The Climate-Proof Planning towards the Ecological Transition: Isola Sacra—Fiumicino (Italy) between Flood Risk and Urban Development Prospectives

The increasing concentration of people and economic activities in urban areas intensifies the pressure on the urban environment and hastens environmental degradation processes. Therefore, addressing the impact of climate change on cities is an urgent matter that demands the immediate attention of policymakers, researchers, and the general public, not only for its environmental but also socioeconomic ramifications. Within this framework, the research focuses on the effects of climate change on coastal cities and aims to define guidelines for the innovation of urban planning tools from a climate-proof perspective. Specifically, the study analyses the effects of two phenomena related to climate change: heavy rainfall, river overflow, and sea-level rise, to establish a replicable approach for updating the documents that constitute the cognitive framework of the Local Urban Plan through the preparation of a multi-risk map (that considers different time horizons) and consequently the prescriptive apparatus of the Plan through the definition of a toolkit of site-specific design actions oriented towards urban adaptation. The proposed methodology is tested on the case study of Isola Sacra, Fiumicino (Italy), and is intended to apply to other territorial contexts. The aim of this study, in accordance with the principles of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) framework, is to furnish theoretical-methodological and operational guidelines to translate risk knowledge, despite its limitations due to variables and uncertainties in measurements, into effective urban adaptation measures

Sustainable Urban Project. The role of public spaces in adapting cities to the effects of climate change

Contemporary urban planning is nowadays getting involved into thematic related with the slow and unceasing city transformations. This circumstance highlights the need for overcoming the sectoral approach to urban complexity, in favor of a more integrated one. The context to which reference is made is the urban area; the challenge is about the adaptation to the physical, social and economic transformations; the intervention tool to which the contribution refers is that of Urban Project. The authors focus is referred to the urban transformations induced by the effects of climate change, with specific reference to the increasingly frequent floods: highlighting their effects ,in terms of design, on public spaces, and analyzing some good practices that have managed to transform the calamitous event into an urban development engine. The paper proposes a critical reflection on two case studies, “Water Square” in Benthemplein and “Climate tiles” in Copenhagen that represent ways of intervening on public space, at different scale, the first one in the field of urban planning, the latter in the field of Urban Design, complementary approaches for an ecological reconversion of city areas compromised by the effects of climate change

Sea Level Rise and Coastal Impacts. Innovation and Improvement of the Local Urban Plan for a Climate-Proof Adaptation Strategy

In recent years, the territorial impacts connected to sea level rise have prompted a reflection on the responsibilities of policy makers in transposing these issues into urban agendas. The need also emerged to both broaden and update the skills of urban planners and to improve territorial governance tools, with the aim of developing feasible regeneration and resilience strategies to face climate change. In this paper, a methodology for the production of Flood Risk Maps is presented, as applied to the Municipality of Ravenna, Italy, by only considering the static component of inundation hazard, i.e., the projected Mean Sea Level Rise, as a first step towards increased preparedness. The resulting Flood Risk Maps represent, in fact, an innovation with respect to the current cognitive framework that supports local urban planning, by providing information on a potential risk that has so far been overlooked. The method combines sea level rise projections under the pessimistic RCP8.5 scenario with georeferenced territorial data, aiming to identify the physical consistency of the urban-structure components which are potentially at risk. For successive time horizons (2030, 2050 and 2100), our results show the progressive impairment and potential degradation of extensive urban areas that are disregarded in the urban planning regulations currently in force. This preliminary evaluation phase is aimed at prompting and supporting the necessary updating of the planning tools and regulations adopted by the public bodies responsible for territorial governance, by identifying priority areas for intervention, and helping define mitigation and adaptation actions

Evaluation of pesticide pollution in the Gualeguay Basin: An extensive agriculture area in Argentina

The current agricultural production model was established in the 1990s based on the use of genetically modified organisms and agrochemicals, mainly pesticides. Despite pesticide spread and prevalence, data on the associated concentrations in surface watercourses are comparatively scarce. The aim of this work was to evaluate to what extent the >20 years of agricultural activity with the use of pesticides has impacted on the Gualeguay-River basin, with respect to the different stream orders: the tributary streams and main channel. Thirteen sites within the lower Gualeguay basin were sampled once every season (autumn, winter, spring, and summer) in 2017–2018. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatography time-of-flight mass-spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS) and ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The most frequently detected pesticide was glyphosate along with its metabolite (aminomethyl)phosphonic acid (AMPA), at 82 % and 71 % of surface water samples and 97 % and 92 % of bottom sediments, respectively; followed by atrazine in 73 % of the water samples. The concentrations of these compounds, each in their respective matrices, did not present sufficient statistically significant differences for differentiating a tributary stream from the main channel. Regardless of glyphosate's affinity for the suspended particulate and bottom sediments, over the entire basin the soluble fraction contributed on average to >80 % of the total concentration in surface water. Despite not being so frequently detected, certain insecticides, mostly deltamethrin, were likewise detected at concentrations above their water-quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life, even in samples from the main channel. Upon comparison of the pesticide profiles of extensive- and horticultural-production systems in the country, atrazine emerged as a prime candidate to be used as a tracer of extensive agriculture contamination in the environment. Further research is required to establish to what degree pesticides used in agriculture and mobilized by watercourses have an impact on their associated wetland ecosystems.Fil: Mac Loughlin, Tomas Mariano. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: Peluso, María Leticia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: Marino, Damian Jose Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentin

Pesticide impact study in the peri-urban horticultural area of Gran La Plata, Argentina

Vegetable production systems are characterized by intense pesticide use, yet the effects on the surrounding environment are largely unknown and need to be studied. Given this knowledge gap, the objective of this work is to determine the impact of horticulture on a representative watercourse by conducting an integrated study of the occurrence and concentration of pesticides in bottom sediments and their relation to lethal and sublethal effects on benthic fauna. Two sampling campaigns were conducted during seasons of low and high pesticide application in five sites along the Carnaval creek, located in the peri-urban area of La Plata City (Buenos Aires, Argentina). The samples were tested for 36 pesticide compounds by GC–MS and LC-MS, and whole-sediment laboratory toxicity tests were performed using the native amphipod Hyalella curvispina. The results showed a general but variable distribution in the concentrations detected along the stream. For each sampling campaign (first/second), the total pesticide loads, measured as the sum of herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, were 1080/2329, 3715/88, and 367/5 ng g−1 dw, respectively. Lethal and sublethal effects were observed in both sampling campaigns. In order to correlate both sets of results, data were assessed by multivariate analysis, including principal component analysis. The observed toxicity was considered to be mainly due to insecticides; thus, horticultural practices have an impact on nearby watercourses and can potentially endanger the benthic fauna. This is the first study in Argentina to assess the impact of pesticides on aquatic environments close to horticultural production areas.Centro de Investigaciones del Medioambient

Inter-individual cognitive variability in children with Asperger's syndrome

Multiple studies have tried to establish the distinctive profile of individuals with Asperger's syndrome (AS). However, recent reports suggest that adults with AS feature heterogeneous cognitive profiles. The present study explores inter-individual variability in children with AS through group comparison and multiple case series analysis. All participants completed an extended battery including measures of fluid and crystallized intelligence, executive functions, theory of mind, and classical neuropsychological tests. Significant group differences were found in theory of mind and other domains related to global information processing. However, the AS group showed high inter-individual variability (both sub- and supra-normal performance) on most cognitive tasks. Furthermore, high fluid intelligence correlated with less general cognitive impairment, high cognitive flexibility, and speed of motor processing. In light of these findings, we propose that children with AS are characterized by a distinct, uneven pattern of cognitive strengths and weaknesses.Fil: González Gadea, María Luz. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Tripicchio, Paula. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Rattazzi del Carril, Alexia. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Báez Buitrago, Sandra Jimena. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Universidad Catolica Argentina; Argentina. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Marino, Julián Carlos. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Roca, María. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Manes, Facundo Francisco. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders; AustriaFil: Ibanez Barassi, Agustin Mariano. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders; Austria. Universidad Autonoma del Caribe; Colombi

Lipid Rafts in Mast Cell Biology

Mast cells have long been recognized to have a direct and critical role in allergic and inflammatory reactions. In allergic diseases, these cells exert both local and systemic responses, including allergic rhinitis and anaphylaxis. Mast cell mediators are also related to many chronic inflammatory conditions. Besides the roles in pathological conditions, the biological functions of mast cells include roles in innate immunity, involvement in host defense mechanisms against parasites, immunomodulation of the immune system, tissue repair, and angiogenesis. Despite their growing significance in physiological and pathological conditions, much still remains to be learned about mast cell biology. This paper presents evidence that lipid rafts or raft components modulate many of the biological processes in mast cells, such as degranulation and endocytosis, play a role in mast cell development and recruitment, and contribute to the overall preservation of mast cell structure and organization

Neural markers of social and monetary rewards in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Recent theories of decision making propose a shared value-related brain mechanism for encoding monetary and social rewards. We tested this model in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and control children. We monitored participants' brain dynamics using high density-electroencephalography while they played a monetary and social reward tasks. Control children exhibited a feedback Error-Related Negativity (fERN) modulation and Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) source activation during both tasks. Remarkably, although cooperation resulted in greater losses for the participants, the betrayal options generated greater fERN responses. ADHD subjects exhibited an absence of fERN modulation and reduced ACC activation during both tasks. ASD subjects exhibited normal fERN modulation during monetary choices and inverted fERN/ACC responses in social options than did controls. These results suggest that in neurotypicals, monetary losses and observed disloyal social decisions induced similar activity in the brain value system. In ADHD children, difficulties in reward processing affected early brain signatures of monetary and social decisions. Conversely, ASD children showed intact neural markers of value-related monetary mechanisms, but no brain modulation by prosociality in the social task. These results offer insight into the typical and atypical developments of neural correlates of monetary and social reward processing.Fil: González Gadea, María Luz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva. Fundación Favaloro. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva; ArgentinaFil: Sigman, Mariano. Universidad Torcuato di Tella; ArgentinaFil: Rattazzi, Alexia. Programa Argentino para Niños, Adolescentes y Adultos con Condiciones del Espectro Autista; ArgentinaFil: Lavin, Claudio. Universidad Diego Portales; ChileFil: Rivera Rei, Alvaro. Universidad Diego Portales; ChileFil: Marino, Julián Carlos. Universidad de Granada; España. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Manes, Facundo Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva. Fundación Favaloro. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva; Argentina. Australian Research Council; AustraliaFil: Ibáñez Barassi, Agustín Mariano. Australian Research Council; Australia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva. Fundación Favaloro. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Adolfo Ibañez; Chile. Universidad Autonoma del Caribe; Colombi

RG study of a non local sine-Gordon model

We study a non local version of the sine-Gordon model connected to a many-body system with backward and umklapp scattering processes. Using renormalization group methods we derive the flow equations for the couplings and show how non locality affects the gap in the spectrum of charge-density excitations. We compare our results with previous predictions obtained through the self-consistent harmonic approximation.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures. Revised version, accepted for publication in Nuclear Physics

Multibiomarker responses in danio rerio after exposure to sediment spiked with triclosan

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial and antimycotic agent widely used in personal care products. In aquatic environments, both TCS and its biomethylated more persistent form, methyl-triclosan (MeTCS), are usually detected in wastewater effluents and rivers, where are commonly adsorbed to suspended solids and sediments. The aim of this study was to evaluate biochemical and physiological effects in Danio rerio after a short term (2 days) and prolonged (21 days) exposures to sediment spiked with TCS acting as the source of the pollutant in the assay. The activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione-s transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), lipid peroxidation levels (LPO), total capacity against peroxyl radicals (ACAP), and acetylcholinesterase enzymatic activity (AChE) were measured in liver, gills, and brain. Most of TCS on the spiked sediment was biotransformed to MeTCS and promoted different adverse effects on D. rerio. Gills were the most sensitive organ after 2 day-exposure, showing lipid damage and increased SOD activity. After 21 days of exposure, liver was the most sensitive organ, showing lower ACAP, increased LPO levels, and SOD and CAT activities. This is the first study reporting the effects on biochemical markers in D. rerio from a MeTCS sink resulting from sediment spiked with TCS.Fil: Sager, Emanuel Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de Luján. Instituto de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable; ArgentinaFil: Rossi, Andrea Silvana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Mac Loughlin, Tomas Mariano. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: Marino, Damian Jose Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: de la Torre, Fernando Roman. Universidad Nacional de Luján. Instituto de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable; Argentin