network requires access to data and information. We present some existing examples where you can get data from across the network and summarize the rich inventory of measurements taken across LTAR sites. But data management suppo...

Italian cogeneration legislation (Laws 9 ampersand 10): ENEL's (Italy) point of view

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pello', P.M.

1991-01-01

Referring to recently legislated Italian normatives governing on-site electric power generation by private industry, in particular, to the clauses which regard rate structure in the case of auto-producers ceding power to the national grid controlled by ENEL (the Italian National Electricity Board), this paper determines auto-production economic feasibility limits, based on cogeneration plant annual power production, ceded power quality, type of fuel, and overall operating costs. Some consideration is then given to the long term implications that this legislation, encouraging on-site production on a wide scale, has on ENEL's strategic planning and natural gas marketing in Italy

Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site: Control Volume/Test Cell and Community Research Asset

Science.gov (United States)

Barrash, W.; Bradford, J.; Malama, B.

2008-12-01

The Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site (BHRS) is a research wellfield or field-scale test facility developed in a shallow, coarse, fluvial aquifer with the objectives of supporting: (a) development of cost- effective, non- or minimally-invasive quantitative characterization and imaging methods in heterogeneous aquifers using hydrologic and geophysical techniques; (b) examination of fundamental relationships and processes at multiple scales; (c) testing theories and models for groundwater flow and solute transport; and (d) educating and training of students in multidisciplinary subsurface science and engineering. The design of the wells and the wellfield support modular use and reoccupation of wells for a wide range of single-well, cross-hole, multiwell and multilevel hydrologic, geophysical, and combined hydrologic-geophysical experiments. Efforts to date by Boise State researchers and collaborators have been largely focused on: (a) establishing the 3D distributions of geologic, hydrologic, and geophysical parameters which can then be used as the basis for jointly inverting hard and soft data to return the 3D K distribution and (b) developing subsurface measurement and imaging methods including tomographic characterization and imaging methods. At this point the hydrostratigraphic framework of the BHRS is known to be a hierarchical multi-scale system which includes layers and lenses that are recognized with geologic, hydrologic, radar, seismic, and EM methods; details are now emerging which may allow 3D deterministic characterization of zones and/or material variations at the meter scale in the central wellfield. Also the site design and subsurface framework have supported a variety of testing configurations for joint hydrologic and geophysical experiments. Going forward we recognize the opportunity to increase the R&D returns from use of the BHRS with additional infrastructure (especially for monitoring the vadose zone and surface water-groundwater interactions

Training in the Motor Vehicle Repair and Sales Sector in Italy. Report for the FORCE Programme. First Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Volonta, Marco

An international team of researchers studied the following aspects of training in Italy's motor vehicle repair and sales sector: structure and characteristics; institutional and social context; relationship to Italy's overall labor market; changing structural, economic, and organizational conditions; and training and recruitment and relationship…

Improving Flood Damage Assessment Models in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Amadio, M.; Mysiak, J.; Carrera, L.; Koks, E.

2015-12-01

The use of Stage-Damage Curve (SDC) models is prevalent in ex-ante assessments of flood risk. To assess the potential damage of a flood event, SDCs describe a relation between water depth and the associated potential economic damage over land use. This relation is normally developed and calibrated through site-specific analysis based on ex-post damage observations. In some cases (e.g. Italy) SDCs are transferred from other countries, undermining the accuracy and reliability of simulation results. Against this background, we developed a refined SDC model for Northern Italy, underpinned by damage compensation records from a recent flood event. Our analysis considers both damage to physical assets and production losses from business interruptions. While the first is calculated based on land use information, production losses are measured through the spatial distribution of Gross Value Added (GVA). An additional component of the model assesses crop-specific agricultural losses as a function of flood seasonality. Our results show an overestimation of asset damage from non-calibrated SDC values up to a factor of 4.5 for tested land use categories. Furthermore, we estimate that production losses amount to around 6 per cent of the annual GVA. Also, maximum yield losses are less than a half of the amount predicted by the standard SDC methods.

Estimates of cancer deaths attributable to behavioural risk factors in Italy, 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Battisti, Francesca; Carreras, Giulia; Grassi, Tommaso; Chellini, Elisabetta; Gorini, Giuseppe

2017-01-01

"Non-communicable diseases cause more than 80% of deaths in europe and, among these, 20% are caused by cancer. Modifiable lifestyle factors considered in the italian national programme "Guadagnare salute" (Gaining health), such as tobacco smoking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, overweight, and excessive alcohol use, are amongst the major causes of cancer deaths. The aims of this study was to estimate the number of deaths attributable to lifestyle factors for italy and for italian regions in 2013 and to describe its variation in relation to the regional prevalence of risk factors exposure. For Italy and for each italian region, deaths attributable to lifestyle factors were estimated using the methodology of the Global Burden of disease (GBd) study. italian mortality data of 2013 and risks attributable to these lifestyle factors for each cancer site for italy from the GBd study were used. Prevalence of exposure to lifestyles in Italy and in each Italian Region was collected for the period 2008-2013. In 2013, at least 66,605 cancer deaths in italy were attributable to lifestyle factors, accounting for 37.9% of all cancer deaths: 34.1% of cancer deaths in men and 9.0% in women were attributable to smoking; in men and women, respectively, 3.3% and 2.8% were attributable to excessive alcohol consumption; 5.3 % and 6.7% to overweight; 10.1% and 7.1% to dietary risk factors; 1.9% and 4.2% to physical inactivity. A moderate variability of percentage of deaths attributable to modifi able lifestyle factors by region was also detected due to different prevalence values of exposure to lifestyles occurred in last decades. At least 45,000 cancer deaths in men and 21,000 in women occurred in 2013 were attributable to modifi able risk factors, whose prevalence varied by region and which could be averted through the implementation of primary prevention interventions."

Educational Documentation: Present and Future. Proceedings of an International Meeting (Florence, Italy, May 31-June 4, 1982).

Science.gov (United States)

Biblioteca di Documentazione Pedagogica, Florence (Italy).

The Library of Educational Documentation in Florence, Italy began work in 1980 on the establishment of an educational documentation system for Italy. Recognition of its role in this regard was accorded by the Regional Institutes for Educational Research, Innovation and Teacher Training (IRRSAE) and by the European Centre for Education (CEDE) in…

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN ITALY

OpenAIRE

Voitkāne, Vita

2017-01-01

European member States implement Inclusive Education policies thus contributing to a sustainable, inclusive society, although each country is at a different stage in this process. Italy, one of the first countries to launch integrative learning, has set an example since the 1970s, although the quality of inclusive education is unpredictable due to many issues. Authors Cantoni and Panetta (2006) emphasize that, although the culture of integration in Italy exists, much needs to be done to impro...

Preface Special issue: Monitoring and Seismic Characterization of Archaeological Sites and Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paolo Clemente

2017-07-01

In this perspective a team composed by researchers of ENEA, INGV and Sapienza University of Rome has recently carried out geophysical and structural investigations on the Amphiteatrum Flavium in Rome, better known as Colosseum, which is the symbol of monumental heritage in Italy and well-known all over the world. The experimental campaign was only a preliminary analysis of the very famous archaeological site that allowed outlining the state of knowledge about the characteristics of the site and the structure and should be considered as a starting point for an in-depth investigation of the monument vulnerability. In our opinion, the benefits of such an integrated approach can steer the political and social choices related with the preservation of the cultural heritage at National or European level.

The Researcher's Journey: Scholarly Navigation of an Academic Library Web Site

Science.gov (United States)

McCann, Steve; Ravas, Tammy; Zoellner, Kate

2010-01-01

A qualitative study of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library's Web site identified the ways in which students and faculty of the University of Montana used the site for research purposes. This study employed open-ended interview questions and observations to spontaneously capture a user's experience in researching topics in which they…

Wine tourism in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cinelli Colombini D

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Donatella Cinelli Colombini Orcia Doc Wine Consortium, Rocca d’Orcia , Italy Abstract: This text includes the history of wine tourism in Italy since 1993, when the first edition of the event “Cantine Aperte” (Open Cellars, Wine Day, took place. The movement grew from the initial 25 wineries to the 21,000 that participate today in opening their doors to the public, while visitors grew in numbers from a couple of hundred, 20 years ago, to the current 4 to 6 million. Wine tourists can be divided into four main groups: wine tourists by chance, classic wine tourists, talent scouts, and lovers of luxury. Each group is examined according to its consumption, its conduct, and its expectations. Wine tourism in Italy boasts around 170 territorial networks: “Strade del Vino” (wine routes regulated by law. After an initial pioneer phase during which preexisting wineries adapted to the growing number of tourists, modern-day wineries were created with bespoke areas for the welcoming of visitors. Wineries in Italy can be classified into the following main types: “functional wineries” that concentrate on productive efficiency; “cathedrals” – renovated historic buildings or modern “starchitecture” designs in which esthetics play an important role; wineries with a “strong identity” linked to the owner or wine producer with the special imprint of his or her personal wine making passion. Other features of Italian wine territories such as food and wellness centers not to speak of the ever present cultural heritage also play a part in attracting wine tourists. Lastly, an evaluation is made of business and communication aspects with a specific reference to the use of the web. Keywords: wine tourism, Italian wineries, winery tours, wine roads of Italy

A neighborhood revealed by geophysical prospection: An example of urbanization at the Phoenician-Punic settlement of Mozia (western Sicily, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Di Mauro, D.; Alfonsi, L.; Sapia, V.; Urbini, S.

2014-05-01

The archaeological site of Mozia, a small island in front of the western coast of Sicily (Italy), is one of the most important Phoenician-Punic settlements in the Mediterranean; it preserves important vestiges and remains, located in an uncontaminated site, inhabited and car-free. The remains are still partially hidden under vegetation and vineyards.

Guidelines for Educational Research in Biochemistry on Internet Sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R.M. Lima

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The Internet has been used to support research in different areas, such as practical and educational  research  in  medical  and  biomedical  research.  There  are  several recommended  sites  for  carrying  biomedical  and  medical  research  (BERGER,  2003. Nevertheless,  few  studies  report  on  the  use  of  the  Internet  in  the  teaching  of Biochemistry. Considering the fact that there is no specific legislation for the use of the Internet  in  Brazil,  it  is  necessary  to  stimulate  self-regulation  of  the  sector  in  order  to establish  minimum  quality  standards,  safety,  and  reliability  of  sites  containing information  in  the  educational  area.  This  study  establishes  some  parameters  to  help guiding research for educational purposes on the internet. The following aspects should be  checked:  if  the  site  has  an  editorial  board  responsible  for  content  selection,  and whether  it  is  made  up  of  experts  in  the  area  of  expertise;  if  the  site  releases  updated scientific materials, and provides pedagogical content that fosters teaching and learning such  as  images  that  contribute  to  the  understanding  of  the  content,  educational software,  and  animation;  if  the  site  is  recommended  by  universities,  public  and  private qualified  institutions.  In  addition,  educational  sites  should  present  other  aspects, including transparency (regarding their educational purpose, quality (scientifically based information,  privacy  (related  to  the  user’s  personal  data,  responsibility  and  reliable sources.  Such  procedures  are  necessary  to  guarantee  that  searching  for  educational objectives will provide access to theoretical and pedagogical information quality.

The family in Italy: cultural changes and implications for treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Luciano, Mario; Sampogna, Gaia; del Vecchio, Valeria; Giacco, Domenico; Mulè, Alice; de Rosa, Corrado; Fiorillo, Andrea; Maj, Mario

2012-04-01

In Italy family is characterized by strong ties and is based on mutual aid of all its members. In the last 20 years, the structure of families has been significantly influenced by demographic, economic and professional changes, determining a transition from a patriarchal to a nuclear family model, with a higher number of single-parent families, single-person households, childless couples, same-sex couples. However, this transition has been slower than that occurring in other countries, probably as an ongoing impact of prevalent Catholic ideology. Major demographic changes in Italian families include, 1) a decrease in the number of marriages, delays in getting married and an high number of civil ceremonies, 2) a reduced birth rate; Italy is becoming one of the European countries with lowest growth rate, and with an increasing number of births out of wedlock, 3) an increased marital instability, with a constantly growing number of legal separations. Like many countries, relatives in Italy are highly involved in the care of patients with physical and mental disorders. There are a number of psychosocial interventions used in Italy including the 'Milan Systemic Approach' and family psycho-educational interventions. However, there are difficulties in implementing these interventions which are highlighted in this paper. We recommend research strategies to identify the best options to involve families in the care of mentally ill patients and to adequately support them.

Vitamin D deficiency in refugees in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

De Filippis, L G; Trombetta, I; Novella, T; Alampi, M

2017-09-21

The objective of the research is to determine 25[OH]D serum levels in refugees in Italy. In the following research we have taken into consideration the results of the monitoring of Vitamin D levels in 46 refugees of the Italian Service for protection of refugees and asylum seekers (SPRAR) system. The indicator of overall vitamin D status used was the circulating serum level of 25(OH)D. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel. In the refugees tested, the mean level of 25(OH)D resulted 9.18 ng/mL. The standard deviation was 4.8, with a minimal level of 4.3 and a maximum of 27.4. This figure indicates a clear condition of hypovitaminosis in refugees. While it is general assumption that migratory phenomena may induce the spread of tropical or infectious diseases, widely attested literature demonstrates how chronic pathologies and diseases related to altered lifestyles are the most relevant for Italian case records. Indeed, among the aforementioned diseases, Vitamin D deficiency so far lacks acknowledgement at a national level. Considering the results of lower-than-desirable vitamin D levels found in refugees in Italy, it is necessary to take this parameter into consideration when analyzing individuals who have faced migratory phenomena in order to mitigate the effects of hypovitaminosis D.

DOE Research Set-Aside Areas of the Savannah River Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, C.E.; Janecek, L.L.

1997-01-01

Designated as the first of seven National Environmental Research Parks (NERPs) by the Atomic Energy Commission (now the Department of Energy), the Savannah River Site (SRS) is an important ecological component of the Southeastern Mixed Forest Ecoregion located along the Savannah River south of Aiken, South Carolina. Integral to the Savannah River Site NERP are the DOE Research Set-Aside Areas. Scattered across the SRS, these thirty tracts of land have been set aside for ecological research and are protected from public access and most routine Site maintenance and forest management activities. Ranging in size from 8.5 acres (3.44 ha) to 7,364 acres (2,980 ha), the thirty Set-Aside Areas total 14,005 acres (5,668 ha) and comprise approximately 7% of the Site's total area. This system of Set-Aside Areas originally was established to represent the major plant communities and habitat types indigenous to the SRS (old-fields, sandhills, upland hardwood, mixed pine/hardwood, bottomland forests, swamp forests, Carolina bays, and fresh water streams and impoundments), as well as to preserve habitats for endangered, threatened, or rare plant and animal populations. Many long-term ecological studies are conducted in the Set-Asides, which also serve as control areas in evaluations of the potential impacts of SRS operations on other regions of the Site. The purpose of this document is to give an historical account of the SRS Set-Aside Program and to provide a descriptive profile of each of the Set-Aside Areas. These descriptions include a narrative for each Area, information on the plant communities and soil types found there, lists of sensitive plants and animals documented from each Area, an account of the ecological research conducted in each Area, locator and resource composition maps, and a list of Site-Use permits and publications associated with each Set-Aside

Geoelectrical monitoring of landslides: results from the sites of Laakirchen (Austria) and Rosano (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Guardiani, Carlotta; Amabile, Anna Sara; Jochum, Birgit; Ottowitz, David; Supper, Robert

2017-04-01

One of the main precursors for landslide activation/reactivation is intense and prolonged precipitation, with consequent pore water pressure rise due to infiltration of rainfall that seeps into the ground. Monitoring hydrological parameters such as precipitation, water content and pore pressure, in combination with displacement analysis for early warning purposes, is necessary to understand the triggering processes. Since the reduction over time of electrical resistivity corresponds to an increase of water content, electrical resistivity monitoring can help to interpret the modifications of slope saturation conditions after heavy rainfalls. In this study, we present the results of the ERT monitoring data from two landslide areas, Laakirchen (47.961692N, 13.809897E) and Rosano (44.662453N, 9.104703E). During March 2010, a shallow rotational landslide was triggered by snow melting and intense rainfall in Laakirchen, in the vicinity of a newly constructed house. Laakirchen landslide was monitored by geophysical/geotechnical measurements from September 2011 to June 2013. In December 2004, Rosano landslide reactivation affected rural buildings: slope deformations caused mainly damages to properties, infrastructures and lifelines. Rosano landslide has been defined as a composite landslide, with a general dynamic behavior that can be regarded as a slow earthflow. The installation of the monitoring system took place in July 2012 and the data acquisition lasted until April 2015. These sites are part of the geoelectrical monitoring network set up by the Geological Survey of Austria for testing the self-developed GEOMON4D geoelectrical system, in combination with complementary geotechnical monitoring sensors (rain gauge, automatic inclinometer, water pressure and water content sensors) to support the interpretation of the electrical response of the near surface (R. Supper et al., 2014). The measurements were funded by the TEMPEL project (Austrian Science Fund, TRP 175-N21

Distribution of native and exotic branchiobdellidans (Annelida: Clitellata on their respective crayfish hosts in northern Italy, with the first record of native Branchiobdella species on an exotic North American crayfish.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joy N. RAYBURN

1999-02-01

Full Text Available Branchiobdellidans were found on crayfish at the 18 sites examined in northern Italy. At 15 of the sites the native crayfish, Austropotamobius pallipes, was collected and all supported specimens of Branchiobdella italica. A few specimens of B. parasita were found at only two of these sites and no specimens of B. hexodonta were observed during the survey. The North American Louisiana red swamp crayfish, Procambarus (Scapulicambarus clarkii has been found in three additional sites around Carmagnola, south of Torino. The exotic Cambarincola mesochoreus was recovered from red crayfish at two sites. However, no specimens of C. mesochoreus were found at the third site, but specimens B. italica and B. parasita were identified. This is the first record of native Branchiobdella spp. on an exotic and wild crayfish in northern Italy.

Carabid communities in forests of ENEA centre of Brasimone, Bologna (Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Mei, M.; Collina, M.; De Felici, S.; Vigna Taglianti, A.

1995-08-01

The ENEA (Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment) forest property may be regarded as an open laboratory; interdisciplinary studies on ecology of aquatic and terrestrial mountain ecosystems are feasible. Six sites in tosco-emiliano Apennine (Brasimone area, Italy) were sampled by pitfall traps to assess the forest dwellers ground beetle coenoses. In spite of different wood species, vegetation cover and physionomy, Carabid communities are quite similar in species assemblages, ecological characterization and chronological spectra

Mutation breeding for durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum Desf.) improvement in Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scarascia-Mugnozza, G T [Universita della Tuscia, Viterbo (Italy); D' Amato, F [Dipartimento di Biologia delle Piante Agrarie, Universita di Pisa (Italy); Avanzi, S [Dipartimento di Botanica, Universita di Pisa (Italy); and others

1993-12-01

In view of the economic importance of durum wheat in Italy and in the Mediterranean and Near East Region much effort was devoted to its genetic improvement. Lodging susceptibility and straw weakness, particularly under high fertilizer level, were the main reasons of substantially lower yields compared to bread wheat. An experimental mutagenesis programme was started in Italy in 1956 by F. D'Amato and G.T. Scarascia. It included both fundamental genetic studies and applied mutation breeding. Remarkable results were obtained at the 'Laboratorio Applicazioni in Agricoltura', Casaccia Nuclear Research Center, Roma, Italy, in radiobiology, radiogenetics, cytology and cytogenetics, genetics and breeding. Selection among some 1,000 induced mutants and hybridization led to 11 registered mutant varieties, six by the direct use of selected mutants and the remaining from cross-breeding. The economic benefits derived from the developed mutant cultivars are substantial. Mutant varieties have a great impact on durum wheat production, both in Italy and other countries like Bulgaria or Austria where Italian mutants have been used successfully in cross-breeding. (author)

Mutation breeding for durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum Desf.) improvement in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scarascia-Mugnozza, G.T.; D'Amato, F.; Avanzi, S.

1993-01-01

In view of the economic importance of durum wheat in Italy and in the Mediterranean and Near East Region much effort was devoted to its genetic improvement. Lodging susceptibility and straw weakness, particularly under high fertilizer level, were the main reasons of substantially lower yields compared to bread wheat. An experimental mutagenesis programme was started in Italy in 1956 by F. D'Amato and G.T. Scarascia. It included both fundamental genetic studies and applied mutation breeding. Remarkable results were obtained at the 'Laboratorio Applicazioni in Agricoltura', Casaccia Nuclear Research Center, Roma, Italy, in radiobiology, radiogenetics, cytology and cytogenetics, genetics and breeding. Selection among some 1,000 induced mutants and hybridization led to 11 registered mutant varieties, six by the direct use of selected mutants and the remaining from cross-breeding. The economic benefits derived from the developed mutant cultivars are substantial. Mutant varieties have a great impact on durum wheat production, both in Italy and other countries like Bulgaria or Austria where Italian mutants have been used successfully in cross-breeding. (author)

Advances in limnological and oceanographic research in Italy: the history of the Italian Association of Limnology and Oceanography (AIOL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Pusceddu

2010-06-01

Full Text Available On the occasion of the 35th year from the publication of the first issue of the Proceedings of the Italian Association of Limnology and Oceanography (AIOL we present here the results of a meta-analysis of all of the material included in the AIOL Proceedings, with the aim of analysing the last 30 years history of aquatic science in Italy as mirrored by the science presented by the AIOL members. The results of this meta-analysis were presented in September 2006 in Paris, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the ‘Institut oce´anographique, fondation Albert Ier, prince de Monaco’. We have screened the 17 volumes of the Proceedings and classified the articles into papers dealing with: (i Biology and Ecology; (ii Chemistry; (iii Physics, and (iv Geology, which represent the most relevant ‘disciplines’ of the AIOL. The articles were also classified as ‘oceanographic’ or ‘limnological’ papers, including all marine and freshwater aspects, respectively. Articles were finally classified on the basis of the environment where the studies were carried out: the water column or the benthic environment. The results of this analysis highlight the presence of wide fluctuations in the number of publications produced by the AIOL scientific community during more then three decades of the activity of the association in Italy. We also show that these fluctuations were associated with variable fluctuations in the availability of funding for aquatic research. The overall picture of the scientific outputs of the AIOL members as revealed by the analysis of the papers published on the AIOL Proceedings indicates that the Association had a fruitful activity during the last part of the past century, but experienced a major flaw during the first years of this century. Only in the last few years such activity restarted, thus giving rise to a possible new deal in the development of aquatic science in Italy.

The contribution of nuclear energy to the meeting of Italy's electric power requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angelini, A.M.

1977-01-01

The paper discusses ENEL's policy in the development of nuclear energy, which assigns to this source the role of meeting almost all of Italy's additional future power requirements. This is a position taken some time ago and already outlined on the occasion of the Geneva Conference of 1971. The policy is based on a number of factors, reviewed in the paper, which differentiate, at least in quantitative terms, Italy's situation from that of most industrialized countries. Among these factors stand out the scarcity of natural resources, including energy sources available in Italy. An extensive recourse to nuclear energy is the best way to achieve that diversification of energy supplies vital to the Italian economy which, because of the very lack of natural resources, is predominantly based on processing. While the Caorso Nuclear Power Plant (840 MW) is due to go into service soon, ENEL's nuclear plan, recently approved by the Government, calls for the construction of the four 1,000-MW units already on order and of 16 additional units, of the same size, divided into two 8-units blocks, to be decided on respectively in the very near future and before the end of 1977. The necessary flexibility of the plan concerning the nuclear units that will go into service by the 1986 is ensured by the subdivision into blocks, with provision for the postponement of the second, 8-units block in the country's economy development requires a revision in electric power forecasts. The paper then considers in particular the integration between the nuclear plan and ENEL's extensive plan for pumped-storage hydro-electric power plants and the related technical and economic advantages which also extend to an international scope. The paper concludes the review of Italy's nuclear plan by stressing two essential problems: financing and the availability of sites for nuclear power plants. Upon their timely and satisfactory solution depends the actual construction of the plants by the scheduled dates

The current wind energy programme in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ambrosini, G.; Foli, U.; Sesto, E.; Vigotti, R.

1991-01-01

In Italy, the main activities in the field of wind energy are carried out by two state-owned organizations, ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment) and ENEL (Italian National Electricity Board), and two major wind turbine generator manufacturers, Alenia/WEST and Riva Calzoni, within the framework of a national programme which is supervized by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The work currently under way concerns both wind power plant siting and the development and testing of Italian-made wind turbine generators ranging from 5 to 1500 kW in power. In addition, programmes aimed at constructing wind-farms made up of medium-sized machines (200-400 kW) have recently been launched

Manure Market as a Solution for the Nitrates Directive in Italy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arata, L.; Peerlings, J.H.M.; Sckokai, P.

2013-01-01

This research aims at analysing the economic effects of the European Union's Nitrates Directive implementation on some representative dairy farms in Italy, using a mathematical programming model. The representative farms considered are located in Emilia-Romagna and Lombardia, which are potentially

Late Neolithic vegetation history at the pile-dwelling site of Palù di Livenza (northeastern Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Pini, Roberta

2004-12-01

The Late Neolithic pile-dwelling of Palù di Livenza yielded archaeological remains typical of the Square Mouth Pottery and Lagozza Cultures. A palynological investigation reveals important changes in the vegetation due to anthropogenic pressure. Between ca. 6590 and 5960 cal. yr BP, dense oak wood forests with deciduous Quercus, Fagus and Corylus extended around the mire, with no signs of human impact. The establishment of the pile-dwelling, dated to ca. 5960 cal. yr BP, led to a strong reduction of forests, reclamation of wetlands, and expansion of herbaceous communities, with cultivated species, infestant weeds, nitrophilous and ruderal herbs, pastures and meadows. According to AMS dates and previous archaeological chronologies, the pile-dwelling persisted for about 700 years (from ca. 5960 to 5260 cal. yr BP). The history of the pile-dwelling after ca. 5260 cal. yr BP cannot be reconstructed because of recent contamination of the top part of the section. Rarefaction analysis was applied to estimate changes of palynological richness through time: the highest E(Tn) (between 56 and 69 taxa) are contemporaneous with the local development of the pile-dwelling. The comparison of pollen data with archaeobotanical evidence indicates that Fragaria vesca, Malus sylvestris, Papaver somniferum and Physalis alkekengi were gathered at some distance from the site and that Linum usitatissimum is strongly under-represented in pollen samples. Crop cultivation can be estimated for a radius of several hundred metres around the mire. Palù di Livenza is significant in the context of Neolithic archaeobotany of northern Italy and neighbouring countries. Copyright

Climbing walls as multitasking sites of geo(morpho)logical interests: Italian examples from the Western Alps and Sardinia

Science.gov (United States)

Bollati, Irene; Fossati, Maria; Panizza, Valeria; Pelfini, Manuela; Zanoletti, Enrico; Zucali, Michele

2015-04-01

Geosites and in particular geomorphosites have been recently more and more used as base for educational activities in Earth Sciences and to enhance the geodiversity of a territory. Their attributes acquire a greater value and become especially appreciable when associated with field and outdoor activities. Frequently rock walls represent key sites for geological and gemorphological researches due to the wide outcrops of rocks where mineralogical composition and structures are very evident as well as landforms deriving from the modeling of outcrops surfaces. Where the rock walls are equipped for climbing activities they may be considered open-air laboratories useful to get in touch with the different features of rocks that condition progression on climbing routes. Due to these two aspects, geohistorical importance and educational exemplarity contribute to the increase of the scientific value and, as a consequence, of the global value of these sites as geosites. Geomorphosites from climbing sites allow to realize educational projects with different goals: 1) Recent researches in the Western Italian Alps have been conducted to make a census of climbing rock cliffs along the Ossola Valley (Verbanio-Cusio-Ossola Province, Italy) and to operate a choice of the ones characterized by high educational value (considering easy accessibility, grades for experts and beginners and the good exposition of rock features), representativeness, geohistorical importance, high cultural and socio-economic values, in order to propose an educational project addressed to students of an Italian secondary school aimed at introducing the three great families of rocks (magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary); 2) The Eclogitic Micaschist Complex of the Austroalpine Domain (Montestrutto climbing wall, Turin Province, Italy) has been investigated in order to i) reconstruct the deformation stages at local scales along the sport climbing wall and the relationships between geological elements and

Big GABA: Edited MR spectroscopy at 24 research sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikkelsen, Mark; Barker, Peter B; Bhattacharyya, Pallab K; Brix, Maiken K; Buur, Pieter F; Cecil, Kim M; Chan, Kimberly L; Chen, David Y-T; Craven, Alexander R; Cuypers, Koen; Dacko, Michael; Duncan, Niall W; Dydak, Ulrike; Edmondson, David A; Ende, Gabriele; Ersland, Lars; Gao, Fei; Greenhouse, Ian; Harris, Ashley D; He, Naying; Heba, Stefanie; Hoggard, Nigel; Hsu, Tun-Wei; Jansen, Jacobus F A; Kangarlu, Alayar; Lange, Thomas; Lebel, R Marc; Li, Yan; Lin, Chien-Yuan E; Liou, Jy-Kang; Lirng, Jiing-Feng; Liu, Feng; Ma, Ruoyun; Maes, Celine; Moreno-Ortega, Marta; Murray, Scott O; Noah, Sean; Noeske, Ralph; Noseworthy, Michael D; Oeltzschner, Georg; Prisciandaro, James J; Puts, Nicolaas A J; Roberts, Timothy P L; Sack, Markus; Sailasuta, Napapon; Saleh, Muhammad G; Schallmo, Michael-Paul; Simard, Nicholas; Swinnen, Stephan P; Tegenthoff, Martin; Truong, Peter; Wang, Guangbin; Wilkinson, Iain D; Wittsack, Hans-Jörg; Xu, Hongmin; Yan, Fuhua; Zhang, Chencheng; Zipunnikov, Vadim; Zöllner, Helge J; Edden, Richard A E

2017-10-01

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is the only biomedical imaging method that can noninvasively detect endogenous signals from the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the human brain. Its increasing popularity has been aided by improvements in scanner hardware and acquisition methodology, as well as by broader access to pulse sequences that can selectively detect GABA, in particular J-difference spectral editing sequences. Nevertheless, implementations of GABA-edited MRS remain diverse across research sites, making comparisons between studies challenging. This large-scale multi-vendor, multi-site study seeks to better understand the factors that impact measurement outcomes of GABA-edited MRS. An international consortium of 24 research sites was formed. Data from 272 healthy adults were acquired on scanners from the three major MRI vendors and analyzed using the Gannet processing pipeline. MRS data were acquired in the medial parietal lobe with standard GABA+ and macromolecule- (MM-) suppressed GABA editing. The coefficient of variation across the entire cohort was 12% for GABA+ measurements and 28% for MM-suppressed GABA measurements. A multilevel analysis revealed that most of the variance (72%) in the GABA+ data was accounted for by differences between participants within-site, while site-level differences accounted for comparatively more variance (20%) than vendor-level differences (8%). For MM-suppressed GABA data, the variance was distributed equally between site- (50%) and participant-level (50%) differences. The findings show that GABA+ measurements exhibit strong agreement when implemented with a standard protocol. There is, however, increased variability for MM-suppressed GABA measurements that is attributed in part to differences in site-to-site data acquisition. This study's protocol establishes a framework for future methodological standardization of GABA-edited MRS, while the results provide valuable benchmarks for the MRS community

Indian nurses in Italy: a qualitative study of their professional and social integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Stievano, Alessandro; Olsen, Douglas; Tolentino Diaz, Ymelda; Sabatino, Laura; Rocco, Gennaro

2017-12-01

To investigate the lived subjective experiences of immigrant Indian nurses in Italy and specifically their professional and social integration. To study the worldwide, nursing flux is a health priority in the globalised world. The growth in migration trends among nurses, not only from Philippines or India, has proliferated in recent years. The research on nurses' mobility for Southern European countries is underexplored, and in Italy, the out-migration flows of Indian nurses were never analysed. Qualitative methodological approach. Semi-structured interviews (n = 20) were completed with Indian clinical nurses working in Italy for more than one year mainly in private organisations. A purposive sampling technique was used for recruitment. The data were then content-analysed using an inductive method. The findings were categorised into four themes: (1) aspects of professional integration and working experience, (2) intra- and interprofessional relationships and perceptions of the IPASVI Regulatory Nursing Board, (3) initial nursing education and continuous professional development and (4) perceptions of social integration. The results show that for Indian nurses in Italy emigration is important to gain opportunities to expand economic and social privileges as well as escape from historical assumptions of stigma associated with nursing work, especially for women. However, these conclusions have to be seen in wider socio-cultural complexities that are at the basis of transnational fluxes (Prescott & Nichter ). The research offers an insight into the complicated reasons for Indian nurses out-migration to Italy. Without comprehending the interwoven textures of the political and social relations that are continually constructed and re-constructed among different nations, it is difficult to understand nurses out-migration and consequently have a better and safer collaborative teamwork in the host countries. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Academic Social Networking Sites: Improves Research Visibility and Impact

OpenAIRE

Ebrahim, Nader Ale

2017-01-01

Researchers needs to remove many traditional obstacles to disseminate and outreach their research outputs. Academic social networking allows you to connect with other researchers in your field, share your publications, and get feedback on your non-peer-reviewed work. The academic social networking, making your work more widely discoverable and easily available. The two best known academic social networking are ResearchGate and Academia.edu. These sites offer an instant technique to monitor wh...

A review of fast reactor activities in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierantoni, F.; Tavoni, R.

1992-01-01

In the framework of energy requirements in Italy, in August 1991, a new reform law of ENEA was issued containing some changes in its attribution. It is now the Italian national Agency for New Technology, Energy and the Environment. Its principal areas of activity are: the development and promotion of renewable energy sources and other alternatives to hydrocarbon fuels; energy conservation; research into innovative nuclear fission reactors and into the development of nuclear fusion; assessment, monitoring and protection of the environment and human health; development, diffusion and transfer of innovative technologies into productive systems, in Italy and abroad; licensing and control of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Modular systems studies under way involve: oxide core studies; PRISM component development; passive monitoring device. Seismic isolation studies were considered as important. They were devoted to: tests on rubber specimen, tests on bearings, isolated structure mock-ups or buildings, numerical studies

The importance of a taste. A comparative study on wild food plant consumption in twenty-one local communities in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Binda Riccardo

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract A comparative food ethnobotanical study was carried out in twenty-one local communities in Italy, fourteen of which were located in Northern Italy, one in Central Italy, one in Sardinia, and four in Southern Italy. 549 informants were asked to name and describe food uses of wild botanicals they currently gather and consume. Data showed that gathering, processing and consuming wild food plants are still important activities in all the selected areas. A few botanicals were quoted and cited in multiple areas, demonstrating that there are ethnobotanical contact points among the various Italian regions (Asparagus acutifolius, Reichardia picroides, Cichorium intybus, Foeniculum vulgare, Sambucus nigra, Silene vulgaris, Taraxacum officinale, Urtica dioica, Sonchus and Valerianella spp.. One taxon (Borago officinalis in particular was found to be among the most quoted taxa in both the Southern and the Northern Italian sites. However, when we took into account data regarding the fifteen most quoted taxa in each site and compared and statistically analysed these, we observed that there were a few differences in the gathering and consumption of wild food plants between Northern and Southern Italy. In the North, Rosaceae species prevailed, whereas in the South, taxa belonging to the Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, and Liliaceae s.l. families were most frequently cited. We proposed the hypothesis that these differences may be due to the likelihood that in Southern Italy the erosion of TK on wild vegetables is taking place more slowly, and also to the likelihood that Southern Italians' have a higher appreciation of wild vegetables that have a strong and bitter taste. A correspondence analysis confirmed that the differences in the frequencies of quotation of wild plants within the Northern and the Southern Italian sites could be ascribed only partially to ethnic/cultural issues. An additional factor could be recent socio-economic shifts, which may be having

Bacterial canker on kiwifruit in Italy: anatomical changes in the wood and in the primary infection sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Renzi, Marsilio; Copini, Paul; Taddei, Anna R; Rossetti, Antonio; Gallipoli, Lorenzo; Mazzaglia, Angelo; Balestra, Giorgio M

2012-09-01

The bacterial canker of kiwifruit caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae is a severe threat to kiwifruit production worldwide. Many aspects of P. syringae pv. actinidiae biology and epidemiology still require in-depth investigation. The infection by and spread of P. syringae pv. actinidiae in xylem and phloem was investigated by carrying out artificial inoculation experiments with histological and dendrochronological analyses of naturally diseased plants in Italy. We found that the bacterium can infect host plants by entering natural openings and lesions. In naturally infected kiwifruit plants, P. syringae pv. actinidiae is present in the lenticels as well as in the dead phloem tissue beneath the lenticels, surrounded by a lesion in the periderm which appears to indicate the importance of lenticels to kiwifruit infection. Biofilm formation was observed outside and inside plants. In cases of advanced stages of P. syringae pv. actinidiae infection, neuroses of the phloem occur, which are followed by cambial dieback and most likely by infection of the xylem. Anatomical changes in wood such as reduced ring width, a drastic reduction in vessel size, and the presence of tyloses were observed within several infected sites. In the field, these changes occur only a year after the first leaf symptoms are observed suggesting a significant time lapse between primary and secondary symptoms. It was possible to study the temporal development of P. syringae pv. actinidiae-induced cambial dieback by applying dendrochronology methods which revealed that cambial dieback occurs only during the growing season.

Power programmes review: Nuclear power in Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1959-07-15

Several concrete measures have been initiated in Italy for the generation of nuclear power on a substantial scale. Two plants are already under construction and work will start soon on a third. Plans have also been announced for more stations. If the work already initiated is completed on schedule the installed capacity of nuclear power in Italy is likely to exceed 500 mw (electric) in the course of the next four years. This will constitute a sizeable proportion of the total electrical capacity in the country. After the Italian National Committee for Nuclear Research (Comitato Nazionale per le Ricerche Nucleari) was reorganized late in 1956, it prepared what can be described as a nuclear five-year plan for Italy. The plan, designed to cover the period 1957-1962, includes detailed schemes for a comprehensive development of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, including a programme for the generation of power. The Comitato Nazionale per le Ricerche Nucleari (CNRN) promotes and co-ordinates the various activities in the field, and within the framework of its general programme certain industrial groups in Italy have formulated specific projects for nuclear power. At a Geneva conference (1958) it was disclosed that several companies were planning to build nuclear power stations in Italy. (1) SELNI (Societa Elettronucleare Italiana), pertaining to the Edison-Volta group, which plans to build a pressurized water reactor. (2) So.R.I.N. (Societa Ricerche Impianti Nucleari), a company founded by the Fiat and Montecatini groups, which is constructing a research centre, with a swimming pool reactor, and various laboratories for chemistry, physics and metallurgy. This centre will also be used for the training of specialized personnel, in view of the company's programme which envisages two 150 mw (e) plants: one operating with enriched uranium, the other with natural uranium. Such a programme will become effective only when the cost of power produced by these plants may actually

Decommissioning, radioactive waste management and nuclear public information issues in Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Enrico Mainardi [AIN - ENEA (Italy)

2006-07-01

Full text of publication follows: AIN (Associazione Italiana Nucleare or Italian Nuclear Association) is a non-profit organization that includes a wide range of competence and expertise in the field of nuclear science and technology in Italy. A leading role among AIN members is now covered by SOGIN a company mainly involved in waste treatment and conditioning together with dismantling of the Italian nuclear power plants and installations. The same company detains most of the national competences on Nuclear Power Plants operation and safety that have allowed to provide services to a number of domestic and international clients. Radioactive waste management is a major issue for the acceptability of nuclear power energy and nuclear technologies in general. A solution to the disposal of nuclear waste from the past operation of four NPP and of the Fuel Cycle Facilities together with all the other nuclear waste from hospitals, medical facilities, industries and research centres is today essential. A nuclear-waste storage facilities located in one secured place is a national priority, given the increased risks of possible terrorist attacks, accidents or natural disasters. The Italian decision needs to follow the guidelines and paths decided at the international and European level without delegating to future generations the problems and waste connected to previous use of nuclear technologies. This issue needs to be addressed and solved before starting any discussion on nuclear power in Italy as the recent case of the strong opposition against the site proposed by the Italian Government demonstrates. The site that was selected by the Italian Government is Scanzano Jonico (Matera province in the Basilicata region). The decision is based on a study by SOGIN in cooperation with other institutions such as ENEA and Italian universities, and considering a previous work of the National Geological Service. The study follows the guidelines of ONU-IAEA and the solutions adopted at

Decommissioning, radioactive waste management and nuclear public information issues in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enrico Mainardi

2006-01-01

Full text of publication follows: AIN (Associazione Italiana Nucleare or Italian Nuclear Association) is a non-profit organization that includes a wide range of competence and expertise in the field of nuclear science and technology in Italy. A leading role among AIN members is now covered by SOGIN a company mainly involved in waste treatment and conditioning together with dismantling of the Italian nuclear power plants and installations. The same company detains most of the national competences on Nuclear Power Plants operation and safety that have allowed to provide services to a number of domestic and international clients. Radioactive waste management is a major issue for the acceptability of nuclear power energy and nuclear technologies in general. A solution to the disposal of nuclear waste from the past operation of four NPP and of the Fuel Cycle Facilities together with all the other nuclear waste from hospitals, medical facilities, industries and research centres is today essential. A nuclear-waste storage facilities located in one secured place is a national priority, given the increased risks of possible terrorist attacks, accidents or natural disasters. The Italian decision needs to follow the guidelines and paths decided at the international and European level without delegating to future generations the problems and waste connected to previous use of nuclear technologies. This issue needs to be addressed and solved before starting any discussion on nuclear power in Italy as the recent case of the strong opposition against the site proposed by the Italian Government demonstrates. The site that was selected by the Italian Government is Scanzano Jonico (Matera province in the Basilicata region). The decision is based on a study by SOGIN in cooperation with other institutions such as ENEA and Italian universities, and considering a previous work of the National Geological Service. The study follows the guidelines of ONU-IAEA and the solutions adopted at

Restoration of contaminated soils in abandoned mine areas (Tuscany, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Bini, Claudio; Wahsha, Mohammad

2016-04-01

In Italy ore research and exploitation have been nearly exhausted since the end of the last century, and have left on the land a huge amount of mine waste, therefore provoking evident environmental damage including surface and groundwater, soils, vegetation and the food chain, and a potential threat to human health. The main processes occurring at these sites are: rock disgregation, fragments migration, dust dispersion, oxidation (Eh>250mV), acidification (pHhazard. The increasing environmental consciousness of general population compelled Public Administrators to set down effective legislation acts on this subject (e.g. D.L. 152/2006), and more generally on environmental contamination. In this work we present the results of a survey carried out at several mixed sulphides mine sites in Tuscany, exploited for at least a millennium, and closed in the last century. Biogeochemical analyses carried out on representative soil profiles (Spolic Technosols) and vegetation in the proximal and distal areas of ore exploitation show heavy metal concentrations (Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn) overcoming legislation limits on average. Ni, Cr and Mn concentrations, instead, are generally below the reference levels. The results obtained suggest that the abandoned mine sites represent actual natural laboratories where to experiment new opportunities for restoration of anthropogenically contaminated areas, and to study new pedogenetic trends from these peculiar parent materials. Moreover, plants growing on these substrates are genetically adapted to metal-enriched soils, and therefore may be utilized in phytoremediation of contaminated sites. Furthermore, the institution of natural parks in these areas could enhance their educational and scientific value, contributing in the meantime to general population amusement and recreation. Finally, it is the occasion for soil scientists to submit to the scientific community new classification proposals of this new kind of soils. Key-words: mine waste

Rembrandt in Italie. Receptie en verzamelgeschiedenis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rutgers, J.

2008-01-01

This dissertation sets out to investigate if and to what extent Rembrandt's work was appreciated in Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries. From approximately 1650 onwards paintings, drawings and prints by Rembrandt could be found in Italy, he is mentioned in several written sources and a few Italian

Effectiveness of a physical barrier for contaminant control in an unconfined coastal plain aquifer: the case study of the former industrial site of Bagnoli (Naples, southern Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Arienzo, Michele; Allocca, Vincenzo; Manna, Ferdinando; Trifuoggi, Marco; Ferrara, Luciano

2015-12-01

A vertical engineered barrier (VEB) coupled with a water treatment plant was surveyed in the framework of a vast remedial action at the brownfield site of the former ILVA of Bagnoli steel making facility located in western Naples, Italy. The VEB was put in place to minimize contaminant migration from the brownfield site toward the sea at the shorelines sites of Bagnoli and Coroglio. The efficiency of the VEB was monitored through 12 piezometers, 8 at the Bagnoli shoreline and 4 at the Coroglio shoreline. Concentrations of inorganic and organic pollutants were examined in upstream and downstream groundwater relative to the VEB. The mean levels of Al, As, Fe, and Mn largely exceeded the legal limits, 10-15-fold, whereas that of Hg was up to 3-fold the rules. The VEB decreased the outlet concentrations only at certain specific location of the barrier, four times for Al, 6-fold for Hg, and by 20% for Mn with means largely exceeding the rules. At the other sites, the downstream water showed marked increases of the pollutants up to 3-fold. Outstanding levels of the hydrocarbons > 12 were detected in the inlet water with means of some hundred times the limits at both sites. Likewise most of screened inorganic pollutants, the downstream water showed marked increases of the hydrocarbons up to ~113%. The treatment plant was very effective, with removal efficiencies >80% for As, Al, Fe, and Mn. The study evidenced the need to put alternative groundwater remedial actions.

Nuclear fission energy: the international scene and the outlook for Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monti, S.

2008-01-01

Because of concerns about the environment, energy security and energy costs, fission nuclear energy is gaining ground again around the world. In Italy, the research community can help relaunch the national nuclear programmes by providing advanced training, recruiting young engineers and researchers for RD activities, and furthering an immediate cooperation of the Italian system in the principal European and international projects on sustainable nuclear energy [it

The Moral Reasoning of Sports Management Students in the United States and Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Forte, Almerinda

2013-01-01

The researcher analyzed the moral reasoning ability of Sports Management students in the United States and Italy. The researcher statistically analyzed data collected through a survey questionnaire designed to measure moral reasoning. The Defining Issues Test (DIT) developed by James Rest using Kohlberg's six stages of moral judgment was used in…

Multi-Sited Ethnography and the Field of Educational Research

Science.gov (United States)

Pierides, Dean

2010-01-01

This paper responds to the challenge of how educational research might be practised in a contemporary world that is no longer necessarily organised by nearness and unity. Focusing on ethnography, it argues for what a multi-sited imaginary contributes to research in the field of education. By giving prominence to the notion of multi-sited…

Vitamin D deficiency in refugees in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.G. De Filippis

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The objective of the research is to determine 25[OH]D serum levels in refugees in Italy. In the following research we have taken into consideration the results of the monitoring of Vitamin D levels in 46 refugees of the Italian Service for protection of refugees and asylum seekers (SPRAR system. The indicator of overall vitamin D status used was the circulating serum level of 25(OHD. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel. In the refugees tested, the mean level of 25(OHD resulted 9.18 ng/mL. The standard deviation was 4.8, with a minimal level of 4.3 and a maximum of 27.4. This figure indicates a clear condition of hypovitaminosis in refugees. While it is general assumption that migratory phenomena may induce the spread of tropical or infectious diseases, widely attested literature demonstrates how chronic pathologies and diseases related to altered lifestyles are the most relevant for Italian case records. Indeed, among the aforementioned diseases, Vitamin D deficiency so far lacks acknowledgement at a national level. Considering the results of lower-than-desirable vitamin D levels found in refugees in Italy, it is necessary to take this parameter into consideration when analyzing individuals who have faced migratory phenomena in order to mitigate the effects of hypovitaminosis D.

Test site experiments with a reconfigurable stepped frequency GPR

Science.gov (United States)

Persico, Raffaele; Matera, Loredana; Piro, Salvatore; Rizzo, Enzo; Capozzoli, Luigi

2016-04-01

In this contribution, some new possibilities offered by a reconfigurable stepped frequency GPR system are exposed. In particular, results achieved from a prototypal system achieved in two scientific test sites will be shown together with the results achieved in the same test sites with traditional systems. Moreover a novel technique for the rejection of undesired interferences is shown, with the use of interferences caused on purpose. Key words GPR, reconfigurable stepped frequency. Introduction A reconfigurable GPR system is meant as a GPR where some parameter can be changed vs. the frequency (if the system is stepped frequency) or vs. the time (if the system is pulsed) in a programmable way. The programming should then account for the conditions met in the scenario at hand [1]. Within the research project AITECH (http://www.aitechnet.com/ibam.html), the Institute for Archaeological and Monumental Heritage, together with the University of Florence and the IDS corporation have implemented a prototype, that has been used in sites of cultural interest in Italy [2], but also abroad in Norway and Malta. The system is a stepped frequency GPR working in the frequency range 50-1000 MHz, and its reconfigurability consists in three properties. The first one is the fact that the length of the antennas can be modulated by the aperture and closure of two electronic switches present along the arms of the antennas, so that the antennas can become electrically (and electronically) longer or shorter, so becoming more suitable to radiate some frequencies rather than some other. In particular, the system can radiate three different bands in the comprehensive range between 50-1000 MHz, so being suitable for different depth range of the buried targets, and the three bands are gathered in a unique "going through" because for each measurement point the system can sweep the entire frequency range trhee times, one for each configuration of the switchres on the arms. The second property is

Contemporary social network sites: Relevance in anesthesiology teaching, training, and research.

Science.gov (United States)

Haldar, Rudrashish; Kaushal, Ashutosh; Samanta, Sukhen; Ambesh, Paurush; Srivastava, Shashi; Singh, Prabhat K

2016-01-01

The phenomenal popularity of social networking sites has been used globally by medical professionals to boost professional associations and scientific developments. They have tremendous potential to forge professional liaisons, generate employment,upgrading skills and publicizing scientific achievements. We highlight the role of social networking mediums in influencing teaching, training and research in anaesthesiology. The growth of social networking sites have been prompted by the limitations of previous facilities in terms of ease of data and interface sharing and the amalgamation of audio visual aids on common platforms in the newer facilities. Contemporary social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr,Linkedn etc and their respective features based on anaesthesiology training or practice have been discussed. A host of advantages which these sites confer are also discussed. Likewise the potential pitfalls and drawbacks of these facilities have also been addressed. Social networking sites have immense potential for development of training and research in Anaesthesiology. However responsible and cautious utilization is advocated.

Geophysical prospecting in archaeology: investigations in Santa Venera, south suburb of Poseidonia-Paestum, Campania, southern Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loperte, A; Satriani, A; Bavusi, M; Lapenna, V; Del Lungo, S; Gizzi, F T; Sabelli, R

2011-01-01

This paper is the result of a joint work between geophysicists and archaeologists in which the authors have used geophysical techniques to investigate the Greek and Roman settlement of Paestum, southern Italy for preventive archaeological research (commonly termed 'rescue archaeology') on an area of the ancient settlement affected by new building work and infrastructure. Starting from a background analysis of the archaeological and geological features of the site, an integrated geophysical approach based on magnetic, GPR and geoelectrical surveys was carried out on the Santa Venera area, a site selected to build a car parking. High-density and high-resolution cross-correlated geophysical surveys were carried out in different parts of the area to better resolve the structures. Systematic excavations confirmed the clues suggested by geophysical prospecting about the presence of archaeological remains such as walls, canals and tombs. By the use of non-destructive geophysical techniques a two-fold aim was reached: to properly plan the building of the infrastructure and preserve the ancient artefacts according to the advanced European guidelines on the protection of archaeological heritage

Robotic surgery in Italy national survey (2011).

Science.gov (United States)

Santoro, Eugenio; Pansadoro, Vito

2013-03-01

Robotic surgery in Italy has become a clinical reality that is gaining increasing acceptance. As of 2011 after the United States, Italy together with Germany is the country with the largest number of active Robotic centers, 46, and da Vinci Robots installed, with at least 116 operators already trained. The number of interventions performed in Italy in 2011 exceeded 6,000 and in 2010 were 4,784, with prevalence for urology, general surgery and gynecology, however these interventions have also begun to be applied in other fields such as cervicofacial, cardiothoracic and pediatric surgery. In Italy Robotic centers are mostly located in Northern Italy, while in the South there are only a few centers, and four regions are lacking altogether. Of the 46 centers which were started in 1999, the vast majority is still operational and almost half handle over 200 cases a year. The quality of the work is also especially high with large diffusion of radical prostatectomy in urology and liver resection and colic in general surgery. The method is very well accepted among operators, over 80 %, and among patients, over 95 %. From the analysis of world literature and a survey carried out in Italy, Robotic surgery, which at the moment could be better defined as telesurgery, represents a significant advantage for operators and a consistent gain for the patient. However, it still has important limits such as high cost and non-structured training of operators.

ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT OF THE GREEK COLONIAL SYSTEM IN SOUTHERN ITALY: POLLEN AND NPPS EVIDENCE OF GRAZING FROM THE RURAL SITE OF FATTORIA FABRIZIO (VI-IV CENT. BC; METAPONTO, BASILICATA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Florenzano

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This paper reports a study case showing integrated analyses of microscopic records from an archaeological site of southern Italy. Pollen and non pollen palynomorphs-NPPs were found in archaeological layers and were basic in reconstructing both the past environment and the economic activities of the site. The site, Fattoria Fabrizio, is a modest 4th-cenury BC farmhouse of the chora (rural territory of the Greek city (polis of Metaponto (Basilicata. Pollen analyses in addition to the study of NPPs have been particularly worthwhile for palaeoenvironmental and palaeoeconomical reconstructions of this site and others in the chora. The pollen spectra delineate an open plant landscape, with scanty woodlands and presence of local wet environments. Olea pollen is fairly well represented in all samples, suggesting that this tree was an important element of the agricultural economy of the chora. Shrubby grasslands and a well-developed maquis characterized the territory, probably as result of grazing activities by sheep and goats. Accordingly, the high percentages of Poaceae and Cichorieae pollen, together with coprophilous fungal spores (such as Sordaria type and Sporormiella type, suggest that pastoral activities were widely practiced. The low number of Cerealia pollen grains suggests that the inhabitants’ fields covered small areas or were quite far from the farmhouse.  

A review of fast reactor activities in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierantoni, F.; Tavoni, R.

1990-01-01

Italy's total primary energy demand increased in 1989 by 2.8% continuing the trend initiated in 1984. Net electricity import increased by 9% reaching the total of 34 TWh, equivalent to the electrical production of 5 power stations in base load operation. As known, after the Chernobyl accident, a moratorium of at least 5 years was imposed on the construction of new nuclear reactors in Italy. The PEN (National Energy Plan), already approved by the government and submitted to parliament for discussion, calls for a programme of research and industrial development of reactors with inherent and passive safety features. In this framework during 1989, a collaboration of ENEL, Ansaldo and ENEA with some designers of innovative reactors, mainly water-cooled, has taken place in many fields. The Italian participation and contribution in international groups has continued with the aim of maintaining and updating the know-how on the most relevant themes of research. Contacts are underway in the area of advanced reactors with several countries such as the USA, the FRG, the UK and France. With France an agreement for cooperation in the area of future nuclear reactors and advanced technologies for the upgrading of industries was signed in April 1990. (author). 1 fig., 2 tabs

New corological and biological data of the Red Gum Lerp Psyllid, Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore, 1964 in Italy (Hemiptera, Psyllidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Jiménez-Peydró

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore, 1964 is a psyllid (Hemiptera: Psyllidae pest of Eucalyptus, native toAustralia and first recorded in Europe: Spain in 2008 and more recently (2010 in Italy. The present paper dealswith recent research, carried out in central Italy, with new data on the distribution and biology of this species.

Lessons learned from bacterial transport research at the South Oyster Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scheibe, T.; Hubbard, S.S.; Onstott, T.C.; DeFlaun, M.F.

2011-04-01

This paper provides a review of bacterial transport experiments conducted by a multi-investigator, multi-institution, multi-disciplinary team of researchers under the auspices of the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE). The experiments were conducted during the time period 1999-2001 at a field site near the town of Oyster, Virginia known as the South Oyster Site, and included four major experimental campaigns aimed at understanding and quantifying bacterial transport in the subsurface environment. Several key elements of the research are discussed here: (1) quantification of bacterial transport in physically, chemically and biologically heterogeneous aquifers, (2) evaluation of the efficacy of conventional colloid filtration theory, (3) scale effects in bacterial transport, (4) development of new methods for microbial enumeration and screening for low adhesion strains, (5) application of novel hydrogeophysical techniques for aquifer characterization, and (6) experiences regarding management of a large field research effort. Lessons learned are summarized in each of these areas. The body of literature resulting from South Oyster Site research has been widely cited and continues to influence research into the controls exerted by aquifer heterogeneity on reactive transport (including microbial transport). It also served as a model (and provided valuable experience) for subsequent and ongoing highly-instrumented field research efforts conducted by DOE-sponsored investigators.

Growth of a sinkhole in a seismic zone of the Northern Apennines (Italy)

OpenAIRE

Rosa, Alessandro; Pagli, Carolina; Molli, Giancarlo; Casu, Francesco; Luca, Claudio; Pieroni, Amerino

2018-01-01

Sinkhole collapse is a major hazard causing substantial social and economic losses. However, the surface deformations and sinkhole evolution are rarely recorded, as these sites are known mainly after a collapse, making the assessment of sinkholes-related hazard challenging. Furthermore, 40 % of the sinkholes of Italy are in seismically hazardous zones; it remains unclear whether seismicity may trigger sinkhole collapse. Here we use a multidisciplinary dataset of InSAR, surface mapping ...

A bill for the renaissance of nuclear power in Italy;Projet de relance de l'electronucleaire en Italie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

2009-07-15

Today Italy is the only G8 member to have no nuclear power plants in operation. In 1987 as a consequence of a referendum Italy decided to shut down its nuclear power plants and to forbid the construction of new ones. Italy relies on oil and gas imports for 80% of its energy needs. The Italian parliament has recently passed a bill for a renaissance of nuclear power. The bill gives 6 months to the government to set the rules and conditions for the come-back of nuclear energy. (A.C.)

Analyse des processus cognitifs en écriture des élèves sourds et entendants en Espagne et en Italie

OpenAIRE

Gutiérrez, Rafaela; Luque, Antonio

2014-01-01

In this paper we present some of the most relevant results from research that focused on the analysis of cognitive and metacognitive processes involved in written composition by the deaf and hearing students from two school contexts (Spain and Italy). Research participants were 84 students: 72 hearing and 12 deaf; 44 from Spanish context and 40 from Italy. The data collection process consisted of the application of an adapted questionnaire on self-evaluation of the processes in writing. Regar...

Country policy profile - Italy. December 2015

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-12-01

In Italy, Renewable energy sources in are promoted through price and tax regulations mechanisms. Several kinds of feed-in and premium tariffs co-exist besides tendering schemes depending on technology and size of RES systems. Additionally regional support schemes exist for RES electricity. The thermal (heating and cooling) energy generated from renewable energies is incentivized through tax regulation and loans. A quota system is presently used for bio-fuels (transport). Under the country's NREAP, Italy has set a renewable energy target (electricity) of 26% to be achieved by 2020. The 2012 total share of renewable energy in Italy amounted to 13.5%; the target for 2020 has been defined as 17% (source: 'The State of Renewable Energies in Europe', 2013 edition)

Institutionalizing Health Impact Assessment: A consultation with experts on the barriers and facilitators to implementing HIA in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Linzalone, Nunzia; Ballarini, Adele; Piccinelli, Cristiano; Viliani, Francesca; Bianchi, Fabrizio

2018-07-15

A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is an evidence-based methodology that includes health promotion and protection goals in decision-making. HIA has been introduced and/or institutionalized to various extents in different countries. In order to promote HIA and preventive health assessments in Italy, a research methodology was followed to identify specific obstacles or facilitators. The experiences of various countries reported in the literature were analyzed in terms of facilitating or hindering the introduction and institutionalization of HIA. A consultation with the proponents of projects and plans in Italy was carried out with a multi-approach methodology in order to characterize the national context. A general implementation plan was drawn up from the international experiences. In Italy this is not yet in place. Specific areas of intervention need to be addressed, including: 1) data availability; 2) tools and methods; 3) engagement of stakeholders; 4) capacity building. The research suggests that the institutionalization of HIA in Italy rests on the government's commitment to providing specific legislation regarding HIA so that skills, intersectoral coordination and dedicated budgets can be built and maintained. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Climate and landscape in Italy during Late Epigravettian. The Late Glacial small mammal sequence of Riparo Tagliente (Stallavena di Grezzana, Verona, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Berto, Claudio; Luzi, Elisa; Canini, Guido Montanari; Guerreschi, Antonio; Fontana, Federica

2018-03-01

The site of Riparo Tagliente (north-eastern Italy) contains one of the main Upper Pleistocene archaeological sequences of south-western Europe. It also represents a key site for the study of human adaptation to Late Glacial environmental changes in the southern Alpine area. These climatic and environmental conditions are here reconstructed based on small mammal assemblages, using the Bioclimatic model and Habitat Weighting methods. Climate proxies indicate a rise in temperature during the transition between HE1 and the Bølling-Allerød interstadial, while the landscape surrounding the shelter was still dominated by open grasslands. By comparing the data obtained from Riparo Tagliente with other coeval small mammal faunas from the Italian Peninsula and Europe we contribute to the reconstruction of the processes of faunal renewal registered during the Late Glacial across the continent and of the climatic and environmental context in which the Late Epigravettian hunter-gatherer groups lived.

Using remote sensing data for exploitation of integrated renewable energy at coastal site in South Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Calaudi, Rosamaria; Lo Feudo, Teresa; Calidonna, Claudia Roberta; Sempreviva, Anna Maria

2016-04-01

Renewable energy sources are major components of the strategy to reduce harmful emissions and to replace depleting fossil energy resources. Data from Remote Sensing can provide detailed information for analysis for sources of renewable energy and to determine the potential energy and socially acceptability of suggested location. Coastal sites of Southern Italy have the advantage of favorable climatic conditions to use renewable energy, such us cloud free days and local breeze phenomena. Many ports are located where they have opportunities for exploitation of renewable energy, by using existing port area and by taking advantage of their coastal locations. Policies of European-Committee and Global-Navigation-PIANC for a better use of energy and an efficient supply from renewable sources are also focused on the construction of port facilities in zero emissions. Using data from Remote Sensing, can reduce the financial resources currently required for finding and assessing suitable areas, we defined an integrated methodology for potential wind and solar energy in harbor areas. In this study we compared the hourly solar power energy using MSG-SEVIRI (Meteosat Second Generation Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared) data products DSSF (Down-welling Surface Short-wave-Flux), and PV-Plant measurements with Nominal Power Peak of 19,85 kWp. The PV Plant is situated at a coastal site in Calabrian region, located near Vibo Valentia harbor area. We estimate potential energy by using input solar radiation of Satellite data, with same characteristics of the PV-plant. The RMSE and BIAS for hourly averaged solar electrical reproducibility are estimated including clear and sky conditions. Comparison between energy reproducibility by using DSSF product and PV-plant measurements, made over the period October 2013-June 2014, showed a good agreement in our costal site and generally overestimate (RMSE(35W/m2) and BIAS(4W/m2)) electrical reproducibility from a PV-plant. For wind resource

Public Management Reform in Napoleonic states: france, greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain

OpenAIRE

E. Ongaro

2008-01-01

The special issue fills a gap in literature by providing systematic and comparative analysis of public management reform in five under-investigated countries in the Napoleonic administrative tradition: France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain. It thus provides an important contribution to the widening of the comparative research agenda in public management

Pediatric allergy and immunology in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tozzi, Alberto E; Armenio, Lucio; Bernardini, Roberto; Boner, Attilio; Calvani, Mauro; Cardinale, Fabio; Cavagni, Giovanni; Dondi, Arianna; Duse, Marzia; Fiocchi, Alessandro; Marseglia, Gian L; del Giudice, Michele Miraglia; Muraro, Antonella; Pajno, Giovanni B; Paravati, Francesco; Peroni, Diego; Tripodi, Salvatore; Ugazio, Alberto G; Indinnimeo, Luciana

2011-05-01

In Italy, according to the International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood study, the prevalence of current asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema in 2006 was 7.9%, 6.5%, and 10.1% among children aged 6-7 and 8.4%, 15.5%, and 7.75% among children aged 13-14 yr. University education in this field is provided by the Postgraduate Schools of Pediatrics and those of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, as well as several annual Master courses. The Italian Society of Pediatric Allergology and Immunology (SIAIP) was founded in 1996 and counts about 1000 members. SIAIP promotes evidence-based management of allergic children and disseminates information to patients and their families through a quite innovative website and the National Journal 'Rivista Italiana di Allergologia Pediatrica'. In the last decade, four major regional, inter-regional, and national web-based networks have been created to link pediatric allergy centers and to share their clinical protocols and epidemiologic data. In addition, National Registers of Primary Immune-deficiencies and on Pediatric HIV link all clinical excellence centers. Research projects in the field of pediatric allergy and immunology are founded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) and by the National Research Council (CNR), but the overall investments in this research area are quite low. Only a handful Italian excellence centers participate in European Projects on Pediatric Allergy and Immunology within the 7th Framework Program. The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology currently hosts two Italians in its Executive Committee (EC) and one in the EC of the Pediatric Section; moreover, major European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology meetings and courses in the area of pediatrics (e.g., PAAM, Venice, 2009) have been held in Italy in the last 3 yr. Italian hallmarks in the management of allergic diseases in childhood are a quite alive and spread interest in

Italy's recurrent energy dependency dilemma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ippolito, F.

1993-01-01

This paper first critically assesses the objectives of Italy's 1988 National Energy Plan which, in light of the moratorium on nuclear energy, called for moderate but steady reductions in imported energy supplies through the implementation of energy conservation programs and the development of available domestic conventional and renewable energy sources. The economics and energy analyses evidence that, in view this nation's current troubled economic situation, the Energy Plan's target for the year 2000 of a 76% dependency on foreign oil is just not good enough and not in line with stricter European environmental normatives limiting carbon dioxide emissions. It is argued that in order to effectively reduce the nation's excessively high energy costs, keep pace with other industrialized countries in a highly competitive market (Italy's energy tariffs are almost 55% greater than those of Germany and France), and to respect new European anti-pollution laws, Italy must restart its nuclear program and take advantage of the recent advances being made in passive reactor safety systems

Coal use in Italy and environmental compatibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

Fossil fuels have in Italy great importance. In Italy, in terms of environmental protection and for social acceptance, coal has had a real opposition not verified in other countries. Environmental compatibility of coal cycle and related technologies are discussed also consequently at the Kyoto protocol [it

Geothermal energy in Italy - its importance, potential and projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berger, W.

2005-01-01

This article discusses the perspectives for the use of geothermal energy in Italy. Starting with an overview of the principles of the use of geothermal energy in general, the article goes on to review Italy's geothermal resources and their relevance to energy supply. Figures are given on the political situation in Italy concerning energy and the rapidly increasing demands made on electricity supply. Political support for renewable energy in Italy is looked at and models for financing projects are examined. Examples of geothermal energy projects are given and the perspectives for further developments in this industry are looked at

An application of a multi model approach for solar energy prediction in Southern Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Avolio, Elenio; Lo Feudo, Teresa; Calidonna, Claudia Roberta; Contini, Daniele; Torcasio, Rosa Claudia; Tiriolo, Luca; Montesanti, Stefania; Transerici, Claudio; Federico, Stefano

2015-04-01

The accuracy of the short and medium range forecast of solar irradiance is very important for solar energy integration into the grid. This issue is particularly important for Southern Italy where a significant availability of solar energy is associated with a poor development of the grid. In this work we analyse the performance of two deterministic models for the prediction of surface temperature and short-wavelength radiance for two sites in southern Italy. Both parameters are needed to forecast the power production from solar power plants, so the performance of the forecast for these meteorological parameters is of paramount importance. The models considered in this work are the RAMS (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System) and the WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting Model) and they were run for the summer 2013 at 4 km horizontal resolution over Italy. The forecast lasts three days. Initial and dynamic boundary conditions are given by the 12 UTC deterministic forecast of the ECMWF-IFS (European Centre for Medium Weather Range Forecast - Integrated Forecasting System) model, and were available every 6 hours. Verification is given against two surface stations located in Southern Italy, Lamezia Terme and Lecce, and are based on hourly output of models forecast. Results for the whole period for temperature show a positive bias for the RAMS model and a negative bias for the WRF model. RMSE is between 1 and 2 °C for both models. Results for the whole period for the short-wavelength radiance show a positive bias for both models (about 30 W/m2 for both models) and a RMSE of 100 W/m2. To reduce the model errors, a statistical post-processing technique, i.e the multi-model, is adopted. In this approach the two model's outputs are weighted with an adequate set of weights computed for a training period. In general, the performance is improved by the application of the technique, and the RMSE is reduced by a sizeable fraction (i.e. larger than 10% of the initial RMSE

First record of the Asian bush mosquito, Aedes japonicus japonicus, in Italy: invasion from an established Austrian population.

Science.gov (United States)

Seidel, Bernhard; Montarsi, Fabrizio; Huemer, Hartwig P; Indra, Alexander; Capelli, Gioia; Allerberger, Franz; Nowotny, Norbert

2016-05-16

In 2011 we identified the Asian bush mosquito, Aedes japonicus japonicus (Theobald, 1901) (Diptera: Culicidae) for the first time in northern Slovenia and in the bordering Austrian federal state of Styria. Between May and July 2012 the distribution area of Ae. j. japonicus was already found to be extended westwards into Carinthia and eastwards towards Burgenland and bordering Hungary. In August 2012 the species was first detected in a western province of Hungary. In subsequent years, follow-up field studies demonstrated an active spread westwards throughout Carinthia, reaching the border to northern Italy. In July 2015 several aquatic-stage specimens of the species were discovered at three different sites in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, north-eastern Italy. In September 2015, co-occurrence of Ae. j. japonicus and Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1895) was observed in the same sample in that region. Ae. j. japonicus actively extended its geographic range from an established population in Carinthia (Austria) southwards to northern Italy by crossing Alpine ranges. Since Ae. albopictus and Aedes koreicus (Edwards, 1917) are already well established in northern Italy, it will be pivotal to monitor the consequences of a third invasive mosquito species trying to populate the same geographic region.

75 FR 67105 - Granular Polytetrafluoroethylene Resin From Italy and Japan

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-01

... Polytetrafluoroethylene Resin From Italy and Japan AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION... resin from Italy and Japan. SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice that it has instituted reviews... revocation of the antidumping duty orders on granular polytetrafluoroethylene resin from Italy and Japan...

Solar education combining art, history, science and technology at archaeological sites in Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silvi, C.; Ferro, P. [ISES (Italy); Ceccarini, T. [Educational Section - State Superintendence of Archaeological Monuments in Rome (Italy)

2004-07-01

''Solar Art and Solar Technologies'' and ''Solar Energy by studying Ancient Architecture'' laboratory promoted by ISES ITALIA and the Educational Section of the State Superintendence of Archaeological Monuments in Rome involved from 2000 to 2004 roughly 1000 schoolchildren, 20 teachers and five archaeologists. For its innovative character and its special approach to solar education, the exhibition ''Solar Art and Technologies'' has been acknowledged among the 50 best projects of the ''2001 Energy Globe Award.'' The program has been continuously improved and has broadened its educational reach beyond schoolchildren. The experiences made at the archaeological sites from the energy point of view lead to new research projects and initiatives on solar energy at the archaeological sites during the excavations, while exploring historical sources, and at the involved schools. A seminar on ''Solar energy and the built environment in past civilizations'' will be held at the end of May 2004 to review historical sources and the most recent archaeological discoveries that have relation with solar architecture and technology. The seminar will also address the possible participation of historians and archaeologists in the history sessions planned at ISES 2005 (www.swc2005.org). (orig.)

Academic Conferences: Representative and Resistant Sites for Higher Education Research

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Emily F.

2015-01-01

The overarching argument made in this article is twofold. Firstly, academic conferences are posited as sites for higher education research. Secondly, the well-recognised emotional and social processes of conferences are used to make space at the boundaries of higher education research for psychosocial analysis. The article theorises conferences in…

Landfill gas management: View from Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Poli, F.; Pasqualini, S. [ENEA, Casaccia (Italy). Area Energia Ambiente e Salute

1993-03-01

Landfilling is the most widely used waste disposal system in Italy. More than 85% of the total refuse produced is landfilled, as the other ways still have many problems. People do not easily accept landfilling, and many regions of the country have very difficult problems in identifying new sites. At any rate, landfills are more accepted than other systems, such as incinerators. In accordance with present legislation, all landfill sites must have a biogas extraction system; only the smaller plants are allowed to avoid gas removal. For this reason, many extraction plants were built in the last few years about 10 in 1987, 25 in 1988, more 40 in 1989. A partial census the existing extraction plants showed the existence, in January, 1990, of 45 systems producing over 750,000 cubic meters of biogas (over 400 tep) per day. The plants were mainly built by two firms that have made 91% of the existing systems (93% of the daily gas yield). Anaerobic digestion of garbage in reactors was tried in the Bellaria plant, in which the organic fraction is mixed with sewage sludges in a CSTR reactor; the results were interesting from the technical point of view, but very poor as regards economics. A dry digestion plant is planned for the future.

Different damage observed in the villages of Pescara del Tronto and Vezzano after the M6.0 August 24, 2016 central Italy earthquake and site effects analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelo Masi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The authors have surveyed many damaged villages located at the epicentre of the ML=6.0 earthquake which occurred on August 24, 2016 in central Italy. Some unexpected anomalies were discovered such as very different levels of damage in Vezzano and Pescara del Tronto villages (Arquata del Tronto Municipality, Ascoli Piceno province. The two villages are situated just 1300 meters from each other. Pescara del Tronto suffered very heavy damage with many masonry building collapses and 48 fatalities, while Vezzano suffered only light damage to few buildings. This paper provides a preliminar analysis from an engineering and geophysics perspective. Particularly, rapid visual surveys were carried out in the two villages in order to detect possible significant differences in the vulnerability of their building stocks and site geophysical investigations were performed to detect possible local amplification effects.

Impact of external events on site evaluation: a probabilistic approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaccarino, E.; Giuliani, P.; Zaffiro, C.

1975-01-01

A probabilistic method is proposed for definition of the reference external events of nuclear sites. The external events taken into account are earthquakes, floods and tornadoes. On the basis of the available historical data for each event it is possible to perform statistical analyses to determine the probability of occurrence on site of events of given characteristics. For earthquakes, the method of analysis takes into consideration both the annual frequency of seismic events in Italy and the probabilistic distribution of areas stricken by each event. For floods, the methods of analysis of hydrological data and the basic criteria for the determination of design events are discussed and the general lines of the hydraulic analysis of a nuclear site are shown. For tornadoes, the statistical analysis has been performed for the events which occurred in Italy during the last 40 years; these events have been classified according to an empirical intensity scale. The probability of each reference event should be a function of the potential radiological damage associated with the particular type of plant which must be installed on the site. Thus the reference event could be chosen such that for the whole of the national territory the risk for safety and environmental protection is the same. (author)

THE 4th SCHIZOPHRENIA INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SOCIETY CONFERENCE, 5–9 APRIL 2014, FLORENCE, ITALY: A summary of topics and trends

Science.gov (United States)

Abayomi, Olukayode; Amato, Davide; Bailey, Candace; Bitanihirwe, Byron; Bowen, Lynneice; Burshtein, Shimon; Cullen, Alexis; Fusté, Montserrat; Herrmann, Ana P; Khodaie, Babak; Kilian, Sanja; Lang, Qortni A; Manning, Elizabeth E; Massuda, Raffael; Nurjono, Milawaty; Sadiq, Sarosh; Sanchez-Gutierrez, Teresa; Sheinbaum, Tamara; Shivakumar, Venkataram; Simon, Nicholas; Spiteri-Staines, Anneliese; Sirijit, Suttajit; Toftdahl, Nanna Gilliam; Wadehra, Sunali; Wang, Yi; Wigton, Rebekah; Wright, Susan; Yagoda, Sergey; Zaytseva, Yuliya; O’Shea, Anne; DeLisi, Lynn E.

2015-01-01

The 4th Schizophrenia International Research Society Conference was held in Florence, Italy, April 5–9, 2014.and this year had as its emphasis, “Fostering Collaboration in Schizophrenia Research”. Student travel awardees served as rapporteurs for each oral session, summarized the important contributions of each session and then each report was integrated into a final summary of data discussed at the entire conference by topic. It is hoped that by combining data from different presentations, patterns of interest will emerge and thus lead to new progress for the future. In addition, the following report provides an overview of the conference for those who were present, but could not participate in all sessions, and those who did not have the opportunity to attend, but who would be interested in an update on current investigations ongoing in the field of schizophrenia research. PMID:25306204

Geophysical investigations at the Paleolitic site Grotta delle Veneri near Parabita (Lecce, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Carrozzo, M. T.; Leucci, G.; Negri, S.; Nuzzo, L.

2003-04-01

The human presence in Apulia (southern Italy) is documented since 80.000 years before present. In 1966 near Parabita (Lecce, Italy) in a cave subsequently named "Grotta delle Veneri" human remains belonging to Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis (Neanderthal) and Homo Sapiens-Sapiens (Cro-Magnon) were recovered together with two small statues of pregnant women ("Veneri") referable to 12.000--10.000 b.C. The local Archaeological Superintendence was interested in assessing the possibility to reconstruct by means of geophysical methods the planimetric position of the cave and further development of its burrows beyond those accessible to speleologists and reported in the underground topographic survey. Both electromagnetic (EM) and electric methods were tested using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) with 200 and 500 MHz antennas, GEM300 multi-frequency EM induction device and 2D Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT). Despite the rough surface and the presence of numerous obstacles (trees, stone walls and stone piles) limiting the accessible survey area and often preventing a good ground-coupling, the GPR survey successfully located the top of the karstic cave and identified zones of high density of diffraction hyperbolas, interpreted as highly fractured and karstified limestone, in a layer ranging from about 2 m to 6 m below ground. Zones characterised by high density of diffractions due to presence of voids were found also outside the known development of the cave. By means of the GEM 300, both in-phase and quadrature components of the induced EM signal were simultaneously collected at 8 frequencies, from 2025 to 19975 Hz, respectively related to the magnetic susceptibility and apparent conductivity of the soil down to a depth decreasing as the frequency increase. A presumable low contrast in the sought parameter between the highly fractured rock and karstic voids or refilled cavities as well as the presence of metallic debris on the ground allowed a difficult identification

Self-reflection on privacy research in social networking sites

OpenAIRE

De Wolf, Ralf; Vanderhoven, Ellen; Berendt, Bettina; Pierson, Jo; Schellens, Tammy

2017-01-01

The increasing popularity of social networking sites has been a source of many privacy concerns. To mitigate these concerns and empower users, different forms of educational and technological solutions have been developed. Developing and evaluating such solutions, however, cannot be considered a neutral process. Instead, it is socially bound and interwoven with norms and values of the researchers. In this contribution, we aim to make the research process and development of privacy solutions m...

Researchers' attitudes towards the use of social networking sites

OpenAIRE

Greifeneder, E.; Pontis, S.; Blandford, A. E.; Attalla, H.; Neal, D.; Schlebbe, K.

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to better understand why many researchers do not have a profile on social networking sites (SNS), and whether this is the result of conscious decisions. / Design/methodology/approach: Thematic analysis was conducted on a large qualitative data set from researchers across three levels of seniority, four countries and four disciplines to explore their attitudes toward and experiences with SNS. / Findings: The study found much greater scepticism toward adopt...

Biochemical and physical correlates of DNA contamination in archaeological human bones and teeth excavated at Matera, Italy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilbert, M. T. P.; Rudbeck, L.; Willerslev, E.

2005-01-01

sampled from the cemetery of Santa Lucia alle Malve, Matera, Italy. This site is of exceptional interest, because the samples have been assayed for IS measures of biochemical and physical preservation, and it is the only one identified in a study of more than 107 animal and 154 human bones from 43 sites......, both are difficult (if not impossible) to decontaminate. Furthermore, although assessed on bone samples, several of the specific biochemical and physical characteristics that describe overall sample preservation, levels of microbial attack and related increases in sample porosity directly correlate...

Migration routes and stopover sites of the Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia between the Carpathian Basin and wintering areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pigniczki Csaba

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Understanding the migration routes of the Central European Spoonbill population is important for their conservation. Here we analysed movements of 3186 individuals of Eurasian Spoonbills marked with colour rings in the Carpathian Basin (Hungary, Croatia and Serbia between 2003 and 2015, and a satellite tagged individual, which was equipped in Italy in 2013, and later moved to the Carpathian Basin. Migration routes of these Spoonbills predominantly followed the Adriatic Flyway, however, some birds were also found to both east and west from this flyway. We identified 59 stopover sites, 55 of which were located along the Adriatic Flyway. Colourringed juveniles (1cy, on average, spent 4.0±0.9 (SE days on the stopover sites along the Adriatic Flyway during autumn migration, while non-juveniles (> 1cy spent 2.6±1.0 (SE days during autumn and 2.1±0.4 (SE days during spring migration there. These durations were not significantly different. Duration of stops of the satellite tracked individual was between 7 and 15 days during autumn and between 1 and 12 days during spring migration. Our results indicate the existence of two alternative routes of the Adriatic Flyway between the Carpathian Basin and the wintering areas in southern Italy and the central part of coastal North-Africa. The North-Adriatic Flyway includes stopover sites in north-eastern Italy at the river mouth of River Isonzo, Lagunes of Venice and wetlands around River Po. The South Adriatic Flyway leads through the Balkan Peninsula, with stopover sites at the karst lakes of Bosnia and Herzegovina, mouth of the river Neretva (Croatia, Ulcinj Salinas (Montenegro and wetlands in Gulf of Manfredonia (Italy. This hypothesis was also supported by the migration of the satellite tagged individual, the paths of which was described here in detail. The average coordinates of spring and autumn stopover sites were located at different parts of the flyway: it was in south-western Italy during autumn

The role of social networking sites in medical genetics research.

Science.gov (United States)

Reaves, Allison Cook; Bianchi, Diana W

2013-05-01

Social networking sites (SNS) have potential value in the field of medical genetics as a means of research subject recruitment and source of data. This article examines the current role of SNS in medical genetics research and potential applications for these sites in future studies. Facebook is the primary SNS considered, given the prevalence of its use in the United States and role in a small but growing number of studies. To date, utilization of SNS in medical genetics research has been primarily limited to three studies that recruited subjects from populations of Facebook users [McGuire et al. (2009); Am J Bioeth 9: 3-10; Janvier et al. (2012); Pediatrics 130: 293-298; Leighton et al. (2012); Public Health Genomics 15: 11-21]. These studies and a number of other medical and public health studies that have used Facebook as a context for recruiting research subjects are discussed. Approaches for Facebook-based subject recruitment are identified, including paid Facebook advertising, snowball sampling, targeted searching and posting. The use of these methods in medical genetics research has the potential to facilitate cost-effective research on both large, heterogeneous populations and small, hard-to-access sub-populations. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Federated Search and the Library Web Site: A Study of Association of Research Libraries Member Web Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Sarah C.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how federated search engines are incorporated into the Web sites of libraries in the Association of Research Libraries. In 2009, information was gathered for each library in the Association of Research Libraries with a federated search engine. This included the name of the federated search service and…

The evolution of the epidemiological landscape of head and neck cancer in Italy: Is there evidence for an increase in the incidence of potentially HPV-related carcinomas?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo

Full Text Available The current study aimed to investigate the incidence and survival patterns of HNSCCs arising from different anatomic sites, potentially related (the oropharynx or unrelated (the oral cavity, the larynx/hypopharynx to HPV, to provide clues on possible growing impact of HPV in the epidemiology of HNSCC in Italy. Epidemiological data were retrieved from ten long-term Cancer Registries covering a population of 7.8 million inhabitants. Trends were described by means of the estimated annual percent change (APC stratified by age and gender, and compared between HPV-related and HPV-unrelated anatomical sites. The data regarding 28,295 HNSCCs diagnosed in Italy between 1988 and 2012 were analyzed. In males, the incidence rate (IR of cancers arising from sites unrelated to HPV infection significantly decreased in all age groups (APC:-3.31 for larynx/hypopharynx; APC:-1.77 for oral cavity, whereas stable IR were observed for cancers arising from sites related to HPV infection. In females, IR for cancers from HPV-related sites increased significantly over the observed period; the largest increment was noted in those over 60 (APC:2.92% who also showed a significantly lower number of HNSCCs from the larynx/hypopharynx (APC:- 0.84 and a significantly higher number of oral cavity tumors (APC = 2.15. The five-year relative survival remained largely unchanged in the patients with laryngeal/hypopharyngeal SCC and, conversely, significantly improved in the patients with SCC at HPV-related sites. The trends observed suggest a potential increasing impact of HPV infection on the epidemiology of HNSCC in Italy, but to a lesser extent and with a different pattern from that observed in other Western countries.

The fabbrica della penicillina in postwar Italy: an institutionalist approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Taroni, Francesco

2014-01-01

This paper focuses on the motives and long-term effects of the momentous decision to build a world-class biomedical research laboratory, the International Center for Chemical Microbiology, at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome, rather than develop domestic production of penicillin to meet the needs of a destitute postwar Italy. An institutionalist approach will provide a richer vision of the intersections of scientific and national political history in postwar Italy and the Cold War. The Center failed in its modernising mission due to an insular mentality producing an 'enclosure effect' against the State, the healthcare system and the pharmaceutical industry. The absence of a scientific base together with an economic policy of 'liberal protectionism' that placed premiums on import tariffs and the licensing of foreign products explains the path dependency of the pharmaceutical industry during the postwar years and its demise in the 1960s.

Direct radiocarbon dating and genetic analyses on the purported Neanderthal mandible from the Monti Lessini (Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Talamo, Sahra; Hajdinjak, Mateja; Mannino, Marcello A; Fasani, Leone; Welker, Frido; Martini, Fabio; Romagnoli, Francesca; Zorzin, Roberto; Meyer, Matthias; Hublin, Jean-Jacques

2016-07-08

Anatomically modern humans replaced Neanderthals in Europe around 40,000 years ago. The demise of the Neanderthals and the nature of the possible relationship with anatomically modern humans has captured our imagination and stimulated research for more than a century now. Recent chronological studies suggest a possible overlap between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans of more than 5,000 years. Analyses of ancient genome sequences from both groups have shown that they interbred multiple times, including in Europe. A potential place of interbreeding is the notable Palaeolithic site of Riparo Mezzena in Northern Italy. In order to improve our understanding of prehistoric occupation at Mezzena, we analysed the human mandible and several cranial fragments from the site using radiocarbon dating, ancient DNA, ZooMS and isotope analyses. We also performed a more detailed investigation of the lithic assemblage of layer I. Surprisingly we found that the Riparo Mezzena mandible is not from a Neanderthal but belonged to an anatomically modern human. Furthermore, we found no evidence for the presence of Neanderthal remains among 11 of the 13 cranial and post-cranial fragments re-investigated in this study.

Selection of a site adapted to the realization of an underground laboratory in clay formations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benvegnu, F.

1984-01-01

Research carried out in Italy by ENEA for site selection of an underground laboratory in a clay formation are presented. Mine roadways, abandoned tunnels, natural or artificial escarpments are prospected. The Pasquasia potash mine in Sicily was selected. The decline reach the lower pliocen starta from -110m to -200m below surface through a clay formation. The site selected for the laboratory is 160 m deep. A 50 meter-long horizontal tunnel will be dug. Experiments planned include thermal, hydrological, mechanical and thermomechanical behavior of clays. Data on temperature variations, interstitial fluid pressure, total pressure, deformations produced by a heater placed in clay will be obtained. Data related to mechanical behavior of formation will be recorded before, during and after the construction of the gallerie. Convergence of borehole will be also studied

Hominin responses to environmental changes during the Middle Pleistocene in central and southern Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Orain

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The palaeobotanical record of early Palaeolithic sites from Western Europe indicates that hominins settled in different kinds of environments. During the "mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT", from about 1 to 0.6 Ma, the transition from 41- to 100-ka dominant climatic oscillations, occurring within a long-term cooling trend, was associated with an aridity crisis which strongly modified the ecosystems. Starting from the MPT the more favourable climate of central and southern Italy provided propitious environmental conditions for long-term human occupations even during the glacial times. In fact, the human strategy of territory occupation was certainly driven by the availabilities of resources. Prehistoric sites such as Notarchirico (ca. 680–600 ka, La Pineta (ca. 600–620 ka, Guado San Nicola (ca. 380–350 ka or Ceprano (ca. 345–355 ka testify to a preferential occupation of the central and southern Apennines valleys during interglacial phases, while later interglacial occupations were oriented towards the coastal plains, as attested by the numerous settlements of the Roma Basin (ca. 300 ka. Faunal remains indicate that human subsistence behaviours benefited from a diversity of exploitable ecosystems, from semi-open to closed environments. In central and southern Italy, several palynological records have already illustrated the regional- and local-scale vegetation dynamic trends. During the Middle Pleistocene climate cycles, mixed mesophytic forests developed during the interglacial periods and withdrew in response to increasing aridity during the glacial episodes. New pollen data from the Boiano Basin (Molise, Italy attest to the evolution of vegetation and climate between MIS 13 and 9 (ca. 500 to 300 ka. In this basin the persistence of high edaphic humidity, even during the glacial phases, could have favoured the establishment of a refuge area for the arboreal flora and provided subsistence resources for the animal and hominin communities

Hominin responses to environmental changes during the Middle Pleistocene in central and southern Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Orain, R.; Lebreton, V.; Russo Ermolli, E.; Sémah, A.-M.; Nomade, S.; Shao, Q.; Bahain, J.-J.; Thun Hohenstein, U.; Peretto, C.

2013-03-01

The palaeobotanical record of early Palaeolithic sites from Western Europe indicates that hominins settled in different kinds of environments. During the "mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT)", from about 1 to 0.6 Ma, the transition from 41- to 100-ka dominant climatic oscillations, occurring within a long-term cooling trend, was associated with an aridity crisis which strongly modified the ecosystems. Starting from the MPT the more favourable climate of central and southern Italy provided propitious environmental conditions for long-term human occupations even during the glacial times. In fact, the human strategy of territory occupation was certainly driven by the availabilities of resources. Prehistoric sites such as Notarchirico (ca. 680-600 ka), La Pineta (ca. 600-620 ka), Guado San Nicola (ca. 380-350 ka) or Ceprano (ca. 345-355 ka) testify to a preferential occupation of the central and southern Apennines valleys during interglacial phases, while later interglacial occupations were oriented towards the coastal plains, as attested by the numerous settlements of the Roma Basin (ca. 300 ka). Faunal remains indicate that human subsistence behaviours benefited from a diversity of exploitable ecosystems, from semi-open to closed environments. In central and southern Italy, several palynological records have already illustrated the regional- and local-scale vegetation dynamic trends. During the Middle Pleistocene climate cycles, mixed mesophytic forests developed during the interglacial periods and withdrew in response to increasing aridity during the glacial episodes. New pollen data from the Boiano Basin (Molise, Italy) attest to the evolution of vegetation and climate between MIS 13 and 9 (ca. 500 to 300 ka). In this basin the persistence of high edaphic humidity, even during the glacial phases, could have favoured the establishment of a refuge area for the arboreal flora and provided subsistence resources for the animal and hominin communities during the Middle

Reappraisal of paleomagnetic data from Gargano (South Italy)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vandenberg, J.

1983-01-01

VandenBerg, J., 1983. Reappraisal of paleomagnetic data from Gargano (South Italy). In: E. McClelland Brown and J. VandenBerg (Editors), Palaeomagnetism of Orogenic Belts. Tectonophysics, 98: 29-41. The platform limestones of Apulia (Italy) outcropping in the Gargano peninsula have been

Italian cancer figures--Report 2015: The burden of rare cancers in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Busco, Susanna; Buzzoni, Carlotta; Mallone, Sandra; Trama, Annalisa; Castaing, Marine; Bella, Francesca; Amodio, Rosalba; Bizzoco, Sabrina; Cassetti, Tiziana; Cirilli, Claudia; Cusimano, Rosanna; De Angelis, Roberta; Fusco, Mario; Gatta, Gemma; Gennaro, Valerio; Giacomin, Adriano; Giorgi Rossi, Paolo; Mangone, Lucia; Mannino, Salvatore; Rossi, Silvia; Pierannunzio, Daniela; Tavilla, Andrea; Tognazzo, Sandro; Tumino, Rosario; Vicentini, Massimo; Vitale, Maria Francesca; Crocetti, Emanuele; Dal Maso, Luigino

2016-01-01

This collaborative study, based on data collected by the network of Italian Cancer Registries (AIRTUM), describes the burden of rare cancers in Italy. Estimated number of new rare cancer cases yearly diagnosed (incidence), proportion of patients alive after diagnosis (survival), and estimated number of people still alive after a new cancer diagnosis (prevalence) are provided for about 200 different cancer entities. Data herein presented were provided by AIRTUM population- based cancer registries (CRs), covering nowadays 52% of the Italian population. This monograph uses the AIRTUM database (January 2015), which includes all malignant cancer cases diagnosed between 1976 and 2010. All cases are coded according to the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (ICD-O-3). Data underwent standard quality checks (described in the AIRTUM data management protocol) and were checked against rare-cancer specific quality indicators proposed and published by RARECARE and HAEMACARE (www.rarecarenet.eu; www.haemacare.eu). The definition and list of rare cancers proposed by the RARECAREnet "Information Network on Rare Cancers" project were adopted: rare cancers are entities (defined as a combination of topographical and morphological codes of the ICD-O-3) having an incidence rate of less than 6 per 100,000 per year in the European population. This monograph presents 198 rare cancers grouped in 14 major groups. Crude incidence rates were estimated as the number of all new cancers occurring in 2000-2010 divided by the overall population at risk, for males and females (also for gender-specific tumours).The proportion of rare cancers out of the total cancers (rare and common) by site was also calculated. Incidence rates by sex and age are reported. The expected number of new cases in 2015 in Italy was estimated assuming the incidence in Italy to be the same as in the AIRTUM area. One- and 5-year relative survival estimates of cases aged 0-99 years diagnosed between 2000 and

Induced abortion and contraception in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Spinelli, A; Grandolfo, M E

1991-09-01

This article discusses the legal and epidemiologic status of abortion in Italy, and its relationship to fertility and contraception. Enacted in May 1978, Italy's abortion law allows the operation to be performed during the 1st 90 days of gestation for a broad range of health, social, and psychological reasons. Women under 18 must receive written permission from a parent, guardian, or judge in order to undergo an abortion. The operation is free of charge. Health workers who object to abortion because of religious or moral reasons are exempt from participating. Regional differences exist concerning the availability of abortion, easy to procure in some places and difficult to obtain in others. After an initial increase following legalization, the abortion rate was 13.5/1000 women aged 15-44 and the abortion ratio was 309/1000 live births -- an intermediate rate and ratio compared to other countries. By the time the Abortion Act of 1978 was adopted, Italy already had one of the lowest fertility levels in Europe. Thus, the legalization of abortion has had no impact on fertility trends. Contrary to initial fears that the legalization of abortion would make abortion a method of family planning, 80% of the women who sought an abortion in 1983-88 were using birth control at the time (withdrawal being the most common method used by this group). In fact, most women who undergo abortions are married, between the ages of 25-34, and with at least one child. Evidence indicates widespread ignorance concerning reproduction. In a 1989 survey, only 65% of women could identify the fertile period of the menstrual cycle. Italy has no sex education in schools or national family planning programs. Compared to most of Europe, Italy still has low levels of reliable contraceptive usage. This points to the need to guarantee the availability of abortion.

Central Italy magnetotelluric investigation. Structures and relations to seismic events: analysis of initial data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Marianiuk

1996-06-01

Full Text Available A scientific collaboration between the Warsaw Academy of Science, (Poland and the National Institute of Geophysics (Italy, gave rise to the installation of few stations for the long term measurement of magnetotelluric fields in central Italy. The selection of investigation sites was determined by the individual seismic interest of each location. The project began in the summer of 1991, with the installation of 2 magnetotelluric stations in the province of Isernia, (Collemeluccio and Montedimezzo. In 1992, 2 more stations became operative, one in the province of Rieti, (Fassinoro, the other in the province of L'Aquila, (S. Vittoria. For the purpose of this project, the magnetic observatory in L'Aquila was also equipped with electric lines, for the measurement of the telluric field. The aim of the analysis here presented, is to show that is possible to follow the temporal evolution of magnetotelluric characteristic parameters. At Collemeluccio this evolution was compared with the seismic released energy for events recorded within the study area.

Predicting the Spatial Distribution of Wolf (Canis lupus Breeding Areas in a Mountainous Region of Central Italy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Bassi

Full Text Available Wolves (Canis lupus in Italy represent a relict west European population. They are classified as vulnerable by IUCN, though have increased in number and expanded their range in recent decades. Here we use 17 years of monitoring data (from 1993 to 2010 collected in a mountainous region of central Italy (Arezzo, Tuscany in an ecological niche-based model (MaxEnt to characterize breeding sites (i.e. the areas where pups were raised within home ranges, as detected from play-back responses. From a suite of variables related to topography, habitat and human disturbance we found that elevation and distance to protected areas were most important in explaining the locality of wolf responses. Rendezvous sites (family play-back response sites typically occurred between 800 and 1200 m a.s.l., inside protected areas, and were usually located along mountain chains distant from human settlements and roads. In these areas human disturbance is low and the densities of ungulates are typically high. Over recent years, rendezvous sites have occurred closer to urban areas as the wolf population has continued to expand, despite the consequent human disturbance. This suggests that undisturbed landscapes may be reaching their carrying capacity for wolves. This, in turn, may lead to the potential for increased human-wolf interactions in future. Applying our model, both within and beyond the species' current range, we identify sites both within the current range and also further afield, that the species could occupy in future. Our work underlines the importance of the present protected areas network in facilitating the recolonisation by wolves. Our projections of suitability of sites for future establishment as the population continues to expand could inform planning to minimize future wolf-human conflicts.

The AIRInforma experiment: peer-reviewed public dissemination of science in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Forneris, Federico; Cassetta, Luca; Gravina, Teresita

2015-04-01

Public dissemination of science to the public is often negatively affected by biased, incorrect information distributed over the world wide web through social networks and weblogs. In Italy, the lack of correct scientific information has generated several important issues, raising concerns by the international scientific community in several occasions over the past five years. Our association AIRIcerca (International Association of Italian Researchers, http://www.airicerca.org) has recently started a novel scientific dissemination initiative to the general public in Italy. The project is based on 1) direct involvement of researchers (with accademic or industrial affiliation) in article preparation and publication and 2) introduction of a peer-reviewing system similar to that applied in conventional scientific publishing. Our initiative, named AIRInforma (http://informa.airicerca.org) has already published more than 10 original articles and 3 meeting reports, in Italian language, about various fields of scientific research, ranging from social sciences to evolutionary biology , mathematics and medicine . The editorial board is composed of approximately 20 Italian scientists working all over the world and voluntarily contributing to the AIRInforma initiative. Submitted manuscripts are initially evaluated by the editorial board and, if suitable, they are assigned to four non-anonymous reviewers selected by the editorial board for accurate evaluation. Two reviewers are selected based on their specific expertise on the topic presented in the manuscript (expert reviewers), and two are specifically selected as working on distant fields (naive reviewers). The purpose of naive reviewers is to provide feedback on the efficacy and clarity of the information for the general public. So far, AIRInforma has established a novel channel of scientific communication in Italy, receiving excellent feedback and reaching more than 8000 new unique visitors every month on our website and

The first millennium AD climate fluctuations in the Tavoliere Plain (Apulia, Italy): New preliminary data from the 14C AMS-dated plant remains from the archaeological site of Faragola

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiorentino, G.; Caracuta, V.; Volpe, G.; Turchiano, M.; Quarta, G.; D'Elia, M.; Calcagnile, L.

2010-01-01

The identification of ancient climate fluctuations represents an hard challenge for studies intended to outline the human-environment interaction in fragile ecosystems. The aim of this work is to test the potentialities of carbon stable isotopic content of AMS-dated archaeological plant remains as tool to infer variations in rainfall/temperature regimes. The results obtained in the analysis of the carbon stable isotopic content of 10 plant remains selected among the archaeobotanical remains collected at the archaeological site in Faragola (Apulia, Italy) and radiocarbon-dated by AMS are presented. The variation of δ 13 C values was considered on a chronological scale covering a time range comprised between the II century BC and the VII century AD. The obtained patterns were also compared with local and global-scale palaeoclimatic records.

Cancer among farmers in central Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Forastiere, F; Quercia, A; Miceli, M; Settimi, L; Terenzoni, B; Rapiti, E; Faustini, A; Borgia, P; Cavariani, F; Perucci, C A

1993-12-01

This case-referent study evaluated cancer risks among farmers in central Italy. Cancer cases (N = 1674, 17 sites) were selected from all deceased men aged 35-80 years; a random sample of 480 decedents formed the reference series. Farmers had a decreased risk of lung and bladder cancer and melanoma and nonsignificant excess risks for stomach, rectal, kidney, and nonmelanoma skin cancer. Stomach and kidney cancer were significantly increased among the farmers with > 10 years' experience, and stomach, rectal, and pancreatic cancer were increased among licensed pesticide users with > 10 years' experience. Possible relationships emerged between specific crops and cancer: fruit and colon and bladder cancer, wheat and prostate cancer, olives and kidney cancer, and potato and kidney cancer. The results regarding stomach, pancreatic, lung, bladder, and prostate cancer and melanoma congrue with earlier results. The kidney cancer excess, the association of colon and bladder cancer with orchard farming, and the excess of rectal cancer among licensed farmers are new and unexpected findings.

Italy's green party: on the road to success

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenbaum, A.

1988-01-01

Italy's Green Party (Lista Verde) does not consider itself a political party but it is changing the environmental consciousness of the nation. There are new eight popular television shows covering environmental problems and a national weekly newspaper devotes a regular column to ecology. Environmental associations, including the Environmental League, have been started in the 1980s. The Greens have also succeeded in halting Italy's nuclear power programme. In a national referendum held in 1987 almost 80% of the voters agreed with the Greens' views. No fewer than 14 more popular referenda are planned throughout Italy on environmental issues. (UK)

Influence of ore processing activity on Hg, As and Sb contamination and fractionation in soils in a former mining site of Monte Amiata ore district (Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Protano, Giuseppe; Nannoni, Francesco

2018-05-01

A geochemical study was carried out at the former Abbadia San Salvatore (ASS) mining site of the Monte Amiata ore district (Italy). Hg, As and Sb total contents and fractionation using a sequential extraction procedure were determined in soil and mining waste samples. Ore processing activities provided a different contribution to Hg contamination and concentration in soil fractions, influencing its behaviour as volatility and availability. Soils of roasting zone showed the highest Hg contamination levels mainly due to the deposition of Hg released as Hg 0 by furnaces during cinnabar roasting. High Hg contents were also measured in waste from the lower part of mining dump due to the presence of cinnabar. The fractionation pattern suggested that Hg was largely as volatile species in both uncontaminated and contaminated soils and mining waste, and concentrations of these Hg species increased as contamination increased. These findings were in agreement with the fact that the ASS mining site is characterized by high Hg concentrations in the air and the presence of Hg 0 liquid droplets in soil. Volatile Hg species were also prevalent in uncontaminated soils likely because the Monte Amiata region is an area characterized by anomalous fluxes of gaseous Hg from natural and anthropogenic inputs. At the ASS mining site soils were also contaminated by Sb, while As contents were comparable with its local background in soil. In all soil and waste samples Sb and As were preferentially in residual fraction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The promise and peril of intensive-site-based ecological research: insights from the Hubbard Brook ecosystem study

Science.gov (United States)

Timothy J. Fahey; Pamela H. Templer; Bruce T. Anderson; John J. Battles; John L. Campbell; Charles T. Driscoll; Anthony R. Fusco; Mark B. Green; Karim-Aly S. Kassam; Nicholas L. Rodenhouse; Lindsey Rustad; Paul G. Schaberg; Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur

2015-01-01

Ecological research is increasingly concentrated at particular locations or sites. This trend reflects a variety of advantages of intensive, site-based research, but also raises important questions about the nature of such spatially delimited research: how well does site based research represent broader areas, and does it constrain scientific discovery? We provide an...

Siting and public acceptance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Lise, Pasquale.

1977-01-01

The paper discusses the problem of nuclear power plant siting according to presently applicable legislation in Italy, taking into account urban and environmental aspects. Act No 393 of 2 August 1975 on the siting of nuclear plants introduced a significant change in that prior to its adoption, the competence to license nuclear installations was divided amongst so many bodies that approval was inevitably delayed. Act No. 393 lays down the siting procedure which involves authorities at regional and State level and provides a step by step consultation of the Communes concerned and gives them a time limit for replying to the proposed project, while enabling the necessary scientific, environmental and urban investigations to be made. Thus although ultimate decisions rest with the State, the regional bodies representing the public have a voice in them. In such planning the authorities must take into account the public interest, from the environmental and social angles as well as political and economic interests. (NEA) [fr

Helminths of the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) (Berkenhout, 1769) in the city of Palermo, Italy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Milazzo, C.; Ribas, Alexis; Casanova, J. C.; Cagnin, M.; Geraci, F.; Di Bella, C.

2010-01-01

Roč. 47, č. 4 (2010), s. 238-240 ISSN 0440-6605 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519 Keywords : wild brown rats * helminths * Sicily * Italy Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.847, year: 2010

An overview on the history of pedology and soil mapping in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Calzolari, C.

2012-04-01

In Italy, the word pedology (pedologia) was introduced in a text book as synonym of soil science for the first time in 1904 by Vinassa de Regny. In the literature, the term cohabitates with the words agrology (agrologia), agro-geology (agro-geologia), agricultural geognostic (geognostica agraria), geopedology (geo-pedologia) used in different historical moments by differently rooted soil scientists. When early pedologists started with systematic studies of soils, their characteristics and geography, they were strongly influenced by their cultural background, mainly geology and agro-chemistry. Along the time, the soil concept evolved, as did the concept of pedology, and this is somehow witnessed by the use of different Italian words with reference to soil: suolo, terreno, terra. Differently from agro-chemists, early pedologists based the soil study on the field description of soil profile. This was firstly based on the vertical differentiation between humus rich layers and "inactive" layers and later on, as long as the discipline evolved, on the presence of genetic horizons. The first complete soil map of Italy is dated 1928. Its Author, the geologist De Angelis d'Ossat, was the president of the organising committee of the 1924 International Soil Conference of Rome, where the International Society of Soil Science was founded. The map was based on the geological map of Italy, drafted in scale 1:1,000,000 after the creation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. The internal disputes within the Geological Society, together with the scarce interest of most of geologists for soil, did not facilitate the birth of a central soil survey. Soil mapping was mainly conducted by universities and research institutes, and we had to wait until 1953 for a new soil map (scale 1:3,125,000) at national level to be realised by Paolo Principi, based on literature data. In 1966 a new 1:1,000,000 soil map of Italy was eventually published by a national committee, led by Fiorenzo Mancini. This

Rainfall thresholds for the possible occurrence of landslides in Italy

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M. T. Brunetti

2010-03-01

Full Text Available In Italy, rainfall is the primary trigger of landslides that frequently cause fatalities and large economic damage. Using a variety of information sources, we have compiled a catalogue listing 753 rainfall events that have resulted in landslides in Italy. For each event in the catalogue, the exact or approximate location of the landslide and the time or period of initiation of the slope failure is known, together with information on the rainfall duration D, and the rainfall mean intensity I, that have resulted in the slope failure. The catalogue represents the single largest collection of information on rainfall-induced landslides in Italy, and was exploited to determine the minimum rainfall conditions necessary for landslide occurrence in Italy, and in the Abruzzo Region, central Italy. For the purpose, new national rainfall thresholds for Italy and new regional rainfall thresholds for the Abruzzo Region were established, using two independent statistical methods, including a Bayesian inference method and a new Frequentist approach. The two methods proved complementary, with the Bayesian method more suited to analyze small data sets, and the Frequentist method performing better when applied to large data sets. The new regional thresholds for the Abruzzo Region are lower than the new national thresholds for Italy, and lower than the regional thresholds proposed in the literature for the Piedmont and Lombardy Regions in northern Italy, and for the Campania Region in southern Italy. This is important, because it shows that landslides in Italy can be triggered by less severe rainfall conditions than previously recognized. The Frequentist method experimented in this work allows for the definition of multiple minimum rainfall thresholds, each based on a different exceedance probability level. This makes the thresholds suited for the design of probabilistic schemes for the prediction of rainfall-induced landslides. A scheme based on four

On-site and off-site emergency planning at Cekmece Nuclear Research and Training Centre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soyberk, O.A.

1986-01-01

An emergency plan was prepared for minimizing the consequences of any unforeseen radiation accident in Cekmece Nuclear Research and Training Centre (CNAEM) in Istanbul, Turkey. CNAEM is situated near Kucukcekmece Lake, which is about 30 km to the west of Istanbul. It includes two pool-type research reactors of 1 MW(th) and 5 MW(th). The population in the nearest inhabited areas varies from 1000 to 50,000. Accidents are classified, according to their severity, into three categories at CNAEM: (a) local emergency, (b) on-site emergency, (c) off-site emergency. During local emergency situations evacuation is not necessary. An on-site emergency situation requires the evacuation of personnel from the plant. Personnel hearing the emergency alarm should move directly to the preselected place as soon as possible. An off-site emergency is any accident that leads to widespread contamination outside the boundary. In this situation the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority and governmental authorities are notified immediately. The emergency organization group consists of: (a) Plant Superintendent, (b) Emergency Director, (c) Reactor Supervisor, (d) Senior Health Physicist, (e) Reactor Shift Operator, (f) Health Physicists. The administration building will be used as the Emergency Control Centre. The emergency teams working under the direction of the Emergency Director consist of: (a) Health Physics, (b) Fire and Rescue, (c) First Aid and Decontamination, (d) Transportation, (e) Security and Patrol. The emergency situation is evaluated in three phases at CNAEM. The first phase is the first few hours after the beginning of the accident. The second phase is between 8-10 hours or more following the first phase. The third phase is the recovery phase. The integrated doses over periods of two hours and two days are calculated according to the situation of the core, i.e. total or partial melting, and weather conditions. The results of the calculated parameters can be adapted to possible

Extensive Field Survey, Laboratory and Greenhouse Studies Reveal Complex Nature of Pseudomonas syringae-Associated Hazelnut Decline in Central Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamichhane, Jay Ram; Bartoli, Claudia; Varvaro, Leonardo

2016-01-01

Pseudomonas avellanae (Pav) has been reported as the causal agent of bacterial decline and bacterial canker of hazelnut in Italy and Greece, respectively. Both hazelnut diseases were reported to be similar in terms of symptoms, severity and persistence. In this study, we found that both symptomatic and asymptomatic trees in the field were colonized by Pav. Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) analysis showed that Pav strains isolated during this study in Italy belong to the P. syringae phylogroup 1 and they are closely related to Pav strains previously isolated in Greece from hazelnut bacterial canker. On the other hand, strains isolated in earlier studies from hazelnut decline in Italy belong to both phylogroup 1 and 2 of P. syringae. Both phylogroup 1 strains of P. syringae from Greece and Italy are different than strains isolated in this study in terms of their capacity to excrete fluorescent pigments on different media. Despite the same plant genotype and cropping practices adopted, the incidence of hazelnut decline ranged from nearly 0 to 91% across our study sites. No disease developed on plants inoculated with Pav through wounding while leaf scar inoculations produced only mild disease symptoms. Based on our results and the previously reported correlation between pedo-climatic conditions and hazelnut decline, we conclude that hazelnut decline in central Italy could be incited by a combination of predisposing (adverse pedo-climatic conditions) and contributing factors (Pav). Because this is a true decline different from "bacterial canker" described in Greece, we refer to it as hazelnut decline (HD).

Extensive Field Survey, Laboratory and Greenhouse Studies Reveal Complex Nature of Pseudomonas syringae-Associated Hazelnut Decline in Central Italy.

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Jay Ram Lamichhane

Full Text Available Pseudomonas avellanae (Pav has been reported as the causal agent of bacterial decline and bacterial canker of hazelnut in Italy and Greece, respectively. Both hazelnut diseases were reported to be similar in terms of symptoms, severity and persistence. In this study, we found that both symptomatic and asymptomatic trees in the field were colonized by Pav. Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST analysis showed that Pav strains isolated during this study in Italy belong to the P. syringae phylogroup 1 and they are closely related to Pav strains previously isolated in Greece from hazelnut bacterial canker. On the other hand, strains isolated in earlier studies from hazelnut decline in Italy belong to both phylogroup 1 and 2 of P. syringae. Both phylogroup 1 strains of P. syringae from Greece and Italy are different than strains isolated in this study in terms of their capacity to excrete fluorescent pigments on different media. Despite the same plant genotype and cropping practices adopted, the incidence of hazelnut decline ranged from nearly 0 to 91% across our study sites. No disease developed on plants inoculated with Pav through wounding while leaf scar inoculations produced only mild disease symptoms. Based on our results and the previously reported correlation between pedo-climatic conditions and hazelnut decline, we conclude that hazelnut decline in central Italy could be incited by a combination of predisposing (adverse pedo-climatic conditions and contributing factors (Pav. Because this is a true decline different from "bacterial canker" described in Greece, we refer to it as hazelnut decline (HD.

Bangladeshi immigrants in Italy: from geopolitics to micropolitics.

Science.gov (United States)

Knights, M

1996-01-01

"Bangladeshis are one of a wide variety of recently established immigrant groups in Italy, analysed here as an example of the interaction of geopolitics, employment and survival strategies, and the micropolitics of the community's organization in Italy. The geopolitics involves events in Bangladesh (change of government), Italy (the Martelli Law and other legislation), Europe (EU and other European policies, and the opening of eastern Europe as a routeway) and the Gulf. The micropolitics concerns mechanisms of immigration, migration sponsorship, connections to Italian political groups and clientelistic relationships within the community. Micropolitics also governs to a large extent the types of mostly informal work done by Bangladeshis in Rome." excerpt

Nuclear power plant control and instrumentation in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lantieri, A.

1992-01-01

The National Energy Plan (PEN) approved by the Government of Italy in August 1988 provides a programme of research and industrial development or reactors with inherent and passive safety features. For the Control Systems and Instrumentation there is the aim to define rules and design criteria, by evaluating the impact of inherent safety goals on the C and I design. The effort on man-machine interface is considered essential to increase safety and efficiency of advanced reactors. The paper briefly describes the activity in control systems and in the instrumentation area. (author)

Temporal occurrence and activity of landslides in the area of Cortina d'Ampezzo (Dolomites, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Panizza, Mario; Pasuto, Alessandro; Silvano, Sandro; Soldati, Mauro

1996-04-01

This article shows the results of research on landslides carried out in the area of Cortina d'Ampezzo (Dolomites, Italy) within the framework of the EPOCH Project of the European Community. The investigated area, where tourism activities and infrastructures are highly developed, has been affected by several landslides since the retreat of the Würnian glaciers and is at present still affected by active slides and flows which endanger some villages. After a geological and geomorphological description, the distribution in space and time of landslides which occurred in the surroundings of Cortina d'Ampezzo is presented. The type, activity, frequency and, when possible, the age of mass movements have been outlined. Furthermore, special attention is focused on the landslides active at present which are reactivations of ancient movements. The results from the monitoring systems, which were installed in order to survey kinematic and hydrogeologic parameters and define the movement rate, are shown. The research enables the reconstruction of the post-Würmian geomorphological evolution of a site in the Dolomites that appears to be very peculiar both on account of the wide distribution of landslides and the intense human activity.

Emerging organic contaminants in surface water and groundwater: a first overview of the situation in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Meffe, Raffaella; de Bustamante, Irene

2014-05-15

This paper provides the first review of the occurrence of 161 emerging organic compounds (EOCs) in Italian surface water and groundwater. The reported EOCs belong to the groups of industrials, pharmaceuticals, estrogens and illicit drugs. Occurrence of 137 pesticides was also reported. The reviewed research works have been published between 1997 and 2013. The majority of the studies have been carried out in Northern Italy (n. 30) and to a lower extent in Central Italy (n. 13). Only a limited number of research studies report EOC concentrations in water resources of Southern Italy. The EOCs that have been more frequently studied are in the following descending order, pesticides (16), pharmaceuticals (15), industrials (13), estrogens (7) and illicit drugs (2). Research activities investigating the EOC occurrence in surface water are more numerous than those in groundwater. This is consistent with the higher complexity involved in groundwater sampling and EOC detection. Among the reported EOCs, industrials and pesticides are those occurring in both surface water and groundwater with the highest concentrations (up to 15 × 10(6) and 4.78 × 0(5)ng L(-1), respectively). Concentrations of pharmaceuticals in surface water reach a maximum of 3.59 × 10(3)ng L(-1), whereas only the antimicrobial agent josamycin has been encountered in groundwater with a concentration higher than 100 ng L(-1). Both estrogens and illicit drugs appeared in surface water with concentrations lower than 50 ng L(-1). Groundwater concentrations for estrogens were measured to be below the detection limits, whereas illicit drugs have so far not been studied in groundwater. The present review reveals the serious contamination status of Italian surface water and groundwater especially by pesticides, industrials and to a lower extent by pharmaceuticals and the necessity to foster the research on EOC occurrence in Italian water resources, in particular in Southern Italy where a limited number of

Contemporary social network sites: Relevance in anesthesiology teaching, training, and research

OpenAIRE

Rudrashish Haldar; Ashutosh Kaushal; Sukhen Samanta; Paurush Ambesh; Shashi Srivastava; Prabhat K Singh

2016-01-01

Objective: The phenomenal popularity of social networking sites has been used globally by medical professionals to boost professional associations and scientific developments. They have tremendous potential to forge professional liaisons, generate employment,upgrading skills and publicizing scientific achievements. We highlight the role of social networking mediums in influencing teaching, training and research in anaesthesiology. Background: The growth of social networking sites have been pr...

The local groundwater regime at the Harwell research site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, J.; Holmes, D.C.

1983-01-01

Three deep and two shallow boreholes have been drilled at the Harwell Research Site as part of a national research programme into the feasibility of disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes to geologic formations. Various hydrogeological and geochemical techniques have been employed in these boreholes, each of which samples a separate formation of interest, to determine the pattern of groundwater movement under the research site. Significant vertical hydraulic gradients have been identified which produce vertically downwards groundwater movement from the surface to a depth of 200 m (Corallian aquifer). Groundwater moves vertically upwards, from greater depths, through the Oxford Clay to the Corallian aquifer. However,the apparently very low hydraulic conductivity of the Oxford Clay results in extremely low flow velocities and long transit times. Groundwaters from the Corallian formation possess higher salinities than those of the characteristic regional groundwaters, and preliminary isotopic data suggest that some groundwater mixing with connate waters has occurred. The chemical nature of groundwaters from the Great Oolite Group, suggest that contamination due to the drilling and completion procedure has taken place. Due to the low hydraulic conductivity in this formation clearance of contaminants will require the implementation of a long-term abstraction programme. (author)

HBIM METHODOLOGY AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN ITALY AND ARGENTINA

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A. Moreira

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The availability of efficient HBIM workflows could represent a very important change towards a more efficient management of the historical real estate. The present work shows how to obtain accurate and reliable information of heritage buildings through reality capture and 3D modelling to support restoration purposes or knowledge-based applications. Two cases studies metaphorically joint Italy with Argentina. The research article explains the workflows applied at the Palazzo Ferretti at Ancona and the Manzana Histórica de la Universidad National del Litoral, providing a constructive comparison and blending technological and theoretical approaches. In a bottom-up process, the assessment of two cases study validates a workflow allowing the achievement of a useful and proper data enrichment of each HBIM model. Another key aspect is the Level of Development (LOD evaluation of both models: different ranges and scales are defined in America (100–500 and in Italy (A–G, nevertheless is possible to obtain standard shared procedures, enabling facilitation of HBIM development and diffusion in operating workflows.

The use of UAVs to monitor archeological sites: the case study of Choirokoitia within the PROTHEGO project

Science.gov (United States)

Themistocleous, K.

2017-09-01

PROTHEGO (PROTection of European Cultural HEritage from GeO-hazards) is a collaborative research project funded in the framework of the Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change (JPICH) - Heritage Plus in 2015-2018 (www.prothego.eu). PROTHEGO aims to make an innovative contribution towards the analysis of geo-hazards in areas of cultural heritage, and uses novel space technology for the management of sites and world heritage monuments located throughout Europe, using specialized remote sensing techniques. Τhe methodology will include the 395 monuments of UNESCO in Europe, with case studies conducted in 4 UNESCO sites in England, Spain, Italy and Cyprus. For the Cyprus case study in Choirokoitia, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are used to monitor and assess the risk from natural hazards on the archaeological site to evaluate cultural heritage sites deformation. The UAVs were flown over the study area to produce time-series data, including orthoimages, 3D models and digital elevation models of the Choirokoitia site in order to identify changes in the area caused by natural hazards.

Fukushima fallout at Milano, Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ioannidou, Alexandra; Manenti, Simone; Luigi Gini,; Groppi, Flavia

2012-01-01

The radionuclides 131 I, 137 Cs and 134 Cs were observed in the Milano region (45°) of Italy early after the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan. Increased atmospheric radioactivity was observed on an air filter taken on 30 March 2011, while the maximum activity of 467 μBq m −3 for 131 I was recorded at April 3–4, 2011. The first evidence of Fukushima fallout was confirmed with 131 I and 137 Cs measured in precipitation at two sampling sites at Milano on 28 March, 2011, with the concentrations of 131 I and 137 Cs in the rainwater equal to 0.89 Bq L −1 and 0.12 Bq L −1 , respectively. A sample of dry deposition that was collected 9 days after the first rainfall event of 27–28 March, 2011 showed that the dry deposition was more effective in the case of 137 Cs than it was for 131 I, probably because iodine was mainly in gaseous form whereas caesium was rapidly bound to aerosols and thus highly subject to dry deposition. The relatively high observed values of 137 Cs in grass, soil and fresh goat and cow milk samples were probably from Chernobyl fallout and global fallout from past nuclear tests rather than from the Fukushima accident. Finally, a dose assessment for the region of investigation showed clearly that the detected activities in all environmental samples were very far below levels of concern. - Highlights: ► Radioactive plume from Fukushima reactor accident reached Milano, Italy. ► 131 I, 137 Cs and 134 Cs were determined in rainwater, air, soil, grass and milk samples. ► The 134 Cs/ 137 Cs activity ratio values in air was about 1. ► High observed values of 137 Cs in grass, soil and milk samples are not due to Fukushima accident. ► The dose assessment show that the observed activities are very far below levels of concern.

The US Mission in Italy's "Partnership for Growth"

Science.gov (United States)

Spogli, Ronald P.; Truhn, J. Patrick

2008-01-01

This paper first examines key differences between the traditional approaches of the USA and Italy in relation to innovation and entrepreneurship. The authors then turn to the specific example of southern Italy, which has experienced higher rates of unemployment, lower US investment and fewer educational and cultural exchanges than the rest of the…

Nevada National Security Site. Site-Directed Research and Development FY 2011 Annual Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bender, Howard

2012-01-01

This fiscal year 2011 annual report of the Site-Directed Research and Development program, the 10th anniversary edition, recognizes a full decade of innovative R and D accomplishments in support of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Last year the NNSS itself was renamed to reflect a diversifying mission, and our R and D program has contributed significantly to shape emerging missions that will continue to evolve. New initiatives in stockpile stewardship science, nonproliferation, and treaty verification and monitoring have had substantial successes in FY 2011, and many more accomplishments are expected. SDRD is the cornerstone on which many of these initiatives rest. Historically supporting our main focus areas, SDRD is also building a solid foundation for new, and non-traditional, emerging national security missions. The program continues its charter to advance science and technology for a broad base of agencies including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and many others.

FY 2016 Site-Directed Research & Development Annual Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bender, Howard [National Security Technologies, LLC. (NSTec), Mercury, NV (United States)

2017-04-01

As the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) continues to evolve and transition its mission to a broader scope, significant challenges lie ahead that present unique opportunities for our research and development (R&D) enterprise. At the juncture, we are poised to create a different future investment strategy. Our decisions at the beginning of a new tri-decade span must be guided as expertly as possible given the greater complexity and multifaceted nature of our work.

University-affiliated schools as sites for research learning in pre ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Hennie

University-affiliated schools as sites for research learning in pre-service teacher education ... they can also learn from good example, in well-functioning schools, where they can also get .... school can offer in terms of signs and tools to achieve.

Biofuels in Italy: obstacles and development opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pignatelli, Vito; Clementi, Chiara

2006-01-01

Today biofuels are the sole realistically practical way to reduce CO 2 emissions in the transportation sector. In many countries, including Italy, biofuel production and use are already a reality corresponding to a large agro-industrial production system that uses essentially mature technologies. To significantly lower production costs and optimise land use, Italy needs to develop new, second-generation biofuel production operations that can offer significant opportunities to the nation's agro-industrial sector [it

Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 4 Outbreak, Italy, 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Garbuglia, Anna R.; Scognamiglio, Paola; Petrosillo, Nicola; Mastroianni, Claudio Maria; Sordillo, Pasquale; Gentile, Daniele; La Scala, Patrizia; Girardi, Enrico

2013-01-01

During 2011, 5 persons in the area of Lazio, Italy were infected with a monophyletic strain of hepatitis E virus that showed high sequence homology with isolates from swine in China. Detection of this genotype in Italy parallels findings in other countries in Europe, signaling the possible spread of strains new to Western countries. PMID:23260079

Suffragism and italianità : political and literary discourses of women's citizenship in Italy, 1900-1923

OpenAIRE

Delaney, Emer

2014-01-01

The present research sets out to trace distinctive patterns of language use around the issue of women’s suffrage in early-twentieth-century Liberal Italy. In particular, the question of how women’s identities were constructed in suffrage-related discourse is addressed. TARA (Trinity’s Access to Research Archive) has a robust takedown policy. Please contact us if you have any concerns:

A Comparison of Online versus On-site Training in Health Research Methodology: A Randomized Study

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Kanchanaraksa Sukon

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Distance learning may be useful for building health research capacity. However, evidence that it can improve knowledge and skills in health research, particularly in resource-poor settings, is limited. We compared the impact and acceptability of teaching two distinct content areas, Biostatistics and Research Ethics, through either on-line distance learning format or traditional on-site training, in a randomized study in India. Our objective was to determine whether on-line courses in Biostatistics and Research Ethics could achieve similar improvements in knowledge, as traditional on-site, classroom-based courses. Methods Subjects: Volunteer Indian scientists were randomly assigned to one of two arms. Intervention: Students in Arm 1 attended a 3.5-day on-site course in Biostatistics and completed a 3.5-week on-line course in Research Ethics. Students in Arm 2 attended a 3.5-week on-line course in Biostatistics and 3.5-day on-site course in Research Ethics. For the two course formats, learning objectives, course contents and knowledge tests were identical. Main Outcome Measures: Improvement in knowledge immediately and 3-months after course completion, compared to baseline. Results Baseline characteristics were similar in both arms (n = 29 each. Median knowledge score for Biostatistics increased from a baseline of 49% to 64% (p Conclusion On-line and on-site training formats led to marked and similar improvements of knowledge in Biostatistics and Research Ethics. This, combined with logistical and cost advantages of on-line training, may make on-line courses particularly useful for expanding health research capacity in resource-limited settings.

Validation of landslide hazard assessment by means of GPS monitoring technique – a case study in the Dolomites (Eastern Alps, Italy

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F. Tagliavini

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In the last years a research project aimed at the assessment of the landslide hazard and susceptibility in the high Cordevole river basin (Eastern Dolomites, Italy have been carried out. The hazard map was made adopting the Swiss Confederation semi-deterministic approach that takes into account parameters such as velocity, geometry and frequency of landslides. Usually these parameters are collected by means of geological and morphological surveys, historical archive researches, aerophotogrammetric analysis etc. In this framework however the dynamics of an instable slope can be difficult to determine. This work aims at illustrating some progress in landslide hazard assessment using a modified version of the Swiss Confederation semi-deterministic approach in which the values of some parameters have been refined in order to accomplish more reliable results in hazard assessment. A validation of the accuracy of these new values, using GPS and inclinometric measurements, has been carried out on a test site located inside the high Cordevole river basin.

Overview of research and networking with ground based remote sensing for atmospheric profiling at the Cabauw experimental site for atmospheric research (Cesar) - the Netherlandse

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Apituley, A.; Russchenberg, H.; Marel, van der H.; Bosveld, F.; Boers, R.; Brink, ten H.; Leeuw, de G.; Uijlenhoet, R.; Abresser-Rastburg, B.; Röckmann, T.

2008-01-01

CESAR, the Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmospheric Research, is the Dutch focal point for collaboration on climate monitoring and atmospheric research and is situated on the KNMI meteorological research site near Cabauw in the Netherlands (Cabauw, 51.97 N, 4.93 E). CESAR addresses challenging

An Analysis of NSF Geosciences Research Experience for Undergraduate Site Programs from 2009 through 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Rom, E. L.; Patino, L. C.; Weiler, S.; Sanchez, S. C.; Colon, Y.; Antell, L.

2011-12-01

The Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Program at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) provides U.S. undergraduate students from any college or university the opportunity to conduct research at a different institution and gain a better understanding of research career pathways. The Geosciences REU Sites foster research opportunities in areas closely aligned with geoscience programs, particularly those related to earth, atmospheric and ocean sciences. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the Geosciences REU Site programs run in 2009 through 2011. A survey requesting information on recruitment methods, student demographics, enrichment activities, and fields of research was sent to the Principal Investigators of each of the active REU Sites. Over 70% of the surveys were returned with the requested information from about 50 to 60 sites each year. The internet is the most widely used mechanism to recruit participants, with personal communication as the second most important recruiting tool. The admissions rate for REU Sites in Geosciences varies from less than 10% to 50%, with the majority of participants being rising seniors and juniors. Many of the participants come from non-PhD granting institutions. Among the participants, gender distribution varies by discipline, with ocean sciences having a large majority of women and earth sciences having a majority of men. Regarding ethnic diversity, the REU Sites reflect the difficulty of attracting diverse students into Geosciences as a discipline; a large majority of participants are Caucasian and Asian students. Furthermore, participants from minority-serving institutions and community colleges constitute a small percentage of those taking part in these research experiences. The enrichment activities are very similar across the REU Sites, and mimic activities common to the scientific community, including intellectual exchange of ideas (lab meetings, seminars, and professional meetings

Environmental Research Translation: Enhancing Interactions with Communities at Contaminated Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez-Andreotta, Monica D.; Brusseau, Mark L.; Artiola, Janick F.; Maier, Raina M.; Gandolfi, A. Jay

2014-01-01

The characterization and remediation of contaminated sites are complex endeavors fraught with numerous challenges. One particular challenge that is receiving increased attention is the development and encouragement of full participation by communities and community members affected by a given site in all facets of decision-making. Many disciplines have been grappling with the challenges associated with environmental and risk communication, public participation in environmental data generation, and decision-making and increasing community capacity. The concepts and methods developed by these disciplines are reviewed, with a focus on their relevance to the specific dynamics associated with environmental contamination sites. The contributions of these disciplines are then synthesized and integrated to help develop Environmental Research Translation (ERT), a proposed framework for environmental scientists to promote interaction and communication among involved parties at contaminated sites. This holistic approach is rooted in public participation approaches to science, which includes: a transdisciplinary team, effective collaboration, information transfer, public participation in environmental projects, and a cultural model of risk communication. Although there are challenges associated with the implementation of ERT, it is anticipated that application of this proposed translational science method could promote more robust community participation at contaminated sites. PMID:25173762

Environmental Research Translation: Enhancing Interactions with Communities at Contaminated Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez-Andreotta, M.; Brusseau, M. L. L.; Artiola, J. F.; Maier, R. M.; Gandolfi, A. J.

2015-12-01

The characterization and remediation of contaminated sites are complex endeavors fraught with numerous challenges. One particular challenge that is receiving increased attention is the development and encouragement of full participation by communities and community members affected by a given site in all facets of decision-making. Many disciplines have been grappling with the challenges associated with environmental and risk communication, public participation in environmental data generation and decision-making, and increasing community capacity. The concepts and methods developed by these disciplines are reviewed, with a focus on their relevance to the specific dynamics associated with contaminated sites. The contributions of these disciplines are then synthesized and integrated to help develop Environmental Research Translation (ERT), a proposed framework for environmental scientists to promote interaction and communication among involved parties at contaminated sites. This holistic approach is rooted in public participation approaches to science, which includes: a transdisciplinary team, effective collaboration, information transfer, public participation in environmental projects, and a cultural model of risk communication. Although there are challenges associated with the implementation of ERT, it is anticipated that application of this proposed translational science method could promote more robust community participation at contaminated sites.

LATEGLACIAL BATS FROM THE “M” LAYERS OF THE ARENE CANDIDE CAVE (LIGURIA, ITALY

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LEONARDO SALARI

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The Arene Candide Cave (Finale Ligure, Northern Italy is considered one of the most important prehistoric site in Italy. The archaeological excavations conducted by the “Istituto Italiano di Paleontologia Umana” of Rome revealed 3 different horizons: an upper horizon with Holocene human presence dated from the Neolithic to the Byzantine period, and two underlying Pleistocene horizons with Gravettian and Epigravettian lithic artefacts. The stratigraphical sequence of the upper Palaeolithic is divided in two groups of strata separated by a depositional gap: the “P” complex, divided in 13 layers, dated from 25,620 to 18,560 years BP, and the 5 “M” layers dated between 11,750 and 9,980 years BP (14C non-calibrated dating.In this paper the fossil bone remains of bats from “M” layers are described. Fifteen taxa, divided into 3 families and 6 genera have been identified: Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, R. mehelyi, R. euryale, R. hipposideros, Myotis myotis, M. blythii, M. capaccinii, M. emarginatus, M. mystacinus s.l., Myotis sp. (small sized, Plecotus auritus s.l., Nyctalus lasiopterus, N. noctula, Barbastella barbastellus and Miniopterus schreibersii. Comments for each of these taxa on current ecological and geographical distributions are presented, together with some osteometric measures and recent data referred to Late Pleistocene fossils bats in Italy. Finally, the value of this bat tanathocoenoses as a microclimatic, environmental, and human activity indicators is discussed. SHORT NOTE

Hyperspectral predictors for monitoring biomass production in Mediterranean mountain grasslands: Majella National Park, Italy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cho, M.A.; Skidmore, A.K.

2009-01-01

The research objective was to determine robust hyperspectral predictors for monitoring grass/herb biomass production on a yearly basis in the Majella National Park, Italy. HyMap images were acquired over the study area on 15 July 2004 and 4 July 2005. The robustness of vegetation indices and

Military Vision Research Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-01

Bietti Eye Foundation, IRCCS Rome, Italy . Word count: 2879 Corresponding author: Reza Dana, M.D., M.P.H., M.Sc. Schepens Eye Research...Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114 3 Bietti Eye Foundation, IRCCS Rome, Italy . Word count: 2879...with differentiated properties. Exp Eye Res. 62, 155-169. 18. Marneros A.G., Fan J., Yokoyama Y., Gerber H.P., Ferrara N., Crouch R.K., Olsen B.R

Seismotectonic models and CN algorithm: The case of Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, G.; Orozova Stanishkova, I.; Panza, G.F.; Rotwain, I.M.

1995-07-01

The CN algorithm is here utilized both for the intermediate term earthquake prediction and to validate the seismotectonic model of the Italian territory. Using the results of the analysis, made through the CN algorithm and taking into account the seismotectonic model, three areas, one for Northern Italy, one for Central Italy and one for Southern Italy, are defined. Two transition areas, between the three main areas are delineated. The earthquakes which occurred in these two areas contribute to the precursor phenomena identified by the CN algorithm in each main area. (author). 26 refs, 6 figs, 2 tabs

A microseismic study in a low seismicityarea: the 2001 site-response experimentin the Città di Castello Basin (Italy

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A. Michelini

2003-06-01

Full Text Available A site response experiment was performed in the basin of Città di Castello (a small town in Central Italy in May 2001. This study is part of a project on the evaluation of seismic hazard in seismogenic areas funded by the Gruppo Nazionale Difesa dai Terremoti (GNDT. The experiment consisted of a dense fixed transect configuration with most of the stations recording in continuous mode, and several ambient noise measurements both in single station and in array configuration spread over the investigated area. The dense transect was composed of 26 seismic stations in a crosswise configuration with a maximum inter-station distance of 250 m. The stations were deployed in the southern part of the basin, from the eastern bedrock outcrop to the western edge, across the town. About 70 earthquakes were recorded during 10 days of deployment, generally low magnitude or regional events. We located 23 earthquakes and 17 of them were located using the waveform similarity approach at 4 stations outside the target area. These 4 stations were part of a dense temporary seismic network involved in a previous experiment of the same project, aimed at performing a high-resolution picture of the local seismicity. Delay analysis on the recorded waveforms allowed us to infer the basin geometry at depth and estimate the S-wave velocity of sediments. Moreover, we evaluated relative site response along the E-W transect by performing a standard spectral ratio. Amplification factors up to 9 are found inside the basin; at frequencies above 5 Hz stations closer to the edges show higher amplification, whereas stations located in the middle of the basin, where the alluvial sediments are thicker (CD11-CD14, show higher amplification below 5 Hz. We considered the average amplification in two frequency bands (1-5 Hz and 5-10 Hz, representative of the resonance frequency for 2-3 storey buildings and 1 storey houses,respectively. Our results suggest that the potential hazard for 2

Management of immigration and pregnancy screening in northeastern Italy

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Giorgio Tamaro

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Giorgio Tamaro, Sergio ParcoDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital, Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, ItalyAbstract: This study assesses the impact of immigration in Friuli Venezia Giulia, a region of northeastern Italy, on the epidemiological features of hemoglobin patterns and on prothrombotic and trisomy risk in pregnancy for patients of non-Italian origin. This study follows a series of studies on the incidence of thalassemia and other hemoglobinopathies with reduced globin chain synthesis, that were performed during the postwar (1939–45 period in Friuli Venezia Giulia following immigration into the region from Istria and Sardinia (regions of northern and central Italy. Current data show that today’s constantly growing immigration into the region differs from previous decades, in terms of origin and quantity of migrants, who mainly come from third world countries. This has a significant impact on health care issues, and more specifically on prospective health screening for foreigners. The authors conclude that scholastic education and hospital services, either public or private, and voluntary associations, may contribute to solving the problem, but only in terms of training and organization, for non-European Union citizens arriving in northern Italy and neighboring areas, especially those from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and eastern Europe.Keywords: immigration, hemoglobinopathy, pregnancy, trisomy, thalassemia trait, Italy

An ethics for the living world: operation methods of Animal Ethics Committees in Italy

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Mariano Martini

2015-09-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES. Coinciding with the recent implementation in Italy of the "Directive 2010/63/EU, regarding the protection of animals used for scientific purposes", the Authors would like to analyse the topic of the introduction of ethical committees for animal experimentation in Italy. This paper furthermore aims to underline some critical aspects concerning the actions taken by Italian institutions to comply with the provisions of EU. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. The implementation of the recent Italian law (Decreto Legislativo n. 26 on 4 March 2014 Implementation of the Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes leans towards a restrictive interpretation of the European provisions about composition and responsibilities of "Ethical Committee for Animal Experimentation". In the composition of the bodies mentioned, we note a tendency to restrict the composition to few professional figures contemplated by Italian law, without guaranteeing the independence of each committee; also, an absence of hierarchical relationship between a research institution and his committee is apparent. Moreover, a critical aspect is the lack of decision-making powers of these new organisms in terms of ethical evaluation of protocols and research projects. CONCLUSIONS. What EU legislation imposes on the member states is to set up an animal-welfare body (art. 26. This represents a strong incentive for Italy to follow the steps of many other European Countries, where ad hoc ethical committees have been working for a long time. The proper functioning of these bodies may contribute to guarantee the safety and welfare of the animals inside the laboratories, and to balance the protection of animal life and the interests of research.

The courts in Renaissance Italy

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Beatrice Del Bo

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This review article offers a brief introduction to the issue of the courts in Renaissance Italy along with a selective description of bibliographic sources and electronic resources.

Veneto Region, Italy. Health system review.

Science.gov (United States)

Toniolo, Franco; Mantoan, Domenico; Maresso, Anna

2012-01-01

The Health Systems in Transition (HiT) profiles are country-based reports that provide a detailed description of a health system and of policy initiatives in progress or under development. This HiT is one of the first to be written on a subnational level of government and focuses on the Veneto Region of northern Italy. HiTs examine different approaches to the organization, financing and delivery of health services and the role of the main actors in health systems; describe the institutional framework, process, content and implementation of health and health care policies; and highlight challenges and areas that require more in-depth analysis. The Veneto Region is one of Italy's richest regions and the health of its resident population compares favourably with other regions in Italy. Life expectancy for both men and women, now at 79.1 and 85.2 years, respectively, is slightly higher than the national average, while mortality rates are comparable to national ones. The major causes of death are tumours and cardiovascular diseases. Under Italy's National Health Service, the organization and provision of health care is a regional responsibility and regions must provide a nationally defined (with regional input) basic health benefit package to all of their citizens; extra services may be provided if budgets allow. Health care is mainly financed by earmarked central and regional taxes, with regions receiving their allocated share of resources from the National Health Fund. Historically, health budget deficits have been a major problem in most Italian regions, but since the early 2000s the introduction of efficiency measures and tighter procedures on financial management have contributed to a significant decrease in the Veneto Regions health budget deficit.The health system is governed by the Veneto Region government (Giunta) via the Departments of Health and Social Services, which receive technical support from a single General Management Secretariat. Health care is

Collection for Italy

CERN Multimedia

Fabiola Gianotti, Director-General, and Ghislain Roy, President of the Staff Association

2016-01-01

Following the earthquake of 24 August in central Italy, many of you have expressed your solidarity. The collection to support the victims raised a total of 10 000 CHF, which was transferred in its entirety to Italy’s civil protection through the Italian delegation to the CERN Council. The CERN Directorate and the CERN Staff Association sincerely thank you for your generosity.

Crustal and deep seismicity in Italy (30 years after

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G. Selvaggi

1997-06-01

Full Text Available The first modern studies of seismicity in Italy date back to the late 60's and early 70's. Although with a sparse seismic network available and only a few telemetered short-period stations, significant studies were carried out that outlined the main features of Italian seismicity (see, e.g., Boschi et al., 1969. Among these studies, one of the most important achievements was the reconnaissance of a Wadati-Benioff zone in Southern Tyrrhenian, described for the first time in detail in the papers of Caputo et al.(1970, 1973. Today, after three decades of more and more detailed seismological monitoring of the Italian region and tens of thousands earthquakes located since then, the knowledge of the earthquake generation processes in our country is much improved, although some of the conclusions reached in these early papers still hold. These improvements were made possible by the efforts of many institutions and seismologists who have been working hard to bring seismological research in Italy to standards of absolute quality, under the pivoting role of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica (ING. From the relocation of about 30000 crustal earthquakes and detailed studies on intermediate and deep shocks carried out in the last few years, we show that seismic release in peninsular Italy is only weakly related to the Africa-Eurasia convergence, but rather is best explained by the existence of two separate subduction/collision arcs (Northern Apennines and Southern Apennines-Calabria-Sicily. The width of the deforming belt running along peninsular Italy is 30 to 60 km, it is broader in the north than in the south, and the two arcs are separated by a region of more distributed deformation and stress rotations in the Central Apennines. Along the belt, the reconnaissance of regions of continuous and weak release of seismic energy, adjacent to fault areas which are currently «locked» (and therefore are the best candidates for future earthquakes is another

Exploring public engagement with geothermal energy in southern Italy: A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pellizzone, Anna; Allansdottir, Agnes; De Franco, Roberto; Muttoni, Giovanni; Manzella, Adele

2015-01-01

This paper presents the results of an assessment of public views on eventual geothermal energy development in Sicily. The research was carried out under a much wider research project, VIGOR, with the aim to explore the feasibility of geothermal energy utilization in southern Italy. This study has two primary objectives: (1) to explore the views and opinions of local communities regarding the potential of geothermal energy applications; (2) to contribute to the growing literature on public engagement with energy issues. In order to explore public views towards geothermal technologies, we conducted a case study using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Although Italy has enormous geological potential for geothermal energy production, levels of knowledge of this energy source amongst the public are low. The results indicate that the issue is shrouded in uncertainty and that the Sicilian public expresses a diffused lack of trust in decision-making processes. Taken together, these factors are likely to strongly impact eventual further developments in this sector. The results clearly show the need for further societal dialogue supported by a sound communication action strategy as the first stage in a public participation

Assessment of international remedial technologies for application to Superfund sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanning, D.E.

1990-01-01

This paper presents some of the logical arguments for conducting research on remedial technologies for contaminated land and groundwater at an international level. It gives information on many of the international organizations that are involved in environmental programs, but it especially gives emphasis to the NATO-CCMS pilot study on Demonstration of Remedial Action Technologies for Contaminated Land and Groundwater. The purpose of the study is to field demonstrate and evaluate new/innovative technologies for remedial action at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. This study is a logical international extension of the US EPA SITE program. It offers the opportunity to obtain a multiple data base on various remedial action unit processes without any single country having to commit a disproportionate amount of its internal resources to any specific activity. Each participating country provides the necessary resources for those demonstrations which they are contributing to the study. Sites are selected by a majority vote of all participating countries (no country is permitted to vote for its own sites). The study is a 5 year program with participants from Canada, Denmark, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and the US. The need for cost-effective remedial action technologies for hazardous waste sites is a problem of all industrialized countries. The need to build a knowledge base of emerging remedial technologies was the impetus behind the USEPA's lead role and commitment to this pilot study

Education and science museums. Reflections in Italy and on Italy

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Paola Rodari

2008-09-01

Full Text Available The educational function of science museums was born with the first naturalistic collections ever, flourished in 16th-century Italy. The pedagogic thought and the educational experimentations carried out in approximately five century of history have allowed the educational mission of museums to acquire many different facets, drawing a task having an increasingly higher and complex social value. Recent publications explore these new meanings of an old role.

Natural gas supply and demand in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Comaschi, C.; Di Giulio, E.; Sormani, E.

2007-01-01

This article explores the dynamics between natural gas supply and demand in Italy. In order to supply Italy with increasing volumes of gas, several new pipelines and re gasification plants are expected in the next future, but their implementation is uncertain. Thus, there exist the possibility of natural gas shortage in the future. On the other hand, if all the expected projects will be implemented, situations of oversupply cannot be excluded. A system dynamics model deepens such as issue [it

Fracture mapping in clays, using gas geochemistry: background, design of a mobile laboratory, and surveys in England and Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregory, R.G.; Duddridge, G.A.

1991-01-01

Integrated soil gas analyses for helium, radon, carbon dioxide and oxygen allow the accurate interpretation of soil gas signatures as indicators of underlying structure, due to large variations over faults and fractures. Structures such as these provide channelways for fluid movement in the upper crust. A mobile gas geochemistry laboratory for the analysis of soil gases was constructed and surveys were carried out at sites in England and Italy. At the Down Ampney site, Gloucestershire, gas was injected into a fault plane, and recorded some hours later at the surface. Refinement of this experiment would allow a full characterization of permeable pathways at a site to be made. The soil gas technique has been shown to be viable as an independent site investigation method for the study of fracturing and groundwater movement around potential waste repository sites

Fracture mapping in clays: using gas geochemistry. Background, design of a mobile laboratory and surveys in England and Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duddridge, G.A.

1991-06-01

Integrated soil gas analyses for helium, radon, carbon dioxide and oxygen allow the accurate interpretation of soil gas signatures as indicators of underlying structure, due to large variations over faults and fractures. Structures such as these provide channelways for fluid movement in the upper crust. A mobile gas geochemistry laboratory for the analysis of soil gases was constructed and surveys were carried out at sites in England and Italy. At the Down Ampney site, Gloucestershire, gas was injected into a fault plane, and recorded some hours later at the surface. Refinement of this experiment would allow a full characterisation of permeable pathways at a site to be made. The soil gas technique has been shown to be viable as an independent site investigation method for the study of fracturing and groundwater movement around potential waste repository sites. (author)

Research in Support of Remediation Activities at the Savannah River Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seaman, J.C.; B.B. Looney and M.K. Harris

2007-01-01

The USDOE Savannah River Site (SRS), an 803-km 2 (310-mile 2 ) facility located south of Aiken, SC on the upper Atlantic Coastal Plain and bounded to the west by the Savannah River, was established in the 1950s for the production and refinement of nuclear materials. To fulfill this mission during the past 50 years SRS has operated five nuclear reactors, two large chemical separation areas, waste disposal facilities (landfills, waste ponds, waste tanks, and waste stabilization), and a large number of research and logistics support facilities. Contaminants of concern (COC) resulting from site operations include chlorinated solvents, radionuclides, metals, and metalloids, often found as complex mixtures that greatly complicate remediation efforts when compared with civilian industries. The objective of this article is to provide a description of the lithology and hydrostratigraphy of the SRS, as well as a brief history of site operations and research activities as a preface to the current special section of Vadose Zone Journal (VZJ) dedicated to SRS, focusing mainly on issues that are unique to the USDOE complex. Contributions to the special section reflect a diverse range of topics, from hydrologic tracer experiments conducted both within the vadose and saturated zones to studies specifically aimed at identifying geochemical processes controlling the migration and partitioning of specific contaminants (e.g., TCE, 137 Cs, U, and Pu) in SRS subsurface environments. Addressing the diverse environmental challenges of the SRS provides a unique opportunity to conduct both fundamental and applied research across a range of experimental scales. Hence, the SRS has been a pioneering force in several areas of environmental research and remediation, often through active interdisciplinary collaboration with researchers from other USDOE facilities, academic and federal institutions, and commercial entities

Health protection in the decommissioning phase in Italy and its acceptability to the public

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frullani, S.; Rogani, A.; Tabet, E.

2005-01-01

all institutional bodies in 1997. In that year ENEL application for decommissioning license of its plants with a SAFSTOR approach, deferring the dismantling within 50 years, was rejected by the Ministry of Industry, responsible of the authorization procedure, following similar comments and opinions expressed, in the foreseen licensing procedure by the Ministry of Health, APAT and other administrations. The Ministry of Industry published at the end of 1999 a document addressing 'Strategic Directions for the management of the outcome of the nuclear commercial phase'. Three general objectives with relative time lines were defined. The first two regarded the conditioning of all radioactive wastes present in the national territory and the siting, construction and commissioning of the national repository. These objectives should have been reached within 10 years. The third objective concerns the unrestricted release of the sites where the four nuclear power plants are localized. This last objective should be pursued through an accelerated dismantling (DECON) strategy within 20 years. In the framework of the agreement Stato-Regioni concerning the definition of some initiatives to promote the safe management of radioactive wastes and to select a site for the national repository, an Expert Group composed by 7 members, designed by the Ministries of Industry, Environment and Health as well as by Piedmont, Venetia, Emily-Romagna and Tuscany Regions, prepared a report on 'Conditions for a safe management of radioactive wastes'. Technical problems connected with the setting of clearance levels for all radionuclides of interest must be solved through a specific legislative document taking into account the debate that is developing at European Community and other International institutions and regulatory bodies. The major point to be solved for the decommissioning activities in which Italy is deeply committed is the siting of a national repository for radioactive wastes that should

Lady Morgan in Italy: A Traveller with an Agenda

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Donatella Abbate Badin

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Lady Morgan (née Sydney Owenson was a professional Irish travellerand travel-writer, who spent over a year on the peninsula. The travelogueItaly (1821 she was commissioned to write on the basis of the reputationshe had acquired as a novelist (e.g. The Wild Irish Girl, 1806 anda socio-political writer (France, 1817, left a mark on Italy and on theunderstanding of Italy in Great Britain. Her writings, in fact, helpeddisseminate the ideal of a unified Italy and influence British and Irishpublic opinion in favour of Italy’s aspirations to cast off foreign or domesticautocratic rule. Moreover, she used her travelogue to serve thecause of Ireland disguising a patriotic message about her home countryunder her many sallies about nationalism and the right to self-determinationconcerning Italy. The political impact of her book, unusualfor a travel account written by a woman, was enhanced by Morgan’sradical ideology, the gender bias of her observations and her originalmethods. The present article purposes to examine Morgan’s double,feminine and masculine, approach of mixing solid documentation withapparently frivolous notes originating in the feminine domain of societynews, commentary on the domestic scene and emotional reporting onsocial and historical events. Distrusting male-authored official history,Morgan gave a central place in her work to the informal sources fromwhich she gathered her insights about Italy. Analysing how she came toobtain the contemporary input for elaborating her ideas will be the aimof this chapter which will dwell on the more worldly aspects of Morgan’ssojourn in the peninsula focussing on the company she kept, theactivities she partook of, the events of a domestic nature she witnessed.

Elder abuse awareness in Italy: analysis of reports to the Prosecutor Office of Bologna.

Science.gov (United States)

Salsi, Giancarlo; Mazzotti, Maria Carla; Carosielli, Grazia; Ingravallo, Francesca; Pelotti, Susi

2015-06-01

In Italy, the prevalence of elder abuse is estimated from 10 to 12.7 %. Even if the elderly are not specifically protected by the Italian Penal Code, it contains several articles punishing crimes against disadvantaged groups in which elders may be included. Article 572 about mistreatment of family members or cohabitants, and article 643 about circumvention of incapable best fit elder abuse or neglect and financial fraud and exploitation, respectively. To evaluate the prevalence of reported elder abuse in Bologna and province (Italy) compared to available data on prevalence obtained by population-based surveys. Reports to the Prosecutor Office about articles 572 and 643 in the period from 2000 to 2013 were collected and analyzed according to victim's age at the report time. For article 572 a total of 3,713 reports were found. The prevalence of reports ranged from 0.005 to 0.024 % for victims older than 65 years. Concerning article 643 a total of 786 reports were detected, with a prevalence ranging from 0.007 to 0.016 % for victims older than 65 years. A large gap was found between reported crimes related to elder abuse and the estimated prevalence of elder abuse in Italy. Our results showed that in Italy efforts to improve strategic approach on elder abuse as well as research at various levels following the examples of other abusive situations are needed in both health and legal systems.

Evaluating energy efficiency of site-specific tillage in maize in NE Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertocco, M; Basso, B; Sartori, L; Martin, E C

2008-10-01

This paper examine the efficiency of energy use of three conservation tillage practices (SST - sub-soil tillage; MT - minimum tillage; and NT - no tillage) performed within two management zones, previously identified in a field according to the stability of yield variability. Experiments were carried out in 2003 in NE Italy, on a farm near Rovigo, on a 8-ha field with clay soil, in maize (Zea mays, L.). The purpose of the paper is (i) to investigate the energy variability due to these tillage practices performed spatially within two management zones and (ii) to analyze the long-term energetic efficiency for each tillage practice. The energy balance was highest for SST with respect to MT and NT, due to labor and fuel consumption rates. The energy balance was influenced by the spatial pattern of yield, with appreciable differences between practices in terms of both the conversion index of energy for tillage (9.0, 12.6 and 22.8GJha(-1) for SST, MT and NT, respectively) and the energy use efficiency for tillage (8.0, 11.6, 21.8GJha(-1) for SST, MT and NT, respectively). Based on the simulated data and the calibration results, SALUS model proved to be a good tool for analyzing long-term effects of tillage practices on yield. The NT treatment showed the best efficiency over years, due to the low inputs in comparison with the output level.

Indoor PAHs at schools, homes and offices in Rome, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Romagnoli, P.; Balducci, C.; Perilli, M.; Gherardi, M.; Gordiani, A.; Gariazzo, C.; Gatto, M. P.; Cecinato, A.

2014-08-01

Indoor and outdoor concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with PM2.5 particles were monitored in three microenvironments (schools, homes and offices) in the city of Rome, Italy, between winter 2011 and summer 2012. Molecular signatures and indoor/outdoor concentration ratios of PAHs were investigated, with special emphasis on carcinogenic congeners. At indoor locations, total PAHs ranged, on average, from 1.8 to 8.4 ng/m3 in winter and from 0.30 to 1.35 ng/m3 in spring/summer. Outdoors, total PAH concentrations were found to reach 6.3-17.9 ng/m3 in winter and 0.42-1.74 ng/m3 in spring-summer. Indoors, the concentration of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) was as high as 1.1 ng/m3 in winter and below 0.1 ng/m3 in the warm season, independently of site type; the yearly average remained below the European guideline value. The indoor/outdoor concentration ratios of individual compounds were lower than one for most of congeners, suggesting that outdoor sources were predominant. Nonetheless, the percentages of PAH compounds changed with sites and seasons; in particular, in spring/summer, the concentration of BaP at our sites was more than twice that recorded at the regional network stations.

New trends in the low-level waste management in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, A.; Donato, A.

1987-01-01

The low level radioactive waste production per year in Italy is evaluated to be at the origin of the order of about 2500 cu.m.. The LLW management scheme in the past was based on a double approach, depending on the waste origin. The LLW from nuclear activities were stored on site under the responsibility of the producers, which had no real possibility to dispose off the LLW in the lack of authorized disposal sites. The management of the LLW coming from other activities (hospitals, university etc.) was left mainly to the sense of responsibility of the same producers which, under the local authorities authorization released case by case, were permitted by the existing regulations to store and sometimes to discharge the wastes, after a suitable decay period. In this context, the government charged the ENEA (Italian Committee for Nuclear and Alternative Energies Development), in the frame of the national energy plan, to overview and organize the whole matter. This paper describes the new trends adopted by ENEA for the LLW management

Marketing Research of Construction Sites based on ABC-XYZ Analysis and Relational Data

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Konikov Aleksandr

2017-01-01

Full Text Available ABC-XYZ analysis is well known in marketing. It allows identifying sites that yield maximum profits when sold, sites that enjoy stable demand, or sites have both qualities specified above. However, the methods are quite abstract and are not designed to study specific factors that impact the results of ABC-XYZ analysis. Meanwhile, for some applications, particularly for marketing research of construction sites, it is critical not only to identify high-profit and stable sites but also to find out what combination of technical parameters, factors related to their location, transport accessibility, etc. are typical of them. This work suggests an approach to address the issue.

Lithosphere-biosphere interaction at a shallow-sea hydrothermal vent site; Hot Lake, Panarea, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chia-I.; Amann, Rudolf; Amend, Jan P.; Bach, Wolfgang; Brunner, Benjamin; Meyerdierks, Anke; Price, Roy E.; Schubotz, Florence; Summons, Roger; Wenzhöfer, Frank

2010-05-01

Deep-Sea hydrothermal systems are unique habitats for microbial life with primary production based on chemosynthesis and are considered to be windows to the subsurface biosphere. It is often overlooked, however, that their far more accessible shallow-sea counterparts are also valuable targets to study the effects of hydrothermal activity on geology, seawater chemistry and finally, on microbial life. Such an area of shallow marine hydrothermal venting is observed approximately 2.5 km east of Panarea Island (Sicily, Italy). This system is characterized by fluid temperatures of up to 135° C, gas emissions dominated by CO2 and precipitation of elemental sulfur on the seafloor. In an interdisciplinary project to investigate the influence of geofuels on marine microbiota, sediment cores and pore fluids were sampled for geological and geochemical analyses. An attempt was made to link these geochemical data with a characterization of the microbial community. One of the investigated sites (Lago Caldo, Hot Lake) is an oval-shaped (~10 by 6 meters) shallow (~2.5 m deep) depression covered by elemental sulfur. The sediments in this depression are strongly affected by hydrothermal activity: the pH of pore fluids is in a range between 5 and 6; the salinity is approximately two times higher than seawater. In situ temperatures of 36° C and 74° C (10 cm sediment depth) at two different locations within Hot Lake indicate variability in hydrothermal flux. The sediment surface layer is anoxic, and with increasing depth from the sediment-water interface, sulfate concentrations decrease from ~30 mM to less than 10 mM, whereas sulfide concentrations increase from less than 50 μm to ~1000 μm at 25 cm sediment depth, thus suggesting a higher potential for energy gain based on sulfur disequilibrium. As indicated by the variability in the sediment temperatures at 10 cm, fluid fluxes and mixing with seawater is not found to be uniform at Hot Lake. This is reflected in variability of the

78 FR 55095 - Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-09

...)] Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey Determinations On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject... countervailing and antidumping duty orders on certain pasta from Italy and Turkey would be likely to lead to... respect to imports of certain pasta from Turkey. Background The Commission instituted these reviews on...

PAKISTANIS IN ITALY: THE DISENCHANTMENTS OF “LIVING TRANSNATIONALLY”

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Ali Nobil Ahmad

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This article begins with a constructive critique of theories on immigration and highlights the problems implicit in the suppositions of the social network/capital theory and in research on ethnic economies and “transnationalism”. From these theories, the author adopts the postulates that he considers to be most useful for applying to the analysis of the Pakistani diaspora in Italy, demystifying the old theories and calling for greater focus on the economic policy of the networks of emigrants that actually exist. He believes that diasporas act as organisms that are linked in space and time, and which progressively mutate. He goes on to observe how the relatively weak links that today’s emigrants maintain with their country of origin contrast with the undoubtedly stronger links that previous generations of Pakistani emigrants maintained in the United Kingdom; thus he suggests that we should break the reductionist chain of association that automatically attributes greater levels of transnationalism to the new emigration. In this respect, Nobil Ahmad notes that political and economic factors are sometimes more important than technology when it comes to shaping the intensity of the connections sustained between the issuing and welcoming societies in the migration process. Pakistanis in Italy have spent most of their energy working or standing up for their political rights in Europe rather than travelling or sending money home. Likewise, he notes that it is not always true that social networks necessarily carry out the function of mediation of emigration and reducing its costs; on the contrary, in the Mediterranean, the prominence of agenti in emigration networks suggests that we should be sensitive to the importance of mercantilised networks and to the commercial transactions between emigrants and autochthonous citizens. Finally, he calls attention to the individual experience of immigrants who have thrived businesswise, and whose experiences

Country policy profile - Italy. August 2015

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-08-01

In Italy, Renewable energy sources in are promoted through price and tax regulations mechanisms. Several kinds of feed-in and premium tariffs co exist besides tendering schemes depending on technology and size of RES systems. Additionally regional support schemes exist for RES electricity. The thermal (heating and cooling) energy generated from renewable energies is incentivized through tax regulation and loans. A quota system is presently used for bio-fuels (transport). In the year 2012 the major share of renewable electricity generation is accounted for by hydropower (3796 ktoe), mainly large plants. PV (1622 ktoe and wind power (1066 ktoe) provide the next largest contributions. As for renewable heating, solid biomass makes the largest contribution with 4671 ktoe ktoe, followed by geo thermal at 3228 ktoe. bio-fuels used in renewable transport amount to 1343 ktoe (source: EurObserv'ER, 2014, www.eurobserv-er.org). Under the country's NREAP, Italy has set a renewable energy target (electricity) of 26% to be achieved by 2020. The 2012 total share of renewable energy in Italy amounted to 13.5%; the target for 2020 has been defined as 17% (source: 'The State of Renewable Energies in Europe', 2013 edition)

Characterization of an abandoned pastoral area in the Northern Apennines, Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Argenti G

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the first results of an investigation carried out within the research project "Study and improvement of woods and shrubbery derived from abandoned agricultural areas" (RiSelvItalia Project. Changes occurred in the past 50 years in the pastoral area of S. Paolo in Alpe (Appennino Romagnolo, Northern Apennines, Italy were described on the grounds of photo-interpretation of three sets of aerial photos (1955, 1976, 1997. A high reduction of the surface of sowable lands and pastures (from 80% to 33% was pointed out, together with an increase of shrubbery (from 5% to 18% and woods (from 0 to 42%. The characterization of woods, shrubbery and pastures was performed through structural transects and phyto-sociological investigations. Thus it was possible to reconstruct the dynamic series of vegetation, from grasslands belonging to the association Centaureo bracteatae-Brometum erecti (Festuco-Brometea to woods referable to the association Aceri obtusati-quercetum cerridis (Querco-Fagetea. Investigations on meadows revealed also a good quality of pastures, not only in open grasslands (mean pastoral value - VP - of 30, but even in partially shrubby areas (VP 21. Some guidelines for a multi-purpose exploitation of the site are suggested, taking into account not only economic aspects, but also the conservation of environment and landscape.

An overview of viral oncology in Italy - report from the Pavia meeting on solid tumors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perfetti Vittorio

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract This is a report on some of the research activities currently ongoing in Italy as outlined at the “Viruses and solid tumors” meeting jointly organized by the Oncology Sections of IRCCS Policlinico “San Matteo” (Pavia and IRCCS National Cancer Institute (Aviano, held in Pavia, Italy, on October 2011. Experts from the various disciplines involved in the study of the complex relationships between solid tumors and viruses met to discuss recent developments in the field and to report their personal contributions to the specified topics. Secondary end point was to establish a multidisciplinary work group specifically devoted to solid tumors and infectious agents, aimed to identify areas of common interest, promoting and establishing collaborative projects and programs, and to coordinate clinical and research activities. The group, which will be named IVOG (Italian Viral Oncology Group, will operate under the patronage of the various scientific societies of interest.

Public participation in the decision making process in the nuclear field in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierantoni, F.

1993-01-01

In Italy, the decision making process to localize, construct and operate electronuclear power stations have been restructured and such a process today must follow the rules enacted by three laws: the Act of 2 August 1975 about the procedures for choosing the site; the Act of 8 July 1986 about the rules for the environmental impact evaluation, the so-called VIA which in italian means GO; the Act of 10 August 1988 which states that the construction of nuclear waste processing plants and nuclear waste storage plants must pass the Environment Impact Evaluation. In Italy there are three levels of Local government,'Regioni', 'Provincie' and 'Comuni', that are free to compete among themselves and with the Central government, so that it is very sticky to implement any decision. The Public Inquiry is a strongly innovative instrument. The Environmental Impact Evaluation procedure guarantees the transparency of the decision making process and supplies a real communication channel between the public opinion and the authorities. In the Public Inquiry any association, organization, union or group of people have the right to verify any part of the project under the Environmental Impact Evaluation and to express their consideration and observation on the subject

Distribution of native and exotic branchiobdellidans (Annelida: Clitellata) on their respective crayfish hosts in northern Italy, with the first record of native Branchiobdella species on an exotic North American crayfish.

OpenAIRE

Joy N. RAYBURN; Giovanni B. DELMASTRO; Stuart R. GELDER

1999-01-01

Branchiobdellidans were found on crayfish at the 18 sites examined in northern Italy. At 15 of the sites the native crayfish, Austropotamobius pallipes, was collected and all supported specimens of Branchiobdella italica. A few specimens of B. parasita were found at only two of these sites and no specimens of B. hexodonta were observed during the survey. The North American Louisiana red swamp crayfish, Procambarus (Scapulicambarus) clarkii has been found in three additional sites around Carma...

A bill for the renaissance of nuclear power in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2009-01-01

Today Italy is the only G8 member to have no nuclear power plants in operation. In 1987 as a consequence of a referendum Italy decided to shut down its nuclear power plants and to forbid the construction of new ones. Italy relies on oil and gas imports for 80% of its energy needs. The Italian parliament has recently passed a bill for a renaissance of nuclear power. The bill gives 6 months to the government to set the rules and conditions for the come-back of nuclear energy. (A.C.)

CERN collect for Earthquakein Italy August 24, 2016

CERN Multimedia

Brice, Maximilien

2016-01-01

Ghislain Roy, President of CERN's Staff Association, Maurizio Serra, Ambassador, permanent Mission of Italy to teh United NAtions Office in Geneva, FAbiola Gianotti, CERN director General and Umberto Dosselli, scientific ataché Italian Permanent Mission in Geneva, show the letter co-signed by CERN's director general and CERN' s Staff Association President indicating the amounbt collected in favour of the vicitims of the August 24 2016 earthquake in central Italy.

Recent demographic trends in the northern borderland between Italy and Slovenia: Stabilization or further redistribution of population?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josipovič Damir

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The contribution presents findings from the research on a constitution of new ethnic identities in Alps-Adriatic region. The key question dealt here with was to which extent the recent demographical processes impact the peripheral, mountainous, and ethnically specific cross-border region between Slovenia and Italy. In lay and professional discourse there is still omnipresent mentality of extinguishing Slovene minority in Italy. Applying various demographical methods the article resolves the demographical processes and quantifies the extent of the local Slovene speakers. The author argues that the recent demographical processes of heavy depopulation tend to stabilize towards stagnation. Depopulation is stronger in the Slovenian part of the region, though the traditional Slovene-speaking areas in Italy aren’t as threatened as the adjacent Friulian areas. New migration trends along with the generally low fertility contribute to changes in traditional dualistic structure and bring refreshment to remote parts of the border region as well.

Italy INAF Data Center Report

Science.gov (United States)

Negusini, M.; Sarti, P.

2013-01-01

This report summarizes the activities of the Italian INAF VLBI Data Center. Our Data Center is located in Bologna, Italy and belongs to the Institute of Radioastronomy, which is part of the National Institute of Astrophysics.

Energy in Italy: Problems and perspectives (1990-2020)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bassani, G.F.; Bianucci, M.; Carra, S.; Cifarelli, L.

2009-01-01

Given the importance and up-to-dateness of the subject, the Italian Physical Society-SIF has decided to reprint its White Book, Energy in Italy: problems and perspectives (1990-2020), as a special issue of Il Nuovo Cimento B. This issue is in honour of the late SIF President Giuseppe Franco Bassani, to recall his leading role in establishing a very active and authoritative Sif Energy Commission, bringing together a number of distinguished experts in the various fields. The Sif Energy Commission was able to produce this White Book, as a comprehensive study on the subject, in just one year time. It was successfully presented at the international meeting on Energy perspectives in Europe, jointly organized by the European Physical Society (Eps) and Sif. The meeting was held in Varenna, Italy, on 7-8 April 2008: it was the second of a series that eventually led to the creation in 2010 of a dedicated Eps Energy Group, budded from the existing Eps Technology Group. First printed in Italian, the White Book was than translated into English and widely circulated within the Eps. It can be downloaded in open access from the SIF web site (http://www.sif.it). In its present updated version, it is made available to the readers of Il Nuovo Cimento B. Last but not least, the White Book has inspired the so-called Energy at School set of booklets targeting Italian high-school teachers and pupils, that will shortly appear as addenda to the Sif journal Giornale di Fisica and will be freely distributed both in paper and electronic versions.

Breeding ornithical communities in the Natural Reserve “Monte Soratte” (Central Italy: composition and structure.

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Corrado Battisti

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In this study we obtained further data on the breeding bird communities of “Monte Soratte” nature reserve (Latium, central Italy. We sampled 55 breeding species (49 during the standard sampling with point counts in four habitat types (Quercus ilex oak woods, landscape mosaics, urban habitats and wet habitat mosaics along the Tiber river. Landscape mosaics and wet mosaics along the Tiber river showed higher values both of richness (also normalizing with the Margalef index and Shannon diversity when compared to the other habitat types. Bird community in urban habitats showed a high mean species richness but a low β-diversity index, probably due to low spatial heterogeneity. The values of mean species richness are not significantly different among habitat types. Further research should be promoted to confirm the nesting of some species, yet observed in this area (e.g., Falco peregrinus, Phylloscopus bonelli. “Monte Soratte” nature reserve may represent a stop-over site and a foraging area for migrant raptors of conservation concern (e.g., for Circaetus gallicus.

Acacia saligna: an invasive species on the coast of Molise (southern Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Calabrese V

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Italy is one of the European countries most affected by biological invasions. In this study, we focused on the impact of Acacia saligna, an Australian invasive plant species, on the coastal ecosystem’s ecology and biodiversity along the sandy coasts of Molise (southern Italy. We analyzed data from 61 vegetation plots recorded in coastal pine forest and Mediterranean scrub habitats of Molise throughout the preparatory actions of the “LIFE Maestrale” project (NAT/IT/000262. In order to study the ecological impact of Acacia saligna comparing invaded and non-invaded areas, we first assigned the Ellenberg’s indicator values to each plant species, which were then used to relate the presence of Acacia saligna with ecological characteristics of sites through a generalized linear model (GLM. Our results showed a significant positive relationship between the presence of Acacia saligna and high levels of soil nutrients and, on the contrary, a negative relationship with the presence of mesophilic species, which are typical of the community interest habitats of pine forest (2270*. The use of ecological indicators is effective to pinpoint the ecological effects of biological invasions, as well as to evaluate habitat conservation state and to identify vulnerable native species.

Global alliance against chronic respiratory diseases in Italy (GARD-Italy): strategy and activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Laurendi, Giovanna; Mele, Sonia; Centanni, Stefano; Donner, Claudio F; Falcone, Franco; Frateiacci, Sandra; Lazzeri, Marta; Mangiacavallo, Antonino; Indinnimeo, Luciana; Viegi, Giovanni; Pisanti, Paola; Filippetti, Giuseppe

2012-01-01

The steady increase in incidence of chronic respiratory disease (CRD) now constitutes a serious public health problem. CRDs are often underdiagnosed and many patients are not diagnosed until the CRD is too severe to prevent normal daily activities. The prevention of CRDs and reducing their social and individual impacts means modifying environmental and social factors and improving diagnosis and treatment. Prevention of risk factors (tobacco smoke, allergens, occupational agents, indoor/outdoor air pollution) will significantly impact on morbidity and mortality. The Italian Ministry of Health (MoH) has made respiratory disease prevention a top priority and is implementing a comprehensive strategy with policies against tobacco smoking, indoor/outdoor pollution, obesity, and communicable diseases. Presently these actions are not well coordinated. The Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD), set up by the World Health Organization, envisages national bodies; the GARD initiative in Italy, launched 11/6/2009, represents a great opportunity for the MoH. Its main objective is to promote the development of a coordinated CRD program in Italy. Effective prevention implies setting up a health policy with the support of healthcare professionals and citizen associations at national, regional, and district levels. What is required is a true inter-institutional synergy: respiratory diseases prevention cannot and should not be the responsibility of doctors alone, but must involve politicians/policymakers, as well as the media, local institutions, and schools, etc. GARD could be a significant experience and a great opportunity for Italy to share the GARD vision of a world where all people can breathe freely. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cliffs and quarries in the eastern coast of the Favignana island (Sicily, Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Falconi, Luca; Peloso, Alessandro; Screpanti Tatì, Angelo; Verrubbi, Vladimiro

2015-01-01

Favignana Island (Sicily, Italy) is a historical and environmental attraction site frequented by tourists especially during the long warm season of the year. Over several centuries the sea cliffs constituted by calcareous sandstone outcropping in the east side of the island have been exploited for the production of building stone. Currently the quarries used for the rock extraction as well as the natural cliffs are undergoing extensive erosional and gravitational processes. Besides putting at risk the safety of the people attending the area, the widespread rock falls are likely to threaten sites of great historical and anthropological value that, once destroyed, can no longer be reconstructed. The rock mass quality assessment and slope displacements monitoring of cliffs were conducted with the aim of identifying the most active areas and providing support to the local authorities in the implementation of effective and sustainable mitigation measures. If adequate measures are taken in the future, operators and users of the tourist circuit will have the opportunity to enjoy these amazing sites with a lower landslide risk [it

[Social cooperatives in Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Villotti, P; Zaniboni, S; Fraccaroli, F

2014-06-01

This paper describes the role of social cooperatives in Italy as a type of economic, non-profit organization and their role in contributing to the economic and social growth of the country. The purpose of this paper is to learn more about the experience of the Italian social cooperatives in promoting the work integration process of disadvantaged workers, especially those suffering from mental disorders, from a theoretical and an empirical point of view. Social enterprise is the most popular and consolidated legal and organizational model for social enterprises in Italy, introduced by Law 381/91. Developed during the early 1980s, and formally recognized by law in the early 1990s, social cooperatives aim at pursuing the general interest of the community to promote the human needs and social inclusion of citizens. They are orientated towards aims that go beyond the interest of the business owners, the primary beneficiary of their activities is the community, or groups of disadvantaged people. In Italy, Law 381/91 distinguishes between two categories of social cooperatives, those producing goods of social utility, such as culture, welfare and educational services (A-type), and those providing economic activities for the integration of disadvantaged people into employment (B-type). The main purpose of B-type social cooperatives is to integrate disadvantaged people into the open labour market. This goal is reached after a period of training and working experience inside the firm, during which the staff works to improve both the social and professional abilities of disadvantaged people. During the years, B-type social co-ops acquired a particular relevance in the care of people with mental disorders by offering them with job opportunities. Having a job is central in the recovery process of people suffering from mental diseases, meaning that B-type social co-ops in Italy play an important rehabilitative and integrative role for this vulnerable population of workers. The

300 Area Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge (IFRC) Field Site Management Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freshley, Mark D.

2008-12-31

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has established the 300 Area Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge (300 Area IFRC) on the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) within the Office of Science. The project is funded by the Environmental Remediation Sciences Division (ERSD). The purpose of the project is to conduct research at the 300 IFRC to investigate multi-scale mass transfer processes associated with a subsurface uranium plume impacting both the vadose zone and groundwater. The management approach for the 300 Area IFRC requires that a Field Site Management Plan be developed. This is an update of the plan to reflect the installation of the well network and other changes.

Internationalism and nationalism: the Rockefeller Foundation, public health, and malaria in Italy, 1923-1951.

Science.gov (United States)

Stapleton, D H

2000-06-01

The Rockefeller Foundation's support of malaria control and public health in Italy over three decades, the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, was one of the foundation's most successful collaborations in its history. Nearly one-sixth of the funds the Rockefeller Foundation allocated for malaria programs was spent in Italy in those years. Outstanding research, a new and important institution, and decided improvements in public health were historically-significant results. The three most important episodes of this American-Italian relationship were the operations of the Stazione Sperimentale per la Lotta Antimalarica, the founding of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, and the campaign to eradicate mosquitoes in Sardinia. In each of these episodes there was a tension between the international aspects and national aspects of the partnership that to some degree limited its success.

1st International Conference of IFToMM Italy

CERN Document Server

Gasparetto, Alessandro

2017-01-01

This volume contains the Proceedings of the First International Conference of IFToMM Italy (IFIT2016), held at the University of Padova, Vicenza, Italy, on December 1-2, 2016. The book contains contributions on the latest advances on Mechanism and Machine Science. The fifty-nine papers deal with such topics as biomechanical engineering, history of mechanism and machine science, linkages and mechanical controls, multi-body dynamics, reliability, robotics and mechatronics, transportation machinery, tribology, and vibrations.

Research on Channel Strategies of Modern Agricultural Engineering Demonstration Sites in Guangzhou

OpenAIRE

Wen-guang Liang; Chun Xie; Qian-qian Pang

2015-01-01

The research discusses the channel structure of modern agricultural engineering demonstration sites in Guangzhou. It analyzes the strategies of channel competition, personnel combination, transportation combination and terminal network construction. Enterprises adapt different marketing channel strategies on the basis of the type of the market. The research has made certain achievement and has certain guiding significance.

Adolescent Perceptions of Parenting Styles in Sweden, Italy and Greece: An Exploratory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Giulia Olivari

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Comparative research on parenting styles among Nordic and Mediterranean countries is still missing, despite the increasing number of studies on parenting styles in adolescence. This study explores similarities and differences in adolescents’ retrospective perceptions of parenting styles, for both parents, in Sweden, Italy and Greece, using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire. In particular, it examines the relation between parental role, adolescent gender, country of origin, SES and these perceptions. Swedish, Italian and Greek adolescents (N = 702; 30.9% Swedish, 39.6% Italian and 29.5% Greek participated in the study. To test the principal effects three mixed 2(parent; mother and father*2(gender; girl and boy*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece*3(SES; low, medium and high ANOVAs were conducted separately for each parenting style. To verify the interaction effects, a mixed 2(parent; mother and father*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece*3(SES; low, medium and high ANOVA was tested on authoritative style. Regarding authoritarian and permissive two mixed 2(parent; mother and father*2(gender; girl and boy*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece ANOVAs were tested. Mothers, as compared to fathers, were perceived as more authoritative, authoritarian and permissive. Moreover, boys perceived their parents as more authoritarian and more permissive than girls. Swedish parents were perceived as significantly less authoritarian than Italian and Greek parents and more permissive than Italian parents; Greek parents were perceived as less authoritarian and more permissive than Italian parents. The study provides an interesting contribution to parenting styles literature, showing how country legislation concerning family matters and SES are related the perception of parenting behaviours.

Adolescent Perceptions of Parenting Styles in Sweden, Italy and Greece: An Exploratory Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Olivari, Maria Giulia; Hertfelt Wahn, Elisabeth; Maridaki-Kassotaki, Katerina; Antonopoulou, Katerina; Confalonieri, Emanuela

2015-05-01

Comparative research on parenting styles among Nordic and Mediterranean countries is still missing, despite the increasing number of studies on parenting styles in adolescence. This study explores similarities and differences in adolescents' retrospective perceptions of parenting styles, for both parents, in Sweden, Italy and Greece, using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire. In particular, it examines the relation between parental role, adolescent gender, country of origin, SES and these perceptions. Swedish, Italian and Greek adolescents (N = 702; 30.9% Swedish, 39.6% Italian and 29.5% Greek) participated in the study. To test the principal effects three mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*2(gender; girl and boy)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece)*3(SES; low, medium and high) ANOVAs were conducted separately for each parenting style. To verify the interaction effects, a mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece)*3(SES; low, medium and high) ANOVA was tested on authoritative style. Regarding authoritarian and permissive two mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*2(gender; girl and boy)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece) ANOVAs were tested. Mothers, as compared to fathers, were perceived as more authoritative, authoritarian and permissive. Moreover, boys perceived their parents as more authoritarian and more permissive than girls. Swedish parents were perceived as significantly less authoritarian than Italian and Greek parents and more permissive than Italian parents; Greek parents were perceived as less authoritarian and more permissive than Italian parents. The study provides an interesting contribution to parenting styles literature, showing how country legislation concerning family matters and SES are related the perception of parenting behaviours.

76 FR 11509 - Brass Sheet and Strip From France, Germany, Italy, and Japan

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-02

...)] Brass Sheet and Strip From France, Germany, Italy, and Japan AGENCY: United States International Trade... and strip from France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice that it... France, Germany, Italy, and Japan would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material...

PREFACE: XIV Conference on Theoretical Nuclear Physics in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Bombaci, I.; Covello, A.; Marcucci, L. E.; Rosati, S.

2014-07-01

This volume contains the invited and contributed papers presented at the 14th Conference on Theoretical Nuclear Physics in Italy held in Cortona, Italy, from 29-31 October, 2013. The meeting was held at the Palazzone, an elegant Renaissance Villa, commissioned by the Cardinal Silvio Passerini (1469-1529), Bishop of Cortona, and presently owned by the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa. The aim of this biennial Conference is to bring together Italian theorists working in various fields of nuclear physics to discuss their latest results and confront their points of view in a lively and informal way. This offers the opportunity to stimulate new ideas and promote collaborations between different research groups. The Conference was attended by 46 participants, coming from 13 Italian Universities and 11 Laboratories and Sezioni of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare - INFN. The program of the conference, prepared by the Organizing Committee (Ignazio Bombaci, Aldo Covello, Laura Elisa Marcucci and Sergio Rosati) focused on the following main topics: Few-Nucleon Systems Nuclear Structure Nuclear Matter and Nuclear Dynamics Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions and Quark-Gluon Plasma Nuclear Astrophysics Nuclear Physics with Electroweak Probes Structure of Hadrons and Hadronic Matter. In the last session of the Conference there were two invited review talks related to experimental activities of great current interest. Giacomo De Angelis from the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro spoke about the INFN SPES radioactive ion beam project. Sara Pirrone, INFN Sezione di Catania, gave a talk on the symmetry energy and isospin physics with the CHIMERA detector. Finally, Mauro Taiuti (Università di Genova), National Coordinator of the INFN-CSN3 (Nuclear Physics Experiments), reported on the present status and future challenges of experimental nuclear physics in Italy. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of INFN who helped make the conference possible. I Bombaci, A Covello

International ENEA/ISMES/ENS specialist meeting on 'On-site experimental verification of the seismic behaviour of nuclear reactor structures and components'. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

The seismic verification of nuclear plants is a subject of increasing interest in all the industrial countries, with respect to both the safety aspects and the impact of the seismic event on the design and the costs of a nuclear reactor. This topic is especially of great interest for a country like Italy, whose territory is unfortunately characterized by non - negligible seismicity: we remember, not too many years ago, the catastrophic earthquakes of Frioul and Irpinia, that caused thousands of dead people. The meeting aimed at establishing the state-of-the-art on on-site testing of nuclear reactors structures and components, with particular attention to experiences and research programmes concerning: methodologies of on-site tests and interpretation of the experimental data; seismic monitoring systems, recorded data, their use and interpretation; calibration and validation of numerical analyses. Six technical sessions were held, during which 23 high papers were presented and discussed, and six panel discussions were held (the importance of discussion was emphasized in the meeting). The technical contributions consisted of: an introduction paper, summarizing the seismic studies performed in Italy for PEC reactor and explaining the reasons why on-site tests had been performed on this reactor; 6 invited lectures, one for each of the countries that are more deeply involved in seismic analysis, providing the state-of-the-art on the topics of interest for the meeting; 16 contributed papers dealing with more specific technical items, related to the various countries and international organizations

International ENEA/ISMES/ENS specialist meeting on 'On-site experimental verification of the seismic behaviour of nuclear reactor structures and components'. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1988-07-01

The seismic verification of nuclear plants is a subject of increasing interest in all the industrial countries, with respect to both the safety aspects and the impact of the seismic event on the design and the costs of a nuclear reactor. This topic is especially of great interest for a country like Italy, whose territory is unfortunately characterized by non - negligible seismicity: we remember, not too many years ago, the catastrophic earthquakes of Frioul and Irpinia, that caused thousands of dead people. The meeting aimed at establishing the state-of-the-art on on-site testing of nuclear reactors structures and components, with particular attention to experiences and research programmes concerning: methodologies of on-site tests and interpretation of the experimental data; seismic monitoring systems, recorded data, their use and interpretation; calibration and validation of numerical analyses. Six technical sessions were held, during which 23 high papers were presented and discussed, and six panel discussions were held (the importance of discussion was emphasized in the meeting). The technical contributions consisted of: an introduction paper, summarizing the seismic studies performed in Italy for PEC reactor and explaining the reasons why on-site tests had been performed on this reactor; 6 invited lectures, one for each of the countries that are more deeply involved in seismic analysis, providing the state-of-the-art on the topics of interest for the meeting; 16 contributed papers dealing with more specific technical items, related to the various countries and international organizations.

Accelerator mass spectrometry 14C dating of lime mortars: Methodological aspects and field study applications at CIRCE (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Marzaioli, Fabio; Nonni, Sara; Passariello, Isabella; Capano, Manuela; Ricci, Paola; Lubritto, Carmine; De Cesare, Nicola; Eramo, Giacomo; Quirós Castillo, Juan Antonio; Terrasi, Filippo

2013-01-01

Centre for Isotopic Research on Cultural and Environmental heritage (CIRCE) has, recently, obtained some promising results in testing the feasibility of mortar radiocarbon dating by means of an ad hoc developed purification procedure (CryoSoniC: Cryobraking, Sonication, Centrifugation) applied to a series of laboratory mortars. Observed results encouraged CryoSoniC accuracy evaluation on genuine mortars sampled from archeological sites of known or independently constrained age (i.e., other 14C dates on different materials). In this study, some 14C measurements performed on genuine mortars will be discussed and compared with independently estimated (i.e., radiocarbon/archaeometrical dating) absolute chronologies of two Spanish sites. Observed results confirm the agreement of the CryoSoniC mortar dates with the archaeological expectations for both examined cases. Several authors reported the possibility of obtaining accurate radiocarbon dates of mortar matrices by analyzing lime lumps: binder-related particles of different sizes exclusively composed of calcium carbonate. In this paper, preliminary data for the absolute chronology reconstruction of the Basilica of the cemetery complex of Ponte della Lama (Canosa di Puglia, Italy) based on lime lumps will also be discussed. Dating accuracy will be quantified by comparing 14C data on mortar lime lumps from a funerary inscription of known age found near the Basilica, in the same study site. For this site, a comparison between absolute chronologies performed by bulk and CryoSoniC purified lime lumps, and charcoal incased in mortars (when found) will also be discussed. Observed results for this site provide evidence of how bulk lime lump dating may introduce systematic overestimations of the analyzed sample while CryoSoniC purification allows accurate dating.

Company profile: Edison of Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

The energy subsidiary of the Montedison chemicals company (Ferruzzi Group), Edison is Italy's largest private sector electricity producer. Last year production amounted to 4.7 TWh, an increase of 8.2% on 1990, and at the end of June this year, total net production of 2.4 TWh was 14.8% higher than in the first half of 1991. Edison also ranks first in the Italian league of private sector hydrocarbons producers, its Edison Gas subsidiary controlling a group that has significant exploration and development interests. These are mainly in Italy where production amounted to 333m cubic metres of natural gas and 690,000 barrels of oil in the first half of the year. The recent acquisition of Deutsche Shell's Italian fields should allow Edison to reach 2bn cubic metres of gas production by 1996. (author)

Forest decline research in Northrhine-Westphalia at the regional research site Eggegebirge/Velmerstot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prinz, B.; Koeth, I.; Krause, G.H.M.; Thiele, V.

1989-01-01

In 1984 Northrhine Westfalia established a research program 'Air Pollution and Forest Decline'. Results of various experiments, carried out on the level of 1. epidemiological observations, 2. semi-controlled experiments in open-to-chambers as well as 3. controlled fumigation experiments are presented as an overview. Emphasis is put on field experiments at the regional research site Eggegebirge/Velmerstot, where the Landesanstalt fuer Immissionsschutz analysed among others yearly nutrient cycling and leaching phenomena of injured and healthy spruce trees (type: montanious yellowing). Deposition measurements were carried on a horizontal and vertical trajectory outside and inside a young spruce stand. Preliminary results showed that atmospheric acidic deposition accounts only for 1/3 of the acidification of the soil within the stand, where acidification processes are most prevalent. (orig.) [de

A socioeconomic profile of vulnerable land to desertification in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvati, Luca

2014-01-01

Climate changes, soil vulnerability, loss in biodiversity, and growing human pressure are threatening Mediterranean-type ecosystems which are increasingly considered as a desertification hotspot. In this region, land vulnerability to desertification strongly depends on the interplay between natural and anthropogenic factors. The present study proposes a multivariate exploratory analysis of the relationship between the spatial distribution of land vulnerability to desertification and the socioeconomic contexts found in three geographical divisions of Italy (north, center and south) based on statistical indicators. A total of 111 indicators describing different themes (demography, human settlements, labor market and human capital, rural development, income and wealth) were used to discriminate vulnerable from non-vulnerable areas. The resulting socioeconomic profile of vulnerable areas in northern and southern Italy diverged significantly, the importance of demographic and economic indicators being higher in southern Italy than in northern Italy. On the contrary, human settlement indicators were found more important to discriminate vulnerable and non-vulnerable areas in northern Italy, suggesting a role for peri-urbanization in shaping the future vulnerable areas. An in-depth knowledge of the socioeconomic characteristics of vulnerable land may contribute to scenarios' modeling and the development of more effective policies to combat desertification. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Selected Abstracts of the 8th International Workshop on Neonatology; Cagliari (Italy; October 24-27, 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

--- Various Authors

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Selected Abstracts of the 8th International Workshop on Neonatology • SYSTEMS MEDICINE IN PERINATOLOGY AND PEDIATRICS TAILORED BIOMARKERS, DRUGS AND TREATMENTS • Cagliari (Italy • October 24th-27th 2012The Workshop has been organized on behalf of Union of European Neonatal and Perinatal Societies, Union of Mediterranean Neonatal Societies, Italian Society of Neonatology, UNICEF, and under the High Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic. ABS 1. Urinary metabolomics as a new strategy to discriminate response to ibuprofen therapy in preterm neonates with patent ductus arteriosus • M. Castell Miñana et al.; Valencia (Spain ABS 2. A metabolomic approach to identify preterm neonates born of mothers with chorioamnionitis: preliminary data • L. Pugni et al.; Milan, Cagliari (Italy ABS 3. Urinary metabolomics in twins at birth • L. Paladini et al.; Lecce, Rome, Cagliari (Italy ABS 4. From prenatal diagnosis to neonatology: risk and protective factors in the development of mother-preterm child relationship • E. Boni et al.; Pavia (Italy ABS 5. Prolonged refrigerated storage of human milk: effects on nutritive and non-nutritive characteristics • P. Di Nicola et al.; Turin (Italy ABS 6. Use of donor human milk in nicu: is donor milk competing with breastfeeding or supporting it? • P. Di Nicola et al.; Turin (Italy ABS 7. Prenatal diagnosis of methymalonic aciduria and homocistinuria Cbl-C type using dna analysis • A. Zappu et al.; Cagliari (Italy ABS 8. Human breast milk vs formula milk. Is 1H-nmr metabolomics able to help to find the right formula? • A. Noto et al.; Cagliari (Italy ABS 9. A 1H-NMR study of Crisponi syndrome: can metabolomics help to describe the disorder? • M. Lussu et al.; Cagliari (Italy ABS 10. Nestin immunoreactivity in the developing human kidney • Y. Gibo et al.; Matsumoto (Japan, Rome, Cagliari (Italy ABS 11. A non-invasive approach to characterize epileptic children born elbw compared to

The role of the seed sector in Italy for a modern and competitive agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Nardi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The high number of seed companies that are active on the Italian market provides our agriculture with the most appropriate varieties. Italy is particularly suited for growing seed crops: thanks to its favourable environmental conditions and also to the high level of professional skills of companies and farmers, Italy plays a leading role in the multiplication and export of vegetables, rice and sugarbeet seeds. In many cases, seeds grown in Italy are exported for conditioning and then re-imported for distribution to the end users. In 2014 the annual turnover for seed sales in Italy was approximately EUR 680-700 million, at wholesale level and excluding the incidence of chemical seed treatment. The difference between the value of seed imports and exports has been negative in the last few years of an average amount of approximately EUR 100 million. At the moment there are about 300 seed companies trading on the Italian market (220 for agricultural plant species and 80 for vegetable species. Seed multiplication is also a great income opportunity for farmers: every year approximately 15,000 Italian farmers devote around 220,000 ha to grow seed crops. The use of high quality seed today represents not only a simple means to start a new cultivation, with a healthy, well identified and traced product, but an efficient way to transfer plant breeding results to farmers, in order to cope with the need of innovation and sustainability. Through the purchase and planting of certified seeds farmers support and strengthen variety research and innovation.

Toxic Emissions from a Military Test Site in the Territory of Sardinia, Italy

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Lucio Triolo

2013-04-01

Full Text Available This work assesses the environmental impact from chemical emissions due to military tests and routine activities in the area occupied by the Italian Inter-force Test Range (PISQ, located at Salto di Quirra, Sardinia, Italy. After reviewing the military activities carried out at PISQ, such as rocket launching, blasting and armament destruction, projectile and mortar fire impact, the associated pollution is evaluated. Chemical analyses were performed by means of Scanning Electronic Microscopy and Energy Dispersion Spectrometry on biotic and abiotic matrices. Residues of Rb, Tl, W, Ti and Al were found in matrices collected in the PISQ areas and environs. A review of experimental data on air, water, soil, milk, forage and animal tissues obtained by various Public Agencies of Sardinia proved that toxic element residues often exceeded the legal limits. PM10 and PM2.5 air concentrations also exceeded the legal limits after military blasting. Cd and Pb contents in the liver and kidneys of sheep living in farms at PISQ and in control farms that were located more than 20 km away from PISQ were higher than the legal limits. This work was performed to investigate concentration of xenobiotics in ecosystems emitted from PISQ activities. This assessment could be useful to focus future epidemiological studies carried out in PISQ and its neighbouring areas.

Flood risk management in Italy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mysiak, J.; Testella, F.; Bonaiuto, M.

2013-01-01

Italy's recent history is punctuated with devastating flood disasters claiming high death toll and causing vast but underestimated economic, social and environmental damage. The responses to major flood and landslide disasters such as the Polesine (1951), Vajont (1963), Firenze (1966), Valtelina...

Library system of Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nataša Gerbec

2003-01-01

Full Text Available In the European extent, Italy is the cradle of libraries and library sciences. In the past, Italian national public libraries played an important role through their vast book treasury. But only during the last thirty years have public libraries been developed following the Anglo-American public library model. Italy does not have any uniform or general legislation concerning libraries. On the state level, this area is regulated by some separate acts, while on the regional level there is a collection of various acts and regulations. Libraries are not strictly divided into general categories. It is required that the professionals engaged in Italian libraries should have secondary or university education. The level of their professional tasks depends on the type of library and its capacity. The competency for the development in the field of librarianship is assigned to The Ministry of Cultural and Environment Heritage as well as to its subordinate institutions (Central Institute for the Union catalogue of Italian Libraries and for Bibliographic Information, Central Institute for Book Pathology, Observatory for International Libraries Programmes.

Hazardous alcohol use and cultural adjustment among U.S. college students abroad in Italy: Findings and recommendations for study abroad staff and researchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Michael A; Poyrazli, Senel; Broyles, Lauren Matukaitis

2016-01-01

Italy is a top destination for U.S. college students studying abroad. Both international and local Italian media outlets, such as city newspapers, have cited the discordance between Italian cultural norms and U.S. college students' drinking behaviors. Hazardous alcohol consumption abroad, such as binge drinking, can result in individual- (e.g., physical injury) and social- (e.g., promotion of negative stereotypes) level adverse consequences. We assessed the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use and recent binge drinking in a sample of U.S. college students studying abroad in Italy (n = 111). We evaluated associations among drinking and cultural adjustment and determined which sociocultural factors predicted binge drinking for students abroad. Forty-six percent of students were classified as hazardous drinkers and 63% reported recent binge drinking. Socializing with American peers was a significant predictor for binge drinking abroad. Binge drinking was quite prevalent in our sample of students studying abroad in Italy. Study abroad advisors, instructors, and staff should consider diverse strategies to screen, educate, prevent, and/or intervene on alcohol misuse with their students. These strategies should be personalized to both the student as well as the host culture's norms.

Adolescent Perceptions of Parenting Styles in Sweden, Italy and Greece: An Exploratory Study

OpenAIRE

Maria Giulia Olivari; Elisabeth Hertfelt Wahn; Katerina Maridaki-Kassotaki; Katerina Antonopoulou; Emanuela Confalonieri

2015-01-01

Comparative research on parenting styles among Nordic and Mediterranean countries is still missing, despite the increasing number of studies on parenting styles in adolescence. This study explores similarities and differences in adolescents? retrospective perceptions of parenting styles, for both parents, in Sweden, Italy and Greece, using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire. In particular, it examines the relation between parental role, adolescent gender, country of origin, SES...

The impact of landslides on urban areas and infrastructure in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Trigila, Alessandro; Spizzichino, Daniele; Iadanza, Carla

2010-05-01

Landslide risk in Italy is particularly high since in addition to the geological, geomorphological, seismic and structural settings which render it susceptible to frequent and widespread landslide phenomena, the Italian territory is also densely populated and highly urbanized. In terms of landslide hazard, 485,004 landslides occurred between A.D. 1116 and 2006 within Italy, with a landslide area of 20,721 km2 equal to 6.9% of the national territory. 5,708 municipal districts are affected by landslides (70.5% of the total), of which 2,940 with extremely high levels of criticality due to landslides affecting urban centres. This data emerges from the IFFI Project (Italian Landslide Inventory) which, set up by ISPRA - Institute for Environmental Protection and Research/Geological Survey of Italy and the Regions and self-governing Provinces, identifies landslide phenomena across Italy in accordance with standardized methods of data collection, recording and mapping. With regard to exposure and vulnerability, urban areas in Italy account for 17,929 km2, equal to 5.9% of the national territory. In the past 50 years, urban areas in Italy underwent a dramatic increase, whose surface has more than doubled. Often building areas did not benefit from any form of proper land use planning and management or detailed landslide hazard assessment. Moreover unauthorized building has reached levels as high as 60% in regions of Southern Italy. This study assesses the incidence of landslide phenomena and their impacts within urban areas of Italian provincial capitals in terms of number of landslides, surface area and type of movement. The people exposed to landslide risk at national level and critical points along highways, railways and road network has been also estimated. Landslides have been classified in two main categories: rapid and slow movements. The rapid phenomena are strictly correlated to the people safety, while the slow ones concern mainly losses and usability of buildings

77 FR 23508 - Brass Sheet and Strip From France, Germany, Italy, and Japan

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-19

...)] Brass Sheet and Strip From France, Germany, Italy, and Japan Determination On the basis of the record \\1... antidumping duty orders on brass sheet and strip from France, Germany, Italy, and Japan would be likely to... from France, Germany, Italy, and Japan: Investigation Nos. 731-TA-313, 314, 317, and 379 (Third Review...

'Fighting for care': parents' perspectives of children's palliative care in South Tyrol, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Darbyshire, Philip; Mischo-Kelling, Maria; Lochner, Lukas; Messerschmidt-Grandi, Caterina

2015-11-01

Children's palliative care in Italy develops comparatively slowly. Recent legislation is enabling, but foundational research exploring parental experiences and perceptions is lacking. To investigate the experiences and perceptions of parents in South Tyrol, Italy regarding caring for a child with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness. A mixed qualitative design incorporated both an online survey and parent interviews. Using purposive sampling, 13 parents undertook 9 interviews and 7 parents completed the survey. The authors highlight a major parental theme describing difficult relationships with health services requiring them to 'fight the system' for services. The authors raise a disturbing possibility that such 'fighting the system' is now so widely recognised worldwide that it cannot be considered to be accidental. The authors recommend the establishment of a specialist, dedicated paediatric palliative care service in South Tyrol with the international recognised values and operating standards that would render such parental 'fighting' unnecessary.

Phytoremediation trials on metal- and arsenic-contaminated pyrite wastes (Torviscosa, Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Vamerali, Teofilo; Bandiera, Marianna; Coletto, Lucia; Zanetti, Federica; Dickinson, Nicholas M; Mosca, Giuliano

2009-03-01

At a site in Udine, Italy, a 0.7m layer of As, Co, Cu, Pb and Zn contaminated wastes derived from mineral roasting for sulphur extraction had been covered with an unpolluted 0.15m layer of gravelly soil. This study investigates whether woody biomass phytoremediation is a realistic management option. Comparing ploughing and subsoiling (0.35m depth), the growth of Populus and Salix and trace element uptake were investigated in both pot and field trials. Species differences were marginal and species selection was not critical. Impaired above-ground productivity and low translocation of trace elements showed that bioavailable contaminant stripping was not feasible. The most significant finding was of coarse and fine roots proliferation in surface layers that provided a significant sink for trace elements. We conclude that phytostabilisation and effective immobilisation of metals and As could be achieved at the site by soil amelioration combined with woody species establishment. Confidence to achieve a long-term and sustainable remediation requires a more complete quantification of root dynamics and a better understanding of rhizosphere processes.

Discussion about design basis flood of site of research reactors by river

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rong Feng; Zhao Jianjun; Du Qiaomin; Zhang Lingyan

2006-01-01

This paper presents the well-defined standard in relation to design the basis flood of the sites of research reactors by river. It is based on the concept of some relational standards, analysis of hydrological calculation technology and methods, and analysis of accident dangerous degrees of research reactor, as well as in combination with the engineering practices. The flood preventing standard for research reactors with higher power should be the same with that of the nuclear power plants. (authors)

The island of Elba (Tuscany, Italy) at the crossroads of ancient trade routes: an archaeometric investigation of dolia defossa from the archaeological site of San Giovanni

Science.gov (United States)

Manca, Rosarosa; Pagliantini, Laura; Pecchioni, Elena; Santo, Alba P.; Cambi, Franco; Chiarantini, Laura; Corretti, Alessandro; Costagliola, Pilario; Orlando, Andrea; Benvenuti, Marco

2016-12-01

Dolia are large pottery containers used in Roman times for the storage and fermentation of wine. They were produced in specialized pottery workshops ( figlinae) and were typically marked with specific epigraphical stamps, which represent a major tool to unravel their provenance and trade. In this work we present the preliminary results of a study of two dolia defossa, recently found at San Giovanni (Portoferraio, island of Elba, Italy) during 2012-2014 archaeological excavations in a Roman farm (late 2nd cent. BC-1st cent. AD), devoted to wine production and probably constituting the antecedent archaeological phase of the adjacent "Villa delle Grotte". Based on archaeological (epigraphic) evidence, five different production areas have been hypothesized: 1) Elba island, where the dolia have been found; 2) the municipal figlinae in the Pisa territory; 3) the middle catchment of the Tiber river (central Latium) where "urban" figlinae occurred; 4) the figlinae of Minturno (southern Latium), a locality known both for wine production and exportation and for the presence of ancient figlinae; 5) the municipal figlinae in the Volterra territory. Archaeometric analysis of tempering agents intentionally added to the clay for the manufacturing of the dolia, particularly magmatic lithic fragments and clinopyroxene crystals, allowed us to suggest that the watershed of the central Tiber Valley - including different volcanic centres belonging to both Tuscany Magmatic Province (Monti Cimini) and Roman Magmatic Province (Monti Vulsini and Vico volcano) - could have been the most likely sites of production of the dolia found at San Giovanni. Alternatively, the site of Minturno (southern Latium) could be proposed.

Contamination and migration of Chernobyl radiocaesium in upland soils of NE Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giovani, C.; Padovani, R.; Fadone, A.; Scruzzi, E.

1994-01-01

The behaviour of radiocaesium from Chernobyl fallout undisturbed soils of the mountain areas of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region (NE Italy) has been monitored by sampling surveys carried out in 1987, 1988 and 1990. About 800 soil samples were collected in 55 sites to estimate radiocaesium inventories the upper 10 cm layer of soil. Vertical profiles consisting of 4 to 7 samples were also collected to detect downward migration of radiocaesium. Surface activities are presented and discussed with regard to different ecosystems. The main features of the pattern of deposition on undisturbed fields and forests are outlined. The behaviour of radiocaesium in the environment is interpreted on the basis of results from the comparison of the three sets of samples

Analysis of Earthquake Catalogs for CSEP Testing Region Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peresan, A.; Romashkova, L.; Nekrasova, A.; Kossobokov, V.; Panza, G.F.

2010-07-01

A comprehensive analysis shows that the set of catalogs provided by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV, Italy) as the authoritative database for the Collaboratory for the Study of Earthquake Predictability - Testing Region Italy (CSEP-TRI), is hardly a unified one acceptable for the necessary tuning of models/algorithms, as well as for running rigorous prospective predictability tests at intermediate- or long-term scale. (author)

An autochthonous sexually transmitted Zika virus infection in Italy 2016.

Science.gov (United States)

Grossi, Paolo Antonio; Percivalle, Elena; Campanini, Giulia; Sarasini, Antonella; Premoli, Marta; Zavattoni, Maurizio; Girello, Alessia; Dalla Gasperina, Daniela; Balsamo, Maria Luisa; Baldanti, Fausto; Rovida, Francesca

2018-01-01

We describe two cases of Zika virus infection involving an Italian patient returning from the Dominican Republic and his wife, who remained in Italy and had not travelled to Zika virus endemic areas in the previous months. The infection was transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse after the man's return to Italy.

Finance and Development: The Case of Southern Italy

OpenAIRE

Faini, Riccardo; Giannini, Curzio; Ingrosso, Fulvio

1992-01-01

We look at the role of the financial sector in the context of the relatively backward regions of Southern Italy (the so-called Mezzogiorno). Commercial banks in the South typically have higher operating costs and charge higher interest rates than Northern banks. Econometric analysis on a large set of individual loan contracts suggests that borrowers in the South are considerably riskier than those elsewhere in Italy. It also indicates, however, that risk accounts for only half of the 200 basi...

Ethics committees in Italy--a time for change?

Science.gov (United States)

Wray, E

2000-01-01

The Comitato Nazionale per la Bioetica (CNB) in Italy has recently produced an unprecedented discussion document on the state of ethics committees in Italy, with an invitation to interested parties to comment on proposed changes to their fundamental structure. After this consultation, and taking note of relevant official publications and the most recent national and international literature on the subject, the CNB proposes to produce a final, definitive document that will consider options for the future development of such committees.

The size distribution of chemical elements of atmospheric aerosol at a semi-rural coastal site in Venice (Italy). The role of atmospheric circulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Masiol, Mauro; Squizzato, Stefania; Ceccato, Daniele; Pavoni, Bruno

2015-01-01

The concentrations of selected elemental tracers were determined in the aerosol of a semi-rural coastal site near Venice (Italy). Size-segregated aerosol samples were collected using an 8-stage cascade impactor set at 15m above ground, during the cold season (late autumn and winter), when high levels of many pollutants are known to cause risks for human health. From the experimental data, information was extracted on potential pollutant sources by investigating the relationships between elements in the different size fractions. Moreover, an approach to highlight the importance of local atmospheric circulation and air mass origin in influencing the PM composition and fractional distribution is proposed. Anthropogenic elements are strongly inter-correlated in the submicrometric (4 μm) Fe and Zn are well correlated and are probably linked to tire and brake wear emissions. Regarding atmospheric circulation, results show increasing levels of elements related to pollution sources (S, K, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn) when air masses come from Central and Eastern Europe direction and on the ground wind blows from NWN-N-NE (from mainland Venice). Low wind speed and high percentage of wind calm hours favor element accumulation in the submicrometric and intermediate modes. Furthermore, strong winds favor the formation of sea-spray and the increase of Si in the coarse mode due to the resuspension of sand fine particles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Origins and global context of Brucella abortus in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Garofolo, Giuliano; Di Giannatale, Elisabetta; Platone, Ilenia; Zilli, Katiuscia; Sacchini, Lorena; Abass, Anna; Ancora, Massimo; Cammà, Cesare; Di Donato, Guido; De Massis, Fabrizio; Calistri, Paolo; Drees, Kevin P; Foster, Jeffrey T

2017-02-02

Brucellosis is a common and chronic disease of cattle and other bovids that often causes reproductive disorders. Natural infection in cattle is caused by Brucella abortus and transmission typically occurs during abortions, calving, or nursing. Brucellosis is also a major zoonotic disease due to contamination of dairy products or contact with the tissues of infected animals. Brucellosis has been eradicated from most of the developed world in the last 40 years but persists in many regions-the disease remains prevalent in portions of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Central and South America, as well as in the Mediterranean basin. In Italy, B. abortus has persisted in southern regions in both cattle and water buffalo. Previous attempts at analyzing the phylogenetics of B. abortus in Italy have been challenging due to limited genetic variability and unresolved global population genetic structure of this pathogen. We conducted genome-wide phylogenetic analyses on 11 representative strains of B. abortus from Italy, and compared these sequences to a worldwide collection of publically available genomes. Italian isolates belong to three clades that are basal to the main and global B. abortus lineage. Using six SNP-based assays designed to identify substructure within the Italian clades, we surveyed a collection of 261 isolates and found that one clade predominates throughout endemic districts in the country, while the other two clades are more geographically restricted to portions of southern Italy. Although related strains exist worldwide, B. abortus isolates from Italy are substantially different than those found in much of the rest of Europe and North America, and are more closely related to strains from the Middle East and Asia. Our assays targeting genetic substructure within Italy allowed us to identify the major lineages quickly and inexpensively, without having to generate whole genome sequences for a large isolate collection. These findings highlight the

A tectonomagnetic effect detected in Central Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Palangio

1994-06-01

Full Text Available Significant variations in the absolute value of the geomagnetic field intensity related to tectonic events, as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, have been observed in several cases. To detect such a tectonomagnetic effect related to seismic activity, a seismomagnetic network was installed by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica (ING in the Abruzzi region (CentraI Italy, in July 1989. This area is being uplifting since the Pliocene. A logistic compromise between geophysical requirements and the electrified railway system tracks distribution led to the installation of five total magnetic field intensity data acquisition sites. From July 1989 to September 1992 geomagnetic intensity data were simultaneously recorded at all stations and compared to that recorded at the L'Aquila Observatory, located in the same area. A variation of about 10 nT in the absolute level of the geomagnetic field was measured at two stations located on the eastern side of the network. We suggest that the detected magnetic anomaly could resuIt from aseismic-changes in crustal stress during this time.

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy activities in Italy during IGY, 1957/58

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Lucilla Alfonsi

2009-06-01

Full Text Available In 2007 several events were organized to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the International Geophysical Year
(IGY, 1957-1958. The celebrations will last until 2009 and are taking place within different contexts: the International
Polar Year (IPY, the International Heliophysical Year (IHY, the electronic Geophysical Year (eGY
and the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE.
IGY offered a very appropriate and timely occasion to undertake a series of coordinated observations of various
geophysical phenomena all over the globe. Italy took part in the broad international effort stimulated by IGY. In
fact, Italy participated in observations and studies in many of the proposed scientific areas, in particular Geomagnetism
and Aeronomy. The Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica (ING started the installation of observatories,
and updated and ensured continuous recording of geophysical observations. Geomagnetism, ionospheric
physics, seismology, and other geophysical disciplines, were advanced. Although much of the work was undertaken
in Italy, some attention was also devoted to other areas of the world, in particular Antarctica, where Italy
participated in seismological observations. This paper gives a summary of the Geomagnetism and Ionospheric
Physics activities within IGY. Furthermore, we highlight the importance of this historical event and its outcomes
for the improvement of geophysical observations and the post-IGY growth of scientific investigations in Italy.

[Research advances in control of N2O emission from municipal solid waste landfill sites].

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Chuan-Yu; Li, Bo; Lü, Hao-Hao; Wu, Wei-Xiang

2012-05-01

Landfill is one of the main approaches for municipal solid waste treatment, and landfill site is a main emission source of greenhouse gases nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). As a high-efficient trace greenhouse gas, N2O has a very high warming potential, with a warming capacity 296 times of CO2, and has a long-term stability in atmosphere, giving greater damage to the ozone layer. Aiming at the researches in the control of N2O emission from municipal solid waste landfill sites, this paper summarized the characteristics and related affecting factors of the N2O emission from the landfill sites, and put forward a series of the measures adaptable to the N2O emission control of present municipal solid waste landfill sites in China. Some further research focuses on the control of N2O emission from the landfill sites were also presented.

Early urban and colonized regions of central and south Italy : A case study in comparative landscape archaeology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Attema, P; Darvill, T; Gojda, M

2001-01-01

Systematic field surveys and topographical research undertaken to date in various Italian regions south of Rome shou, that responses to early urbanization in central and south Italy, and the interplay of early urbanization with Greek and Roman colonization, differed widely between regions. In this

Subject of degree and the gender wage gap: Evidence from Italy

OpenAIRE

Noe', Chiara

2009-01-01

This paper investigates the extent to which differences in the subject of degree studied by men and women contribute to the gender pay gap in Italy. Using micro-data from the “Survey of Household Income and Wealth” collected by Bank of Italy (1995-2006), we studied the evolution of the gender pay gap before and after 2000. We show that also in Italy like in other countries women are over-represented in Humanities while men in Engineering. We show that the gender wage gap has widened a...

The "Mud-volcanoes route" (Emilia Apennines, northern Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Coratza, Paola; Castaldini, Doriano

2016-04-01

In the present paper the "Mud-volcanoes route" (MVR), an itinerary unfolds across the districts of Viano, Sassuolo, Fiorano Modenese and Maranello, in which part of the Emilia mud volcanoes fields are located, is presented. The Mud-volanoes route represents an emotional journey that connects places and excellences through the geological phenomenon of mud volcanoes, known with the local name "Salse". The Mud Volcanoes are created by the surfacing of salt water and mud mixed with gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons along faults and fractures of the ground. The name "Salsa"- from Latin salsus - results from the"salt" content of these muddy waters, ancient heritage of the sea that about a million years ago was occupying the current Po Plain. The "Salse" may take the shape of a cone or a level-pool according to the density of the mud. The Salse of Nirano, in the district of Fiorano Modenese, is one of the most important in Italy and among the most complex in Europe. Less extensive but equally charming and spectacular, are the "Salse" located in the districts of Maranello (locality Puianello), Sassuolo (locality Montegibbio) and Viano (locality Casola Querciola and Regnano). These fascinating lunar landscapes have always attracted the interest of researchers and tourist.The presence on the MVR territory of ancient settlements, Roman furnaces and mansions, fortification systems and castles, besides historic and rural buildings, proves the lasting bond between this land and its men. In these places, where the culture of good food has become a resource, we can find wine cellars, dairy farms and Balsamic vinegar factories that enable us to appreciate unique worldwide products. This land gave also birth to some personalities who created unique worldwide famous values, such as the myth of the Ferrrari, the ceramic industry and the mechatronics. The MVR is represented in a leaflet containing, short explanation, photos and a map in which are located areas with mud volcanoes, castles

2-D Coda and Direct Wave Attenuation Tomography in Northern Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morasca, P; Mayeda, K; Gok, R; Phillips, W S; Malagnini, L

2007-10-17

A 1-D coda method was proposed by Mayeda et al. (2003) in order to obtain stable seismic source moment-rate spectra using narrowband coda envelope measurements. That study took advantage of the averaging nature of coda waves to derive stable amplitude measurements taking into account all propagation, site, and Sto-coda transfer function effects. Recently this methodology was applied to micro earthquake data sets from three sub-regions of northern Italy (i.e., western Alps, northern Apennines and eastern Alps). Since the study regions were small, ranging between local-to-near-regional distances, the simple 1-D path assumptions used in the coda method worked very well. The lateral complexity of this region would suggest, however, that a 2-D path correction might provide even better results if the datasets were combined, especially when paths traverse larger distances and complicated regions. The structural heterogeneity of northern Italy makes the region ideal to test the extent to which coda variance can be reduced further by using a 2-D Q tomography technique. The approach we use has been developed by Phillips et al. (2005) and is an extension of previous amplitude ratio techniques to remove source effects from the inversion. The method requires some assumptions such as isotropic source radiation which is generally true for coda waves. Our results are compared against direct Swave inversions for 1/Q and results from both share very similar attenuation features that coincide with known geologic structures. We compare our results with those derived from direct waves as well as some recent results from northern California obtained by Mayeda et al. (2005) which tested the same tomographic methodology applied in this study to invert for 1/Q. We find that 2-D coda path corrections for this region significantly improve upon the 1-D corrections, in contrast to California where only a marginal improvement was observed. We attribute this difference to stronger lateral

Musepick: AN Integrated Technological Framework to Present the Complex of Santissima Annunziata in Ascoli Piceno (italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Petrucci, E.; Rossi, D.

2017-05-01

Nowadays, digital media play a central role in a shift towards updated modes of communicating knowledge. In addition to this, the tragic recent events related to the long series of earthquakes that have taken place in central Italy have also, unfortunately, reiterated the need to document and preserve not only the material value of the architectural heritage but also the intangible values related to the events and people that have characterized their history. In this framework, the paper investigates some of the opportunities offered by technological innovations, in particular, by the specific application areas of augmented reality and augmented virtuality. The case study The historical site chosen as case study is the complex of Santissima Annunziata, which has played a very important role in the city of Ascoli Piceno (Italy) for centuries. The objective was to develop a low-cost web-based platform to serve as a place to gather cultural content related to the diffuse cultural heritage, organized in applications regarding graphical and 3D models as well as 360° images and archival documents.

Socio-economic factors associated with infant mortality in Italy: an ecological study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dallolio Laura

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction One issue that continues to attract the attention of public health researchers is the possible relationship in high-income countries between income, income inequality and infant mortality (IM. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between IM and major socio-economic determinants in Italy. Methods Associations between infant mortality rates in the 20 Italian regions (2006–2008 and the Gini index of income inequality, mean household income, percentage of women with at least 8 years of education, and percentage of unemployed aged 15–64 years were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Univariate linear regression and multiple stepwise linear regression analyses were performed to determine the magnitude and direction of the effect of the four socio-economic variables on IM. Results The Gini index and the total unemployment rate showed a positive strong correlation with IM (r = 0.70; p b = 0.15, p  Conclusions In Italy, a high-income country where health care is universally available, variations in IM were strongly associated with relative and absolute income and unemployment rate. These results suggest that in Italy IM is not only related to income distribution, as demonstrated for other developed countries, but also to economic factors such as absolute income and unemployment. In order to reduce IM and the existing inequalities, the challenge for Italian decision makers is to promote economic growth and enhance employment levels.

First record of Dinoderus (Dinoderastes japonicus in Italy (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianluca Nardi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Dinoderus (Dinoderastes japonicus, a species native of the Eastern Palaearctic, is reported for the first time from Italy on the basis of a female specimen collected in a beech forest (Veneto Region, Treviso Province, Foresta del Cansiglio. The possible establishment of this alien species in Italy is briefly discussed.

Nevada Test Site-Directed Research, Development, and Demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Will Lewis, Compiler

2006-01-01

The Nevada Test Site-Directed Research, Development, and Demonstration (SDRD) program completed a very successful year of research and development activities in FY 2005. Fifty new projects were selected for funding this year, and five FY 2004 projects were brought to conclusion. The total funds expended by the SDRD program were $5.4 million, for an average per project cost of just under $100,000. Two external audits of SDRD accounting practices were conducted in FY 2005. Both audits found the program's accounting practices consistent with the requirements of DOE Order 413.2A, and one included the observation that the NTS contractor ''did an exceptional job in planning and executing year-start activities.'' Highlights for the year included: the filing of 18 invention disclosures for intellectual property generated by FY 2005 projects; programmatic adoption of 17 FY 2004 SDRD-developed technologies; participation in the tri-lab Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) and SDRD program review that was broadly attended by NTS, NNSA, LDRD, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security representatives; peer reviews of all FY 2005 projects; and the successful completion of 55 R and D projects, as presented in this report

Accelerator mass spectrometry {sup 14}C dating of lime mortars: Methodological aspects and field study applications at CIRCE (Italy)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marzaioli, Fabio, E-mail: fabio.marzaioli@unina2.it [CIRCE, INNOVA and Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Caserta (Italy); Nonni, Sara, E-mail: sara.nonni@uniroma1.it [Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, ' Sapienza' Universita di Roma (Italy); Passariello, Isabella, E-mail: isabella.passariello@unina2.it [CIRCE, INNOVA and Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Caserta (Italy); Capano, Manuela, E-mail: manuela.capano@unina2.it [CIRCE, INNOVA and Dipartimento di Studio delle Componenti Culturali del Territorio, Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Caserta (Italy); Ricci, Paola, E-mail: paola.ricci@unina2.it [CIRCE, INNOVA and Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Caserta (Italy); Lubritto, Carmine, E-mail: carmine.lubritto@unina2.it [CIRCE, INNOVA and Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Caserta (Italy); De Cesare, Nicola, E-mail: nicola.decesare@unina2.it [CIRCE, INNOVA and Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Caserta (Italy); Eramo, Giacomo, E-mail: giacomo.eramo@uniba.it [Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Universita degli Studi di Bari ' Aldo Moro' , Bari (Italy); Quiros Castillo, Juan Antonio, E-mail: quiros.castillo@ehu.es [Universidad del Pais Vasco-Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Dipartimento di Geografia, Prehistoria y Arqueologia, Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain); and others

2013-01-15

Centre for Isotopic Research on Cultural and Environmental heritage (CIRCE) has, recently, obtained some promising results in testing the feasibility of mortar radiocarbon dating by means of an ad hoc developed purification procedure (CryoSoniC: Cryobraking, Sonication, Centrifugation) applied to a series of laboratory mortars. Observed results encouraged CryoSoniC accuracy evaluation on genuine mortars sampled from archeological sites of known or independently constrained age (i.e., other {sup 14}C dates on different materials). In this study, some {sup 14}C measurements performed on genuine mortars will be discussed and compared with independently estimated (i.e., radiocarbon/archaeometrical dating) absolute chronologies of two Spanish sites. Observed results confirm the agreement of the CryoSoniC mortar dates with the archaeological expectations for both examined cases. Several authors reported the possibility of obtaining accurate radiocarbon dates of mortar matrices by analyzing lime lumps: binder-related particles of different sizes exclusively composed of calcium carbonate. In this paper, preliminary data for the absolute chronology reconstruction of the Basilica of the cemetery complex of Ponte della Lama (Canosa di Puglia, Italy) based on lime lumps will also be discussed. Dating accuracy will be quantified by comparing {sup 14}C data on mortar lime lumps from a funerary inscription of known age found near the Basilica, in the same study site. For this site, a comparison between absolute chronologies performed by bulk and CryoSoniC purified lime lumps, and charcoal incased in mortars (when found) will also be discussed. Observed results for this site provide evidence of how bulk lime lump dating may introduce systematic overestimations of the analyzed sample while CryoSoniC purification allows accurate dating.

Remediation of Site of Decommissioning Research Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Danilovich, A.S.; Ivanov, O.P.; Lemus, A.V.; Pavlenko, V.I.; Potapov, V.N.; Semenov, S.G.; Shisha, A.D.; Chesnokov, A.V. [National Research Center ' Kurchatov Institute' , 123182, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2014-07-01

In the world the most widespread method of soil decontamination consists of removing the contaminated upper layer and sending it for long-term controlled storage. However, implementation of this soil cleanup method for remediation of large contaminated areas would involve high material and financial expenditures, because it produces large amounts of radioactive waste demanding removal to special storage sites. Contaminated soil extraction and cleanup performed right on the spot of remediation activities represents a more advanced and economically acceptable method. Radiological separation of the radioactive soil allows reducing of amount of radwaste. Studies performed during the liquidation of the Chernobyl accident consequences revealed that a considerable fraction of radioactivity is accumulated in minute soil grains. So, the separation of contaminated soil by size fractions makes it possible to extract and concentrate the major share of radioactivity in the fine fraction. Based on these researches water gravity separation technology was proposed by Bochvar Institute. The method extracts the fine fraction from contaminated soil. Studies carried out by Bochvar Institute experts showed that, together with the fine fraction (amounting to 10-20% of the initial soil), this technology can remove up to 85-90% of contaminating radionuclides. The resulting 'dirty' soil fraction could be packaged into containers and removed as radwaste, and decontaminated fractions returned back to their extraction site. Use of radiological and water gravity separations consequently increases the productivity of decontamination facility. Efficiency of this technology applied for contaminated soil cleanup was confirmed in the course of remediation of the contaminated territories near decommissioning research reactor in the Kurchatov Institute. For soil cleaning purposes, a special facility implementing the technology of water gravity separation and radiometric monitoring of soil

Assessing levels and seasonal variations of current-use pesticides (CUPs) in the Tuscan atmosphere, Italy, using polyurethane foam disks (PUF) passive air samplers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Estellano, Victor H.; Pozo, Karla; Efstathiou, Christos; Pozo, Katerine; Corsolini, Simonetta; Focardi, Silvano

2015-01-01

Polyurethane foam disks (PUF) passive air samplers (PAS) were deployed over 4 sampling periods of 3–5-months (≥ 1 year) at ten urban and rural locations throughout the Tuscany Region. The purpose was to assess the occurrence and seasonal variations of ten current-use pesticides (CUPs). PUF disk extracts were analyzed using GC–MS. The organophosphates insecticides; chlorpyrifos (3–580 pg m −3 ) and chlorpyrifos-methyl (below detection limit – to 570 pg m −3 ) presented the highest levels in air, and showed seasonal fluctuation coinciding with the growing seasons. The relative proportion urban/(urban + rural) ranged from 0.4 to 0.7 showing no differences between urban and rural concentrations. Air back trajectories analysis showed air masses passing over agricultural fields and potentially enhancing the drift of pesticides into the urban sites. This study represents the first information regarding CUPs in the atmosphere of Tuscany region using PAS-PUF disk. - Highlights: • Current use pesticides (CUPs) were detected in the atmosphere of Tuscany, Italy. • Chlorpyrifos showed the highest concentrations in air with seasonal patterns. • CUPs levels might be influenced by agricultural activities. • No differences were detected between Urban and Rural sites. • Air mass analysis indicated the monitoring sites are influenced by local sources. - Seasonality of CUPs was measured in Tuscany, Italy. Chlorpyrifos showed the highest values. Urban and rural sites showed no differences. Agricultural activities influence CUPs levels in air

The effects of prey size on diet differentiation of seven passerine species at two spring stopover sites

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marchetti, C.M.; Locatelli, D.P.; Van Noordwijk, A.J.; Baldaccini, N.E.

1998-01-01

Prey size was evaluated for seven passerine trans-Saharan migrant species at two spring stopover sites in Sardinia, Italy. The species considered were Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Garden Warbler Sylvia borin, Whitethroat

Democracy and Human Rights. The Abolition of Regulated Prostitution in Germany and Italy 1918-1958

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malte König

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The essay explores the connections between the abolition of legalized prostitution and the processes of democratization in Germany and Italy, starting from the history of human rights and its interaction with the political system. The main sources are the parliamentary debates and the laws that brought about the closedown of brothels and the abolition of the surveillance system in Germany in 1927 and in Italy in 1958. The debates on prostitution also pose a question of equality and gender justice. In particular, the problem of the regulation of prostitution, whose efficiency has been verified by an ever growing number of researchers during the XX century, deploys factors of sanitary policy, human rights and morals, aspects of social policy and security, questioning not only the gender hierarchy, but also the social one.

The Rossendorf research site. The Rossendorf Research Center (FZR). The Rossendorf Verein fuer Kernverfahrenstechnik und Analytik (VKTA). The Rossendorf Foerderverein fuer Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technologie (ROTECH)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

The illustrated brochure presents the Rossendorf research site at a glance. There are two major new establishments, the Rossendorf Research Center and the Verein fuer Kernverfahrenstechnik und Analytik Rossendorf (VKTA), whose main activities cover basic research and tasks in the field of nuclear facilities decommissioning and radwaste management on site. (DG) [de

Concept, Implementation and Testing of PRESTo: Real-time experimentation in Southern Italy and worldwide applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zollo, Aldo; Emolo, Antonio; Festa, Gaetano; Picozzi, Matteo; Elia, Luca; Martino, Claudio; Colombelli, Simona; Brondi, Piero; Caruso, Alessandro

2016-04-01

The past two decades have witnessed a huge progress in the development, implementation and testing of Earthquakes Early Warning Systems (EEWS) worldwide, as the result of a joint effort of the seismological and earthquake engineering communities to set up robust and efficient methodologies for the real-time seismic risk mitigation. This work presents an overview of the worldwide applications of the system PRESTo (PRobabilistic and Evolutionary early warning SysTem), which is the highly configurable and easily portable platform for Earthquake Early Warning developed by the RISSCLab group of the University of Naples Federico II. In particular, we first present the results of the real-time experimentation of PRESTo in Suthern Italy on the data streams of the Irpinia Seismic Network (ISNet), in Southern Italy. ISNet is a dense high-dynamic range, earthquake observing system, which operates in true real-time mode, thanks to a mixed data transmission system based on proprietary digital terrestrial links, standard ADSL and UMTS technologies. Using the seedlink protocol data are transferred to the network center unit, running the software platform PRESTo which is devoted to process the real-time data streaming, estimate source parameters and issue the alert. The software platform PRESTo uses a P-wave, network-based approach which has evolved and improved during the time since its first release. In its original version consisted in a series of modules, aimed at the event detection/picking, probabilistic real-time earthquake location and magnitude estimation, prediction of peak ground motion at distant sites through ground motion prediction equations for the area. In the recent years, PRESTo has been also implemented at the accelerometric and broad-band seismic networks in South Korea, Romania, North-East Italy, and Turkey and off-line tested in Iberian Peninsula, Israel, and Japan. Moreover, the feasibility of a PRESTo-based, EEWS at national scale in Italy, has been tested

AMS radiocarbon dating of 'Grotta Cappuccini' in Southern Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quarta, G.; Calcagnile, L.; D'Elia, M.; Rizzo, A.; Ingravallo, E.

2004-01-01

We present the results of AMS radiocarbon dating of human bones recovered in 'Grotta Cappuccini', a prehistoric cave in Galatone, Lecce (Southern Italy). The AMS analysis has confirmed the archaeological dating of the cave to the period between the end of the Copper Age and the early Bronze Age, and has given a fundamental contribution to the chronological definition of an important cultural aspect of the prehistory of Southern Italy

Monitoring Natura 2000 habitats: habitat 92A0 in central Italy as an example

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emanuela Carli

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The evaluation and the subsequent monitoring of the conservation status of habitats is one of the key steps in nature protection. While some European countries have tested suitable methodologies, others, including Italy, lack procedures tested at the national level. The aim of this work is to propose a method to assess the conservation status of habitat 92A0 (Salix alba and Populus alba galleries in central Italy, and to test the method using data from the Molise region. We selected parameters that highlight the conservation status of the flora and vegetation in order to assess habitat structures and functions at the site level. After selecting the parameters, we tested them on a training dataset of 22 unpublished phytosociological relevés taken from the whole dataset, which consists of 119 relevés (49 unpublished relevés for the study area, and 70 published relevés for central Italy. We detected the most serious conservation problems in the middle and lower course of the Biferno river: the past use of river terraces for agriculture and continual human interventions on the river water flow have drastically reduced the riparian forests of Molise. Our results show that in areas in which forest structure and floristic composition have been substantially modified, certain alien plant species, particularly Robinia pseudoacacia, Amorpha fruticosa and Erigeron canadensis, have spread extensively along rivers. In the management of riparian forests, actions aimed at maintaining the stratification of the forest, its uneven-agedness and tree species richness may help to ensure the conservation status, as well as favour the restoration, of habitat 92A0.

75 FR 81309 - Stainless Steel Plate from Belgium, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-27

... (Second Review)] Stainless Steel Plate from Belgium, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan AGENCY: United... on stainless steel plate from Belgium, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan. SUMMARY: The... on stainless steel plate from Belgium, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan would be likely to lead...

Adolescents in southern regions of Italy adhere to the Mediterranean diet more than those in the northern regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Noale, Marianna; Nardi, Mariateresa; Limongi, Federica; Siviero, Paola; Caregaro, Lorenza; Crepaldi, Gaetano; Maggi, Stefania

2014-09-01

There is a large amount of literature regarding the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in the adult population; however, there is growing curiosity about the individuals who naturally adhere to those principles early in life. The "Evaluation of Dietary Habits in Adolescents," carried out by the National Research Council of Italy in 2009, is a survey that aimed to assess the dietary habits and lifestyles of Italian adolescents and their adherence to the Mediterranean diet. We hypothesized that there would be differences across regions, with a higher adherence in Southern Italy compared with Northern Italy based on geography. The survey was conducted in 3 different geographic locations in Italy and included a convenience sample of adolescents who attended either a middle or high school. The participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire concerning demographic data, lifestyle factors, and eating patterns, and scores were assigned according to adherence to the Mediterranean diet, as calculated using Trichopoulou's Mediterranean diet scale. The final sample included 565 adolescents, between 12 and 19 years old, who attended school in the northeastern, northwestern, or southern regions of Italy in 2009. According to the findings, 38.6% of the respondents had scores indicating a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, whereas only 14% had scores showing a high adherence. Teenagers from the Southern region showed the highest adherence. Those with a high adherence to the Mediterranean diet consumed higher quantities of fiber, iron, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin D, and monounsaturated fats. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nevada Test Site-Directed Research and Development FY 2010 Annual Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howard Bender, comp.

2011-04-04

This annual report of the Site-Directed Research and Development (SDRD) program represents the highly significant R&D accomplishments conducted during fiscal year 2010. This year was noteworthy historically, as the Nevada Test Site was renamed to the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). This change not only recognizes how the site's mission has evolved, but also heralds a future of new challenges and opportunities for the NNSS. In many ways, since its inception in 2002, the SDRD program has helped shape that evolving mission. As we approach 2012, SDRD will also mark a milestone, having completed its first full decade of innovative R&D in support of the site and national security. The program continues to fund advanced science and technology development across traditional Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear security areas such as stockpile stewardship and non-proliferation while also supporting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) needs, and specialized work for government agencies like the Department of Defense (DoD) and others. The NNSS will also contribute technologies in the areas of treaty verification and monitoring, two areas of increasing importance to national security. Keyed to the NNSS's broadened scope, the SDRD program will continue to anticipate and advance R&D projects that will help the NNSS meet forthcoming challenges.

Environmental monitoring in many places of Basilicata and Puglie regions (Italy) since 1990 to 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fraschetti, G.; Petagna, E.; Nocella, S.; Pappada', C.; Silvestri, N.; Magno, P.

1994-12-01

Since 1990 until 1993 the unity AMB-MON-MATRI of Trisaia research center of ENEA (Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment) was many times requested from regional authorities to carry out an accurate monitoring of environmental radioactivity in many places of Basilicata and Puglie regions (Italy). In this paper the results of these works are showed

MOLE: A Multidisciplinary Observatory and Laboratory of Experiments in Central Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georg Dresen

2009-03-01

Full Text Available The structure and mechanics of active Low Angle Normal Faults (LANFs have for decades b s been posing questions—in particular, if low angle normal faults accommodate crustal extension, and if they generate large magnitude earthquakes, or if they move aseismically. To shed new light on these challenging questions, MOLE intends to drill (down to 4–5 km an active LANF in the Umbria-Marche sector of the northern Apennines (Fig. 1 and to establish a deep borehole observatory. The target site offers a unique opportunity to reach a LANF at drillable seismogenic depth to unravel the “low angle normal fault mechanical paradox” (Wernicke, 1995; Axen, 2007. In order to discuss the scientific background and plan the MOLE project, ixty-two scientists from various research fields attended an international workshop in Spoleto, Italy, on 5–8 May 2008. The workshop focused on the following goals that need to be achieved: (I to collect new observational data at depth for constraining the fault zone structure; (II to perform laboratory experiments with gouge and fault zone materials to understand frictional properties and weakeningmechanisms; (III to record microearthquakes at distance comparable to the source radius, and (IV to obtain stress and strain measurements and geochemical data in and near the fault zone at depth to understand the mechanics of earthquakes and faulting.

Plants used in artisanal fisheries on the Western Mediterranean coasts of Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Savo Valentina

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Artisanal fisheries in the Mediterranean, especially in Italy, have been poorly investigated. There is a long history of fishing in this region, and it remains an important economic activity in many localities. Our research entails both a comprehensive review of the relevant literature and 58 field interviews with practitioners on plants used in fishing activities along the Western Mediterranean Italian coastal regions. The aims were to record traditional knowledge on plants used in fishery in these regions and to define selection criteria for plant species used in artisanal fisheries, considering ecology and intrinsic properties of plants, and to discuss the pattern of diffusion of shared uses in these areas. Methods Information was gathered both from a general review of ethnobotanical literature and from original data. A total of 58 semi-structured interviews were carried out in Liguria, Latium, Campania and Sicily (Italy. Information on plant uses related to fisheries were collected and analyzed through a chi-square residual analysis and the correspondence analysis in relation to habitat, life form and chorology. Results A total of 60 plants were discussed as being utilized in the fisheries of the Western Italian Mediterranean coastal regions, with 141 different uses mentioned. Of these 141 different uses, 32 are shared among different localities. A multivariate statistical analysis was performed on the entire dataset, resulting in details about specific selection criteria for the different usage categories (plants have different uses that can be classified into 11 main categories. In some uses, species are selected for their features (e.g., woody, or habitat (e.g., riverine, etc. The majority of uses were found to be obsolete (42% and interviews show that traditional fishery knowledge is in decline. There are several reasons for this, such as climatic change, costs, reduction of fish stocks, etc. Conclusions Our research

Global solar irradiation in Italy during 1994 : monthly average daily values for 1614 sites estimated from Meteosat images; Radiazione solare globale al suolo in Italia nel 1994 : valori medi mensili per 1.614 localita` italiane stimate a partire dalle immagini fornite dal satellite Meteosat

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cogliani, E; Mancini, M; Petrarca, S; Spinelli, F [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Rome (Italy). Dip. Energia

1995-10-01

The global solar radiation over Italy is estimated from Meteosat secondary images in the visible band. The stimation method relies on the fact that the cloud cover on a given area of the Earth`s surface statistically determines the amount of solar radiation falling on that area. Estimated values of the monthly average daily global radiation on a horizontal surface for the 1994 have been compared with values computed from data measured by the stations of the two Italian radiation networks: the Meteorological Service of the Italian Air Force and the National Agrometeorological Network (a total of 36 stations have been considered). The mean percentage difference between estimated and computed values over the year is 6 per cent. In the present report, the monthly maps of radiation over Italy and the estimated monthly average daily values for over 1600 sites (having more than 10,000 inhabitants) are given. In the yearly reports to be issued in the years to come, maps and mean values over the period starting with 1994 will be given as well.

Fascist labscapes: geneticists, wheat, and the landscapes of Fascism in Italy and Portugal.

Science.gov (United States)

Saraiva, Tiago

2010-01-01

This paper explores the role of scientists in the building of fascist regimes in Italy and Portugal by focusing on plant geneticists' participation in the Italian and Portuguese wheat wars for bread self-sufficiency. It looks closely at the work undertaken by Nazareno Strampelli at the National Institute of Genetics for Grain Cultivation (Italy) and by António Sousa da Câmara at the National Agronomic Experiment Station (Portugal), both of whom took wheat as their prime experimental object of genetics research. The main argument is that the production of standardized organisms—the breeder's elite seeds—in laboratory spaces is deeply entangled with their circulation through extended distribution networks that allowed for their massive presence in Italian and Portuguese landscapes such as the Po Valley and the Alentejo. The narrative pays particular attention to the historical development of fascist regimes in the two countries, advancing the argument that breeders' artifacts were key components of the institutionalization of the new political regimes.

Aid performance and its determinants. A comparison of Italy with the OECD norm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Bertoli

2007-09-01

Full Text Available this paper aims at contributing to a better understanding of the determinants of aid effort by donor countries, a topic that has been rather under researched in the vast economic literature on development aid. We conduct an econometric analysis on panel data that refer to the 22 member countries of the OECD Development Assistance Committee over the 1970 2004 period; the estimates are then used as a benchmark against which we assess to what extent the poor Italian aid performance can be traced back to its specific macroeconomic, structural and institutional characteristics. The analysis suggests that these factors – that are found to significantly influence aid effort – fall short of explaining the limited amount of fiscal resources that Italy devotes to international aid. Even when its specific characteristics are accounted for, Italy is found to be lagging behind the OECD norm, so that the analysis challenges the claims that the limited Italian aid effort is due to binding fiscal constraints.

PREFACE: Young Researcher Meeting, Trieste 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Agostini, F.; Antolini, C.; Aversa, R.; Cattani, G.; Martinelli, M.; Mazzaferro, L.; Migliaccio, M.; Paci, F.; Pietrobon, D.; Ricci Pacifici, D.; Stellato, F.; Veneziani, M.

2013-12-01

YRM logo The Young Researcher Meeting (www.yrmr.it) has been a rapidly growing event for the last few years. Together with other initiatives which have emerged in several research areas, the young researcher meeting marks the awareness and the desire of PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and young researchers to play a major role in scientific progress. Devoted to the discussion and the interchange of new developments and ideas in physics, the meeting is primarily aimed at graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, who are encouraged to present their work in an informal atmosphere. One of the main purposes of the conference is to create an international network of young researchers, both experimentalists and theorists, and fruitful collaborations across the different branches of physics. Born in Rome in 2009, after three editions that strengthened it, the Young Researcher Meeting 2013 was held in Trieste. Propelled by the past success, the fourth meeting was a two-day conference on 3-4June. It was sponsored by the International School for Advanced Studies - SISSA - and the University of Padova, thus acquiring an even further international drive. In this volume, we collect some of the contributions that were presented at the conference. They cover topics in astrophysics and cosmology, particle and theoretical physics, soft and condensed matter, biophysics and medical physics. YRM Organising and Editorial Committee Fabio Agostini (fabio.agostini@roma2.infn.it) Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma 'Tor Vergata' Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma, Italy Claudia Antolini (claudia.antolini@sissa.it) SISSA - Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy Rossella Aversa (raversa@sissa.it) SISSA - Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy Giordano Cattani (giordano.cattani@gmail.com) Matteo Martinelli (mmartin@sissa.it) SISSA - Scuola Internazionale Superiore di

Food Waste Generation at Household Level: Results of a Survey among Employees of Two European Research Centers in Italy and Germany

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliane Jörissen

2015-03-01

Full Text Available There is a broad consensus in literature that private households are significant contributors to the total amount of food waste in the EU. Thus, any strategy to meaningfully combat food wastage must put the end consumer in the center of prevention activities. This requires deeper insights into people’s motivations to discard still edible food and knowledge about potential barriers to reduce wasting. This paper reports on results of an online survey among two European research centers in Italy (JRC/Ispra and Germany (KIT/Karlsruhe. The focus of the survey was on households’ behaviors (shopping, eating, and food preparation habits and its influence on the generation of food waste. Furthermore, reasons for the disposal of food as well as measures and technologies most needed to prevent wastage were discussed. The results of the survey are analyzed, especially with regard to two questions: (1 Are there considerable differences between Ispra and Karlsruhe? (2 Are there considerable similarities or inconsistencies with the results of previous studies?

Research plan for integrated ecosystem and pollutant monitoring at remote wilderness study sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruns, D.A.; Wiersma, G.B.

1988-03-01

This research plan outlines an approach to the measurement of pollutants and ecosystem parameters at remote, high-elevation, wilderness study sites. A multimedia, systems approach to environmental monitoring is emphasized. The primary purpose of the research is to apply and field test a technical report entitled ''Guidelines for measuring the physical, chemical, and biological condition of wilderness ecosystems.'' This document intended to provide Federal Land Managers with information to establish environmental monitoring programs in wilderness areas. To date, this monitoring document has yet to be evaluated under rigorous field conditions at a remote, high-elevation Rocky Mountain site. For the purpose of field testing approaches to monitoring of pollutants and ecosystems in remote, wilderness areas, evaluation criteria were developed. These include useability, cost-effectiveness, data variability, alternative approaches, ecosystems conceptual approach, and quality assurance. Both the Forest Service and INEL environmental monitoring techniques will be evaluated with these criteria. Another objective of this research plan is to obtain an integrated data base on pollutants and ecosystem structure and function at a remote study site. The methods tested in this project will be used to acquire these data from a systems approach. This includes multimedia monitoring of air and water quality, soils, and forest, stream, and lake ecosystems. 71 refs., 1 fig., 9 tabs

The possible role of nuclear energy in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esposto, Stefano

2008-01-01

Italy, after the vote of the referendum in 1987, stopped producing electricity from nuclear fuel for the energy demand. This paper analyses the current Italian energy outlook and clarifies how the choice to abandon the nuclear option damaged our economy. Nowadays, the possible reintroduction of civil nuclear option is hindered by groups claiming that nuclear energy is not convenient and is incredibly dangerous. In this paper it is clarified with international references how this is not correct and why Italy should start thinking seriously and without prejudices at future energy options

The possible role of nuclear energy in Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esposto, Stefano [University of Rome ' La Sapienza' , Via Eudossiana 9, 00187 Rome (Italy)], E-mail: stefanoesposto@gmail.com

2008-05-15

Italy, after the vote of the referendum in 1987, stopped producing electricity from nuclear fuel for the energy demand. This paper analyses the current Italian energy outlook and clarifies how the choice to abandon the nuclear option damaged our economy. Nowadays, the possible reintroduction of civil nuclear option is hindered by groups claiming that nuclear energy is not convenient and is incredibly dangerous. In this paper it is clarified with international references how this is not correct and why Italy should start thinking seriously and without prejudices at future energy options.

Gypsum karst in Italy: a review

Science.gov (United States)

De Waele, Jo; Chiarini, Veronica; Columbu, Andrea; D'Angeli, Ilenia M.; Madonia, Giuliana; Parise, Mario; Piccini, Leonardo; Vattano, Marco; Vigna, Bartolomeo; Zini, Luca; Forti, Paolo

2016-04-01

Although outcropping only rarely in Italy, gypsum karst has been described in detail since the early XXth century (Marinelli, 1917). Gypsum caves are now known from almost all Italian regions (Madonia & Forti, 2003), but are mainly localised along the northern border of the Apennine chain (Emilia Romagna and Marche regions), Calabria, and Sicily, where the major outcrops occur. Recently, important caves have also been discovered in the underground gypsum quarries in Piedmont (Vigna et al., 2010). During the late 80s and 90s several multidisciplinary studies have been carried out in many gypsum areas. All this work converged into a comprehensive overview in 2003 (Madonia & Forti, 2003). Further detailed studies focused on the gypsum areas of Emilia Romagna (Chiesi et al., 2010; Forti & Lucci, 2010; Demaria et al., 2012; De Waele & Pasini, 2013; Ercolani et al., 2013; Columbu et al., 2015; Lucci & Piastra, 2015; Tedeschi et al., 2015) and of Sicily (Madonia & Vattano, 2011). Sinkholes related to Permo-Triassic gypsum have been studied in Friuli Venezia Giulia (Zini et al., 2015). This presentation will review the state of the art regarding different aspects of evaporite karst in Italy focusing on the main new results. References Chiesi M., et al. (2010) - Origin and evolution of a salty gypsum/anhydrite karst spring: the case of Poiano (Northern Apennines, Italy). Hydrogeology Journal, 18, pp. 1111-1124. Columbu A. et al. (2015) - Gypsum caves as indicators of climate-driven river incision and aggradation in a rapidly uplifting region. Geology, 43(6), 539-542. Demaria D. et al. (Eds.) (2012), Le Grotte Bolognesi, GSB-USB, 431 p. De Waele J., Pasini G. (2013) - Intra-messinian gypsum palaeokarst in the northern Apennines and its palaeogeographic implications. Terra Nova 25, pp. 199-205. Ercolani M., et al. (Eds.) (2013), I Gessi e la Cave i Monte Tondo. Studio multidisciplinare di un'area carsica nella Vena del Gesso Romagnola. Memorie Ist. It. Spel. II(26), 559 p

Follow the link: Digital Tracings of a Multi-Sited Space of Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munk, Anders Kristian

The paper discusses the use of digital methods as an alternative way of generating what George Marcus calls 'posited logics of association' for use in multi-sited fieldwork. I draw on cases from an ongoing research project on the new nordic food movement and its on- and off-line assemblages. I do...... doing so I demonstrate how methods which are native to the digital domain - such as the link or the like as a valuation metric - may be re-appropriated as strategies in more ethnographic styles of work.......The paper discusses the use of digital methods as an alternative way of generating what George Marcus calls 'posited logics of association' for use in multi-sited fieldwork. I draw on cases from an ongoing research project on the new nordic food movement and its on- and off-line assemblages. I...

VALUATIONS OF CURRENT METHODS OF RELIGIOUS SLAUGHTER IN ITALY

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B. Catanese

2009-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to estimate the scale of practices of religious slaughter and to evaluate current methods practiced in Italy. Three different approaches have been used to obtain data. Stunning before sticking is performed in 5,9% of small ruminants slaughtered according to Halal ritual. Hypothesis of violation of Dlgs 333/98 are discussed in the light of an improvement of religious slaughter practices in Italy.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGY AND FIRM PERFORMANCE IN DEVELOPED AND EMERGING ECONOMY CONTEXTS: EVIDENCE FROM TURKEY, ITALY AND NETHERLANDS

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Onur Akpinar

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to determine whether there is a difference between types of diversification and performance comparing Turkey, Italy and Netherlands. There are studies with the conclusion that the indicators of the relationship between diversification strategies and firm performance of developed countries differ from the indicators of developing countries. The data of 166 firms in Netherlands, 265 firms in Italy and 128 firms in Turkey were analyzed. The data of 2007-2011 was used in the research. Return on Assets (ROA and Return on Sales (ROS for financial performance and Entropy Index for diversification were used. According to the results, there is no correlation between total entropy and a performance criterion ROA and ROS in Italy and Netherlands. On the other hand, in Turkey, it is understood that there is a low-level positive correlation between total entropy and firm performance.

The Development of Sensor Applications in the Sectors of Energy and Environment in Italy, 1976-2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Francia, Girolamo

2017-04-07

Although sensor technologies have been developing quite similarly all over the world, the investigation of their applications has been more affected by the specific industrial and economic characteristics of each country. This paper aims to investigate the development of applications based on sensor devices in the sectors of energy and the environment, in Italy, throughout the last forty years (1976-2015), examining the most relevant papers published by Italian R & D groups working in this field. Italy depends on foreign imports for more than 80% of its primary energy needs, and this has directed the research effort on the development of sensor applications both to improve load shaping and consumers' awareness and to develop specific equipment to maximize renewable energy production. Similarly, for the environment sector, there are increasing efforts to develop solutions to support a more and more capillary control of the environment itself using a cooperative approach. In both the sectors it seems that the solutions proposed can help to relieve the structural problems that Italy suffers and that the scientific and technical results obtained so far also have significant international relevance.

The AVI project: A bibliographical and archive inventory of landslides and floods in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Guzzetti, Fausto; Cardinali, Mauro; Reichenbach, Paola

1994-07-01

The AVI project was commissioned by the Minister of Civil Protection to the National Group for Prevention of Hydrogeologic Hazards to complete an inventory of areas historically affected by landslides and floods in Italy. More than 300 people, divided into 15 research teams and two support groups, worked for one year on the project. Twenty-two journals were systematically searched for the period 1918 1990, 350,000 newspaper issues were screened, and 39,953 articles were collected. About 150 experts on mass movement and floods were interviewed and 1482 published and unpublished technical and scientific reports were reviewed. The results of the AVI project, in spite of the limitations, represent the most comprehensive archiving of mass movement and floods ever prepared in Italy. The type and quality of the information collected and the methodologies and techniques used to make the inventory are discussed. Possible applications and future developments are also presented.

Numerical modeling of groundwater flow in the coastal aquifer system of Taranto (southern Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

De Filippis, Giovanna; Giudici, Mauro; Negri, Sergio; Margiotta, Stefano; Cattaneo, Laura; Vassena, Chiara

2014-05-01

The Mediterranean region is characterized by a strong development of coastal areas with a high concentration of water-demanding human activities, resulting in weakly controlled withdrawals of groundwater which accentuate the saltwater intrusion phenomenon. The worsening of groundwater quality is a huge problem especially for those regions, like Salento (southern Italy), where a karst aquifer system represents the most important water resource because of the deficiency of a well developed superficial water supply. In this frame, the first 2D numerical model describing the groundwater flow in the karst aquifer of Salento peninsula was developed by Giudici et al. [1] at the regional scale and then improved by De Filippis et al. [2]. In particular, the estimate of the saturated thickness of the deep aquifer highlighted that the Taranto area is particularly sensitive to the phenomenon of seawater intrusion, both for the specific hydrostratigraphic configuration and for the presence of highly water-demanding industrial activities. These remarks motivate a research project which is part of the research program RITMARE (The Italian Research for the Sea), within which a subprogram is specifically dedicated to the problem of the protection and preservation of groundwater quality in Italian coastal aquifers and in particular, among the others, in the Taranto area. In this context, the CINFAI operative unit aims at providing a contribution to the characterization of groundwater in the study area. The specific objectives are: a. the reconstruction of the groundwater dynamic (i.e., the preliminary identification of a conceptual model for the aquifer system and the subsequent modeling of groundwater flow in a multilayered system which is very complex from the hydrostratigraphical point of view); b. the characterization of groundwater outflows through submarine and subaerial springs and the water exchanges with the shallow coastal water bodies (e.g. Mar Piccolo) and the off

Urban floods: a case study in the Savigliano area (North-Western Italy

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C. Audisio

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Flood processes and effects are examined, concerning two rivers in an urbanized area in North-Western Italy (Piedmont – Cuneo Plain. In May 2008, some areas in Northern Italy were struck by intense and persistent rainfall. In the Cuneo province (Southern Piedmont, floodplain with some urban areas was inundated over ca. ten square kilometres, and the city of Savigliano (about 21 000 inhabitants was particularly hit by flood. A purposely-made historical research has evidenced approximately fifty flood events as having occurred since 1350 in the Savigliano area. Based upon historical data, both documents and maps, GIS (Geographical Information System technique and field surveys were used to quantitatively assess the growing urbanization of the city and to describe flood processes and effects over years. This work aims to describe the dynamic behaviour of the 2008 flood, also comparing it to past events, in particular those that occurred in 1896. It is emphasized how the knowledge of past events can be helpful in reducing urban flooding.

Chinese women in Italy--menarche, pregnancy and maternity.

Science.gov (United States)

Argnani, Lisa; Toselli, Stefania; Gualdi-Russo, Emanuela

2004-12-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the well-being and health status of Chinese immigrant women in Italy. The subjects (mean 29.5 years) frequented the "Health Center for Foreign Women and their Children" in Bologna, Italy. Information on living conditions, biological characteristics and pregnancy or maternity was obtained through interviews of the women in the Center during normal medical visits. Data on menarche age were based on the retrospective method since all the women were in China at the onset of menarche. Social factors influencing the health and behavior of Chinese women in Italian society are discussed. The analysis on children sex ratio at birth indicates that the old cultural Chinese tradition of son preference still continues to exist. These women have achieved a socio-economic improvement and generally good health status in Italy. The difficult living conditions they faced in China are indirectly reflected in their delayed puberty (14.4 +/- 1.4 years). The delayed sexual development was probably due to the same situation of severe poverty that forced them to migrate.

Current and future trends of Volcanology in Italy and abroad

Science.gov (United States)

Papale, P.

2010-12-01

Volcanology in Italy and in the world has rapidly developed during last decades. In the Seventies, stratigraphy and petrology provided the basic knowledge on the volcanic activities that still forms the root for modern volcano research. During the Eighties and Nineties the interest was more on the quantitative description of the volcanic processes, with enormous progresses in different but complementary fields including laboratory measurements and experiments, physico-mathematical modeling and numerical simulations, geophysical surveys and inverse analysis, and volcano monitoring and surveillance. In year 2000 a large number of magma properties and magmatic and volcanic processes was characterized at a first or higher order. Volcano research in Italy during the first decade of the new millennium has further developed along those lines. To-date, the very high risk Campi Flegrei and Vesuvius volcanoes, and the less risky but permanently active Etna and Stromboli volcanoes, are among the best monitored and more deeply investigated worldwide. The last decade has also seen coordinated efforts aimed at exploring exploitation of knowledge and skills for the benefit of the society. A series of projects focused on volcanic hazard and risk have joined >1000 researchers from Italian and foreign (Europe, US, Japan) Universities and Research Centers, on themes and objectives jointly defined by scientists from INGV and end-users from the national Civil Protection Department. These projects provide a global picture of volcano research in year 2010, that appears to be evolving through i) further rapid developments in the fields of investigation listed above, ii) their merging into effective multidisciplinary approaches, and iii) the full inclusion of the concepts of uncertainty and probabilities in volcanic scenario predictions and hazard forecast. The latter reflects the large inaccessibility of the volcanic systems, the extreme non-linear behaviour of volcanic processes put in

CERN Neutrinos search for sunshine in Italy!

CERN Document Server

Wednesday, 18th June 2008. The CNGS (CERN Neutrinos to Gran Sasso) beam has re-started, shooting muon neutrinos towards Italy. The neutrino beam should run this year until mid November.The aim of CNGS is to understand the oscillation of neutrinos, for example their transformation from muon into tau neutrinos over long distances.Edda Gschwendtner, the liaison physicist of the CNGS beam, describes the progress of the project, “We did a lot of modifications this year to CNGS, which was a huge amount of work, with many groups and services involved. In parallel the OPERA detector in Italy made an enormous progress in completing their detector and we are looking forward to seeing tau neutrinos soon.”

The reception of Austrian economics in Italy

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Antonio Magliulo

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Nowadays the Austrian School enjoys high reputation in Italy: books by Mises, Hayek and other Austrian economists are constantly republished and reviewed with great interest, both inside and outside academic circles. The situation was very different decades ago, when just a few Italian economists devoted attention to the Austrian School. This work studies the reception of Austrian Economics in Italy, from the beginning to our days, so as to bring out, by way of comparison, relevant features of Italian economic culture. We will try to offer just an overview of the entire story, in an attempt to provide useful elements for a deeper analysis of further topics and periods.

75 FR 78223 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Changed Circumstances Review...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-15

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-475-819] Certain Pasta From Italy... certain pasta from Italy. See Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Initiation of Changed Circumstances... Notice''). The Department confirmed that New World Pasta Company, Dakota Growers Pasta Company, and...

Characterization of contaminated soil and groundwater surrounding an illegal landfill (S. Giuliano, Venice, Italy) by principal component analysis and kriging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Critto, Andrea; Carlon, Claudio; Marcomini, Antonio

2003-01-01

Information on soil and groundwater contamination was used to develop a site conceptual model and to identify exposure scenarios. - The characterization of a hydrologically complex contaminated site bordering the lagoon of Venice (Italy) was undertaken by investigating soils and groundwaters affected by the chemical contaminants originated by the wastes dumped into an illegal landfill. Statistical tools such as principal components analysis and geostatistical techniques were applied to obtain the spatial distribution of chemical contaminants. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), SO 4 2- and Cl - were used to trace the migration of the contaminants from the top soil to the underlying groundwaters. The chemical and hydrogeological available information was assembled to obtain the schematic of the conceptual model of the contaminated site capable to support the formulation of major exposure scenarios, which are also provided

A Short History of International Business in Italy: What We Know and How We Know It

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Veronica Binda

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This article is a voyage through the history of international business in Italy, one which takes contemporary studies and, in particular, studies conducted over time by business historians from the Italian Unification until the present day, into account. After a brief introduction, the first part of the article is devoted to an analysis of the literature, especially focusing on the early studies conducted on foreign capital until World War Two, on the investigations done in the second part of the twentieth century, and on the most recent trends and contributions in research. The second part of the article deals, in a stylised way, with a very short summary of the principal information that we have attained on foreign direct investments in the country, with a special focus on international business in Italy before the Great War, in the inter-war years, until the 1980s, and in the most recent decades. Finally, the conclusions indicate the possible main directions for future research in this field.

Enhancing Hispanic participation in mental health clinical research: development of a Spanish-speaking depression research site.

Science.gov (United States)

Aponte-Rivera, Vivianne; Dunlop, Boadie W; Ramirez, Cynthia; Kelley, Mary E; Schneider, Rebecca; Blastos, Beatriz; Larson, Jacqueline; Mercado, Flavia; Mayberg, Helen; Craighead, W Edward

2014-03-01

Hispanics, particularly those with limited English proficiency, are underrepresented in psychiatric clinical research studies. We developed a bilingual and bicultural research clinic dedicated to the recruitment and treatment of Spanish-speaking subjects in the Predictors of Remission in Depression to Individual and Combined Treatments (PReDICT) study, a large clinical trial of treatment-naïve subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD). Demographic and clinical data derived from screening evaluations of the first 1,174 subjects presenting for participation were compared between the Spanish-speaking site (N = 275) and the primary English-speaking site (N = 899). Reasons for ineligibility (N = 888) for the PReDICT study were tallied for each site. Compared to English speakers, Spanish speakers had a lower level of education and were more likely to be female, uninsured, and have uncontrolled medical conditions. Clinically, Spanish speakers demonstrated greater depression severity, with higher mean symptom severity scores, and a greater number of previous suicide attempts. Among the subjects who were not randomized into the PReDICT study, Spanish-speaking subjects were more likely to have an uncontrolled medical condition or refuse participation, whereas English-speaking subjects were more likely to have bipolar disorder or a non-MDD depressive disorder. Recruitment of Hispanic subjects with MDD is feasible and may enhance efforts at signal detection, given the higher severity of depression among Spanish-speaking participants presenting for clinical trials. Specific approaches for the recruitment and retention of Spanish-speaking participants are required. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

"A Virtual Canvas"—Designing a Blog Site to Research Young Muslims' Friendships & Identities

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Orla McGarry

2012-11-01

Full Text Available This article is based on research among a group of Muslim youth living in the west of Ireland as part of a study on "social belonging" and identity. One part of the research involved designing a youth centered, participatory research method, in the form of a blog site, to investigate what young people say and do when they are asked to talk about themselves and their relationships, with minimal researcher involvement. Participants were presented with a "blank virtual canvas" where they determined what became discussed. Twenty-two teenaged Muslims—comprising close friends as well as fellow students of the same school and living in the same West of Ireland town—contributed to a time limited, closed blog site over a four month period. The blog site offers interesting snippets of Muslim identification, and how they choose to present themselves to others. In the process of contributing to this exercise, we can also observe subtle means through which inclusion and exclusion co-exist online, refracting young people's offline worlds. The blog affords an opportunity to consciously "do" friendship by presenting to each other images, symbols and statements of friendship that invoke both cohesion and closure. The research unravels certain gendered patterns in online performances. In demonstrating this evidence, we argue that the study of online interactions of youth can provide an alternative window in exploring relationships, identification and social positioning. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs130115

Workplace health promotion programs for older workers in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Magnavita, Nicola; Capitanelli, Ilaria; Garbarino, Sergio; La Milia, Daniele Ignazio; Moscato, Umberto; Pira, Enrico; Poscia, Andrea; Ricciardi, Walter

2017-10-27

Italy is the European country with the highest number of citizens over the age of sixty. In recent years, the unsustainability of the social security system has forced the Italian government to raise the retirement age and reduce the chances of early exit, thus sharply increasing the age of the workforce. Consequently, a significant proportion of older workers are currently obliged to do jobs that were designed for young people. Systematic health promotion intervention for older workers is therefore essential. The European Pro Health 65+ project aims at selecting and validating best practices for successful/active aging. In this context we set out to review workplace health promotion projects carried out in Italy. To ascertain examples of workplace health promotion for older workers (WHPOW), we carried out a review of the scientific and grey literature together with a survey of companies. We detected 102 WHPOW research studies conducted in conjunction with supranational organizations, public institutions, companies, social partners, NGOs and educational institutions. The main objectives of the WHPOW were to improve the work environment, the qualifications of older workers and attitudes towards the elderly, and, in many cases, also to improve work organization. The best way to promote effective WHPOW interventions is by disseminating awareness of best practices and correct methods of analysis. Our study suggests ways of enhancing WHPOW at both a national and European level.

Underground storage of natural gas in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henking, E.

1992-01-01

After first relating the importance of natural gas storage to the viability of Italian industrial activities, this paper discusses the geo-physical nature of different types of underground cavities which can be used for natural gas storage. These include depleted petroleum and natural gas reservoirs, aquifers and abandoned mines. Attention is given to the geologic characteristics and physical characteristics such as porosity, permeability and pressure that determine the suitability of any given storage area, and to the techniques used to resolve problems relative to partially depleted reservoirs, e.g., the presence of oil, water and salt. A review is made of Italy's main storage facilities. This review identifies the various types of storage techniques, major equipment, operating and maintenance practices. A look is then given at Italy's plans for the development of new facilities to meet rising demand expected to reach 80 billion cubic meters/year by the turn of the century. The operating activities of the two leading participants, SNAM and AGIP, in Italy's natural gas industry are highlighted. Specific problems which contribute to the high operating costs of natural gas storage are identified and a review is made of national normatives governing gas storage. The report comes complete with a glossary of the relative terminology and units of measure

Chapter 44: history of neurology in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bentivoglio, Marina; Mazzarello, Paolo

2010-01-01

The chapter starts from the Renaissance (although the origins of Italian neurology can be traced back to the Middle Ages), when treatises of nervous system physiopathology still followed Hippocratic and Galenic "humoral" theories. In Italy, as elsewhere in Europe, the concepts of humoral pathology were abandoned in the 18th century, when neurology was influenced by novel trends. Neurology acquired the status of clinical discipline (as "clinic of mental diseases") after national reunification (declared in 1861 but completed much later). At the end of the 19th and first decades of the 20th century, eminent Italian "neuropsychiatrists" (including, among many others, Ugo Cerletti, who introduced electroconvulsive shock therapy in 1938) stimulated novel knowledge and approaches, "centers of excellence" flourished, and "Neurological Institutes" were founded. In the first half of the 20th century, the history of Italian neurology was dominated by World Wars I and II (which stimulated studies on the wounded) and the fascist regime in-between the Wars (when the flow of information was instead very limited). Italy became a republic in 1946, and modern neurology and its distinction from psychiatry were finally promoted. The chapter also provides detailed accounts of scientific societies and journals dedicated to the neurological sciences in Italy.

United States and German Military Cemeteries in Italy – Cultural Perspectives

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Urmson, Birgit

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The US and German military cemeteries in Italy differ greatly from one another in style and message. Art-historical methods such as stylistic analysis and iconographic interpretation along with historical research are used to explore the ideological character of each nation’s cemeteries. These, in turn, are used to illuminate aspects of the respective cultures at the time of their design and construction. The results reveal post World War II US society becoming more conformist and politically conservative and German society undergoing a redefinition of its values.

Research on Social Networking Sites and Social Support from 2004 to 2015: A Narrative Review and Directions for Future Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Jingbo; Martinez, Lourdes; Holmstrom, Amanda; Chung, Minwoong; Cox, Jeff

2017-01-01

The article presents a narrative review of scholarship on social support through social networking sites (SNSs) published from 2004 to 2015. By searching keywords related to social support and SNSs in major databases for social sciences, we identified and content analyzed directly relevant articles (N = 88). The article summarizes the prevalence of theory usage; the function of theory usage (e.g., testing a theory, developing a theory); major theories referenced; and methodologies, including research designs, measurement, and the roles of social support and SNS examined in this literature. It also reports four themes identified across the studies, indicating the trends in the current research. Based on the review, the article presents a discussion about study sites, conceptualization of social support, theoretical coherence, the role of social networks, and the dynamic relationships between SNS use and social support, which points out potential avenues for shaping a future research agenda.

Environmental Monitoring and Analysis of Faecal Contamination in an Urban Setting in the City of Bari (Apulia Region, Italy: Health and Hygiene Implications

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Maria Tempesta

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Few studies have been conducted in Italy to quantify the potential risk associated with dynamics and distribution of pathogens in urban settings. The aim of this study was to acquire data on the environmental faecal contamination in urban ecosystems, by assessing the presence of pathogens in public areas in the city of Bari (Apulia region, Italy. To determine the degree of environmental contamination, samples of dog faeces and bird guano were collected from different areas in the city of Bari (park green areas, playgrounds, public housing areas, parkways, and a school. A total of 152 canine faecal samples, in 54 pools, and two samples of pigeon guano from 66 monitored sites were examined. No samples were found in 12 areas spread over nine sites. Chlamydophila psittaci was detected in seven canine and two pigeon guano samples. Salmonella species were not found.  On the other hand, four of 54 canine faecal samples were positive for reovirus. Thirteen canine faecal samples were positive for parasite eggs: 8/54 samples contained Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina eggs and 5/54 samples contained Ancylostoma caninum eggs. Our study showed that public areas are often contaminated by potentially zoonotic pathogens.

Syndromic Surveillance Models Using Web Data: The Case of Influenza in Greece and Italy Using Google Trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Samaras, Loukas; García-Barriocanal, Elena; Sicilia, Miguel-Angel

2017-11-20

An extended discussion and research has been performed in recent years using data collected through search queries submitted via the Internet. It has been shown that the overall activity on the Internet is related to the number of cases of an infectious disease outbreak. The aim of the study was to define a similar correlation between data from Google Trends and data collected by the official authorities of Greece and Europe by examining the development and the spread of seasonal influenza in Greece and Italy. We used multiple regressions of the terms submitted in the Google search engine related to influenza for the period from 2011 to 2012 in Greece and Italy (sample data for 104 weeks for each country). We then used the autoregressive integrated moving average statistical model to determine the correlation between the Google search data and the real influenza cases confirmed by the aforementioned authorities. Two methods were used: (1) a flu score was created for the case of Greece and (2) comparison of data from a neighboring country of Greece, which is Italy. The results showed that there is a significant correlation that can help the prediction of the spread and the peak of the seasonal influenza using data from Google searches. The correlation for Greece for 2011 and 2012 was .909 and .831, respectively, and correlation for Italy for 2011 and 2012 was .979 and .933, respectively. The prediction of the peak was quite precise, providing a forecast before it arrives to population. We can create an Internet surveillance system based on Google searches to track influenza in Greece and Italy. ©Loukas Samaras, Elena García-Barriocanal, Miguel-Angel Sicilia. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 20.11.2017.

Retrospective Evaluation of the Five-Year and Ten-Year CSEP-Italy Earthquake Forecasts

OpenAIRE

Werner, M. J.; Zechar, J. D.; Marzocchi, W.; Wiemer, S.

2010-01-01

On 1 August 2009, the global Collaboratory for the Study of Earthquake Predictability (CSEP) launched a prospective and comparative earthquake predictability experiment in Italy. The goal of the CSEP-Italy experiment is to test earthquake occurrence hypotheses that have been formalized as probabilistic earthquake forecasts over temporal scales that range from days to years. In the first round of forecast submissions, members of the CSEP-Italy Working Group presented eighteen five-year and ten...

Mitochondrial DNA analysis of medieval sheep (Ovis aries) in central Italy reveals the predominance of haplogroup B already in the Middle Ages.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabbianelli, F; Gargani, M; Pariset, L; Mariotti, M; Alhaique, F; De Minicis, E; Barelli, L; Ciammetti, E; Redi, F; Valentini, A

2015-06-01

We retrieved 34 medieval ovicaprine remains, from three archaeological sites of central Italy dating to about 1000 years old, and analyzed them using mitochondrial DNA. We compared the reconstructed haplogroups with modern sheep samples from Europe and the Middle East and sequences from the literature. In modern sheep, haplogroup HA is present in countries with access to the Mediterranean and close to the domestication center, whereas it is very rare or absent in the rest of Europe. The haplogroup HB was predominant in ancient samples (90%), whereas haplogroup HA was found at 10%. Ancient haplogroups match the present distribution in modern sheep in Italy, indicating that the current proportion of HA/HB was already established in the Middle Ages and is not the result of subsequent events such as selective breeding practices. © 2015 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

77 FR 69793 - Certain Pasta From Italy; Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2010

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-21

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-475-819] Certain Pasta From Italy... review of the countervailing duty order on certain pasta from Italy for the period January 1, 2010... August 1, 2012. See Certain Pasta From Italy: Preliminary Results of the 15th (2010) Countervailing Duty...

Competitiveness and environmental protection in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ronchi, E.

2000-01-01

In presenting his Ministry's annual report for 1999, the Italian Environment Minister pointed out that after years of emergency-driven policies, Italy has finally embarked on far-reaching environmental reform designed to generate sustainable, lasting and high-quality development [it

Forty-five years of schizophrenia trials in Italy: a survey

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Purgato Marianna

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Well-designed and properly executed randomized controlled trials (RCTs provide the best evidence on the efficacy of healthcare interventions. Mental health has a strong tradition of using trial to evaluate treatments, but the translation of research to clinical practice is not always easy. Even well-conducted trials do not necessarily address the needs of every day care and trials can reflect local needs and the specific culture in which they are undertaken. Generalizing results to other contexts can become problematic but these trials may, nevertheless, be very helpful within their own context. Moreover, pathways for drug approval can be different depending on local regulatory agencies. Local trials are helpful for decision-making in the region from which they come, but should not be viewed in isolation. National quantity and quality of trials may vary across nations. The aim of this study is to quantify trialing activity in Italy from 1948 until 2009 and to describe characteristics of these trials. In addition, we evaluated change over time in three keys aspects: sample size, follow-up duration, and number of outcomes. Methods We used the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's register that contains 16,000 citations to 13,000 studies relating only to people with schizophrenia or schizophrenia-like illness. Randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials undertaken in Italy and involving pharmacological interventions were included. Results The original search identified 155 records of potentially eligible studies, 74 of which were excluded because do not meet inclusion criteria. A total of 81 studies were included in the analysis. The majority of trials were conducted in north Italy, and published in international journals between 1981 and 1995. The majority of studies (52 out of 81 used standardized diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia disorder. They were defined as randomized and used blind methods to administer

Status report on activities on seismic isolation in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martelli, A.; Bettinali, F.

1992-01-01

The development of seismic isolation and its application to structures other than bridges were started in Italy in 1988. Considerable efforts are being devoted to this technique, both because it can already be widely used in civil buildings (where it is particularly attractive for constructions that are critical for emergency and disaster planning), and due to the very promising perspectives for application to the industrial plants. In particular, ENEA is also quite interested in verifying the applicability of seismic isolation to the high risk plants, including the innovative nuclear reactors. The correct development of seismic isolation, for a future wide use in all the domains of interest - including high risk and other industrial plants - requires that a sufficient number of applications to civil buildings is -undertaken, so as to improve the knowledge on the design and behaviour of isolated structures. It also requires seismic monitoring of isolated constructions. This is the reason why all the ongoing studies in Italy - including those of ENEA and ENEL - are based at present on applications to civil buildings. To the aforesaid aims, R and D work is also needed: such a work, together with the experience acquired on actual isolated buildings, is essential to set up adequate design rules. On the other hand, development of design rules must be carried out in parallel, in order to determine the features of the necessary research activities. Until now, our development work has been focussed on the high damping steel-laminated rubber bearings, which have been adopted for most isolated buildings in Italy. It consists of: [a] the set-up of proposals for design rules and guidelines; [b] experiments on bearing materials, individual bearings, isolated structure mock-ups, and actual isolated buildings; [c] development and validation of simplified and detailed numerical models of bearings and structures. Furthermore, support is being provided to the designers of isolated

Researching for sustained translation from site cluster permeability into building courtyard and interior atrium

Science.gov (United States)

Teddy Badai Samodra, FX; Defiana, Ima; Setyawan, Wahyu

2018-03-01

Many previous types of research have discussed the permeability of site cluster. Because of interaction and interconnected attribute, it will be better that there is its translation into lower context such as building and interior scale. In this paper, the sustainability design performance of both similar designs of courtyard and atrium are investigated continuing the recommendation of site space permeability. By researching related literature review and study through Ecotect Analysis and Ansys Fluent simulations, the pattern transformation and optimum courtyard and atrium design could comply the requirement. The results highlighted that the air movement from the site could be translated at the minimum of 50% higher to the building and indoor environment. Thus, it has potency for energy efficiency when grid, loop, and cul-de-sac site clusters, with 25% of ground coverage, have connectivity with building courtyard compared to the atrium. Energy saving is higher when using low thermal transmittance of transparent material and its lower area percentages for the courtyard walls. In general, it was more energy efficient option as part of a low rise building, while the courtyard building performed better with increasing irregular building height more than 90% of the difference.

Energy and environment in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menna, P.; Capra, M.; D'Acunto, A.; Del Ciello, R.; Molinas, P.; Virdis, M.

2001-01-01

Based upon the more meaningful changing recorded within the Italian energy sector in the year 2000, the Studies Department of ENEA (the Italian National board for new technologies, energy and environment) prepared the 'Rapporto Energia e Ambiente 2000', which provides a picture of the country energy and energy-related activities concerning the environment. In this paper, it is only provided a summary of the whole work. The complete report can be downloaded from the ENEA main page (www.enea.it). Italy gross domestic product (Gdp) grew by almost 3% in the year 2000, mostly sustained by an increase in the industrial production and services, as well. At the same time the total energy consumption rose to almost 185 Mtoe (+1% over 1999). Because Gdp grew more than the energy consumption, the energy intensity decreases in the year 2000. Almost 82% of the Italian energy needs (mainly oil and gas, even if electricity imports are increasing) depend upon imports. This heavy burden makes Italy particularly sensitive to both the oil price fluctuations and the euro/dollar exchange rate. Transportation absorbs a large and growing share of the energy consumption while showing quite an impact on the environment. From the supply side, renewable energy sources appear very promising because they allow the use of local resources, promote local development and may create new jobs, in area of the country with less favourable economic conditions. First among the European countries, a market mechanism to increase the use of renewable by establishing that a share of the whole electricity production (currently set at 2%) has to come from renewable has been introduced. However among the OECD countries, Italy records the lowest rate of R/D investments to GDP. This rate should more than double if the new opportunities coming from the development of innovative energy technologies have to be fully exploited [it

Italy: An Open Air Museum

Science.gov (United States)

Pizzorusso, Ann

2016-04-01

Imagine if you could see the River Styx, bathe in the Fountain of Youth, collect water which enhances fertility, wear a gem that heals bodily ailments, understand how our health is affected by geomagnetic fields, venture close to the flames of Hell on Earth and much, much, more. Know something? These things exist - on Earth - today - in Italy and you can visit them because Italy is an open air museum. Ann C. Pizzorusso, in her recent book, reveals how Italy's geology has affected its art, literature, architecture, religion, medicine and just about everything else. She explores the geologic birth of the land, describing the formation of the Alps and Apennines, romantic bays of Tuscany and Lazio, volcanoes of the south and Caribbean-like beaches of Puglia. But that's not all, from the first pages of this visually stunning book, the reader has the impression of being in an art museum, where one can wander from page to page to satisfy one's curiosity-- guided from time to time by the Etruscan priests, Virgil, Dante, Goethe or Leonardo da Vinci himself. Pizzorusso stitches together widely diverse topics - such as gemology, folk remedies, grottoes, painting, literature, physics and religion - using geology as a thread. Quoting everyone from Pliny the Elder to NASA physicist Friedemann Freund, the work is solidly backed scholarship that reads as easily as a summer novel. Wonderfully illustrated with many photos licensed from Italian museums, HRH Elizabeth II and the Ministero Beni Culturali the book highlights the best works in Italian museums and those outside in the "open air museums." This approach can be used in any other country in the world and can be used for cultural tourism (a tour following the book has been organized for cultural and university groups), an ideal way of linking museums to the surrounding landscape.

Differentiated waste collection in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iaboni, V.; Landolfo, P.G.

2008-01-01

Differentiated collection is an essential part of the integrated urban waste management system. Despite the progress made in recent years, Italy is still far from achieving the targets set by EU regulations. The simulation thus calls for great efforts by local administrations and individual citizens, especially in the Southern part of the country [it

Preliminary Geological Survey on the Proposed Sites for the New Research Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, In Cheol; Ha, J. J.; Oh, K. B.

2010-12-01

· Performing the preliminary geological survey on the proposed sites for the new research reactor through the technical service · Ordering a technical service from The Geological Society of Korea · Contents of the geological survey - Confirmation of active fault - Confirmation of a large-scale fracture zone or weak zone - Confirmation of inappropriate items related to the underground water - Confirmation of historical seismicity and instrumental earthquakes data · Synthesized analysis and holding a report meeting · Results of the geological survey - Confirmation of the geological characteristics of the sites and drawing the requirements for the precise geological survey in the future

Education and science museums. Reflections in Italy and on Italy (Italian original version

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paola Rodari

2008-09-01

Full Text Available The educational function of science museums was born with the first naturalistic collections ever, flourished in 16th-century Italy. The pedagogic thought and the educational experimentations carried out in approximately five century of history have allowed the educational mission of museums to acquire many different facets, drawing a task having an increasingly higher and complex social value. Recent publications explore these new meanings of an old role.

Spirits and liqueurs in European traditional medicine: Their history and ethnobotany in Tuscany and Bologna (Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Egea, Teresa; Signorini, Maria Adele; Bruschi, Piero; Rivera, Diego; Obón, Concepción; Alcaraz, Francisco; Palazón, José Antonio

2015-12-04

Fermented drinks, often alcoholic, are relevant in many nutritional, medicinal, social, ritual and religious aspects of numerous traditional societies. The use of alcoholic drinks of herbal extracts is documented in classical pharmacy since the 1st century CE and it is often recorded in ethnobotanical studies in Europe, particularly in Italy, where are used for a wide range of medicinal purposes. Formulations and uses represent a singular tradition which responds to a wide range of environmental and cultural factors. This research has two overarching aims To determine how long ancient uses, recipes and formulas for medicinal liqueurs from the pharmacopoeias and herbals of the 18th century persisted in later periods and their role in present ethnobotanical knowledge in areas of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna (Italy). To trace other possible relationships among ancient and recent recipes of alcoholic beverages, from both popular and 'classic' (learned) sources in N-C Italy and neighboring areas. The review of herbals and classical pharmacopoeias, and ethnobotanical field work in Alta Valle del Reno (Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, Italy) were followed of a systematic study of ingredients and medicinal uses with multivariate analysis techniques. The multivariate analysis clearly shows six different styles of preparing medicinal alcoholic beverages: 1. The medicinal wine formulae by Dioscorides (1st century CE). 2. The pharmacopoeias of Florence and Bologna in the 18th century CE. 3. The formularies of Santa Maria Novella and Castiglione (19th and early 20th centuries CE). 4. The ethnobotanical data from Appennino Tosco-Emiliano; home-made formulations based almost exclusively on the use of local resources. 5. Traditional recipes from NE Italy and Austria. 6. Traditional recipes from NW Italy, Emilia, and Provence (France). A total of 54 ingredients (29 fruits) from 48 species are used in different combinations and proportions in Alta Valle del Reno (Italy) to produce

The Development of Sensor Applications in the Sectors of Energy and Environment in Italy, 1976–2015

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Girolamo Di Francia

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Although sensor technologies have been developing quite similarly all over the world, the investigation of their applications has been more affected by the specific industrial and economic characteristics of each country. This paper aims to investigate the development of applications based on sensor devices in the sectors of energy and the environment, in Italy, throughout the last forty years (1976–2015, examining the most relevant papers published by Italian R & D groups working in this field. Italy depends on foreign imports for more than 80% of its primary energy needs, and this has directed the research effort on the development of sensor applications both to improve load shaping and consumers’ awareness and to develop specific equipment to maximize renewable energy production. Similarly, for the environment sector, there are increasing efforts to develop solutions to support a more and more capillary control of the environment itself using a cooperative approach. In both the sectors it seems that the solutions proposed can help to relieve the structural problems that Italy suffers and that the scientific and technical results obtained so far also have significant international relevance.

Immigration and the Housing Market: The Case of Castel Volturno, in Campania Region, Italy

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Fabiana Forte

2018-01-01

Full Text Available According to Eurostat, Italy is the fifth country of the European Union per immigrant population. The complexity of the phenomenon, as it has evolved in recent years, leads to analyzing it from a specific point of view, that of the real estate market. The article represents the early stage of research on the housing condition of the immigrant population in the Southern Italy and its effect on the housing market. First, we describe the spatial segregation phenomenon affecting the immigrant population in Campania Region; then we analyze data of the municipality of Castel Volturno, which has one of the greater migratory pressure throughout the whole region. We provide statistical regressions correlating housing prices and socio-economic features from 2006 to 2016. The results confirm the findings of the current literature on the subject: there is a specific phenomenon associated with the presence of an immigrant population residing in conjunction with a reduction of housing prices.

Landscape analysis for multi-hazard prevention in Orco and Soana valleys, North-Western Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Turconi, L.; Tropeano, D.; Savio, G.; De, S. Kumar; Mason, P. J.

2015-04-01

A Civil Protection Plan has been drafted for a 600 km2 mountainous region in NW Italy Consisting of Orco and Soana Valleys. It is a part of the oldest natural park in Italy and attracts several thousand tourists every year. The work is concerned with the analysis of relevant physiographic characteristics of this Alpine landscapehaving extremely variable geomorphology and possess a long history of instability. Thousands of records as well as digital maps (involving overlay and comparison of up to 90 GIS layers) have been analyzed and cross-correlated to find out the details of the events. The study area experienced different types of natural hazards, typical of the whole Alpine environment. Thus, the present area has been selected for such multi-hazard research in which several natural processes have been investigated, concerning their damaging effects over the land. Due to 36 different severe hazardous events at least 250 deaths have been recorded in the area since 18th Century, in the occasion of.

Estimates of the Number of People Living with HIV in Italy

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Laura Camoni

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To estimate the HIV prevalence and the number of people living with HIV (PLHIV in Italy with a projection for 2020. Methods. Two methods elaborated by Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS were used: Estimate and Projection Package and Spectrum. Results. A total of 123,000 (115,000–145,000 individuals aged 15 or more were estimated to be living with HIV in Italy at the end of 2012 and the estimated HIV prevalence was 0.28 (0.24–0.32 per 100 residents aged 15 or more. In 2012, the estimated number of new HIV infections among adults was 3,000 (2,700–4,000, and the number of adults in need for ART was 93,000 (80,000–110,000. The projection estimates that 130,000 (110,000–150,000 adults will live with HIV/AIDS in 2020 in Italy. Conclusion. Estimates of PLHIV in Italy stress the high number of PLHIV in need of care and treatment, as well as the need for more information and prevention campaigns.

Italy and War of Vlora during 1920

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Xhilda Shuka

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Italy played special attention to the province of Vlora during World War I, because of its great strategic importance in the Adriatic Sea. Italy had deployed in October 1914 in Sazan and had occupied Vlore since December 1914. But for the Albanian people, the liberation of Vlora was a key moment for its survival. It was the victorious War of Vlora in 1920, following the decisions of the Congress of Lushnja which reconfirmed Albania's independence and which put Albania in the course of a normal independent country. The important role of the war in direct confrontation with the Italian political and military forces of the time, are intended to be reflected in this article based on historical arguments and new perspective of our days.

Cool-Season Turfgrass Species and Cultivars: Response to Simulated Traffic in Central Italy

OpenAIRE

Carlo F. Cereti; Roberto Ruggeri; Francesco Rossini

2010-01-01

Turfgrass species differ greatly in their ability to withstand the abrasion and compaction of traffic. Wear tolerance of turfgrass species and cultivars has been evaluated abroad by many researchers, while only few and partial studies have been conducted in Italy. Field experiment was carried out in Viterbo in 2001, 2002 and 2003 to evaluate the effect of the simulated traffic on 110 varieties belonging to four turfgrass cool-season species: tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), fine fes...

Selected Abstracts of the 9th International Workshop on Neonatology; Cagliari (Italy; October 23-26, 2013

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

--- Various Authors

2013-06-01

infants using the Cylex™ ImmuKnow® assay • G. Aquilano, M.G. Capretti, M. De Angelis, C. Marsico, A. Orlandi, L. Gabrielli, T. Lazzarotto, G. Piccirilli, L. Corvaglia, G. Faldella; Bologna (Italy ABS 71. The effect of serum IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and erythrocyte transfusions on development of mild retinopathy of prematurity • D. Bozkaya, E. Ergenekon, A. Yucel, S. Ozdek, O. Turan, C. Turkyilmaz, E. Onal, E. Koc, Y. Atalay; Ankara (Turkey ABS 72. Is it possible to save Central Venous Catheter (CVC in critically ill newborns with invasive fungal infection? • I. Bersani, M. Corsello, F. Piersigilli, I. Savarese, M.P. Ronchetti, C. Auriti, B. Goffredo, T. Corsetti, P. Fazi, A. Dotta; Rome (Italy ABS 73. Antonio Cao, an unforgettable Master • M.G. Gregorio, L. Cataldi; Cagliari and Rome (Italy ABS 74. Long term effects of adenosine (Ad and hypotermia (HT on the kidneys of asphyxiated neonatal rats • E. Puxeddu, D. Fanni, C. Gerosa, V. Bronshtein, C. Cai, M. Bronshtein, G. Valencia, K.D. Beharry, G. Faa, V. Fanos, J.V. Aranda; New York (USA and Cagliari (Italy ABS 75. Nutrimetabonomics in pediatric research • S. Rezzi, F-P. Martin, S. Moco; Lausanne (Switzerland ABS 76. Postpartum depression and puerperal psychosis in the ancient world • M. Corridori; Quartu Sant’Elena (Italy ABS 77. Effects of intraperitoneal melatonin injection on autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum (ER stress in a preterm rat model of LPS-induced leukoencephalopathy • S. Carloni, W. Balduini, E. Saliba, G. Favrais, M. Longini, F. Proietti, G. Buonocore; Tours (France, Urbino and Siena (Italy

SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF ITALY: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COOPERATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

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Yu. Agapov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The economic crisis in Italy after 2008 fully revealed the complexity of the socio-economic model of the country, which in our time is formed not only at national level but also at European and global levels. All these factors should also be taken into account in the analysis of Russian-Italian relations. Italy has traditionally been considered one of the main partners / allies of Russia in Europe / the West, which emphasizes the active economic ties.Socio-economic diffi culties in Italy, creating both challenges and opportunities for the world, Europe and Russia. One of the major challenges for the global economy is the impact of the crisis in Italy for the EU, as one of the world's economic centers.The challenge for the EU crisis in Italy can be the stability of the EU, the challenge for Russia could be the eff ect of reducing the role of the traditional economic and political partner of the EU. Regarding the new features are: the global level – the transformation of one of the major economies of the West and building relationships with updated economic leader of the Mediterranean on a new basis, the regional level - the further development of one of the other German centre’s of the EU, which could serve as a new "stimulus" for the further integration of the Union , national - improve the socio-economic standards of living of citizens in Italy, as well as creating additional opportunities for the development of mutually benefi cial cooperation with other countries, particularly with Russia. The article discusses the causes of the Italian crisis and the challenges and opportunities that are opened at the same time for the world, the EU and Russia. Subject articles relevant due to the perception of the impact of the crisis in Italy for the world economy, the economy of the EU and Russia.The goal / task. The main purpose of the presentation material in this article is to analyze the causes of the crisis in Italy using a three-level model of

Small is beautiful: diversity of freshwater ostracods (Crustacea, Ostracoda in marginal habitats of the province of Parma (Northern Italy

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Stefano TAVERNELLI

2006-08-01

Full Text Available A study on the distribution of ostracods in small freshwater habitats of the province of Parma was conducted from May 2004 to December 2005. Vernal pools, ponds, shallow lakes, fountains, springs, ditches, canals, and streams were among the most common types of aquatic systems included in this survey. Altogether, 90 sites located between 24 and 1557 m a.s.l. were visited, and 125 samples were collected. 41 samples did not contain ostracods, and 7 samples were not considered because only immature specimens or empty valves were found. Consequently, 77 samples from 58 sites were analysed. Whenever possible, ostracod identification was done at the species level based on the morphology of both valves and limbs. Thirty-eight taxa from 20 genera belonging to the families Candonidae, Ilyocyprididae, Cyprididae, and Notodromadidae were recorded. This roughly accounts for one-third of the estimated number of non-marine ostracod species in Italy. Scanning electron microscopy images of valves are provided. The maximum number of species per site was six. The most frequent species were Heterocypris incongruens, Eucypris virens, Pseudocandona pratensis, Cypria ophthalmica, and Tonnacypris lutaria. Of particular relevance is the occurrence of species with a limited known distribution in Italy, viz. Ilyocypris monstrifica, Potamocypris villosa, Candona cf. lindneri, Fabaeformiscandona breuili and Physocypria kraepelini. A putative new species of the genus Candona, here left in open nomenclature, is also reported. Our results highlight the importance of so-called "marginal" aquatic habitats as potential biodiversity hotspots, in spite of the general lack of interest shown by freshwater ecologists and taxonomists in undertaking scientific investigations in these environments.

Selected Abstracts of the 10th International Workshop on Neonatology; Cagliari (Italy; October 22-25, 2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

--- Various Authors

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Selected Abstracts of the 10th International Workshop on Neonatology • THE LAST TEN YEARS, THE NEXT TEN YEARS IN NEONATOLOGY • Cagliari (Italy • October 22nd-25th 2014The Workshop has been organized on behalf of Union of European Neonatal and Perinatal Societies, Union of Mediterranean Neonatal Societies, Italian Society of Neonatology, UNICEF, and under the High Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic. ABS 1. Utilizing maternal factors to predict acute kidney injury in very low birth weight infants • A.R. Denotti, C.H. Springsteen, M.R. Conaway, M.W. Harer, J.R. Charlton; Charlottesville (VI, USA and Cagliari (Italy ABS 2. Effects of Cesarean section and infant feeding on later obesity risk • E. Verduci, B. Mariani, C. Lassandro, A. Re Dionigi, G. Banderali; Milan (Italy ABS 3. A proposal for multicenter study on family-centered care in NICU, parents’ satisfaction and experience • I. Dall’Oglio, A. Portanova, M. Fiori, A. Dotta, O. Gawronski, R. Fida , C. Offidani, G. Rocco, E. Tiozzo, J.M. Latour; Rome (Italy and Plymouth (UK ABS 4. Dorsal penile glans epidermoid cyst: a case report in a child • P. Atzori, A. Pane, S. Avanzini, F. Caddeo, G. Chabert, A. De Lisa, L. Mascia; Cagliari (Italy ABS 5. A numerical prediction of the italian scholastic population in 2020 • I. Farnetani, F. Farnetani; Milan, Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy ABS 6. Respiratory tract infections (RTI in pediatric population • L. Marseglia, G. D’Angelo, S. Manti, C. Salpietro, T. Arrigo, I Barberi; Messina (Italy ABS 7. Fetal-neonatal H1NMR nutrimetabolomics in the first week of life • C. Pravettoni, A. Dessì, F. Cesare Marincola, M.G. Pattumelli, R. Carboni, S. Corbu, C. Ossicini, S. Ciccarelli, V. Fanos, R. Agostino; Cagliari and Rome (Italy ABS 8. Variability in langerhans islets number at birth: marker of susceptibility to develop diabetes later in life? • G. Locci, A. Pinna, S. Nemolato, A. Dessì, V. Fanos, R. Ambu; Cagliari

Radioactivity in wild-growing mushrooms of the Calabria region, south of Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Caridi, F.; Belmusto, G.

2017-01-01

Wild-growing mushrooms are a complementary foodstuff, widely consumed as a delicacy, in Italy. They are considered excellent bioindicators of environmental pollution and the accumulation of radionuclides can pose a radiological hazard. 137Cs and 40K activity concentrations were measured through HPGe gamma-spectrometry in different mushroom species (Agaricus arvensis, Leccinum quercinum, Boletus aereus, Lactarius deliciosus, Boletus edulis, Macrolepiota konradii, Cantharellus lutescens) collected from four different sampling sites in the Calabria region, south of Italy. Experimental values were found to be in the range from (0.3 ± 0.1) Bq/kg f.m. (fresh mass) to (73.1 ± 4.6) Bq/kg f.m. for 137Cs and from (46.9 ± 10.7) Bq/kg f.m. to (161.3 ± 12.9) Bq/kg f.m. for 40K, respectively. All values were much lower than the specific activity limit set by the international legislation at 600 Bq/kg f.m. for 137Cs and at 1,258 Bq/kg f.m. for 40K, respectively. Experimental activity concentrations allowed us to determine the effective dose due to the ingestion of mushrooms by adult members of the population. It was found in the range from 0.25 to 1.35 μSv/y, much lower than the recommended level for the public (1 mSv/y). Data obtained in this article provide useful information on the environmental risk and can be further used for a radiological mapping of the studied area.

HGIS AND ARCHIVE RESEARCHES: A TOOL FOR THE STUDY OF THE ANCIENT MILL CHANNEL OF CESENA (ITALY

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G. Bitelli

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The present study aims to demonstrate the usefulness of GIS to support archive searches and historical studies (e.g. related to industrial archaeology, in the case of an ancient channel for mill powering near Cesena (Emilia-Romagna, Italy, whose history is weaved together with the history of the Compagnia dei Molini di Cesena mill company, the most ancient limited company in Italy. Several historical maps (about 40 sheets in total inherent the studied area and 80 archive documents (drawings, photos, specifications, administrative acts, newspaper articles, over a period of more than 600 years, were collected. Once digitized, historical maps were analysed, georeferenced and mosaicked where necessary. Subsequently, in all the maps the channel with its four mills and the Savio river were vectorized. All the additional archive documents were digitized, catalogued and stored. Using the QGIS open source platform, a Historical GIS was created, encompassing the current cartographic base and all historical maps, with their vectorized elements; each archive document was linked to the proper historical map, so that the document can be immediately retrieved and visualized. In such a HGIS, the maps form the base for a spatial and temporal navigation, facilitated by a specific interface; the external documents linked to them complete the description of the represented elements. This simple and interactive tool offers a new approach to archive searches, as it allows reconstruction in space and time of the evolution of the ancient channel and the history of this important mill company.

European network on the determination of site end points for radiologically contaminated land

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Booth, Peter; Lennon, Chris

2007-01-01

Nexia Solutions are currently running a small European network entitled 'European Network on the Determination of Site End Points for Radiologically Contaminated Land (ENDSEP)'. Other network members include NRG (Netherlands), UKAEA (UK), CEA (France), SOGIN (Italy), Wismut (Germany), Saxon State Agency of Environment and Geology (Germany). The network is focused on the technical and socio-economical issues associated with the determination of end points for sites potentially, or actually, impacted by radiological contamination. Such issues will cover: - Those associated with the run up to establishing a site end point; - Those associated with verifying that the end points have been met; and Those associated with post closure. The network's current high level objectives can be summarized as follows: Share experience and best practice in the key issues running up to determining site end points; Gain a better understanding of the potential effects of recent and forthcoming EU legislation; Assess consistency between approaches; Highlight potential gaps within the remit of site end point determination and management; and - Consider the formulation of research projects with a view to sharing time and expense. The programme of work revolves around the following key tasks: - Share information, experience and existing good practice. - Look to determine sustainable approaches to contaminated land site end point management. - Through site visits, gain first hand experience of determining an appropriate end point strategy, and identifying and resolving end point issues. Highlight the key data gaps and consider the development of programmes to either close out these gaps or to build confidence in the approaches taken. Production of position papers on each technical are a highlighting how different countries approach/resolve a specific problem. (authors)

Like a pig out of water: seaborne spread of domestic pigs in Southern Italy and Sardinia during the Bronze and Iron Ages.

Science.gov (United States)

Lega, C; Fulgione, D; Genovese, A; Rook, L; Masseti, M; Meiri, M; Cinzia Marra, A; Carotenuto, F; Raia, P

2017-02-01

Southern Italy has a long history of human occupation and passage of different cultures since the Early Holocene. Repeated, ancient introductions of pigs in several geographic areas in Europe make it difficult to understand pig translocation and domestication in Italy. The archeozoological record may provide fundamental information on this, hence shedding light on peopling and on trading among different ancient cultures in the Mediterranean. Yet, because of the scanty nature of the fossil record, ancient remains from human-associated animals are somewhat rare. Fortunately, ancient DNA analysis as applied to domestic species proved to be a powerful tool in revealing human migrations. Herein, we analyzed 80-bp fragment of mitochondrial DNA control region from 27 Sus scrofa ancient samples retrieved from Southern Italian and Sardinian archeological sites, spanning in age from the Mesolithic to the Roman period. Our results surprisingly indicate the presence of the Near Eastern haplotype Y1 on both Italy's major islands (Sardinia and Sicily) during the Bronze Age, suggesting the seaborne transportation of domestic pigs by humans at least during 1600-1300 BC. The presence of the Italian E2 clade in domestic contexts shows that the indigenous wild boar was effectively domesticated or incorporated into domestic stocks in Southern Italy during the Bronze Age, although the E2 haplotype has never been found in modern domestic breeds. Pigs belonging to the endemic E2 clade were thus traded between the Peninsula and Sardinia by the end of the second millennium BC and this genetic signature is still detected in Sardinian feral pigs.

ESR dating of an ancient goat tooth from Nuoro, Sardinia, Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baffa, O.; Kinoshita, A.; Figueiredo, A. M. G.; Brunetti, A.; Ginesu, S.

2006-01-01

The dating of fossil teeth of an ancient goat (Nesogoral melonii) using the electron spin resonance (ESR) technique is reported. This animal was found in the fossiliferous site at Orosei (Nuoro, Sardinia, Italy) and was endemic in the region. Molar teeth were cleaned and enamel was completely removed from dentine. Enamel was irradiated with a 60 Co gamma source and measured with an ESR spectrometer (X-band) to obtain the signal vs. dose curve and fitted with an exponential function. The archaeological dose obtained by the fitting was 211 ± 34 Gy. Uranium and thorium concentrations were determined by neutron activation analysis. With the software ROSY the age estimates were 195 ± 30 ky for early uptake, 247 ± 40 ky for linear uptake and 243 ± 40 ky for a combination of uptake processes. (authors)

Location of a new ice core site at Talos Dome (East Antarctica

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I. Tabacco

2006-06-01

Full Text Available In the frame of glaciology and palaeoclimate research, Talos Dome (72°48lS; 159°06lE, an ice dome on the East Antarctic plateau, represents the new selected site for a new deep ice core drilling. The increasing interest in this region is due to the fact that the ice accumulation is higher here than in other domes in East Antarctica. A new deep drilling in this site could give important information about the climate changes near the coast. Previous papers showed that the dome summit is situated above a sloped bedrock. A new position on a relatively flat bedrock 5-6 km far from here in the SE direction was defined as a possible new ice core site for an European (Italy, France, Swiss and United Kingdom drilling project named as TALDICE (TALos Dome Ice Core Project. This point, named as ID1 (159°11l00mE; 72°49l40mS, became the centre of the Radio Echo Sounding (RES flight plan during the 2003 Italian Antarctic expedition, with the aim of confirming the new drilling site choice. In this paper 2001 and 2003 RES data sets have been used to draw a better resolution of ice thickness, bottom morphology and internal layering of a restricted area around the dome. Based on the final results, point ID1 has been confirmed as the new coring site. Finally, the preliminary operations about the installation of the summer ice core camp (TALDICE at ID1 site carried out during the XX Italian Antarctic expedition (November 2004-December 2005 are briefly described.

[Dietary habits and cancer: the experience of EPIC-Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Sieri, Sabina; Agnoli, Claudia; Pala, Valeria; Mattiello, Amalia; Panico, Salvatore; Masala, Giovanna; Assedi, Melania; Tumino, Rosario; Frasca, Graziella; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Vineis, Paolo; Krogh, Vittorio

2015-01-01

to investigate hypothesised relationships between diet and cancer by assessing diet as a whole, in the Italian cohort EPIC. multicentric prospective study. 47,749 volunteers were recruited between 1993 and 1998 in the centres of Varese and Turin (Northern Italy), Florence (Central Italy), Naples and Ragusa (Southern Italy). Information on diet and lifestyle were collected through validated questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were taken and biological samples collected using standardised protocols. follow-up was carried out by accessing regional cancer and mortality registries, hospital discharge records, and by telephone inquiries (only for Naples). After a median follow-up of 11 years, 879 incident cases of breast cancer, 421 cases of colorectal cancer, and 152 deaths were identified. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to estimate risks in relation to dietary characteristics. the "Olive oil & Salad" dietary pattern, characterised by high consumption of raw vegetables and olive oil, was associated with a lower risk of overall mortality in the elderly. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables and fruit was associated with reduced risk of colon cancer. Consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates was associated with higher incidence of breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Reduced risk of colon cancer was also found in regular consumers of yoghurt. the accuracy and comprehensiveness of EPIC-Italy data made it possible to investigate both individual dietary components and dietary habits as a whole, to thereby provide Italians with dietary and lifestyle advice that will help them to remain healthy.

An Overview of Italy's Energy Mix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cammi, Corrado; Assanelli, Mattia

2012-01-01

In Italy, the issue of energy supply is always of great interest because this country depends on foreign imports for 83% of its primary energy needs. This is due to the limited availability of domestic mineral resources, combined with a strong dependence of the electricity production on fossil fuels. The present situation should be viewed in the light of the decision to freeze the nuclear program following the referendum of 1987. Italy's energy strategy subsequently turned back to the thermoelectric sector, which was updated, during the latter part of the 1990's, with several modern and efficient plants, mainly based on a combined cycle structure and fed by natural gas. In addition, the Italian government has started to fund renewables, in compliance with the European regulations, and these forms of energy have experienced a significant increase, especially in recent years. The current energy-mix makes the Italian economy more exposed to the global geopolitical instabilities of the oil- and gas-producing countries, compared to northern European countries. Moreover, with the shift of economic activities towards the service sector, the demand of electric energy is increasing and its costs, weighted also by renewable incentives, are becoming more and more significant for Italian users and the economy in general. These issues, coupled with the constraints set by the European 20-20-20 plan, in particular in terms of polluting gas emissions and energy savings, led the Berlusconi government (2008-2011) to resort to a new nuclear program. This relied on the construction of 4 EPR power plants (at least) in order to cover 25% of Italy's entire electricity needs. But the program was stopped by another referendum in June 2011, whose result was strongly influenced by the Fukushima tragedy. However, a new national energy strategy has not yet been defined. This paper analyses the present energy mix, with particular attention to the electricity production system, in order to

77 FR 42697 - Stainless Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Italy, Malaysia, and the Philippines: Continuation...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-20

...] Stainless Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Italy, Malaysia, and the Philippines: Continuation of... from Italy, Malaysia, and the Philippines.\\2\\ \\1\\ See Antidumping Duty Orders: Stainless Steel Butt...), titled Stainless Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Italy, Malaysia, and the Philippines (Investigation...

Nevada Natonal Security Site-Directed Research and Development FY 2010 Annual Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bender, Howard

2011-01-01

This annual report of the Site-Directed Research and Development (SDRD) program represents the highly significant R and D accomplishments conducted during fiscal year 2010. This year was noteworthy historically, as the Nevada Test Site was renamed to the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). This change not only recognizes how the site's mission has evolved, but also heralds a future of new challenges and opportunities for the NNSS. In many ways, since its inception in 2002, the SDRD program has helped shape that evolving mission. As we approach 2012, SDRD will also mark a milestone, having completed its first full decade of innovative R and D in support of the site and national security. The program continues to fund advanced science and technology development across traditional Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear security areas such as stockpile stewardship and non-proliferation while also supporting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) needs, and specialized work for government agencies like the Department of Defense (DoD) and others. The NNSS will also contribute technologies in the areas of treaty verification and monitoring, two areas of increasing importance to national security. Keyed to the NNSS's broadened scope, the SDRD program will continue to anticipate and advance R and D projects that will help the NNSS meet forthcoming challenges.

Life cycle assessment. Specific indicators for Italy in impact evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masoni, P.

1999-01-01

After a brief recall and a short description of the LCA (life cycle assessment) methodology, the work is focused on the impact assessment step, discussing the state of the art and a critical identification of environmental indicators, of normalization and weighting principles for the different environmental categories specific for Italy. The application methodology to a case study concerning the production of butter by the Consorzio Granterre of Modena (Italy) is also described [it

Landscapes of Central Italy through Science, Poetry and Music. A perspective for educating to the planet sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Nesci, Olivia; Valentini, Laura

2016-04-01

Born from a desire to promote the Italian landscape by integrating its physical aesthetic with its cultural and artistic heritage, we develop a story about the landscape told in popular science, and supported by visual stimulations, poetry and ancient music. Our work proceeds through two different routes. The first route analyzes the landscape from the scientific point of view trying to understand how it evolves and responds in response to changes in independent variables. The second path examines the landscape from a perspective more closely related to the visual and emotional impact that a place evokes, its history, its cultural significance, and perception of its fragility. The latter is perhaps a more complex path, more intimate, which develop fully only through the intersection of different forms of language, linked to specific arts. Three different disciplines focused on the same site, the combination of which results in an emotional experience where the encounter between different languages becomes an expression of the place. Among the many amazing landscapes of Italy, we focus on three known sites from the hystorical region of Montefeltro, in central Italy: "The flatiron of Petrano Mount", "The Stones of Montefeltro", "The sea-cliff of San Bartolo". Since a few years we have created a team of five researchers-artists, called "TerreRare" (Rare Earth Elements), whose mission is the desire to promote the gorgeous Italian landscape. Olivia Nesci, geomorphologist, begins this story analyzing the processes and the "forces" that have created and modified the landscape over time. Laura Valentini, a geologist and a musician, through the musical language, try to reproduce the emotional impact of the site, by searching for a piece of ancient music, composed for harpsichord. The choice of the musical instrument and the historical period is not accidental: the harpsichord has a punchy and gritty tone that clearly expresses the "strength" of the landscape; early music

Attitudes of palliative home care physicians towards palliative sedation at home in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercadante, Sebastiano; Masedu, Francesco; Mercadante, Alessandro; Marinangeli, Franco; Aielli, Federica

2017-05-01

Information about the attitudes towards palliative sedation (PS) at home is limited. The aim of this survey was to assess the attitudes of palliative care physicians in Italy regarding PS at home. A questionnaire was submitted to a sample of palliative care physicians, asking information about their activity and attitudes towards PS at home. This is a survey of home care physicians in Italy who were involved in end-of-life care decisions at home. One hundred and fifty participants responded. A large heterogeneity of home care organizations that generate some problems was found. Indications, intention and monitoring of PS seem to be appropriate, although some cultural and logistic conditions were limiting the use of PS. Specialized home care physicians are almost involved to start PS at home. Midazolam was seldom available at home and opioids were more frequently used. These data should prompt health care agencies to make a minimal set of drugs easily available for home care. Further research is necessary to compare attitudes in countries with different sociocultural profiles.

Comparing Digital Protest Media Imaginaries: Anti-Austerity Movements in Greece, Italy & Spain

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Emiliano Treré

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This article presents findings from an empirical study of repertoires of contention and communication engaged during anti-austerity protests by the Indignados in Spain, the precarious generation in Italy, and the Aganaktismenoi in Greece. Drawing on 60 semi­structured interviews with activists and independent media producers involved in the 2011 wave of contention, we bring together social movement and communications theoretical frameworks to present a comparative critical analysis of digital protest media imaginaries. After examining the different socio-political and protest media contexts of the three countries translocally, our critical analysis emphasizes the emergence of three different imaginaries: in Spain the digital protest media imaginary was technopolitical, grounded in the politics and political economies of communication technologies emerging from the free culture movement; in Italy this imaginary was techno-fragmented, lacking cohesion, and failed to bring together old and new protest media logics; and finally in Greece it was techno-pragmatic, envisioned according to practical objectives that reflected the diverse politics and desires of media makers rather than the strictly technological or political affordances of the digital media forms and platforms. This research reveals how pivotal the temporal and geographical dimensions are when analyzed using theoretical perspectives from both communications and social movement research; moreover it emphasizes the importance of studying translocal digital protest media imaginaries as they shape movement repertoires of contention and communication; both elements are crucial to better understanding the challenges, limitations, successes and opportunities for digital protest media.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF IMMIGRATION IN ITALY

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Elena J. Tsareva

2014-01-01

Full Text Available During the last decade, migration flows have greatly affected the Italian economy and demography. The trend is growing, not only because of the ideal geographic position for transit, but also due to the Italian economic structure, and business interest: Cheap labour is greatly in demand among employers. The increasing number of migrants has created a certain imbalance in different spheres of life and society. The middle-aged population in Italy is ever growing, thus migrants play an important role in filling the workforce depletion as well as flooding the labor market. The effects of migration cannot be viewed as either positive or negative. In the recent decade, Italy has been pursuing a tight budgetary policy regarding its obligations under the Economic and Monetary Union. At the same time, the government realizes the necessity of radical restructuring of the national market, both taking measures to encourage entry of fully qualified migrants and by restricting illigal or low-skilled immigrants. The state faces a number of problems, such as job placement and assimilation of migrants into society. Some of the objectives are to provide them with the employment, cultivate European values and teach them Italian. While migrants are relevant, the shadow sector of the economy - sheltering iltygals - is growing. The economy and the budget suffer, and the external debt is growing. The article presents the data on the demographic situation in Italy. It analyzes the correlation between the migrants and the indigenous people in the labor market. Special attention is focused on socioeconomic consequences of immigration in Italy. International experience in general and Italian in particular are highly important to improving the migration policy, developing systems of internal and external control of the migration processes, illegal migration control, and a quota system; the government even takes note of fertility among migrants. A comprehensive analysis of

77 FR 45582 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Preliminary Results of the 15th (2010) Countervailing Duty...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-01

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-475-819] Certain Pasta From Italy... order on certain pasta from Italy for the period January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010. We... duty order on certain pasta (``pasta'' or ``subject merchandise'') from Italy. See Notice of...

Grooved stone tools from Calabria region (Italy: Archaeological evidence and research perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felice Larocca

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Since the end of the 19th century the Calabria region in southern Italy has been known for an abundance of grooved stone axes and hammers used during late prehistory. These artefacts are characterized by a wide and often pronounced groove in the middle of the implement, thought to have aided securing the head to a wooden haft. Their widespread presence is known both in prehistoric archaeological literature and in the archaeological collections of various regional and extra-regional museums. At first, scholars did not relate these tools to the rich Calabrian ore deposits and to possible ancient mining activities; they were regarded simply as a variant of ground lithic industry of Neolithic tradition. However, between 1997 and 2012, about 50 tools were discovered in the prehistoric mine of Grotta della Monaca in northern Calabria where there are outcrops of copper and iron ore. This allowed us to recognize their specific mining value and to consider them as a sort of “guide fossil” for the identification of ancient mining districts. This paper presents the results of a study involving over 150 tools from the entire region, effectively demonstrating an almost perfect co-occurrence of grooved axes and hammers with areas rich in mineral resources, especially metalliferous ores.

A WEBGIS FOR THE KNOWLEDGE AND CONSERVATION OF THE HISTORICAL BUILDINGS IN SARDINIA (ITALY

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G. Vacca

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The presented work is part of the research project, titled "Tecniche murarie tradizionali: conoscenza per la conservazione ed il miglioramento prestazionale" (Traditional building techniques: from knowledge to conservation and performance improvement. This research project has the purpose of studying the building techniques of the 13th–18th centuries in the Sardinia Region (Italy for their knowledge, conservation, and promotion. The end purpose of the entire study is to improve the performance of the examined structures. In particular, the task of the authors within the research project was to build a WebGIS to manage the data collected during the examination and study phases. This infrastructure was entirely built using Open Source software. The work consisted of designing a database built in PostgreSQL and its spatial extension PostGIS, which allows storing and managing feature geometries and spatial data. The data input is performed via a form built in HTML and PHP. The HTML part is based on Bootstrap, an open tools library for websites and web applications. The implementation of this template used both PHP and Javascript code. The PHP code manages the reading and writing of data to the database, using embedded SQL queries. The database is published on the Internet as a WebGIS built using the Leaflet Javascript open libraries, which allows creating map sites with background maps and navigation, input and query tools. This too uses an interaction of HTML, Javascript, PHP and SQL code. The Database can be accessed in QGIS via a PostgreSQL connection. As of today, we surveyed and archived more than 300 buildings, belonging to three main macro categories: fortification architectures, religious architectures, residential architectures.

Large Industrial Point Sources in Italy: a focus on mercury concentrations resulting from three seasonal ship-borne measurements

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Bencardino M.

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In Italy there are 25 Large Industrial Point Sources whose mercury emissions in air exceed the established threshold of 10 kg year−1. Many of these mercury point sources, mostly distributed along the Italian coastal area, are located at sites qualified as National Interest Rehabilitation Sites because of documented contamination in qualitative and/or quantitative terms and of potential health impact. Atmospheric mercury emissions related to Italian Large Industrial Point Sources, with a value of 1.04 Mg·yr−1 for 2007, have a not negligible contribution, accounting, on their own, for more than 10% of the total mercury emissions resulting from all activity sectors at a national level. Among others, thermal power stations, pig iron and steel as well as basic inorganic chemical production, result to be the main contributing industrial activities. In order to assess how mercury species concentrations and distribution in the Marine Boundary Layer (MBL change with vicinity to large industrial sites, measurements of atmospheric mercury were performed during three oceanographic campaigns aboard the Research Vessel (R.V. Urania of the Italian CNR. Collection of GEM, GOM and PBM was conducted across the Adriatic sea, during autumn 2004 (27th of October to 12th of November and summer 2005 (17th to 29th of June, and across the Tyrrhenian sea during autumn 2007 (12th of September to 1st October. Analysis were carried out with reference to the period in which the R.V. Urania has stopped close to the main Italian industrial contaminated sites. Explorative statistical parameters of atmospheric mercury species were computed over each single stop-period and then compared with the overall cruise campaign measurements. Results are herein presented and discussed.

Chernobyl accident. The radioactive contamination in the area of Lake Como and in other Northern Italy sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Capra, D.; Facchini, U.; Gianelle, V.; Ravasini, G.; Ravera, O.; Pizzala, A.; Bacci, P.

The radioactive cloud released during the Chernobyl accident reached the Po Plain and Lombardy in the night of April 30, 1986; the cloud remained in the Northern Italian skies for a few days and then disappeared either dispersed by winds or washed by rains. The evidence in the atmosphere of radionuclides as tellurium, iodine, cesium was promply observed by the Istituto di Fisica. The intense rain, in the first week of May, washed the radioactivity and the fallout contaminated the land, soil, grass and vegetables. The present work concerns the overall contamination of the Northern Italy territory and in particular the radioactive fallout in the Alpine region. Samples of soil have been measured at the gamma-spectroscope; a linear correlation is found between the radionuclide concentration in soil samples and the rain intensity, when appropriate deposition models are considered. A number of measurements has been done on Lake Como ecosystem: sediments, plankton, fishes and the overall fallout in the lake area have been investigated.

Proceedings of the Course on Algorithms and Data Structures for Geometric Computations Held at CISM (Centre International des Sciences Mecaniques) in Udine (Italy) on 8-12 July 1985,

Science.gov (United States)

1985-07-26

Mantica, 3 33100 Udine Italy GAMBOSI Giorgio, Researcher Istituto di Analisi dei Sistemi ed Informatica - CNR Viale A. Manzoni, 30 00185 Roma Italy...cx-cy-plane. the subspace of the location parameters, admoving the cone with vertex at q along L intervals on a long line clustering along the...columns have a semantic meaning besides technical properties such as clustering , avoiding composite keys, and improving performance: They may be used

Work site health promotion research: to what extent can we generalize the results and what is needed to translate research to practice?

Science.gov (United States)

Bull, Sheana Salyers; Gillette, Cynthia; Glasgow, Russell E; Estabrooks, Paul

2003-10-01

Information on external validity of work site health promotion research is essential to translate research findings to practice. The authors provide a literature review of work site health behavior interventions. Using the RE-AIM framework, they summarize characteristics and results of these studies to document reporting of intervention reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. The authors reviewed a total of 24 publications from 11 leading health behavior journals. They found that participation rates among eligible employees were reported in 87.5% of studies; only 25% of studies reported on intervention adoption. Data on characteristics of participants versus nonparticipants were reported in fewer than 10% of studies. Implementation data were reported in 12.5% of the studies. Only 8% of studies reported any type of maintenance data. Stronger emphasis is needed on representativeness of employees, work site settings studied, and longer term results. Examples of how this can be done are provided.

Is marriage loosing its centrality in Italy?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Unlike the countries of north-western Europe, marriage in Italy has maintained a crucial role in the process of family formation. This raise doubts about the possibility that the theory of "second demographic transition" could adequately account for the behaviour of the European population living south of the Alps. The aim of this paper is twofold: to provide some empirical evidence that cohabitation is now spreading in Italy; and to propose an explanation of the delay of its diffusion until the 1990s. The hypothesis proposed here explains the delay, not so much in terms of limited interest of the Italian youth towards this type of union, but with the convenience of the children in the Mediterranean area to avoid choices which are openly clashing with the values of parents.

A systematic review of the quality of studies on dementia prevalence in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianluca Bruti

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD, is one of the most burdensome medical conditions. In order to better understand the epidemiology of dementia in Italy, we conducted a systematic search of studies published between 1980 and April 2014 investigating the prevalence of dementia and AD in Italy and then evaluated the quality of the selected studies. Methods A systematic search was performed using PubMed/Medline and Embase to identify Italian population-based studies on the prevalence of dementia among people aged ≥60 years. The quality of the studies was scored according to Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI criteria. Results Sixteen articles on the prevalence of dementia and AD in Italy were eligible and 75 % of them were published before the year 2000. Only one study was a national survey, whereas most of the studies were locally based (Northern Italy and Tuscany. Overall, the 16 studies were attributed a mean ADI quality score of 7.6 (median 7.75. Conclusions Available studies on the prevalence of dementia and AD in Italy are generally old, of weak quality, and do not include all regions of Italy. The important limitations of the few eligible studies included in our analysis, mostly related to their heterogeneous design, make our systematic review difficult to interpret from an epidemiologic point of view. Full implementation of a Dementia National Plan is highly needed to better understand the epidemiology of the disease and monitor dementia patients.

Cowpox Virus in Llama, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Brozzi, Alberto; Eleni, Claudia; Polici, Nicola; D’Alterio, Gianlorenzo; Carletti, Fabrizio; Scicluna, Maria Teresa; Castilletti, Concetta; Capobianchi, Maria R.; Di Caro, Antonino; Autorino, Gian Luca; Amaddeo, Demetrio

2011-01-01

Cowpox virus (CPXV) was isolated from skin lesions of a llama on a farm in Italy. Transmission electron microscopy showed brick-shaped particles consistent with orthopoxviruses. CPXV-antibodies were detected in llama and human serum samples; a CPXV isolate had a hemagglutinin sequence identical to CPXV-MonKre08/1–2-3 strains isolated from banded mongooses in Germany. PMID:21801638

Nuclear Renaissance in Italy: Maintaining Momentum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iaccarino, F.

2010-01-01

Following the adoption of Law No.99 of July 209, Italy is on threshold of returning to nuclear power, even though there are many more challenges yet to overcome. It should be recalled that Law No. 99/2009 includes enabling provisions empowering the government to issue one or more implementing decrees providing rules for the sitting of new nuclear power plants, the licensing process for the construction, operation and dismantling of those plants, as well as rules for interim storage and the final disposal of nuclear waste. On 15 February 2010, upon the proposal of the Ministry of economic development, the Italian council of ministers issued legislative decree No. 31/2010 implementing the enabling provisions. This paper will analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the implementing decree in order to assess if it is able to provide Italy with a sound national nuclear legislative framework which is an essential precondition to the Italian nuclear resurgence. (N.C.)

FY94 site characterization and multilevel well installation at a west Bear Creek Valley research site on the Oak Ridge Reservation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moline, G.R.; Schreiber, M.E.

1996-03-01

The goals of this project are to collect data that will assist in determining what constitutes a representative groundwater sample in fractured shale typical of much of the geology underlying the ORR waste disposal sites, and to determine how monitoring-well construction and sampling methods impact the representativeness of the sample. This report details the FY94 field activities at a research site in west Bear Creek Valley on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). These activities funded by the Energy Systems Groundwater Program Office through the Oak Ridge Reservation Hydrologic and Geologic Studies (ORRHAGS) task, focus on developing appropriate sampling protocols for the type of fractured media that underlies many of the ORR waste disposal sites. Currently accepted protocols were developed for porous media and are likely to result in nonrepresentative samples in fractured systems

77 FR 53909 - Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey; Institution of Five-year Reviews Concerning the...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-04

...)] Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey; Institution of Five-year Reviews Concerning the Countervailing and Antidumping Duty Orders on Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey AGENCY: United States International Trade... revocation of the countervailing and antidumping duty orders on certain pasta from Italy and Turkey would be...

77 FR 7129 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Final Results of the 2009 Countervailing Duty Administrative Review

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-10

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-475-819] Certain Pasta From Italy... review of the countervailing duty order on certain pasta from Italy for the period January 1, 2009... preliminary results of this review. See Certain Pasta From Italy: Preliminary Results of the 14th (2009...

78 FR 49256 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Preliminary Results of the Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2011

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-13

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-475-819] Certain Pasta From Italy...'') is conducting an administrative review of the countervailing duty order on certain pasta from Italy... The scope of the order consists of certain pasta from Italy. The merchandise subject to the order is...

75 FR 56992 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Initiation of Changed Circumstances Review and Consideration...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-17

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-475-819] Certain Pasta From Italy..., in part, the countervailing duty order on certain pasta from Italy with respect to gluten-free pasta... published in the Federal Register the countervailing duty order on pasta from Italy. See Notice of...

78 FR 57129 - Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey: Continuation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-17

...-806] Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey: Continuation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders... antidumping duty (AD) orders on certain pasta from Italy and Turkey would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping, that revocation of the countervailing duty (CVD) orders on certain pasta from Italy...

Joint Research Centre. Ispra establishment-Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angelini, Antonio

1976-01-01

A comprehensive review of the work carried out during 1974 and 1975 in the Ispra establishment of the Joint Research Centre is presented. A description of the activity carried out within the context of the running programmes is given. Some of the most relevant scientific and technical achievement are described from the viewpoints of the Scientific Departments of the Centre. The technical and administrative support activities are also presented. A list of publications issued by the Ispra Scientific staff is given

Selected Abstracts of the 11th International Workshop on Neonatology; Cagliari (Italy; October 26-31, 2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

--- Various Authors

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Selected Abstracts of the 11th International Workshop on Neonatology • From the womb to the adult • Cagliari (Italy • October 26th-31st 2015The Workshop has been organized with the patronage of the Italian Society of Neonatology (SIN, the Italian Society of Pediatrics (SIP, the Italian Society of Perinatal Medicine (SIMP, The Italian Federation of Pediatricians (FIMP, the Union of European Neonatal and Perinatal Societies (UENPS, the Union of Mediterranean Neonatal Societies (UMENS, the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC, and lastly the Italian National Observatory of Residents in Paediatrics (ONSP.ABS 1. Post-2015 Development Agenda: from the Millennium Development Goals to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development • G. Guerrera • Rome, (Italy ABS 2. Mild rectal bleeding in preterm infants: a significant problem in neonatology? • J.-C. Picaud, M.B. Said, A. Oulmaati, D. Maucort-Boulch, E. Jumas-Bilak • Lyon and Montpellier (France ABS 3. Syphilis in pregnant adolescents: the current situation in the state of Rio de Janeiro • M. Valverde Pagani, K. Silveira da Silva • Rio de Janeiro (Brazil ABS 4. Holder pasteurization does not affect S100B concentrations in human milk • C. Peila, A. Coscia, C. Rossi, E. Bertino, G. LiVolti, F. Galvano, F. Van Bel, G. Visser, D. Gazzolo • Alessandria, Catania and Turin (Italy, and Utrecht (the Netherlands ABS 5. Effects of Holder pasteurization on the protein profile of human milk • C. Peila, A. Coscia, E. Bertino, C. Rossi, I. Rovelli, M. Cavaletto, S. Sperino, S. Icardi, F. Van Bel, G. Visser, D. Gazzolo • Alessandria and Turin (Italy, and Utrecht (the Netherlands ABS 6. Ultrasound and fetal MRI correlation in fetal neuroradiology. Our results after ten years of experience • M.T. Peltz, R.M. Ibba, S. Secci, G. Bitti • Cagliari (Italy ABS 7. 10 years experience of Newborn Hearing Screening Survey • L. Bubbico • Rome (Italy ABS 8

Wind erosion research at an uranium mill tailings site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sehmel, G.A.

1977-07-01

A uranium mill tailings pile at Grants, New Mexico, was selected for wind erosion research since the configuration provides flat area containing fine sand and made up of larger particles. The wind erosion experiment is discussed. Experimental equipment consists of meteorological instrumentation to automatically activate air samplers as a function of wind speed increments and direction, particle cascade impactors to measure airborne respirable concentrations as a function of particle size, inertial impaction devices to measure nonrespirable fluxes of airborne particles, a virtual particle cascade impactor to measure airborne concentrations of toxic trace elements, and soil depth gauges to measure changes in surface soil elevations as a function of time. Both radioactive particles as well as toxic trace element concentrations are measured. Radioactive particles are measured with both particle cascade impactors as well as high-volume air samplers. In contrast, toxic trace element airborne concentrations are measured only with a two-stage virtual particle cascade impactor. Fluxes of nonrespirable airborne particles are measured with inertial impaction devices. At particle cascade impactor sites, a rotating cyclone preseparator collects nonrespirable particles. In addition at all sites, fluxes of nonrespirable particles are measured using an open cavity inertial impaction device

77 FR 47816 - Certain Pasta from Italy: Notice of Initiation of Antidumping Duty Changed Circumstances Review

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-10

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta from Italy... certain pasta from Italy (``pasta'') with respect to Delverde Industire Alimentari S.p.A. (``Delverde... Federal Register the antidumping duty order on pasta from Italy.\\1\\ On remand, Del Verde S.p.A. was found...

76 FR 76937 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Final Results of the Fourteenth Antidumping Duty...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-09

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... review for the antidumping duty order on certain pasta from Italy.\\1\\ The review covers two manufacturers... (``POR'') is July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010. \\1\\ See Certain Pasta from Italy: Notice of Preliminary...

77 FR 46377 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-03

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... certain pasta (``pasta'') from Italy for the period of review (``POR'') July 1, 2010, through June 30... antidumping duty order on pasta from Italy.\\1\\ On July 1, 2011, the Department published a notice of...

75 FR 81308 - Stainless Steel Sheet And Strip From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, And Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-27

...)] Stainless Steel Sheet And Strip From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, And Taiwan AGENCY: United States... and strip from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan. SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives... strip from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan would be likely to lead to continuation or...

75 FR 59744 - Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)