THE SEED SOURCES OF ORGANIC FARMERS IN ITALY

This paper presents the result of the survey done in 2010 by AIAB on the seed sources in Organic Agriculture (OA) in Italy. The aim of this work is to better understand and clarify the relationships between the formal and informal seed system (Almekinders and Louwaars, 2000) and quantify the role of the latter in OA. In a time where the choice of the varieties to grow will be in the hands of public institutions or seed industries (GRAIN, 2008), it is pivotal to check the needs of Organic farmers and the seed they are sowing. The questions addressed were: a. Are Organic farmers still self-producing seeds? b. Are they using only varieties listed in Official National Catalogue? c. What is the role of old varieties not listed anymore or local varieties in organic systems? d. What is the role of exchange amongst farmers in the supply of new varieties? e. What are their needs in term of variety characteristics? This survey was undertaken within the EU project SOLIBAM and in the framework of the Italian National Plan on Organic Seed

Immunology and Homeopathy. 3. Experimental Studies on Animal Models

A search of the literature and the experiments carried out by the authors of this review show that there are a number of animal models where the effect of homeopathic dilutions or the principles of homeopathic medicine have been tested. The results relate to the immunostimulation by ultralow doses of antigens, the immunological models of the ‘simile’, the regulation of acute or chronic inflammatory processes and the use of homeopathic medicines in farming. The models utilized by different research groups are extremely etherogeneous and differ as the test medicines, the dilutions and the outcomes are concerned. Some experimental lines, particularly those utilizing mice models of immunomodulation and anti-inflammatory effects of homeopathic complex formulations, give support to a real effect of homeopathic high dilutions in animals, but often these data are of preliminary nature and have not been independently replicated. The evidence emerging from animal models is supporting the traditional ‘simile’ rule, according to which ultralow doses of compounds, that in high doses are pathogenic, may have paradoxically a protective or curative effect. Despite a few encouraging observational studies, the effectiveness of the homeopathic prevention or therapy of infections in veterinary medicine is not sufficiently supported by randomized and controlled trials

Organic agriculture and sustainable practices: towards a typology of innovative farmers

This paper aims to identify the factors that influence the choice of organic farmers to innovate for more sustainable practices that go beyond the strict limits imposed by the certification. Using survey data collected from 352 Italian and Portuguese certified organic farmers, a probabilistic model was estimated. The results show that farmers, in particular women, longest engaged in organic farming are more likely to adopt sustainable practices. They also indicate that farm size, landownership, the existence of some types of complementary activities and the sources of information used by farmers affect the adoption of such practices

Immunology and Homeopathy. 1. Historical Background

Homeopathy was born as an experimental discipline, as can be seen from the enormous amount of homeopathic data collected over more than two centuries. However, the medical tradition of homeopathy has been separated from that of conventional science for a long time. Conventional scientific wisdom dictates that homeopathy should have no effect above placebo but experiments on ultra-high dilutions of solutes together with some clinical data suggest the intriguing possibility that it might do in some circumstances. Today, an osmotic process between disciplines, previously seen as in conflict, is facilitated because over the last few decades homeopathy has initiated the methods of current medical science and a substantial number of experimental studies—at molecular, cellular and clinical levels—are available. One area of dialogue and of common progress is that of inflammation and immunity, probably because these are closely related to the traditional ‘vital force’ of the body's self-healing power. In a series of papers we review the historical origins of homeopathy, the laboratory and animal models related to the field of immunopharmacology, the clinical evidence in favor and against the use of homeopathy in the inflammatory diseases and the hypotheses regarding its action mechanism(s). Finally, we will enlighten the specific characteristics of the homeopathic approach, which places great emphasis on identifying a cure for the whole organism

Changes in Knowledge Management Strategies Can Support Emerging Innovative Actors in Organic Agriculture: The Case of Participatory Plant Breeding in Europe

The “transfer of technology”, typical of a top-down linear process of innovation cannot be used in the new contexts of sustainability, characterised by uncertainty and complexity. There is a need to redefine categories and concepts around which innovation and agricultural policies are built, as those currently in use provide only a partial representation of reality. Innovation paradigms underpinning technological development and public policies design will have a direct impact on decisions regarding which agricultural models will ultimately be supported. Looking at local learning capacity and systems of relations can help to understand the potential to develop innovation within a specific context. This work contributes to the definition of new actors who are developing innovation for sustainability in rural areas. The study focuses on the knowledge systems of farmers who are applying alternative breeding strategies: it uses a network approach to explore the knowledge system in which individual farmers are embedded in order to understand their specific relational features. Three main conclusions emerge from the study: for enhancing the agro-ecological innovation paradigm there is a need to define the ‘innovation broker’, to revise the evaluation system of public research and to integrate innovation and agricultural policies

Immunology and Homeopathy. 5. The Rationale of the ‘Simile’

The foundation of homeopathic medicine is the ‘Similia Principle’, also known as the ‘Principle of Similarity’ or also as the ‘Simile’, which reflects the inversion of pharmacological effects in healthy subjects as compared with sick ones. This article describes the inversion of effects, a widespread medical phenomenon, through three possible mechanisms: non-linearity of dose–response relationship, different initial pathophysiological states of the organism, and pharmacodynamics of body response to the medicine. Based on the systemic networks which play an important role in response to stress, a unitary and general model is designed: homeopathic medicines could interact with sensitive (primed) regulation systems through complex information, which simulate the disorders of natural disease. Reorganization of regulation systems, through a coherent response to the medicine, could pave the way to the healing of the cellular, tissue and neuro-immuno-endocrine homeodynamics. Preliminary evidence is suggesting that even ultra-low doses and high-dilutions of drugs may incorporate structural or frequency information and interact with chaotic dynamics and physical-electromagnetic levels of regulation. From the clinical standpoint, the ‘simile’ can be regarded as a heuristic principle, according to which the detailed knowledge of pathogenic effects of drugs, associated with careful analysis of signs and symptoms of the ill subject, could assist in identifying homeopathic remedies with high grade of specificity for the individual case

Meteorological Navigation by Integrating Metocean Forecast Data and Ship Performance Models into an ECDIS-like e-Navigation Prototype Interface

In the complex processes of route planning, voyage monitoring, and post-voyage analysis, a key element is the capability of merging metocean forecast data with the available knowledge of ship responses in the encountered environmental conditions. In this context, a prototype system has been implemented capable of integrating metocean models forecasts with ship specific performance data and models. The work is based on the exploitation of an open source ECDIS-like system originally developed in the e-Navigation framework. The resulting prototype system allows the uploading and visualization of metocean data, the consequent computation of fuel consumption along each analyzed route, and the evaluation of the encountered meteo-marine conditions on each route way point. This allows us to "effectively and deeply dig inside" the various layers of available metocean forecast data regarding atmospheric and marine conditions and evaluating their effects on ship performance indicators. The system could also be used to trigger route optimization algorithms and subsequently evaluate the results. All these functionalities are tailored in order to facilitate the "what-if" analysis in the route selection process performed by deck officers. Many of the added functionalities can be utilized also in a shore-based fleet monitoring and management center. A description is given of the modeling and visualization approaches that have been implemented. Their potentialities are illustrated through the discussion of some examples in Mediterranean navigation

Immunology and Homeopathy. 4. Clinical Studies—Part 1

The evidence-based research of the effectiveness of homeopathic medicines in common immunologic disorders is reviewed. In part 1, we introduce methodological issues of clinical research in homeopathy, and criteria utilized to evaluate the literature. Then 24 studies (12 randomized and 12 non-randomized) on common upper respiratory tract infections and otorhinolaryngologic complaints are described. In part 2, the focus will be on allergic diseases and the effectiveness of homeopathy will be globally evaluated and discussed using the criteria of evidence-based medicine

Immunology and Homeopathy. 2. Cells of the Immune System and Inflammation

Here we describe the results of some experimental laboratory studies aimed at verifying the efficacy of high dilutions of substances and of homeopathic medicines in models of inflammation and immunity. Studies carried out on basophils, lymphocytes, granulocytes and fibroblasts are reviewed. This approach may help to test under controlled conditions the main principles of homeopathy such as 'similarity' of drug action at the cellular level and the effects of dilution/dynamization on the drug activity. The current situation is that few and rather small groups are working on laboratory models for homeopathy. Regarding the interpretation of data in view of the simile principle, we observe that there are different levels of similarity and that the laboratory data give support to this principle, but have not yet yielded the ultimate answer to the action mechanism of homeopathy. Evidence of the biological activity in vitro of highly diluted-dynamized solutions is slowly accumulating, with some conflicting reports. It is our hope that this review of literature unknown to most people will give an original and useful insight into the 'state-of-the-art' of homeopathy, without final conclusions 'for' or 'against' this modality. This kind of uncertainty may be difficult to accept, but is conceivably the most open-minded position now

Immunophenotypic Analysis of B Lymphocytes in Patients with Common Variable Immunodeficiency: Identification of CD23 as a Useful Marker in the Definition of the Disease

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by the failure of B lymphocytes differentiation leading to deficient immunoglobulins secretion. The identified genetic defects account only for a minority of cases. The importance of B cells immunophenotyping in the classification of CVID is known. This procedure can identify alterations on the cell surface molecules expression that could explain some immunological disorders characteristic of CVID. Moreover, some immunophenotypical aspects can correlate with clinical features of the disease. We used this procedure to analyze a cohort of 23 patients affected by CVID, in order to identify the novel alterations of B cells and to find the possible correlations with clinical features. Circulating B cells were studied by flow cytometry incubating whole blood with specific antibodies for B cell surface molecules including CD27, IgM, IgD, CD21, and CD23. We compared the population of “switched memory” IgD− CD27+ B lymphocytes with the population of “switched memory” IgM− IgD− CD23− CD27+ B cells. These last B cells were reduced in patients compared to healthy controls; moreover, IgM− IgD− CD23− CD27+ B cells were lower than IgD− CD27+ B cells in patients with CVID. The reduction of this subset of B lymphocytes correlates more tightly than IgD− CD27+ B cells with lymphadenopathy and airways infections. In conclusion, our findings may help in better identifying patients with CVID