Teaching and learning Landscape Ecology to Landscape Architects in Italy : toward protective, adaptative, redundant landscape design

Some words are more and more used by different disciplines to focus on contemporary challenges, for exampe \u201csustainability\u201d and \u201cresilience\u201d, becoming trendy slogans, but the real understanding of these concepts in Landscape Ecology is necessary to avoid their loss of significance, and to add effectiveness to ecological based projects and actions. The collaborative partnership between Landscape Ecology and Landscape Architecture is a fundamental opportunity. Landscape Ecology is a necessary topic for landscape architects' education and its application becomes a tool for landscape projects. A good landscape architect can play a significative role in the promotion of people's appreciation of landscape in terms of resources (cfr. Almo Farina " theory of resources"). Starting from the experience, of more than 30 years, by the Genoese Landscape Architecture School, from the theoric teaching by Almo Farina and Vittorio Ingegnoli (see Ecofield theory, spatial configuration of functional elements , shifting mosaic, BTC measurement, Landscape Bionomics), to the applicative courses and experimental design of landscapes at different dimensions, the discipline of Landscape Ecology is a clear guide to the understanding of landscape configuration, and of its critical actual aspects. In the actual main Italian Schools of Landscape Architecture (Genoa/Turin/Milan, Florence, Rome, Milan) a fundamental role is given to Landscape Ecology education. Particularly in the Genoa/Turin/Milan Master Degree in Landscape Architecture, the experimental applicative approach to design by Landscape Ecology (in the brilliant courses of Applied Landscape Ecology by Gioia Gibelli and Luigino Pirola, with the help of Applied Botany), gives necessary tools to face the challenges of contemporary society, with particular reference to resources and needs, such as water, food production, ecosystemic services, socio-ecological relations, safetiness of everyday landscapes

The Role of Atropine in Preventing Myopia Progression: An Update

Several approaches have been investigated for preventing myopia progression in children and teenagers. Among them, topical atropine has shown promising results and it is being adopted in clinical practice more and more frequently. However, the optimal formulation and treatment al-gorithm are still to be determined. We discuss the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, clinical, and tolerability profile revealed first by the multicenter, randomized ATOM 1 and 2 trials and, more recently, by the LAMP Study. Results from these trials confirmed the efficacy of low-concentration atropine with a concentration-dependent response. Although atropine at 0.025% and 0.05% concentrations has shown the most encouraging results in large-scale studies, these formulations are not yet commonplace in worldwide clinical practice. Moreover, their rebound effect and the possibility of reaching a stabilization effect have not been fully investigated with real-life studies. Thus, further larger-scale studies should better characterize the clinical efficacy of atropine over longer follow-up periods, in order to define the optimal dosage and treatment regimen

Choroidal thickness changes measured by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography in third trimester pregnant women

The aim of this article is to underline the effect of pregnancy on the variations of choroidal thickness caused by hormonal and haemodynamic changes

Ocular biometric parameters changes and choroidal vascular abnormalities in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 evaluated by OCT-A

Purpose: To analyze ocular biometric parameters alterations of the posterior pole and choroidal abnormalities in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) by adopting multimodal imaging, especially focusing on the role of novel diagnostic devices like swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). Methods: In this prospective, case-controlled study, patients with NF1 and age-matched control subjects were quantitatively analyzed by using multimodal imaging. All the subjects underwent confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), SS-OCT and SS-OCTA examinations. Results: SS-OCT analysis revealed a lower macular retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in patients with NF1 compared with those with suspected NF1 (95.0±15.9 vs 109.7±11.3 ìm; P = 0.001) and control subjects (106.8±14.4 ìm, P = 0.003). Retinal thickness was significantly lower in NF1 patients compared to those with suspected NF1 (280.7±23.0 vs 304.2 ±15.3 ìm; P < 0.001) and control subjects (298.7±23.8 ìm, P = 0.003). The mean vascular flow area of the SCP was significantly higher in patients with NF1 (42.6±2.2%) and suspected NF1 (43.1±2.5%) compared to control subjects (41.0±2.0%; respectively, P = 0.017 and P = 0.002). In the second choroidal layer, the flow area was significantly lower in patients with NF1 compared to control subjects (45.4±4.8 vs 49.0±4.0%, ; P = 0.011). Conclusions: Retinal thicknesses alterations and choroidal nodules are described as ocular manifestations in patients with NF1. In addition, OCTA could represent an important novel advanced imaging technique, capable of detecting early altered retinal and choroidal vascular flow area in patients with NF1

Therapeutic Effects of Lactoferrin in Ocular Diseases: From Dry Eye Disease to Infections

Lactoferrin is a naturally occurring iron-binding glycoprotein, produced and secreted by mucosal epithelial cells and neutrophils in various mammalian species, including humans. It is typically found in fluids like saliva, milk and tears, where it reaches the maximum concentration. Thanks to its unique anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, topical application of lactoferrin plays a crucial role in the maintenance of a healthy ocular surface system. The present review aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the clinical applications of lactoferrin in ocular diseases. Besides the well-known antibacterial effect, novel interest has been rising towards its potential application in the field of dry eye and viral infections. A growing body of evidence supports the antimicrobial efficacy of lactoferrin, which is not limited to its iron-chelating properties but also depends on its capability to directly interact with pathogen particles while playing immunomodulatory effects. Nowadays, lactoferrin antiviral activity is of special interest, since lactoferrin-based eye drops could be adopted to treat/prevent the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, which has conjunctivitis among its possible clinical manifestations. In the future, further data from randomized controlled studies are desirable to confirm the efficacy of lactoferrin in the wide range of ocular conditions where it can be used

La Riserva Naturale Orientata “Laghetti di Marinello” (Messina) : strategie di conservazione attiva per la salvaguardia e la fruizione del paesaggio costiero

La Riserva Naturale Orientata \u201cLaghetti di Marinello\u201d \ue8 una porzione ridotta di territorio che presenta molte delle caratteristiche del paesaggio siciliano, dove sono evidenti sovrapposizioni storiche di fenomeni appartenenti ad epoche diverse. La mutevolezza di questo paesaggio, for- se la sua caratteristica pi\uf9 a ascinante, \ue8 strettamente legata alle azioni antropiche che lo han- no generato. Ad oggi, anche la responsabilit\ue0 del suo progressivo degrado \ue8 di origine antropica e, senza adeguati interventi, lo sar\ue0 anche della sua scomparsa, con conseguente perdita di bio- diversit\ue0, fattore che ha contribuito al riconoscimento dell\u2019area come Riserva Naturale Orienta- ta. Questo lavoro procede su due livelli di analisi e di progetto. In una prima fase, sono state indi- viduate le potenzialit\ue0 e le criticit\ue0 per sviluppare un progetto di massima di promozione e valo- rizzazione territoriale a scala vasta. Il livello successivo riguarda interventi di conservazione at- tiva, mirati alla salvaguardia ed al miglioramento della fruizione della laguna e del promontorio che la sovrasta.The \u201cLaghetti di Marinello\u201d Nature Reserve is a small portion of territory that reveals many of the most peculiar features of Sicilian landscape. The ckleness of this place is strictly connected to human actions, that gave birth to this area and might probably lead it soon to an end. This work is focused on two di erent levels of analysis and planning. Firstly, a territorial enhancement plan was developed on a broad scale. Secondly, a more detailed project was created, featuring inter- ventions of active conservation, to improve and protect the lagoon environment and the prom- ontory above

Motor skills in children affected by strabismus

Objectives: To compare motor skills in patients with infantile strabismus and age and sex-matched control subjects aged 5–11 years. Methods: Motor performances were assessed by the Italian version of Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ) in children with infantile strabismus and age and sex-matched control subjects. Patients affected by specific neurological, cognitive and behavioural disorders were excluded from the study. Results: There were 43 patients included in the study, 23 in the strabismus group (14 males, 9 females, mean age 7.5 ± 2.0 years) and 24 in the control group (14 males and 10 females, mean age 7.2 ± 1.7 years. The overall DCDQ score was significantly lower in children with strabismus compared with control subjects (58.7 ± 11.3 vs. 74.2 ± 1.5; P < 0.001). Children with strabismus and no stereopsis showed a lower DCDQ score compared with those with normal stereopsis (50.8 ± 9.5 vs. 67.3 ± 4.8; P < 0.001). Conclusion: Motor skills are reduced in children with strabismus compared with control subjects. Strabismus and lack of binocular vision are factors potentially contributing to developmental coordination disorder

Volatile fingerprint of Italian populations of Orchids using solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

The volatile fraction of Ophrys sphegodes Mill. subsp. sphegodes, Ophrys bertolonii subsp. benacensis (Reisigl) O. Danesch, E. Danasch & Ehrend. and Neotinea tridentata (Scop.) R.M. Bateman, Pridgeon & M.W. Case, three orchid species with different pollinator attraction strategies, sampled in vivo and in situ, were evaluated by headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry. The results were compared with the volatile compounds emitted by flowering plant samples picked from the same populations of orchid species. Hydrocarbons, aldehydes, alcohols and terpenes were the major constituents of \u201cin vivo\u201d orchid scents and some distinctive differences in volatile metabolite composition were observed between Ophrys and Neotinea species. Moreover, the odour bouquets of the picked flowering plant samples were different from the in vivo ones and in particular different proportions of the various terpenes and an increase of \u3b1-pinene were observed. In conclusion HS/SPME GCMS proved to be a suitable technique for analyzing and distinguishing the volatile fingerprint of different orchid species, sampled in vivo and in situ in a non-disruptive way, with potentially great advantages for ecophysiological studies of rare and endangered species