Strange loves: a remarkable case of aberrant copulation in beetles (Coleoptera: Meloidae, Chrysomelidae)

A case of copulation between two mimic and repellent beetle species (a male of Timarcha fracassii, and a female of Meloe autumnalis), belonging to distinct families (Chrysomelidae, Meloidae), is recorded

Rural–urban gradient and land use in a millenary metropolis: how urbanization affects avian functional groups and the role of old villas in bird assemblage patterning

Abstract. Urbanization generally leads to a complex environmental gradient, ranging from almost undisturbed natural areas to highly modified urban landscapes. Here we analyse the effects of a rural–urban gradient on breeding bird communities and functional species groups in remnant natural and semi-natural areas of Rome. A total of 69 breeding bird species were found in the study area. Species richness decreased with increasing urbanization at two spatial scales: the point count station and the landscape scales. Evenness showed a negative trend from periphery to city centre, whereas for dominant species the opposite was true. Functional species groups responded to the urbanization gradient with functional group-specific patterns. Those groups linked to open habitats (nesting and habitat functional groups) decreased in abundance along the rural–urban gradient, whereas those associated with forests exhibited a mixed trend. Generalist species' occurrence increased with urbanization. As for predators and granivorous species, we found a negative relationship with urbanization whereas for omnivorous species the opposite trend was true. The distribution of old villas (large-sized remnant green areas) in the inner city areas influenced species composition along the studied gradient, usually showing higher species richness than surrounding fragments. Agricultural areas hosted richer and better balanced bird assemblages in respect to those found in urban and forested areas. Our findings proved that an urban gradient plays a major role in structuring bird communities, although the extent and distribution of land use categories was another factor that influenced avian assemblages. The presence of historical villas also influenced bird assemblages, making it possible to preserve high bird diversity even in inner city-areas

The decline of the Aeolian wall lizard, Podarcis raffonei : causes and conservation proposals

Investigations carried out in the Aeolian Islands (off north-east Sicily) during 1989–99 gathered evidence strongly indicating that the endemic Aeolian wall lizard Podarcis raffonei is close to extinction. Competitive exclusion by the lizard Podarcis sicula, which has been introduced by man, habitat degradation, and possibly reduced genetic variability and inbreeding, were the main causes for the decline of the species. For the Aeolian wall lizard to recover from its threatened status and to prevent further decimation of populations, collection and trade in the species should be prohibited, and an education programme for local people should be promoted. An integrated project involving habitat protection and captive breeding is needed to secure the species in the wild for the future

La tettonica per una pedagogia dell’architettura. Il progetto di una One Person House e nuovi paradigmi teorici / Tectonics for an architectural pedagogy. The One Person House project and new theoretical paradigms

Il paper presenta i presupposti metodologici e gli esiti di un percorso didattico sviluppato nel corso del lockdown dovuto al Covid-19. A par- tire da una riflessione sulla costruzione di uno spazio abitativo minimo, il tema progettuale sviluppato è stato la concezione di una One Person House (OPH) per far fronte ad ulteriori futuri periodi di lockdown e distanziamento sociale. Un processo di research by design condotto attraverso quattro esercizi propedeutici, d’ispirazione antropomorfa e concettualmente legati tra loro da ideali e progressive azioni di montaggio e con- trollo della misura; una pedagogia del progetto fondata sulla materialità dell’architettura, secondo una vera e propria poetica della costruzione che guarda a uno dei suoi principi fondativi, la tettonica, ovvero l’arte dell’assemblaggio. This paper presents the methodological assumptions and the results of an educational path developed during the Covid-19 lockdown. Starting from a reflection on the construction of a minimum living space, the de- sign theme developed was the concept of a one-person house (OPH) to cope with additional lockdowns and social distancing in the future. A process of research by design pursued through four propaedeutic exercises, anthropomorphically inspired and conceptually linked by ideal and progressive actions of assembly and control of measurement. A pedagogy of design based on the material nature of architecture, following a construction philosophy that focuses on one of its founding principles, tectonics, or the art of assembly

Imparare dal cantiere: Due esperienze di didattica hands-on in Cina

Il tema dell’innovazione dei modelli didattici ha accompagnato in maniera pressoché costante un lungo dibattito, tutt’ora in corso all’interno del Politecnico di Torino, sulla riorganizzazione del sistema formativo, che ha attraversato la scuola di Architettura dell’Ateneo – con fasi di intensità differente – negli ultimi due decenni e che ha avuto, come esito più recente, la completa ridefinizione deI ciclo triennale. Il saggio presenta due esperienze didattiche svoltesi in Cina; seppur molto distanti sul piano tecnico (l’una fortemente legata all’innovazione tecnologica e l’altra molto più orientata al controllo artigianale della materia) hanno consentito creare un dialogo tra pedagogia e pratica attraverso l’esperienza costruttiva del cantiere, visto non solo come fase finale di verifica dimostrativa del progetto, ma anche e soprattutto – in particolare nelle sue fasi intermedie di officina – come una sorta di koinè, un linguaggio condiviso in grado di ricondurre ad un comune denominatore culture, competenze e pratiche che difficilmente trovano una ricomposizione all’interno dei percorsi didattici tradizionali. La costruzione, e l’autocostruzione, rappresentano da questo punto di vista non soltanto il risultato del lavoro progettuale, ma piuttosto un suo necessario complemento

«Retake history»: la disneyficazione come strumento progettuale per il recupero della ex Concessione Italiana di Tianjin. «Retake history»: disneyzation as a planning tool for the recovery of the former Italian Concession of Tianjin

Il quartiere dell’ex Concessione Italiana di Tianjin è diventata negli ultimi anni una delle maggiori attrazioni turistiche della città. Le pratiche progettuali messe in campo per il recupero dell’area sud, la più commerciale e turistica intorno a Ziyou Lu, sono volte a ricostruire uno stato certamente mai esistito nella perfezione materica e costruttiva in cui lo troviamo oggi, finalizzate alla creazione di un luogo unico e “memorabile” nel panorama cinese. Un chiaro processo di “disneyficazione” pianificato ad hoc puntando su identità e brand intrinseche nel luogo. Qui la “disneyficazione” assume una valenza positiva, specie se rapportata al modus operandi generalmente adottato in Cina nei confronti del patrimonio. L’approccio progettuale invece previsto per il recupero della zona nord della ex Concessione Italiana, là dove si trovano l’ex ospedale civile e la chiesa del Sacro Cuore progettati dall’architetto torinese Daniele Ruffinoni, sembra invece essere molto più vicino ai propositi espressi all’interno del documento Nara + 20: azioni progettuali maggiormente rivolte al mantenimento dell’“autenticità” stanno garantendo una generalizzata e diffusa qualità degli spazi urbani

Minimum performance level definition for bone plate testing according to standard: A preliminary study

In silico modeling of osteosynthesis medical devices allows the reduction of the time required for experimental tests and the introduction of “simulation-driven design”. Using a wise combination of these techniques and analytical calculations, it is possible to relate the experimental results, which are mandatory for regulatory purposes, to the plate physiological application and prevent the occurrence of complications in the early stages after the orthopedic device implantation on humans and animals

Definition and description of larval types of Cyaneolytta (Coleoptera Meloidae) and new records of their phoretic association with Carabidae (Coleoptera)

The hypothesis of a general phoretic association of Cyaneolytta Péringuey 1909 triungulins (Meloidae) with Anthiini (Carabidae) is supported by many new records from several regions of Africa and India. Four morphological larval types of Cyaneolytta are described and some morpho-species belonging to different morphotypes are identified and illustrated

Relevance of Cone-beam computed tomography on diagnosis and surgical planning of the cementoblastoma

The cementoblastoma is a rare odontogenic tumor occurring in the mandibular molar and premolar of the patients in the second and third decades of life. Despite its typical benign behavior, this tumor may promote local destruction by perforating the corti

Guidelines for the monitoring of Rosalia alpina

Rosalia alpina (Linnaeus, 1758) is a large longhorn beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) which is protected by the Habitats Directive and which typically inhabits beech forests characterised by the presence of mature, dead (or moribund) and sun-exposed trees. A revision of the current knowledge on systematics, ecology and conservation of R. alpina is reported. The research was carried out as part of the LIFE MIPP project which aims to find a standard monitoring method for saproxylic beetles protected in Europe. For monitoring this species, different methods were tested and compared in two areas of the Apennines, utilising wild trees, logs and tripods (artificially built with beech woods), all potentially suitable for the reproduction of the species. Even if all methods succeeded in the survey of the target species, these results showed that the use of wild trees outperformed other methods. Indeed, the use of wild trees allowed more adults to be observed and required less intensive labour. However, monitoring the rosalia longicorn on wild trees has the main disadvantage that they can hardly be considered “standard sampling units”, as each tree may be differently attractive to adults. Our results demonstrated that the most important factors influencing the attraction of single trunks were wood volume, sun-exposure and decay stage. Based on the results obtained during the project LIFE MIPP, as well as on a literature review, a standard monitoring method for R. alpina was developed