Spatializing Urban Forests as Nature-based Solutions: a methodological proposal

The Fifth Session of the UNEA-5 defines Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as “actions to protect, conserve, restore, sustainably use and manage natural or modified terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems, which address social, economic and environmental challenges effectively and adaptively, while simultaneously providing human well-being, ecosystem services and resilience and biodiversity benefits”. A large number of the EU HORIZON 2020 research program projects include the implementation of NbS in urban settings. The proGIreg project implemented several NbS for urban regeneration with and for citizens in its Living Lab in the city of Turin (Italy), among others. Focusing on the NbS of urban forestry, this paper addresses the following question: where can NbS be implemented within the city, in order to maximize their social impact? To achieve this goal, by identifying neighborhoods in need of NbS implementation, the 3–30-300 rule proposed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was adopted and implemented, taking greater account of environmental and social characteristics. The paper also proposes an index to identify neighborhoods of the city that could have precedence in the implementation of NbS. The results highlight 10 neighborhoods where there is a high need of NbS implementation

Aggregation-Induced Emission of Tetraphenylethylene in Styrene-Based Polymers

In the present work, the preparation of different styrene-based polymer films containing small amounts of TPE and the evaluation of their photoluminescent behaviour is reported. When TPE is dispersed in a poor solvent or in a glassy PS matrix, the arrested intramolecular rotations of its aryls favour the strong emission of light centred at about 455-460 nm. Conversely, TPE fluorescence significantly weakens to a faint signal when good solvents or viscous but not glassy polymer matrices are used. Near-field optical microscopy correlates the fluorescence behaviour with the different matrix morphologies. These results should be able to be used for developing a new tool for polymer traceability

Thermochromic polyethylene films doped with perylene chromophores: experimental evidence and methods for characterization of their phase behaviour

We report on a thermochromic system suitable for sensing temperature changes in the 30-70 degrees C regime based on linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) films doped with N,N'-bis-(1'-phenylethyl)-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxydiimide (PE-Pery), a fluorescent aggregachromic dye. At low PE-Pery concentration (0.01-0.02 wt%), the dye monomers were well dispersed in the polymer matrix showing their maximum fluorescence intensity at 525 nm. As the dye content was increased, monomers emission quenched whereas dye aggregates prevailed above 0.05 wt% as well as their red fluorescence band at 620-680 nm. Upon heating from 30 to 70 degrees C, all films displayed a thermochromic response, more evident for the less concentrated samples (<0.05 wt%) in which the emission of the dye as a monomer continuously increased with increasing temperature. This phenomenon promoted effective color changes from a dull red-violet at 30 degrees C to a bright yellow-green at 70 degrees C. Combined DSC and variable-temperature Solid State NMR (SSNMR) measurements addressed the thermochromic behavior to the increased amount of the available amorphous phase and to the increased mobility of both the interphase and amorphous components with temperature, which favored PE-Pery dispersion and diffusion, thus recovering their fluorescence. Overall, the present results support the use of PE-Pery-enriched LLDPE films as a chromogenic material suitable for the detection of temperature changes close to the physiological regime

Characterization of Salmonella Occurring at High Prevalence in a Population of the Land Iguana Conolophus subcristatus in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

The aim of the study was to elucidate the association between the zoonotic pathogen Salmonella and a population of land iguana, Colonophus subcristatus, endemic to Galápagos Islands in Ecuador. We assessed the presence of Salmonella subspecies and serovars and estimated the prevalence of the pathogen in that population. Additionally, we investigated the genetic relatedness among isolates and serovars utilising pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) on XbaI-digested DNA and determined the antimicrobial susceptibility to a panel of antimicrobials. The study was carried out by sampling cloacal swabs from animals (n = 63) in their natural environment on in the island of Santa Cruz. A high prevalence (62/63, 98.4%) was observed with heterogeneity of Salmonella subspecies and serovars, all known to be associated with reptiles and with reptile-associated salomonellosis in humans. Serotyping revealed 14 different serovars among four Salmonella enterica subspecies: S. enterica subsp. enterica (n = 48), S. enterica subsp. salamae (n = 2), S. enterica subsp. diarizonae (n = 1), and S. enterica subsp. houtenae (n = 7). Four serovars were predominant: S. Poona (n = 18), S. Pomona (n = 10), S. Abaetetuba (n = 8), and S. Newport (n = 5). The S. Poona isolates revealed nine unique XbaI PFGE patterns, with 15 isolates showing a similarity of 70%. Nine S. Pomona isolates had a similarity of 84%. One main cluster with seven (88%) indistinguishable isolates of S. Abaetetuba was observed. All the Salmonella isolates were pan-susceptible to antimicrobials representative of the most relevant therapeutic classes. The high prevalence and absence of clinical signs suggest a natural interaction of the different Salmonella serovars with the host species. The interaction may have been established before any possible exposure of the iguanas and the biocenosis to direct or indirect environmental factors influenced by the use of antimicrobials in agriculture, in human medicine or in veterinary medicine

Drone-based early detection of bark beetle infested spruce trees differs in endemic and epidemic populations

IntroductionEuropean forests face increasing threats due to climate change-induced stressors, which create the perfect conditions for bark beetle outbreaks. The most important spruce forest pest in Europe is the European Spruce Bark Beetle (Ips typographus L.). Effective management of I. typographus outbreaks necessitates the timely detection of recently attacked spruce trees, which is challenging given the difficulty in spotting symptoms on infested tree crowns. Bark beetle population density is one of many factors that can affect infestation rate and symptoms development. This study compares the appearance of early symptoms in endemic and epidemic bark beetle populations using highresolution Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) multispectral imagery.MethodsIn spring of 2022, host colonization by bark beetles was induced on groups of spruce trees growing in 10 sites in the Southern Alps, characterized by different population density (5 epidemic and 5 endemic). A multispectral sensor mounted on a drone captured images once every 2 weeks, from May to August 2022. The analyses of a set of vegetational indices allowed the actual infested trees’ reflectance features and symptoms appearance to be observed at each site, comparing them with those of unattacked trees.ResultsResults show that high bark beetles population density triggers a more rapid and intense response regarding the emergence of symptoms. Infested trees were detected at least 1 month before symptoms became evident to the human eye (red phase) in epidemic sites, while this was not possible in endemic sites. Key performing vegetation indices included NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), SAVI (Soil Adjust Vegetation Index, with a correction factor of 0.44), and NDRE (Normalized Difference Red Edge index).DiscussionThis early-detection approach could allow automatic diagnosis of bark beetles’ infestations and provide useful guidance for the management of areas suffering pest outbreaks

Have There Been any Changes in the Epidemiology and Etiology of Maxillofacial Trauma During the COVID-19 Pandemic? An Italian Multicenter Study

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had a significant impact on people's behavior. The aim of this study has been to evaluate how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has impacted the incidence and the features of maxillofacial fractures presented at 6 Italian tertiary centers. Clinical records of all the patients diagnosed for facial fractures between February 23 and May 23, 2019 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Any differences in patient number and characteristics and fracture etiology and site between the 2 groups were then statistically analyzed.There has been a 69.1% decrease in the number of incoming patients during the pandemic. The number of foreign patients has decreased significantly (23.3% versus 9.6%, P\u200a=\u200a0.011) while the average age has increased (38.6 versus 45.6 years old, P\u200a=\u200a0.01). Specific statistical significant differences for accidental falls (31.8% versus 50.1%, P\u200a=\u200a0.005) and sports injuries (16.9% versus 1.4%, P\u200a<\u200a0.001) were found. Concerning fracture sites, significant differences have been found in relation to nasal (22.5% versus 11.4%, P\u200a=\u200a0.009) and frontal sinus (0.9% versus 4.4%, P\u200a=\u200a0.037) fractures. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has significantly changed the epidemiology and the etiology of facial traumas