From conventional to organic farming: aspects to consider

Main steps to convert to organic agriculture are described, starting from principles of OA as well as general concepts of sustainability. A simple road map driving the conversion is described

SEMINBIO®: Innovative seeder for weed control in cereals (OK-Net Arable Practice abstract)

Trials with the SEMINBIO® seeder in southern and central Italy showed that the seeder’s sowing layout increased wheat yield, irrespective of the weed presence, and decreased weed development, if weeds were present, compared to ordinary seeders. Practical recommendation - The SEMINBIO® seeder is still at a prototype stage, but it will soon be commercially manufactured. - The SEMINBIO® seeder can be combined with the harrow weeder or any other weeding strategy to obtain an augmented weed control effect

Disease-Modifying Therapies and Coronavirus Disease 2019 Severity in Multiple Sclerosis

Objective: This study was undertaken to assess the impact of immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapies on the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Methods: We retrospectively collected data of PwMS with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. All the patients had complete follow-up to death or recovery. Severe COVID-19 was defined by a 3-level variable: mild disease not requiring hospitalization versus pneumonia or hospitalization versus intensive care unit (ICU) admission or death. We evaluated baseline characteristics and MS therapies associated with severe COVID-19 by multivariate and propensity score (PS)-weighted ordinal logistic models. Sensitivity analyses were run to confirm the results. Results: Of 844 PwMS with suspected (n = 565) or confirmed (n = 279) COVID-19, 13 (1.54%) died; 11 of them were in a progressive MS phase, and 8 were without any therapy. Thirty-eight (4.5%) were admitted to an ICU; 99 (11.7%) had radiologically documented pneumonia; 96 (11.4%) were hospitalized. After adjusting for region, age, sex, progressive MS course, Expanded Disability Status Scale, disease duration, body mass index, comorbidities, and recent methylprednisolone use, therapy with an anti-CD20 agent (ocrelizumab or rituximab) was significantly associated (odds ratio [OR] = 2.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18-4.74, p = 0.015) with increased risk of severe COVID-19. Recent use (<1 month) of methylprednisolone was also associated with a worse outcome (OR = 5.24, 95% CI = 2.20-12.53, p = 0.001). Results were confirmed by the PS-weighted analysis and by all the sensitivity analyses. Interpretation: This study showed an acceptable level of safety of therapies with a broad array of mechanisms of action. However, some specific elements of risk emerged. These will need to be considered while the COVID-19 pandemic persists

CMS physics technical design report : Addendum on high density QCD with heavy ions

Peer reviewe

On-farm research for efficient organic matter management in low-input farming systems

Il presente lavoro di tesi ha l'obbiettivo di studiare alternative modalità di gestione della sostanza organica in diversi agroecosistemi, evidenziando sia gli aspetti qualitativi che quantitativi. L'effetto di differenti pratiche colturali basate sulla gestione della sostanza organica, caratteristiche del metodo biodinamico e biologico, sulla produzione di biomassa, produttività e sul metabolismo microbico del terreno è stato investigato attraverso un approccio multidisciplinare, che ha compreso prove di campo on-farm e anche esperimenti in serra e in laboratorio con metodo riduzionistico. Le prove in pieno campo sono state condotte in aziende commerciali nella regione Marche e in piccole aziende basate sull' auto-sussistenza alimentare nello stato africano dello Swaziland. In entrambi i casi, gli agricoltori sono stati coinvolti nell'iniziativa alla stregua di veri e propri partner della ricerca; ciò ha consentito di ottenere una visione di sistema sull'efficacia e fattibilità delle tecniche investigate; inoltre questo approccio ha aiutato a mettere in luce i principali inconvenienti nella gestione della sostanza organica. Durante i tre anni di ricerca di dottorato, cinque esperimenti sono stati effettuati: − Esperimento di laboratorio per testare la fitotossicità di diverse sostanze organiche; − Esperimento in serra per valutare l'effetto di una determinata preparazione biodinamica sulla germinazione di un miscuglio polifita da sovescio; − Ricerca on-farm in due aziende commerciali biodinamiche e biologiche nella regione Marche (Italia) per investigare l'effetto sulla produttività di seminativi e sulla crescita di olivo di diverse combinazioni, qualitative e quantitative, di sostanze organiche; − Esperimento di laboratorio per valutare l'effetto di una determinata preparazione biodinamica sul metabolismo microbiologico del terreno; − Ricerca on-farm in Swaziland (Africa) per valutare modalità alternative di gestione della sostanza organica in un sistema colturale di piccola scala, basato sull'auto-sussistenza alimentare, mediante un approccio comunitario

The DOMINO Project: Minutes of the 3rd Annual Meeting, 25-27/11/2020, Poland

These are the minutes of the 3rd Annual Meeting of the DOMINO Projec