Sectores ecológicos en el Valle de los Pedroches y su relación con la mejora de pastos

Trabajos previos, realizados durante el período 1953-1963 por el Ministerio de Agricultura español, determinaron la posibilidad de la mejora de praderas en el Valle de los Pedroches {Córdoba), mediante la siembra de especies tales como Trifolium subterraneum, Trifolium hirtum, Phalaris tuberosa y Lolium rigidum.En el período de extensión y divulgación de la técnica (1964-1971), durante el cual se realizaron siembras sobre el 1,8 % de la superficie de la zona, aparecieron desajustes que aconsejaron revisar los planteamientos iniciales y suspender las siembras.Un trabajo de prospección del medio físico, en el que se tuvieron en cuenta variables ecológicas muy simples (pluviometría anual, litología profundidad de suelo) fue realizado entre 1970 y 1971 (8). El trabajo demostró la existencia de sectores ecológicos muy diversos dentro del Valle de los Pedroches.A la vista de los resultados de este trabajo, se estimó necesario el montaje de una segunda red de campos de ensayo, que permitiera testar a nivel de sector ecológico las posibilidades reales de cada especie. Resultados provisionales de esta red de ensayos son analizados. (Sección 1ª. Presidente Dr. J. Cizek

The integrated action framework of Rete Natura 2000 Basilicata

Basilicata Natura 2000 network consists of 50 Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and 17 Special Protection Zones (SPZs), covering alltogether more than 17% of the regional area. This network, partially overlapping other forms of land protection, represents a valuable environmental, agricultural and cultural heritage, in which the safeguard of natural resources and landscapes has to be coupled with the needs of the local population; especially in relation to development and social welfare. The Natura 2000 project involved a panel of experts belonging to 15 different institutions, to form a steering committee with the following professional and scientific skills: vegetation, landscape, fauna, geology, agriculture, forestry, sea, architecture and planning, territorial analysis and representation. Along the 4 years project, the steering committee designed and coordinated the activities of over 150 professionals, mostly from Basilicata, who carried out field surveys and data analysis aimed at assessing the environmental conditions in the SCI and SPZs, proposing measures and plans, implementing thematic databases. SCI/SPZ management plans, by themselves, may not be sufficient to fulfill the requirements of an effective environmental policy, which has to go along with the awareness of people, citizens and local administrators about the instances of a sustainable policy. For this reason, the activities of surveying and management have been coupled with a communication project that involves all the experts and a relevant part of professionals who participated to the Natura 2000 project. The communication activity implies the use and the creation of several tools (publishing, video, websites, meetings, photo contests, social networks ...) targeted to different groups: policy makers (local, regional, national, European ), organizations, citizens, schools, farmers, small and medium enterprises (www.natura2000basilicata.it). A further goal is to feature the environmental highlights of Basilicata which are linked to a specific and often surprising integration of an ancient human presence with the natural elements, and the role performed by the traditional farming activities in the maintenance of ecosystem dynamics and services (in particular with agriculture). In fact, a good number of Natura 2000 sites can be considered High Nature Value Farmlands (HNVF, sensu E. Andersen, 2003), in which a virtuous relationship was established a long time ago between traditional practices and the environment itself. In this context, it combines the convergence between the activities carried on the Natura 2000 network and the project Agrival (http://utagri.enea.it/projects/agrival), a research project led by ENEA in Val d'Agri, in order to experimentally contribute to the methodology for the identification of the High Nature Value Farmlands and make them cohabit with the other economic activities in the local context. The process started with the project Basilicata Natura 2000 Network is therefore an interesting methodological model that, in coherence with the financial planning of the European Community for the period 2014-2020 (Brussels, 12.12.2011, COMM. 874) puts together projects on environmental issues to boost the meeting of agricultural, environmental, cultural and productive policies, fostered by the EC, and enhancing the implementation of the "Prioritized Actions Frameworks" (PAF), pointed out by the European Commission as the optimal tools for the management of Natura 2000 networks

Studio dei flussi migratori in Italia mediante analisi di autocorrelazione spaziale

Nel corso degli ultimi decenni, il fenomeno della migrazione sta assumendo dimensioni tali da suscitare interesse crescente a livello di opinione pubblica, tanto da diventare oggetto di numerosi studi e ricerche. La migrazione è un fenomeno complesso che richiede un sistema di analisi che va oltre le considerazioni demografiche ed economiche. Partendo da questa riflessione, con questo lavoro, ci si propone di studiare la distribuzione spaziale della presenza straniera in Italia, al fine di individuare le diverse linee di demarcazione geografica sulla base di diverse interpretazioni. La tradizionale analisi statistica suggerisce alcuni indici convenzionali che permettono di quantificare il fenomeno della migrazione: il Quoziente di Localizzazione e l'Indice di Dissimilarità. Tali indici sono stati confrontati con misure di autocorrelazione spaziale a livello globale e locale, l’Indice di Moran e l’indicatore LISA, (Local Indicator of Spatial Association). Questo studio contribuisce all'identificazione delle aree di destinazione dei flussi migratori in Italia, applicando l'approccio geostatistico a dati riguardanti variabili elementari facilmente reperibili, in modo da progettare una metodologia riproducibile e che possa essere estesa anche a casi diversi da quello italiano

Comparison of Canopy Architecture of Five Olive Cultivars in a High-Density Planting System in Sicily

In a young super-high-density (SHD) olive orchard located in Aidone (EN), in the Sicily Region, Italy, the architectural features of five olive cultivars were studied, specifically Arbequina, Arbosana, Oliana (R), Giulia (R), and FS-17 (R). Surveys were conducted in November 2019 considering biometric measurements for the whole tree, the canopy, and the primary and secondary branches. The "total branching frequency", the "sectorial branching frequency", the "total branching efficiency", the "sectorial branching efficiency", and the "total relative vigour" indexes were also calculated from the previous measurements. In addition, olive yield recorded for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022 (respectively, the third, fourth, and fifth years from planting) are shown in order to provide a more exhaustive description of the features of the cultivars. Giulia (R) and Oliana (R) resulted in being more similar to Arbequina and Arbosana, presenting a compact shape of the canopy and high and regular ramification of primary and secondary branches. FS-17 (R) showed a higher expansion in canopy volume and higher vigour than the other cultivars, features that suggest it can be more susceptible to damage during mechanical harvest. Regarding the elaborated indexes, "total branching frequency" resulted in being not statistically different among the cultivars. "Sectorial branching frequency" resulted in being higher in the middle sector of the trunk height (51-100 cm) for all the tested cultivars. This study supplies helpful information about the different canopy and branch architectural characteristics of the five studied olive cultivars with respect to their suitability to high-density plantations

De las catacumbas a los últimos confines: violencia, sentido y representación en los periplos del martirio

En este trabajo propongo un análisis transversal de las figuras del mártir y del martirio. Recurriendo a la noción de mediación, en la primera parte analizo el rol protagónico de las representaciones del martirio en las prácticas de la memoria durante la segunda mitad del siglo XVI. Analizo algunas de las condiciones que contribuyeron a la emergencia de una "cultura del martirio" y el rol de las mediaciones en tal surgimiento. En la segunda parte, estudio la forma en que el (re)descubrimiento de las catacumbas romanas, abrió un campo de producción de sentido en torno a la figura del martirio. En la tercera parte, centrándome en la Compañía de Jesús, analizo algunas mediaciones a través de las cuáles las figuras del martirio transgredieron las fronteras de iglesias y conventos para proyectarse a los últimos confines en un mundo en plena expansión.Neste artigo proponho uma análise transversal das figuras do mártir e do martírio. Usando a noção de mediação, na primeira parte eu tento analisar o papel de liderança de representações de martírio em práticas de memória durante a segunda metade do século XVI. Eu analiso algumas das condições que contribuíram para o surgimento de uma "cultura do martírio" e o papel da mediação nesta emergência. Na segunda parte, eu estudo como a (re) descoberta das catacumbas romanas abriu um campo de produção de significados em torno da figura do martírio. Na terceira parte, com foco na Companhia de Jesus, analiso algumas mediações pelas quais as representações do martírio transgrediram as fronteiras de igrejas e conventos para se projetar nas fronteiras de um mundo em plena expansão mundial.This paper proposes a cross-sectional analysis of martyr and martyrdom. Through the notion of mediation, in the first part I analyze the leading role of representations of martyrdom in memory practices during the second half of the sixteenth century. I analyze some of the conditions that contributed to the emergence of a "martyrdom's culture" and the role of mediation in such emergence. The second part studies how the (re)discovery of the Roman catacombs encouraged the production of meanings around the figure of martyrdom. In the third part, focusing on the Society of Jesus, I analyze a few instances of mediation through which the figures of martyrdom transgressed the boundaries of churches and convents to project themselves to the last frontiers of a world in full expansion.Fil: Salamanca Villamizar, Carlos Arturo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

H2S biosynthesis and catabolism: new insights from molecular studies

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has profound biological effects within living organisms and is now increasingly being considered alongside other gaseous signalling molecules, such as nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). Conventional use of pharmacological and molecular approaches has spawned a rapidly growing research field that has identified H2S as playing a functional role in cell-signalling and post-translational modifications. Recently, a number of laboratories have reported the use of siRNA methodologies and genetic mouse models to mimic the loss of function of genes involved in the biosynthesis and degradation of H2S within tissues. Studies utilising these systems are revealing new insights into the biology of H2S within the cardiovascular system, inflammatory disease, and in cell signalling. In light of this work, the current review will describe recent advances in H2S research made possible by the use of molecular approaches and genetic mouse models with perturbed capacities to generate or detoxify physiological levels of H2S gas within tissue

Regional risks and seasonality in travel-associated campylobacteriosis

BACKGOUND: The epidemiology of travel-associated campylobacteriosis is still largely unclear, and various known risk factors could only explain limited proportions of the recorded cases. METHODS: Using data from 28,704 notifications of travel-associated campylobacteriosis in Sweden 1997 to 2003 and travel patterns of 16,255 Swedish residents with overnight travel abroad in the same years, we analysed risks for travel-associated campylobacteriosis in 19 regions of the world, and looked into the seasonality of the disease in each of these regions. RESULTS: The highest risk was seen in returning travellers from the Indian subcontinent (1,253/100,000 travellers), and the lowest in travellers from the other Nordic countries (3/100,000 travellers). In Africa, large differences in risk between regions were noted, with 502 /100,000 in travellers from East Africa, compared to 76/100,00 from West Africa and 50/100,000 from Central Africa. A distinct seasonal pattern was seen in all temperate regions with peaks in the summer, while no or less distinct seasonality was seen in tropical regions. In travellers to the tropics, the highest risk was seen in children below the age of six. CONCLUSIONS: Data on infections in returning travellers together with good denominator data could provide comparable data on travel risks in various regions of the world

Computational Model of Bone Remodeling Integrating Osteocyte Mechanotransduction and Microdamage-Driven Self-Repair

Bone remodeling is a fundamental physiological process that maintains skeletal integrity through a tightly regulated balance between bone resorption and formation. Mathematical modeling provides a powerful framework for understanding the complex regulatory mechanisms underlying this process, particularly the interplay between biomechanical stimuli and cellular dynamics. This study introduces a new mathematical model of bone remodeling designed to capture the temporal evolution of key bone cell populations and their response to mechanical stimuli within a simplified yet biologically informed architecture. We formulate a system of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations to describe the dynamics of osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and osteocytes within a single basic multicellular unit (BMU). The model incorporates feedback regulation via strain energy density, allowing mechanical input to influence cellular activity and bone surface transitions. Initial conditions are assigned to reflect the sequential activation of bone remodeling phases. Physiological parameters are adopted from well-established literature, while non-sourced parameters are tuned to ensure model stability and biological plausibility. The simulations reproduce the canonical sequence of bone remodeling: initiation, resorption, reversal, and formation. The model captures the coupling between mechanical loading and cellular activity, demonstrating how osteocyte signaling can modulate the recruitment of osteoclasts and osteoblasts. The results also highlight the system’s capacity to stabilize around a dynamic equilibrium, sensitive to both internal parameters and external mechanical inputs. This model offers a minimal yet comprehensive representation of bone remodeling dynamics within a single BMU, integrating mechanical and biological controls into a unified mathematical structure. It provides a foundation for future extensions toward spatially distributed models and applications in mechanobiological simulation and computational bone health assessment