Prospezioni sismiche, geoelettriche ed elettromagnetiche ad alta risoluzione in prossimità della foce del Fiume Volturno

Nell’ambito dell’Obiettivo Realizzativo 2.3 “Sviluppo e allestimento di sensoristica e sistemi innovativi per osservazioni dell’iterazione terra-aria per la qualità dell’aria e degli ecosistemi agro-forestali” del progetto PON I-AMICA (Infrastruttura di Alta tecnologia per il Monitoraggio Integrato Climatico-Ambientale), l’Istituto per l’Ambiente Marino Costiero del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-I.A.M.C.) di Napoli, coordinato dal dott. Vincenzo Di Fiore, ha eseguito delle prospezioni sismiche, geoelettriche ed elettromagnetiche in un’area prospiciente la foce del Fiume Volturno. Tali indagini hanno avuto come obiettivo: La valutazione dell’intrusione nelle falde acquifere di componenti idrosaline provenienti dalla vicina area costiera; Lo studio, con risoluzione metrica, della porzione superficiale (0 - 80 metri di profondità) del sottosuolo al fine di caratterizzare, in termini di spessori e di velocità di propagazione, le serie riflettive che caratterizzano l’area in esame

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Una proposta per la valorizzazione dell'IAMC

Premessa Il 21 Dicembre del 2012 il Direttore dell’IAMC, Dott. Salvatore Mazzola, provvedeva alla costituzione di gruppo di lavoro (GdL) per la ”Individuazione degli strumenti per la valorizzazione ed autovalutazione dell’IAMC”, nominando Sabina Porfido coordinatore, Alfonsa Milia, Gaetana Irrera e Patricia Sclafani componenti del GdL. Il gruppo di lavoro aveva lo scopo di supportare la Direzione nella promozione ed attuazione di attività finalizzate all’individuazione di strumenti di valorizzazione ed autovalutazione delle attività dell’IAMC (Protocollo n. 0007770 del 21/12/2012). Sulla base di tale provvedimento il GdL stilava un primo documento, consegnato al Direttore all’inizio del mese di marzo 2013 e presentato dallo stesso nella riunione del consiglio d’istituto dell’8 Marzo 2013, come risulta dal verbale n.17 dello stesso Consiglio. Di seguito si riporta il documento appena citato nella sua forma integrale

Progress Toward Sustainable Mussel Aquaculture in Mar Piccolo, Italy

Mar Piccolo of Taranto is an estuarine basin heavily exploited for commercial mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis L.) farming. The historical renown of the Taranto mussels has suffered over the last decade following policy decisions to expand the mussel farms and to relocate a portion of the urban sewage to an outfall outside of Mar Piccolo. The resulting decline in mussel quality and the quandary of how to restore stability to Taranto mussel production became the focal issue for our application of the systems approach framework (SAF). We simulated the ecological, economic, and social interactions that affect mussel production. Stakeholders and mussel farmers contributed by participating in meetings during the entire exercise. Our simulation analysis provided them with a means for understanding the effects of policy scenarios on the system. We present three aspects from our initial results that demonstrate the value of the SAF, as: (1) an operational model to monitor and better research the status of the ecosystem, (2) a management tool to evaluate sustainable mussel farming strategies, and (3) an opportunity for improved communication with and engagement of stakeholders, policy, and the public. The application has also raised important questions about how the food chain is controlled, what could be changed to stabilize the ecosystem to a higher level of productivity, and what role the public and policy could play in promoting sustainable development

BLUEMED. Marine and Maritime RTDI Strategies

In the framework of the BLUEMED project, the coordination action supporting the development of the BLUEMED Research and Innovation Initiative for blue jobs and growth in the Mediterranean area (www.bluemed-initiative.eu/), an overview and analysis of funding schemes available at different levels, from national to European and international, has been carried out. This task is part of the activities devoted to strengthening cooperation to consolidate and implement the BLUEMED Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). It complements the BLUEMED interconnecting Platforms developed by the four BLUEMED operational working groups on knowledge, economy, technology and policy, to update the SRIA and serves as reference tool in the process of developing an operational network of research funders and key players to favour synergies and coordinate the realization of the BLUEMED actions. This report can be considered a background document to initiate and facilitate dialogue and interaction between research funding agencies of different countries and European Institutions. Once the strategic alignment of agendas on areas of mutual interest has been identified, the aim is to lay the groundwork for operational alignment towards the launch of transnational actions. As a first step, a catalogue (Annex I and II) has been compiled for reviewing marine and maritime RTDI strategies. The collected information has been analysed to address opportunities of alignment for joint implementation of the BLUEMED SRIA (section 2) and finally provide a set of preliminary recommendations to develop the BLUEMED Implementation plan (section 3), one of the key deliverables of the project