Sero-epidemiology of hepatitis B markers in the population of Tuscany, Central Italy, 20 years after the implementation of universal vaccination

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Boccalini, Sara; Pellegrino, Elettra; Tiscione, Emila; Pesavento, Giovanna; Bechini, Angela; Levi, Miriam; Rapi, Stefano; Mercurio, Stefano; Mannelli, Francesco; Peruzzi, Marta; Berardi, Cesare; Bonanni, Paolo

2013-01-01

Italy was one of the first industrialized countries to introduce a program of universal vaccination against hepatitis B in 1991. Twenty years later we verified the impact of universal immunisation on the epidemiology of hepatitis B infection by analyzing the prevalence of specific viral markers (anti-HBs, anti-HBc and HBsAg). The ELISA tests were performed on residual blood samples collected by 0.05% of the resident population aged 1-50 years in Tuscany (Italy). About 63% of subjects aged < 30 years were anti-HBs positive compared to about 25% in older subjects, without differences between genders. About 22% of subjects over 40 years were anti-HBc-positive compared to 5% in the younger age groups. The number of HBsAg-positive subjects was almost 10 fold higher in the unvaccinated age groups than in the cohorts involved in the universal vaccination program. The results of our study show the persisting high anti-HBs reactivity in vaccinated cohorts, while HBV markers related to natural exposure or persistent infection remain remarkably higher in older age groups. This sero-epidemiological study supports with prevalence data the downward incidence trend of acute hepatitis B highlighted by epidemiological surveillance systems, and corroborates the forecast for elimination of hepatitis B in Italy in a few decades. PMID:23354158

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

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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

Design of Sustainable Agricultural Buildings. A Case Study of a Wine Cellar in Tuscany, Italy

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Leonardo Conti

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This research concerns the design of an agricultural building with a high degree of sustainability, located in a farm in the south of the Tuscany region, Italy. The building, intended mainly as a wine cellar, offers innovative construction solutions of high deconstructability and has features of low environmental impact, economic competitiveness and constructive simplicity. In particular, the design of the basement cellar involves the use of gabions and stones for the realization of the foundations, the ground retaining walls and all other bearing walls. A different solution is adopted for the external wall which remains entirely above ground. It is also made by gabions, but it is externally covered with a coat of straw bales and is plastered with clay or lime. The roof-bearing structure is made of steel beams and galvanized steel sheets. A layer of fertile soil is arranged on the roof to form a green roof system. This research aims to spread the design criteria of deconstructable buildings, based on the use of natural materials with low environmental and economic impact. Where it is not possible to employ natural materials, reusable or recyclable materials are used.

Interaction between rivers and bridges in Tuscany (Italy)

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Tartaglia, V.; Caporali, E.

2003-04-01

The natural adjustment phenomena of the rivers next to the crossing infrastructures, often due to the interaction with the structures themselves, cause damage risk conditions for a high number of structures. About 30 railway bridge sites in Tuscany, interested in the last 30 years by river bed instability, have been monitored. A standardized Bridge Site Inspection Form have been defined and used for the inspections to ensure data reliability and a computer-aided system for data collection have been developed. The system is composed by two components: (1) a GIS that contain the hydrological and geomorphological data layers; (2) a DBMS on which the geomorphological characteristics of the sites and the geometrical and structural characteristics of the bridges are stored with a relational structure. The observed damage mechanisms suggest to schematise the bridge-river interaction as the sum of two instability processes: (a) the lateral instability, when long term evolution of the stream or localized collapse phenomena of the banks can undermine the lateral bridge structures not meant to be exposed to flow (piers whit shallow foundation in the floodplain, long abutments, etc.); (b) vertical instability processes, when the river bed level degradation given by the sum of geomorphological phenomena at the basin scale (general scour) and at the site scale (contraction scour and local scour) can undermine the bridge foundations. To express synthetically the damage risk of bridges, due to instability phenomena of their crossed rivers, the use of a Risk Index is here proposed. The RI is calculated with a semi-qualitative method derived from the geomorphological observations and from the calculated values of some hydraulic variables, obtained by the regional frequency analysis of flood in Tuscany. The RI allows, even in lack of foundation depth data, to individuate the critical sites and to rank them for protection planning. Besides a threshold value of the Risk Index has been

PRESTIGRIS: an operational system for water resources and droughts management on Tuscany, Central Italy

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Campo, Lorenzo; Caparrini, Francesca; Castelli, Fabio

2013-04-01

In the last years the problems of water management faced by local administration due to the growing demand of the territory and to the changes in terms of availability became more and more important. Also in view of problems issued by the Climate Change, it is necessary to have the availability of information about the present and the future state of the water resources on the territory, both in terms of stress of the water bodies and of trends in the near-future. In this respect, an adequate management and planning of the water resources can make use of meteorological seasonal forecasts (one-three month) for the assessment of the primary sources of fresh water in a given region. The PRESTIGRIS project (PREvisioni STagionali Idrologiche per la Gestione della Risorsa Idrica e della Siccità - hydrologic seasonal forecasts for water resources and droughts management), implemented at the University of Florence in collaboration with Eumechanos Environmental Engineering and LaMMa (Laboratorio di Monitoraggio e Modellistica ambientale, Laboratory for Environmental Monitoring and Modeling), is aimed to provide hydrological seasonal forecasts on the territory of the Tuscany Region, Central Italy, basing on the seasonal meteorological forecasts available at different Weather Services (NOAA, IRI, etc.). The PRESTIGRIS system is based on a stochastic disaggregation of the monthly seasonal forecasts of minimum and maximum air temperature at the ground and of the total rainfall height. Through an analysis based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) techniques, the forecasts are disaggregated in daily maps at a spatial resolution (500 m) compatible with a complete hydrological balance simulation, performed on the entire Tuscany region (about 22000 km2) by the distributed hydrological model MOBIDIC (MOdello di BIlancio Distribuito e Continuo), developed at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of Florence. Given a single seasonal forecast, the

Development of a landlside EWS based on rainfall thresholds for Tuscany Region, Italy

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Rosi, Ascanio; Segoni, Samuele; Battistini, Alessandro; Rossi, Guglielmo; Catani, Filippo; Casagli, Nicola

2017-04-01

We present the set-up of a landslide EWS based on rainfall thresholds for the Tuscany region (central Italy), that shows a heterogeneous distribution of reliefs and precipitation. The work started with the definition of a single set of thresholds for the whole region, but it resulted unsuitable for EWS purposes, because of the heterogeneity of the Tuscan territory and non-repeatability of the analyses, that were affected by a high degree of subjectivity. To overcome this problem, the work started from the implementation of a software capable of objectively defining the rainfall thresholds, since some of the main issues of these thresholds are the subjectivity of the analysis and therefore their non-repeatability. This software, named MaCumBA, is largely automated and can analyze, in a short time, a high number of rainfall events to define several parameters of the threshold, such as the intensity (I) and the duration (D) of the rainfall event, the no-rain time gap (NRG: how many hours without rain are needed to consider two events as separated) and the equation describing the threshold. The possibility of quickly perform several analyses lead to the decision to divide the territory in 25 homogeneous areas (named alert zones, AZ), so as a single threshold for each AZ could be defined. For the definition of the thresholds two independent datasets (of joint rainfall-landslide occurrences) have been used: a calibration dataset (data from 2000 to 2007) and a validation dataset (2008-2009). Once the thresholds were defined, a WebGIS-based EWS has been implemented. In this system it is possible to focus both on monitoring of real-time data and on forecasting at different lead times up to 48 h; forecasting data are collected from LAMI (Limited Area Model Italy) rainfall forecasts. The EWS works on the basis of the threshold parameters defined by MaCumBA (I, D, NRG). An important feature of the warning system is that the visualization of the thresholds in the Web

Monitoring of foodborne pathogens in raw cow milk in Tuscany

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Laura Gasperetti

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Raw milk consumption in Italy has increased over the last few years and although raw milk is characterised by cold chain, short shelf-life and the duty of boiling before domestic consumption, it is still considered a hazard. From 2010 to 2013 a monitoring survey of raw milk sold through vending machines was carried out to investigate the occurrence of several foodborne pathogens stipulated in the national legal requirements, i.e. Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O:157 and coagulase-positive Staphylococci. A total of 127 raw milk samples were collected from 19 dairy herds in Tuscany Region, Italy. In addition, the milk samples were tested for the presence and count of Yersinia genus. Results shown that only one sample was positive for non verocytotoxin- producing E. coli O:157, whereas a total of 38 samples (29.9% were postive for Yersinia genus; of the total 39 isolated bacteria, 23.6% were Y. enterocolitica, 2.4% Y. kristenseni and 4.7% Y. frederiksenii. None isolate was enteropathogenic; serotypes O:5 and O:8 were found in 16.6 and 13.3% of the isolates respectively, whereas none of the serotypes tested was detected in 70% of the isolates. The most probable number method revealed a count value between 0.03 and 24 MPN/mL. Based on these data a general assurance on health safety of raw milk produced and sold in Tuscany could be assessed.

Newborn hearing screening protocol in tuscany region.

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Berrettini, Stefano; Ghirri, Paolo; Lazzerini, Francesco; Lenzi, Giovanni; Forli, Francesca

2017-09-20

Newborn hearing screening has to be considered the first step of a program for the identification, diagnosis, treatment and habilitation/rehabilitation of children with hearing impairment. In Tuscany Region of Italy, the universal newborn hearing screening is mandatory since november 2007. The first guidelines for the execution of the screening have been released in June 2008; then many other Italian regions partially or totally adopted these guidelines. On the basis of the experience from 2008 and according to the recent evidences in the scientific literature, a new screening protocol was released in Tuscany region. The new protocol is an evolution of the previous one. Some issues reported in the previous protocol and in the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing statement published in 2007 were revised, such as the risk factors for auditory neuropathy and for late onset, progressive or acquired hearing loss. The new updated guidelines were submitted to the Sanitary Regional Council and then they have been approved in August 2016. The updated screening protocol is mainly aimed to identify newborns with a congenital moderate-to-profound hearing loss, but it also provides indications for the audiological follow-up of children with risk's factor for progressive or late onset hearing loss; further it provides indications for the audiological surveillance of children at risk for acquired hearing impairment. Then, in the new guidelines the role of the family paediatrician in the newborn hearing screening and audiological follow-up and surveillance is underscored. Finally the new guidelines provide indications for the treatment with hearing aids and cochlear implant, in accordance with the recent Italian Health Technology Assessment (HTA) guidelines. In the paper we report the modality of execution of the universal newborn hearing screening in the Tuscany Region, according to the recently updated protocol. The main features of the protocol and the critical issues are

Hydrogeochemistry of regional aquifer systems from Tuscany (central Italy): the state of the art before the definition of a geochemical baseline

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Nisi, Barbara; Battaglini, Raffaele; Raco, Brunella

2013-04-01

European Community Water Framework Directive (WFD) and its derivative regulations have recognized the urgent need to adopt specific measures against the contamination of water bodies by individual pollutants that may significantly affect the quality of water itself. Italian regulation takes into account the EU Directives, and charges the regional authorities to create monitoring networks and produce assessment reports on the contamination of groundwater. The knowledge of "natural baseline" for various dissolved elements in groundwaters on a regional scale becomes of primary importance to distinguish natural sources and anthropogenic inputs. The studied area includes the whole Tuscan regional district (central Italy) and covers an area of about 23,000 km2. From a geolithological point of view, Tuscan territory consists of several complexes outcropping regionally, the most typical features being the Mesozoic and Cenozoic carbonate and evaporitic formations, overlain by flysch sequences, as well as granite intrusions and volcanic rocks. Moreover, two geothermal areas (Larderello and Mt. Amiata), a large number of thermal springs and CO2-rich gas vents are mostly present in the central-southern part of Tuscany. Finally in southern Tuscany (e.g. Campiglia M.Ma, Mt. Amiata, Elba Island), mining districts, predominantly characterized by polimetallic sulphides ore deposits, were exploited since the Etruscan time. In this work statistical distribution models are used to develop summary statistics and estimate probabilities of exceeding water-quality standards according to the National Legislative Decree 152/06. Descriptive statistics on solute concentrations are based on geochemical data from the main Tuscan aquifers and investigated by the CNR-IGG (Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources of Pisa, Italy) and Department of Earth Sciences (University of Florence, Italy). The data processing was carried out on 4,767 water samples collected from 1997 to 2009. According to

Essential-oil composition of Helichrysum italicum (ROTH) G.DON ssp. italicum from Elba Island (Tuscany, Italy).

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Leonardi, Michele; Ambryszewska, Katarzyna E; Melai, Bernardo; Flamini, Guido; Cioni, Pier Luigi; Parri, Federico; Pistelli, Luisa

2013-03-01

The composition of 21 essential-oil samples isolated from Helichrysum italicum collected in seven locations of Elba Island (Tuscany, Italy), characterized by different soil types, during three different periods (January, May, and October 2010) was determined by GC-FID and GC/EI-MS analyses. In total, 115 components were identified, representing 96.8-99.8% of the oil composition. The oils were characterized by a high content of oxygenated monoterpenes (38.6-62.7%), while monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons accounted for 2.3-41.9 and 5.1-20.1% of the identified constituents, respectively. The main oxygenated derivatives were nerol (2.8-12.8%) and its ester derivative neryl acetate (5.6-45.9%). To compare the chemical variability of the species within Elba Island and between the island and other localities within the Mediterranean area, studied previously, multivariate statistical analysis was performed. The results obtained showed a difference in the composition of the essential oils of H. italicum from Elba Island, mainly due to the environment where the plant grows, and, in particular, to the soil type. These hypotheses were further confirmed by the comparison of these oils with essential oils obtained from H. italicum collected on other islands of the Tuscan archipelago. Copyright © 2013 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

Thallium-rich rust scales in drinkable water distribution systems: A case study from northern Tuscany, Italy.

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Biagioni, Cristian; D'Orazio, Massimo; Lepore, Giovanni O; d'Acapito, Francesco; Vezzoni, Simone

2017-06-01

Following the detection of a severe thallium contamination of the drinkable water from the public distribution system of Valdicastello Carducci-Pietrasanta (northern Tuscany, Italy), and the identification of the source of contamination in the Molini di Sant'Anna spring (average Tl content≈15μgL -1 ), the replacement of the contaminated water with a virtually Tl-free one (Tlwater. This suggested that the pipeline interior had become a secondary source of Tl contamination, promoting its mineralogical and geochemical study. Rust scales samples taken from several pipeline segments, as well as leaching products obtained from these samples, were investigated through scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence chemical analyses, inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Thallium-rich rust scales (up to 5.3wt% Tl) have been found only in pipeline samples taken downstream the water treatment plant, whereas the sample taken upstream contains much less Tl (~90μgg -1 ). The Tl-rich nature of such scales is related to the occurrence of nano- and micro-spherules of Tl 2 O 3 and less abundant nanocrystalline μm-sized encrustations of TlCl. Leaching experiments on Tl-rich rust scales indicate that a fraction of the available Tl is easily dissolved in tap water; X-ray absorption spectroscopy suggests that monovalent thallium occurs in water equilibrated with the rust scales, probably related to the dissolution of TlCl encrustations. Therefore, Tl dissolved as Tl + only in the water from the Molini di Sant'Anna spring was partially removed through oxidative precipitation of Tl 2 O 3 and precipitation of TlCl. This highlights the critical role played by the addition of chlorine-based oxidants in water treatment plants that could favour the deposition of Tl-rich coatings within the pipelines, giving rise to unexpected secondary sources of contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Managing induced riverbank filtration (IRF) at the Serchio River well field, Tuscany, Italy (Italy)

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Rossetto, Rudy; Ansiati, Alberto; Barbagli, Alessio; Borsi, Iacopo; Costabile, Gennarino; Dietrich, Peter; Mazzanti, Giorgio; Picciaia, Daniele; Bonari, Enrico

2014-05-01

Along the Serchio River (Tuscany -Italy) a series of well fields is set for an overall amount of about 1 m3/s pumped groundwater providing drinking water for about 300000 people of the coastal Tuscany (mainly to the town of Lucca, Pisa and Livorno). Water is pumped enhancing riverbank filtration into a high yield (10-2 m2/s transmissivity) sand and gravel aquifer by artificially rising river head and setting pumping well fields along the river reach. However, being it unmanaged aquifer recharge, concerns arise both for quality and quantity of the abstracted groundwater. It happens in dry climate extremes (i.e. 2002/2003 or 2011/2012) that Serchio River flow falls below minimum environmental flow (MEF). Long term contamination of river water had been causing contamination of groundwater, as in 2002/2006, when pesticide contaminated surface water was polluting the well fields causing several problems to water supply. Such problems were overcome by setting in place derogatory regulations and then through dissemination and stakeholder activities reducing pesticide presence in surface water (EU LIFE SERIAL WELLFIR project). Although widely adopted, IRF is also not well stated from a regulatory point of view, eventually leading to concerns by a legal point of view. Within the framework of the MARSOL FPVII-ENV-2013 project an experimental site at a well field will be set to demonstrate the feasibility (by a technical, social and market point of view) and the benefits of managing IRF versus the unmanaged option. The Serchio experimental site will involve merging existing and proved technologies to produce a Decision Support System (DSS) based on remote data acquisition and transmission and GIS physically-based fully distributed numerical modeling to continuously monitor and manage well fields, reducing also human operated activities. The DSS along with the installed sensors, data transmission and storage tools will constitute a prototype whose potential market exploitation

The TARGET project in Tuscany: the first disease management model of a regional project for the prevention of hip re-fractures in the elderly.

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Piscitelli, Prisco; Brandi, Maria Luisa; Nuti, Ranuccio; Rizzuti, Carla; Giorni, Loredano; Giovannini, Valtere; Metozzi, Alessia; Merlotti, Daniela

2010-09-01

The official inquiry on osteoporosis in Italy, promoted by the Italian Senate in 2002 concluded that proper preventive strategies should be adopted at regional level in order to prevent osteoporotic fractures. Tuscany is the first Italian region who has promoted an official program (the TARGET project) aimed to reduce osteoporotic fractures by ensuring adequate treatment to all people aged ≥65 years old who experience a hip fragility fracture. this paper provides information concerning the implementation of TARGET project in Tuscany, assuming that it may represent an useful model for similar experiences to be promoted in other Italian Regions and across Europe. we have examined the model proposed for the regional program, and we have particularly analyzed the in-hospital and post-hospitalization path of hip fractured patients aged >65 years old in Tuscany after the adoption of TARGET project by Tuscany healthcare system and during its ongoing start-up phase. orthopaedic surgeons have been gradually involved in the project and are increasingly fulfilling all the clinical prescriptions and recommendations provided in the project protocol. Different forms of cooperation between orthopaedic surgeons and other clinical specialists have been adopted at each hospital for the treatment of hip fractured elderly patients. GPs involvement needs to be fostered both at regional and local level. The effort of Tuscany region to cope with hip fractures suffered from elderly people must be acknowledged as an interesting way of addressing this critical health problem. Specific preventive strategies modelled on the Tuscany TARGET project should be implemented in other Italian regions.

Landslide susceptibility assessment in the Upper Orcia Valley (Southern Tuscany, Italy through conditional analysis: a contribution to the unbiased selection of causal factors

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F. Vergari

2011-05-01

Full Text Available In this work the conditional multivariate analysis was applied to evaluate landslide susceptibility in the Upper Orcia River Basin (Tuscany, Italy, where widespread denudation processes and agricultural practices have a mutual impact. We introduced an unbiased procedure for causal factor selection based on some intuitive statistical indices. This procedure is aimed at detecting among different potential factors the most discriminant ones in a given study area. Moreover, this step avoids generating too small and statistically insignificant spatial units by intersecting the factor maps. Finally, a validation procedure was applied based on the partition of the landslide inventory from multi-temporal aerial photo interpretation.

Although encompassing some sources of uncertainties, the applied susceptibility assessment method provided a satisfactory and unbiased prediction for the Upper Orcia Valley. The results confirmed the efficiency of the selection procedure, as an unbiased step of the landslide susceptibility evaluation. Furthermore, we achieved the purpose of presenting a conceptually simple but, at the same time, effective statistical procedure for susceptibility analysis to be used as well by decision makers in land management.

Hydrogeochemical processes controlling water and dissolved gas chemistry at the Accesa sinkhole (southern Tuscany, central Italy

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Franco Tassi

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The 38.5 m deep Lake Accesa is a sinkhole located in southern Tuscany (Italy that shows a peculiar water composition, being characterized by relatively high total dissolved solids (TDS values (2 g L-1 and a Ca(Mg-SO4 geochemical facies. The presence of significant amounts of extra-atmospheric gases (CO2 and CH4, which increase their concentrations with depth, is also recognized. These chemical features, mimicking those commonly shown by volcanic lakes fed by hydrothermal-magmatic reservoirs, are consistent with those of mineral springs emerging in the study area whose chemistry is produced by the interaction of meteoric-derived waters with Mesozoic carbonates and Triassic evaporites. Although the lake has a pronounced thermocline, water chemistry does not show significant changes along the vertical profile. Lake water balance calculations demonstrate that Lake Accesa has >90% of its water supply from sublacustrine springs whose subterranean pathways are controlled by the local structural assessment that likely determined the sinking event, the resulting funnel-shape being then filled by the Accesa waters. Such a huge water inflow from the lake bottom (~9·106 m3 yr-1 feeds the lake effluent (Bruna River and promotes the formation of water currents, which are able to prevent the establishment of a vertical density gradient. Consequently, a continuous mixing along the whole vertical water column is established. Changes of the drainage system by the deep-originated waters in the nearby former mining district have strongly affected the outflow rates of the local mineral springs; thus, future intervention associated with the ongoing remediation activities should carefully be evaluated to preserve the peculiar chemical features of Lake Accesa.

Infiltration, seepage and slope instability mechanisms during the 20–21 November 2000 rainstorm in Tuscany, central Italy

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V. Tofani

2006-01-01

Full Text Available On 20–21 November 2000, a storm of high intensity, with a estimated return period of more than 100 years, triggered over 50 landslides within the province of Pistoia in Tuscany (Italy. These failures can be defined as complex earth slides- earth flows. One of the documented landslides has been investigated by modelling the ground water infiltration process, the positive and negative pore water pressure variations and the effects of these variations on slope stability during the rainfall event. Morphometric and geotechnical analyses were carried out through a series of in-situ and laboratory tests, the results of which were used as input for the modelling process. The surface infiltration rate was initially simulated using the rainfall recorded at the nearest raingauge station. Finite element seepage analysis for transient conditions were then employed to model the changes in pore water pressure during the storm event, using the computed infiltration rate as the ground surface boundary condition. Finally, the limit equilibrium slope stability method was applied to calculate the variations in the factor of safety during the event and thereby determine the critical time of instability. For the investigated site the trend of the factor of safety indicates that the critical time for failure occurs about 18 h after the storm commences, and highlights the key role played by the soil permeability and thickness in controlling the response in terms of slope instability.

The continuous automatic monitoring network installed in Tuscany (Italy) since late 2002, to study earthquake precursory phenomena

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Pierotti, Lisa; Cioni, Roberto

2010-05-01

Since late 2002, a continuous automatic monitoring network (CAMN) was designed, built and installed in Tuscany (Italy), in order to investigate and define the geochemical response of the aquifers to the local seismic activity. The purpose of the investigation was to identify eventual earthquake precursors. The CAMN is constituted by two groups of five measurement stations each. A first group has been installed in the Serchio and Magra graben (Garfagnana and Lunigiana Valleys, Northern Tuscany), while the second one, in the area of Mt. Amiata (Southern Tuscany), an extinct volcano. Garfagnana, Lunigiana and Mt. Amiata regions belong to the inner zone of the Northern Apennine fold-and-thrust belt. This zone has been involved in the post-collision extensional tectonics since the Upper Miocene-Pliocene. Such tectonic activity has produced horst and graben structures oriented from N-S to NW-SE that are transferred by NE-SW system. Both Garfagnana (Serchio graben) and Lunigiana (Magra graben) belong to the most inner sector of the belt where the seismic sources, responsible for the strongest earthquakes of the northern Apennine, are located (e.g. the M=6.5 earthquake of September 1920). The extensional processes in southern Tuscany have been accompanied by magmatic activity since the Upper Miocene, developing effusive and intrusive products traditionally attributed to the so-called Tuscan Magmatic Province. Mt. Amiata, whose magmatic activity ceased about 0.3 M.y. ago, belongs to the extensive Tyrrhenian sector that is characterized by high heat flow and crustal thinning. The whole zone is characterized by wide-spread but moderate seismicity (the maximum recorded magnitude has been 5.1 with epicentre in Piancastagnaio, 1919). The extensional regime in both the Garfagnana-Lunigiana and Mt. Amiata area is confirmed by the focal mechanisms of recent earthquakes. An essential phase of the monitoring activities has been the selection of suitable sites for the installation of

Resistance and resilience to changing climate of Tuscany and Valpolicella wine grape growing regions in Italy

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Boselli Maurizio

2016-01-01

This study aims to provide an improved assessment of the practical adaptation options for the viticulture of Tuscany and of Valpolicella and what could be the strength and resilience to climate change of grapevine varieties in these areas. According to the models tested, Italian viticulture is able to adapt better than other countries to global warming, as the placing at various altitudes up in the high hills and mountains sets off the mechanism called resilience.

PREFERENCES AND BUYING BEHAVIOUR OF BEEF CONSUMERS IN TUSCANY

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Marija RADMAN

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Tuscany, probably the most famous Italian region, is known because of many typical food specialities. One of them is the “fi orentina” - a thick, fi rst quality beef, called after the name of the city of Florence. However, recent trends in consumers’ behaviour and the BSE crisis have affected the attitude of consumers toward such products. In this study are presented the results of a mail survey about beef consumption and preferences that was conducted in Tuscany in May 2002. The survey showed that, despite recent food scares and new consumption behaviour, Tuscany consumers still like and prefer beef that has guarantees of quality. Therefore, there are good market opportunities for the Italian and foreign beef producers in Tuscany if they will provide consumers with not only good quality beef, but also more information about the meat.

A combined geochemical and isotopic study of the fluids discharged from the Montecatini thermal system (NW Tuscany, Italy)

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Capecchiacci, F.; Tassi, F.; Vaselli, O.; Bicocchi, G.; Cabassi, J.; Giannini, L.; Nisi, B.; Chiocciora, G.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Water chemistry of the Montecatini thermal system (MTS) indicates a Na–Cl composition. • Dissolved gases are dominated by a CO 2 -rich gas phase. • MTS is fed by meteoric waters with a relatively long (>50 years) circulation. • Geothermometric estimations suggest that the fluid reservoir is at T ⩾ 80–90 °C. • A new conceptual model of fluid circulation was proposed for MTS. - Abstract: The thermo-mineral fluids discharges of Montecatini Terme (Northern Apennines, Tuscany, Italy) have been exploited since the Roman times and despite the fact that this thermal complex is one of the biggest in Europe, the most recent geochemical investigations were published almost 40 years ago. To fill this gap, in this paper a detailed geochemical and isotopic investigation on the main thermal springs and wells from the Montecatini thermal system (MTS) is presented. The chemical and isotopic features of the Montecatini waters suggested that they are mainly controlled by water–rock interaction processes between meteoric water, permeating at depth from the surrounding reliefs (up to 800 m a.s.l.), and the Triassic evaporites (Burano Formation) belonging to the Tuscan sedimentary series. The local stratigraphic and tectonic framework favors an efficient recharge of the hydrothermal reservoir by the meteoric precipitation from a large catchment area and this aspect plays a fundamental role for the longevity of the Montecatini thermal spas, notwithstanding the huge amount of thermal water exploited. The 3 H values indicated that the thermal waters are likely related to a relatively long (>50 years) fluid circulation pattern. Approaching the surface, thermal and saline waters mix with cold and low TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) waters hosted in short, shallow aquifer(s), whose chemistry is dictated by the interaction of rain waters with silico-clastic rocks of low solubility. Geothermometric estimations in the F − –SO 4 2− –HCO 3 − system suggested

Features Analysis of Dry Stone Walls of Tuscany (Italy

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Mauro Agnoletti

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Terraced systems currently represent an indubitable added value for Tuscany, as well as for other Italian regions and for several Mediterranean countries. This value goes beyond their original function of hosting new areas for cultivation. The hydrological functions performed by these systems, including control of erosion, stabilisation of the slopes, prolongation of runoff times and the possible reduction of the volumes of surface runoff, are well-known. In addition, they also play a strategic role in the conservation of biodiversity and in maintaining local identity. At a national level, the terraced agricultural systems fall within the scope of actions scheduled in the National Strategic Plan for Rural Development 2007–2013, and the standards of Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs envisages that they be maintained through the granting of economic aid as laid down in the Rural Development Plans 2007–2013 and 2014–2020. Eighteen sample areas, previously selected on the basis of the terracing intensity index (defined as the ratio between the lines representing the walls and the surface of 1 ha, were subjected for on-site surveys to determine the geo-typological features through the identification and measurement of the main technical-construction parameters of the dry stone walls. This analysis also enabled assessments of the overall state of conservation of the dry stone walls in order to suggest operations for safeguarding and protection.

Legionella contamination in hot water systems of hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, factories and spas in Tuscany-Italy

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Antonella Lo Nostro

2011-03-01

Full Text Available

Abstract Following the report of many cases of Legionnaires’ disease associated with accommodation facilities such as hotels, spas, workplaces, hospitals and nursing homes, we verified if Legionella pneumophila and Legionella spp. were present in some of those structures in Tuscany, in order to estimate the species and serogroups in circulation. Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 (30.9% was the most frequently isolated species along with serogroups 3 (16.1% and 6 (13.3%; these three serogroups are identified, in literature, as those most responsible for Legionnaires’ disease (LD. Studying all analyzed structures, we found some parts of the water system where Legionella concentration was higher than 103CFU/L, indicated, in Italy, as the maximum admitted concentration value above which a decontamination treatment is necessary when one or more cases of healthcare-acquired Legionnaires’ disease are observed. Moreover disinfection is recommended in any case when counts exceed 104CFU/L.
Consequently, in order to prevent cases of Legionnaires’ disease, a continuous surveillance of the water
systems of all accommodation facilities is necessary, with particular attention to hospitals and nursing
homes where immunocompromised patients lodge, so as to promptly estimate the presence of the pathogen and consequently plan the most suitable intervention activities. We concluded that, in any structure, a continuous surveillance and disinfecting treatment of water systems is necessary. Moreover, after any disinfection treatment the temperature of the hot water flowing in the system must be necessarily maintained near 51°C in order to minimize the probability of recontamination from Legionella and limit the
risk of LD in consumers.

222Rn and CO2 soil-gas geochemical characterization of thermally altered clays at Orciatico (Tuscany, Central Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voltattorni, N.; Lombardi, S.; Rizzo, S.

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → Soil-gas technique is applied to study gas permeability of Orciatico clay units. → Clay permeability depends on thermal and mechanical alteration degree. → Soil-gas distributions are due to shallow fracturing of clays. → Rn and CO 2 soil-gas anomalies highlight secondary permeability in clay sequence. → Soil-gas results are supported by detailed geoelectrical surveys. - Abstract: The physical properties of clay allow argillaceous formations to be considered geological barriers to radionuclide migration in high-level radioactive-waste isolation systems. As laboratory simulations are short term and numerical models always involve assumptions and simplifications of the natural system, natural analogues are extremely attractive surrogates for the study of long-term isolation. The clays of the Orciatico area (Tuscany, Central Italy), which were thermally altered via the intrusion of an alkali-trachyte laccolith, represent an interesting natural model of a heat source which acted on argillaceous materials. The study of this natural analogue was performed through detailed geoelectrical and soil-gas surveys to define both the geometry of the intrusive body and the gas permeability of a clay unit characterized by different degrees of thermal alteration. The results of this study show that gas permeability is increased in the clay sequences subjected to greater heat input from the emplacement of the Orciatico intrusion, despite the lack of apparent mineral and geotechnical variations. These results, which take into consideration long time periods in a natural, large-scale geological system, may have important implications for the long-term safety of underground storage of nuclear waste in clay formations.

[Governance in a project addressing care of disabled elderly persons within the regional healthcare system of Tuscany, Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Pedace, Claudio; Rosa, Antonella; Francesconi, Paolo; Acampora, Anna; Ricciardi, Walter; Damiani, Gianfranco

2017-01-01

Population aging and the concurrent increase of age-related chronic degenerative diseases and disability are associated with an increased proportion of elderly persons who are dependent in activities of daily living (ADL). ADL-dependent persons need continuous and long-term health and social care according to the "taking charge" rationale, in order to warrant access and continuity of care. A healthcare system needs to respond to the long-term and complex needs, such as those of disabled elderly people, by providing appropriate health and social care services in Primary Care. A Primary Health Care system is organized according to two governance levels have distinct aims but are closely inter-dependent in their operational mechanisms. The system governance is accountable for the community and individual health protection while the delivery governance is accountable for the provision of services in accordance with appropriateness, safety and economic criteria. Delivery governance can be considered "integrated governance" as a synergy exists between two decision-making systems guiding provider choices, which are corporate governance and clinical governance. The aim of this study was to analyse the abovementioned governance levels within the healthcare system in Tuscany (Italy) referring to long-term residential care for disabled elderly people. The case of excessive accesses to emergency departments from different types of Nursing Homes (NH) is used as an example to analyse different levels of responsibility involved in the management of a critical phenomenon. Suggestions for improvement in the different levels of governance for disabled elderly people are provided, in order to support institutional programming activities.

Lead-Antimony Sulfosalts from Tuscany (Italy. XX. Members of the Jordanite–Geocronite Series from the Pollone Mine, Valdicastello Carducci: Occurrence and Crystal Structures

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Cristian Biagioni

2016-02-01

Full Text Available A crystal-chemical study of historical specimens as well as new ones belonging to the jordanite–geocronite series from the Pollone baryte + pyrite ± (Pb-Zn-Ag ore deposit (Valdicastello Carducci, Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy has been performed. These crystals were collected in quartz extension veins embedded in three different occurrences: (i baryte + pyrite orebodies; (ii schist layers interbedded between baryte + pyrite orebodies; and (iii schists at the contact with pyrite-poor baryte orebodies. Electron-microprobe data indicated the occurrence of three distinct groups of compositions within the sample suite. These correspond to As-bearing geocronite, Sb-rich jordanite, and Sb-bearing jordanite, with mean compositions Pb14Sb3.8As2.2S23, Pb14Sb2.9As3.1S23, and Pb14Sb2.6As3.4S23, respectively. Crystals representative of these different compositions have been investigated through single-crystal X-Ray diffraction studies and their crystal structures have been solved to R1 = 0.078, 0.069, and 0.033, respectively. The unit-cell volume decreases passing through As-bearing geocronite (V = 2149.5(3 Å3 to Sb-bearing jordanite (V = 2132.3(3 Å3. The As-to-Sb substitution takes place preferentially at the Sb4 site; through the increasing of the Sb content, Sb can substitute As also at the As6 site. According to the structural study of the ore deposit, formation of jordanite–geocronite is subordinated to a late Alpine deformative D2 stage, which permitted in situ remobilization of preexisting sulfide ore in small quartz extension veins. Such a local recrystallization would explain the variability of the As/(As + Sb ratio of the members of the jordanite series, reflecting the heterogeneity of the orebody.

Revegetation assessment on different areas of a methane pipeline in Tuscany

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Staglianò N

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Revegetation assessment on different areas of methane pipeline in Tuscany. Degraded areas due to extra-agricultural activity (such as quarries, dumps, ski runs, methane tracks, etc. or to natural events (such as landslides are present in a wide part of Italian territory and for this reason is extremely necessary an effective restoration in order to reduce erosion risks and to permit their better integration in the surrounding landscape. Revegetation is usually performed using commercial mixtures constituted by species with a forage aptitude. The aim of this work was to analyse the evolution of revegetation performed on different areas of methane pipeline in Tuscany (central Italy, both in Mediterranean environments and in mountain areas. Knowledge of mixture used during revegetation and time of intervention allowed, on one hand, to discriminate species introduced by revegetation from those coming out from native recolonisation of tracks, on the other hand, to know the age of canopies at time of botanical analysis. The following variables were assessed on the studied herbaceous resources: ground cover, floristic composition, biodiversity, level of recolonization by native species, similarity with natural areas. Data collection permitted the evaluation of efficiency of studied revegetation, the awareness of the role played by sown and native species, the estimation of the level of native species in order to integrate the restoration with the environment and the analysis of most important parameters that affect vegetal evolution in these peculiar settings.

Serological, culture and molecular survey of Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis in a goat flock in Tuscany.

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Galiero, Alessia; Turchi, Barbara; Pedonese, Francesca; Nuvoloni, Roberta; Cantile, Carlo; Colombani, Giuseppe; Forzan, Mario; Cerri, Domenico; Bandecchi, Patrizia; Fratini, Filippo

2017-11-01

Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (Map) is a pathogen which causes a chronic progressive granulomatous enteritis known as paratuberculosis or Johne's disease and it primarily affects wild and domestic ruminants. The aim of this research was to examine a flock which consisted of 294 goats and was located in Garfagnana district (Tuscany, Italy) performing ELISA tests, culture and IS900 PCR assay; direct diagnostic methods were carried out not only on bulk tank milk and cheese samples but also on individual milk and tissue specimens collected from nine subjects positive to ELISA tests. Out of 294 animals, 20 goats (6.8%) were positive to ELISA surveys. Bulk tank milk samples were negative to culture and to PCR assay carried out on the DNA extracted directly from them, while, with respect to cheese, Map was detected by culture in 2/12 (16.66%) cheeses ripened for 3-7 days, and by PCR in 2/12 (16.66%) cheeses ripened for 3-7 days and in 3/12 (25%) cheeses ripened for 45 days. Regarding individual milk samples, Map was detected by culture in 2/9 (22.22%) specimens and by PCR in 5/9 (55.55%) samples. Furthermore, Map was isolated from the intestine in 9/9 (100%) animals, from the mesenteric lymph nodes in 8/9 (88.88%) subjects, from the liver in 4/9 (44.44%) goats, from the spleen in 5/9 (55.55%) animals, while Map DNA was found in all the tissue samples analyzed.The results demonstrated the presence of paratuberculosis in a goat flock located in Garfagnana district (Tuscany, Italy).

GEOBASI: The geochemical Database of Tuscany Region (Italy

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Brunella Raco

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In this study the new Regional Geochemical Database (RGDB, called GEOBASI, is presented and illustrated in the framework of a joint collaboration among the three Tuscan universities (Florence, Pisa and Siena, CNR-IGG (Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources of Pisa, ARPAT (Regional Agency for the Environmental Protection, LAMMA (Environmental Modelling and Monitoring Laboratory for Sustainable Development Consortium and S.I.R.A. (Territorial and Environmental Informative System of Tuscany. The database has permitted the construction of a repository where the geochemical information (compositional and isotopic has been stored in a structured way so that it can be available for different groups of users (e.g. institutional, public and private companies. The information contained in the database can in fact be downloaded freely and queried to correlate geochemistry to other non compositional variables. The first phase of the project was aimed at promoting the use of the geochemical data already available from previous investigations through a powerful Web-GIS interface to implement the exploratory statistics graphical-numerical tools used to: 1 analyse the spatial variability of the investigated context, 2 highlight the geographic location of data pertaining to classes of values or single cases, 3 compare the results of different analytical methodologies applied to the determination of the same element and/or chemical species, 4 extract the geochemical data related to specific monitoring plans and/or geographical areas, and finally 5 recover information about data below the detection limit to understand their impact on the behaviour of the investigated variable. Developments of this project will be focused on the definition of rules and standardized methods in a way that external users could also interactively pursue the RGDB. Furthermore, a detailed investigation of the Scarlino-Follonica plain will permit the improvement and test of

Human exposure to thallium through tap water: A study from Valdicastello Carducci and Pietrasanta (northern Tuscany, Italy).

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Campanella, Beatrice; Onor, Massimo; D'Ulivo, Alessandro; Giannecchini, Roberto; D'Orazio, Massimo; Petrini, Riccardo; Bramanti, Emilia

2016-04-01

A geological study evidenced the presence of thallium (Tl) at concentrations of concern in groundwaters near Valdicastello Carducci (Tuscany, Italy). The source of contamination has been identified in the Tl-bearing pyrite ores occurring in the abandoned mining sites of the area. The strongly acidic internal waters flowing in the mining tunnels can reach exceptional Tl concentrations, up to 9000μg/L. In September 2014 Tl contamination was also found in the tap water distributed in the same area (from 2 to 10μg/L). On October 3, 2014 the local authorities imposed a Do Not Drink order to the population. Here we report the results of the exposure study carried out from October 2014 to October 2015, and aimed at quantifying Tl levels in 150 urine and 318 hair samples from the population of Valdicastello Carducci and Pietrasanta. Thallium was quantified by inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Urine and hair were chosen as model matrices indicative of different time periods of exposure (short-term and long-term, respectively). Thallium values found in biological samples were correlated with Tl concentrations found in tap water in the living area of each citizen, and with his/her habits. Thallium concentration range found in hair and urine was 1-498ng/g (values in unexposed subjects 0.1-6ng/g) and 0.046-5.44μg/L (reference value for the European population 0.006μg/L), respectively. Results show that Tl levels in biological samples were significantly associated with residency in zones containing elevated water Tl levels. The kinetics of decay of Tl concentration in urine samples was also investigated. At the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on human contamination by Tl through water involving such a high number of samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of different phytoplasma infections in wild herbaceous dicots growing in vineyards affected by bois noir in Tuscany (Italy

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Guido MARCHI

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Wild herbaceous dicotyledonous plants (dicots showing symptoms ascribable to phytoplasma disorders were found to be widely distributed in organic vineyards in central Tuscany (Italy affected by bois noir, a grapevine yellows disease caused by “Candidatus Phytoplasma solani”. In 2010 symptomatic dicots were tentatively identified to species level and the incidence of symptoms estimated in two selected vineyards in the province of Florence. Incidence ranged from 2 to 77%, and was not related to the relative abundance of hosts since very common species as well as relatively rare ones were consistently found to be symptomatic. PCR indexing and 16S rRNA sequence analyses indicated that two phytoplasmas co-existed in the vineyards: “Ca. P. solani”, infecting the root systems of 17 taxa, and a phytoplasma closely related to “Ca. P. phoenicium”, infecting 11 taxa, and occasionally co-infecting the same plant. Regardless of the high frequency of both pathogens in the vineyards, only “Ca. P. solani” could be detected in the grapevines. Population screening by means of tuf sequence analyses revealed the presence of only the tuf-b “Ca. P. solani” type both in dicot hosts and grapevine. This supports current notions of bois noir epidemiology, indicating that some infected dicots act as sources of “Ca. P. solani” inoculum whereas others are dead-end hosts. When the same specimens were screened by sequence analysis of the vmp1 gene, evidence was found that different phytoplasma genotypes may be predominant in grapevines and dicots.

137Caesium in samples of wild-grown Boletus edulis Bull. from Lucca province (Tuscany, Italy) and other Italian and European geographical areas.

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Betti, Laura; Palego, Lionella; Lucacchini, Antonio; Giannaccini, Gino

2017-01-01

Samples of the edible mushroom Boletus edulis Bull. were studied to assess the risk for human health related to their content of the artificial radionuclide 137 Cs. Fresh B. edulis carpophores were collected in four undeveloped microhabitats of Lucca province (Tuscany, North-Central Italy). Dried non-cultivated samples coming from this same district and 11 other Italian provinces or European countries were instead purchased fromcommercial sources. Contents of 137 Cs, reported as Bq kg ‒1 dry weight (dw), were measured by γ-spectrometry. The radionuclide concentration varied depending on the gathering site in fresh samples, with 41.8 ± 5.2 Bq kg ‒1 dw at site 1 (Tosco-Emiliani Apennine) and four-fold less, 12.8 ± 1.3 Bq kg ‒1 dw, at site 2 (Apuan Alps). Moreover, fresh or dried carpophores from Lucca province displayed among the lowest 137 Cs contents in Europe. Average 137 Cs levels in all analysed samples were substantially below the legal threshold for edible mushrooms, 600 Bq kg ‒1 dw. Conclusively, we report that 137 Cs amounts in B. edulis depend on both the distance from the Chernobyl accident and multifactorial features of collection sites. We also show that the consumption of European B. edulis does not represent a major health risk with respect to 137 Cs radio contamination.

[Accidents among postmen using motorbikes for mail deliveries in Tuscany in the period 2007-2009].

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Chellini, Elisabetta; Cortini, Barbara; Mameli, Marina; Abbarchi, M; Dei, Simona; Rossi, Oriana; Zallocco, A

2014-01-01

Health risks for postmen using motorbikes for mail delivery may be influenced by stability, weight and ease of handling of the vehicle, traffic and slippery or irregular road surface. To describe accidents that occurred among postmen in Tuscany and evaluate how many of these would have been prevented using the UNI EN 13595/2004 safety jacket. Record linkage of data obtained from the employer--the main mail delivery company in Italy--and from the Italian Workers Compensation Authority on accidents that occurred in postmen in Tuscany who used motorbikes for deliveries during the period 2007-2009. Accident rates (with CI 95%) by age, sex, year and province were calculated; the differences were evaluated using chi2 test. 1,342 accidents requiring at least 3 days' sick absence were recorded in postmen in Tuscany in the period 2007-2009, with an increasing trend in young men. The average accident rate was 17.6 per 100 workers, with 42,419 sick absence days. The female rate was higher compared to men (19.4%, CI 95% 18.03-20.79 in women vs 15.5%, CI 95%: 14.15-16.89 in men). 68% of accidents occurred driving a motorbike. The index of severity was 6.79, which was higher than that calculated by INAIL for the whole Tuscan transport and communication work sector (5.31). 309 accidents (11,021 sick absence days) could have been mitigated or avoided using UNI EN 13595/2004 safety jackets (47% spinal, 30% shoulder, 23% elbow, arm and forearm). The frequency of accidents in postmen using motorbikes is extremely high. Several serious accidents could have been prevented using the UNI EN 13595/2004 safety jackets, suggesting the need to make their use obligatory by these workers.

Factors affecting Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus hunting bags in Tuscany region (central Italy

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Francesco Santilli

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract We carried out an exploratory analysis of hare Lepus europaeus hunting bags (number of brown hares shot in the nineteen Hunting Districts of Tuscany (central Italy from 2001 to 2004, in order to identify which variables (land use and characteristics, climate and management could affect hare harvest. Vineyards and grass in rotation with winter cereals were positively associated with the number of hares shot, whereas industrial crops (mainly sunflowers seemed to have a negative effect,as did the density of grazing sheep. Mean annual rainfall was negatively related to the harvest but with a borderline significance. We found a positive relationship between the number of hares harvested and the percentage of protected areas managed to conserve and produce small game species, whereas private hunting estates showed a negative association. Restocking both with wild hares captured in protected areas and with farm-reared animals did not show any effect on hunting bags of hares. Riassunto Fattori influenzanti il carniere di lepri (Lepus europaeus in Toscana (Italia centrale E’ stata condotta una ricerca preliminare sui carnieri di lepre (dal 2001 al 2004 dei diciannove Ambiti Territoriali di Caccia della Toscana, al fine di identificare quali variabili (di tipo ambientale, climatico e gestionale possano influire sulla resa venatoria di questa specie. Il numero di lepri abbattute dai cacciatori è risultato influenzato positivamente dalla percentuale di vigneti e di foraggiere in avvicendamento, mentre le colture industriali (principalmente rappresentate dal girasole e la densità del bestiame ovicaprino hanno evidenziato un effetto negativo. Anche le precipitazioni medie annuali sono risultate associate negativamente al numero di lepri abbattute, tuttavia in questo caso la variabile non ha raggiunto il livello di significatività statistica. L’abbondanza del carniere di

{sup 222}Rn and CO{sub 2} soil-gas geochemical characterization of thermally altered clays at Orciatico (Tuscany, Central Italy)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Voltattorni, N., E-mail: nunzia.voltattorni@ingv.it [Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, 00143 Rome (Italy); Lombardi, S. [Earth Science Department, University ' La Sapienza' , Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome (Italy); Rizzo, S. [Via Tito, 1/A, 00061 Anguillara Sabazia, Rome (Italy)

2010-08-15

Research highlights: {yields} Soil-gas technique is applied to study gas permeability of Orciatico clay units. {yields} Clay permeability depends on thermal and mechanical alteration degree. {yields} Soil-gas distributions are due to shallow fracturing of clays. {yields} Rn and CO{sub 2} soil-gas anomalies highlight secondary permeability in clay sequence. {yields} Soil-gas results are supported by detailed geoelectrical surveys. - Abstract: The physical properties of clay allow argillaceous formations to be considered geological barriers to radionuclide migration in high-level radioactive-waste isolation systems. As laboratory simulations are short term and numerical models always involve assumptions and simplifications of the natural system, natural analogues are extremely attractive surrogates for the study of long-term isolation. The clays of the Orciatico area (Tuscany, Central Italy), which were thermally altered via the intrusion of an alkali-trachyte laccolith, represent an interesting natural model of a heat source which acted on argillaceous materials. The study of this natural analogue was performed through detailed geoelectrical and soil-gas surveys to define both the geometry of the intrusive body and the gas permeability of a clay unit characterized by different degrees of thermal alteration. The results of this study show that gas permeability is increased in the clay sequences subjected to greater heat input from the emplacement of the Orciatico intrusion, despite the lack of apparent mineral and geotechnical variations. These results, which take into consideration long time periods in a natural, large-scale geological system, may have important implications for the long-term safety of underground storage of nuclear waste in clay formations.

Underweight and overweight among children and adolescents in Tuscany (Italy). Prevalence and short-term trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazzeri, G; Rossi, S; Pammolli, A; Pilato, V; Pozzi, T; Giacchi, M V

2008-03-01

The recent increase in both childhood obesity and adolescent anorexia nervosa in developed countries has underlined the important consequences that these trends may have on public health, as there is an increased risk that these conditions may become chronic diseases in adulthood. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor prevalence rates and trends in thinness and overweight (including obesity) among children and adolescents at different levels: international, national and sub-national. Since 2001/2002, a nutritional surveillance system has been implemented in the Tuscany Region to estimate the nutritional status and lifestyles of children and adolescents. The main objectives were to assess the prevalence of thinness, overweight and obesity among Tuscan children and adolescents and to provide baseline information on the prevalence of thinness, for the first time calculated according to the new international definitions, for geographical comparisons and descriptions of time trends. Independent cross-sectional sample surveys were conducted in 2002, 2004 and 2006 in Tuscany, North-Central Italy. Data were collected from stratified two-stage cluster samples of children aged 9 years (n = 3,048 in 2002 and n = 1,430 in 2006) and of adolescents aged 11-13-15 years (n = 1,066, n = 1185 and n = 1,160 in 2004 and n = 1,189, n = 1,211 and n = 1,178 in 2006, respectively). Weights and heights of primary school children were measured by means of standardized methods, while those of adolescents were self-reported. Decimal age was calculated from the date of birth to the date of measurement. Body Mass Index classes were calculated according to the International Obesity Task Force standards. Instead of the term underweight in children, we used the term thinness, which the World Health Organization uses to mean low Body Mass Index for age in adults and adolescents. According to Cole's recently published cut-offs for thinness, we divided our Body Mass Index values below 18.5 into three

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

SEDIMENTATION AND BASIN-FILL HISTORY OF THE PLIOCENE SUCCESSION EXPOSED IN THE NORTHERN SIENA-RADICOFANI BASIN (TUSCANY, ITALY: A SEQUENCE-STRATIGRAPHIC APPROACH

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IVAN MARTINI

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Basin-margin paralic deposits are sensitive indicators of relative sea-level changes and typically show complex stratigraphic architectures that only a facies-based sequence-stratigraphic approach, supported by detailed biostratigraphic data, can help unravel, thus providing constraints for the tectono-stratigraphic reconstructions of ancient basins. This paper presents a detailed facies analysis of Pliocene strata exposed in a marginal key-area of the northern Siena-Radicofani Basin (Tuscany, Italy, which is used as a ground for a new sequence-stratigraphic scheme of the studied area. The study reveals a more complex sedimentary history than that inferred from the recent geological maps produced as part of the Regional Cartographic Project (CARG, which are based on lithostratigraphic principles. Specifically, four sequences (S1 to S4, in upward stratigraphic order have been recognised, each bounded by erosional unconformities and deposited within the Zanclean-early Gelasian time span. Each sequence typically comprises fluvial to open marine facies, with deposits of different sequences that show striking lithological similarities.The architecture and internal variability shown by the studied depositional sequences are typical of low-accommodation basin-margin settings, that shows: i a poorly-developed to missing record of the falling-stage systems tract; ii a lowstand system tract predominantly made of fluvio-deltaic deposits; iii a highstand system tract with substantial thickness variation between different sequences due to erosional processes associated with the overlying unconformity; iv a highly variable transgressive system tract, ranging from elementary to parasequential organization.

Evidence for a soil microbial terroir in the Chianti Classico district in Tuscany (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Mocali, Stefano; Priori, Simone; Valboa, Giuseppe; Fabiani, Arturo; Pellegrini, Sergio; Puccioni, Sergio; Zombardo, Alessandra; Storchi, Paolo; Costantini, Edoardo

2017-04-01

Originally developed for wine, the terroir concept is becoming popular throughout agri-environmental sciences in many parts of the world, linking the uniqueness and quality of agricultural products to the environment where they are produced. Even thought it is well known that geology, morphology and microclimate influence and diversify the wine characters within a wine district (macro-terroir), recent literature suggests that different soil features can drive wine characters also within the same macro-terroir, at both farm and vineyard scale. However, the drivers beyond these differences remain elusive, and the potential contribution of soil microbes has been ignored until recently. Therefore, in this multidisciplinary work we have tried to assess the possible role of soil microbial communities in vineyards on defining the quality of the wine produced. Soils from 4 different macro-terroir areas located within the Barone Ricasoli farm in Brolio (SI), Tuscany (Central Italy), characterized by different geology and cultivated with the grapevine cultivar Sangiovese, were collected: Fattoio (feldspathic sandstone), Leccio (marine sands), Agresto (limestone), and Ceni (fluvial deposits). Within each terroir, two areas homogeneous for soil features were delimited (Basic terroir unit, BTU) and monitored over 3 years for the soil physico-chemical and biological parameters as well as viticultural parameters. In this work we report the results of the analysis of microbial communities in the 8 BTUs, determined through molecular (PCR-DGGE), metabolic (BIOLOG) and biochemical (microbial respiration, biomass C) techniques. The results showed that each vineyard is characterized by a well defined bacterial community whose structure varies both as a function of different BTUs and terroir areas, depending on soil features. In fact, the vineyards Fattoio 1 and 2 exhibit a very similar bacterial composition between them and stable over time, even for the low total organic matter

Mortality for chronic-degenerative diseases in Tuscany: Ecological study comparing neighboring areas with substantial differences in environmental pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Marabotti, Claudio; Piaggi, Paolo; Scarsi, Paolo; Venturini, Elio; Cecchi, Romina; Pingitore, Alessandro

2017-06-19

Environmental pollution is associated with morbidity and mortality for chronic-degenerative diseases. Recent data points out a relationship between proximity to industrial plants and mortality due to neoplasms. The aim of this study has been to compare mortality due to chronic-degenerative diseases in the area of Tuscany (Bassa Val di Cecina), Italy, characterized by the presence of 2 neighboring municipalities similar in terms of size but with substantial differences in industrial activities: Rosignano (the site of chemical, energy production and waste processing industries) and Cecina (with no polluting activity). Standardized mortality rates for the 2001-2010 decade were calculated; the data of the whole Tuscany was assumed as reference. Environmental levels of pollutants were obtained by databases of the Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany Region (Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale della Toscana - ARPAT). Maximum tolerated pollutant levels set by national laws were assumed as reference. In the whole Bassa Val di Cecina, significantly elevated standardized mortality rates due to mesothelioma, ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases and Alzheimer and other degenerative diseases of nervous system were observed. In the municipality of Rosignano, a significant excess of mortality for all these groups of diseases was confirmed. On the contrary, the municipality of Cecina showed only significantly higher mortality rates for ischemic heart diseases. Elevated levels of heavy metals in sea water and of particulate matter which contains particles of diameter ≤ 10 mm (PM10) and ozone in air were detected in Rosignano. This study shows an excess of mortality for chronic-degenerative diseases in the area with elevated concentration of polluting factories. Proximity to industrial plants seems to represent a risk factor for those diseases. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(4):641-653. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed

Mortality for chronic-degenerative diseases in Tuscany: Ecological study comparing neighboring areas with substantial differences in environmental pollution

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Claudio Marabotti

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Environmental pollution is associated with morbidity and mortality for chronic-degenerative diseases. Recent data points out a relationship between proximity to industrial plants and mortality due to neoplasms. The aim of this study has been to compare mortality due to chronic-degenerative diseases in the area of Tuscany (Bassa Val di Cecina, Italy, characterized by the presence of 2 neighboring municipalities similar in terms of size but with substantial differences in industrial activities: Rosignano (the site of chemical, energy production and waste processing industries and Cecina (with no polluting activity. Material and Methods: Standardized mortality rates for the 2001–2010 decade were calculated; the data of the whole Tuscany was assumed as reference. Environmental levels of pollutants were obtained by databases of the Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany Region (Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale della Toscana – ARPAT. Maximum tolerated pollutant levels set by national laws were assumed as reference. Results: In the whole Bassa Val di Cecina, significantly elevated standardized mortality rates due to mesothelioma, ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases and Alzheimer and other degenerative diseases of nervous system were observed. In the municipality of Rosignano, a significant excess of mortality for all these groups of diseases was confirmed. On the contrary, the municipality of Cecina showed only significantly higher mortality rates for ischemic heart diseases. Elevated levels of heavy metals in sea water and of particulate matter which contains particles of diameter ≤ 10 mm (PM10 and ozone in air were detected in Rosignano. Conclusions: This study shows an excess of mortality for chronic-degenerative diseases in the area with elevated concentration of polluting factories. Proximity to industrial plants seems to represent a risk factor for those diseases. Int J Occup Med Environ Health

Slope Stability Analysis In Seismic Areas Of The Northern Apennines (Italy)

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Lo Presti, D.; Fontana, T.; Marchetti, D.

2008-01-01

Several research works have been published on the slope stability in the northern Tuscany (central Italy) and particularly in the seismic areas of Garfagnana and Lunigiana (Lucca and Massa-Carrara districts), aimed at analysing the slope stability under static and dynamic conditions and mapping the landslide hazard. In addition, in situ and laboratory investigations are available for the study area, thanks to the activities undertaken by the Tuscany Seismic Survey. Based on such a huge information the co-seismic stability of few ideal slope profiles have been analysed by means of Limit equilibrium method LEM - (pseudo-static) and Newmark sliding block analysis (pseudo-dynamic). The analysis--results gave indications about the most appropriate seismic coefficient to be used in pseudo-static analysis after establishing allowable permanent displacement. Such indications are commented in the light of the Italian and European prescriptions for seismic stability analysis with pseudo-static approach. The stability conditions, obtained from the previous analyses, could be used to define microzonation criteria for the study area

Tiberiobardiite, Cu9Al(SiO3OH2(OH12(H2O6(SO41.5·10H2O, a New Mineral Related to Chalcophyllite from the Cretaio Cu Prospect, Massa Marittima, Grosseto (Tuscany, Italy: Occurrence and Crystal Structure

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Cristian Biagioni

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The new mineral species tiberiobardiite, ideally Cu9Al(SiO3OH2(OH12(H2O6(SO41.5·10H2O, has been discovered in the Cretaio Cu prospect, Massa Marittima, Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy, as very rare, light green, vitreous, tabular {0001}, pseudo-hexagonal crystals, up to 200 μm in size and 5 μm in thickness, associated with brochantite. Electron microprobe analysis gave (in wt %, average of 5 spot analyses: SO3 10.37, P2O5 3.41, As2O5 0.05, SiO2 8.13, Al2O3 5.54, Fe2O3 0.74, CuO 62.05, and ZnO 0.03, for a total of 90.32. Based on an idealized O content of 42 atoms per formula unit, assuming the presence of 16 H2O groups and 13.5 cations (without H, the empirical formula of tiberiobardiite is (Cu8.69Al0.21Fe0.10Σ9.00Al1.00(Si1.51P0.54Σ2.05S1.44O12.53(OH13.47·16H2O. The main diffraction lines, corresponding to multiple hkl indices, are [d in Å (relative visual intensity]: 9.4 (s, 4.67 (s, 2.576 (m, 2.330 (m, and 2.041 (mw. The crystal structure study revealed tiberiobardiite to be trigonal, space group R 3 ¯ , with unit-cell parameters a = 10.6860(4, c = 28.3239(10 Å, V = 2801.0(2 Å3, and Z = 3. The crystal structure was refined to a final R1 = 0.060 for 1747 reflections with Fo > 4σ (Fo and 99 refined parameters. Tiberiobardiite is the Si-analogue of chalcophyllite, with Si4+ replacing As5+ through the coupled substitution As5+ + O2− = Si4+ + (OH−. The name tiberiobardiite honors Tiberio Bardi (b. 1960 for his contribution to the study of the mineralogy of Tuscany.

[Door-to-balloon time and in-hospital mortality in patients with ST-evaluation myocardial infarction: a network experience in a province in northwest Tuscany, Italy].

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Paradossi, Umberto; Palmieri, Cataldo; Trianni, Giuseppe; Ravani, Marcello; Vaghetti, Marco; Rizza, Antonio; Gianetti, Jacopo; Cardullo, Simona; Chabane, Hakim; Maffei, Stefano; Berti, Sergio

2010-05-01

A network system for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients offers a quick diagnosis and a rapid transfer to a specialized center for primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between door-to-balloon time and in-hospital mortality in our network of STEMI patients. Our Hub & Spoke network in the province of Massa-Carrara in the northwest of Tuscany Region, Italy, began in April 2006. This program involved 5 Spoke and 1 Hub centers, 1 medical helicopter, 3 advanced life support ambulances with direct transmission of the ECG and vital parameters to our cath lab on call 24h a day for primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Data regarding clinical, echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters, the door-to-balloon (DTB) time and their impact on mortality were analyzed. Up to January 2008, 312 STEMI patients were enrolled (242 male, mean age 66.6 +/- 12.3 years). The DTB time was 93 min (79-117, 25th-75th percentile, respectively). The gold standard of a DTB mountain area. Patients from the coast (n = 238) had a DTB time lower than patients from the mountain area (89.5 vs 122.5 min, p < 0.0001), and the risk of in-hospital mortality was significantly and independently correlated with the increase in DTB time (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS; Our data confirm the correlation between DTB time and in-hospital mortality. More efforts are necessary to reduce the time to treatment and mortality rates.

Phylogenetic analysis of West Nile virus isolated in Italy in 2008.

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Savini, G; Monaco, F; Calistri, P; Lelli, R

2008-11-27

In Italy the first occurrence of West Nile virus (WNV) infection was reported in Tuscany region during the late summer of 1998. In August 2008, the WNV infection re-emerged in Italy, in areas surrounding the Po river delta, and involving three regions Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Veneto. WNV was isolated from blood and organs samples of one horse, one donkey, one pigeon (Columba livia) and three magpies (Pica pica). The phylogenetic analysis of the isolates, conducted on 255 bp in the region coding for the E protein, indicates that these isolates belong to the lineage I among the European strains. According to the analysis, both the 1998 and 2008 Italian strains as well as isolates from Romania, Russia, Senegal and Kenya fell in the same sub-cluster.

[Lateral hostilities among emergency and critical care nurses. Survey in five hospitals of the Tuscany Region].

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Bambi, Stefano; Becattini, Giovanni; Pronti, Fabio; Lumini, Enrico; Rasero, Laura

2013-01-01

Lateral hostilities among emergency and critical care nurses. Survey in five hospitals of Tuscany Region. Introduction. Lateral hostilities (LHs) are a kind of workplace violence. They are defined as varieties of cruel, rude, antagonistic interactions between people at the same hierarchical level. Nurses are affected by LH from 5.7% to 65%, leading to reduced work motivation, psycho-physical disorders, and in some cases, drop out of the nursing profession. Objective. To quantify the LHs among nurses in the emergency departments (ED) and intensive care units (ICU) in 5 hospitals of Tuscany (Italy). To show the impact on the quality of their psycho-physical and professional lives. Method. Exploratory-descriptive study, through closed-ended questionnaire. Results. 360/444 nurses (81%); 294 (81.6%) were victims of LHs during the past 12 months. Gossiping, complaints shared with others without discussing with the concerned person, and sarcastic comments were the most reported LHs. LHs occur more in EDs than ICUs (respectively 90% and 77%; p=0.0038). No statistically significant differences were observed for gender, age, or years of experience. The 17.7% of nurses asked to be moved from the ward, and 6.9% left it; 6.9% respondents had thought to leave the nursing profession; 235 (65.2%) experienced at least one LHs related disorder during the last year. Most reported symptoms were low morale, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Conclusions. The incidence of LH and related disorders is high in EDs and ICUs, determining a low professional and psycho-physical quality of life.

The revolving door syndrome in internal medicine: a study on 11,846 subjects discharged from all Internal Medicine Departments of Tuscany with diagnosis of heart failure and pneumonia

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Matteo Tellini

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Rehospitalization is the return of a patient to a surgical or medical department within 30 days from discharge. We have limited information on the frequency and patterns of rehospitalization in Italy. Our purpose is to describe this phenomenon in Tuscany. We analyzed regional hospital discharge abstract data in Tuscany 2012, to describe 30-day all cause readmissions. We studied patients aged 18 or more (11,846 discharged with diagnoses of heart failure and pneumonia from Internal Medicine Departments. Relationships between 30-day readmission rates, demographic and clinical characteristics have been analyzed. 18% and 15% of subjects respectively discharged with diagnosis of heart failure and pneumonia were readmitted within 30 days. Risk factors significantly related to readmissions were longer length of stay, increasing number of different medications taken during the year preceding hospitalization and greater number of hospitalizations during the semester preceding admission. From the analysis of risk factors we found that frailty and complexity of patients (identified by long hospitalization stays, high number of drugs and previous admissions are the most important factors for unplanned readmissions.

THE EARLY PLIOCENE MAMMAL ASSEMBLAGE OF VAL DI PUGNA (TUSCANY, ITALY IN THE LIGHT OF CALCAREOUS PLANKTON BIOSTRATIGRAPHICAL DATA AND PALEOECOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS

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GIOVANNI BIANUCCI

2001-11-01

Full Text Available The stratigraphy of clayey and sandy beds outcropping in Val di Pugna locality near Siena (Tuscany, Italy celebrated for the past finds of fossil mammalian remains, is studied here. The research is aimed to date and define the depositional environment of the sediments that yielded fossil bones of known provenance.  Two sequences have been studied in detail; they are located near the hamlets of Ruffolo and Case il Poggio, where both marine and land mammal remains had been found. The integrated biostratigraphic analysis of the planktonic foraminifers and calcareous nannoplankton indicates that the deposits straddle the transition from the Zone MPL3 to MPL4 of the planktonic foraminifer biostratigraphic scale, which is correlated with the Reticulofenestra pseudoumbilicus Zone (MNN14-15 Zone of the calcareous nannoplankton scale. The sedimentary characters and the faunal content are suggestive of a progressively deepening marine environment, with a transition from upper shoreface deposits to lower shoreface-offshore deposits. The vertebrates include a cetacean (Tusciziphis crispus and a sirenid (Metaxyterium gervaisi amongst the marine mammals, while the land mammals are represented by a rhino (Stephanorhinus jeanvireti and a bovid (Alephis lyrix. The sirenid remains are likely the only autochthonous elements because of their ecologic consistency with the depositional environment of the embedding sediments. The other fossil specimens are interpreted here as parts of decaying and floating carcasses that deposited their bones as they drifted away, inflated by decomposition gasses.The biostratigraphy of the sites permits to date the fossil bones. Noteworthy occurrences are those of Stephanorhinus jeanvireti and Alephis lyrix in levels correlated with Zone MN14, since they are usually reported in Zone MN16 and Zone MN15 assemblages, respectively.   

Is the digital divide an obstacle to e-health? An analysis of the situation in Europe and in Italy.

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Romano, Maria Francesca; Sardella, Maria Vittoria; Alboni, Fabrizio; Russo, Luana; Mariotti, Rita; Nicastro, Irene; Barletta, Valentina; Di Bello, Vitantonio

2015-01-01

The digital divide affecting elderly patients may compromise the diffusion of telemedicine systems for this age segment. It might be that the difficulties in the passage from trials to the effective distribution of telemedicine systems are also due to the awareness of a personal digital divide in the target population. The analysis aims to estimate the number of people over the age of 50 years with potential cardiovascular problems able to access the Web. It made use of data from several sources (the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica Multiscopo Survey). Furthermore, with regard to Italy, the estimates obtained from official data were compared with those obtained in a survey investigating heart failure patients in Tuscany. In 2011, the percentage of people suffering from cardiovascular diseases and with Web access was 24% in Europe, with significant differences by country (ranging from 53% in Switzerland to below 20% in Italy, Spain, and Portugal). In Italy, however, the proportion of people with Web access increased from 2007 to 2011, and the survey in Tuscany showed that elderly people with limited information and communications technology skills overcame challenges and learned how to connect to the Web because they started to appreciate new technologies. The opportunity to use the Internet to monitor patients with chronic disease can serve as a challenge to reduce the digital divide gap and, furthermore, to increase their social and technological inclusion.

Thick melanoma in Tuscany.

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Chiarugi, Alessandra; Nardini, Paolo; Borgognoni, Lorenzo; Brandani, Paola; Gerlini, Gianni; Rubegni, Pietro; Lamberti, Arianna; Salvini, Camilla; Lo Scocco, Giovanni; Cecchi, Roberto; Sirna, Riccardo; Lorenzi, Stefano; Gattai, Riccardo; Battistini, Silvio; Crocetti, Emanuele

2017-03-14

The epidemiologic trends of cutaneous melanoma are similar in several countries with a Western-type life style, where there is a progressive increasing incidence and a low but not decreasing mor- tality, or somewhere an increase too, especially in the older age groups. Also in Tuscany there is a steady rise in incidence with prevalence of in situ and invasive thin melanomas, with also an increase of thick melanomas. It is necessary to reduce the frequency of thick melanomas to reduce specific mortality. The objective of the current survey has been to compare, in the Tuscany population, by a case- case study, thin and thick melanoma cases, trying to find out those personal and tumour characteristics which may help to customize preventive interventions. RESULTS The results confirmed the age and the lower edu- cation level are associated with a later detection. The habit to perform skin self-examination is resulted protec- tive forward thick melanoma and also the diagnosis by a doctor. The elements emerging from the survey allow to hypothesize a group of subjects resulting at higher risk for a late diagnosis, aged over 50 and carrier of a fewer constitutional and environmental risk factors: few total and few atypical nevi, and lower sun exposure and burning. It is assumable that a part of people did not be reached from messages of prevention because does not recognize oneself in the categories of people at risk for skin cancers described in educational cam- paigns. If we want to obtain better results on diagnosis of skin melanoma we have to think a new strategy. At least to think over the educational messages discriminating people more at risk of incidence of melanoma from people more at risk to die from melanoma, and to renewed active involvement of the Gen- eral Practitioners .

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

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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.

Agriculture and land management: the landscape monitoring system in Tuscany

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Mauro Agnoletti

2009-10-01

Full Text Available With respect to the reduced weight in the Gross National Product (GDP and the continuous decrease in manpower which has been recorded in the last decades, an important role is recognized to the rural sector in the current developmetn model which justify the heavy financial committment of Europe and Italy to sustain european agriculture.Within this role, land preservation has an important role for the sector competitiveness, the rural space quality and the citizen’s life quality, and this role is nowadays recognized even by the politics for landscape defined for the Piano strategico nazionale 2007-20131. Both action definitions and planning and development of landscape resources firstly require to define landscape monitoring systems pointing out trends, and critical and strength points represented by the great historical and environmental differences of Italian landscapes. This study is a synthesis of the results from a 5 year project aimed to the definition of a landscape monitoring system in Tuscany, ranging from 1800 and 2000 and based on study areas covering around 1% of the regional territory, which will soon be implemented. The first recorded results show a strong decrease of landscape diversity (40-50% in the investigated time period. This study want to be an example for the implementation of the future monitoring system of this resource.

Lung Cancer Mortality in Tuscany from 1971 to 2010 and Its Connections with Silicosis: A Space-Cohort Analysis Based on Shared Models

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Emanuela Dreassi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Lung cancer mortality in Tuscany (Italy for males, from 1971 and 2010, is investigated. A hierarchical Bayesian model for space-time disease mapping is introduced. Such a model belongs to the class of shared random effect models and exploits the birth-cohort as the relevant time dimension. It allows for highlighting common and specific patterns of risk for each birth-cohort. The results show that different birth-cohorts exhibit quite different spatial patterns, even if the socioeconomic status is taken into account. In fact, there were different occupational exposures before and after the Second World War. The birth-cohort 1930–35 exhibits high relative risks related to particular areas. This fact could be connected with occupational exposure to risk factors for silicosis, perhaps a prognostic status for lung cancer.

A systematic review of the quality of studies on dementia prevalence in Italy

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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.

Food and Wine Tourism as a Pull Factor for Tuscany

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Enrica Lemmi

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to underline the importance of the experience based tourism with reference to food and wine tourism in Tuscany. Starting from a literature review that has been focusing on a wide range of topics for long time, we explain first the different forms of tourism of taste; secondly the wide diffusion of this kind of tourism in Tuscany thanks to its important assets, as key factors to the tourist success; finally how the lack of upgraded tourist products and a standard communication are restraining its further improvement. The experience based tourism with its peculiar customization of the supply and the communication especially built for the new technological devices could upgrade the Tuscan tourist features. Just to give some examples, the more current tools include gamification and geocatching as new and amusing outputs that can involve the active tourist in search of new experiences, as well as the Sentiment Analysis as a process able to transform the customer opinions into useful data for a market segmentation and implementation of branding reputation.

Italy: An Open Air Museum

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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.

Thallium release from acid mine drainages: Speciation in river and tap water from Valdicastello mining district (northwest Tuscany).

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Campanella, Beatrice; Casiot, Corinne; Onor, Massimo; Perotti, Martina; Petrini, Riccardo; Bramanti, Emilia

2017-08-15

In this work we present an advantageous method for the simultaneous separation and detection of Tl(I) and Tl(III) species through ion chromatography coupled with on-line inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry. Chromatographic separation between Tl(III) and Tl(I) was achieved in less than two minutes. The method was validated by recovery experiments on real samples, and by comparing the sum of the concentrations of individual Tl species with total thallium values obtained from continuous flow ICP-MS. The experimental procedure offers an accurate, sensitive and interference-free method for Tl speciation at trace levels in environmental samples. This allowed us to investigate the Tl speciation in acid mine drainages (AMD), surface waters and springs in a mining catchment in Valdicastello Carducci (Tuscany, Italy), where severe Tl contamination ad been evidenced previously. This study shows for the first time that Tl(III), in addition to Tl(I), is present in considerable amounts in water samples affected by acid mining outflow, raising the question of the origin of this thermodynamically unstable species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Performance of organic grain legumes in Tuscany

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Valentina Moschini

2014-03-01

Full Text Available In 2005-2007 growing season, few varieties of field bean, high protein pea and white lupin were compared in an organic farm of Central Italy (Mugello area, Tuscany, to evaluate their agronomic performance in terms of grain yield, nutritional quality and competitive ability against weeds. The experiment was performed under rain-fed conditions. Furthermore, grain legumes features were compared between two different sowing seasons (autumnal vs late-winter for two years, in order to get information on the best time of sowing of these species, and the stability of yields of different genotypes in those climatic and soil conditions. These legumes could be an alternative protein source to external soybean, a high-risk alimentary source of genetically modified organisms, in the organic livestock sector. The main findings indicate that higher yields in grain and crude protein were obtained with the pea species and in particular with cultivars Hardy (4.0 t/ha grain yield; 626 kg/ha crude protein yield and Classic (3.1 t/ha grain yield; 557 kg/ha crude protein yield; followed by field bean cv. Chiaro di Torre Lama (2.9 t/ha grain yield; 624 kg/ha crude protein yield and cv. Vesuvio (2.5 t/ha grain yield; 549 kg/ha crude protein yield. Furthermore the field bean is interesting for the stability of yield in both years despite climatic conditions rather different. The white lupin has showed the lower yield but the best values of grain quality, with higher values in lupin Multitalia for dry matter, crude protein and ether extract and in lupin Luxe also for crude fibre, respect to the other legumes analysed. Among lupin varieties, lupin Multitalia showed the best yield results for the pedo-climatic conditions of Mugello area (0.9 t/ha lupin Multitalia; 0.2 t/ha lupin Luxe. The total yield of organic grain legumes, in the experimental site, is resulted higher with an autumnal seeding respect to the late-winter seeding (2.8 t/ha vs 1.9 t/ha.

General practitioners: Between integration and co-location. The case of primary care centers in Tuscany, Italy.

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Barsanti, Sara; Bonciani, Manila

2018-01-01

Healthcare systems have followed several strategies aimed at integrating primary care services and professionals. Medical homes in the USA and Canada, and primary care centres across Europe have collocated general practitioners and other health and social professionals in the same building in order to boost coordination among services and the continuity of care for patients. However, in the literature, the impact of co-location on primary care has led to controversial results. This article analyses the possible benefits of the co-location of services in primary care focusing on the Italian model of primary care centres (Case della Salute) in terms of general practitioners' perception. We used the results of a web survey of general practitioners in Tuscany to compare the experiences and satisfaction of those general practitioners involved and not involved in a primary care centre, performed a MONAVA and ANOVA analysis. Our case study highlights the positive impact of co-location on the integration of professionals, especially with nurses and social workers, and on organizational integration, in terms of frequency of meeting to discuss about quality of care. Conversely, no significant differences were found in terms of either clinical or system integration. Furthermore, the collaboration with specialists is still weak. Considering the general practitioners' perspective in terms of experience and satisfaction towards primary care, co-location strategies is a necessary step in order to facilitate the collaboration among professionals and to prevent unintended consequences in terms of an even possible isolation of primary care as an involuntary 'disintegration of the integration'.

Bluetongue control using vaccines: the experience of Emilia Romagna, Italy.

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Santi, A; Piccolomini, L Loli; Viappiani, P; Tamba, M; Calabrese, R; Massirio, I

2004-01-01

In 2003, thirty municipalities of the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia and Modena in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, bordering the region of Tuscany, were included in the national bluetongue (BT) vaccination programme, using monovalent live-attenuated type 2 vaccine. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the organisation of a vaccination programme designed by the Regional Veterinary Service and the relative cost of the campaign, as a large number of animals were involved. To better evaluate the real cost of the campaign, costs sustained by the Reggio Emilia Local Sanitary Unit were specifically analysed. BT vaccination of all domestic ruminants is a very expensive operation (euro9.20 per vaccinated animal). Consequently, to evaluate the need for a vaccination campaign in a new area, the risk of disease spread, as well as the cost of the operation, should be considered.

Enumeration and rapid identification of yeasts during extraction processes of extra virgin olive oil in Tuscany.

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Mari, Eleonora; Guerrini, Simona; Granchi, Lisa; Vincenzini, Massimo

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of yeast populations during different olive oil extraction processes, carried out in three consecutive years in Tuscany (Italy), by analysing crushed pastes, kneaded pastes, oil from decanter and pomaces. The results showed yeast concentrations ranging between 10(3) and 10(5) CFU/g or per mL. Seventeen dominant yeast species were identified by random amplified polymorphic DNA with primer M13 and their identification was confirmed by restriction fragments length polymorphism of ribosomal internal transcribed spacer and sequencing rRNA genes. The isolation frequencies of each species in the collected samples pointed out that the occurrence of the various yeast species in olive oil extraction process was dependent not only on the yeasts contaminating the olives but also on the yeasts colonizing the plant for oil extraction. In fact, eleven dominant yeast species were detected from the washed olives, but only three of them were also found in oil samples at significant isolation frequency. On the contrary, the most abundant species in oil samples, Yamadazyma terventina, did not occur in washed olive samples. These findings suggest a phenomenon of contamination of the plant for oil extraction that selects some yeast species that could affect the quality of olive oil.

Ferrihydrite flocs, native copper nanocrystals and spontaneous remediation in the Fosso dei Noni stream, Tuscany, Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genovese, Alessandro; Mellini, Marcello

2007-01-01

The Fosso dei Noni stream drains the abandoned mixed-sulfide mining area of Fenice Capanne in Italy. Water pollution mostly derives from two tributaries, one of which adds Cu and the other Zn. Downstream, water pollution is progressively remediated through the spontaneous precipitation of abundant, deeply-colored flocs. Within 1 km, flocs change from yellow-red to whitish and green, as the pH increases from 4.59 to 7.70 and the Eh decreases from +311 to +165 mV. Flocs are initially amorphous; with a near-neutral pH, their X-ray diffraction properties suggest the presence of two-line ferrihydrite. Transmission electron microscopy reveals major nanotextural modifications in flocs along the entire stream. Upstream, flocs consist of globular particles with a radius of 25-50 nm. Downstream, they change to globular particles with elongated features. Lastly, further downstream, flocs consist of elongated features interconnected by continuous films. Nanochemical data are consistent with Al and Fe hydroxides (largely contaminated by S, Si, Ca, Cu and Zn); the Cu content increases progressively downstream to a maximum of 18 at. %. The increasing Cu content is paralleled by the appearance of isolated Cu nanocrystals adsorbed on floc surfaces. Spontaneous processes in the Fosso dei Noni stream (water neutralization, formation of ferrihydrite-like flocs and crystallization of native Cu) allow the temporary storage of Cu, providing hints on how to optimize remediation processes and Cu recovery

Provenance of marbles used for building the internal spiral staircase of the bell tower of St. Nicholas Church (Pisa, Italy)

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Lezzerini, Marco; Antonelli, Fabrizio; Gallello, Gianni; Ramacciotti, Mirco; Parodi, Luca; Alberti, Antonio; Pagnotta, Stefano; Legnaioli, Stefano; Palleschi, Vincenzo

2017-05-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the provenance of marbles used as architectural elements (bases, shafts and capitals of columns) for building the internal spiral staircase of the medieval bell tower of St. Nicholas Church at Pisa, Italy. Accordingly, the 45 collected marble samples have been analysed by optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and mass spectroscopy for carbon and oxygen stable isotope ratio analysis; additionally, SEM-EDS analysis have been performed to complement data about accessory minerals. By comparison with literature data on the main sources of the white Mediterranean marbles used in ancient times, the results show that the analysed samples are mainly white crystalline marbles from Carrara (Italy) and, subordinately, from other Tuscan and Eastern Mediterranean quarrying areas. In fact, Mt. Pisano and Campiglia M.ma (Tuscany, Italy) and Marmara (Turkey), Paros, Mt. Penteli, Thasos (Greece) are minor sources. The other coloured stones identified on the strength of their macroscopic features are quartzites from Mt. Pisano area and granitoids from Sardinia and Island of Elba (Italy). Occasionally, a very limited number of architectonical elements made up of Acquabona limestone from Rosignano Marittimo (Livorno, Italy), red limestone with ammonites (the so-called "Rosso Ammonitico") and black limestone belonging to the Tuscan Nappe sequence, outcropping at northwest of Pisa in the nearby Monti d'Oltre Serchio area, are present.

Fluid transfer and vein thickness distribution in high and low temperature hydrothermal systems at shallow crustal level in southern Tuscany (Italy

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Francesco Mazzarini

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Geometric analysis of vein systems hosted in upper crustal rocks and developed in high and low temperature hydrothermal systems is presented. The high temperature hydrothermal system consists of tourmaline-rich veins hosted within the contact aureole of the upper Miocene Porto Azzurro pluton in the eastern Elba Island. The low temperature hydrothermal system consists of calcite-rich veins hosted within the Oligocene sandstones of the Tuscan Nappe, exposed along the coast in southern Tuscany. Vein thickness distribution is here used as proxy for inferring some hydraulic properties (transmissivity of the fluid circulation at the time of veins’ formation. We derive estimations of average thickness of veins by using the observed distributions. In the case of power law thickness distributions, the lower the scaling exponent of the distribution the higher the overall transmissivity. Indeed, power law distributions characterised by high scaling exponents have transmissivity three order of magnitude lower than negative exponential thickness distribution. Simple observations of vein thickness may thus provides some clues on the transmissivity in hydrothermal systems.

Traditional alcoholic beverages and their value in the local culture of the Alta Valle del Reno, a mountain borderland between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna (Italy).

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Egea, Teresa; Signorini, Maria Adele; Ongaro, Luca; Rivera, Diego; Obón de Castro, Concepción; Bruschi, Piero

2016-06-22

Traditional alcoholic beverages (TABs) have only received marginal attention from researchers and ethnobotanists so far, especially in Italy. This work is focused on plant-based TABs in the Alta Valle del Reno, a mountainous area on the border between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna regions. The aims of our study were to document local knowledge about TABs and to analyze and discuss the distribution of related knowledge within the investigated communities. Field data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The relative importance of each plant species used to prepare TABs was assessed by calculating a general Use Value Index (UV general), a current UV (UV current) and a past UV (UV past). We also assessed personal experience of use by calculating effective and potential UV (UV effective, UV potential). A multivariate analysis was performed to compare ingredients in recipes recorded in the Alta Valle del Reno with those reported for neighboring areas. Forty-six plant species, belonging to 20 families, were recorded. Rosaceae was the most significant family (98 citations, 19 species), followed by Rutaceae (15, 3) and Lamiaceae (12, 4). The most important species was Prunus cerasus L. (UV general = 0.44), followed by Juglans regia L. (0.38), Rubus idaeus L. (0.27) and Prunus spinosa L. (0.22). Species with the highest UV current were Juglans regia (0.254), Prunus cerasus (0.238) and Citrus limon L. (0.159). The highest UV effective values were obtained by Prunus cerasus (0.413), Juglans regia (0.254), Rubus idaeus (0.222) and Citrus limon (0.206). We also discuss the results of the multivariate analysis. TABs proved to occupy an important place in the traditional culture and social life of the studied communities. Moreover, data highlight the local specificity and richness of this kind of tradition in the Alta Valle del Reno, compared to other Italian areas. Some plant ingredients used for TABs have potential nutraceutical and even therapeutic properties

Atmospheric mercury sources in the Mt. Amiata area, Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrara, R.; Mazzolai, B.; Edner, H.; Svanberg, S.; Wallinder, E.

1998-01-01

Mt. Amiata, located in southern Tuscany (Italy), is part of the geologic anomaly of the Mediterranean basin, which contains about 65% of the world's cinnabar (HgS) deposits. Atmospheric mercury emissions from the main sources (geothermal power plants, abandoned mine structures and spoil banks of roasted cinnabar ore) were determined by flux chamber and by LIDAR remote sensing. Mercury emissions from five geothermal power plants were on the order of 24 g h -1 for each plant, a value that remains constant throughout the year. In the month of July, the mine spoils (covering an area of =200000 m 2 ) emit a few grams of mercury per hour, while the abandoned mine structures give off 100-110 g h -1 . These two mercury sources were strongly influenced by ambient temperature. The area affected by mercury sources displays an average air mercury concentration of 20 ng m -3 during the summer and 10 ng m -3 in winter

A review of the methods for monitoring roe deer European populations with particular reference to Italy

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Alberto Meriggi

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Throughout the last century, deer populations have shown a remarkable increase both in North America and Europe. As a consequence, the estimate of roe deer density has become a matter of interest. We reviewed the available literature on the methods used for monitoring roe deer populations in Europe from 1950 to 2004, with the aim of detecting the trend of papers and distribution of census techniques by years, countries and habitat types. Particular attention was paid to the census and monitoring methods adopted in Italy and Tuscany, which is the region where the roe deer is more carefully managed. Published papers showed an increasing trend, as did the number of methods used and their complexity. France, Italy, UK and Spain were the countries with the richest literature and the largest variety of methods applied. Eleven census methods have been applied in woods - particularly line transects, pellet group counts, CMR and IKA - with only 6 in open country, mainly pellet group counts. In Europe vantage points are more commonly used for planning culling programs, whilst in Italy, and particularly in Tuscany, the drive census and spotlight counts are mainly used. Unfortunately, in Europe, harvesting programs are still too much based on hunter knowledge and traditions. However the countries where the management of roe deer hunting is of more recent tradition make an exception to this rule. In Italy and Tuscany the methods of monitoring roe deer populations should be improved towards less expensive and more accurate methods. Riassunto Revisione dei metodi di monitoraggio delle popolazioni di capriolo in Europa con particolare riferimento all'Italia Le popolazioni di Cervidi hanno avuto nell'ultimo secolo un notevole incremento sia in America settentrionale, sia in Europa. Di conseguenza la densità delle popolazioni di capriolo è diventata oggetto di interessi diversi e la sua stima

Trepanation to Treat a Head Wound: A Case of Neurosurgery from 13th-Century Tuscany.

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Riccomi, Giulia; Fornaciari, Gino; Vitiello, Angelica; Bini, Anna; Caramella, Davide; Giuffra, Valentina

2017-08-01

During the archaeological excavations conducted in the 13th century cemetery of the Church of Sant'Agostino in Poggibonsi (Tuscany, Italy), a skull with evidence of neurosurgical intervention was brought to light. The skull, belonging to an adult male, shows two traumatic lesions produced by bladed instruments. The first lesion, located on the anterior part of the parietal bones, involved only the outer cranial table; bone remodeling indicates that the individual survived the injury for a long time. The second lesion, located on the frontal bone, involved all the thickness of the bone; the absence of reparative processes allows a diagnosis of peri mortem lesion. To treat this wound, the patient underwent surgical intervention. In fact, in correspondence to the lesion, an oval bone loss, with clean and well-defined cutting edges, can be interpreted as the result of a trepanation, probably performed to clean the wound and to remove any bone splinters. Half of the bone "rondella" was found in situ; it can be hypothesized that the surgeon decided to replace the bony piece to protect the brain. However, the surgical intervention failed, and the patient died soon afterwards. Trepanation for the treatment of cranial traumas is described by several medical classical and medieval authors, whose texts were available in the 13th century. This case represents rare Middle Ages evidence of neurosurgery used to treat a bone injury. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Generation Y, wine and alcohol. A semantic differential approach to consumption analysis in Tuscany.

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Marinelli, Nicola; Fabbrizzi, Sara; Alampi Sottini, Veronica; Sacchelli, Sandro; Bernetti, Iacopo; Menghini, Silvio

2014-04-01

The aim of the study is the elicitation of the consumer's semantic perception of different alcoholic beverages in order to provide information for the definition of communication strategies for both the private sector (and specifically the wine industry) and the public decision maker. Such information can be seen as the basis of a wider social marketing construct aimed at the promotion of responsible drinking among young consumers. The semantic differential approach was used in this study. The data collection was based on a survey to 430 consumers between 18 and 35years old in Tuscany, Italy. The database was organized in a three-way structure, indexing the data in a multiway matrix. The data were processed using a Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA). Moreover, homogeneous clusters of consumers were identified using a Hierarchical Clustering on Principal Components (HCPC) approach. The results of the study highlight that beer and spirits are mainly perceived as "Young", "Social", "Euphoric", "Happy", "Appealing" and "Trendy" beverages, while wine is associated mostly with terms such as "Pleasure", "Quality" and "Comfortable". Furthermore, the cluster analysis allowed for the identification of three groups of individuals with different approaches to alcohol drinking. The results of the study supply a useful information framework for the elaboration of specific communication strategies that, based on the drinking habits of young consumers and their perception of different beverages, can use a language that is very close to the consumer typologies. Such information can be helpful for both private and public communication strategies. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

[Definition and adoption of a building code based on biological and ecological sustainability in the Local Health Authority 11 of Empoli (Tuscany Region, Central Italy): strengths and areas for improvement].

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Petronio, Maria Grazia; Battisti, Francesca

2016-01-01

Built environment is an important social determinant of health, but nowadays local health authorities (LHAs) have lost their competences in the issuing of building permits, especially since a new legislation introduced the possibility of personal declaration of conformity. They are also usually excluded from the urban planning process. At the same time, in recent years construction of buildings has been developed with insufficient regard to environmental health requirements, proper exposure to sunlight and winds, comfort, building materials, consumption of resources, and waste production. To deal with these issues, an interdepartmental working group was set up under the direction of the Department of Prevention of the LHA of Empoli (Tuscany Region, Central Italy), with members of the Regional Environmental Protection Agency, along with experts of the 15 Municipalities included in the LHA territory and members of other local institutions. The objective of the Working Group was to define and propose as mandatory a set of rules for local governments aimed at regulating construction activities according to criteria of environmental sustainability, eco-efficiency, comfort, and healthiness of living areas, at the same time encouraging the responsible use of natural resources, the reduction of energy consumption and the use of renewable energy sources in order to place environmental safety and health at the heart of all building activities. Experts of six Municipalities joined the working group and the regulation framework was adopted (and made legally binding) in 8 out of 15 Municipalities, with an almost complete overlap with participation in the working group. The active participation of experts, whose work consists in examining municipal building, permits, and declarations, has therefore marked the difference in the transition from theory to practice. The level of know-how attained by the participants and their motivation and enthusiasm have been so relevant in the

Angiostrongylus vasorum in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes and badgers (Meles meles from Central and Northern Italy

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Marta Magi

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract During 2004-2005 and 2007-2008, 189 foxes (Vulpes vulpes and 6 badgers (Meles meles were collected in different areas of Central Northern Italy (Piedmont, Liguria and Tuscany and examined for Angiostrongylus vasorum infection. The prevalence of the infection was significantly different in the areas considered, with the highest values in the district of Imperia (80%, Liguria and in Montezemolo (70%, southern Piedmont; the prevalence in Tuscany was 7%. One badger collected in the area of Imperia turned out to be infected, representing the first report of the parasite in this species in Italy. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role played by fox populations as reservoirs of infection and the probability of its spreading to domestic dogs.
Riassunto Angiostrongylus vasorum nella volpe (Vulpes vulpes e nel tasso (Meles meles in Italia centro-settentrionale. Nel 2004-2005 e 2007-2008, 189 volpi (Vulpes vulpes e 6 tassi (Meles meles provenienti da differenti aree dell'Italia settentrionale e centrale (Piemonte, Liguria Toscana, sono stati esaminati per la ricerca di Angiostrongylus vasorum. La prevalenza del nematode è risultata significativamente diversa nelle varie zone, con valori elevati nelle zone di Imperia (80% e di Montezemolo (70%, provincia di Cuneo; la prevalenza in Toscana è risultata del 7%. Un tasso proveniente dall'area di Imperia è risultato positivo per A. vasorum; questa è la prima segnalazione del parassita in tale specie in Italia. Ulteriori studi sono necessari per valutare il potenziale della volpe come serbatoio e la possibilità di diffusione della parassitosi ai cani domestici.

doi:10.4404/hystrix-20.2-4442

Epidemiological study of the intestinal helminths of wild boar (Sus scrofa) and mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon) in central Italy.

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Magi, M; Bertani, M; Dell'Omodarme, M; Prati, M C

2002-12-01

Since 1995 the population of wild ungulates increased significantly in the "Parco provinciale dei Monti Livornesi" (Livorno, Tuscany, Central Italy). We studied the intestinal macroparasites of two hosts, the wild boar (Sus scrofa) and the mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon). In the case of wild boars we found a dominant parasite species, Globocephalus urosubulatus. For this parasite the frequency distribution of the number of parasites per host agrees with a negative binomial distribution. There is not a significant correlation between the age of the animals and the parasitosis. Furthermore the mean parasite burden of male and female wild boars does not differ significantly. In the case of mouflons we found a dominant parasite species Nematodirus filicollis with Trichuris ovis as codominant species.

Effects of 50-years unmanaged water resource in Southern Tuscany coastal plains (Italy)

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Rossetto, R.; Debolini, M.; Galli, M. A.; Bonari, E.

2012-04-01

Southern Tuscany coastal plains show favorable conditions from the agro-pedoclimatic point of view and are characterized by a relevant touristic flux, being one of the most popular seaside resort. In such conditions, water resource is one of the main assets: disregarded water management may then lead to severe consequences for the development and growth of the socio-economic system and agro-ecosystem maintenance. During the 1960 decade, ante-II World War projects for hydropower production (i.e. the Farma-Merse scheme) were rearranged in favor of irrigation and the enhancement of crop production. Storage of about 110 Mm3 was thought to provide water for about 35000 Ha. At the end of the 70's, mass tourism began to take place in coastal areas giving rise to water access conflicts between agriculture and the touristic infrastructure. Being none of these projects realized, the increasing demand for drinking water was satisfied by tapping the Mount Amiata aquifer for 70% of the annual demand, and the remaining 30% coming from local aquifers. Due to the absence of rainfall and then of surface water flow in streams at the end of the spring and during the summer period, irrigation requirements were also satisfied by means of groundwater withdrawals. As a consequence of overdraft, aquifer salinisation started in most of the coastal areas (Regione Toscana, 1995; Bianchi et al., 2011; Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, 2011). All this happened in the completely absence of controls on groundwater abstractions. In the early 90's, the Commissione Leon (Regione Toscana, 1991) re-analyzed the largest dam projects and presented as feasible a conjunctive use of surface water stored in artificial basins (to be built) and by planned and controlled local aquifers. Anyway, political issues and environmental concerns halted any kind of realization, so that today the largest basin in the area is private, it dates back to 1930, and it shows a reduced capacity of about 1.8 Mm3, instead than the

Erosion-vegetation dynamics in the Lucciolabella biancane badland cultural landscape (Southern Tuscany, Italy)

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Maccherini, Simona; Vergari, Francesca; Santi, Elisa; Marignani, Michela; Della Seta, Marta; Rossi, Mauro; Torri, Dino; Del Monte, Maurizio

2014-05-01

In this work we present the results of multidisciplinary and long-lasting investigations on the complex cause-effect relationship among water erosion processes and vegetation cover on the Lucciolabella Natural Reserve, located in Upper Orcia Valley (Southern Tuscany). The area is a Site of Community Importance, where the cultural landscape of biancane badlands - water erosion landforms generated on Plio-Pleistocene marine clay outcrops - is preserved. We explored the direction and rate of change in land use and natural habitats of the biancana badland landscapes over the last 50 years, evaluating the erosion-vegetation dynamics and examining the processes involved in the biancana badland area. Historical information, such as early cadastral documents and diachronically analyzed aerial photographs, has been used to construct a database of the natural trends of modifications relative to habitat and plant species distribution, with the analysis of the consequent variations on the frequency of instability events. Old and recent land use maps were compared by using the TWINSPAN classification. Soil erodibility evaluation on the eroded biancana surfaces, regosols and well-developed vertisols, was carried out together with a decadal erosion monitoring program and the investigation of the physico-chemical properties of parent material. We also considered the effects of a few roots on saturated soil shear strength to introduce direct links between plants and soil processes. Moreover we run the LANDPLANER model in order to deepen the effect of the fragmentation of the vegetation cover on water erosion processes affecting biancana badlands. Long-lasting geomorphological survey and field erosion monitoring highlighted that biancana stations experience a very strong surface lowering rate due to water erosion, attaining an average rate of 2.4 - 2.6 cm/a. Moreover, biancanas in a more juvenile development phase, such as the ones of Lucciolabella Natural Reserve, show the maximum

Barriers Against Adoption of Electronic Health Record in Italy

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Stefano Bonacina

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This work aims to expose the barriers which work against the satisfactory adoption and utilization of Electronic Health Records (EHRs in Italy. Experts from six operating areas were involved where barriers associated with practical daily use of EHRs might arise. Experts disclosed different barriers in their operating areas: the low interoperability of healthcare system infrastructures in diagnostic services; the lack of systems able to represent complex processes characterized by uncertainties in hospital wards; the unsatisfactory information exchange between heterogeneous healthcare providers in territorial healthcare; the lack of models and guidelines for administration process management; the lack of Health Information engineers who are recognized as professionals in Italian hospitals; the lack of domain vocabularies and ontologies for conceptual integration in clinical communication. Our findings suggest how future solutions must be designed considering the environment of specific areas.

Empire and Tuscany during the reign of Frederick I Barbarossa

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Maria Elena Cortese

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The essay analyzes Frederick I Barbarossa’s action in Tuscany framing it in the complex political and institutional context that originated after the end of the March of Tuscia. Some traditional interpretations are reconsidered on the attitude adopted by the emperor towards the main political actors on the regional scene: rural aristocracies and urban communes. Abandoning the prevalent in historiography urban-centric optics, it is possible to observe how the emperor aimed to maintain a mosaic of different political entities linked to him by a direct subjection, and how he recognised them, in order to make them coexist under the imperial hegemony.

An Indicator-Based Framework to Evaluate Sustainability of Farming Systems: Review of Applications in Tuscany

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Concetta Vazzana

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Agricultural researchers widely recognise the importance of sustainable agricultural production systems and the need to develop appropriate methods to measure sustainability at the farm level. Policymakers need accounting and evaluation tools to be able to assess the potential of sustainable production practices and to provide appropriate agro-environmental policy measures. Farmers are in search of sustainable management tools to cope with regulations and enhance efficiency. This study proposes an indicator-based framework to evaluate sustainability of farming systems. Main features of the indicators’ framework are the relevance given to different spatial scales (farm, site and field, production and pedo-climatic factors, and a holistic view of the agro-ecosystem. The framework has been conceived to tackle different purposes ranging from detailed scientific analyses to farm-level management systems and cross-compliance. Agro-environmental indicators can be calculated, simulated with models or directly measured with different levels of detail proportionally to the aims of the evaluation exercise. The framework is organised in a number of environmental and production systems and sub-systems. For each system environmental critical points are identified with corresponding agro-environmental indicators and processing methods. A review of applications of the framework in Tuscany, Italy, since 1991 is presented. Applications range from prototyping farming systems, to integrated farm ecological-economic modelling, comparisons between organic, integrated and conventional farming systems, farm eco-management voluntary audit schemes and cross-compliance. Strengths and weaknesses of the framework are discussed against generic requirements of information systems and operational issues.

Geothermal resources in Italy and world-wide: scientific debate and market evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frey, M.; Rizzi, F.

2008-01-01

This paper describes the state of the art in development and utilization of geothermal resources in Italy and Tuscany. Departing from the geological peculiarities of this region, which have contributed to Italy's leading role in technological innovation since the beginning of geo thermoelectric power generation (GPG), recent evidences from the market and scientific community are here analyzed in order to answer the question whether the economic downturn will put geothermal energy on the back burner, or if it will function as a catalyst for change. The first section explores the role of geothermal energy within the renewable energy mix. After an introduction on the strengths and weaknesses of the Italian energy system, the evolution of the matches between different types of geothermal resources (high, medium and low enthalpies) and technologies is analyzed from an economic, technical and environmental point of view. Here, the evolution of the regulatory framework emerges as one of the main driving forces behind incremental innovation and the spreading of technologies. The move towards sustainability seems to stimulate the market in spite of the barriers to entry linked to capital intensiveness and the risks related to geothermal investments. Beside the growth of relationships between industrial actors, public administration and scientific community, the analysis identifies the down scale of plants, the integration with other renewable and the industrial integration as the main next challenges in the field of geothermal competitiveness. To this end, the implementation of such new tools for territorial management as the ones based on LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and SMCE (Social Multi Criteria Evaluation) is expected to stimulate further improvements and innovations. The second section analyzes the present regulatory framework at the communitarian, national and local level and the allocation of economical resources to research and development in particular in relation

Establishment of endolithic populations of extremophilic Cyanidiales (Rhodophyta).

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Yoon, Hwan Su; Ciniglia, Claudia; Wu, Min; Comeron, Josep M; Pinto, Gabriele; Pollio, Antonino; Bhattacharya, Debashish

2006-10-05

Cyanidiales are unicellular extremophilic red algae that inhabit acidic and high temperature sites around hot springs and have also adapted to life in endolithic and interlithic habitats. Comparative genomic analysis of Cyanidioschyzon merolae and Galdieria sulphuraria predicts that the latter may be more broadly distributed in extreme environments because its genome contains membrane transporters involved in the uptake of reduced carbon compounds that are absent from C. merolae. Analysis of an endolithic site in the Phlegrean Fields near Naples, Italy is consistent with this prediction showing this population to be comprised solely of the newly described lineage Galdieria-B and C. merolae to be limited to humid habitats. Here, we conducted an environmental PCR survey of another extreme environment in Tuscany, Italy and contrasted Cyanidiales population structure at endolithic and interlithic habitats in Naples and Tuscany. We find a second Galdieria lineage (Galdieria-A) in endolithic and interlithic habitats in Tuscany but surprisingly Cyanidium was also present at these sites. The photoautotrophic Cyanidium apparently survives below the rock surface where sufficient light is available for photosynthesis. C. merolae is absent from all endolithic and interlithic sites in Tuscany. Population genetic analyses of a partial calmodulin gene fragment suggest a recent establishment or recurrent gene flow between populations in Tuscany, whereas the highly structured Galdieria-B population in Naples likely originated from 2-3 founder events. We find evidence of several recombination events across the calmodulin gene, potentially indicating the presence of sexual reproduction in the Tuscany populations. Our study provides important data regarding population structure in extreme endolithic environments and insights into how Cyanidiales may be established in and adapt to these hostile environments.

Serological survey on Leptospira infection in slaughtered swine in North-Central Italy.

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Bertelloni, F; Turchi, B; Vattiata, E; Viola, P; Pardini, S; Cerri, D; Fratini, F

2018-05-30

Swine can act as asymptomatic carriers of some Leptospira serovars. In this study, 1194 sera from 61 farms located in five different Regions of North-West Italy were collected from slaughtered healthy pigs. Presence of antibody against four Leptospira serovars was evaluated. Overall, 52.5% of analysed farms presented at least one positive animal and 34.4% presented at least one positive swine with titre ⩾1:400. A percentage of 16.6% sera was positive and 5.9% samples presented a positive titre ⩾1:400. Tuscany and Lombardy showed the highest percentage of positive farms (64.3% and 54.6%, respectively) and sera (28.5% and 13.3%, respectively), probably due to environmental conditions and potential risk factors, which promote maintenance and spreading of Leptospira in these areas. The main represented serogroups were Australis (21.3% positive farms, 8.2% positive sera) and Pomona (18.0% positive farms, 8.1% positive sera). In swine, these serogroups are the most detected worldwide; however, our results seem to highlight a reemerging of serogroup Pomona in pigs in investigated areas. A low percentage of sera (0.6%) scored positive to Canicola, leaving an open question on the role of pigs in the epidemiology of this serovar. Higher antibody titres were detected for serogroups Australis and Pomona. Swine leptospirosis is probably underestimated in Italy and could represent a potential risk for animal and human health.

Indian satellite IRS-P4 (OCEANSAT). Monitoring algal blooms in the Arabian Sea

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Matondkar, S.G.P.; Bhat, S.R.; Dwivedi, R.M.; Nayak, S.R.

monotis, Prorocentrum lima on the macroalgae of artificial and natural reefs in the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea • Italy Ostreopsis ovata, Coolia monotis, Prorocentrum lima, Prorocentrum sp., Amphidinium sp. have been detected on the Tuscany coast, Tyrrhenian... Sea, on macroalgae on the artificial reefs of Marina di Massa and Versilia, and on the natural reefs of Livorno. The same dinoflagellates have been found on the islands of the Tuscany archipelago: Elba, Giannutri, Giglio [1, 2]. During these blooms...

Establishment of endolithic populations of extremophilic Cyanidiales (Rhodophyta

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Pollio Antonino

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cyanidiales are unicellular extremophilic red algae that inhabit acidic and high temperature sites around hot springs and have also adapted to life in endolithic and interlithic habitats. Comparative genomic analysis of Cyanidioschyzon merolae and Galdieria sulphuraria predicts that the latter may be more broadly distributed in extreme environments because its genome contains membrane transporters involved in the uptake of reduced carbon compounds that are absent from C. merolae. Analysis of an endolithic site in the Phlegrean Fields near Naples, Italy is consistent with this prediction showing this population to be comprised solely of the newly described lineage Galdieria-B and C. merolae to be limited to humid habitats. Here, we conducted an environmental PCR survey of another extreme environment in Tuscany, Italy and contrasted Cyanidiales population structure at endolithic and interlithic habitats in Naples and Tuscany. Results We find a second Galdieria lineage (Galdieria-A in endolithic and interlithic habitats in Tuscany but surprisingly Cyanidium was also present at these sites. The photoautotrophic Cyanidium apparently survives below the rock surface where sufficient light is available for photosynthesis. C. merolae is absent from all endolithic and interlithic sites in Tuscany. Population genetic analyses of a partial calmodulin gene fragment suggest a recent establishment or recurrent gene flow between populations in Tuscany, whereas the highly structured Galdieria-B population in Naples likely originated from 2–3 founder events. We find evidence of several recombination events across the calmodulin gene, potentially indicating the presence of sexual reproduction in the Tuscany populations. Conclusion Our study provides important data regarding population structure in extreme endolithic environments and insights into how Cyanidiales may be established in and adapt to these hostile environments.

Managed Aquifer Recharge in Italy: present and prospects.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossetto, Rudy

2015-04-01

On October the 3rd 2014, a one-day Workshop on Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) experiences in Italy took place at the GEOFLUID fair in Piacenza. It was organized within the framework of the EIP AG 128 - MAR Solutions - Managed Aquifer Recharge Strategies and Actions and the EU FPVII MARSOL. The event aimed at showcasing present experiences on MAR in Italy while at the same time starting a network among all the Institutions involved. In this contribution, we discuss the state of MAR application in Italy and summarize the outcomes of that event. In Italy aquifer recharge is traditionally applied unintentionally, by increasing riverbank filtration or because of excess irrigation. A certain interest for artificial recharge of aquifers arose at the end of the '70s and the beginning of the '80s and tests have been carried out in Tuscany, Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. During the last years some projects on aquifer recharge were co-financed by the European Commission mainly through the LIFE program. Nearly all of them use the terminology of artificial recharge instead of MAR. They are: - TRUST (Tool for regional - scale assessment of groundwater storage improvement in adaptation to climate change, LIFE07 ENV/IT/000475; Marsala 2014); - AQUOR (Implementation of a water saving and artificial recharging participated strategy for the quantitative groundwater layer rebalance of the upper Vicenza's plain - LIFE 2010 ENV/IT/380; Mezzalira et al. 2014); - WARBO (Water re-born - artificial recharge: innovative technologies for the sustainable management of water resources, LIFE10 ENV/IT/000394; 2014). While the TRUST project dealt in general with aquifer recharge, AQUOR and WARBO focused essentially on small scale demonstration plants. Within the EU FPVII-ENV-2013 MARSOL project (Demonstrating Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Solution to Water Scarcity and Drought; 2014), a dedicated monitoring and decision support system is under development to manage recharge at a large scale

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.

Coexisting contraction-extension consistent with buoyancy of the crust and upper mantle in North-Central Italy

CERN Document Server

Aoudia, A; Ismail-Zadeh, A T; Panza, G F; Pontevivo, A

2002-01-01

The juxtaposed contraction and extension observed in the crust of the Italian Apennines and elsewhere has, for a long time, attracted the attention of geoscientists and is a long-standing enigmatic feature. Several models, invoking mainly external forces, have been put forward to explain the close association of these two end-member deformation mechanisms clearly observed by geophysical and geological investigations. These models appeal to interactions along plate margins or at the base of the lithosphere such as back-arc extension or shear tractions from mantle flow or to subduction processes such as slab roll back, retreat or pull and detachment. We present here a revisited crust and upper mantle model that supports delamination processes beneath North-Central Italy and provides a new background for the genesis and age of the recent magmatism in Tuscany. Although external forces must have been important in the building up of the Apennines, we show that internal buoyancy forces solely can explain the coexist...

Sexual behavior, use of contraceptive methods and risk factors for HPV infections of students living in central Italy: implications for vaccination strategies.

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Boccalini, S; Tiscione, E; Bechini, A; Levi, M; Mencacci, M; Petrucci, F; Bani Assad, G; Santini, M G; Bonanni, P

2012-03-01

The most frequent risk factors related to the infection/persistence of HPV in the population are an early start of sexual activity, the number of sexual partners, smoking, and the utilization of some contraceptive methods. In Italy, HPV vaccine is offered free of charge to all 12-year-old female adolescents, with a possible extension to other age groups according to Regional policies. In order to value the suitability of the current HPV vaccination strategies in Italy, an epidemiological study on sexual habits in adolescents and young adults was organized. An anonymous questionnaire on sexual behavior and risk factors for HPV infection was administered to 2300 students aged 13-24 years attending secondary schools and universities in Tuscany during 2008-09. About 12% of the sample declared to be foreign citizen. The results highlight the early start of sexual activity among young students. Particularly, more than half of the interviewed students declared to be already sexually active. The mean and the median age of the first sexual intercourse was 15.4 +/- 1.4 years and 15 years (25th and 75th percentiles = 14-16), respectively. More than 77% of students at age 16 years declared they already had the first sexual intercourse, compared with 0.3% of those sexually active, had sexual contacts with a single partner. Most students declared to know common contraceptive methods (male condom and contraceptive pill). However, only half of them declared a regular use of male condom. These data confirm the importance of vaccination against HPV for young females before their sexual debut. In addition, the current multi-cohort strategy of HPV vaccination in Tuscany (free of charge in the age range 12-16 years) allows also to catch up those girls that have not yet had their first sexual experiences before 16 years (21.5% according to our study) but also to those girls already sexually active, who very rarely are already infected by all vaccine types at 16 years. Our results also

Evaluation of intrinsic groundwater vulnerability to pollution: COP method for pilot area of Carrara hydrogeological system (Northern Tuscany, Italy)

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Baldi, B.; Guastaldi, E.; Rossetto, R.

2009-04-01

During the characterization of the Apuan Alps groundwater body ( "Corpo Idrico Sotterraneo Significativo", briefly CISS) (Regione Toscana, 2007) the intrinsic vulnerability has been evaluated for Carrara hydrogeological system (Northern Tuscany, Italy) by means of COP method, developed within COST 620 European Action (Zwalhlen, 2003). This system is both characterized by large data availability and it is considered an highly risky zone since groundwater protection problems (turbidity of the tapped spring waters and hydrocarbons contamination) and anthropic activity (marble quarries). The study area, 20 Km2large, has high relief energy, with elevations ranging from 5 to 1700 m amsl in almost 5 km. Runoff is scarce except during heavy rainfall; due to the presence of carbonate rocks infiltration is high: groundwater discharge at 155-255 m amsl. The area is located in the north-western part of Apuan Alps Metamorphic Complex, characterized by carbonate and non-carbonate rocks belonging to the non-metamorphic Tuscan Units (Carnic-Oligocene), Mesozoic Succession, Middle-Triassic Succession, and metamorphic Paleozoic rocks. The main geological structure of the area is the Carrara Syncline, constituted prevalently by dolostones, marbles and cherty limestones. These carbonate formations define several moderately to highly productive hydrogeological units, characterized by fissured and karst flow. Hydrogeological system may be subdivided in two different subsets, because of both geo-structural set up and area conformation. However, these are hydrogeologically connected since anisotropy and fractures of karst groundwater. The southern boundary of Carrara hydrogeological system shows important dammed springs, defined by low productive units of Massa Unit (Cambriano?-Carnic). COP methodology for evaluating intrinsic vulnerability of karst groundwater is based on three main factors for the definition of vulnerability itself: COPIndex = C (flow Concentration) *O (Overlying layers

Casa Vasari : Een villa suburbana in Arezzo

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuiper, Yme

2016-01-01

Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574), the famous painter, architect and biographer of the artists of the Italian Renaissance, designed a villa suburbana, built in Arezzo (Tuscany) in 1540. Peter Burke's 'Culture and Society in Renaissance Italy' (1972) is modeern collective biography of Vasari's artists.

Prescribing of Antidiabetic Medicines before, during and after Pregnancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Charlton, Rachel A; Klungsøyr, Kari; Neville, Amanda J

2016-01-01

AIM: To explore antidiabetic medicine prescribing to women before, during and after pregnancy in different regions of Europe. METHODS: A common protocol was implemented across seven databases in Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Italy (Emilia Romagna/Tuscany), Wales and the rest of the UK. Women...

Prescribing of Antidiabetic Medicines before, during and after Pregnancy : A Study in Seven European Regions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Charlton, Rachel A.; Klungsoyr, Kari; Neville, Amanda J.; Jordan, Sue; Pierini, Anna; de Jong-van den Berg, Lolkje T. W.; Bos, H. Jens; Puccini, Aurora; Engeland, Anders; Gini, Rosa; Davies, Gareth; Thayer, Daniel; Hansen, Anne V.; Morgan, Margery; Wang, Hao; McGrogan, Anita; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Dolk, Helen; Garne, Ester

2016-01-01

Aim To explore antidiabetic medicine prescribing to women before, during and after pregnancy in different regions of Europe. Methods A common protocol was implemented across seven databases in Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Italy (Emilia Romagna/Tuscany), Wales and the rest of the UK. Women with

Clustering of health-related behaviors among early and mid-adolescents in Tuscany: results from a representative cross-sectional study.

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Lazzeri, Giacomo; Panatto, Donatella; Domnich, Alexander; Arata, Lucia; Pammolli, Andrea; Simi, Rita; Giacchi, Mariano Vincenzo; Amicizia, Daniela; Gasparini, Roberto

2018-03-01

A huge amount of literature suggests that adolescents' health-related behaviors tend to occur in clusters, and the understanding of such behavioral clustering may have direct implications for the effective tailoring of health-promotion interventions. Despite the usefulness of analyzing clustering, Italian data on this topic are scant. This study aimed to evaluate the clustering patterns of health-related behaviors. The present study is based on data from the Health Behaviors in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in Tuscany in 2010, which involved 3291 11-, 13- and 15-year olds. To aggregate students' data on 22 health-related behaviors, factor analysis and subsequent cluster analysis were performed. Factor analysis revealed eight factors, which were dubbed in accordance with their main traits: 'Alcohol drinking', 'Smoking', 'Physical activity', 'Screen time', 'Signs & symptoms', 'Healthy eating', 'Violence' and 'Sweet tooth'. These factors explained 67% of variance and underwent cluster analysis. A six-cluster κ-means solution was established with a 93.8% level of classification validity. The between-cluster differences in both mean age and gender distribution were highly statistically significant. Health-compromising behaviors are common among Tuscan teens and occur in distinct clusters. These results may be used by schools, health-promotion authorities and other stakeholders to design and implement tailored preventive interventions in Tuscany.

The Acheulian and Early Middle Paleolithic in Latium (Italy): Stability and Innovation

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Soriano, Sylvain; Grün, Rainer; Marra, Fabrizio; Nomade, Sebastien; Pereira, Alison; Boschian, Giovanni; Pollarolo, Luca; Fang, Fang; Bahain, Jean-Jacques

2016-01-01

We present here the results of a technological and typological analysis of the Acheulian and early Middle Paleolithic assemblages from Torre in Pietra (Latium, Italy) together with comparisons with the Acheulian small tools of Castel di Guido. The assemblages were never chronometrically dated before. We have now 40Ar/39Ar dates and ESR-U-series dates, within a geomorphological framework, which support correlations to marine isotope stages. The Acheulian (previously correlated to MIS 9) is now dated to MIS 10 while the Middle Paleolithic is dated to MIS 7. Lithic analyses are preceded by taphonomic evaluations. The Levallois method of the Middle Paleolithic assemblage is an innovation characterized by the production of thin flake blanks without cortex. In contrast, the small tool blanks of the Acheulian were either pebbles or thick flakes with some cortex. They provided a relatively easy manual prehension. The choice of Levallois thin flake blanks in the Middle Paleolithic assemblage suggest that the new technology is most likely related to the emergence of hafting. Accordingly, the oldest direct evidence of hafting technology is from the site of Campitello Quarry in Tuscany (Central Italy) where birch-bark tar, found on the proximal part of two flint flakes, is dated to the end of MIS 7. Nevertheless, a peculiar feature of the Middle Paleolithic at Torre in Pietra is the continuous presence of small tool blanks on pebbles and cores and on thick flake albeit at a much lower frequency than in the older Acheulian industries. The adoption of the new technology is thus characterized by innovation combined with a degree of stability. The persistence of these habits in spite of the introduction of an innovative technique underlies the importance of cultural transmission and conformity in the behavior of Neandertals. PMID:27525705

World's longest underwater line part of new dc transmission link

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1967-04-01

The world's seventh dc transmission system including the world's longest underwater power cable is now operative. The system, linking the Italian Mainland with Sardinia, was designed and engineered by the English Electric Co. Ltd. It will ensure a constant power supply for Sardinia and allow export of 200 MW of power to the Tuscany area in Italy. Proving test began on the link in Decmeber and continued until full demand is made on it from Italy.

AESIS: a support tool for the evaluation of sustainability of agroecosystems. Example of applications to organic and integrated farming systems in Tuscany, Italy

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Gaio Cesare Pacini

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Agricultural researchers widely recognise the importance of sustainable agricultural production systems and the need to develop appropriate methods to measure sustainability on the farm level. Policy makers need accounting and evaluation tools to be able to assess the potential of sustainable production practices and to provide appropriate agro-environmental policy measures. Farmers are in search of sustainable management tools to cope with regulations and enhance efficiency. This paper presents the outcomes of applications to organic and integrated farming of an indicator-based framework to evaluate sustainability of farming systems (Agro-Environmental Sustainability Information System, AESIS. The AESIS was described together with a review of applications dating from 1991 in a previous paper. The objective of the present paper is to present the AESIS application to organic and integrated farming systems in Val d’Elsa (Tuscany and discuss how it is adapted for application to ordinary farms. The AESIS is organised into a number of environmental and production systems. For each system, environmental critical points are identified with corresponding agro-environmental indicators and processing methods. Possible solutions to sustainability issues, and critical points of relevance to the agricultural sector of the local economic and agro-ecological zone, are formulated by including an experimental layout, identifying indicator thresholds and by defining management systems with corresponding policy measures. Alternative solutions are evaluated by calculating and measuring the relevant indicators. The outcomes of the AESIS applications are discussed with specific relevance to the operational adoptability of AESIS to ordinary, agri-touristic farms managed with the organic and the integrated production method, respectively. The AESIS framework proved to be sufficiently flexible to meet the requirements for ordinary farm applications while keeping a

Is variation management included in regional healthcare governance systems? Some proposals from Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Nuti, Sabina; Seghieri, Chiara

2014-01-01

The Italian National Health System, which follows a Beveridge model, provides universal healthcare coverage through general taxation. Universal coverage provides uniform healthcare access to citizens and is the characteristic usually considered the added value of a welfare system financed by tax revenues. Nonetheless, wide differences in practice patterns, health outcomes and regional usages of resources that cannot be justified by differences in patient needs have been demonstrated to exist. Beginning with the experience of the health care system of the Tuscany region (Italy), this study describes the first steps of a long-term approach to proactively address the issue of geographic variation in healthcare. In particular, the study highlights how the unwarranted variation management has been addressed in a region with a high degree of managerial control over the delivery of health care and a consolidated performance evaluation system, by first, considering it a high priority objective and then by actively integrating it into the regional planning and control mechanism. The implications of this study can be useful to policy makers, professionals and managers, and will contribute to the understanding of how the management of variation can be implemented with performance measurements and financial incentives. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Accessibility to nodes of interest: Dislocation of the industrial districts of Tuscany

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Gioacchino de Candia

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The present research starts by a series of experiences gained by the author on the theme of attractiveness/accessibility of territories, in light of the most recent dynamics for the analysis. The equation model used is of gravitational type. Specifically, the impedance function is used in the form of logistics, which has so far provided the best results in the analysis of territories. The research is conducted at the municipal level. The paper aims to analyze the connection between these works and the map of industrial districts, recently produced by ISTAT. The analyzed region, as in other publications, is Tuscany, which provides the details on the municipal map of accessibility in relation to the location of industrial clusters. The metropolitan city of Florence is treated separately. The aim is to provide policy makers with the best socio-economic information for the economic and financial administration of territories.

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

Tectonic structure of the Tuscany-Latium Continental Shelf (Tyrrhenian Sea)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bartole, R.

1988-08-01

An old regional seismic multicoverage reflection survey (Zone E) provides useful information on the shallow structure of the southern Tuscany-northern Latium shelf located between Elba Island and Anzio. Three main seismic units have been recognized on the grid, directly tied to the Matilde-1 offshore drilling and correlated to onshore wells and outcrops. The upper unit, characterized by continuous and generally undisturbed reflectors, is constituted by the postorogenic sedimentary cover of late Neogene-Quaternary age. This sequence unconformably lies on an intermediate unit or, when absent, a basal one. These two units, characterized by good-to-poor seismic response, are constituted by the tectonized geologic units of the Northern and Central Apennines. The intermediate unit corresponds to the Ligurids and Sicilids allochthonous complexes, while the basal unit may be attributable to the Tuscan nappe and/or the Tuscan autochthon in the shelf sector north of the Tiber River mouth, and the Umbro-Sabina units south of the same mouth. The widespread distribution and consistent thickness of the allochthonous cover (up to 1,000 msec two-way traveltime) lying over a structured substratum might be of some interest in hydrocarbon prospecting.

Morphology and evolution of sulphuric acid caves in South Italy

Science.gov (United States)

D'Angeli, Ilenia M.; De Waele, Jo; Galdenzi, Sandro; Madonia, Giuliana; Parise, Mario; Vattano, Marco

2016-04-01

Sulphuric acid speleogenesis (SAS) related to the upwelling of acid water enriched in H2S and CO2 represents an unusual way of cave development. Since meteoric infiltration waters are not necessarily involved in speleogenesis, caves can form without the typical associated karst expressions (i.e. dolines) at the surface. The main mechanism of sulphuric acid dissolution is the oxidation of H2S (Jones et al., 2015) which can be amplified by bacterial mediation (Engel et al., 2004). In these conditions, carbonate dissolution associated with gypsum replacement, is generally believed to be faster than the normal epigenic one (De Waele et al., 2016). In Italy several SAS caves have been identified, but only few systems have been studied in detail: Frasassi and Acquasanta Terme (Marche)(Galdenzi et al., 2010), Monte Cucco (Umbria) (Galdenzi & Menichetti, 1995), and Montecchio (Tuscany) (Piccini et al., 2015). Other preliminary studies have been carried out in Calabria (Galdenzi, 2007) and Sicily (De Waele et al., 2016). Several less studied SAS cave systems located in South Italy, and in particular in Apulia (Santa Cesarea Terme), Sicily (Acqua Fitusa, Acqua Mintina) and Calabria (Mt. Sellaro and Cassano allo Ionio) have been selected in the framework of a PhD thesis on SAS caves and their speleogenesis. Using both limestone tablet weight loss (Galdenzi et al., 2012) and micro erosion meter (MEM) (Furlani et al., 2010) methods the dissolution rate above and under water in the caves will be quantified. Geomorphological observations, landscape analysis using GIS tools, and the analysis of gypsum and other secondary minerals (alunite and jarosite) (stable isotopes and dating) will help to reconstruct the speleogenetic stages of cave formation. Preliminary microbiological analysis will determine the microbial diversity and ecology in the biofilms. References Engel S.A., Stern L.A., Bennett P.C., 2004 - Microbial contributions to cave formation: New insight into sulfuric acid

Post-release habitats’ selection of Capreolus capreolus italicus (Festa, 1925 in a protected area in southern Italy

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Giovanni Argenti

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to analyze the post-release behavior of individuals of Capreolus capreolus italicus (Festa 1925 and to evaluate the influence of environmental and vegetation characteristics on habitat selection by monitored animals. With these aims, 14 individuals of roe deer (a sample of 75 animals released in total, differentiated by age and sex, were caught in areas of southern Tuscany (central Italy and released in suitable areas of the Aspromonte National Park (Calabria, southern Italy. Each animal was monitored by GPS-GSM tracking radio collar (Vectronics ® with frequency of location ranging from 30 minutes (in the first month to 6 hours (later, and covering a period ranging from 90 to 563 days. Each fix, reported in a GIS environment, was analyzed to get information on habitat selection performed by tracked animals. Data collection implemented forest area, herbaceous resources characterization and the evaluation of possible visual refuge offered to the animals by the environment, to assess the effect of these attributes on the selection of grounds. Results showed that the choice of a particular habitat is highly correlated with forests’ characteristics, the areas covered by conifers and with height of crown insertion between 1 and 2 m, generally with absence of regeneration, being clearly preferred. Most attended herbaceous areas are those with a high presence of grasses and with a high pastoral value. Visual refuge affects also remarkably the selection of habitats by animals. The study showed that the observed parameters can provide a good basis for the validation of the model used for the feasibility study and to identify the optimal characteristics of the areas for future releases.

Quantitative evaluation of personal exposure to UV radiation of workers and general public

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sisto, R.; Borra, M.; Casale, G. R.; Militello, A.; Siani, A. M.

2009-01-01

Due to meteorological conditions variability and to the variability of exposure patterns, which can be largely different during a working day, personal dosemeters use can be necessary to obtain a correct quantitative evaluation of the radiation dose absorbed by an exposed worker. Different classes of personal dosemeters exist and, among them, electronic dosemeters and poly-sulphone film dosemeters. An experimental campaign is presented conduced in a cultivated area of Tuscany and some aspects are discussed about an experimental campaign performed on a population of volunteers on a central Italy beach near Rome. The aim of the present work is to show some relevant issues in a dosimetric approach to the exposure evaluation of outdoor workers and, in general, of the public during recreational activities. (authors)

Semi-Automatic Operational Service for Drought Monitoring and Forecasting in the Tuscany Region

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Ramona Magno

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A drought-monitoring and forecasting system developed for the Tuscany region was improved in order to provide a semi-automatic, more detailed, timely and comprehensive operational service for decision making, water authorities, researchers and general stakeholders. Ground-based and satellite data from different sources (regional meteorological stations network, MODIS Terra satellite and CHIRPS/CRU precipitation datasets are integrated through an open-source, interoperable SDI (spatial data infrastructure based on PostgreSQL/PostGIS to produce vegetation and precipitation indices that allow following of the occurrence and evolution of a drought event. The SDI allows the dissemination of comprehensive, up-to-date and customizable information suitable for different end-users through different channels, from a web page and monthly bulletins, to interoperable web services, and a comprehensive climate service. The web services allow geospatial elaborations on the fly, and the geo-database can be increased with new input/output data to respond to specific requests or to increase the spatial resolution.

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.

The Larderello-Travale geothermal field (Tuscany, central Italy): seismic imaging as a tool for the analysis and assessment of the reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Anselmi, M.; Piccinini, D.; Casini, M.; Spinelli, E.; Ciuffi, S.; De Gori, P.; Saccorotti, G.; chiarabba, C.

2013-12-01

The Larderello-Travale is a geothermal field with steam-dominated reservoirs (1300 kg/s of steam and running capacity of 700 MWatt), which is exploited by Enel Green Power, the electric company involved in the renewable energy and resources. The area is located in the pre-Apennine belt of southern Tuscany and has been characterized by extensional tectonics and sporadic events of compression. The result of these tectonic phases is a block-faulting structure with NW-SE trending horsts and basins. Small post-orogenic granitic stocks were emplaced along the main axes of the uplifted structures, causing the anomalous heat flow that marks the area. Results from seismic reflection lines crossing the study area show the presence of the top of a discontinuous reflector in the 3-8 km depth range and with thickness up to ~1 km, referred to as the ';K-horizon'. In this framework we present the results obtained by the processing of a high-quality local earthquake dataset, recorded during the 1977-2005 time interval by the seismic network managed by Enel Green Power. The geothermal target volume was parameterized using a 3-D grid for both Vp (P-wave velocities) and Qp (quality factor of P-waves). Grid nodes are spaced by 5 and 2 km along the two horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. The tomographic Vp images show an overall velocity increase with depth down to the K-horizon. Conversely, some characteristic features are observed in the distribution of Qp anomalies, with high Qp values in the 300-600 range located just below the K-horizon. The relationship between K-horizon and the seismicity distribution doesn't show a clear and homogeneous coupling: the bulk of re-located earthquakes are placed either above or below the top of the K-horizon in the shallower 8 km depth, with an abrupt cut-off at depth greater than 10 km. We then present the preliminary result from the G.A.P.S.S. (Geothermal Area Passive Seismic Sources) experiment, a project that the Istituto

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

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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.

Giuseppe Pasta (1742-1823): protophysician and pioneer of psychological studies in the medical field.

Science.gov (United States)

Clerici, Carlo Alfredo; Veneroni, Laura; Poli, Marco

2009-11-01

Giuseppe Pasta was a pioneer of psychological support in physical disease. Born in Bergamo, Italy, he was a cousin of the physician Andrea Pasta who was a pupil of Giovanni Battista Morgagni. Giuseppe's cultural and clinical resources were the teachings of Francesco Redi's medical school in Tuscany. This paper discusses the courage and philosophical tolerance of disease and the etiquette of the physician.

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.

Energy and Water Use Related to the Cultivation of Energy Crops: a Case Study in the Tuscany Region

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Anna Dalla Marta

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The contribution of agrobiomasses, as a source of energy, to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions was confirmed by several studies. Biomass from agriculture represents one of the larger and more diverse sources to exploit and in particular ethanol and diesel have the potential to be a sustainable replacement for fossil fuels, mainly for transport purposes. However, the cultivation of energy crops dedicated to the production of biofuels presents some potential problems, e.g., competitiveness with food crops, water needs, use of fertilizers, etc., and the economic, energy, and environmental convenience of such activity depends on accurate evaluations about the global efficiency of the production system. In this study, the processes related to the cultivation of energy crops were analyzed from an energy and water cost perspective. The crops studied, maize (Zea mais and sunflower (Helianthus annuus, were identified for their different water requirements and cultivation management, which in turns induces different energy costs. A 50-year climatic series of meteorological data from 19 weather stations scattered in the Tuscany region was used to feed the crop model CropSyst for the simulation of crop production, water requirement, and cultivation techniques. Obtained results were analyzed to define the real costs of energy crop cultivation, depending on energy and water balances. In the energy crop cultivation, the only positive energy balance was obtained with the more efficient system of irrigation whereas all the other cases provided negative balances. Concerning water, the results demonstrated that more than 1.000 liters of water are required for producing 1 liter of bioethanol. As a consequence, the cultivation of energy crops in the reserved areas of the region will almost double the actual water requirement of the agricultural sector in Tuscany.

ITALY AT CERN

CERN Multimedia

23 - 26 June 2003 Main Building Bldg 60 - ground and 1st floor 09.00 hrs - 17.30 hrs Twenty-four companies will present their latest technology at the "Italy at CERN" exhibition. The Italian industry will exhibit products and technologies which are related to the field of particle physics. The main subjects are: cryogenics and vacuum technologies, electric power and power electronics, mechanical components, small and precision machined mechanical components, engineering, industrial plants, industrial machinery, automation, telecommunication, instrumentation, data processing and electronics. The exhibition is being organised by the INFN of Padova. There follows : - the list of exhibitors. A detailed programme will be available in due course at : - your Divisional secretariat, - the exhibition, - on the SPL homepage http://spl-div.web.cern.ch/spl-div/member_states/exhibitions_visits.htm LIST OF EXHIBITORS 1 Aerimpianti Spa13 Europa Metalli - LMI spa 2 AERSAT Spa14 FBM ICOSS srl 3 Andalo' Gianni Srl15 Finsys...

ITALY AT CERN

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

23 - 26 June 2003 Main Building Bldg 60 - ground and 1st floor 09.30 hrs - 17.30 hrs Twenty-four companies will present their latest technology at the "Italy at CERN" exhibition. The Italian industry will exhibit products and technologies which are related to the field of particle physics. The main subjects are: cryogenics and vacuum technologies, electric power and power electronics, mechanical components, small and precision machined mechanical components, engineering, industrial plants, industrial machinery, automation, telecommunication, instrumentation, data processing and electronics. The exhibition is being organised by the INFN of Padova. There follows: - the list of exhibitors. A detailed programme will be available in due course: - from your Divisional secretariat, - at the exhibition, - on the SPL homepage http://spl-div.web.cern.ch/spl-div/member_states/exhibitions_visits.htm LISTE DES EXPOSANTS / LIST OF EXHIBITORS 1 Aerimpianti Spa13 Europa Metalli - LMI spa 2 AERSAT Spa14 FBM ICOSS srl 3 Anda...

Mortality among discharged psychiatric patients in Florence, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Meloni, Debora; Miccinesi, Guido; Bencini, Andrea; Conte, Michele; Crocetti, Emanuele; Zappa, Marco; Ferrara, Maurizio

2006-10-01

Psychiatric disorders involve an increased risk of mortality. In Italy psychiatric services are community based, and hospitalization is mostly reserved for patients with acute illness. This study examined mortality risk in a cohort of psychiatric inpatients for 16 years after hospital discharge to assess the association of excess mortality from natural or unnatural causes with clinical and sociodemographic variables and time from first admission. At the end of 2002 mortality and cause of death were determined for all patients (N=845) who were admitted during 1987 to the eight psychiatric units active in Florence. The mortality risk of psychiatric patients was compared with that of the general population of the region of Tuscany by calculating standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). Poisson multivariate analyses of the observed-to-expected ratio for natural and unnatural deaths were conducted. The SMR for the sample of psychiatric patients was threefold higher than that for the general population (SMR=3.0; 95 percent confidence interval [CI]=2.7-3.4). Individuals younger than 45 years were at higher risk (SMR=11.0; 95 percent CI 8.0-14.9). The SMR for deaths from natural causes was 2.6 (95 percent CI=2.3-2.9), and for deaths from unnatural causes it was 13.0 (95 percent CI=10.1-13.6). For deaths from unnatural causes, the mortality excess was primarily limited to the first years after the first admission. For deaths from natural causes, excess mortality was more stable during the follow-up period. Prevention of deaths from unnatural causes among psychiatric patients may require promotion of earlier follow-up after discharge. Improving prevention and treatment of somatic diseases of psychiatric patients is important to reduce excess mortality from natural causes.

Anaerobic digestion of macroalgal biomass and sediments sourced from the Orbetello lagoon, Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Migliore, G.; Alisi, C.; Sprocati, A.R.; Massi, E.; Ciccoli, R.; Lenzi, M.; Wang, A.; Cremisini, C.

2012-01-01

The anaerobic digestion of marine macroalgae biomass could meet two currently important needs, the mitigation of the eutrophication effects and the production of renewable energy. Because of the abundance of seaweed biomass its conversion can be highly desirable and convenient, mostly for countries with long coastlines or eutrophic environments. The aim of the present work is to carry out an exploratory study of biogas production from macroalgal biomass collected from the Orbetello lagoon (Tuscany, Italy) by solely exploiting the intrinsic degradation potential of the ecosystem. A fresh algae mix and sediments has been used, as both feed and inoculum of an anaerobic digestion process under psychro-mesophilic, mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, in batch reactors, without any washing and drying treatment. The presence of sediment proved to be crucial in order to achieve a good methane yield (methane yield of 380 dm 3 kg −1 VS added ) comparable with literature data obtained through different approaches. The results gave evidence that such an approach will have to be considered when planning a selective anaerobic digestion of macroalgae that could be useful in local applications for coasts and eutrophic lagoons affected by seasonal or frequent algal blooms. -- Highlights: ► Biogas production from macroalgal biomass with minimal energy input is proposed. ► Psychro-mesophilic, mesophilic and thermophilic conditions were compared. ► Highly adapted bacterial pool was crucial to achieve a good methane yield. ► The applied process exploits the intrinsic degradation potential of the ecosystem.

La realtà aumentata e le app culturali in Italia: storie da un matrimonio in mobilità / Augmented reality and cultural apps in Italy: stories on a marriage in mobility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisa Bonacini

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Obiettivo di questo lavoro è un inquadramento sull’uso della Augmented Reality nella comunicazione culturale, soprattutto per la fruizione in mobilità. Dopo un’introduzione sull’uso dell’AR in soluzioni in door e out door, con alcune delle più significative sperimentazioni internazionali, si analizzano brevemente le potenzialità del BlippAR, variante dell’AR già in uso nel campo del marketing, e dei Google Glass, che promettono di trasformare il mondo in cui viviamo in un mondo “aumentato”. L’analisi si sposta alle applicazioni prodotte in Italia, partendo da i-MiBAC Voyager per approdare ad alcune applicazioni come Tuscany+, PugliaReality+ e le app prodotte da Roma Capitale per i giardini storici di Roma. Con la visualizzazione di elementi aggiuntivi a monumenti, luoghi, opere d’arte e manufatti, l’AR contribuisce a affascinare l’utente e a interessarlo al contenuto, in una sorta di allestimento multimediale incentrato sulla filosofia dell’edutaintment e del learning by consuming. Aim of this work is a framework for the use of Augmented Reality in cultural communication, especially for mobile use. After an introduction on the use of AR in in-door and out-door solutions, with some of the most significant international trials, we analyze briefly the potential of BlippAR, variant of AR already used in marketing field, and Google Glass that promises to transform the world we live in an “augmented” world . The analysis moves to applications made in Italy, starting from i-MiBAC Voyager to arrive at some applications such as Tuscany+, PugliaReality+ and app produced by Roma Capitale for the historic gardens of Rome. Displaying additional contents to monuments, sites, works of art and artifacts, the AR helps to captivate users and to interest them to contents, into a kind of multimedia exhibition focuses on edutaintment and learning by consuming.

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.

Vegetation dynamics during the Last Interglacial-Glacial cycle in the Arno coastal plain (Tuscany, western Italy): location of a new tree refuge

Science.gov (United States)

Lucchi, M. Ricci

2008-12-01

Pollen analysis of the pre-Last Glacial Maximum succession of a 105 m-long continuous core from Tirrenia (Tuscany) provides evidence for the existence of an area of relatively high ecological stability where the effects of climate change were mitigated. The chronological framework of the vegetation record, spanning the Last Interglacial-Glacial cycle, was established by (i) AMS 14C dating, (ii) correlation with well-dated pollen sequences, and (iii) local stratigraphical constraints. A high lithological and sedimentological variability, with facies associations changing from fluvial to alluvial and coastal plain, enhances the palaeoenvironmental control on pollen distribution, thus helping to discriminate the impact of local factors on vegetation history. The most remarkable evidence, however, is represented by the continuous record of temperate trees throughout the whole glacial period, which provides useful indications on the location and nature of cold stage refugia. Most of the vegetation changes recorded in the core can be compared to the vegetation history of the Last Interglacial-Glacial cycle from southern Europe as a whole. In addition, local geographic and environmental features account for a more complex and varied floristic composition. Only the last phase of the Penultimate Glacial (MIS6), which was characterized by the diffusion of an arid steppe tundra, is recorded at the base of the core. The subsequent Last Interglacial (MIS5e) interval shows a poor and scattered pollen content due to the instability of the sedimentary environment. Nevertheless, it provides evidence of both global and local controls on vegetation dynamics, as indicated by the initial expansion of thermophilous forests and the remarkably late diffusion of conifers ( Pinus-Abies-Picea forests), respectively. Similarly, the transition to the Last Glacial (MIS5b and 5a in the core) is characterized by a reduced vegetation response to the typical stadial/interstadial climate variability

Spatio-temporal patterns of distribution of West Nile virus vectors in eastern Piedmont Region, Italy

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Bisanzio Donal

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background West Nile Virus (WNV transmission in Italy was first reported in 1998 as an equine outbreak near the swamps of Padule di Fucecchio, Tuscany. No other cases were identified during the following decade until 2008, when horse and human outbreaks were reported in Emilia Romagna, North Italy. Since then, WNV outbreaks have occurred annually, spreading from their initial northern foci throughout the country. Following the outbreak in 1998 the Italian public health authority defined a surveillance plan to detect WNV circulation in birds, horses and mosquitoes. By applying spatial statistical analysis (spatial point pattern analysis and models (Bayesian GLMM models to a longitudinal dataset on the abundance of the three putative WNV vectors [Ochlerotatus caspius (Pallas 1771, Culex pipiens (Linnaeus 1758 and Culex modestus (Ficalbi 1890] in eastern Piedmont, we quantified their abundance and distribution in space and time and generated prediction maps outlining the areas with the highest vector productivity and potential for WNV introduction and amplification. Results The highest abundance and significant spatial clusters of Oc. caspius and Cx. modestus were in proximity to rice fields, and for Cx. pipiens, in proximity to highly populated urban areas. The GLMM model showed the importance of weather conditions and environmental factors in predicting mosquito abundance. Distance from the preferential breeding sites and elevation were negatively associated with the number of collected mosquitoes. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI was positively correlated with mosquito abundance in rice fields (Oc. caspius and Cx. modestus. Based on the best models, we developed prediction maps for the year 2010 outlining the areas where high abundance of vectors could favour the introduction and amplification of WNV. Conclusions Our findings provide useful information for surveillance activities aiming to identify locations where the

Characterisation of Agri-Landscape Systems at a Regional Level: A Case Study in Northern Tuscany

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Mariassunta Galli

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Preserving our landscape in sustainable development processes is now widely considered as fundamental. It is a complex and evolving issue that can be tackled from several perspectives. Agronomy can contribute to analyzing the relationships between agricultural production systems (cropping, farming and agricultural systems at different levels (field, farm, and region and the agricultural landscape (in terms of patches, matrixes, dynamics, etc. This is of particular interest where the relationships between “what and how” are produced by agricultural activities and the landscape are changing. In this case their own reciprocity may represent an opportunity to analyze complex systems, such as the characterization of agri-landscapes at a regional level. We propose a case study developed as an up-scaling analytical process from a farm to a regional level. The result was the identification of six main agri-landscape systems highlighting the landscape drivers that are changing the traditional landscape of a rural region in Northern Tuscany (Lunigiana.

Data integration and conceptual modelling of the Larderello geothermal area, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Manzella, Adele; Gola, Gianluca; Bertini, Giovanni; Bonini, Marco; Botteghi, Serena; Brogi, Andrea; De Franco, Roberto; Dini, Andrea; Donato, Assunta; Gianelli, Giovanni; Liotta, Domenico; Montanari, Domenico; Montegrossi, Giordano; Petracchini, Lorenzo; Ruggieri, Giovanni; Santilano, Alessandro; Scrocca, Davide; Trumpy, Eugenio

2017-04-01

The Larderello geothermal field, located in southern Tuscany (Italy), is one of the most important long-living hydrothermal system in the world. The inner zone of the Northern Apennines is characterized by high heat flow, well constrained by several hundred measurements deriving from both shallow boreholes and deep exploration wells. It is widely accepted that the interplay among extensional tectonics, thinning of the previously overthickened crust and lithosphere, and magmatism related to crustal melting and hybridism, controlled the NW-SE trending geothermal anomaly occurring in southern Tuscany. At Larderello, the geothermal exploitation started at the beginning of the last century from the shallow evaporite-carbonate reservoir (about 700 - 1000 m b.g.l. on average) hosting a super-heated steam with temperature ranging from 150°C to 260°C. A deep exploration program was carried out in the early 1980s. Deep boreholes found a super-heated steam-dominated system hosted in the metamorphic basement (about 2500 - 4000 m b.g.l), characterized by temperatures ranging from 300°C to 350°C. In the SW part of the Larderello area (Lago locality), a temperature exceeding 400°C was measured down to 3000 m b.s.l. The 2D and 3D seismic exploration activities provided evidences of a seismic marker, locally showing bright spot features, defining the top of a deeper reflective crustal interval, named as "K-horizon". The K-horizon has not yet been drilled, but some boreholes approached it. This seismic reflector exhibits interesting positive correlation with the maximum peak of the hypocentre distribution of low-magnitude earthquakes and, at the same time, its shape coincides with the thermal anomaly distribution, in plain view. The review and updating of the velocity and resistivity models suggest the existence of over-pressurized fluids, likely of magmatic and/or thermo-metamorphic origin, which originate the seismic velocity anomalies. The upward migration and storage of the

Building Deformation Assessment by Means of Persistent Scatterer Interferometry Analysis on a Landslide-Affected Area: The Volterra (Italy Case Study

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Silvia Bianchini

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In recent years, space-borne InSAR (interferometric synthetic aperture radar techniques have shown their capabilities to provide precise measurements of Earth surface displacements for monitoring natural processes. Landslides threaten human lives and structures, especially in urbanized areas, where the density of elements at risk sensitive to ground movements is high. The methodology described in this paper aims at detecting terrain motions and building deformations at the local scale, by means of satellite radar data combined with in situ validation campaigns. The proposed approach consists of deriving maximum settlement directions of the investigated buildings from displacement data revealed by radar measurements and then in the cross-comparison of these values with background geological data, constructive features and on-field evidence. This validation permits better understanding whether or not the detected movements correspond to visible and effective damages to buildings. The method has been applied to the southwestern sector of Volterra (Tuscany region, Italy, which is a landslide-affected and partially urbanized area, through the use of COSMO-SkyMed satellite images as input data. Moreover, we discuss issues and possible misinterpretations when dealing with PSI (Persistent Scatterer Interferometry data referring to single manufactures and the consequent difficulty of attributing the motion rate to ground displacements, rather than to structural failures.

Extra-zonal beech forests in Tuscany: structure, diversity and synecologic features

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Viciani D

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The present paper focuses on the structural, synecological and floristic diversity features of beech-dominated forest communities in four major areas of the Antiapenninic Tyrrhenian system in Tuscany: Metalliferous hills, mountains to the south of Mt. Amiata, volcanic area of the upper Lente valley and Mt. Cetona. These are relict woodlands of Holo-Pleistocene origin with a special ecological and conservation value due to their extrazonal location in lowland submediterranean areas. Results show substantial among-area differences in structure, synecology and plant species composition, but in general a potential for coppices to reach the tall forest stage, as demonstrated by the old-growth stands of Pietraporciana and Sassoforte. Compared with montane Apenninic beechwoods, the relatively rich flora of the studied communities include thermophilous species with a southern Apennine-Balkan distribution, making their syntaxonomical position unclear. Closer affinities are found with the calcicolous Beech Forests of the association and with the silicicolous ones of the . Based on the Natura 2000 system, all the examined communities belong to the priority Habitat “Apennine beech forests with and ” (code: 9210*. Due their relict nature, these biotopes appear vulnerable to climate changes and to a production-oriented forest management. Criteria of naturalistic silviculture should instead promote the dynamic development of these communities towards tall forests and their natural regeneration.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitorprescribing before, during and after pregnancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Charlton, Ra; Jordan, S; Pierini, A

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prescribing patterns of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) before, during and after pregnancy in six European population-based databases. DESIGN: Descriptive drug utilisation study. SETTING: Six electronic healthcare databases in Denmark, the Netherlands......, Italy (Emilia Romagna/Tuscany), Wales and the rest of the UK. POPULATION: All women with a pregnancy ending in a live or stillbirth starting and ending between 2004 and 2010. METHODS: A common protocol was implemented across databases to identify SSRI prescriptions issued (UK) or dispensed (non......-UK) in the year before, during or in the year following pregnancy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The percentage of deliveries in which the woman received an SSRI prescription in the year before, during or in the year following pregnancy. We also compared the choice of SSRIs and changes in prescribing over the study...

A critical friend: monitoring and evaluation systems, development cooperation and local government. The case of Tuscany.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossignoli, Serena; Coticchia, Fabrizio; Mezzasalma, Annarosa

2015-06-01

The role of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems in the field of development cooperation has globally increased in last decades. International and regional organizations, as well as states, local governments and NGOs have largely adopted the tools provided by M&E in order to enhance transparency, effectiveness and efficiency. The paper aims at verifying how and to what extent the implementation of M&E systems has affected the overall quality of international cooperation projects financed by a local government. After a literature review on M&E in development cooperation, the research analyzes the wide range of activities (evaluation ex-ante, mid-term, final, monitoring, consultancy) carried out by the Evaluation Team of the XY in the last eight years in behalf of an Italian local government: the Region of Tuscany. The paper reveals the strategic significance of adopting M&E systems in the medium-long term. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crisis? What Crisis? Political articulation and government in the March of Tuscany through placita and diplomas from Guy of Spoleto to Berengar II

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Igor Santos Salazar

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In the last decades, much work have been done to deconstruct the mechanisms of government in Early Medieval Europe. In that task, the interpretation of the settlement of disputes and royal/imperial diplomas as the basis of the central government strategies in local spheres has been underlined by recent historiography. Following this methodology, the aim of this article is, thus, to analyze the mechanisms of governance in the March of Tuscany in a time characterized by political fluidity, focusing in the role played by the kings and lay and ecclesiastical aristocracies in the construction of complex political systems.

Wind tunnel measurements of the urban boundary layer development over a historical district in Italy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ricci, A.; Burlando, M.; Freda, A.; Repetto, M.P.

2017-01-01

This paper presents the results of an experimental study aimed at investigating the urban boundary layer in a district of Livorno city, in Tuscany. The wind flow over this area has been measured in the wind tunnel of the University of Genova using a physical model in scale 1:300. Two sets of

Trace elements in suspended particulate matter and liquid fraction of the Arno River waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capannesi, G.; Cecchi, A.; Mando, P.A.

1984-01-01

The concentrations of 46 elements along the course of the Arno River (Tuscany, Italy) have been determined by means of Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. Both suspended particulate matter and liquid fraction have been investigated. No chemical treatment has been performed on the samples, either before or after irradiation. Anticoincidence techniques have been employed in the γ spectroscopy. Results are briefly discussed also from a methodological point of view. 4 references, 16 figures, 2 tables

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

Concentration, distribution, and translocation of mercury and methylmercury in mine-waste, sediment, soil, water, and fish collected near the Abbadia San Salvatore mercury mine, Monte Amiata district, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Rimondi, V.; Gray, J.E.; Costagliola, P.; Vaselli, O.; Lattanzi, P.

2012-01-01

The distribution and translocation of mercury (Hg) was studied in the Paglia River ecosystem, located downstream from the inactive Abbadia San Salvatore mine (ASSM). The ASSM is part of the Monte Amiata Hg district, Southern Tuscany, Italy, which was one of the world’s largest Hg districts. Concentrations of Hg and methyl-Hg were determined in mine-waste calcine (retorted ore), sediment, water, soil, and freshwater fish collected from the ASSM and the downstream Paglia River. Concentrations of Hg in calcine samples ranged from 25 to 1500 μg/g, all of which exceeded the industrial soil contamination level for Hg of 5 μg/g used in Italy. Stream and lake sediment samples collected downstream from the ASSM ranged in Hg concentration from 0.26 to 15 μg/g, of which more than 50% exceeded the probable effect concentration for Hg of 1.06 μg/g, the concentration above which harmful effects are likely to be observed in sediment-dwelling organisms. Stream and lake sediment methyl-Hg concentrations showed a significant correlation with TOC indicating considerable methylation and potential bioavailability of Hg. Stream water contained Hg as high as 1400 ng/L, but only one water sample exceeded the 1000 ng/L drinking water Hg standard used in Italy. Concentrations of Hg were elevated in freshwater fish muscle samples and ranged from 0.16 to 1.2 μg/g (wet weight), averaged 0.84 μg/g, and 96% of these exceeded the 0.3 μg/g (methyl-Hg, wet weight) USEPA fish muscle standard recommended to protect human health. Analysis of fish muscle for methyl-Hg confirmed that > 90% of the Hg in these fish is methyl-Hg. Such highly elevated Hg concentrations in fish indicated active methylation, significant bioavailability, and uptake of Hg by fish in the Paglia River ecosystem. Methyl-Hg is highly toxic and the high Hg concentrations in these fish represent a potential pathway of Hg to the human food chain.

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.

PSInSAR Analysis in the Pisa Urban Area (Italy: A Case Study of Subsidence Related to Stratigraphical Factors and Urbanization

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Lorenzo Solari

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Permanent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI has been used to detect and characterize the subsidence of the Pisa urban area, which extends for 33 km2 within the Arno coastal plain (Tuscany, Italy. Two SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar datasets, covering the time period from 1992 to 2010, were used to quantify the ground subsidence and its temporal evolution. A geotechnical borehole database was also used to make a correspondence with the detected displacements. Finally, the results of the SAR data analysis were contrasted with the urban development of the eastern part of the city in the time period from 1978 to 2013. ERS 1/2 (European Remote-Sensing Satellite and Envisat SAR data, processed with the PSInSAR (Permanent Scatterer InSAR algorithm, show that the investigated area is divided in two main sectors: the southwestern part, with null or very small subsidence rates (<2 mm/year, and the eastern portion which shows a general lowering with maximum deformation rates of 5 mm/year. This second area includes deformation rates higher than 15 mm/year, corresponding to small groups of buildings. The case studies in the eastern sector of the urban area have demonstrated the direct correlation between the age of construction of buildings and the registered subsidence rates, showing the importance of urbanization as an accelerating factor for the ground consolidation process.

Mass loads of dissolved and particulate mercury and other trace elements in the Mt. Amiata mining district, Southern Tuscany (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Rimondi, V.; Costagliola, P.; Gray, J.E.; Lattanzi, P.; Nannucci, M.; Paolieri, M.; Salvadori, A.

2014-01-01

Total dissolved and particulate mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and antimony (Sb) mass loads were estimated in different seasons (March and September 2011 and March 2012) in the Paglia River basin (PRB) (central Italy). The Paglia River drains the Mt. Amiata Hg district, one of the largest Hg-rich regions worldwide. Quantification of Hg, As, and Sb mass loads in this watershed allowed (1) identification of the contamination sources, (2) evaluation of the effects of Hg on the environment, and (3) determination of processes affecting Hg transport. The dominant source of Hg in the Paglia River is runoff from Hg mines in the Mt. Amiata region. The maximum Hg mass load was found to be related to runoff from the inactive Abbadia San Salvatore Mine (ASSM), and up to 30 g day−1 of Hg, dominantly in the particulate form, was transported both in high and low flow conditions in 2011. In addition, enrichment factors (EFs) calculated for suspended particulate matter (SPM) were similar in different seasons indicating that water discharge controls the quantities of Hg transported in the PRB, and considerable Hg was transported in all seasons studied. Overall, as much as 11 kg of Hg are discharged annually in the PRB and this Hg is transported downstream to the Tiber River, and eventually to the Mediterranean Sea. Similar to Hg, maximum mass loads for As and Sb were found in March 2011, when as much as 190 g day−1 each of As and Sb were measured from sites downstream from the ASSM. Therefore, the Paglia River represents a significant source of Hg, Sb, and As to the Mediterranean Sea.

Acid drainage (AD) in nature and environmental impact of acid mine drainage (AMD) in Southern Tuscany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Lella, Luigi Antonello; Protano, Giuseppe; Riccobono, Francesco

2005-01-01

Acid drainage (AD) is a natural process occurring locally at the Earth's surface. It consists in a substantial increase of acidity of surface waters as a result of chemical reactions occurring in the atmosphere (i.e. acid rain) or involving reactive phases (i.e. pyrite) present in the percolated medium. Acidic surface waters (usually pH < 4) can be produced by oxidation of sulphides (mainly pyrite and other iron sulphides) exposed to atmospheric oxygen, while human activities, such as mining, can greatly enhance this process. Acid drainage promoted by mining activities is called acid mine drainage (AMD) and is a primary source of environmental pollution and a world-wide problem in both active and abandoned mining areas. In fact, exposure of iron sulphides to oxidising conditions produces strongly acidic drainage waters rich in sulphate and a variety of heavy elements (i.e. As, Cd, Pb, Sb). Several occurrences of active acid mine drainage have been found in the Metalliferous Hills (southern Tuscany). The most important AMD phenomena were observed in the Fenice Capanne and Niccioleta mining areas

Morphological characteristics of Amiata donkey reared in Tuscany

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandro Giorgetti

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In this work were studied morphological characteristics and biometric parameters of the Amiata donkey. The Amiata donkey is a local endangered breed and derives from the homonym mountain in Tuscany. This donkey, which was used, over the past, like pack animal in farms and in mines, is now involved in milk production, onotherapy and trekking. The averages and the standard deviations of the biometric parameters and the frequency of the morphological characters of foals, adult females and stallions were calculated. The measures of the adult females were estimated by ANOVA considering three different classes of age: 3-4, 5-6, over6yearsold. 3-4, 5-6, over 6 years old.. The average sizes were: height at withers of 129.8±4.7and125.8±5.6cm,thoraxcircumferenceof145.6±7.8and145.0±7.8cm, 129.8±4.7 and125.8±5.6cm,thoraxcircumferenceof145.6±7.8and145.0±7.8cm, and 125.8±5.6cm,thoraxcircumferenceof145.6±7.8and145.0±7.8cm, 125.8±5.6 cm,thoraxcircumferenceof145.6±7.8and145.0±7.8cm, , thorax circumference of 145.6±7.8and145.0±7.8cm, 145.6±7.8and145.0±7.8cm, and 145.0±7.8cm, 145.0±7.8 cm,, front shank circumference of 18.3±0.8and16.9±1.5cm,forstallionsandadultfemalesrespectively.All 18.3±0.8 and16.9±1.5cm,forstallionsandadultfemalesrespectively.All and 16.9±1.5cm,forstallionsandadultfemalesrespectively.All 16.9±1.5 cm,forstallionsandadultfemalesrespectively.All , for stallions and adult females respectively. All the observed donkeys presented dark grey coat with the shoulder stripe. The zoometric indices of the adult females did not differ between the classes and showed that the somatic adult proportions had al- ready reached in 3-4 years old donkeys. This breed showed the features of the ancestors: the shoulder stripe of the Equus asinus africanus and the legs stripes of the Equus asinus somaliensis.

Low enthalpy Na-chloride waters from the Lunigiana and Garfagnana grabens, Northern Apennines, Italy: Tracing fluid connections and basement interactions via chemical and isotopic compositions

Science.gov (United States)

Boschetti, Tiziano; Toscani, Lorenzo; Barbieri, Maurizio; Mucchino, Claudio; Marino, Tiziana

2017-12-01

The Na-Cl waters from NW Tuscany (central Italy) record similar water isotopic and major chemical compositions, which demonstrate their meteoric origin and interactions with Upper Triassic evaporites and the metamorphic units of the Paleozoic basement. Slight differences are found in the deep temperature-pressure conditions of the Lunigiana graben (39-42 °C/143-145 bar) and the Garfagnana graben (73-78 °C/250-256 bar). In particular, the thermal fluids outpouring from Garfagnana are probably related to a common deep reservoir or interconnected fluids. Their differences are mainly evidenced by strontium isotopic ratio data (87Sr/86Sr), which combined with previously published sulfur isotope ratios (34S/32S) demonstrate the involvement of vein barites in water-rock interactions. Most likely, these minerals formed during Upper Oligocene-Miocene tectogenesis due to the mixing of fluids from the Verrucano Group and Upper Triassic units. The results of this hydrogeochemical study of the deep Na-Cl fluids could better clarify the distribution of the Verrucano Group within this area and the related discrepancies in the stratigraphic interpretations of the Palaeozoic-Mesozoic transition. Furthermore, the possible presence of an interconnected reservoir could be used to help interpret data produced by the local geochemical monitoring of seismic activity.

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.)

Food and Gastronomic Tourism for Developing Rural Areas Around the Via Francigena in Tuscany

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gian Luigi Corinto

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper reports results from an explorative research on the socio-economic opportunity that the presence of pilgrims and tourists along the Tuscan section of the Via Francigena can be for local communities. The aim is to deepen the actual and future opportunities that gastronomy represent for the development of tourism around the Via Francigena, with a special attention to destinations out of the beaten tracks. The research has been carried out merging different sources of information, including scientific literature, news, media, direct observation and personal experience, and performing a dozen of face-to-face interviews to key-informants, selected within socioeconomic actors involved in developing tourism around the course of the Via Francigena in Tuscany. The interviews have been carried out during the last six months, involving farmers, wine producers, restaurant owners, tourism and rural tourism entrepreneurs and local administrative offices. Local communities have already understood the strategic importance to sustain their socioeconomic activities with the development of pilgrimage and tourism along the Via Francigena. The rich variety of local gastronomy can satisfy both frugal needs of pilgrims and those of visitors more interested in gourmandizing. Food and gastronomy could be a strong leverage to increase tourist presences out of the beaten tracks.

Seasonal egg output of gastro-intestinal parasites in wild ungulates in a mediterranean area (central Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Magi

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Seasonal egg (or oocyst output of gastro-intestinal parasites of wild ungulates was studied in a Mediterranean protected area, the Monti Livornesi Park (Livorno, Tuscany region, Central Italy. Samples of faeces of wild boars (Sus scrofa and mouflons (Ovis ammon were collected monthly for one year. The observed trends of egg output were analysed taking into account seasonal variations of temperature and rainfall, life-cycle and survival strategy of parasites, and health condition of hosts. In our Mediterranean study area, the peaks of egg output appear in different months according to different biology and survival strategies of parasites. Riassunto Emissione stagionale di uova di parassiti gastrointestinali in cinghiali (Sus scrofa e in mufloni (Ovis ammon di un’area mediterranea (Italia centrale. E' stata studiata l'emissione stagionale di uova (o oocisti di parassiti nelle feci di ungulati selvatici in una zona mediterranea protetta, il Parco dei Monti Livornesi (Livorno, Toscana, Italia Centrale. Per un anno sono stati raccolti mensilmente campioni di feci di Cinghiale (Sus scrofa e di Muflone (Ovis ammon. Gli andamenti osservati di emissione di uova sono stati analizzati tenendo conto delle variazioni di temperatura e piovosità stagionali, del ciclo biologico e della strategia di sopravvivenza dei parassiti, e delle condizioni sanitarie dell'ospite. E’ risultato che in una zona mediterranea come quella considerata i picchi di emissione di uova appaiono in mesi differenti in relazione alla biologia e alle strategie di sopravvivenza dei diversi parassiti.

A Behavioural Model of E-Banking Usage in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guendalina Capece

2013-06-01

Full Text Available E‐banking is defined as the automated delivery of new and traditional banking products and services directly to customers through electronic, interactive communication channels. “Pure online” banks are characterized by the absence of physical windows and front‐office personnel. Traditional banks are still integrating traditional distribution channels with online ones; the scenario is therefore still evolving over time. Despite the intrinsic potentialities, Italy is far from being a leader in the usage of innovative online instruments in the banking system and will struggle with new innovation waves. In this paper, we measure the potential effective ebanking usage. Furthermore, we investigate the behaviour of users and adopters, identifying the major causes influencing satisfaction and usage and the impact of these different causes on the intensity of utilization. The analysis is based on a panel of 495 real users, thus allowing the profiling of the Italian adopter to discover the causes of usage and outline strategies for the growth of e‐banking services in Italy.

Italy at CERN

CERN Multimedia

Caroline Laignel

2005-01-01

15 - 17 November 2005 Main Building Bldg 60 - ground and 1st floor 09:00 - 17:30 Twenty-six companies will present their latest technology at the "Italy at CERN" exhibition. Italian industry will exhibit products and technologies which are related to the field of particle physics. The main subjects are: electrical engineering, electronics, logistics, mechanical engineering, vacuum and low-temperature technology.   The exhibition is being organised by the INFN in Padua. The exhibitors are listed below.   A detailed programme will be available in due course : from your Departmental secretariat, at the exhibition, on the FI homepage http://fi-dep.web.cern.ch/fi-dep/structure/memberstates/exhibitions_visits.htm LIST OF EXHIBITORS  Ansaldo Superconduttori Spa CAEN Spa CECOM Snc Consorzio Canavese Export CPE Italia Spa Criotec Impianti Srl CTE Sistemi Srl Carpenteria S. Antonio Spa E.E.I. Equipaggiamenti Elettronici Industriali Elettronica Conduttori Srl Goma Elettronica Spa ICAR Spa Intercond Spa Keno...

Italy at CERN

CERN Multimedia

Caroline Laignel

2005-01-01

15 - 17 November 2005 Main Building Bldg 60 - ground and 1st floor 09:00 - 17:30 Twenty-six companies will present their latest technology at the "Italy at CERN" exhibition. Italian industry will exhibit products and technologies which are related to the field of particle physics.The main subjects are: electrical engineering, electronics, logistics, mechanical engineering, vacuum and low-temperature technology. The exhibition is being organised by the INFN in Padua.The exhibitors are listed below.A detailed programme will be available in due course : from your Departmental secretariat, at the exhibition, on the FI homepage http://fi-dep.web.cern.ch/fi-dep/structure/memberstates/exhibitions_visits.htm LIST OF EXHIBITORS  Ansaldo Superconduttori Spa CAEN Spa CECOM Snc Consorzio Canavese Export CPE Italia Spa Criotec Impianti Srl CTE Sistemi Srl Carpenteria S. Antonio Spa E.E.I. Equipaggiamenti Elettronici Industriali Elettronica Conduttori Srl Goma Elettronica Spa ICAR Spa Intercond Spa Kenotec Srl O...

Lichenized fungi of a chestnut grove in Livari (Rumija, Montenegro)

Science.gov (United States)

Mayrhofer, Helmut; Drescher, Anton; Stešević, Danijela; Bilovitz, Peter O.

2016-01-01

Sixty taxa (59 species and 1 variety) of lichenized fungi are reported from a chestnut grove in Livari. The majority of them (55 species and 1 variety) occurred on Castanea sativa. The recently described Xylographa soralifera is new to the Balkan Peninsula. The lichenicolous fungus Monodictys epilepraria growing on Lepraria rigidula is new to Montenegro. The lichen mycota is compared with similar localities in Italy and Switzerland. The species composition in Livari is most similar to the Montieri site in Tuscany. PMID:26869743

Water management sustainability in reclaimed coastal areas. The case of the Massaciuccoli lake basin (Tuscany, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Rossetto, Rudy; Baneschi, Ilaria; Basile, Paolo; Guidi, Massimo; Pistocchi, Chiara; Sabbatini, Tiziana; Silvestri, Nicola; Bonari, Enrico

2010-05-01

land sub-systems, the first one showing an average 4.2 mm net daily water loss during the summer season (about 0.975 m3/s) for the years 2000-2009. Lake inflow is constituted of two main terms: an anthropogenic one related to the drainage of the reclaimed land of about 1.1 m3/s (ranging 75-81% of the total inflow); a natural one defined by recharge through rainfall, the western coastal aquifer and the eastern reliefs, accounting for 0.25 m3/s (varying 19-25% of the total inflow). On the other hand, lake water loss is mainly due to evaporation from water surface and evapotranspiration from the palustrine vegetation for around 56-61% (1.31 m3/s on average), while 13 to 15% (0.325 m3/s) is due to inefficient irrigation schemes using lake water and, being the lake perched, recharge to the reclaimed land aquifer (26 to 29%) by means of water infiltrating along the embankments (0.64 m3/s on average). Since several springs on the eastern margin, which would flow to the lacustrine system for about 0.160 m3/s (Autorità di Bacino del Fiume Serchio, 2007), are tapped (for residential, tourism and industrial users), the anthropogenic impact on the water deficit constitutes about 50% of the total, being 34% due to irrigation and 16% to other users. This demonstrates the naturally induced water deficit, already known by historical sources, is heavily altered by anthropogenic pressure defining a not sustainable balance between the socio-economic system and the natural one. It is then clear, that in order to reduce the water stress, a new water management strategy in the whole basin must be devised by revising and enhancing the irrigation schemes and the residential, industrial and tourism water distribution. Reference Autorità di Bacino del Fiume Serchio, 2007. Piano di Bacino 'Bilancio idrico del bacino del lago di Massaciuccoli' Relazione di piano. Lucca, Italy.

Digital Resource Sharing and Library Consortia in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tommaso Giordano

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Interlibrary cooperation in Italy is a fairly recent and not very widespread practice. Attention to the topic was aroused in the eighties with the Italian library network project. More recently, under the impetus toward technological innovation, there has been renewed (and more pragmatic interest in cooperation in all library sectors. Sharing electronic resources is the theme of greatest interest today in university libraries, where various initiatives are aimed at setting up consortia to purchase licenses and run digital products. A number of projects in hand are described, and emerging trends analyzed.

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.

An Excel Macro to Plot the HFE-Diagram to Identify Sea Water Intrusion Phases.

Science.gov (United States)

Giménez-Forcada, Elena; Sánchez San Román, F Javier

2015-01-01

A hydrochemical facies evolution diagram (HFE-D) is a multirectangular diagram, which is a useful tool in the interpretation of sea water intrusion processes. This method note describes a simple method for generating an HFE-D plot using the spreadsheet software package, Microsoft Excel. The code was applied to groundwater from the alluvial coastal plain of Grosseto (Tuscany, Italy), which is characterized by a complex salinization process in which sea water mixes with sulfate or bicarbonate recharge water. © 2014, National GroundWater Association.

Geochemical and isotopic evidences for a severe anthropogenic boron contamination: A case study from Castelluccio (Arezzo, central Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venturi, Stefania; Vaselli, Orlando; Tassi, Franco; Nisi, Barbara; Pennisi, Maddalena; Cabassi, Jacopo; Bicocchi, Gabriele; Rossato, Luca

2015-01-01

In 2009 a deterioration of garden plants watered with domestic wells was related to high boron concentrations (up to 57 mg/L) measured in the shallow aquifer from the industrial area of Castelluccio (Tuscany, Italy), where several factories are or were using boron compounds for their industrial processes. Since 2012 a geochemical and isotopic survey of stream, ground and waste waters, and sediment samples was performed. In addition, monthly geochemical surveys were carried out from January to September 2013, during which concentrations of boron up to 139 mg/L were measured. The geochemical dataset also included raw (borax and sodium boron-hydride) and anthropogenic materials (B-rich slags and muds stored in one of the local factories), the latter being, to the best of our knowledge, analyzed for the first time in this work for bulk and leachate boron concentration and isotopic ratios. The results highlighted that the high concentrations of boron found in the local shallow aquifer had unequivocally an anthropogenic source. It was suggested that prolonged interaction between industrial (presently stored at ground level or buried) by-products and waste and meteoric waters was likely the main process responsible of the groundwater contamination as supported by the analysis of the major solutes. The dispersion of the contaminant could not clearly be observed downward the shallow hydrogeological circuit. Consequently, the presence of other sources of boron in the industrial area of Castelluccio cannot be excluded. This would also explain the reason why no univocal results were obtained by the "1"1B/"1"0B isotopic ratios measured in water, sediment and (bulk and leachate) anthropogenic samples. To minimize the boron contamination a hydraulic barrier should be constructed where the highest concentrations of boron were measured. - Highlights: • High boron concentrations were measured in a groundwater system near Arezzo (Italy). • Several factories in the local

Italy au CERN

CERN Multimedia

FI Department

2008-01-01

4 – 6 March 2008 Main Building Bldg 60 - ground and 1st floor 09.00 hrs - 17.30 hrs Nineteen companies will present their latest technology at the "Italy at CERN" exhibition. Italian industry will exhibit products and technologies related to the field of particle physics. The main subjects are civil engineering and buildings, data processing, electrical engineering, electronics, industrial support, mechanical engineering, particle detectors and vacuum and low-temperature technology. The exhibition is being organised by the INFN of Padova. The exhibitors are listed below. More details on the firms can be found at the following link: http://fi-dep.web.cern.ch/fi-dep/structure/memberstates/exhibitions_visits.htm LIST OF EXHIBITORS Boffetti Impianti S.r.l. Bozzi & Figli S.r.l. C.A.E.N. S.p.A. Cavicel S.p.A. Comecer S.p.A. E.E.I. Elettronica Conduttori S.r.l. Euromec S.r.l. Eurotech S.p.A. IRST Fondazione Bruno Kessler IVG Colbacchini S.p.A. Krohne Italia S.r.l. Luvata For...

ITALY AT CERN

CERN Multimedia

FI Department

2008-01-01

4 – 6 March 2008 Main Building Bldg 60 - ground and 1st floor 09.00 hrs - 17.30 hrs Nineteen companies will present their latest technology at the "Italy at CERN" exhibition. Italian industry will exhibit products and technologies related to the field of particle physics. The main subjects are civil engineering and buildings, data processing, electrical engineering, electronics, industrial support, mechanical engineering, particle detectors and vacuum and low-temperature technology. The exhibition is being organised by the INFN of Padova. The exhibitors are listed below. More details on the firms can be found at the following link: http://fi-dep.web.cern.ch/fi-dep/structure/memberstates/exhibitions_visits.htm LIST OF EXHIBITORS Boffetti Impianti S.r.l. Bozzi & Figli S.r.l. C.A.E.N. S.p.A. Cavicel S.p.A. Comecer S.p.A. E.E.I. Elettronica Conduttori S.r.l. Euromec S.r.l. Eurotech S.p.A. IRST Fondazione Bruno Kessler IVG Colbacchini S.p.A. Krohne Italia S.r.l. Luvata For...

Detection of Caliciviruses in young pheasants (Phasianus colchicus with enteritis in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilaria Capua

2010-01-01

Full Text Available During June 2004 a severe enteritis was reported in a farm of 21-28 day old pheasants reared in intensive conditions in North-Eastern Italy. Mortality in the flock had reached 25%. Virological investigations on cell culture of the gut content yielded reoviruses while electron microscopy examination revealed viral particles morphologically related to calicivirus in association with parvovirus-like and rod shaped virus-like particles.

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...

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

Virtual cathode driven by short pulse electron gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spassovsky, I.P.; Cho, Sung Oh; Lee, Jongmin; Lee, Byung-Cheol; Jeong, Young Uk; Messina, G.; Yovchev, I.G.; Nikolov, N.A.

1996-01-01

An electron gun has been developed by ENEA (Italy) to power a free-electron laser operating in the far infrared region. The device can also be used to drive various microwave sources. Numerical simulations were performed for the planned foil-diode vircator experiment to be carried out by ENEA. (author). 5 figs., 4 refs

Virtual cathode driven by short pulse electron gun

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spassovsky, I P; Cho, Sung Oh; Lee, Jongmin; Lee, Byung-Cheol; Jeong, Young Uk [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of). Laboratory for Quantum Optics; Messina, G [ENEA, Roma-Frascati (Italy). INN-FIS-LAC; Yovchev, I G; Nikolov, N A [Sofia Univ. (Bulgaria). Faculty of Physics

1997-12-31

An electron gun has been developed by ENEA (Italy) to power a free-electron laser operating in the far infrared region. The device can also be used to drive various microwave sources. Numerical simulations were performed for the planned foil-diode vircator experiment to be carried out by ENEA. (author). 5 figs., 4 refs.

Structural and chemical variations in phlogopite from lamproitic rocks of the Central Mediterranean region

Science.gov (United States)

Lepore, Giovanni O.; Bindi, Luca; Pedrazzi, Giuseppe; Conticelli, Sandro; Bonazzi, Paola

2017-08-01

Micas from mafic ultrapotassic rocks with lamproitic affinity from several localities of the Central Mediterranean region were studied through single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS); Mössbauer Spectroscopy (MöS), when feasible, was also applied to minimise the number of unknown variables and uncertainties. Analysed lamproitic samples cover the most important Central Mediterranean type localities, from Plan d'Albard (Western Alps) to Sisco (Corsica), Montecatini Val di Cecina and Orciatico (Tuscany, Italy) and Torre Alfina (Northern Latium, Italy). The studied crystals show distinctive chemical and structural features; all of them belong to the phlogopite-annite join and crystallise in the 1M polytype, except for micas from Torre Alfina, where both 1M and 2M1 polytypes were found. Studied micas have variable but generally high F and Ti contents, with Mg/(Mg + Fe) ranging from 0.5 to 0.9; 2M1 crystals from Torre Alfina radically differ in chemical composition, showing high contents of Ti and Fe as well as of Al in both tetrahedra and octahedra, leading to distinctive structural distortions, especially in tetrahedral sites. SIMS data indicate that studied micas are generally dehydrogenated with OH contents ranging from 0.2 apfu (atoms per formula unit) for Orciatico and Torre Alfina to 1.4 for Plan d'Albard crystals; this feature is also testified by the length of the c parameter, which decreases with the loss of hydrogen and/or the increase of the F → OH substitution. Chemical and structural data suggest that the entry of high charge octahedral cations is mainly balanced by an oxy mechanism and, to a lesser extent, by a M3 +,4 +-Tschermak substitution. Our data confirm that Ti preferentially partitions into the M2 site and that different Ti and F contents, as well as different K/Al values, are both dependant upon fH2O and the composition of magma rather than controlled by P and T

Immunoglobulin M indirect-fluorescent antibody test for the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis during pregnancy in the avidity era: A 14-year experience at the Tuscany Reference Center for Infectious Diseases in Pregnancy, Florence, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Trotta, Michele; Borchi, Beatrice; Zammarchi, Lorenzo; Sterrantino, Gaetana; Brogi, Michela; Kiros, Seble Tekle; Lorini, Chiara; Bonaccorsi, Guglielmo; Colao, Maria Grazia; Bartoloni, Alessandro

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate immunoglobulin M indirect-fluorescent antibody test (IgM IFAT) for the diagnosis of acute or chronic Toxoplasma infection in pregnancy. Pregnant women with suspected acute toxoplasmosis referred to the Tuscany Reference Center for Infectious Diseases in Pregnancy during the period 1998-2012 were retrospectively enrolled. All women were tested with a panel of serological tests, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for IgG avidity and IgM IFAT. On the basis of anamnestic, clinical, and serological criteria, pregnant women were classified into three groups: recently infected (RI), latently infected (LI), and doubtful latently infected (DLI). Patients classified as DLI were excluded from the analysis. The association between IgM IFAT (positive or negative) and the diagnosis of infection (acute or chronic) was assessed. Positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the IgM IFAT were calculated. A total of 810 pregnant women were enrolled in the study: 302 in the RI group and 508 in the LI group. Fifty-two women classified as DLI were excluded. IgM IFAT was positive in 172 out of 302 (56.9%) pregnant women in the RI group and in 29 out of 508 (5.7%) in the LI group. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value of IgM IFAT in predicting RI was 85.6% and 78.6%, respectively. IgM IFAT has reasonable sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing recent infection and, mostly in case of borderline avidity test, could be considered as a further aid for an accurate diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis in pregnancy. © 2016 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

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

CAS Introductory Course in Italy

CERN Multimedia

2008-01-01

The CERN Accelerator School’s introductory course is a great success. This year the CERN Accelerator School held its "Introduction to Accelerator Physics" course in Frascati, Italy, from 2-14 November in collaboration with the University of Rome "La Sapienza" and the INFN Frascati National Laboratory. The Introductory level course is particularly important since, for the majority of participants, it is the first opportunity to discover the various aspects of accelerator physics. For this school the programme had been significantly revised in order to take into account the new trends currently being developed in the field, thus putting more emphasis on linacs, synchrotron light sources and free-electron lasers. The school was a resounding success with 115 participants of more than 23 nationalities. Feedback from the students praised the expertise of the lecturers, the high standard of the lectures as well as the excellent organizati...

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.)

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

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.

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.

Radiation damage of silicon structures with electrons of 900 MeV

CERN Document Server

Rachevskaia, I; Bosisio, L; Dittongo, S; Quai, E; Rizzo, G

2002-01-01

We present first results on the irradiation of double-sided silicon microstrip detectors and test structures performed at the Elettra synchrotron radiation facility at Trieste, Italy. The devices were irradiated with 900 MeV electrons. The test structures we used for studying bulk, surface and oxide irradiation damage were guard ring diodes, gated diodes and MOS capacitors. The test structures and the double-sided microstrip detectors were produced by Micron Semiconductor Ltd. (England) and IRST (Trento, Italy). For the first time, bulk-type inversion is observed to occur after high-energy electron irradiation. Current and inter-strip resistance measurements performed on the microstrip detectors show that the devices are still usable after type inversion.

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.

The cross-border project between France and Italy MARS+. Sub-project - Innovative technologies for the mechanization of the areas hard to reach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Tirrò

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The care and protection of the mountain areas and their traditional crops were some of the reasons that led regional governments of Liguria and Tuscany to participate in the strategic project “Sea, Countryside and Land: potentiate the strategic unitarily” (MARS +. This project has also involved the participation of the four cross-border regions: Tuscany (leader, Sardinia, Liguria and Corsica. The aim was to promote the development of the innovations and entrepreneurship in the rural areas in order to increase competitiveness. In particular, the subproject SC has provided the transfer of innovations to facilitate the processes of mechanization in vineyards and olive orchards in contexts defined as “heroic”, areas of high landscape and environmental value in which the typical cultures has been always carried out, generally, on terraces or slopes. These conditions require a great effort by the farmers and result in high production costs. The transfer of the innovations has provided the organization of demonstration days in which the technological solutions for the management of the farming operations in vineyards and olive orchards were proposed and tested. During these events, the participative process was fundamentally reconfirmed, not only as a means to expand the knowledge of innovative products, but also as an opportunity for farmers, retailers, manufacturers, researchers, and local administrators to interact and facilitate the development of other technologies. The parameters that led to the innovative solutions included: the small size, user-friendliness, agility, and the ability of operating on systems not easily accessible. These products must also ensure the ergonomics and safety of workers performing all the growing operations. A thorough research of the available technologies and prototypes, still under development, affirms the presence of many innovations. These innovations not only allow the execution of all the field

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.)

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)

Evaluation of antimicrobial consumption in Campania Region, Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simona Cammarota

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: the antibiotic usage in Italy is above the European average. From several years the Campania was the first Italian region in terms of antimicrobial consumption. Aim: to evaluate antibiotic utilisation in primary health care in Campania, a region of approximately 5.7 million inhabitants in the south of Italy. Method: we collected, from an electronic database, all prescription drugs reimbursed in 2005. The cohort was defined as the population of subjects receiving at least one prescription of any antimicrobial agent for systemic use, classified according to their therapeutic role using Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical (ATC classification. Drugs cost and consumption were quantified using National Health Service (NHS prospective and Defined Daily Dose system (DDD respectively. All costs were expressed in Euro 2005. Results: antiinfectives agents (ATC J was the second class of drugs in terms of cost, representing 16.1% of the regional drug expenditure. Their consumption were 33 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day. Stratifying by age antibiotic use was highest in children and elderly subjects. Penicillins, macrolides and cephalosporins were the most prescribed antibiotic classes in all age groups. Discussion: despite guidelines introduced to limit the prescription of parenteral antibiotics to the patients who are most likely to benefit from it, they were mostly prescribed. This represented a serious problem for the development of drug-resistant bacteria.

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

Fault-sourced alluvial fans and their interaction with axial fluvial drainage: An example from the Plio-Pleistocene Upper Valdarno Basin (Tuscany, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Fidolini, Francesco; Ghinassi, Massimiliano; Aldinucci, Mauro; Billi, Paolo; Boaga, Jacopo; Deiana, Rita; Brivio, Lara

2013-05-01

The present study deals with the fault-sourced, alluvial-fan deposits of the Plio-Pleistocene Upper Valdarno Basin (Northern Apennines, Italy). Different phases of alluvial fan aggradation, progradation and backstep are discussed as possible effects of the interaction among fault-generated accommodation space, sediment supply and discharge variations affecting the axial fluvial drainage. The Upper Valdarno Basin, located about 35 km SE of Florence, is filled with 550 m palustrine, lacustrine and alluvial deposits forming four main unconformity-bounded units (i.e. synthems). The study alluvial-fan deposits belong to the two uppermost synthems (Montevarchi and Torrente Ciuffenna synthems) and are Early to Middle Pleistocene in age. These deposits are sourced from the fault-bounded, NE margin of the basin and interfinger with axial fluvial deposits. Alluvial fan deposits of the Montevarchi Synthem consist of three main intervals: i) a lower interval, which lacks any evidence of a depositional trend and testify balance between the subsidence rate (i.e. fault activity) and the amount of sediment provided from the margin; ii) a coarsening-upward middle interval, pointing to a decrease in subsidence rate associated with an augment in sediment supply; iii) a fining-upward, upper interval (locally preserved), documenting a phase of tectonic quiescence associated with a progressive re-equilibration of the tectonically-induced morphological profile. The basin-scale unconformity, which separates the Montevarchi and Torrente Ciuffenna synthems was due to the entrance of the Arno River into the basin as consequence of a piracy. This event caused a dramatic increase in water discharge of the axial fluvial system, and its consequent embanking. Such an erosional surface started to develop in the axial areas, and propagated along the main tributaries, triggering erosion of the alluvial fan deposits. Alluvial-fan deposits of the Torrente Ciuffenna Synthem accumulated above the

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

The Strategic Plan for Tourism Development in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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.

Relationship between individual quality of life and family quality of life for people with intellectual disability living in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertelli, M; Bianco, A; Rossi, M; Scuticchio, D; Brown, I

2011-12-01

There is substantial literature investigating quality of life (QoL) of individuals with intellectual disability (ID). QoL of families of people with ID is emerging as an important field of research. Despite this, there is a lack of studies regarding their relationship. The present paper aimed to study the relationship between QoL scores of individuals with ID and members of their families. Twenty-seven parents or relatives of 27 adults with ID were recruited by four different research centres across Tuscany (Italy) to be interviewed through the Italian adaptation of the Family Quality of Life Survey - 2006 (FQoLS-2006), a tool developed for use in a multiple-country study on family QoL. The FQoLS-2006 was translated and adapted to Italian through three revisions. The last was submitted to the authors of the original version, who also maintain an electronic data file and data archive for statistical evaluations in various countries. QoL of persons with ID was assessed through the administration of the Quality of Life - Instrument Package. QoL scores were analysed to describe population characteristics and to examine the relationships among measures of individual and family QoL using correlations (Pearson and Spearman). Findings showed that family ratings of QoL were generally low. Families interviewed reported a low level of QoL in 'Support from Others' and 'Community Interaction', while 'Family Relationships' and 'Health of the Family' rated higher. For individual QoL, individuals had the lowest scores in the area of 'Spiritual being' and higher scores in the area of 'Physical being'. Correlations examining possible relationships among Importance, Satisfaction and Opportunities found some statistically significant correlation coefficients between some aspects of the three main areas of individual QoL (Being, Belonging and Becoming) and the nine family domains. Most of these correlations regarded family 'Financial Well-Being', 'Family Relationships, 'Support from

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

distant metastases at birth: a case report • P. Bianco et al.; Cagliari (Italy ABS 27. Chloramphenicol (ChlA toxicity in the newborn infant: historical perspectives • L. Cataldi et al.; Rome, Cagliari (Italy ABS 28. Bronchiolitis in newborns • M. Furno et al.; Bologna, Cagliari (Italy ABS 29. Postpartum depression in a high-risk woman after stillbirth • T. Fanos; Mantua (Italy ABS 30. Neonatal brain hypothermia: the Cagliari experience • G. Secci et al.; Cagliari (Italy ABS 31. Dino Gaburro: a master of Pediatrics • L. Cataldi; Rome (Italy ABS 32. The sterile vesicoureteral reflux as a cause of congenital renal hypodysplasia • G. Ottonello et al.; Cagliari (Italy ABS 33. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis in gbs-positive mothers: effects on newborn microbiota • L. Corvaglia et al.; Bologna (Italy ABS 34. Mother’s emotional experience after giving birth to a preterm infant • P. Paladini et al.; Lecce, Rome (Italy ABS 35. Effects of bolus feeding vs. continuous feeding on splanchnic tissue oxygenation, cerebral tissue oxygenation and apnoeic episodes in preterm infants • L. Corvaglia et al.; Bologna (Italy ABS 36. Natal and neonatal teeth: some new experiences • F. Tromba et al.; Campobasso, Rome (Italy ABS 37. Integration between medical and nursing charts as a tool for quality improvement and risk management in NICU • A. Portanova et al.; Rome (Italy ABS 38. CD44 Immunoreactivity in diabetic nephropathy and the developing human kidney: a marker of renal progenitor stem cells • G. Locci et al.; Cagliari (Italy ABS 39. PAS and Weigert methods: two old stains for a new interpretation of the newborn kidney • A.R. Cannas et al.; Cagliari (Italy ABS 40. Scanning Electron Microscopy of the developing human kidney • T. Congiu et al.; Athens (Greece, Cagliari (Italy ABS 41. Interindividual variability in maturation of the human thyroid gland during gestation • E. Tamponi et al.; Cagliari (Italy ABS 42. The child with wool steel hair • F. Sau et

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...

Combining Multifunctionality and Ecosystem Services into a Win-Win Solution. The Case Study of the Serchio River Basin (Tuscany—Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massimo Rovai

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Post-war development—characterized by intensive processes of urbanization, concentration of agriculture on the most fertile lands, and abandonment of mountainous and marginal areas—brought about negative environmental and socio-economic consequences. They have been particularly severe in terms of increase of hydrogeological risk, which is high in most Italian regions. Over time, there has been an increasing awareness of the multiple functions played by agriculture in terms of provision of Ecosystem Services (ES, which contribute fundamentally to human well-being. In particular, some ES provided by farmers may help to reduce the hydrogeological risk of territories prone to landslides and floods. In this framework, the paper presents as a case study the project “Farmers as Custodians of a Territory.” This project was implemented in the Serchio River basin, Tuscany (Italy, and combines a multifunctional farm strategy of diversification with the provision of Ecosystem Services related to the hydraulic and hydrogeological protection of the river-basin territory. Although this case study should be read within the framework of the theories of agricultural multifunctionality and ES provision, it nevertheless took a very pragmatic and innovative approach, which differentiates it from most of the case studies given in the literature. Results of our analysis show that, by involving farmers as custodians of the territory, it is possible to reach a “win-win” solution characterized, on the one hand, by better services for the community at a lower cost for the Land Reclamation Consortia involved with hydrogeological risk prevention, thus improving the effectiveness and efficiency of ES provision; and on the other hand, by improving the economic situation and survival chances of local farms.

On the profile evolution of three artificial pebble beaches at Marina di Pisa, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Bertoni, Duccio; Sarti, Giovanni

2011-07-01

In this paper, the profiles of three artificial coarse-grained beaches located at Marina di Pisa (Tuscany, Italy) were monitored from April 2008 to May 2009 in order to define the response of the beaches to major storms that occurred during the study. Two beaches are similar, the third differs in length and in the level of protection, being less than half the length of the others and devoid of an offshore submerged breakwater. The work was achieved by means of accurate topographic surveys intended to reconstruct the beach profile from the backshore up to the foreshore-upper shoreface transition (step). The surveys were performed with an RTK-GPS instrument, which provided extremely precise recording of the beach. The most significant features of the beaches were tracked during each survey; in particular, the landward foot of the storm berm, the crest of the storm berm, the coastline, and the step crest were monitored. Five cross-shore transects were traced on each beach. Along these transects, any meaningful slope change was recorded to obtain accurate sections of the beach. The field datasets were processed with AutoCAD software to compare the beach profile evolution during the year-long research. The results showed a comparable evolution of the twin beaches: the resulting storm berm retreat of about 15 to 19 m is a remarkable feature considering the coarse grain size and the offshore protection. Due to the absence of the breakwater, the third beach was characterized by even higher values of recession (over 20 m), and showed hints of wave reflection-related processes after the huge, steep storm berm had been formed and grown after the high energy events. These processes were not as evident on the twin beaches. These results underline the different response of three similar protection schemes, and the importance that frequent monitoring of the beach morphology holds when it comes to coastal management issues.

Integrating life cycle assessment and emergy synthesis for the evaluation of a dry steam geothermal power plant in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buonocore, Elvira; Vanoli, Laura; Carotenuto, Alberto; Ulgiati, Sergio

2015-01-01

Greenhouse gas emissions, climate change and the rising energy demand are currently seen as most crucial environmental concerns. With the exploration of renewable energy sources to meet the challenges of energy security and climate change, geothermal energy is expected to play an important role. In this study a LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and an EMA (Emergy Assessment) of a 20 MW dry steam geothermal power plant located in the Tuscany Region (Italy) are performed and discussed. The plant is able to produce electricity by utilizing locally available renewable resources together with a moderate support by non-renewable resources. This makes the geothermal source eligible to produce renewable electricity. However, the direct utilization of the geothermal fluid generates the release into the atmosphere of carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, mercury, arsenic and other chemicals that highly contribute to climate change, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, human toxicity and photochemical oxidation. The study aims to understand to what extent the geothermal power plant is environmentally sound, in spite of claims by local populations, and if there are steps and/or components that require further attention. The application of the Emergy Synthesis method provides a complementary perspective to LCA, by highlighting the direct and indirect contribution in terms of natural capital and ecosystem services to the power plant construction and operation. The environmental impacts of the geothermal power plant are also compared to those of renewable and fossil-based power plants. The release of CO 2 -eq calculated for the investigated geothermal plant (248 g kWh −1 ) is lower than fossil fuel based power plants but still higher than renewable technologies like solar photovoltaic and hydropower plant. Moreover, the SO 2- eq release associated to the geothermal power plant (3.37 g kWh −1 ) is comparable with fossil fuel based power plants. Results suggest the

The Serchio River catchment, northern Tuscany: Geochemistry of stream waters and sediments, and isotopic composition of dissolved sulfate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cortecci, Gianni; Dinelli, Enrico; Boschetti, Tiziano; Arbizzani, Paola; Pompilio, Loredana; Mussi, Mario

2008-01-01

The Serchio River and its tributaries in northern Tuscany were investigated for the chemical and isotopic compositions of waters and bed sediments. Bedrocks are mostly limestone/dolomite and siliciclastics, thermal spring systems are present in the catchment, and the main industrial activity is represented by paper-mills. Main results obtained are: (1) major ions in solution appear to be basically controlled by precipitation and lithology, as well as subordinately by direct inputs of thermal springs, (2) human influence on metals in the waters along the main Serchio and Lima rivers is indicated at a number of sites by increases in concentration compared to the chemical composition of upstream tributaries, (3) S and O isotope compositions delineate two main sources for aqueous SO 4 2- , that is dissolution of Triassic evaporite (directly or via thermal springs) and oxidation of sulfide dispersed in siliciclastic rocks. Anthropogenic contributions are probable, but they cannot be quantitatively assessed. Only SO 4 2- in the notoriously polluted Ozzeri tributary is suspected to be largely anthropogenic, and (4) the chemical composition of bed sediments is mainly influenced by lithology, apart from a number of technogenic elements in the upper part of the Serchio River and in some tributaries. Contamination possibly occurs at other sites, but geochemical indications are weak

Environmental study for optimal sites selection for incineration plant of refuse derived fuel in Lucca Province, Tuscany (Italy); Metodologie e tecniche di analisi ambientale per l`ubicazione `sostenibile` di impianti di smaltimento rifiuti: l`esperienza della Provincia di Lucca

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tassoni, E; Cautilli, F; Polizzano, C; Andriola, L [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Rome (Italy). Dipt. Ambiente

1998-04-01

The present report describes the methodology and the main results of an environmental study aimed at the selection of the optimal sites for incineration plant of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) and the associated waste disposal landfill, in a defined territory. The study was commissioned by a local administrative Authority (Province of Lucca, northern Tuscany, Italy), and was carried out according to the indications of the `EEC Political Program of Action in favour of the environment and of a sustainable development`. In essence, the methodology takes into account both the major and extant descriptive elements of the environment under scrutiny, and the project main elements of the proposed plant. Additionally, considerations were included regarding the location of all the segments of the entire disposal plant, particularly the disposal landfill which is usually responsible for the greatest environmental impact. Finally, the results were compared with the limits indicated by the present regulations. Similar methods, were previously applied to different territories, and are still in progress. In order to estimate the fate of the air bone discharges from the incinerator into the selected potential area, a meteorological and diffusive study was undertaken to calculate the average annual levels by depositions on ground through dry and wet mechanisms. By comparison with the regulatory limits imposed to the stack emissions by the EEC Directives, the calculated ground level depositions were considerably lower. By taking into account a number of environmental features (such as the subjection of water-bearing layers, low risk of modification of ecological processes, low impact on the agricultural activities), of logistic reasons (large average extension to allow the location of all plants), and socio-economic elements (presence of large industrial plants, lower density of housing distribution), 14 sub-areas were identified and selected, mainly concentrated in the central

Recolonization patterns of ants in a rehabilitated lignite mine in central Italy: Potential for the use of Mediterranean ants as indicators of restoration processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ottonetti, L.; Tucci, L.; Santini, G. [University of Florence, Florence (Italy)

2006-03-15

Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) assemblages were sampled with pitfall traps in three different habitats associated with a rehabilitated mine district and in undisturbed forests in Tuscany, Italy. The four habitats were (1) open fields (3-4 years old); (2) a middle-age mixed plantation (10 years); (3) an old-age mixed plantation (20 years); and (4) an oak woodland (40 years) not directly affected by mining activities. The aim of the study was to analyze ant recolonization patterns in order to provide insights on the use of Mediterranean ant fauna as indicators of restoration processes. Species richness and diversity were not significantly different among the four habitats. However, multivariate analyses showed that the assemblages in the different habitats were clearly differentiated, with similarity relationships reflecting a successional gradient among rehabilitated sites. The observed patterns of functional group changes along the gradient broadly accord with those of previous studies in other biogeographic regions. These were (1) a decrease of dominant Dolichoderinae and opportunists; (2) an increase in the proportion of cold-climate specialists; and (3) the appearance of the Cryptic species in the oldest plantations, with a maximum of abundance in the woodland. In conclusion, the results of our study supported the use of Mediterranean ants as a suitable tool for biomonitoring of restoration processes, and in particular, the functional group approach proved a valuable framework to better interpret local trends in terms of global ecological patterns. Further research is, however, needed in order to obtain a reliable classification of Mediterranean ant functional groups.

General practitioners' knowledge and practice of complementary/alternative medicine and its relationship with life-styles: a population-based survey in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Da Frè Monica

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The growing popularity of CAM among the public is coupled with an ongoing debate on its effectiveness, safety, and its implications on the reimbursement system. This issue is critically important for GPs, who have a "gatekeeping" role with respect to health care expenditure. GPs must be aware of medications' uses, limitations and possible adverse effects. Our objective was to explore GPs' knowledge of CAM and patterns of recommendation and practice, as well as the relationship between such patterns and GPs' life-styles. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Tuscany, a region of central Italy. One hundred percent female GPs (498 and a 60% random sample of male GPs (1310 practising in the region were contacted through a self-administered postal questionnaire followed by a postal reminder and telephone interview. Results Overall response rate was 82.1%. Most respondents (58% recommended CAM but a far smaller fraction (13% practised it; yet 36% of CAM practitioners had no certificated training. Being female, younger age, practising in larger communities, having had some training in CAM as well as following a vegetarian or macrobiotic diet and doing physical activity were independent predictors of CAM recommendation and practice. However, 42% of GPs did not recommend CAM to patients mostly because of the insufficient evidence of its effectiveness. Conclusion CAM knowledge among GPs is not as widespread as the public demand seems to require, and the scarce evidence of CAM effectiveness hinders its professional use among a considerable number of GPs. Sound research on CAM effectiveness is needed to guide physicians' behaviour, to safeguard patients' safety, and to assist policy-makers in planning regulations for CAM usage.

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

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

Il fenomeno abachistico a supporto dei cambiamenti socio-economici: Arezzo tra il XIII ed il XVI secolo = The role of the abacus tradition for the economic and social development of the society: evidence from Tuscany (Italy between XIII and XVI century

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Pia Maraghini

2011-12-01

techniques to do arithmetic operations and practical rules to solve commercial and financial questions. The objective of this research is to further investigate the study of abacus schools and books, in order to recover and highlight the role held by the abacus phenomenon in the origins of the “accounting art” and, in general, the role of the “abacus tradition” for the economic and social development of the society during the medieval and renaissance period. To achieve this goal, the study relies upon some evidences from Tuscany (Italy between XIII and XVI century. By combining theoretical and empirical insights, the analysis points out the contribution the abacus tradition has given to the better development of public life in the city-republic during the medieval and renaissance period, that is to say to the best and most effective exercise of duty and civic right. This contribution has been the basis to the growing interest shown towards the abacus culture by the then city-republic authorities.La presente ricerca indaga sulle “origini” dell’arte contabile tendente a memorizzare i comportamenti economici. In particolare, essa esamina i primi “ambienti” specifici predisposti e organizzati per l’insegnamento delle conoscenze contabili e i “mezzi” di studio per il loro trasferimento: le scuole e i libri d’abaco. Diffusisi prevalentemente in Italia tra il XIII ed il XVI secolo, essi avevano il principale scopo di trasmettere quelle conoscenze generalmente definite di “matematica pratica”, quali le tecniche per eseguire le operazioni aritmetiche e le regole pratiche per la risoluzione di problemi commerciali e finanziari.L’obiettivo della ricerca è quello di approfondire lo studio delle scuole e dei libri d’abaco, evidenziandone il ruolo rivestito nella “genesi” della contabilità per le aziende e, quindi, nel più generale sviluppo socio-economico in epoca medioevale e nei primi secoli del Rinascimento.A tal fine, la ricerca si avvale

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.

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)

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.

E-waste collection in Italy: Results from an exploratory analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Favot, Marinella; Grassetti, Luca

2017-09-01

This study looks at the performance of household electrical and electronic waste (WEEE) collection in 20 Italian regions from 2008 to 2015. The impact of several explicative variables on the results of e-waste collection is evaluated. The independent variables are socio-economic and demographic ones (age, gender, household size, education level, migration and income) along with technical-organisational variables (population density, presence of metropoles, macro regions, characteristics of the territory, percentage of household waste collected separately and number of e-waste collection points). The results show that the presence of collection points, the percentage of household waste collected separately and the percentage of females are positively correlated with the kg collected per inhabitant per year. For example, a variation of 1% of input (presence of collection points) corresponds to a 0.25% variation in the output (collection results) while 1% difference in the percentage of females in the population corresponds to a 7.549% difference in the collection rate. Population density, instead, is negatively correlated. It is interesting to note that there is a discrepancy between the Southern regions and the Centre regions (the former have an outcome 0.66 times lower than the latter) while the Northern regions perform similarly to the Centre ones. Moreover, the first year (2008) had a very low performance compared to the following years when the scheme constantly improved, mainly due to the additional collection points available. The Stochastic Frontier Model allows for the identification of the optimal production function among the 20 Italian regions. The best performing region is Tuscany (in the Centre), followed by Sardinia and Sicily (in the South). Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Italian Renaissance and Hispano-Moresque lustre-decorated majolicas: imitation cases of Hispano-Moresque style in central Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.

An investigation was carried out on Renaissance lustre-decorated majolica shards, found during excavations made in Umbria (central Italy) and defined by experts, on the ground of the surface decoration, as imitations of the Hispano-Moresque style. A comparison between this particular kind of samples, produced in central Italy, and some Hispano-Moresque lustre shards has been performed. The ceramic bodies as well as the lustred surfaces have been analysed by means of several techniques: inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomisation and scanning electron microscopy. By means of XRD analysis the presence of cosalite (Pb2Bi2S5) has been disclosed in the Italian lustre decorations but was not observed in the Hispano-Moresque ones. A hypothesis has been made, considering bismuth as a discriminating element, between lustres produced in central Italy and the Hispano-Moresque ones. We thought that the Italian artisans were able to manage the use of bismuth. Therefore a recipe, quite similar to the one employed by the Spanish artisans, was used by the Italian ceramists if their aim was to imitate the Hispano-Moresque style.

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

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.

2nd ISPRA nuclear electronics symposium, Stresa, Italy May 20-23, 1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-06-01

Two round tables were annexed to the 2nd Ispra Nuclear Electronics Symposium. The first one was concerned with software support for the implementation of microprocessors, MOS and bipolar microporcessors, environmental data systems, and the use of microprocessors and minicomputers in nuclear, biomedical and environmental fields. Nuclear electronics future, and its diversification, gravitational waves and electronics, the environmental measurements of air and water quality were discussed during the second round table, and relevant feelings brought out during the discussion on the extension of nuclear electronics techniques to other fields

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

Phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of Tuscan bee pollen of different botanic origins

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V. Domenici

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Within the apicultural products, the honey bee-pollen is growing in commercial interest due to its high nutritional properties. For the first time, bee-pollen samples from Tuscany (Italy were studied to evaluate botanical origin, phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity. The investigated pollen loads were composed of three botanical families: Castanea, Rubus and Cistus.The highest levels of proteins and lipids were detected in Rubus pollen. Castanea pollen contained greater polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins content, while the highest flavonols level wasdetected in Cistus pollen. These results were also confirmed by front-face fluorescence spectroscopy, used here, for the first time, as a fast tool to characterize bee-pollens.

Una obra maestra de la escultura gótica italiana: el Crucificado de Santa María de Muros (A Coruña

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Singul, Francisco

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The monumental gothic crucifix of Santa María del Camino (Muros represents the major known work of tuscany XIVth century wood sculpture. In this paper the piece and its context –in Italy and Galicia-, the master style and iconographical aspects are analized. Late medieval foreign trade between Galicia and Italy as well as the import of mediterranean works of art are also considered.

El monumental Crucificado gótico de Santa María del Camino (Muros es la más importante representación conocida de la escultura toscana, en madera policromada, del siglo XIV. En este artículo se analizan la pieza y su contexto –en Italia y en Galicia-, el estilo del maestro y la iconografía. De igual modo también se tratan aspectos como el comercio bajomedieval entre Galicia e Italia, así como la importación de obras de arte del Mediterráneo.

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…

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

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

The use of electron beam for production of tough materials: The Italian experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavalle, M.

2004-01-01

The Institute for the Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (Bologna, Italy) of the National Research Council is involved in activities carried out together with other scientific institutions (Department of Chemical Engineering, Processing and Materials of the University of Palermo) and an aerospace and defense company (Proel Tecnologie, Firenze, Italy). The research activity is related to: - study of the electron beam curing process of resins in order to better understand the curing mechanism and the influences of the processing parameters, e.g. the electron pulse frequency, which is related to the delivered dose rate; and - study of the electron beam polymerization of MMA in the presence of rubber as an alternative and innovative way to produce tough materials as compared to conventional blending (both physical and chemical). The activity carried out with private companies is related to the irradiation of single items and prototypes to be used for mechanical testing and characterization or for particular applications. (author)

Rare sulfosalts from vulcano, aeolian islands, Italy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pinto, Daniela; Balic Zunic, Tonci; Bonaccorsi, Elena

2006-01-01

Cl-bearing galenobismutite (Cl ranging from 0.12 to 1.45 wt.%), discovered among high-temperature fumarole incrustations at "La Fossa" crater (Vulcano Island, Italy), has been chemically and structurally investigated. The mineral is commonly associated with bismuthinite, cannizzarite, lillianite......, heyrovskýite and galena; rarely with kirkiite, vurroite and some other less characterized Pb(Bi)-sulfochlorides. Electron-microprobe investigations show that Cl-bearing galenobismutite from Vulcano has a wide compositional field (Pb/Bi atomic ratio ranging from 0.52 to 0.72). The statistical analysis...... from ideal composition toward decreasing Pb (Pb/Bi atomic ratio 0.50 - 0.39). It reflects another type of substitution: 3Pb2+ à 2Bi3+ + ¿. X-ray single crystal investigations were performed on two selected crystals of Cl-bearing galenobismutite from Vulcano. The composition of galenobismutite controls...

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

Mass loading of Hg in the Monte Amiata mining district, Southern Tuscany (Italy)

OpenAIRE

Rimondi V.; Costagliola P.; Gray J. E.; Lattanzi P.; Nannucci M.; Salvadori A.; Vaselli O.

2013-01-01

Mercury (Hg) transport in natural environments is of concern because Hg bioaccumulates in the food web. Particularly methyl-Hg is the form of Hg of major concern as it is highly toxic to humans and is ingested through food consumption, dominantly fish. Quantification of Hg mass loads in watersheds draining Hg mine districts allows (1) the identification of sources of contamination, (2) the evaluation of the effect of Hg on the environment, and (3) the identification of processes affecting Hg ...

Groundwater Flow and Transport Model in Cecina Plain (Tuscany, Italy using GIS processing

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Riccardo Armellini

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This work provides a groundwater flow and transport model of trichlorethylene and tetrachlorethylene contamination in the Cecina’s coastal aquifer. The contamination analysis, with source located in the Poggio Gagliardo area (Montescudaio, Pisa, was necessary to optimize the groundwater monitoring and remediation design. The work was carried out in two phases: • design of a conceptual model of the aquifer using GIS analysis of many stratigraphic, chemical and hydrogeological data, collected from 2004 to 2012 in six aqueduct wells; • implementation of a groundwater flow and transport numerical model using the MODFLOW 88/96 and MT3D code and the graphical user interface GroundWaterVistas 5. The conceptual model hypothesizes a multilayer aquifer in the coastal plain extended to the sandy-clay hills, recharged by rainfall and by the Cecina River. The aquifer shows important hydrodynamic features affecting both the contamination spreading, due to the presence of a perched and heavily polluted layer separate from the underlying productive aquifer, and the hydrological balance, due to a thick separation layer that limits exchanges between the river and the second groundwater aquifer. The numerical model, built using increasingly complex versions of the initial conceptual model, has been calibrated using monitoring surveys conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency of Regione Toscana (ARPAT, in order to obtain possible forecast scenarios based on the minimum and maximum flow periods, and it is currently used as a tool for decision support regarding the reclamation and/or protection of the aquifer. Future developments will regard the implementation of the multilayer transport model, based on a new survey, and the final coupling with the regional hydrological model named MOBIDIC.

Groundwater Flow and Transport Model in Cecina Plain (Tuscany, Italy) using GIS processing

OpenAIRE

Riccardo Armellini; Elena Baldini; Dario Del Seppia; Fabrizio Franceschini; Natacha Gori; Stefano Menichetti; Stefano Tessitore

2015-01-01

This work provides a groundwater flow and transport model of trichlorethylene and tetrachlorethylene contamination in the Cecina’s coastal aquifer. The contamination analysis, with source located in the Poggio Gagliardo area (Montescudaio, Pisa), was necessary to optimize the groundwater monitoring and remediation design. The work was carried out in two phases: • design of a conceptual model of the aquifer using GIS analysis of many stratigraphic, chemical and hydrogeological data, collected ...

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.

The cost of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI in hospital in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Petrosillo

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The cost of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI in hospital in ItalyObjectiveTo describe characteristics, resource utilization and cost for patients experiencing a primary episode of CDI and recurrent CDI.MethodsA retrospective observational cohort study was conducted. CDI data were collected with an electronic case report form (CRF from five Hospitals in Italy. Hospitals collected all resource use attributable to CDI during the period 2011-2014. All resource use from initial presentation to the healthcare provider for CDI symptoms, until resolution of infection attributable to CDI in each enrolled patient was included. The patient cohort was analysed both as a whole and in stratified subgroups (by age, gender and co-morbidities. The impact of CDI on hospital length of stay (LOS was used to calculate CDI-attributable costs. The total cost of a CDI episode was estimated by multiplying each resource used by its unit cost (national tariffs and market prices; finally, the mean cost/patient was calculated across the cohort.ResultsIn total, data were collected for 488 adult infected patients (mean age 76.0 years [SD ± 15.48]; female 56.6%. Five hundred and three (503 episodes were evaluated (mean number per patient: 1.03 [SD ± 0.23]. LOS attributable to CDI was 14.6 days (SD ± 13.14. Attributable cost per adult patient was €10,224.08 (SD ± €8,963.86, with the majority of the cost being due to hospitalization. The mean cost of a recurrent episode of CDI was €9,504.87 [SD ± €8,614.11].ConclusionsThese findings show that the economic burden of CDI is considerable in Italy. The most important cost driver was the LOS attributable to CDI.

Invasioni biologiche. Il caso drammatico delle palme e di due specie di insetti, il Punteruolo rosso delle palme (Rynchophorus ferrugineus, Coleotteri e il castnide delle palme (Paysandisia archon, Lepidotteri in Italia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Di Domenico

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The biological invasions represent today a serious ecological problem, and is one of the main threats to biodiversity, in Italy as in the rest of the world. In the last century several species of palm trees have been introduced in gardens, parks and lanes of great part of Italy, where climate allows their life and growth. Among the others Phoenix canariensis, P. dactylifera, Washingtonia robusta, W. filifera, Jubaea spectabilis and Trachycarpus fortunei. All of these species are exotic, as the only indigenous palm in Italy is the dwarf fan palm (Chamaerops humilis, which occurs along the tirrenian coast from Sicily to Liguria, in Sardinia and most of the smaller islands. Palm trees have become by now part of the Italian landscape, as do pine tree in Rome or cypress in Tuscany. Recently, two different species of exotic insects where recorded for the first time in Italy: the south American moth Paysandisia archon and the chinese beetle Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. Both of them lay their eggs on palm trees, and their larvae feed into the stem and kill the palms. Both arrived in Italy and in other Mediterranean countries as larvae or eggs hidden into the plants imported from the native regions. These insects are rapidly spreading through Italy, following palm plantations, and destroying palms from north to south, with a huge economic damage. Furthermore, they are locally changing probably for ever the Italian landscape. More recently, there is evidence of infestation on dwarf fan palm by both the moth and the beetle. This could cause a local extinction of the palm.

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

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

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.

Postgraduate Courses in Pharmaceutical Medicine in Italy

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Domenico Criscuolo

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Italy has a significant tradition of excellence in the area of clinical trials (CTRs: important achievements in the clinical development of rifampicin and adriamycin, the two most famous drugs discovered in the research laboratories of two Italian pharmaceutical companies, paved the way to the establishment of a culture of clinical development, mainly in the areas of antimicrobials and oncology. Despite the fact that now the Italian market of pharmaceuticals is largely dominated by multinational companies with headquarters outside Italy, the contribution of Italian studies to the clinical development of new drugs is still significant. Indeed, it largely exceeds the percentage of Italian inhabitants versus the ones living in the remaining EU countries, as Italy has about 12% of EU population, but has a 17% share of the EU CTRs. Education in Pharmaceutical Medicine is now a must for all professionals interested to work either in pharma companies or in contract research organizations: several Italian universities are offering high quality courses, and in the last 10 years, more than 1,200 professionals received a postgraduate education in pharmaceutical medicine. This result places Italy on top of countries concerned about the professional education of people involved in drug development and will represent an asset for a larger involvement of Italian clinical sites in the global process of clinical research.

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

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

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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

eParticipation that Works. Evidence from the Old Europe

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Francesco Molinari

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This paper collects some evidence from a now completed EU-funded project, aimed at the localisation and institutionalisation of two eParticipatory tools, DEMOS-Plan and the Electronic Town Meeting, within real public administration processes. The independent or combined usage of the two tools, supported by the Living Labs approach has been tested in 18 local pilots across several regions of Europe, from Ulster (UK to Sicily and Tuscany (Italy, from Turku Archipelago (Finland to Voroklini (Cyprus. Selected policy domains include (among others: Spatial Planning, Socio-Economic Programming, Strategic Environmental Assessment, and Open Government. Deployment has led to a number of interesting implications for the European public authorities, such as: i building up of a cost effective ICT platform that enables regular or occasional consultation of remotely and sparsely located citizens and stakeholders; ii gradually migrating the whole administrative system related to spatial data infrastructure towards a full digitalisation of the “legally compulsory” exchanges between planning agencies, local stakeholders and the general public; and iii setting the stage for these two facilities to become practically interoperable to each other and across different EU Member States.

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.

Long-term trajectory of some elasmobranch species off the Tuscany coasts (NW Mediterranean from 50 years of catch data

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Alessandro Ligas

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The time series of elasmobranch catch rates off the Tuscany coasts (NW Mediterranean were investigated by means of min/max auto-correlation factor analysis in order to estimate variations in population abundance and evaluate the influence of environmental and anthropogenic factors. The analyses highlighted a general decreasing trend in the catch rates of sharks and skates from 1961 to the mid-1990s, mainly influenced by the increase in fishing effort. Since the 1990s, the EU Common Fishery Policy for the Mediterranean has promoted the reduction of fishing fleets through incentives to vessel demolition. The Porto S. Stefano trawl fleet has decreased by about 50%, leading to a decrease in fishing effort which seemed to be the most relevant factor affecting the increasing trend shown by the catch rates of Galeus melastomus, Scyliorhinus canicula and skates from 1991 to 2009. The elasmobranch assemblage did not undergo major shifts but the weighted frequency of occurrence shows that elasmobranchs were more frequent in the past. Particular caution should be paid in interpreting the recent rebound of some species as an early sign of recovery: trawl survey data and landing data show that over the last 50 years elasmobranch fauna have undergone a drastic decline and that recent rebounds are still far from a recovery to historical levels.

The representativeness of Olea pollen from olive groves and the late Holocene landscape reconstruction in central Mediterranean

Science.gov (United States)

Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rinaldi, Rossella; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Fornaciari, Rita; Messora, Rita; Arru, Laura

2017-10-01

Modern pollen spectra are an invaluable reference tool for paleoenvironmental and cultural landscape reconstructions, but the importance of knowing the pollen rain released from orchards remains underexplored. In particular, the role of cultivated trees is in past and current agrarian landscapes has not been fully investigated. Here, we present a pollen analysis of 70 surface soil samples taken from 12 olive groves in Basilicata and Tuscany, two regions of Italy that exemplify this cultivation in the Mediterranean basin. This study was carried out to assess the representativeness of Olea pollen in modern cultivations. Although many variables can influence the amount of pollen observed in soils, it was clear that most of the pollen was deposited below the trees in the olive groves. A rapid decline in the olive pollen percentages (c. 85% on average) was found when comparing samples taken from IN vs. OUT of each grove. The mean percentages of Olea pollen obtained from the archaeological sites close to the studied orchards suggest that olive groves were established far from the Roman farmhouses of Tuscany. Further south, in the core of the Mediterranean basin, the cultivation of Olea trees was likely situated approximately 500–1000 m from the rural sites in Basilicata, and dated from the Hellenistic to the Medieval period.

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.

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...

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)

Cold fusion research in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scaramuzzi, F.

1993-01-01

This paper summarizes cold fusion (CF) research in Italy. In Italy, many Agencies and Universities are moderately funding research in CF, and the scientists have made a few attempts to coordinate each other, organizing meetings and conferences. However, the activity has been mostly the fruit of the scientists' initiative, and never a coordinated proposal of Agencies and Universities. No position on the scientific validity of the subject has been officially taken and the funds for CF have been rather modest. The investments in Italy on CF, the figure referring to 1992 amounts to about 0.5 million dollars, not including expenses for personnel. A number of about 70 scientists, mostly working part-time, is committed all around the Country in research on CF. The lack of offical commitment and effective support by the Research Agencies and the Universities has not prevented scientists from being quite active in performing research. On the other side, it has to be acknowledged that no formal vetoes have been interposed to the free initiative of scientists in this field: on the contrary, some of the Agencies and Universities have moderately funded such an effort. The quality of the experiments in Italy has been increasingly good, and the results obtained are rather out standing in the general panorama of CF. But it is time to perform a more coordinated effort, keeping in mind that material science aspects, such as the characteristics of the materials used, play a very important role in the development of this topic. Thus, a much more intense effort is required to obtain a more substantial progress in the field. The increasingly convincing results obtained by the whole CF community, and the example of the Japanese Government and Industry, which appear to be determined to promoting CF research, have changed the panorama of CF. These are now signs that also the Italian scientific authorities could consider favouring research in this field in the near future. (J.P.N.)

Reference values of urinary trans,trans-muconic acid: Italian Multicentric Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Aprea, C; Sciarra, G; Bozzi, N; Pagliantini, M; Perico, A; Bavazzano, P; Leandri, A; Carrieri, M; Scapellato, M L; Bettinelli, M; Bartolucci, G B

2008-08-01

This article reports the results of a study, conducted in the framework of the scientific activities of the Italian Society for Reference Values, aimed at defining reference values of urinary trans,trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA) in the general population not occupationally exposed to benzene. t,t-MA concentrations detected in 376 subjects of the resident population in three areas of Italy, two in central (Florence and southern Tuscany) and one in northern Italy (Padua), by three laboratories, compared by repeated interlaboratory controls, showed an interval of 14.4-225.0 microg/L (5th-95th percentile) and a geometric mean of 52.5 microg/L. The concentrations measured were influenced by tobacco smoking in a statistically significant way: Geometric mean concentrations were 44.8 microg/L and 76.1 microg/Ll in nonsmokers (264 subjects) and smokers (112 subjects), respectively. In the nonsmoking population, a significant influence of gender was found when concentrations were corrected for urinary creatinine, geometric mean concentrations being 36.7 microg/g creatinine in males (128 subjects) and 44.7 microg/g creatinine in females (136 subjects). The place of residence of subjects did not seem to influence urinary excretion of the metabolite, although personal inhalation exposure to benzene over a 24-h period showed slightly higher concentrations in Padua and Florence (geometric means of 6.5 microg/m(3) and 6.6 microg/m(3), respectively) than in southern Tuscany (geometric mean of 3.9 microg/m(3)). Concentration of t,t-MA in urine samples collected at the end of personal air sampling showed little relationship to personal inhalation exposure to benzene, confirming the importance of other factors in determining excretion of t,t-MA when concentrations in personal air samples are very low.

Energy balance of algal biomass production in a 1-ha “Green Wall Panel” plant: How to produce algal biomass in a closed reactor achieving a high Net Energy Ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tredici, M.R.; Bassi, N.; Prussi, M.; Biondi, N.; Rodolfi, L.; Chini Zittelli, G.; Sampietro, G.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Tetraselmis suecica production in a 1-ha GWP plant in Tuscany (Italy) has a NER < 1. • Major energy costs are embodied energy of GWP and mixing. • In a suitable location (North Africa) the NER increases by 40%. • Integration of photovoltaic in the GWP allows to achieve a NER of 1.7. • T. suecica cultivated in a GWP plant can yield up to 30 t of protein ha −1 year −1 . - Abstract: The annual productivity of Tetraselmis suecica in a 1-ha Green Wall Panel-II (GWP-II) plant in Tuscany (Italy) is 36 t (dry weight) ha −1 year −1 , which corresponds to an energy output of 799 GJ ha −1 year −1 . The energy inputs necessary to attain that productivity amount to 1362 GJ ha −1 year −1 , mainly given by the embodied energy of the reactor (about 30%), mixing (about 40%), fertilizers (11%) and harvesting (10%). The Net Energy Ratio (NER) of T. suecica production is thus 0.6. In a more suitable location (North Africa) productivity nearly doubles, reaching 66 t ha −1 year −1 , but the NER increases only by 40% and the gain (difference between output and inputs) remains negative. In a GWP-II integrated with photovoltaics (PV), the NER becomes 1.7 and the gain surpasses 600 GJ ha −1 year −1 . Marine microalgae cultivation in a GWP plant, in a suitable location, can attain high biomass productivities and protein yields 30 times higher than those achievable with traditional crops (soya). When the GWP reactor is integrated with PV, the process attains a positive energy balance, which substantially enhances its sustainability

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

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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

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.

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.

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.

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.

MICROSPECTROPHOTOMETRY AS A METHOD TO IDENTIFY KLEPTOPLASTIDS IN THE NAKED FRESHWATER DINOFLAGELLATE GYMNODINIUM ACIDOTUM(1).

Science.gov (United States)

Barsanti, Laura; Evangelista, Valtere; Passarelli, Vincenzo; Frassanito, Anna Maria; Coltelli, Primo; Gualtieri, Paolo

2009-12-01

A relatively small number of freshwater dinoflagellates are involved in symbiotic association with cryptophytes. The chloroplasts of the cryptophytes are retained by the dinoflagellate and give it the characteristic phycobilin pigmentation, either phycoerythrin or phycocyanin. The pigment characterization of the retained chloroplasts can give precise and accurate information about the type of cryptophyte preyed upon by the dinoflagellate. For this purpose, we performed microspectrophotometric evaluation of the pigments of Gymnodinium acidotum Nygaard and three different cryptophytes present in samples collected from a tributary of the river Arno, in Tuscany (Italy). The comparison of the different spectroscopic data allowed us to discriminate effectively among the cryptophytes preyed upon by the dinoflagellate. © 2009 Phycological Society of America.

Are there gender differences in how managers and professionals perceived organizational climate? The case of Tuscan healthcare system

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Chiara Seghieri

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This study examines the organizational climate and looking at gender differences in professional roles within healthcare organizations. Data came from organizational-climate questionnaires administered in 2010 to 1498 health managers and 19,616 health staff in the Tuscany Region (Italy. An exploratory factor analysis was performed to verify the validity and internal consistency between items and Student t-test to compare mean perceptions regarding the dimensions across different groups of respondents. Five dimensions were measured: “training opportunities”, “communication and information processing”, “managerial tools”, “organization”, and “management and leadership style”, and overall job satisfaction. Significant gender differences were found in the perception of professional roles between managers and staff.

[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

Medical humanities in healthcare education in Italy: a literature review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Fieschi

2013-03-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE. The introduction of medical humanities (MH in undergraduate medical education in Italy has been an issue of debate since the 90's and few years later it was extended to other healthcare degrees. The aims of this Italian literature review, after considering the international scene, are: to evaluate the extent to which the interest in this subject has gradually developed throughout the country; which professional groups have contributed to the debate; to identify which theoretical constructs led to the introduction of MH in undergraduate medical education; to identify whether a clear and shared definition of MH exists in Italian literature; to verify what kinds of MH experiences have been accomplished in Italy. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A comprehensive literature search was conducted, including electronic databases, bibliographies, manual sorting of articles in paper format, congress proceedings. RESULTS. The analysis of the chosen articles underlines that, however limited, Italian literature does not present a very different picture from the international scene. It emerges that teaching MH is believed to be an important feature in undergraduate education of healthcare professionals who intend to propose a bio-psychological-social approach to care, in spite of the difficulty to measure its short and long term effectiveness. The lack of a multidisciplinary, multi-professional approach is also evident. CONCLUSION. Further research aiming to implement the quantity and quality of MH studies in the curricula of undergraduate healthcare education is desirable.

Prescribing of Antidiabetic Medicines before, during and after Pregnancy: A Study in Seven European Regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Charlton, Rachel A; Klungsøyr, Kari; Neville, Amanda J; Jordan, Sue; Pierini, Anna; de Jong-van den Berg, Lolkje T W; Bos, H Jens; Puccini, Aurora; Engeland, Anders; Gini, Rosa; Davies, Gareth; Thayer, Daniel; Hansen, Anne V; Morgan, Margery; Wang, Hao; McGrogan, Anita; Nybo Andersen, Anne-Marie; Dolk, Helen; Garne, Ester

2016-01-01

To explore antidiabetic medicine prescribing to women before, during and after pregnancy in different regions of Europe. A common protocol was implemented across seven databases in Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Italy (Emilia Romagna/Tuscany), Wales and the rest of the UK. Women with a pregnancy starting and ending between 2004 and 2010, (Denmark, 2004-2009; Norway, 2005-2010; Emilia Romagna, 2008-2010), which ended in a live or stillbirth, were identified. Prescriptions for antidiabetic medicines issued (UK) or dispensed (non-UK) during pregnancy and/or the year before or year after pregnancy were identified. Prescribing patterns were compared across databases and over calendar time. 1,082,673 live/stillbirths were identified. Pregestational insulin prescribing during the year before pregnancy ranged from 0.27% (CI95 0.25-0.30) in Tuscany to 0.45% (CI95 0.43-0.47) in Norway, and increased between 2004 and 2009 in all countries. During pregnancy, insulin prescribing peaked during the third trimester and increased over time; third trimester prescribing was highest in Tuscany (2.2%) and lowest in Denmark (0.5%). Of those prescribed an insulin during pregnancy, between 50.5% in Denmark and 88.8% in the Netherlands received an insulin analogue alone or in combination with human insulin, this proportion increasing over time. Oral products were mainly metformin and prescribing was highest in the 3 months before pregnancy. Metformin use during pregnancy increased in some countries. Pregestational diabetes is increasing in many areas of Europe. There is considerable variation between and within countries in the choice of medication for treating pregestational diabetes in pregnancy, including choice of insulin analogues and oral antidiabetics, and very large variation in the treatment of gestational diabetes despite international guidelines.

Prescribing of Antidiabetic Medicines before, during and after Pregnancy: A Study in Seven European Regions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel A Charlton

Full Text Available To explore antidiabetic medicine prescribing to women before, during and after pregnancy in different regions of Europe.A common protocol was implemented across seven databases in Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Italy (Emilia Romagna/Tuscany, Wales and the rest of the UK. Women with a pregnancy starting and ending between 2004 and 2010, (Denmark, 2004-2009; Norway, 2005-2010; Emilia Romagna, 2008-2010, which ended in a live or stillbirth, were identified. Prescriptions for antidiabetic medicines issued (UK or dispensed (non-UK during pregnancy and/or the year before or year after pregnancy were identified. Prescribing patterns were compared across databases and over calendar time.1,082,673 live/stillbirths were identified. Pregestational insulin prescribing during the year before pregnancy ranged from 0.27% (CI95 0.25-0.30 in Tuscany to 0.45% (CI95 0.43-0.47 in Norway, and increased between 2004 and 2009 in all countries. During pregnancy, insulin prescribing peaked during the third trimester and increased over time; third trimester prescribing was highest in Tuscany (2.2% and lowest in Denmark (0.5%. Of those prescribed an insulin during pregnancy, between 50.5% in Denmark and 88.8% in the Netherlands received an insulin analogue alone or in combination with human insulin, this proportion increasing over time. Oral products were mainly metformin and prescribing was highest in the 3 months before pregnancy. Metformin use during pregnancy increased in some countries.Pregestational diabetes is increasing in many areas of Europe. There is considerable variation between and within countries in the choice of medication for treating pregestational diabetes in pregnancy, including choice of insulin analogues and oral antidiabetics, and very large variation in the treatment of gestational diabetes despite international guidelines.

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.

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...

Clinical scientific research with ionizing radiations in Italy. Jurisprudential aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valle, G.; Frusciante, V.; Petrucelli, L.; Podagrosi, V.; Giustini, A.

1999-01-01

The paper reviews the laws that regulate the clinical scientific research with ionizing radiations in Italy and the effects of ICRP 62, introduced in Italy by the Minister's Decree 21/11/1997, renders invalid all previous rules and regulations which contrast with them [it

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)

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.

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.

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

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...

Real-time PCR and enzyme-linked fluorescent assay methods for detecting Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli in mincemeat samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Stefan, A; Scaramagli, S; Bergami, R; Mazzini, C; Barbanera, M; Perelle, S; Fach, P

2007-03-01

This work aimed to compare real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the commercially available enzyme-linked fluorescent assay (ELFA) VIDAS ECOLI O157 for detecting Escherichia coli O157 in mincemeat. In addition, a PCR-based survey on Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in mincemeat collected in Italy is presented. Real-time PCR assays targeting the stx genes and a specific STEC O157 sequence (SILO157, a small inserted locus of STEC O157) were tested for their sensitivity on spiked mincemeat samples. After overnight enrichment, the presence of STEC cells could be clearly determined in the 25 g samples containing 10 bacterial cells, while the addition of five bacteria provided equivocal PCR results with Ct values very close to or above the threshold of 40. The PCR tests proved to be more sensitive than the ELFA-VIDAS ECOLI O157, whose detection level started from 50 bacterial cells/25 g of mincemeat. The occurrence of STEC in 106 mincemeat (bovine, veal) samples collected from September to November 2004 at five different points of sale in Italy (one point of sale in Arezzo, Tuscany, central Italy, two in Mantova, Lombardy, Northern Italy, and two in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, upper-central Italy) was less than 1%. Contamination by the main STEC O-serogroups representing a major public health concern, including O26, O91, O111, O145, and O157, was not detected. This survey indicates that STEC present in these samples are probably not associated with pathogenesis in humans.

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.

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...

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

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...

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.

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)

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

Management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in two EU countries: A comparison

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torretta, Vincenzo; Ragazzi, Marco; Istrate, Irina Aura; Rada, Elena Cristina

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Review on data regarding WEEE management in Italy and in Romania. ► Problems that countries that will enter in the EU will have to solve facing with the WEEE management. ► Pilot experiences useful for the awareness campaign of the population. - Abstract: The paper presents some data regarding waste electrical and electronic (WEEE) management in one of the founding countries of the EU, Italy, and in a recent entry into the EU, Romania. The aim of this research was to analyze some problems that countries entering the EU will have to solve with respect to WEEE management. The experiences of Italy and Romania could provide an interesting reference point. The strengths and weaknesses that the two EU countries have encountered can be used in order to give a more rational plan for other countries. In Italy the increase of WEEE collection was achieved in parallel with the increase of the efficiency of selective Municipal Solid Waste collection. In Romania, pilot experiences were useful to increase the awareness of the population. The different interests of the two populations towards recyclable waste led to a different scenario: in Romania all types of WEEE have been collected since its entrance into the EU; in Italy the “interest” in recycling is typically related to large household appliances, with a secondary role of lighting equipment.

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...

Digital front-end electronics for COMPASS Muon-Wall 1 detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alekseev, G.D.; Zhuravlev, N.I.; Maggiora, A.

2005-01-01

The digital front-end electronics for the COMPASS Muon-Wall 1 (CERN) detector is described. The digital card has been designed on the basis of the TDC chip F1. One card includes 6 F1 chips (192 channels), bus arbiter, DAC, power supply distribution, hot-link interface. The total number of the digital cards in the system is 44 housed in 5 euro-crates (6U), the total number of readout channels is 8448. The electronics has been designed by the Dzhelepov Laboratory of Nuclear Problems (JINR) and INFN (Torino, Italy) experts

Impacts of the CAP 2014–2020 on the Agroenergy Sector in Tuscany, Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabio Bartolini

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The agricultural sectors’ contribution to the provision of energy is a central issue in Horizon 2020 strategies and has shaped the public and research debates on the future of the bioeconomy. The common agricultural policy (CAP has been one of the main drivers of farmers’ behavioural changes and represents the main agricultural policy instrument to address viability of rural areas and maintaining the profitability of the agricultural sector. To contribute to the ongoing policy debate towards CAP reform, this paper will provide an empirical model to simulate the impact of an alternative CAP mechanism on the provision of renewable energy. By applying a dynamic mathematical programming model, the paper tests the impact new policy measures will have on the provision of a second-generation of bio fuel crops that represent a relevant option for Tuscan farmers. Results show that CAP reform positively impacts the supply of energy crops mainly due to the introduction of greening payments, which allows an enlarging of crop diversification. Model results stress also the income stabilisation effects of energy production introduction at farm level, due to reduction of farm exposure to market prices fluctuations.

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

. Newborn with multiple bone fractures • A.L. Costa, A.R. Moreira, P. Soares, A.Vilan, N. Alegrete, C. Martins, S. Gama Sousa, M. Rodrigues, H. Guimarães • Porto and Vila Nova de Famalicão (Portugal ABS 9. Birthweight and maternal lifestyle in overweight/obese women: a case-control study • R. Bruno, G. Pedrielli, P. Elisabetta, V. Bertarini, I. Neri, F. Facchinetti • Modena (Italy ABS 10. Special fixation for transmission electron microscopy unmasks unexpected structural details within the renal stem/progenitor cell niche • L. Denk, W.W. Minuth • Regensburg (Germany ABS 11. Drug use among newborns admitted to NICUs: a multicentre study • L. Cuzzolin, R. Agostino • Rome and Verona (Italy ABS 12. Assessment of renal function in neonatology • J.R. Delanghe • Gent (Belgium ABS 13. The parental competence in neonatology • C.M. Cacciatore, M.R. Morales, G. Perricone, C. Polizzi, G. Sulliotti, A. Rizzo, D. Albino • Palermo (Italy ABS 14. Epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological aspects in newborns with neonatal infection (sepsis and unspecified neonatal infection treated at the Department of Neonatology of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences during 2007-2013 • R. Dzikienė, R. Tamelienė, D. Stonienė, R. Vidmantė, J. Garčinskienė • Kaunas (Lithuania ABS 15. Metabolomics in obstetrics: future perspectives • R. Mereu, A. Meloni, L. Barberini, S.F. Deiana, A. Noto, G.B. Melis • Cagliari (Italy ABS 16. Single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial to evaluate the nutritional adequacy of a novel human milk fortifier derived from donkey milk for the nutrition of newborns with birthweight < 1,500 g or gestational age < 32 weeks • C. Rossi, C. Peila, M. Raia, S. De Antoni, A. Noto, F. Cesare Marincola, S. Corbu, V. Fanos, E. Bertino, A. Coscia • Cagliari and Turin (Italy ABS 17. The stem cell niche in the developing cerebral cortex • L. Vinci, A.G. Naccarato, S. Nati, G. Senes, R. Murru, C. Gerosa, E. Obinu, V. Pibiri, M

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

VALUATIONS OF CURRENT METHODS OF RELIGIOUS SLAUGHTER IN ITALY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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.

Characterisation of archaeological glass mosaics by electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roe, M; Plant, S; Henderson, J; Andreescu-Treadgold, I; Brown, P D

2006-01-01

The combined techniques of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction are used to characterise the microstructures of opaque coloured glass mosaics from a mediaeval church in Torcello, Italy. Comparison of MgO/K 2 O ratios allows distinction between mediaeval and modern glass artefacts to be made. TEM investigation of inclusions indicates that relict silica is responsible for the speckled appearance of an impure mediaeval glass artefact, whilst a fine scale dispersion of elemental Cu nanoparticles is considered responsible for the orange-red colouration of a modern glass artefact

The Representativeness of Olea Pollen from Olive Groves and the Late Holocene Landscape Reconstruction in Central Mediterranean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Assunta Florenzano

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Modern pollen spectra are an invaluable reference tool for paleoenvironmental and cultural landscape reconstructions, but the importance of knowing the pollen rain released from orchards remains underexplored. In particular, the role of cultivated trees is in past and current agrarian landscapes has not been fully investigated. Here, we present a pollen analysis of 70 surface soil samples taken from 12 olive groves in Basilicata and Tuscany, two regions of Italy that exemplify this cultivation in the Mediterranean basin. This study was carried out to assess the representativeness of Olea pollen in modern cultivations. Although many variables can influence the amount of pollen observed in soils, it was clear that most of the pollen was deposited below the trees in the olive groves. A rapid decline in the olive pollen percentages (c. 85% on average was found when comparing samples taken from IN vs. OUT of each grove. The mean percentages of Olea pollen obtained from the archeological sites close to the studied orchards suggest that olive groves were established far from the Roman farmhouses of Tuscany. Further south, in the core of the Mediterranean basin, the cultivation of Olea trees was likely situated ~500–1,000 m from the rural sites in Basilicata, and dated from the Hellenistic to the Medieval period.

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.

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

Effects of short-term consumption of bread obtained by an old Italian grain variety on lipid, inflammatory, and hemorheological variables: an intervention study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sofi, Francesco; Ghiselli, Lisetta; Cesari, Francesca; Gori, Anna Maria; Mannini, Lucia; Casini, Alessandro; Vazzana, Concetta; Vecchio, Vincenzo; Gensini, Gian Franco; Abbate, Rosanna; Benedettelli, Stefano

2010-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of short-term dietary intake of bread obtained by a selected variety of old grain grown in Tuscany, Italy on some parameters related to the atherosclerotic process. Twenty healthy subjects (median age, 39.5 years) followed for 10 weeks a diet containing bread (150 g/day) made from the test grain (test period) and for the same period a diet containing commercially available bread of the same quantity (control period). Lipid, inflammatory, and hemorheological profiles before and after dietary intervention were evaluated. The test period showed a significant (P bread obtained from an old grain variety seems to impose a favorable status with regard to lower circulating levels of markers of atherosclerosis.

A biological method to monitor early effects of the air pollution caused by the industrial exploitation of geothermal energy.

Science.gov (United States)

Paoli, Luca; Loppi, Stefano

2008-09-01

The suitability of a set of ecophysiological parameters, to be used as early warning indicator to detect signs of a worsening environment around geothermal power plants, was tested by comparison with the diversity of epiphytic lichens, a well-established indicator of geothermal air pollution. Samples of the lichen Evernia prunastri were transplanted around a geothermal power plant at Larderello (Tuscany, Italy) and at a control site, and integrity of cell membranes, concentration of chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids, chlorophyll integrity and variations in pH of thalli were measured. The results showed that cell membrane damage, expressed by changes in electrical conductivity, could be used to detect early (exposure periods as short as 1 month) deleterious effects of geothermal air pollution.

PBL - Problem Based Learning for Companies and Clusters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamburg, I; Vladut, G.

2016-07-01

Small and medium sized companies (SMEs) assure economic growth in Europe. Generally many SMEs are struggling to survive in an ongoing global recession and often they are becoming reluctant to release or pay for staff training. In this paper we present shortly the learning methods in SMEs particularly the Problem Based Learning (PBL) as an efficient form for SMEs and entrepreneurship education. In the field of Urban Logistics it was developed four Clusters with potential of innovation and research in four European Regions: Tuscany - Italy, Valencia - Spain, Lisbon and Tagus - Portugal, Oltenia – Romania. Training and mentoring for SMEs, are essential to create competitiveness. Information and communication technologies (ICT) support the tutors by using an ICT platform which is in the development. (Author)

«La Barca cammina». Per un nuovo epistolario di Leopoldo Galeotti

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liana E. Funaro

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Leopoldo Galeotti (1813-1884, a “liberale” and “moderato” connected with all the most important events which led Tuscany from the Granduchy to the Kingdom of Italy, was a successful lawyer, a journalist and a publisher and a member of the Italian Parliament for over twenty years. Affectionately bound to his native city, Pescia, a steady admirer of Sismondi and deeply affectionate to the memory of his nephew Francesco Forti, Galeotti is better known for his political correspondence than for his unpublished private letters. Thanks to unknown archival sources, this article aims at a comprehensive rereading of the whole of his correspondence exchanged between friends, colleagues and well educated ladies belonging to the Florentine salotti. Some meaningful legal cases are also recalled.

Reduction in soil loss from erosion-susceptible soils amended with humic substances from oxidized coal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piccolo, A.; Pietramellara, G.; Mbagwu, J.S.C.

1997-01-01

Soils that pose high risk of erosion require amendment with either natural or synthetic soil conditioners to reduce soil loss hazards. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of using coal-derived humic substances (as soil conditioners) to reduce runoff erosion on erosion-susceptible soils. Surface samples of severely degraded soils from Principina in Tuscany and Bovolone in Venice in Italy were used to assess the effects of five rates (0, 0.05, 0.01, 0.50 and 1.00 g/kg) of humic acids (HA) on soil loss and other hydrological parameters. The results showed that amending erosion-susceptible soils with low rates of coal-derived humic substances is a potentially effective soil management practice for reducing erosion rates

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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...

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.

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...

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

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

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

Gino Marinuzzi Jr : electronics and early multimedia mentality in Italy

OpenAIRE

Corbella, M.

2015-01-01

In this essay I reassess the complexity of the convergence between electronic music and media practices in Rome in the 1950s and 1960s, through the reconstruction of the experience of composer Gino Marinuzzi Jr (1920-96). His engagement with technology as a structuring device of compositional processes is fundamental and inescapable, and brings to the fore crucial issues of ‘applied’ music’s troublesome reputation in the Italian cultural discourse. In reviewing Marinuzzi’s biography over the ...

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.

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…

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. !

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.

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)

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.

Italy and War of Vlora during 1920

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF ITALY: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COOPERATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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

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

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

[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...

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

SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF IMMIGRATION IN ITALY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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...

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.

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.)

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...

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)

2010-09-28

...)] Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan AGENCY: United States... duty orders on stainless steel sheet and strip from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan... stainless steel sheet and strip from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan would be likely to...

Tomography of the ionospheric electron density with geostatistical inversion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Minkwitz

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In relation to satellite applications like global navigation satellite systems (GNSS and remote sensing, the electron density distribution of the ionosphere has significant influence on trans-ionospheric radio signal propagation. In this paper, we develop a novel ionospheric tomography approach providing the estimation of the electron density's spatial covariance and based on a best linear unbiased estimator of the 3-D electron density. Therefore a non-stationary and anisotropic covariance model is set up and its parameters are determined within a maximum-likelihood approach incorporating GNSS total electron content measurements and the NeQuick model as background. As a first assessment this 3-D simple kriging approach is applied to a part of Europe. We illustrate the estimated covariance model revealing the different correlation lengths in latitude and longitude direction and its non-stationarity. Furthermore, we show promising improvements of the reconstructed electron densities compared to the background model through the validation of the ionosondes Rome, Italy (RO041, and Dourbes, Belgium (DB049, with electron density profiles for 1 day.

Measuring the income process in Italy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bucciol, A.

2012-01-01

We use a panel dataset from the SHIW survey to study the features of household income in Italy. Income is described as a combination of deterministic and random components. In aggregate deterministic income grows at an average annual rate of 1.8% net of inflation, shocks feature stationarity, and

The use of Fagopyrum tataricum gaertn. whole flour to confer preventive contents of rutin to some traditional tuscany biscuits

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Andrea BRUNORI

2010-08-01

Full Text Available To meet the growing interest for new foods that may be regarded as functional aliments, of particular interest appears the utilization of the grain of Fagopyrum tataricum. The high content of rutin available in the grain and whole flour of this species, in fact, offers the opportunity to introduce in the food recipes effective amounts of this bioactive compound. Rutin is credited with a growing multiplicity of health beneficial properties that can be reasonablysecured through the preventive nutrition approach. In this respect, the daily dose of rutin suggested by most dietary supplement preparations is around 50 mg/day. The use of F. tataricum whole flour, where the rutin content usually ranges between 1000 up to 2000 mg/100 g dry weight, allows to reach such an amount with a low percentage introduction of this ingredient in the original recipe. Higher contents of rutin are found in the herb of cultivated species of buckwheat (F. tataricum and F. esculentum. However, the handling of this material may not be as simple as that of the grain made into whole flour. Preliminary results would indicate that an intake of 50 mg of rutin with a single meal (breakfast in this case can be feasible by adding tartary buckwheat whole flour to some traditional Tuscany biscuits without impairing texture, taste and acceptability.In spite of the presence of rutin degrading enzymes, known to be present in tartary buckwheat grain, it would appear that just a negligible degradation of rutin to quercetin occurs during the phase of dough preparation and backing process so that most of the rutin present in the whole flour can be recovered in the biscuits.

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

76 FR 15209 - 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy, 2011

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-21

... fighting for the preservation of our own Union, Giuseppe Garibaldi's campaign for the unification of Italy... millions of American women and men of Italian descent who strengthen and enrich our Nation. Italy and the... thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth...

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.

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

ARTE GÓTICO Y PAISAJE SUBLIME. EL VIAJE DE CHARLES-ÉDOUARD JEANNERET A LA TOSCANA EN 1907 / Gothic art and sublime landscape. The journey of Charles-Édouard Jeanneret to Tuscany in 1907

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Germán Hidalgo Hermosilla

2010-11-01

Full Text Available RESUMEN. En este artículo se exponen dos aspectos centrales del viaje de Ch-E. Jeanneret a Italia, en 1907, en la que fue su primera experiencia de aprendizaje viajando, es decir, a partir de la observación directa de las obras de arte que le interesaba reconocer, pero aún guiada por los dictámenes de su maestro, Charles L'Eplattenier, el cual, a su vez, en aquella época estaba muy influido por los criterios estéticos y de enseñanza del dibujo de John Ruskin. Un primer aspecto, se refiere a su preferencia por obras de arte de la Edad Media, y cuyo acento estaba en la ornamentación. El segundo, tenía que ver con una particular dimensión paisajística del lugar al cual se desplazaba: la Toscana, que llevaba completamente idealizada, desde el imaginario romántico. A partir de estas dos instancias, podemos sintetizar la índole de sus intereses de juventud, como así mismo, la forma en que se aproximaba al mundo. Por tanto, el objetivo de este artículo es revelar aspectos por mucho tiempo desconocidos relativos a la etapa de formación de uno de los arquitectos más influyentes del siglo XX. SUMMARY. This article explores two central aspects of the journey by Charles-Édouard Jeanneret to Italy in 1907. It was his first experience of learning through the direct observation of the art works that he was interested in seeing while travelling. At this stage, he was still guided by the opinions of his teacher, Charles L'Eplattenier, who at the time was very influenced by the aesthetic criteria and the drawing teachings of John Ruskin. The first aspect relates to the preference of Jeanneret for works of art of the Middle-Ages, the accent of which was on ornamentation. The second relates to the particular scenic dimension of the place to which he travelled, Tuscany, which had been completely idealized by romantic imagination. From these two aspects we can synthesise the nature of his youthful interests and also the way in which he approached

Environmental radioactivity networks in Italy, 1994-1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belli, M.; Notaro, M.; Rosamilia, S.; Sansone, U.

1999-01-01

This report contains the environmental radioactivity data collected in Italy from 1994 to 1997 by the National Environmental Radioactivity Networks of Italy. The National Environmental Protection Agency (ANPA) is law-fully responsible for publishing the environmental and dietary contamination data, provided by the organisations participating to the National Environmental Radioactivity Networks. The complete list of the participants is reported at the end of the present document. The National Environmental Radioactivity Networks of Italy are aimed at survey of the pattern of environmental and dietary contamination in order to assess the radiation doses which the Italian population may receive. The sampling networks have been designed on regional basis, to provide information on the average extent of environmental and dietary contamination. The sampling programmes are planned to obtain representative samples able to reveal the average situation both in time and space. To guarantee that the laboratories of the organisations participating to the National Environmental Radioactivity Networks, perform measurements with a certain degree of accuracy and maintain the quality of their systems, the National Environmental Protection Agency organises yearly an intercalibration programme of the analytical methods used for measuring radioactivity in food and environmental samples. The calibration programme is performed with the collaboration of the National Institute of Ionising Radiation Metrology (ENEA). Routine tests with transfer standards are used for accurate calibration, so that the results can be traceable to a common reference point [it

Agreement about interconnection capacities between Italy and France for 2002; Accord sur les capacites d'interconnextion entre l'Italie et la France pour 2002

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

CRE and AEEG, the French and Italian commissions of electricity regulation, have concluded an agreement about a common mechanism of allocation of interconnection capacities between Italy and France for 2002. This agreement increases the available capacities and greatly improves the freedom and the development of international electricity trades. This short press release precises the interconnection capacity, and the annual primary and secondary allocations of interconnection capacities between France and Italy. (J.S.)

Antigenic and molecular characterization of isolates of the Italy 02 infectious bronchitis virus genotype.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolz, Roser; Pujols, Joan; Ordóñez, German; Porta, Ramon; Majó, Natàlia

2006-04-01

As part of an epidemiological surveillance of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in Spain, four Spanish field isolates showed high S1 spike sequence similarities with an IBV sequence from the GenBank database named Italy 02. Given that little was known about this new emergent IBV strain we have characterized the four isolates by sequencing the entire S1 part of the spike protein gene and have compared them with many reference IBV serotypes. In addition, cross-virus neutralization assays were conducted with the main IBV serotypes present in Europe. The four Spanish field strains and the Italy 02 S1 sequence from the NCBI database were established as a new genotype that showed maximum amino acid identities with the 4/91 serotype (81.7% to 83.7%), the D274 group that included D207, D274 and D3896 strains (79.8% to 81.7%), and the B1648 serotype (79.3% to 80%). Furthermore, on the basis of these results, it was demonstrated that the Italy 02 genotype had been circulating in Spain since as early as 1997. Based on the average ratio of synonymous:non-synonymous (dS/dN) amino acid substitutions within Italy 02 sequences, no positive selection pressures were related with changes observed in the S1 gene. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis of the S1 gene suggested that the Italy 02 genotype has undergone a recombination event. Virus neutralization assays demonstrated that little antigenic relatedness (less than 35%) exists between Italy 02 and some of the reference IBV serotypes, and indicated that Italy 02 is likely to be a new serotype.

Cases of bed bug (Cimex lectularius infestations in Northwest Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Federica Giorda

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius have been a common problem for humans for at least 3,500 years and in Europe their presence was endemic until the end of World War II, when infestations began to decrease. However, since the beginning of the 21st century new cases of infestations have been reported in developed countries. Many theories have been put forward to explain this change of direction, but none has been scientifically proven. The aim of this study is to provide some reports of bed bug infestations in Northern Italy (Liguria, Piedmont and Aosta valley regions and a brief summary about their identification, clinical significance, bioecology and control. From 2008 to date, 17 bed bug infestations were identified in Northwest Italy. Knowledge about the presence and distribution of bed bugs in Italy is scanty, prior to this work only 2 studies reported the comeback of these arthropods in the Italian territory; further investigations would be necessary to better understand the current situation.

A Procedure to Map Subsidence at the Regional Scale Using the Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ascanio Rosi

2014-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present a procedure to map subsidence at the regional scale by means of persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI. Subsidence analysis is usually restricted to plain areas and where the presence of this phenomenon is already known. The proposed procedure allows a fast identification of subsidences in large and hilly-mountainous areas. The test area is the Tuscany region, in Central Italy, where several areas are affected by natural and anthropogenic subsidence and where PSI data acquired by the Envisat satellite are available both in ascending and descending orbit. The procedure consists of the definition of the vertical and horizontal components of the deformation measured by satellite at first, then of the calculation of the “real” displacement direction, so that mainly vertical deformations can be individuated and mapped.

Effects of natural heating on a clay formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polizzano, C.; Sensi, L.; Leoni, L.; Sartori, F.

1985-01-01

As a contribution to the characterization of clay deposits as possible sites for nuclear waste disposal, the metamorphic effects induced on Pliocene argillaceous sediments by the small subvolcanic body of Orciatico (Tuscany, Italy) were investigated. In areas close to marginal facies of the magmatic body, where temperatures were presumably ranging from 100 to 500 0 C, the thermo-metamorphic aureole thickness doesn't exceed 2 meters. In this zone the clay fraction (45-69% of the bulk rock) changes from an illite+illite/smectite interstratified+vermiculite+chloritic intergrades assemblage to a paragenesis characterized only by illite+smectite, the later being the most stable phase among the clay minerals. Within such zone alkalis (Na,K, and Rb) and alkaline-earths (Ca and Sr) result to be the most highly mobilized elements

Limit on the radiative neutrinoless double electron capture of ^{36}Ar from GERDA Phase I

Science.gov (United States)

Agostini, M.; Allardt, M.; Bakalyarov, A. M.; Balata, M.; Barabanov, I.; Barros, N.; Baudis, L.; Bauer, C.; Bellotti, E.; Belogurov, S.; Belyaev, S. T.; Benato, G.; Bettini, A.; Bezrukov, L.; Bode, T.; Borowicz, D.; Brudanin, V.; Brugnera, R.; Caldwell, A.; Cattadori, C.; Chernogorov, A.; D'Andrea, V.; Demidova, E. V.; di Vacri, A.; Domula, A.; Doroshkevich, E.; Egorov, V.; Falkenstein, R.; Fedorova, O.; Freund, K.; Frodyma, N.; Gangapshev, A.; Garfagnini, A.; Gooch, C.; Grabmayr, P.; Gurentsov, V.; Gusev, K.; Hakenmüller, J.; Hegai, A.; Heisel, M.; Hemmer, S.; Heusser, G.; Hofmann, W.; Hult, M.; Inzhechik, L. V.; Csáthy, J. Janicskó; Jochum, J.; Junker, M.; Kazalov, V.; Kihm, T.; Kirpichnikov, I. V.; Kirsch, A.; Kish, A.; Klimenko, A.; Kneißl, R.; Knöpfle, K. T.; Kochetov, O.; Kornoukhov, V. N.; Kuzminov, V. V.; Laubenstein, M.; Lazzaro, A.; Lebedev, V. I.; Lehnert, B.; Liao, H. Y.; Lindner, M.; Lippi, I.; Lubashevskiy, A.; Lubsandorzhiev, B.; Lutter, G.; Macolino, C.; Majorovits, B.; Maneschg, W.; Medinaceli, E.; Miloradovic, M.; Mingazheva, R.; Misiaszek, M.; Moseev, P.; Nemchenok, I.; Palioselitis, D.; Panas, K.; Pandola, L.; Pelczar, K.; Pullia, A.; Riboldi, S.; Rumyantseva, N.; Sada, C.; Salamida, F.; Salathe, M.; Schmitt, C.; Schneider, B.; Schönert, S.; Schreiner, J.; Schütz, A.-K.; Schulz, O.; Schwingenheuer, B.; Selivanenko, O.; Shirchenko, M.; Simgen, H.; Smolnikov, A.; Stanco, L.; Stepaniuk, M.; Vanhoefer, L.; Vasenko, A. A.; Veresnikova, A.; von Sturm, K.; Wagner, V.; Walter, M.; Wegmann, A.; Wester, T.; Wiesinger, C.; Wilsenach, H.; Wojcik, M.; Yanovich, E.; Zhitnikov, I.; Zhukov, S. V.; Zinatulina, D.; Zuber, K.; Zuzel, G.

2016-12-01

Neutrinoless double electron capture is a process that, if detected, would give evidence of lepton number violation and the Majorana nature of neutrinos. A search for neutrinoless double electron capture of ^{36}Ar has been performed with germanium detectors installed in liquid argon using data from Phase I of the GERmanium Detector Array ( Gerda) experiment at the Gran Sasso Laboratory of INFN, Italy. No signal was observed and an experimental lower limit on the half-life of the radiative neutrinoless double electron capture of ^{36}Ar was established: T_{1/2} > 3.6 × 10^{21} years at 90% CI.

Characterization and origin of organic and inorganic pollution in urban soils in Pisa (Tuscany, Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Cardelli, Roberto; Vanni, Giacomo; Marchini, Fausto; Saviozzi, Alessandro

2017-10-12

We assessed the quality of 31 urban soils in Pisa by analyzing total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs), Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, and the platinum group elements (PGEs). The risk was evaluated by the geological accumulation index (I geo ) and the enrichment factor (EF). Results were compared with those obtained from a non-urban site and with the quantitative limits fixed by Italian legislation. In nearly all the monitored sites, the legal limit for TPH of 60 mg/kg in residential areas was exceeded, indicating widespread and intense pollution throughout the entire city area. The I geo indicated no Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn pollution and minimal Pb and Cr pollution due to anthropogenic enrichment. Legal Hg and Zn limits of 1 and 150 mg/kg, respectively, were exceeded in about 20% of sites; Cd (2 mg/kg), Cr (150 mg/kg), and Cu (120 mg/kg) in only one site; and the Ni legal limit of 120 mg/kg was never exceeded. Some urban soils showed a higher Hg level than the more restrictive legal limit of 5 mg/kg concerning areas for industrial use. Based on the soluble, exchangeable, and carbonate-bound fractions, Mn and Zn showed the highest mobility, suggesting a more potential risk of soil contamination than the other metals. The TPH and both Cr and Hg amounts were not correlated with any of the other monitored metals. The total contents of Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu in soils were positively correlated with each other, suggesting a common origin from vehicular traffic. The PGE values (Pt and Pd) were below the detection limits in 75%-90% of the monitored areas, suggesting that their accumulation is at an early stage.

Recent trends and climatic perspectives of hailstorms frequency and intensity in Tuscany and Central Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Piani

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The damages from climatic extremes have dramatically increased in the last decades in Europe, as likely outcomes of climate change: floods, droughts, heat waves and hailstorms have brought local as well as widespread damages to farmers, industry, infrastructures and society, to insurance and reinsurance companies; in this work we deal with the hailstorm hazard. The NCEP-NCAR Reanalysis (2.5 by 2.5° lat-lon over the Italian area and the hailstorm reports at several sites are used to identify few forcings for hailstorms; statistical relationships linking forcings and hailstorm frequencies are derived. Such relationships are applied to the same forcings derived from the CGCM2-A2 climate scenario provided by the Canadian Centre for Climate modeling and analysis (CCCma; resolution approximately 3.75 by 3.75° lat-lon, to evaluate the expected changes of the frequency of hailstorms. The time series of the forcings from the NCEP-NCAR Reanalysis and the CCCma climate scenario in the past decades are compared in order to assess the reliability and accuracy of the predictions of the future hailstorm hazard. It is shown that the climate scenario provides a fairly faithful representation of the past trends of the forcings relevant to the hailstorms frequency and that such quantity, hence the hailstorm hazard, is growing and will likely grow in the future over the limited area taken into consideration in this study.

Education for Older People in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Principi, Andrea; Lamura, Giovanni

2009-01-01

This article provides information on trends in formal and informal adult education in Italy, with a particular focus on the older learners (over 65). Main providers, programs, objectives/motivations, and financial and legal framework are described. In general, over-65-year-old people were found to be underrepresented in participation. They were…

The use of genetic markers to estimate relationships between dogs in the course of criminal investigations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciampolini, Roberta; Cecchi, Francesca; Spinetti, Isabella; Rocchi, Anna; Biscarini, Filippo

2017-08-17

Attacks on humans by dogs in a pack, though uncommon, do happen, and result in severe, sometimes fatal, injuries. We describe the role that canine genetic markers played during the investigation of a fatal dog-pack attack involving a 50-year-old male truck driver in a parking lot in Tuscany (Italy). Using canine specific STR genetic markers, the local authorities, in the course of their investigations, reconstructed the genetic relationships between the dogs that caused the deadly aggression and other dogs belonging to the owner of the parking who, at the moment of the aggression, was located in another region of Italy. From a Bayesian clustering algorithm, the most likely number of clusters was two. The average relatedness among the dogs responsible for the aggression was higher than the average relatedness among the other dogs or between the two groups. Taken together, all these results indicate that the two groups of dogs are clearly distinct. Genetic relationships showed that the two groups of dogs were not related. It was therefore unlikely that the murderous dogs belonged to the owner of the parking lot who, on grounds of this and additional evidence, was eventually acquitted.

The devaluation controversy in eighteenth-century Italy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K.H. Stapelbroek (Koen)

2005-01-01

textabstractFollowing the Succession Wars of the early eighteenth-century, political economists across Italy discussed a range of possible reforms. Among the issues drawing most attention was the complicated problem whether devaluation policies were appropriate means for boosting economic growth.

Fusarium Rot of Orobanche ramosa Parasitizing Tobacco in Southern Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Nanni

2005-08-01

Full Text Available In tobacco crops grown in the province of Caserta (southern Italy, we noted, for the first time in Italy, very many broomrape (Orobanche ramosa plants exhibiting mycosis caused by a strain of Fusarium oxysporum that is not pathogenic to tobacco. After a brief description of the symptoms of the disease and its incidence in the field, we discuss, on the basis of the observations made and the data supplied by the literature, the feasibility of using this fungus in programmes to control Orobanche.

78 FR 48146 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2011-2012

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-07

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... certain pasta (pasta) from Italy,\\1\\ covering the period July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012. The review... e Pastificio and its affiliates Rummo S.p.A., Lenta Lavorazione, and Pasta Castiglioni (collectively...

An Italian peculiarity? Psychoanalysis, modernization and the sociology of consumption in 1960s Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasqualini, Mauro

2017-11-01

Psychoanalysis experienced a remarkable boom in 1960s Italy. One of the areas where psychoanalytic theory disseminated was the world of marketing and the sociology of consumption. Based on the case of the sociologist Francesco Alberoni, we can examine the impact of the theories of Melanie Klein for understanding the behavior of consumers. Similarly, Alberoni's work shows the concerns and uncertainties on the social modernization of Italy, and also raises questions on the specificities of the growing importance of psychoanalysis in Italy in the 1960s.

78 FR 693 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Final Results of the Expedited Third Sunset Review of the...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-04

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-475-819] Certain Pasta From Italy... Sunset Review of the countervailing duty order on certain pasta from Italy. The Department finds that... pasta from Italy was published on July 24, 1996. See Notice of Countervailing Duty Order and Amended...

78 FR 9937 - Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey Scheduling of Full Five-Year Reviews Concerning the...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-12

...)] Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey Scheduling of Full Five-Year Reviews Concerning the Countervailing and Antidumping Duty Orders on Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey AGENCY: United States International Trade... whether revocation of the countervailing and antidumping duty orders on certain pasta from Italy and...

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.

CO2 geological sequestration: state of art in Italy and abroad

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quattrocchi, Fedora; Bencini, Roberto

2005-01-01

This paper proposes a wide scenario on the state of art in Italy and abroad of industrial CO 2 geological sequestration, with particular attention to Weyburn Project. Geochemical monitoring techniques are described, mentioning also geophysical monitoring techniques for CO 2 injected into the soil. Critical choices and objections in Italy to a complete use of clean fossil fuels, hydrogen carrier, clean coal technologies: all of these approaches require geological sequestration of CO 2 [it

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

Full Text Available Selected Abstracts of the 9th International Workshop on Neonatology • LEARNED LESSONS, CHANGING PRACTICE AND CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH • Cagliari (Italy • October 23rd-26th 2013The 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. Aetiology and type of reference hospital for neonatal transport in Greece during 2012 • S. Mouskou, C. Varakis, D. Pyrros, N. Iacovidou; Athens (Greece ABS 2. Changes in neonatal outcomes of very low birth weight infants in Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences • K. Stuikiene, R. Tameliene, D. Stoniene, A. Kudreviciene, V. Ivanauskiene; Kaunas (Lithuania ABS 3. Autoimmune liver disease in childhood • Y. Gibo, D. Fanni, P. Van Eyken, S. Nemolato, G. Floris, C. Gerosa; Matsumoto (Japan, Leuven (Belgium and Cagliari (Italy ABS 4. Lactoferrin attenuates intestinal injury afther perinatal hypoxia and hypothermia • N. Barisic, G. Konstantinidis, V. Stojanovic, A. Doronjski, S. Spasojevic; Novi Sad (Serbia ABS 5. Osteopenia in prematurity: case report • K. Stuikiene, R. Tameliene, D. Stoniene, A. Kudreviciene, V. Ivanauskiene; Kaunas (Lithuania ABS 6. Neonatal Bartter syndrome: case report of a very unusual entity • A. Koutroumpa, K. Georgiou, H. Georgaki, F. Anatolitou; Athens (Greece ABS 7. Placental Growth Factor (PlGF and placental function • I. Atzeni, S.F. Deiana, A. Meloni, B. Piras, P. Zedda, S. Soddu, G. Parodo, G. Faa, G.B. Melis, A.M. Paoletti; Cagliari (Italy ABS 8. Neonatal ECMO: initial experience of Hospital de São João • G. Rocha, P. Soares, T. Henriques-Coelho, J. Correia-Pinto, J. Monteiro, H. Guimarães, R. Roncon-Albuquerque Jr; Porto (Portugal ABS 9. GCMS-based metabolomics analysis of urines in hypoxic neonatal piglets • C. Fattuoni, L. Barberini, N. Iacovidou, T

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

75 FR 11116 - Certain Pasta from Italy: Notice of Amended Final Results of the Twelfth Antidumping Duty...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-10

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta from Italy... certain pasta from Italy for the period of review (POR) of July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008. See Certain Pasta from Italy: Notice of Final Results of the Twelfth Administrative Review, 75 FR 6352...

76 FR 6601 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Amended Final Results of the Thirteenth Antidumping Duty...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-07

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... of the antidumping duty order on certain pasta from Italy for the period of review (POR) of July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009. See Certain Pasta from Italy: Notice of Final Results of the Thirteenth...

Barbarian culture, ecclesiastical pattern, Roman tradition in the Lombard and Frankish Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Gasparri

2005-12-01

Full Text Available This study offers an updated synthesis of the main political, religious and cultural issues in 8th and 9th century Italy. In particular, it examines the progressive transition of the Longobard religious faith from Arianism to Catholicism, and the troubled integration of Lombards, Latins and Franks. Special attention is paid to Lombards’ riots in southern Italy.

Catechesis in Italy between the Two Vatican Councils – 1870–1962

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carl‑Mario Sultana

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The article endeavours to give a bird’s eye view of catechesis in Italy as from 1870 to the threshold of Vatican Council II – 1962. The point of departure is a study of the use of the Catechism as the handbook for catechesis. The study will then move on study the efforts of individuals – from priests to Pope Pius X – who sought to positively influence catechesis through their ministry and how different Congresses and Conventions helped in trying to formulate a more coherent catechesis throughout Italy. Finally, the paper will end by a study of the Active Method which was to be the unifying factor for catechesis in Italy prior to Vatican Council II.

District heating in Italy: Extent of use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sacchi, E.

1992-01-01

The Author surveys the trend that has been established over the last two decades in the use of district heating in Italy. Comparison with the European situation reveals that Italy is lagging behind. The reason for this the Author states is the Italian public's aversion to unknown risks involved in the utilization of innovative technologies associated with cogeneration/district heating (current preference is given to autonomous methane fuelled building space heating systems), and the current opinion of some misinformed public administrations that cogeneration/district heating plants are too costly. Citing the successful campaign by the natural gas industry to promote the public acceptance of methane as a safe, readily available and competitively priced energy source, he suggests that similar efforts be made to have the public also accept cogeneration (with methane fired gas turbines)/district heating as being safe and environmentally, as well as, economically beneficial

Nocardia brasiliensis in Italy: a nine-year experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Farina, Claudio; Andrini, Laura; Bruno, Gianfranco; Sarti, Mario; Tripodi, Marie Françoise; Utili, Riccardo; Boiron, Patrick

2007-01-01

In the past, no case reports concerning N. brasiliensis infections were published from Italy. We now report 4 cases observed during 1998-2006 in 4 Italian patients, 1 immunosuppressed and 3 immunocompetent.

76 FR 67473 - Stainless Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings from Italy, Malaysia, and The Philippines; Institution of...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

... Concerning the Antidumping Duty Orders on Stainless Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Italy, Malaysia, and... stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings from Italy, Malaysia, and the Philippines would be likely to lead to... antidumping duty orders on imports of stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings from Italy, Malaysia, and the...

Radioactivity in honey of the central Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Meli, Maria Assunta; Desideri, Donatella; Roselli, Carla; Feduzi, Laura; Benedetti, Claudio

2016-07-01

Natural radionuclides and (137)Cs in twenty seven honeys produced in a region of the Central Italy were determined by alpha ((235)U, (238)U, (210)Po, (232)Th and (228)Th) and gamma spectrometry ((137)Cs, (40)K, (226)Ra and (228)Ra). The study was carried out in order to estimate the background levels of natural ((40)K, (238)U and (232)Th and their progeny) and artificial radionuclides ((137)Cs) in various honey samples, as well as to compile a data base for radioactivity levels in that region. (40)K showed a mean activity of 28.1±23.0Bqkg(-1) with a range of 7.28-101Bqkg(-1). The mean of (210)Po activity resulted 0.40±0.46Bqkg(-1) with a range of 0.03-1.98Bqkg(-1). The mean of (238)U activity resulted 0.020±0.010Bqkg(-1). (226)Ra and (228)Ra resulted always <0.34 and <0.57Bqkg(-1) respectively, (235)U, (228)Th and (232)Th were always <0.007Bqkg(-1). (137)Cs resulted <0.10Bqkg(-1) in all samples. The committed effective doses due to (210)Po from ingestion of honey for infants, children and adults account for 0.002-5.13% of the natural radiation exposure in Italy. The honeys produced in Central Italy were of good quality in relation to the studied parameters, confirming the general image of a genuine and healthy food associated to this traditional products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

His Excellency Mr Maurizio Enrico 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

CERN Multimedia

Bennett, Sophia Elizabeth

2017-01-01

His Excellency Mr Maurizio Enrico 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

Natural gas prices in Italy. Tariffs geographical distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marrocchelli, A.

2000-01-01

The annual report on services and activity carries at some evaluations of data concerned the natural gas market: total consumption, costs and prices in Italy and comparative evaluations with other european countries [it

The 3d International Workshop on Computational Electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Goodnick, Stephen M.

1994-09-01

The Third International Workshop on Computational Electronics (IWCE) was held at the Benson Hotel in downtown Portland, Oregon, on May 18, 19, and 20, 1994. The workshop was devoted to a broad range of topics in computational electronics related to the simulation of electronic transport in semiconductors and semiconductor devices, particularly those which use large computational resources. The workshop was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Office of Naval Research and the Army Research Office, as well as local support from the Oregon Joint Graduate Schools of Engineering and the Oregon Center for Advanced Technology Education. There were over 100 participants in the Portland workshop, of which more than one quarter represented research groups outside of the United States from Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. There were a total 81 papers presented at the workshop, 9 invited talks, 26 oral presentations and 46 poster presentations. The emphasis of the contributions reflected the interdisciplinary nature of computational electronics with researchers from the Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Physics communities participating in the workshop.

Reforming Capital Taxation in Italy

OpenAIRE

Luc Eyraud

2014-01-01

This paper reviews capital taxation issues in Italy based on a comprehensive definition encompassing taxes on income, transactions, and ownership. It discusses options to enhance the neutrality of the capital income tax system, followed by a detailed analysis of the property tax, the inheritance tax, and various transaction taxes. The paper also examines the case for replacing the set of existing taxes on financial and real assets with a single net wealth tax.

Competitiveness in the Southern Euro Area; France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain

OpenAIRE

Bogdan Lissovolik; Julio Escolano; Stefania Fabrizio; Werner Schule; Herman Z Bennett; Stephen Tokarick; Yuan Xiao; Marialuz Moreno Badia; Eva Gutierrez; Iryna V. Ivaschenko

2008-01-01

This collection of studies analyzes developments in nonprice external competitiveness of France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. While France, Italy, and Portugal have experienced substantial export market share losses, Greece and Spain performed relatively well. Export market share losses appear associated with rigidities in resource allocation (sectoral, geographical, technological) relative to peers and lower productivity gains in high value-added sectors. Disaggregated analysis of goo...

Retrospective Evaluation of the Long-Term CSEP-Italy Earthquake Forecasts

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, M. J.; Zechar, J. D.; Marzocchi, W.; Wiemer, S.

2010-12-01

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-year earthquake forecasts to the European CSEP Testing Center at ETH Zurich. We considered the twelve time-independent earthquake forecasts among this set and evaluated them with respect to past seismicity data from two Italian earthquake catalogs. Here, we present the results of tests that measure the consistency of the forecasts with the past observations. Besides being an evaluation of the submitted time-independent forecasts, this exercise provided insight into a number of important issues in predictability experiments with regard to the specification of the forecasts, the performance of the tests, and the trade-off between the robustness of results and experiment duration.

Post-stroke rehabilitation in Italy: inconsistencies across regional strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Guidetti, D; Spallazzi, M; Baldereschi, M; Di Carlo, A; Ferro, S; Rota E Morelli, N; Immovilli, P; Toni, D; Polizzi, B M; Inzitari, D

2014-06-01

Remarkable differences among European countries have been found in stroke rehabilitation models, owing to the fact that stroke rehabilitation services are embedded in health care systems. Comprehensive data on service utilization by stroke survivors in Italy are lacking, but would be instrumental in improving efficiency and effectiveness of post-acute stroke care, and consequently, in containing costs and improving outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to survey the Italian regional legislations in order to examine the provision of rehabilitation services for stroke survivors in Italy. This is a cross-sectional, observational study. Post-stroke intra- and extra-hospital rehabilitation. All decrees and resolutions as to post-acute stroke rehabilitation were collected from each Italian region. All decrees and resolutions were examined by the means of a check list including quantitative and qualitative characteristics, selected in accordance with national official recommendations. Each completed check list was then sent to each regional reference person, who filled in the section on the implementation of the indications and compliance. The study was carried out from November 2009 to September 2010. The documents were collected from 19 out of the 20 Italian regions. The results of the study indicate that there are many, remarkable regional variations in health policies concerning post-stroke care. Instruments for evaluation and criteria for allocating stroke patients to proper rehabilitation setting vary across regions, but data on the potential impact of these variations on clinical outcomes are still lacking. The study highlights the issue that, in Italy, delivery of post-stroke rehabilitation services is not uniform nation-wide and varies substantially across regions. The lack of a comprehensive post-acute stroke strategy is a major obstacle to service availability. The study results advocate the need for a consistent and comprehensive strategic planning of

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)

Large Human Outbreak of West Nile Virus Infection in North-Eastern Italy in 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luisa Barzon

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Human cases of West Nile virus (WNV disease have been reported in Italy since 2008. So far, most cases have been identified in north-eastern Italy, where, in 2012, the largest outbreak of WNV infection ever recorded in Italy occurred. Most cases of the 2012 outbreak were identified in the Veneto region, where a special surveillance plan for West Nile fever was in place. In this outbreak, 25 cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease and 17 cases of fever were confirmed. In addition, 14 WNV RNA-positive blood donors were identified by screening of blood and organ donations and two cases of asymptomatic infection were diagnosed by active surveillance of subjects at risk of WNV exposure. Two cases of death due to WNND were reported. Molecular testing demonstrated the presence of WNV lineage 1 in all WNV RNA-positive patients and, in 15 cases, infection by the novel Livenza strain was ascertained. Surveillance in other Italian regions notified one case of neuroinvasive disease in the south of Italy and two cases in Sardinia. Integrated surveillance for WNV infection remains a public health priority in Italy and vector control activities have been strengthened in areas of WNV circulation.

75 FR 37386 - Certain Pasta from Italy: Final Results of the 13th (2008) Countervailing Duty Administrative Review

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-29

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-475-819] Certain Pasta from Italy... pasta from Italy for the period January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008. On April 13, 2010, we published the Preliminary Results of this review. See Certain Pasta From Italy: Preliminary Results of the...

76 FR 65179 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Extension of Time Limit for the Final Results of the Countervailing...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-20

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-475-819] Certain Pasta From Italy... administrative review of the countervailing duty order on certain pasta from Italy, covering the period January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2009. See Certain Pasta from Italy: Preliminary Results of the 14th (2009...

A Comparison of Inpatient Adult Psychiatric Services in Italy and Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Guaiana, Giuseppe; O'Reilly, Richard; Grassi, Luigi

2018-05-03

We examine the possibility the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) bed count for Italy may be an underestimation of the actual beds available. We compared bedded services for mental disorders in two regions in Italy and Canada respectively. We found out that if we consider acute psychiatric beds only, the district of Ferrara has 30 beds (8.5 per 100,000) and the Middlesex and Elgin Counties have 89 beds (16.3 beds for 100,000). However, if we include the rehabilitation beds (that are located within a hospital setting in Ontario and in a residential community setting in Ferrara), we find that the district of Ferrara has 95 beds (27.0 per 100,000) and the Middlesex and Elgin Counties have 176 beds (32.3 per 100,000). As a result, the 10/100,000 beds rate for Italy reported by the OECD is an underestimate compared to figures reported for most other countries, as the beds included are hospital beds only.

75 FR 59744 - Stainless Steel Plate From Belgium, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-28

... (Second Review)] Stainless Steel Plate From Belgium, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan AGENCY: United..., and Taiwan. SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice that it will proceed with full reviews... antidumping duty orders on stainless steel plate from Belgium, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan would be...

Preventable hospitalization and the role of primary care: a comparison between Italy and Germany.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rosano, A.; Peschel, P.; Kugler, J.; Zee, J. van der; Ricciardi, W.; Guasticchi, G.

2010-01-01

Background: Hospitalization may often be prevented by timely and effective outpatient care. For Italy we found that the type and density of primary-care facilities, among other factors, influence admission rates. However, results from Italy may not be valid for other types of health-care systems,

Actors in Corruption: Business Politicians in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

della Porta, Donatella

1996-01-01

Argues that the development of political corruption brings about important changes in the political system and in the characteristics of the political class. Describes the emergence and activities of a group of "business politicians" in Italy who have transformed political parties into socializing agencies for illicit activities. (MJP)

Italy INAF Analysis Center Report

Science.gov (United States)

Negusini, M.; Sarti, P.

2013-01-01

This report summarizes the activity of the Italian INAF VLBI Analysis Center. Our Analysis Center is located in Bologna, Italy and belongs to the Institute of Radioastronomy, which is part of the National Institute of Astrophysics. IRA runs the observatories of Medicina and Noto, where two 32-m VLBI AZ-EL telescopes are situated. This report contains the AC's VLBI data analysis activities and shortly outlines the investigations into the co-locations of space geodetic instruments.

78 FR 9364 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Final Results of 15th Antidumping Duty Administrative Review...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-08

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain pasta from Italy. The period of review (POR) is... administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain pasta from Italy.\\2\\ On October 26, 2012, Rummo...

76 FR 48122 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Court Decision Not in Harmony With Final Results of...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-08

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... antidumping duty order on certain pasta from Italy covering the period of review (``POR'') of July 1, 2005... Department published its final results of the administrative review for pasta from Italy for the period from...

The promotion of energy efficiency in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Paoli, L.; Bongiolatti, L.

2006-01-01

In 2004 Italy introduced an obligation for electricity and gas distribution companies to reach specific objectives regarding the improvement of energy efficiency in final energy consumption. The scope of the provision is to promote investments in energy efficiency in order to meet the greenhouse gases reduction target set by the Kyoto protocol. The adoption of binding targets of energy efficiency will also lead to the development of an energy services market, modifying the traditional relation between energy dealers and final consumers, thus leading to a more efficient use of the available resources. Similar mechanisms have already been applied in other European countries (as France and United Kingdom) and will be likely introduced in other countries with the implementation of European Directive on energy end-use efficiency and energy services. This paper describes and analyzes both the measures adopted in Italy and the results obtained after the first year of operation of the mechanism. The paper is divided in six different sections. In the first part we highlight the main problems related to the development of system based on tradable white certificates. In the second part we provide a brief description of the Italian regulatory context. In the third part there is an economic analysis of investments in energy efficiency. The fourth part considers the different options that distribution companies face in order to reach the energy efficiency targets. The fifth part shows the results obtained after the first year of operation of the mechanism. Finally, we propose some possible modifications to the scheme adopted in Italy considering the results obtained and the alternative solutions already applied in France and United Kingdom [it

Considerations on long-term energy prospects in Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campos Venuti, G; Frullani, S; Tabet, E; Vecchia, P

1977-11-07

The different implications of alternative energy sources (nuclear, fusion, and solar) for Italy are discussed from the environmental, economic, and political viewpoint. Natural limits to the increase of energy production and some energy conservation measures are also considered.

77 FR 48964 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Court Decision Not in Harmony With Final Results of...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-15

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... pasta from Italy with respect to the margin assigned to Atar S.r.L. (Atar) covering the period of review... Review of the Antidumping Duty Order on Certain Pasta from Italy, 72 FR 7011 (February 14, 2007) (Final...

75 FR 61699 - Stainless Steel Plate in Coils From Belgium, Italy, South Africa, South Korea, and Taiwan: Final...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-06

...-831, and A-583-830] Stainless Steel Plate in Coils From Belgium, Italy, South Africa, South Korea, and... steel plate in coils (SSPC) from Belgium, Italy, South Africa, South Korea, and Taiwan, pursuant to... sunset reviews of the antidumping duty orders on SSPC from Belgium, Italy, South Africa, South Korea, and...

Agronomic-productive characteristics of two genotype of stevia rebaudiana in Central Italy

OpenAIRE

Laura Andolfi; Mario Macchia; Lucia Ceccarini

2006-01-01

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni produces a variety of high-potency low calorie sweeteners in its’ leaf tissue. The aim of this work was to evaluate the productive potential of two different Stevia rebaudiana genotypes and the characteristics of the production of the plant obtained through different cultivation methods, in central Italy. For several years (1992-2000) agronomic trials on Stevia rebaudiana cultivated in the littoral area near Pisa (Italy) carried out. In 1992 two different g...

Governance and Leadership in Public Schools: Opportunities and Challenges Facing School Leaders in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Paletta, Angelo; Bezzina, Christopher

2016-01-01

This article aims to explore the evolution of school leadership in Italy toward a model of leadership for learning. Italy is undergoing radical changes in the governance structures (school autonomy and accountability) affecting schools in general, and school principals in particular, based on the way they promote, manage, and monitor the…

Market for wind turbines in italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

Wind power utilization in Italy has not been very popular until the privatization of the ENEL and introduction of subsidies for private electricity producers. The greatest interest is concentrated around large wind turbines. Therefore the Danish manufacturers with know-how within large wind turbines can establish themselves on the Italian market. Cooperation with one of the four local wind turbine manufacturers is advisable. (EG)

EARLY EMERGENCE OF CORPORATE CRISIS IN ITALY: THE ALERT INDEX EXISTS, IT WORKS, BUT ISN'T USED

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Matteucci

2016-12-01

Full Text Available When a company begins to show signs of crisis, all parties involved try to hide the dust under the carpet. Nevertheless, in Italy the warning index of financial crises of companies (especially small and medium exists, it works, but it isn't used. The RATING that banks give to all positions of risk with them is particularly efficient because it is influenced by: - The estructure of the balances of the companies reported in the electronic archive of the bank; - Negative elements derivable from databases (Central of the Risks, the register of companies at the Chamber of Commerce, etc.. - Daily modus operandi of the company client at the bank itself, as detected "spot".

Henry the Seventh and Italy, an historiographical account

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gian Maria Varanini

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The article represents an introduction to the contributions published in the monographic section dedicated to the expedition of Henry VII of Luxembourg in Italy (1310-1313. It provides an historiographic overview and some insightful clues.

Limit on the radiative neutrinoless double electron capture of "3"6Ar from GERDA Phase I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agostini, M.; Balata, M.; D'Andrea, V.; Di Vacri, A.; Junker, M.; Laubenstein, M.; Allardt, M.; Domula, A.; Lehnert, B.; Schneider, B.; Wester, T.; Wilsenach, H.; Zuber, K.; Bakalyarov, A.M.; Belyaev, S.T.; Lebedev, V.I.; Zhukov, S.V.; Barabanov, I.; Bezrukov, L.; Doroshkevich, E.; Fedorova, O.; Gurentsov, V.; Kazalov, V.; Kuzminov, V.V.; Lubsandorzhiev, B.; Moseev, P.; Selivanenko, O.; Veresnikova, A.; Yanovich, E.; Barros, N.; Baudis, L.; Benato, G.; Kish, A.; Miloradovic, M.; Mingazheva, R.; Walter, M.; Bauer, C.; Hakenmueller, J.; Heisel, M.; Heusser, G.; Hofmann, W.; Kihm, T.; Kirsch, A.; Knoepfle, K.T.; Lindner, M.; Maneschg, W.; Salathe, M.; Schreiner, J.; Schwingenheuer, B.; Simgen, H.; Smolnikov, A.; Stepaniuk, M.; Wagner, V.; Wegmann, A.; Bellotti, E.; Belogurov, S.; Kornoukhov, V.N.; Bettini, A.; Brugnera, R.; Garfagnini, A.; Medinaceli, E.; Sada, C.; Sturm, K. von; Bode, T.; Csathy, J.J.; Lazzaro, A.; Schoenert, S.; Wiesinger, C.; Borowicz, D.; Brudanin, V.; Egorov, V.; Kochetov, O.; Nemchenok, I.; Rumyantseva, N.; Zhitnikov, I.; Zinatulina, D.; Caldwell, A.; Gooch, C.; Kneissl, R.; Liao, H.Y.; Majorovits, B.; Palioselitis, D.; Schulz, O.; Vanhoefer, L.; Cattadori, C.; Salamida, F.; Chernogorov, A.; Demidova, E.V.; Kirpichnikov, I.V.; Vasenko, A.A.; Falkenstein, R.; Freund, K.; Grabmayr, P.; Hegai, A.; Jochum, J.; Schmitt, C.; Schuetz, A.K.; Frodyma, N.; Misiaszek, M.; Panas, K.; Pelczar, K.; Wojcik, M.; Zuzel, G.; Gangapshev, A.; Gusev, K.; Hemmer, S.; Lippi, I.; Stanco, L.; Hult, M.; Lutter, G.; Inzhechik, L.V.; Klimenko, A.; Lubashevskiy, A.; Macolino, C.; Pandola, L.; Pullia, A.; Riboldi, S.; Shirchenko, M.

2016-01-01

Neutrinoless double electron capture is a process that, if detected, would give evidence of lepton number violation and the Majorana nature of neutrinos. A search for neutrinoless double electron capture of "3"6Ar has been performed with germanium detectors installed in liquid argon using data from Phase I of the GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) experiment at the Gran Sasso Laboratory of INFN, Italy. No signal was observed and an experimental lower limit on the half-life of the radiative neutrinoless double electron capture of "3"6Ar was established: T_1_/_2 > 3.6 x 10"2"1 years at 90% CI. (orig.)

Limit on the radiative neutrinoless double electron capture of {sup 36}Ar from GERDA Phase I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agostini, M.; Balata, M.; D' Andrea, V.; Di Vacri, A.; Junker, M.; Laubenstein, M. [INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and Gran Sasso Science Institute, Assergi (Italy); Allardt, M.; Domula, A.; Lehnert, B.; Schneider, B.; Wester, T.; Wilsenach, H.; Zuber, K. [Technische Universitaet Dresden, Institut fuer Kern- und Teilchenphysik, Dresden (Germany); Bakalyarov, A.M.; Belyaev, S.T.; Lebedev, V.I.; Zhukov, S.V. [National Research Centre ' ' Kurchatov Institute' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation); Barabanov, I.; Bezrukov, L.; Doroshkevich, E.; Fedorova, O.; Gurentsov, V.; Kazalov, V.; Kuzminov, V.V.; Lubsandorzhiev, B.; Moseev, P.; Selivanenko, O.; Veresnikova, A.; Yanovich, E. [Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Barros, N. [Technische Universitaet Dresden, Institut fuer Kern- und Teilchenphysik, Dresden (Germany); University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Baudis, L.; Benato, G.; Kish, A.; Miloradovic, M.; Mingazheva, R.; Walter, M. [Physik Institut der Universitaet Zuerich, Zurich (Switzerland); Bauer, C.; Hakenmueller, J.; Heisel, M.; Heusser, G.; Hofmann, W.; Kihm, T.; Kirsch, A.; Knoepfle, K.T.; Lindner, M.; Maneschg, W.; Salathe, M.; Schreiner, J.; Schwingenheuer, B.; Simgen, H.; Smolnikov, A.; Stepaniuk, M.; Wagner, V.; Wegmann, A. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); Bellotti, E. [Universita Milano Bicocca, Dipartimento di Fisica, Milan (Italy); INFN Milano Bicocca, Milan (Italy); Belogurov, S.; Kornoukhov, V.N. [Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics NRC ' ' Kurchatov Institute' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation); Bettini, A.; Brugnera, R.; Garfagnini, A.; Medinaceli, E.; Sada, C.; Sturm, K. von [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia dell' Universita di Padova, Padua (Italy); INFN Padova, Padua (Italy); Bode, T.; Csathy, J.J.; Lazzaro, A.; Schoenert, S.; Wiesinger, C. [Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Physik Department and Excellence Cluster Universe, Munich (Germany); Borowicz, D. [Jagiellonian University, Institute of Physics, Krakow (Poland); Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russian Federation); Brudanin, V.; Egorov, V.; Kochetov, O.; Nemchenok, I.; Rumyantseva, N.; Zhitnikov, I.; Zinatulina, D. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russian Federation); Caldwell, A.; Gooch, C.; Kneissl, R.; Liao, H.Y.; Majorovits, B.; Palioselitis, D.; Schulz, O.; Vanhoefer, L. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik, Munich (Germany); Cattadori, C.; Salamida, F. [INFN Milano Bicocca, Milan (Italy); Chernogorov, A.; Demidova, E.V.; Kirpichnikov, I.V.; Vasenko, A.A. [Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics NRC ' ' Kurchatov Institute' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation); Falkenstein, R.; Freund, K.; Grabmayr, P.; Hegai, A.; Jochum, J.; Schmitt, C.; Schuetz, A.K. [Eberhard Karls Universitaet Tuebingen, Physikalisches Institut, Tuebingen (Germany); Frodyma, N.; Misiaszek, M.; Panas, K.; Pelczar, K.; Wojcik, M.; Zuzel, G. [Jagiellonian University, Institute of Physics, Krakow (Poland); Gangapshev, A. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Gusev, K. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russian Federation); National Research Centre ' ' Kurchatov Institute' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation); Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Physik Department and Excellence Cluster Universe, Munich (Germany); Hemmer, S.; Lippi, I.; Stanco, L. [INFN Padova, Padua (Italy); Hult, M.; Lutter, G. [European Commission, JRC-Geel, Geel (Belgium); Inzhechik, L.V. [Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow (Russian Federation); Klimenko, A. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russian Federation); Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); International University for Nature, Society and Man ' ' Dubna' ' , Dubna (Russian Federation); Lubashevskiy, A. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russian Federation); Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); Macolino, C. [INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and Gran Sasso Science Institute, Assergi (Italy); LAL, CNRS/IN2P3, Universite Paris-Saclay, Orsay (France); Pandola, L. [INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania (Italy); Pullia, A.; Riboldi, S. [Universita degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Fisica, Milan (Italy); INFN Milano (Italy); Shirchenko, M. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russian Federation); National Research Centre ' ' Kurchatov Institute' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation); Collaboration: GERDA collaboration

2016-12-15

Neutrinoless double electron capture is a process that, if detected, would give evidence of lepton number violation and the Majorana nature of neutrinos. A search for neutrinoless double electron capture of {sup 36}Ar has been performed with germanium detectors installed in liquid argon using data from Phase I of the GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) experiment at the Gran Sasso Laboratory of INFN, Italy. No signal was observed and an experimental lower limit on the half-life of the radiative neutrinoless double electron capture of {sup 36}Ar was established: T{sub 1/2} > 3.6 x 10{sup 21} years at 90% CI. (orig.)

Legionnaires’ disease Surveillance in Italy

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Maria Luisa Ricci

2004-12-01

Full Text Available

In the report presented, data on legionellosis diagnosed in the year 2003 in Italy and notified to the National Surveillance System are analysed. Overall, 617 cases were notified, of which 517 were confirmed and 46 were presumptive.

The characteristics of the patients are very similar to those reported in the previous years in terms of male/female ratio, age–specific distribution, occupation, etc. Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 was responsible for approximately 90% of the cases.

At the source of western science: the organization of experimentalism at the Accademia del Cimento (1657-1667).

Science.gov (United States)

Beretta, M

2000-05-01

The Accademia del Cimento, founded by the Medici princes, Ferdinando II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and his brother, Leopoldo, later Cardinal, had members and programmes of research very different from earlier academies in Italy. The Cimento foreshadowed later European academies and institutions specifically devoted to research and improvement of natural knowledge. It issued only one publication, the Saggi di naturali esperienze, and most of the observations and experimental results from its brief life remain unpublished. The Roman Accademia fisica-matematica, associated with Queen Christina of Sweden, continued to some extent its emphasis on experiment, while The Royal Society, with which it maintained links, placed even greater reliance on experiment and its validation through unvarnished publication. Comparisons between the Cimento and its contemporaries, The Royal Society and the French academy, illuminate the origin of scientific institutions in the early modern period.

The University in a Fragmented World. A Contribution from Sophia University Institute

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Callebaut Bernhard

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL was the very first University to honor the Italian religious leader Chiara Lubich, with a honorary degree. In 2007, Chiara Lubich who shared with Henry cardinal Newman some very similar intuitions on the task of a University, founded on the basis of the charism the Church recognized in her the University Institute Sophia (IUS in Tuscany (Italy. This was to be the very last initiative of her long life as the foundress of the Focolare Movement, Chiara Lubich wanted it to be an interdisciplinary institute bringing together life and studies in harmony. Now, after more than eight years of life, the author dresses a ‘state of the union’ of this University Institute, in the context of the crisis of the universitarian world today.

Appennino: A GIS Tool for Analyzing Wildlife Habitat Use

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Marco Ferretti

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to test Appennino, a tool used to evaluate the habitats of animals through compositional analysis. This free tool calculates an animal’s habitat use within the GIS platform for ArcGIS and saves and exports the results of the comparative land uses to other statistical software. Visual Basic for Application programming language was employed to prepare the ESRI ArcGIS 9.x utility. The tool was tested on a dataset of 546 pheasant positions obtained from a study carried out in Tuscany (Italy. The tool automatically gave the same results as the results obtained by calculating the surfaces in ESRI ArcGIS, exporting the data from the ArcGIS, then using a commercial spreadsheet and/or statistical software to calculate the animal’s habitat use with a considerable reduction in time.

L'Education Permanente en Italie; Motivations Sociologiques et Perspectives Culturelles (Continuing Education in Italy; Sociological Motives and Cultural Perspectives).

Science.gov (United States)

Bonacina, Franco

This review of continuing education in Italy begins by examining some of the growing social and economic pressures conducive to educational change. It then outlines recent developments in educational and instructional television; the objectives and postwar legal basis of mass adult education; and provisions in such areas as literacy education,…

Gino Marinuzzi Jr: Electronics and Early Multimedia Mentality in Italy

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Maurizio Corbella

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In this essay I reassess the complexity of the convergence between electronic music and media practices in Rome in the 1950s and 1960s, through the reconstruction of the experience of composer Gino Marinuzzi Jr (1920-96. His engagement with technology as a structuring device of compositional processes is fundamental and inescapable, and brings to the fore crucial issues of ‘applied’ music’s troublesome reputation in the Italian cultural discourse. In reviewing Marinuzzi’s biography over the period 1949-75, my goal is to exemplify the key phases of this transitional period in Italian music history, in which technology, through the spreading of media and their increasing importance in cultural representations, came to constitute a new value of musical activity and at the same time renewed old questions concerning music’s aesthetic autonomy.

Preliminary analysis of relation between natural and anthropic elements in the calanco area of Podere Paiccia (Southern Tuscany - Italy): crowns of mudflow vs. erosion control practices (graticciate) during the period 1989-2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Colica, Antonella; Martinelli, Lorenzo

2016-04-01

The study area Podere Paiccia, which is characterized by four calanchi, extends over a surface of 155,000 square meters, on N-NNW slopes, from 435 to 513m, with an average slope of 25° and it develops on Pliocene marine bedrocks. The calanchi represent an important morphology in southern Tuscany and also in Pliocene and Plio-Pleistocene bedrock in nearby areas of piedmont zones of Apennines. During the 1989 the "Consorzio di Bonifica della Val d'Orcia" introduced erosion control practices named graticciate (fences) along three of the four calanchi. They consisted of chestnut stakes (about 1 m long), fixed in the ground, connected by smaller transverse stakes and placed perpendicularly to the slopes, at 7-10 meters intervals, extending laterally for about 10 meters. These calanchi are formed by gullies, rills, crowns and mudflows. The crowns, one of the more dynamic erosional forms, are generally arch-shaped (40-50 cm in height, vary in width, gradient 54°÷90°). The four calanchi, named 1-2-3-4, were divided into three zones of equal size: high, medium and low. The analysis conducted by photo shoots and field measurements, during the years 1989-1992-1996-2002-2005-2015, aim to discover the relation between crowns and graticciate. In 1989, 1 did not present graticciate, 2 had graticciate in all 3 zones (28), 3 and 4 had graticciate (24 and 22 respectively) but only in the medium and high zones. The crowns (57 in 1, 58 in 2, 78 in 3 and 56 in 4) rise towards the ridges. In case during the ascend crowns meet the graticciate, these last are deformed and then destroyed (periods: 1989÷1992, 1992÷1996, 1996÷2002, 2002÷2005, 2005÷2015, graticciate destroyed along the 2, 3, 4,% mean values: 51, 87, 100 - 26, 46, 72, 90 costant value from 2005 - 57, 75 costant value 1992÷2002, 78,100). Until total destruction, graticciate limit the number of crowns in the high zones. Along 2, 3 and 4 the number of crowns is greater in the medium zones (mean values of the ratios

Prevalence of Paget's disease of bone in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gennari, Luigi; Di Stefano, Marco; Merlotti, Daniela; Giordano, Nicola; Martini, Giuseppe; Tamone, Cristina; Zatteri, Roberto; De Lucchi, Roberto; Baldi, Carlo; Vattimo, Angelo; Capoccia, Silvia; Burroni, Luca; Geraci, Simone; De Paola, Vincenzo; Calabrò, Anna; Avanzati, Annalisa; Isaia, Giancarlo; Nuti, Ranuccio

2005-10-01

We examined the prevalence of PDB in Italy from radiological, scintigraphic, and biochemical surveys in two Italian towns. Prevalence rates varied from 0.7% to 2.4%, were higher in males than in females, and slightly differed between the two towns. Unlike previous studies in populations of British descent, no secular trend for a decreasing prevalence emerged. Clinical, radiological, and necropsy data from different countries suggested pronounced geographical variations in the prevalence of Paget's disease of bone (PDB). Despite the impact of the disease on the population, there are limited data on the prevalence of PDB in Italy. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of PDB in the district of Siena (Central Italy) and Turin (Northern Italy) from radiological, biochemical, and scintigraphic surveys. We examined a sample of 1778 consecutive pelvic radiographs performed between 1999 and 2000 at the Hospital Radiology Unit in Siena and 6609 pelvic radiographs performed in 1986-1987, 1992-1993, and 1999-2002 from the Radiology Department of Molinette Hospital in Turin. In Siena, 7906 consecutive (99m)TC-MDP bone scans performed over a 4-year period (January 2000 to May 2004) were also screened for the presence of PDB, and the prevalence of elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels (>300 UI/liter) was estimated from 7449 computerized medical records over a 3-year period (January 2000 to February 2003). The finding of PDB on the pelvic radiograph and bone scan was based on standardized radiological criteria. At the end of the radiological surveys, 16/1778 pelvic PDB cases (8 males and 8 females) were observed in Siena and 41/6609 (27 males and 14 females) in Turin. The crude prevalence of the disease was 0.89% in Siena and 0.62% in Turin. Given that pelvic involvement is commonly described in 60-90% of PDB patients, the estimated overall prevalence of PDB ranged from 1.0% to 1.5% in Siena and from 0.7% to 1.0% in Turin. No decrease in the prevalence

Book Review: The Political Economy of Work Security and Flexibility. Italy in Comparative Perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leschke, Janine

2013-01-01

Review of F.. Berton, M Richiardi, S. Sacchi: The Political Economy of Work Security and Flexibility: Italy in Comparative Perspective. Policy Press: Bristol, 2012. 190 pp.......Review of F.. Berton, M Richiardi, S. Sacchi: The Political Economy of Work Security and Flexibility: Italy in Comparative Perspective. Policy Press: Bristol, 2012. 190 pp....

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

The impact of education on wage determination between workers in southern and central-northern Italy

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Agovino Massimiliano

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to examine the earnings dynamic in Italy, in order to explain earnings differences between southern Italy and centralnorthern Italy. In our analysis we use different techniques: ordinary least squares (OLS, quantile regression models and the algorithm developed by Machado and Mata (2005. In particular, the Machado and Mata (2005 algorithm allows us to examine the relative importance of both differences in workers’ characteristics and in their returns in explaining southern, central and northern Italy earnings differences at a point in time, as well as across time within each macro-area. We focus on the role of differences in educational endowment and returns to education, one of the most important components of human capital in the stylised literature. The level of education determines the substantial disparities in terms of wage returns. However, this holds only for levels of education related to compulsory education.

Controlling the geogrpahical spread of infectious disease: Plague in Italy, 1347- 1851

OpenAIRE

Cliff, Andrew D.; Smallman- Raynor, Matthew R.; Stevens, Peta M.

2009-01-01

After the establishment of the first quarantine station in the Republic of Ragusa (modern-day Dubrovnik) in 1377, the states and principalities of Italy developed a sophisticated system of defensive quarantine in an attempt to protect themselves from the ravages of plague. Using largely unknown and unseen historical maps, this paper reconstructs the extent and operation of the system used. It is shown that a cordon sanitaire existed around the coast of Italy for several centuries, consisting ...

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."

77 FR 39735 - Stainless Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Italy, Malaysia, and the Philippines

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-05

... revocation of the antidumping duty orders on stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings From Italy, Malaysia... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation Nos. 731-TA-865-867 (Second Review)] Stainless Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Italy, Malaysia, and the Philippines Determination On the basis of the...

The Evolution of Professional Nursing Culture in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Rocco, Gennaro; Affonso, Dyanne D.; Mayberry, Linda J.; Stievano, Alessandro; Alvaro, Rosaria; Sabatino, Laura

2014-01-01

We explored the perceptions of Italian nurses regarding their developing culture as a health profession. We sought to understand the ongoing evolution of the nursing profession and the changes that were central to it becoming an intellectual discipline on par with the other health professions in Italy. In 2010, the Regulatory Board of Nursing established a center of excellence to build evidence-based practice, advocate for interdisciplinary health care, and champion health profession reforms for nursing. In this study, focus groups—involving 66 nurse participants from various educational, clinical, and administrative backgrounds—were utilized to better ascertain how the profession has changed. Six themes, three of them metaphors—“vortex,” “leopard spots,” and “deductive jungle”—explain nurses’ experiences of professional change in Italy between 2001 and 2011 and the multiple dimensions that characterize their professional identity and autonomy. PMID:28462290

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 Evolution of Professional Nursing Culture in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gennaro Rocco

2014-09-01

Full Text Available We explored the perceptions of Italian nurses regarding their developing culture as a health profession. We sought to understand the ongoing evolution of the nursing profession and the changes that were central to it becoming an intellectual discipline on par with the other health professions in Italy. In 2010, the Regulatory Board of Nursing established a center of excellence to build evidence-based practice, advocate for interdisciplinary health care, and champion health profession reforms for nursing. In this study, focus groups—involving 66 nurse participants from various educational, clinical, and administrative backgrounds—were utilized to better ascertain how the profession has changed. Six themes, three of them metaphors—“vortex,” “leopard spots,” and “deductive jungle”—explain nurses’ experiences of professional change in Italy between 2001 and 2011 and the multiple dimensions that characterize their professional identity and autonomy.

A Musical Italy: Michael W. Balfe’s Italian Experiences

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Basil Walsh

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The Dublin-born musician, Michael W. Balfe, was a singer, composerand conductor whose brilliant musical career was heavily influenced byformative experiences in Italy. In 1825, Balfe, interested in broadeninghis musical studies first went to Paris where he was introduced to thegreat composers, Luigi Cherubini and Gioachino Rossini, who took apersonal interest in him and his musical talents. On the advice of Rossinihe spent the next few years in Italy studying singing with the famousRossini singer, Filippo Galli, and taking music composition lessonsfrom Ferdinando Paer, in Rome. Later in Milan he studied harmonyand counterpoint with Vincenzo Federici. By 1831, when he was only23 years old, his first three operas had been produced in Palermo, Pavia,and Milan. He returned to London in August 1835, participatingwith the great Lablache, Tamburini, Rubini and Grisi in a concert inVauxhall Gardens. In 1834 he made his debut at La Scala, Milan, singingopposite the renowned mezzo-soprano, Maria Malibran in Rossini’sOtello. He appeared again with Malibran in Venice early in 1835,singing once more in Rossini and Bellini operas. Balfe worked as a singerand composer throughout the Italian peninsula/states during the years,1825-1835 and this article will chart these experiences and demonstratehow the time he spent in Italy and the people he met, influenced hislife and later career as an important and popular European composer.

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;}

The Child Health Care System in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Corsello, Giovanni; Ferrara, Pietro; Chiamenti, Gianpietro; Nigri, Luigi; Campanozzi, Angelo; Pettoello-Mantovani, Massimo

2016-10-01

Pediatric care in Italy has been based during the last 40 years on the increased awareness of the importance of meeting the psychosocial and developmental needs of children and of the role of families in promoting the health and well-being of their children. The pediatric health care system in Italy is part of the national health system. It is made up of 3 main levels of intervention: first access/primary care, secondary care/hospital care, and tertiary care based on specialty hospital care. This overview will also include a brief report on neonatal care, pediatric preventive health care, health service accreditation programs, and postgraduate training in pediatrics. The quality of the Italian child health care system is now considered to be in serious danger because of the restriction of investments in public health caused both by the 2008 global and national economic crisis and by a reduction of the pediatric workforce as a result of progressively insufficient replacement of specialists in pediatrics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost-effectiveness and risk associated with infants' hip radiological screening in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pini, M.; Perale, R.

1987-01-01

Despite the obvious limits in this study and the scarce information regarding the incidence and distribution of CDH in Italy, we believe that the considerations that led us to restrict the use of radiology in the early diagnosis of this disease are valid. A mass radiologic screening program for the detection of CDH in Italy, even in high incidence zones, does not appear appropriate despite the favorable cost/effectiveness ratio reported for Italy and elsewhere for the x-ray exam of the hip. In the opinion of the authors this low cost is in any case superfluous in view of the excellent results achieved with a clinical screening program like the one we propose. In our opinion, therefore, in Italy instead of mass radiological screening programmes, it would be more appropriate to regulate clinical diagnostic examination of the 1st level (obstetrician, pediatrician) as well as the 2nd (pediatric orthopedist) and the radiological service from both a qualitative and quantitative point of view over the entire national territory. This program for improving medical services, expensive and not easily organized, should be ushered in gradually, involving first the areas of highest disease incidence. The objection may be raised that diagnostic accuracy is sufficiently high in these areas, but nonetheless, we believe that these rates are achieved by resorting to radiological examinations, which can be reduced in number

History and updating on the spread of Aedes albopictus in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Romi, R

1995-12-01

The present distribution in Italy of Aedes albopictus, the Asian mosquito recently introduced, is described. Until now this mosquito species has been established in 8 regions of our country: Liguria, Veneto, Lazio, Lombardia, Emilia-Romagna, Toscana, Piemonte and recently Sardegna. The established populations have been able to overcome the winter season. These populations, certainly imported from temperate areas, have reconfirmed the great adaptation of the species, reaching the high latitude of 46 degrees North of the Padova area in Northern Italy. The origin of the infestation in Veneto region was shown to be strictly related to the importation of used tires and demonstrated at least for one load of tires from USA. The internal trading of tires from Veneto is the source of infestation of the other Italian regions, with the exception of Liguria and Lazio. Since the introduction and the establishment of Ae. albopictus in Italy represent a new problem of public health, a centre for the surveillance and control of this species has been set up at the Department of Parasitology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma.

Free electron lasers and short wavelengths: state of the art and prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Couprie, M.E.

2003-01-01

Free electron lasers generate coherent and adjustable radiation that is based on the interaction of a light wave with a relativistic electron beam circulating in a periodic and permanent magnetic field produced by an ondulator. The light wave comes from either - synchrotron radiation emitted by the electron packet at each round in the case of SASE (self amplified spontaneous emission) operating more, or - synchrotron radiation stored in an optic cavity in the case of oscillator operating mode, or - an external laser wave in the case of harmonic generation operating mode. Under particular conditions the light wave is amplified to the detriment of the kinetic energy of the electrons which leads to the laser effect. 5 free electron lasers are operating in the world: Super-Aco in France, Elettra in Italy, NIJI-4 and Uvsor in Japan, and Duke in Usa. The state of the art of free electron lasers in the UV, VUV range is presented and the different configurations associated to storage rings, linac and ERL (energy recovery linacs) are described. (A.C.)

[Birth and matrimony of foreign citizens in Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Manese, G

1986-01-01

A group of 1,030 children of foreign women living in or around Rome, Italy, are classified according to place of birth (public institution or private dwelling) and legitimacy and by parents' educational level, economic and professional status, citizenship, residence, and age at marriage.

Urbs oblivionalis. Urban Spaces and Terrorism in Italy

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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.

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)

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

Debts, Differently: Alternative Finance Organizations in Italy and France

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Arianna Lovera

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this article is to analyze the possibility of implementing financial practices that, in the principles that guide them, are different from and question the functioning of most banks in capitalist societies. In particular, the article describes the ways in which credit relationships (i.e. relationships between credit institutions and their borrowers are conceived and shaped by some “alternative” banks and financial cooperatives. The findings are based on ethnographic fieldwork, including observations and in-depth interviews, focused on three financial organizations: Banca Etica (Italy, MAG6 (Italy, and La Nef (France. While striving to establish “another kind of finance”, different from the capitalistic, speculative form, these banks and financial cooperatives aim to create more cooperative and solidarity-based credit relationships.

Transmitter-equipped darts in a protocol for chemically immobilizing free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus in Central Italy

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Sandro Nicoloso

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Twenty-two free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus, 9 males and 13 females (7 months to 13 years old, were captured in October-November 2006 and December 2007, along the Apenninic ridge (44°06’N, 11°00’E between the Pistoia (Tuscany and Bologna (Emilia-Romagna provinces, as part of a reintroduction project in Gran Sasso and Laga’s Mountains National Park (42°33’N, 13°28’E, Italy. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a red deer capture protocol, using equipped transmitter darts, in Apennine areas where other methods had not been successful. The red deer were darted (by an operative team of 5-7 operators during dark hours with a mixture of Zoletil® (Z and xylazine (X and, whenever secondary dosages became necessary, a mixture of ketamine (K and X were used. Twenty-five animals were shot, only 3 of which could not be approached to re-dart them. All animals were darted, during dark hours, from a vehicle at a distance of 10-30 m and then recovered, using 3-cc disposable Pneu-dart® transmitter darts, 50-280 m (median 80 m from the dart site. These technical choices were forced by an uneven and wooded environment of the study area. Before the transport to the reintroduction site, the animals were kept in a lairage stable, arranged in single boxes, provided with water and food. This accommodation was necessary to collect a reasonable number of animals to arrange the transport. The immobilized animals were brought to the stable and haemoglobin saturation and heart rate were constantly monitored with a pulse oximeter. Oxygen was insufflated into a nostril at a rate of 10 litres/min for 20-35 min. Atipamezole was administered two thirds intramuscularly (IM and one third intravenously, 45 to 120 min after the last IM narcotic injection, to revive the animals. No side effects other than different levels of meteorism, were displayed. In conclusion, the protocol applied, which proved safe for the animals and had optimal

75 FR 10464 - Certain Pasta from Italy: Notice of Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-08

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta from Italy... pasta from Italy. See Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation....A. (``Garofalo''), Pastaficio Attilio Mastromauro Pasta Granoro S.r.L. (``Granoro''), Industria...

The Festuco-Brometea Grasslands on Sandstone and Marl-Clay-Sandstone Substrata in Tuscany (Northern-Central Italy

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Foggi Bruno

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Travišča v katerih prevladujeta vrsti Bromus erectus in/ali Brachypodium rupestre pokrivajo velike površine na podlagi iz peščenjaka in laporasto-glinastega peščenjaka (apnenec je izključen na Apeninih in območju pred njimi med provincama Pistoia in Arezzo (Toskana, srednja Italija. Naša raziskava je bila osredotočena na 71 neobjavljenih in 45 objavljenih vegetacijskih popisov iz Toskane in sosednjih območij. Originalni popisi opisujejo asociacije Astragalo monspessulani-Brometum erecti, Centaureo bracteatae-Brometum erecti in Ononido masquillerii-Brometum erecti. Popise smo obdelali z multivariatno analizo s katero smo zaznali 9 skupin. Konsistenstnost skupin smo preverili s povprečjem NMDS proti Ellenberg/Pignatti indikatorskim vrednostim in CCA proti horotipom in rastnim oblikam. Diagnostične vrste posameznih skupin smo določili z navezanostjo vrst, ki temelji na φ koeficientu asociacije. Z analizo smo podatkovni niz razdelili na dva klastra; prvi (A vključuje nekaj popisov termofilne cenoze z nižje nadmorske višine, ki jih opišemo kot prehod med submediteranskim aspektom razreda Festuco-Brometea in drugih mediteranskih zeliščnih in grmiščnih razredov; drugi klaster (B pa vključuje večino podatkovnega niza in ga lahko členimo na pionirske, mezokserofilne (skupini B1 in B2a in mezofilne združbe (skupina B2b. Popise klastrov B1 in B2a uvrščamo v asociacijo Coronillo minimae-Astragaletum monspessulanii in tri druge skupine: združba Plantago argentea-Carex caryophyllea, združba Tragopogon samaritani-Bromus erectus in Festuco trachyphyllae-Brometum erecti ass. nova. Mezofilna skupina (B2b vključuje popise asociacij Centaureo bracteatae-Brometum erecti in Ononido masquillerii- Brometum erecti, skupaj z delno spremenjeno združbo. Zaradi majhnih razlik v florističnem, ekološkem in horološkem pogledu med temi traviščnimi tipi predlagamo, da jih obravnavamo kot tri subasociacije Centaureo bracteatae-Brometum erecti (typicum, ononidetosum masquillerii in linetosum cathartici. Opisali smo tudi nekaj negospodarjenih travišč na motenih rastiščih. Vse združbe lahko uvrstimo v podzvezo Polygalo mediterraneae- Bromenion erecti (podzveza Bromion, čeprav je opazna delitev med mezokserofilnim pionirskim in mezofilnim in bolj razvitim aspektom.

Assessment and restoring soil functionality in degraded areas of organic vineyards. The preliminary results of the ReSolVe project in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Priori, Simone; Agnelli, Alessandro; Castaldini, Maurizio; D'Avino, Lorenzo; D'Errico, Giada; Gagnarli, Elena; Giudi, Silvia; Goggioli, Donatella; Lagomarsino, Alessandra; Landi, Silvia; Leprini, Marco; Pellegrini, Sergio; Perria, Rita; Puccioni, Sergio; Simoni, Sauro; Storchi, Paolo; Valboa, Giuseppe; Zombardo, Alessandra; Costantini, Edoardo

2016-04-01

In both conventional and organic Italian vineyards, it is quite common to have areas characterized by problems in vine health, grape production and quality, often caused by improper land preparation before vine plantation and/or management. Causes for soil malfunctioning can include: reduced contribution of the soil fauna to the ecosystem services (i.e. nutrient cycles), poor organic matter content, imbalance of some element ratio, altered pH, water deficiency, soil compaction and/or scarce oxygenation. ReSolVe is a transnational and interdisciplinary 3-years research project aimed at testing the effects of selected organic strategies for restoring optimal soil functionality in degraded areas within vineyard. The different restoring strategies implemented in each plot will be: i) compost produced on farm by manure + pruning residue + grass, ii) faba bean and barley green manure, iii) sowing and dry mulching with Trifolium squarrosum L. During two years of such treatments, the trend of the soil features and the grapevine status will be monitored in detail, to reveal the positive and negative effects of such treatments. The project involves 8 research groups in 6 different EU countries (Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Slovenia, and Turkey), with experts from several disciplines, including soil science, ecology, microbiology, grapevine physiology, viticulture, and biometry. The experimental vineyards are situated in Italy (Chianti hills and Maremma plain, Tuscany), France (Bordeaux and Languedoc), Spain (La Rioja) and Slovenia (Primorska) for winegrape, and in Turkey (Adana and Mersin) for table grape. Soil features before implementing restoring strategies showed lower content of soil organic matter and enzyme activities, and higher carbonates in degraded areas than in the non-degraded areas. The Biological Soil Quality values of microarthropods were always high, in comparison with data registered in similarly managed vineyards or stable ecosystems, and the data showed

Resurgence of nuclear energy in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iaccarino, F.

2009-01-01

In order to shed light on recent developments, as well as on future steps, this paper will first analyse the history of nuclear power production in Italy and the reasons for the decision to re-embark upon a nuclear power programme. It will briefly describe the legislation which governed nuclear activities before this decision, introduce the latest legislative changes and legislative projects and, finally, aim to demonstrate what else is necessary to realize this ambitious project in the near future. This analysis will be particularly focused on the current italian legislation following the recent approval of Act No. 99 of 23. july 2009, which lays down milestones for the new national nuclear legal framework. The implementation of a nuclear power programme is an enormous challenge. however, it can be successful if appropriate and timely steps are taken in the months and years to come. the national nuclear framework will play a key role in managing and regulating the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in a consistent and rational manner. It is therefore crucial that the foundation for this framework is set accurately so that it provides a sound basis for activities related to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in Italy. (N.C.)

78 FR 15046 - Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey; Revised Schedule for the Subject Reviews

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-08

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation Nos. 701-TA-365-366 and 731-TA-734-735 (Third Review)] Certain Pasta From Italy and Turkey; Revised Schedule for the Subject Reviews AGENCY: United States... pasta from Italy and Turkey (78 FR 9937, February 12, 2013). The Commission is revising its schedule as...

The evolution of income inequality and relative poverty in Italy: 1987-2010

OpenAIRE

BIAGI FEDERICO; CASALONE Giorgia

2012-01-01

In this paper we study the evolution of poverty and inequality in Italy in the period 1987-2010. Our data are from the Bank of Italy Survey of Household Income and Wealth and the variable of interest is real income (reference year is 2009), defined using price indexes that are allowed to vary by region and that allow us to make comparisons in levels of real incomes. We construct relative poverty and inequality indexes using equivalent income obtained by applying two types of equivalence scale...

Preliminary report on arsenic and heavy metals contents in soils and stream bed sediments of Cornia, Bruna and Alma coastal plains (Southern Tuscany

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Dughetti F.

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The Department of Earth Sciences of University of Florence has conducted over the past ten years, numerous studies about the distribution of arsenic and heavy metals in mineralized areas of Tuscany, particularly in the Pecora basin. The area hosts several polymetallic ore bodies and a pyrite ore deposit. The studies have identified several geochemical anomalies (As, Cu, Pb, Zn… both in the areas which host the ore bodies and in the coastal plain (Scarlino Plain. To increase the knowledge concerning the distribution of As and heavy metals in other Tuscan coastal plains, research is under way in the alluvial plains of the Bruna, Cornia and Alma rivers. The preliminary analysis have focused on soils and stream sediments, to better understand the correlations between the downstream transport of rivers and the soils. We have made physic-chemical analysis, particle size analysis, mineralogical analysis for X-ray powder diffraction, chemical analysis for the determination of major element (X-ray Fluorescence and for the determination of 35 minor elements and traces (AAS and ICP.Preliminary data show high concentrations of several elements (As, Zn, Co…. The concentrations of these elements in soils and stream bed sediments are not always consistent; in particular we have found higher concentrations in soils than in stream bed sediments in Cornia Plain, while the opposite happens in the Bruna basin. Therefore the natural processes of rocks weathering does not seem to have affected uniformly. The distribution of As and heavy metals in soils and stream bed sediments of the all three basins of interest are still under investigation.

The Marsili Volcanic Seamount (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea: A Potential Offshore Geothermal Resource

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Francesco Italiano

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Italy has a strong geothermal potential for power generation, although, at present, the only two geothermal fields being exploited are Larderello-Travale/Radicondoli and Mt. Amiata in the Tyrrhenian pre-Apennine volcanic district of Southern Tuscany. A new target for geothermal exploration and exploitation in Italy is represented by the Southern Tyrrhenian submarine volcanic district, a geologically young basin (Upper Pliocene-Pleistocene characterised by tectonic extension where many seamounts have developed. Heat-flow data from that area show significant anomalies comparable to those of onshore geothermal fields. Fractured basaltic rocks facilitate seawater infiltration and circulation of hot water chemically altered by rock/water interactions, as shown by the widespread presence of hydrothermal deposits. The persistence of active hydrothermal activity is consistently shown by many different sources of evidence, including: heat-flow data, gravity and magnetic anomalies, widespread presence of hydrothermal-derived gases (CO2, CO, CH4, 3He/4He isotopic ratios, as well as broadband OBS/H seismological information, which demonstrates persistence of volcano-tectonic events and High Frequency Tremor (HFT. The Marsili and Tyrrhenian seamounts are thus an important—and likely long-lasting-renewable energy resource. This raises the possibility of future development of the world’s first offshore geothermal power plant.

The Italian forest sites of FunDivEUROPE: a new FP7 project on the functional significance of forest biodiversity in Europe

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Bussotti F

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The Italian forest sites of FunDivEUROPE: a new FP7 project on the functional significance of forest biodiversity in Europe. FunDivEUROPE is a new project aiming at a deeper understanding of the role of forest diversity on ecosystem functions and service provisioning for society. This project combines three scientific platforms: experimental, exploratory and inventory. The exploratory platform is based on the observation of a broad range of properties, traits and ecological processes on a network of ca. 240 natural forest sites representing a gradient of tree species diversity in six focal regions of Europe (Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland and Romania. The Italian sites are located on the hills of central and Southern Tuscany and represent the category “thermophilous deciduous forest”. Almost one year of fieldwork was needed to select and characterize 36 plots measuring 30 x 30 m. Selection was based on criteria concerning tree mixtures and richness, structural parameters and main environmental variables. The main features of these sites are synthetically presented in this paper together with a short description of the project structure and scope. The aim is also to enhance dissemination of the potential implications for a sustainable forest management in Italy.

76 FR 48130 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Preliminary Results of the 14th (2009) Countervailing Duty...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-08

... 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..., 1996, the Department published a countervailing duty order on certain pasta (``pasta'' or ``subject...

75 FR 18806 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Preliminary Results of the 13th (2008) Countervailing Duty...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-13

... 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..., 1996, the Department published a countervailing duty order on certain pasta (``pasta'' or ``subject...

Big Data Research in Italy: A Perspective

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Sonia Bergamaschi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to synthetically describe the research projects that a selection of Italian universities is undertaking in the context of big data. Far from being exhaustive, this article has the objective of offering a sample of distinct applications that address the issue of managing huge amounts of data in Italy, collected in relation to diverse domains.

76 FR 54207 - Stainless Steel Plate in Coils From Italy: Revocation of Antidumping Duty Order

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-31

... continuation or recurrence of material injury to an industry in the United States within a reasonably foreseeable time. See Stainless Steel Plate From Belgium, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan, 76 FR 50495..., Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act. See Initiation. On July 20...

Vatican beats Italy 1-0 in the tobacco endgame.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallus, Silvano; Cattaruzza, Maria Sofia; Gorini, Giuseppe; Faggiano, Fabrizio

2018-04-25

'The Holy See cannot be cooperating with a practice that is clearly harming the health of people'. This is the reason behind Pope Francis banning the sale of tobacco products inside the Vatican in January 2018. Just outside the Holy See, in Italy, cigarette sales produce around €13 billion of fiscal revenues every year. In Italy, proposals to increase tobacco taxation are systematically rejected and new tobacco company plants have been officially inaugurated in recent years by representatives of State. The national branch of the Red Cross also shows ambivalent attitudes towards the tobacco industry, from which it has accepted significant funding in disregard of the recommendations of the International Federation of Red Cross. Against this backdrop, it is wishful thinking to imagine that tobacco sales and consumption in Italy will be substantially reduced in the near future. To counteract this situation, more than 30 Italian scientific associations/organisations launched a Manifesto, so far ignored by public authorities, indicating a set of measures whose gradual implementation at country level may lead to a tobacco endgame within the next few decades. Authors of this article would like to express their support for Pope Francis' enlightened decision and plead with politicians worldwide to follow his example, thus acting more decisively against tobacco. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

[Primary care in Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Sagrado, T

Italy is not a country where Spanish doctors emigrate, as there is an over-supply of health care professionals. The Italian Servizio Sanitario Nazionale has some differences compared to the Spanish National Health System. The Servizio Sanitario Nazionale is financed by national and regional taxes and co-payments. There are taxes earmarked for health, and Primary Care receives 50% of the total funds. Italian citizens and residents in Italy have the right to free health cover. However, there are co-payments for laboratory and imaging tests, pharmaceuticals, specialist ambulatory services, and emergencies. Co-payments vary in the different regions. The provision of services is regional, and thus fragmentation and major inequities are the norm. Doctors in Primary Care are self-employed and from 2000 onwards, there are incentives to work in multidisciplinary teams. Salary is regulated by a national contract and it is the sum of per-capita payments and extra resources for specific activities. Responsibilities are similar to those of Spanish professionals. However, medical care is more personal. Relationships between Primary Care and specialised care depend on the doctors' relationships. Primary Care doctors are gatekeepers for specialised care, except for gynaecology, obstetrics and paediatrics. Specialised training is compulsory in order to work as general practitioner. The Italian Health Care System is a national health system like the Spanish one. However, health care professionals are self-employed, and there are co-payments. In spite of co-payments, Italians have one of the highest average life expectancy, and they support a universal and publicly funded health-care system. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

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

Gamasoidosis caused by the special lineage L1 of Dermanyssus gallinae (Acarina: Dermanyssidae): A case of heavy infestation in a public place in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pezzi, Marco; Leis, Marilena; Chicca, Milvia; Roy, Lise

2017-10-01

Among Gamasina (Acari: Mesostigmata) mites, some dermanyssoid species are known to cause gamasoidosis, a human dermatitis characterized by papulosquamous eruptions and urticarian lesions. We describe a case of mite infestation which occurred in public conference halls in Ferrara (Italy), affecting four people who attended the place and showed signs of gamasoidosis. The mites were collected and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy and mitochondrial DNA sequencing (Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I partial CDS). Based on morphological and molecular data, the species responsible for the infestation was identified as the special lineage L1 of the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer) (Acarina: Dermanissydae), a cryptic species known to be associated with pigeons. Rock doves, Columba livia Gmelin (Columbiformes: Columbidae) were roosting on the top of the public building, thus the mites probably gained access to the halls through small window openings. The present case report is the first one providing morpho-molecular identification of a D. gallinae cryptic species responsible of gamasoidosis in Italy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perinatal and infant mortality rates and place of birth in Italy, 1980.

Science.gov (United States)

Parazzini, F; La Vecchia, C

1988-06-01

In 1980, the ratio of home birth to public hospital perinatal and neonatal mortality rates decreased from Northern to Southern Italy, being inversely related to the proportion of home deliveries and probably reflecting the effect of planned versus unplanned home births. The post neonatal mortality rate in Southern Italy was about four times as high in children born at home (9.5/1,000 live births) than in those delivered in public hospitals (2.6/1,000 live births), probably reflecting differences in the socioeconomic status according to the birthplace selection in various regions.

Structure refinement of Ag-free heyrovskýite from Vulcano (Aeolian Islands, Italy)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pinto, Daniella; Balic Zunic, Tonci; Garavelli, Anna

2011-01-01

The first single-crystal structure refinement of Ag- and Cu-free heyrovskýite was performed in this study. Crystals investigated were sampled from the high-temperature fumaroles of La Fossa crater of Vulcano, Aeolian Islands, Italy. Electron microprobe analyses gave the average chemical formula (Pb...... with Fo > 4s(Fo). In Ag-free heyrovskýite from Vulcano, as well as in the synthetic Pb6Bi2S9, the trigonal prismatic coordinated position Me1, as well as the octahedrally coordinated position Me3 are occupied only by Pb. Me2, also octahedrally coordinated, is dominated by Pb, whereas the octahedra...... the ideal composition, Pb6Bi2S9. Selenium is preferentially ordered at the fivefold-coordinated anionic sites. Taking into account vacancies, as well as Se for S substitutions the structural formula of Ag-free heyrovskýite from Vulcano is Pb5.82Bi2.12¿0.06S8.70Se0.30. Comparison with the Ag...

76 FR 77204 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-12

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... pasta from Italy.\\1\\ Pursuant to requests from interested parties, the Department published in the.... & C. (``P.A.P.''), Premiato Pastificio Afeltra S.r.L. (``Afeltra''), Pasta Lensi S.r.l. (``Lensi...

78 FR 20091 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-03

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... request an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain pasta from Italy.\\1\\ Pursuant to....A. (Delverde), Industria Alimentare Colavita, S.p.A. (Indalco), Pasta Lensi S.r.L. (Lensi...

76 FR 71311 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-17

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... review of the antidumping duty order on certain pasta from Italy.\\1\\ Pursuant to requests from interested... antidumping duty administrative review with respect to Pastificio Attilio Mastromauro-Pasta Granoro S.r.L...

75 FR 6352 - Certain Pasta from Italy: Notice of Final Results of the Twelfth Administrative Review

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-09

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta from Italy... antidumping duty order on certain pasta from Italy. The review covers ten manufacturers/exporters: Domenico...), Pasta Lensi (Lensi), Pastificio Fratelli Pagani S.p.A. (Pagani), Pastificio Labor S.r.L. (Labor...

76 FR 64897 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-19

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... to request an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain pasta from Italy.\\1....P.''), Premiato Pastificio Afeltra S.r.L. (``Afeltra''), Pasta Lensi S.r.l. (``Lensi''), Pastaficio...

Non-susceptible landslide areas in Italy and in the Mediterranean region

Science.gov (United States)

Marchesini, I.; Ardizzone, F.; Alvioli, M.; Rossi, M.; Guzzetti, F.

2014-08-01

We used landslide information for 13 study areas in Italy and morphometric information obtained from the 3-arcseconds shuttle radar topography mission digital elevation model (SRTM DEM) to determine areas where landslide susceptibility is expected to be negligible in Italy and in the landmasses surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The morphometric information consisted of the local terrain slope which was computed in a square 3 × 3-cell moving window, and in the regional relative relief computed in a circular 15 × 15-cell moving window. We tested three different models to classify the "non-susceptible" landslide areas, including a linear model (LNR), a quantile linear model (QLR), and a quantile, non-linear model (QNL). We tested the performance of the three models using independent landslide information presented by the Italian Landslide Inventory (Inventario Fenomeni Franosi in Italia - IFFI). Best results were obtained using the QNL model. The corresponding zonation of non-susceptible landslide areas was intersected in a geographic information system (GIS) with geographical census data for Italy. The result determined that 57.5% of the population of Italy (in 2001) was located in areas where landslide susceptibility is expected to be negligible. We applied the QNL model to the landmasses surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, and we tested the synoptic non-susceptibility zonation using independent landslide information for three study areas in Spain. Results showed that the QNL model was capable of determining where landslide susceptibility is expected to be negligible in the validation areas in Spain. We expect our results to be applicable in similar study areas, facilitating the identification of non-susceptible landslide areas, at the synoptic scale.

The Financialization of Companies in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelo Salento

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an empirical and theoretical analysis of the financialization of companies and the diffusion of shareholder value maximization in Italy. Unlike the anglo-saxon contexts, financial accumulation and short-termism in Italy are not a consequence of institutional investors’ activism: Italian capitalism is still a holigarchic family capitalism, and few blockholders are in control of Italian large firms. Financialization of companies and the orientation to maximize shareholder value in Italy are rather the outcome of isomorphic processes, supported by institutional and legal transformations occurred since 1980s: reforms of finance, company and labour law, the privatization of state firms, the diffusion of finance-oriented accounting rules. The statutory reforms enabled the dominant coalitions within Italian capitalism to operate in a regulatory framework harmonized with a transnational context, largely assimilated to Anglo-Saxon norms, promoting a finance-oriented conception of control and managerial practices.En este trabajo se presenta un análisis empírico y teórico de la financiarización de las empresas y la difusión de la maximización del valor para los accionistas en Italia. A diferencia de los contextos anglosajones, la acumulación financiera y el cortoplacismo en Italia no son una consecuencia del activismo de los inversores institucionales: el capitalismo italiano es todavía un capitalismo familiar holigarchic, y pocos son blockholders en el control de las grandes empresas italianas. La financiarización de las empresas y la orientación para maximizar el valor para los accionistas en Italia son más bien el resultado de los procesos isomórficos, con el apoyo de las transformaciones institucionales y legales ocurrieron desde 1980: las reformas de las finanzas, empresa y derecho laboral, la privatización de empresas estatales, la difusión de finanzas- normas de contabilidad orientados. Las reformas estatutarias

The stratigraphic distribution of large marine vertebrates and shell beds in the Pliocene of Tuscany

Science.gov (United States)

Dominici, Stefano; Benvenuti, Marco; Danise, Silvia

2015-04-01

The record of 337 shark fossils, 142 cetaceans and 10 sea cows from the Pliocene of Tuscany, mostly from historical museum collections, is revised. The majority of these fossils are concentrated at a few geographic sites from separated hinterland basins, on the South-Western side of the Northern Apennines. To better understand the meaning of these concentrations, the sequence stratigraphic distribution of more recent findings of large marine vertebrates is reconstructed against a high-resolution framework based on sedimentary facies analysis. These remains are usually covered by, or included in mudstones deposited far from the coast (N=12), skeletons being usually articulated, slightly displaced, and often bioeroded. A minor part of better preserved articulated skeletons is associated with sandstones from deltaic paleonenvironments (N=2). Marine mammal and shark remains may be associated with laterally-continuous shell accumulations, a type of concentration occurring at maximum flooding surfaces, separating relatively coarse-grained facies from open marine mudstones. Shell beds were bulk-sampled at 66 locations from six basins, covering a wide range of sedimentary facies, and spanning a chronologic interval of about 2.5 million years. A dataset of 62,655 mollusc specimens belonging to 496 species formed the basis of a statistical study to reconstruct the structure of the benthic communities, and to estimate paleodepths from intertidal to upper bathyal settings. Mollusc associations closely mirror the distribution of sedimentary facies, allowing for a fine tuning of the sequence stratigraphic architecture. Merging paleogeographic, stratigraphic and paleoecologic data, we conclude that the more abundant and diverse accumulations of large vertebrates took place in settings under the influence of coastal upwelling. A modern analogue occurs today in the Ligurian Sea, on the Tuscan offshore, where abundant nutrients carried by deep-marine currents of Western origin

The Forest Energy Chain in Tuscany: Economic Feasibility and Environmental Effects of Two Types of Biomass District Heating Plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio Fagarazzi

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine two biomass district heating plants operating in Tuscany, with a specific focus on the ex-post evaluation of their economic and financial feasibility and of their environmental benefits. The former biomass district heating plant supplies only public users (Comunità Montana della Lunigiana, CML: administrative body that coordinates the municipalities located in mountain areas, the latter supplies both public and private users (Municipality of San Romano in Garfagnana. Ex-post investment analysis was performed to check both the consistency of results with the forecasts made in the stage of the project design and on the factors, which may have reduced or jeopardized the estimated economic performance of the investment (ex-ante assessment. The results of the study point out appreciable results only in the case of biomass district heating plants involving private users and fuelled by biomasses sourced from third parties. In this case, the factors that most influence ex-post results include the conditions of the woody biomass local market (market prices, the policies of energy selling prices to private users and the temporal dynamics of private users’ connection. To ensure the consistency of ex-post economic outcome with the expected results it is thus important to: (i have good knowledge of the woody local market; (ii define energy selling prices that should be cheap for private users but consistent with energy production costs and (iii constrain private users beforehand to prevent errors in the plant design and in the preliminary estimate of return on investment. Moreover, the results obtained during the monitoring activities could help in providing information on the effectiveness of the supporting measures adopted and also to orient future choices of policy makers and particularly designers, to identify the most efficient configuration of district heating organization for improving energy and

A PLIOSAURID TOOTH FROM THE ARGILLE VARICOLORI FORMATION NEAR CASTELVECCHIO DI PRIGNANO (MODENA PROVINCE, NORTHERN ITALY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CESARE A. PAPAZZONI

2003-11-01

Full Text Available The first discovery of a Cretaceous pliosaurid tooth in Italy is reported. It comes from the Cenomanian-lower Campanian Argille Varicolori Formation near Castelvecchio di Prignano (Modena Province, northern Italy. Excepting this new specimen, Italy's only reported pliosaurid is a humerus from the Upper Cretaceous of Zavattarello near Pavia. The tooth morphology allows it to be ascribed to Polyptychodon interruptus Owen, 1841, a species only reported thus far from northern-central Europe (England, Germany, and the Czech Republic. This suggests the presence of marine reptile remains in the northern Apennines may have been underestimated. 

[E-learning and occupational medicine: results of one experience in Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzoleni, M C; Rognoni, C; Finozzi, E; Giorgi, I; Raho, C; Pugliese, F; Pagani, M; Benzoni, I; Ferrari, M; Imbriani, M

2009-01-01

In Italy, there is at present a certain drive in order to make e-learning for Continuous Medical Education (CME) to take off, even though a normative framework for distance CME has not been completely defined yet. This paper describes the phases of course supply and usage of an e-learning system in the occupational medicine area in Italy. The system provides 10 courses for occupational physicians and one course for nurses, physiotherapists and occupational physiotherapists. During the span of time of 11 months, 2034 users have registered to the website and 1804 of them enrolled themselves into at least one course, for a total number of 5183 course enrolments, with a mean number of course enrolments per person of about 3, and 3710 courses were successfully concluded. This study points out on one hand a wide request for this kind of educational sessions, and on the other hand good results in terms of knowledge acquisition. Since the present experimental project was aimed at contributing to the definition of the normative framework for distance education for CME, it can be expected that e-learning for CME in Italy will get off the ground in the near future.

(Judicial mediation in Italy and Serbia: Comparative legal and economic analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mojašević Aleksandar S.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the author analyzes the (judicial mediation in Italy and Serbia from the legal and economic aspects. Given the fact that Serbia and Italy belong to the same legal system, that there are many similar problems in the regulation and implementation of mediation in practice, but also considering that Italy has gone a step further in the regulation of this legal institution primarily by introducing mandatory mediation, the aim of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of the concepts and institutional forms of mediation in the two countries and, consequently, to observe if there are any legal solutions that Serbia could possibly adopt from the Italian legal system. We assume that the Italian experience in the regulation and implementation of mediation, and its mandatory form in particular, could serve as a solid basis for finding certain legal solutions that could potentially contribute to improving the efficiency of this legal institution in our country. The main finding is that the institutionalizing of mandatory mediation in specific disputes, primarily in disputes on civil and commercial matters, would improve the efficiency of mediation in Serbia.

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.

A feasibility study for the provision of electronic healthcare tools and services in areas of Greece, Cyprus and Italy

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Through this paper, we present the initial steps for the creation of an integrated platform for the provision of a series of eHealth tools and services to both citizens and travelers in isolated areas of thesoutheast Mediterranean, and on board ships travelling across it. The platform was created through an INTERREG IIIB ARCHIMED project called INTERMED. Methods The support of primary healthcare, home care and the continuous education of physicians are the three major issues that the proposed platform is trying to facilitate. The proposed system is based on state-of-the-art telemedicine systems and is able to provide the following healthcare services: i) Telecollaboration and teleconsultation services between remotely located healthcare providers, ii) telemedicine services in emergencies, iii) home telecare services for "at risk" citizens such as the elderly and patients with chronic diseases, and iv) eLearning services for the continuous training through seminars of both healthcare personnel (physicians, nurses etc) and persons supporting "at risk" citizens. These systems support data transmission over simple phone lines, internet connections, integrated services digital network/digital subscriber lines, satellite links, mobile networks (GPRS/3G), and wireless local area networks. The data corresponds, among others, to voice, vital biosignals, still medical images, video, and data used by eLearning applications. The proposed platform comprises several systems, each supporting different services. These were integrated using a common data storage and exchange scheme in order to achieve system interoperability in terms of software, language and national characteristics. Results The platform has been installed and evaluated in different rural and urban sites in Greece, Cyprus and Italy. The evaluation was mainly related to technical issues and user satisfaction. The selected sites are, among others, rural health centers, ambulances, homes of "at

A feasibility study for the provision of electronic healthcare tools and services in areas of Greece, Cyprus and Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konnis Georgios

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Through this paper, we present the initial steps for the creation of an integrated platform for the provision of a series of eHealth tools and services to both citizens and travelers in isolated areas of thesoutheast Mediterranean, and on board ships travelling across it. The platform was created through an INTERREG IIIB ARCHIMED project called INTERMED. Methods The support of primary healthcare, home care and the continuous education of physicians are the three major issues that the proposed platform is trying to facilitate. The proposed system is based on state-of-the-art telemedicine systems and is able to provide the following healthcare services: i Telecollaboration and teleconsultation services between remotely located healthcare providers, ii telemedicine services in emergencies, iii home telecare services for "at risk" citizens such as the elderly and patients with chronic diseases, and iv eLearning services for the continuous training through seminars of both healthcare personnel (physicians, nurses etc and persons supporting "at risk" citizens. These systems support data transmission over simple phone lines, internet connections, integrated services digital network/digital subscriber lines, satellite links, mobile networks (GPRS/3G, and wireless local area networks. The data corresponds, among others, to voice, vital biosignals, still medical images, video, and data used by eLearning applications. The proposed platform comprises several systems, each supporting different services. These were integrated using a common data storage and exchange scheme in order to achieve system interoperability in terms of software, language and national characteristics. Results The platform has been installed and evaluated in different rural and urban sites in Greece, Cyprus and Italy. The evaluation was mainly related to technical issues and user satisfaction. The selected sites are, among others, rural health centers, ambulances

Research on inverse methods and optimization in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Larocca, Francesco

1991-01-01

The research activities in Italy on inverse design and optimization are reviewed. The review is focused on aerodynamic aspects in turbomachinery and wing section design. Inverse design of blade rows and ducts of turbomachinery in subsonic and transonic regime are illustrated by the Politecnico di Torino and turbomachinery industry (FIAT AVIO).

The Gender Wage Gap by Education in Italy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mussida, C.; Picchio, M.

2012-01-01

Abstract: This paper studies the gender wage gap by educational attainment in Italy using the 1994–2001 ECHP data. We estimate wage distributions in the presence of covariates and sample selection separately for highly and low educated men and women. Then, we decompose the gender wage gap across all

75 FR 49907 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Notice of Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-16

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-475-818] Certain Pasta From Italy... antidumping duty order on certain pasta (``pasta'') from Italy for the period of review (``POR'') July 1, 2008... Attilio Mastromauro--Pasta Granoro S.r.L. (``Granoro'') and Pastaficio Lucio Garofalo S.p.A. (``Garofalo...

New insights into the Middle Jurassic floras of Sardinia (Italy) : the Miccolis Collection at the Museo di Storia Naturale of Venice, Italy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scanu, Giovanni G.; Kustatscher, E.; Pittau, Paola; van Konijnenburg - van Cittert, J.H.A.

2016-01-01

The fossil plants of the Domenico Miccolis Collection, stored at the Museo di Storia Naturale of Venice (Italy), are from the Middle Jurassic Genna Selole Formation of central Sardinia. The assemblage contains 11 taxa: Marattia intermedia, Phlebopteris muensteri, P. braunii, Coniopteris sp. cf. C.

Can homogeneous harvest zones magnify the terroir effect of every vintage? The three year project VignaCRU in Chianti D.O.C.G. (Tuscany, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Priori, Simone; Bianconi, Nadia; Valboa, Giuseppe; Mocali, Stefano; Pellegrini, Sergio; Leprini, Marco; Perria, Rita; Storchi, Paolo; Ciambotti, Aldo; Dell'Oro, Valentina; Costantini, Edoardo A. C.

2015-04-01

Grape composition, which affects the wine sensory qualities, depends on vine features (rootstock, scion, vine health) and vineyard management as much as environmental factors. Mapping soil at the vineyard scale, in particular, helps in optimizing the terroir expression of the wine. The terroir effect however varies year by year, depending on the interaction of several factors, such as climate and soil. Aim of this research work was to set up a methodology to delineate homogeneous harvest zones (HZ) in the vineyard and to evaluate the vintage effect in them. Four terroir macro-units suitable for premium Sangiovese wine, which is the main cultivar of Chianti D.O.C.G., were selected within a wide farm of Chianti Classico district (Siena, Central Italy). The selected macro-units are representative of the most common and suitable viticultural environments of the Chianti Classico D.O.C.G. and include: 1) hills of high altitude (450-500 m a.s.l.) on feldspathic sandstones, with shallow sandy soils; 2) hills of high altitude (400-500 m a.s.l.) on calcareous flysches, with stony, clayey and calcareous soils; 3) hills of moderate altitude (250-350 m a.s.l.) on Pliocene sandy marine deposits; 4) hills and fluvial terraces of moderate altitude (200-300 m a.s.l., 50-100 m above the present river valley) on ancient fluvial deposits. Each terroir macro-unit was surveyed by soil proximal sensing, to define two homogeneous zones (HZs) in terms of soil physics and hydrology. The proximal sensors used to map the HZs were: i) γ-ray spectrometer, to map the variability of soil surface in terms of parent material, texture and stoniness; ii) electromagnetic induction sensor (EMI) to determine the spatial variability of texture and soil moisture in the sub-surface horizons. Thus, the soil moisture of each HZ was monitored during spring shoot growth (beginning of April), berries veraison (end of July-beginning of August) and final ripening phase before harvest (September). Three

Agricultural and oil commodities: price transmission and market integration between US and Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franco Rosa

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose of this article it to get some evidences of market interaction between United States and Italy using the time series analysis of spot prices spanning from January 1999 to May 2012 for crude oil and three ag-commodities: wheat, corn and soybean. These crops have been selected for their relevance in ag-commodity exchanges between US and Italy markets. The integration between US and Italy agricultural markets is hypothesized for the consistent volume of crop traded between these two countries while the price transmission is related to the leading price signals of the CBT (Chicago Board of Trade. The integration between oil and ag-commodity markets is suggested both by the large use of energy intensive inputs, (fertilizer, seed, machinery in production of these ag-commodities, and their use in biofuel production. The results suggest: a for US market the evidence of market integration between crude oil and US ag-commodities; b for Italy the integration with US ag-commodity markets and less evidence of integration with the oil market. These results are valuable information both for the agents and policy makers contributing to improve the information accuracy to predict the price movements used by marketing operators for their strategies and policy makers to set up policies to re-establish conditions of market efficiency and allocate these ag-commodities in alternative market channels.

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

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…

76 FR 27634 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Changed Circumstances Review and...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-12

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-475-819] Certain Pasta From Italy... and intent to revoke, in part, the countervailing duty (``CVD'') order on certain pasta from Italy.\\1\\ We are now revoking this order, in part, with regard to gluten-free pasta, as described in the...

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

Italy on the spotlight: Expo Milan 2015 and Italian Journal of Food Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Fantozzi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The year 2015 will certainly be remembered as the Year of the Universal Exposition (EXPO hosted in Milan, Italy, focusing on a hot theme in the current scenario: “Feeding the Planet, Energyfor Life”.This event has drawn a wide international attention towards Italy as a country with peculiar and valuable food traditions, thus strengthening its reputation as “gastronomic capital of theworld” rich in protected designation of origin products (PDOs and characterised by a longstanding food culture.

Eucoleus boehmi infection in red fox (Vulpes vulpes) from Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Veronesi, Fabrizia; Morganti, Giulia; di Cesare, Angela; Lepri, Elvio; Cassini, Rudi; Zanet, Stefania; Deni, Dario; Chiari, Mario; Ferroglio, Ezio

2014-12-15

In the last decade an increase of the number of red foxes in anthropized habitats across European countries, including Italy, has been observed. This pones implications in terms of disease transmission between wildlife and domestic animals; in fact, there are evidences of the role of foxes as reservoirs and amplifiers of a broad spectrum of parasites infecting pets. The present study evaluated the prevalence of Eucoleus boehmi, an emerging extra-intestinal nematodes of the Capillariinae subfamily, in red foxes. The nasal passages and sinuses of 179 red foxes culled from several areas of northern and central Italy were inspected and the mucosal surfaces were scrapped and examined for adult nematodes and eggs, microscopically and genetically identified. Overall 55 foxes (30.7%) were found to be infected with E. boehmi, i.e. 27 on inspection of the nasal passages and sinuses and 28 on mucosal flush and scraping. The occurrence of E. boehmi was significantly (p fox body condition (mean: 7.8 specimens). These results show that E. boehmi is highly prevalent in the red fox populations of certain areas of Italy. Epidemiological implications are discussed, with a special focus on the role that this wild canid may have in the increasing transmission of nasal eucoleosis to domestic dogs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thinking outside the box

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Springer, A.

2006-07-15

The paper explains why unconventional gas resources are becoming increasingly economically attractive. Political uncertainty, concern over long-term sources of supply, a more economically favourable extraction equation and uncertainly over replacing nuclear sources of power, make exploration companies such as Heritage Petroleum suddenly extremely interesting to investors and energy majors that are now becoming aware of what such pioneers are doing. Heritage and its joint venture (JV) partner European Gas Ltd are arguably the largest holders of coal bed and coal mine methane resources in Europe. The JV has exploration rights over three former coal fields in France: Bleue Lorraine in Alsace, Gaz de Gardanne and Gaz de St Etienne as well as a further four in Italy: Belforte covering the Volterra-Radicondoli Basin, Sienna covering the Casino Basin and Cinigiano, covering the Cana-Montalcini Basin, all in southern Tuscany and a fourth, Sulcia in south west Sardinia. 11 figs.

I materiali della collezione Altobello del Museo di Zoologia dell'Università di Bologna 1. Mammiferi

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Dino Scaravelli

1994-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Materials of Altobello collection in the Zoological Museum, University of Bologna 1. Mammals - Mammals of Altobello Collection of the Zoologica1 Museum, University of Bologna, are listed. 165 stuffed specimens of 26 species are now present, coming from Central Italy (years 1889 - 1929. Only a specimens of Sciurus vulgaris coming from Tuscany is not comprised in the "Catalogo manoscritto della fauna dell'Abruzzo e del Molise" of the Author. Riassunto Sono passati in rassegna i Mammiferi della Collezione Altobello presenti nel Museo di Zoologia dell'Università di Bologna. 165 esemplari naturalizzati appartenenti a 26 specie e provenienti dal centro Italia (anni 1889 - 1929 sono attualmente presenti. Solo un esemplare di Sciurus vulgaris proveniente dalla Toscana non fa parte del "Catalogo manoscritto della fauna dell'Abruzzo e del Molise" dell'Autore.

Hyperspectral remote sensing for light pollution monitoring

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P. Marcoionni

2006-06-01

Full Text Available industries. In this paper we introduce the results from a remote sensing campaign performed in September 2001 at night time. For the first time nocturnal light pollution was measured at high spatial and spectral resolution using two airborne hyperspectral sensors, namely the Multispectral Infrared and Visible Imaging Spectrometer (MIVIS and the Visible InfraRed Scanner (VIRS-200. These imagers, generally employed for day-time Earth remote sensing, were flown over the Tuscany coast (Italy on board of a Casa 212/200 airplane from an altitude of 1.5-2.0 km. We describe the experimental activities which preceded the remote sensing campaign, the optimization of sensor configuration, and the images as far acquired. The obtained results point out the novelty of the performed measurements and highlight the need to employ advanced remote sensing techniques as a spectroscopic tool for light pollution monitoring.

SYMPOSIUM IN ITALY: FISH PHYSIOLOGY, TOXICOLOGY, AND WATER QUALITY

Science.gov (United States)

Scientists from Europe, North America and South America convened in Capri, Italy, April 24-28, 2006 for the Ninth International Symposium on Fish Physiology, Toxicology, and Water Quality. The subject of the meeting was Eutrophication: The toxic effects of ammonia, nitrite and th...

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...)

Mammal endemism In Italy: A review

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Giovanni Amori

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Although there are various checklists of Italian mammals, there is not yet a synthesis of those mammals that are endemic to Italy. Therefore, we provide for the first time a detailed review on Italian mammal endemic species including endemic taxa deserving additional studies. This review is based on the most recent taxonomic revisions obtained using Scopus and Google Scholar databases. We also considered the age of endemic species. Some aspects of mammalian conservation are also provided and discussed.

Mass balance and life cycle assessment of the waste electrical and electronic equipment management system implemented in Lombardia Region (Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biganzoli, L.; Falbo, A.; Forte, F.; Grosso, M.; Rigamonti, L.

2015-01-01

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest growing waste streams in Europe, whose content of hazardous substances as well as of valuable materials makes the study of the different management options particularly interesting. The present study investigates the WEEE management system in Lombardia Region (Italy) in the year 2011 by applying the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. An extensive collection of primary data was carried out to describe the main outputs and the energy consumptions of the treatment plants. Afterwards, the benefits and burdens associated with the treatment and recovery of each of the five categories in which WEEE is classified according to the Italian legislation (heaters and refrigerators — R1, large household appliances — R2, TV and monitors — R3, small household appliances — R4 and lighting equipment — R5) were evaluated. The mass balance of the treatment and recovery system of each of the five WEEE categories showed that steel and glass are the predominant streams of materials arising from the treatment; a non-negligible amount of plastic is also recovered, together with small amounts of precious metals. The LCA of the regional WEEE management system showed that the benefits associated with materials and energy recovery balance the burdens of the treatment processes, with the sole exception of two impact categories (human toxicity-cancer effects and freshwater ecotoxicity). The WEEE categories whose treatment and recovery resulted more beneficial for the environment and the human health are R3 and R5. The contribution analysis showed that overall the main benefits are associated with the recovery of metals, as well as of plastic and glass. Some suggestions for improving the performance of the system are given, as well as an indication for a more-in-depth analysis for the toxicity categories and a proposal for a new characterisation method for WEEE. - Highlights: • The WEEE management system in

Mass balance and life cycle assessment of the waste electrical and electronic equipment management system implemented in Lombardia Region (Italy)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biganzoli, L., E-mail: laura.biganzoli@mail.polimi.it; Falbo, A.; Forte, F.; Grosso, M.; Rigamonti, L.

2015-08-15

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest growing waste streams in Europe, whose content of hazardous substances as well as of valuable materials makes the study of the different management options particularly interesting. The present study investigates the WEEE management system in Lombardia Region (Italy) in the year 2011 by applying the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. An extensive collection of primary data was carried out to describe the main outputs and the energy consumptions of the treatment plants. Afterwards, the benefits and burdens associated with the treatment and recovery of each of the five categories in which WEEE is classified according to the Italian legislation (heaters and refrigerators — R1, large household appliances — R2, TV and monitors — R3, small household appliances — R4 and lighting equipment — R5) were evaluated. The mass balance of the treatment and recovery system of each of the five WEEE categories showed that steel and glass are the predominant streams of materials arising from the treatment; a non-negligible amount of plastic is also recovered, together with small amounts of precious metals. The LCA of the regional WEEE management system showed that the benefits associated with materials and energy recovery balance the burdens of the treatment processes, with the sole exception of two impact categories (human toxicity-cancer effects and freshwater ecotoxicity). The WEEE categories whose treatment and recovery resulted more beneficial for the environment and the human health are R3 and R5. The contribution analysis showed that overall the main benefits are associated with the recovery of metals, as well as of plastic and glass. Some suggestions for improving the performance of the system are given, as well as an indication for a more-in-depth analysis for the toxicity categories and a proposal for a new characterisation method for WEEE. - Highlights: • The WEEE management system in

A Gum-Tree Exile: Randolph Bedford in Italy

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Lucy Jane Sussex

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Randolph Bedford (1868–1941 was an Australian journalist, politician and novelist, a lifelong socialist despite making a small fortune from mining. He was among the ‘brain drain’ of Australians at the turn of last century, who hoped to emulate Melba’s success in England. Many of his contemporaries, such as Henry Lawson, experienced disillusion and poverty, and returned home. Bedford differed in his versatility, and also his profound rejection of the British Empire. He could not sell his novels initially, nor his speculations to British investors, but was able to put his mining experience to use in Italy. There he became one of the first Australians to fall in love with the country. His attraction to Italy was partly aesthetic, its artistic glories, but also because it reinforced his sentimental Australian nationalism. He saw similarities in landscape, and also in climate. He wrote despatches back to the Bulletin called ‘Explorations in Civilization’, which became a book in 1916. The subtitle was ‘An Australian in Exile’, reversing the ‘Exiles We’, of the first settlers, with their nostalgia for Britain. In contrast, Bedford saw nothing good in London and the Empire. He disliked it upon first sight, and his irreverence and socialist sympathies had no place in the conservative British investment milieu. Bedford would sell two novels in Britain, via Henry Lawson (whom he helped in London and his literary agent J. B. Pinker. But he returned home, certain expatriate life was not for him, and devoted his energies to Australia. His real success was in Explorations in Civilization, superb travel-writing, perhaps his best work. It shows his love for his country being reinforced through the perceived similarities between it and Italy, a second homeland for him. He even paid its people his highest compliment: that they were his preferred settlers for Australia.

Human exposure to piroplasms in Central and Northern Italy

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Simona Gabrielli

2014-03-01

Full Text Available A serosurvey has been conducted in Northern and Central Italy to investigate the presence in humans of antibodies against zoonotic Babesia and Theileria species. The study focused on a total of 432 volunteers, of which 290 were persistently exposed to tick bites because of their jobs (forester employees, livestock keepers, veterinary practitioners, farmers and hunters and 142 resident in the same area less frequently exposed. An indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT for humans was used to detect antibodies to Babesia microti, IFAT tests for veterinary use were modified to detect reactivity to Babesia bovis, Babesia canis and Theileria equi. A laboratory-derived ELISA was employed to detect antibodies to Babesia divergens. Both reactive and 10 negative sera were analysed against plasmodial antigens to evaluate possible aspecificity. A high reactivity to piroplasm antigens was found, showing significant difference between the sera of the two groups of volunteers (24% vs 7.0%; p<0.001. No cross-reactivity was observed, while each professional group showed reactivity that would fit with the professional risk exposure. In particular, a high reactivity to B. microti and B. divergens antigens was observed in foresters and hunters (32% and 12%, respectively. This is the first report on the human seroreactivity to piroplasms in Italy; it also provides additional epidemiological information on these tick-borne zoonoses in Europe. Our findings suggest the possible occurrence of piroplasm infections in Italy and alert physicians to consider these otherwise neglected parasitic diseases when dealing with any febrile illness, especially in subjects exposed to tick bites.

[Report of Micipsella numidica (Seurat, 1917) in Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Cancrini, G; Poglayen, G; Vecchi, G

1988-01-01

The first record in Italy of Micipsella numidica (Seurat, 1917) is reported. The parasite was collected from the portal vein of two rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Morphological features of the worms (4 females, 3 males and microfilariae from uterus) are described and compared with those reported for African, European and Asiatic specimens found in hares.

Italy at CERN

CERN Multimedia

2011-01-01

Nineteen companies will present their latest technology at the industrial exhibition “Italy at CERN”. Italian industries will exhibit products and technologies related to the field of particle physics. The full event programme is available here.   Individual interviews will take place at either the companies’ exhibition stands or in the Main Building’s conference rooms. The firms will be in contact with relevant users and technicians, but anyone wishing to speak with a particular firm is welcome to visit the exhibition or to get in touch with organiser Karin Robert. Italian Industries will also be sponsoring a free concert in the Main Auditorium on Tuesday 11 October at 8:00 pm. The "Trio Poem" concert will feature music by Beethoven and A. Dvořák, with Alberto Torin on the piano, Enrico Carraro on the violin, and Davide Bernardi on the cello.

Cogeneration through small and medium sized gas turbines in Italy: Marketing survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianchi, A.; Schieppati, P.

1992-01-01

In Italy, the use of cogeneration systems by private industrial concerns has greatly increased in the early 90's. The successful technological development of highly efficient low and medium sized gas turbines and the successful application of cogenerated power to a number of industrial processes, favourable legislation and financial incentives on the part of the Italian Government, especially interested in promoting energy conservation and the use of natural gas as an alternative to petroleum, as well as, fast payback periods for such investments are amongst the major regions for the growing demand for this type of power system alternative in Italy

Proceedings of the 12. Joint Workshop on Electron Cyclotron Emission and Electron Cyclotron Heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giruzzi, Gerardo

2003-01-01

The 12. Joint Workshop on Electron Cyclotron Emission and Electron Cyclotron Heating was held in Aix-en-Provence (France) from 13 to 16 May 2002. The meeting was hosted by the Association Euratom-CEA sur la Fusion (CEA/Cadarache, France), with additional financial support from: - Region Provence-Alpes Cote d'Azur - The City of Aix-en-Provence - Communaute de l'Agglomeration du Pays d'Aix - Thales Electron Devices (France) - Alstom Magnets and Superconductors (France) - Spinner GmbH (Germany). The members of the local organizing committee were: G. Giruzzi, M. Lennholm, R. Magne and V. Poli, from CEA/Cadarache. The composition of the International Programme Committee was the following: M. Bornatici (Italy), A. Costley (ITER), E. de la Luna (Spain), G. Giruzzi (France), W. Kasparek (Germany), B. Lloyd (UK), J. Lohr (USA), K. Sakamoto (Japan). The subjects of the meeting were classified in four main topics: Electron Cyclotron Theory; Electron Cyclotron Emission; Electron Cyclotron Heating and Current Drive Experiments; Electron Cyclotron Technology. The results presented in these topics have been summarised in the closing session by E. Westerhof, A. Kraemer-Flecken, T. Goodman and G. Bosia, respectively. The workshop was attended by 85 participants from 18 countries, providing 10 invited talks, 30 oral presentations and 50 posters. The success of the workshop is mainly due to the amount and quality of their work and of their presentations. The generosity of the sponsors, the selection and advice work of the International Programme Committee, as well as the contribution of the chairmen and of the summary speakers should also be warmly acknowledged. The papers in this collection have been reproduced directly from the authors' manuscripts, provided either as camera-ready texts or as pdf files. The constraints on the papers lengths and formats have been kept to a minimum, on purpose. This series of workshops has now reached a good level of maturity, with well established

76 FR 6604 - Certain Pasta From Italy: Extension of Time Limit for the Preliminary Results of the...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-07

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-475-819] Certain Pasta From Italy: Extension of Time Limit for the Preliminary Results of the Countervailing Duty Administrative Review AGENCY... initiation of administrative review of the countervailing duty order on certain pasta from Italy, covering...

First case report of invasive pseudoterranoviasis in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavallero, Serena; Scribano, Daniela; D'Amelio, Stefano

2016-10-01

Members of the genera Anisakis and Pseudoterranova are the main causative agents of human anisakidosis: the disease is worldwide distributed, with major impact in countries with a large consumption of raw fish. Because of unspecific symptoms and limited diagnostic tools, incidence and burden of disease are probably underestimated. In Italy, all human infestations where the etiological agent has been properly identified, have been associated to the parasitic species Anisakis pegreffii, the most frequent anisakid in the Mediterranean area. Here, an invasive human case of pseudoterranoviasis is described for the first time in Italy: in 2015, a woman was found infected during a colonoscopy scheduled after the occurrence of nonspecific clinical symptoms. The nematode was found penetrating the ascending colon. The identification was performed by sequencing the mitochondrial region cox2 and by comparison to GenBank retrieved material using the BLAST search tool. The sample showed a 99% identity with Pseudoterranova decipiens sensu stricto. The record underlines the potential risk due to the consumption of raw or undercooked imported fishes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy affordability and the benefits system in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miniaci, Raffaele; Scarpa, Carlo; Valbonesi, Paola

2014-01-01

In this paper, we discuss a number of ways to define and measure the affordability of energy consumption, and we examine the emergence of energy poverty in Italy in the period from 1998 to 2011. The paper examines the eligibility criteria for claiming the benefits available to support energy consumption for vulnerable families and it identifies the potential beneficiaries. The study assesses the appropriateness of the eligibility criteria by comparing the population targeted by the policy with the population actually facing affordability problems. A simulation exercise, using the hypothetical scenario most likely to result in energy benefits being made available, shows that, regardless of the affordability index adopted, the provision of state energy benefits has little impact on fuel poverty. - Highlights: • The paper provides a discussion of alternative measure of energy affordability. • We examine the emergence of fuel poverty in Italy from 1998 to 2011. • We assess the appropriateness of the Italian energy benefits eligibility criteria. • A simulation shows that the energy benefits have little impact on fuel poverty

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

Ground-penetrating radar has been increasingly played an important role over the last 15 years in Italy due to its high reliability in assisting the assessment of the built environment for civil engineering purposes, and in being used for geophysical investigations within many other fields of application. In line with this, original works involving fundamental aspects of this technique and implementing its use more practically in a number of interesting projects have been developed over years, both under a research and an enterprise point of view. This paper will endeavour to review the current status of ground-penetrating radar activities in Italy. Efforts have been devoted to single out the most interesting national research projects, both recent and ongoing, involving ground-penetrating radar in Italy, such as the ARCHEO project in the 90s, funded by the Italian Ministry for Universities, wherein a stepped frequency ultra-wide band radar suited for archaeological surveys was manufactured. In this framework, it is worth citing another important and more recent project, European Community funded, namely, ORFEUS, which started in the late 2006 with the overall aim of providing the capability to locate buried infrastructure accurately and reliably by means of a bore-head ground-penetrating radar for horizontal directional drilling. A review on the main use of this non-destructive technique in management activities of national resources and infrastructures has been also performed, ranging from the applications made by Anas S.p.A., i.e., the main management authority for the Italian road and motorway network, up to private enterprises specialized in both services providing and ground-penetrating radar manufacturing such as, to cite a few, Sineco S.p.A. and IDS Ingegneria dei Sistemi S.p.A., respectively. Current national guidelines, rules or protocols to be followed during radar surveys have been also reviewed. Unlike well-established international standards such as

Ano-rectal lymphogranuloma venereum: the first case in Italy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cusini, M.; Boneschi, V.; Tanzi, C.; Girgenti, V.; de Vries, H. [=Henry J. C.; Alessi, E.

2008-01-01

Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a sexually transmitted infection endemic in Central Africa, South-East Asia and in some countries of Central and South America. In Italy LGV has been sporadically reported in patients coming from abroad. The etiological agent of LGV is Chlamydia trachomatis serovars

The Evolution of the Direct Marketing Industry in Italy

OpenAIRE

M.C. OSTILLIO; G. TROILO

1996-01-01

The paper reports the evolution of the direct marketing (DM) industry and activties in Italy, by comparing Italian data with data from other large international markets. The comparison regards motivations behind investments in DM, the type of investment, the services offered by DM agencies.

Characterisation of Neofusicoccum species causing mango dieback in Italy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ismail, A.; Cirvilleri, G.; Lombard, L.; Crous, P.W.; Groenewald, J.Z.; Polizzi, G.

2013-01-01

Species of Botryosphaeriaceae are important fungal pathogens of mango worldwide. A survey of 11 mango orchards located in the provinces of Catania, Messina, Palermo and Ragusa (Sicily, southern Italy), resulted in the isolation of a large number (76) of Neofusicoccum isolates associated with decline

Changing Dietary Habits of Alberta Nutrition Students Enrolled in a Travel Study Program in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Strawson, Cynthia; Bell, Rhonda C; Farmer, Anna; Downs, Shauna M; Olstad, Dana L; Willows, Noreen D

2015-06-01

This study describes dietary changes among university students who completed a travel study program. Seventeen undergraduate nutrition students travelled from Edmonton to Italy for 6 weeks to take 2 courses on the Mediterranean diet. In both locations students completed a 24-h dietary recall and a Food Frequency Questionnaire to assess their Mediterranean Diet Quality Index Score (MDQIS). A MDQIS of 48 indicates perfect adherence to eating patterns of the Traditional Healthy Mediterranean Diet Pyramid (THMDP). While in Italy students altered their diets in positive ways (increased consumption of fish and seafood (P = 0.002), wine (P Students had a significant increase in the percentage of energy from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids and alcohol. The MDQIS was low in Edmonton (21.9 ± 3.7) and Italy (22.9 ± 3.9). The overall dietary pattern of students did not adhere to the THMDP. Education about the THMDP and living in Italy for 6 weeks was insufficient to change students' dietary patterns to one characterized as traditional Mediterranean. The findings highlight the challenges of implementing dietary changes even with nutrition education and increased food access.

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

Age-specific mortality trends in France and Italy since 1900: period and cohort effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Caselli, G; Vallin, J; Vaupel, J W; Yashin, A

1987-11-01

The age/sex-specific mortality trends of France and Italy were studied over the 1899-1979 period in as much detail as possible in an effort to distinguish between cohort effects and those related to period changes. Complete series of mortality data by individual years of age and calendar years were available from 1869 to 1979 for Italy and from 1899 to 1982 for France. For both countries, these data include the military and civil deaths not registered in vital statistics during the war periods. They cover each national territory as defined by its present boundaries. The graphical representation method of mortality surfaces, elaborated by Vaupel, Gambill, and Yashin (1985), was adopted. The age/sex-specific mortality patterns of France and Italy have not followed the same trends, and the differences observed today are not those of 100 years ago. The mean death probabilities for the 1975-79 period were used to illustrate the age-specific patterns of mortality. Although infant mortality was higher in Italy than in France, the death probabilities at ages 1-15 for both sexes were roughly the same for both countries. At ages 15-23, they were much higher in France than in Italy, and they remained considerably higher in France up to age 55. From then on, the sexes differ: for males, the 2 countries showed similar patterns, whereas for females the probabilities were noticeably higher for France. The situation was very different for both countries at the beginning of the century. For both sexes, higher mortality was observed in Italy not only during infancy but throughout childhood and the adolescent years up to age 15. The 2 countries showed similar patterns from 15-25. Above age 25, the 2 countries had similar patterns for females, whereas male mortality was higher in France right up to the old age groups. Such differences in the age-specific mortality trends depend in part on a different development of health and social conditions but also may be due to factors concerning

[Perceived discrimination at work for being an immigrant: a study on self-perceived mental health status among immigrants in Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Di Napoli, Anteo; Gatta, Rosaria; Rossi, Alessandra; Perez, Monica; Costanzo, Gianfranco; Mirisola, Concetta; Petrelli, Alessio

2017-01-01

exposure to discrimination is widely understood as a social determinant of psychophysical health and a contributing factor to health inequities among social groups. Few studies exist, particularly in Italy, about the effects of discrimination among immigrants at workplace. to analyse the association between perceived discrimination at work for being an immigrant and mental health status among immigrants in Italy. a sub-sample of 12,408 immigrants residing in Italy was analysed. data came from the survey "Social conditions and integration of foreign citizens in Italy", carried out in 2011-2012 by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat). Self-perceived mental health status was measured through mental component summary (MCS) of SF-12 questionnaire, assuming as worse health status MCS score distribution ≤1st quartile. In order to evaluate the probability of poor health status, a multivariate log-binomial model was performed assuming: discrimination at work for being an immigrant as determinant variable; age, gender, educational level, employment status, area of origin, residence in Italy, length of stay in Italy, self-perceived loneliness and satisfaction about life as potential confounding variables. among immigrants, 15.8% referred discrimination at his/her workplace in Italy for being an immigrant. Higher probability of poor mental health status was observed for immigrants who referred discrimination at workplace (Prevalence Rate Ratio - PRR: 1.16) who arrived in Italy since at least 5 years (PRR: 1.14), for not employed subjects (PRR: 1.31), and for people from the Americas (PRR: 1.14). Lower probability of poor mental health status was found in immigrants from Western- Central Asia (PRR: 0.83) and Eastern-Pacific Asia (PRR: 0.79). Compared to immigrants residing in North-Eastern Italy, higher probability of worse mental health status was observed in people who resided in Northern-Western (PRR: 1.30), Central (PRR: 1.26), and Southern (PRR: 1