Spazio pubblico e attrattività urbana. L'Isola e le sue piazze

L’Isola e le sue piazze è un progetto di valorizzazione urbana integrata promosso nel gennaio 2015 da Comune di Milano, Regione Lombardia e Distretto urbano del commercio Isola, volto a promuovere l’identità del quartiere Isola, attraverso la realizzazione di arredi temporanei, eventi e un piano di comunicazione. Entro tale contesto, un gruppo multidisciplinare di ricerca del Politecnico di Milano afferente ai dipartimenti di Architettura e Studi Urbani e di Design, attraverso mappature e rilievi, osservazione diretta e interviste, ha condotto un lavoro di accompagnamento e monitoraggio della proposta risultata vincitrice del bando pubblico. Il volume restituisce gli esiti della ricerca: descrive lo sfondo entro cui è maturato il progetto, racconta le specificità del quartiere, la qualità del suo spazio pubblico, le geografie dell’offerta economica. I testi degli autori della ricerca si intrecciano alle voci di abitanti, di testimoni privilegiati, di rappresentanti delle istituzioni e dell’associazionismo locale che a vario titolo sono stati coinvolti dal progetto, con l’obiettivo di riflettere sulle molteplici dimensioni dello spazio pubblico e dell’attrattività urbana: dagli usi formali e informali ai servizi commerciali di prossimità, dagli eventi che hanno avuto luogo nel periodo osservato alle dinamiche che hanno innescato, fino agli esiti di un inedito bando e alle opportunità della sua replicabilità

Pandemia e regolazione del suolo pubblico: temi e questioni aperte

Nell’attuale quadro evolutivo, la regolazione del suolo pubblico rappresenta un rilevante ambito di intervento strategico per il sistema decisionale a scala locale nel difficile equilibrio tra obiettivi di tutela del patrimonio storico-culturale, obblighi di fiscalità locale, motivi imperativi di interesse generale, istanze di liberalizzazione del terziario di mercato e le nuove e inedite progettualità dello spazio pubblico

Il riuso dei grandi contenitori urbani: vincoli e premialità

In un contesto di crisi dei consumi, forte polarizzazione territoriale d’offerta, incremento del tasso di penetrazione degli acquisti e-commerce, obsolescenza dei formati distributivi di prima generazione, si possono individuare almeno quattro parole-chiave che aprono a differenti temi e dispositivi progettuali, regolativi e normativi, capaci di costruire nuova qualità urbana e di contribuire a declinare nuove politiche di rigenerazione urbana e di urbanistica commerciale: distrettualità, riuso, centralità, integrazione

Records of peregrine falcon (Falco Peregrinus) preying on two species of petrels from fishing vessels in the Argentina sea

Se presentan registros de un individuo de Halcón Peregrino (Falco peregrinus) cazando varios individuos de Paiño Común (Oceanites oceanicus) y de Petrel Damero (Daption capense) desde un buque pesquero en aguas del Mar Argentino. A pesar de estar ampliamente distribuido en la Patagonia argentina, no hay evidencias previas de la presencia de esta especie en el Mar Argentino cazando aves marinas pelágicas. Se discute el uso de los buques pesqueros como plataformas por parte de individuos de esta especie.We present records of an individual of the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) preying on several individuals of the Wilson’s Storm-Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) and the Pintado Petrel (Daption capense) from a fishing vessel in the Argentine Sea. Although this species is widely distributed over Argentine Patagonia, there is no previous evidence of the presence of this species hunting pelagic seabirds in the Argentine Sea. The use of fishing vessels as platform for individuals of this species is discussed

The Appetite-Suppressant and GLP-1-Stimulating Effects of Whey Proteins in Obese Subjects are Associated with Increased Circulating Levels of Specific Amino Acids

The satiating effect of whey proteins depends upon their unique amino acid composition because there is no difference when comparing whey proteins or a mix of amino acids mimicking the amino acid composition of whey proteins. The specific amino acids underlying the satiating effect of whey proteins have not been investigated to date. Aims and Methods. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the appetite-suppressant effect of an isocaloric drink containing whey proteins or maltodextrins on appetite (satiety/hunger measured by a visual analogue scale or VAS), anorexigenic gastrointestinal peptides (circulating levels of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY)) and amino acids (circulating levels of single, total [TAA] and branched-chain amino acids [BCAA]) in a cohort of obese female subjects (n = 8; age: 18.4 \ub1 3.1 years; body mass index, BMI: 39.2 \ub1 4.6 kg/m2). Results. Each drink significantly increased satiety and decreased hunger, the effects being more evident with whey proteins than maltodextrins. Similarly, circulating levels of GLP-1, PYY and amino acids (TAA, BCAA and alanine, arginine, asparagine, citrulline, glutamine, hydroxyproline, isoleucine, histidine, leucine, lysine, methionine, ornithine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tyrosine, and valine) were significantly higher with whey proteins than maltodextrins. In subjects administered whey proteins (but not maltodextrins), isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, tyrosine, and valine were significantly correlated with hunger (negatively), satiety, and GLP-1 (positively). Conclusions. Eight specific amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, tyrosine, and valine) were implicated in the appetite-suppressant and GLP-1-stimulating effects of whey proteins, which may be mediated by their binding with nutrient-sensing receptors expressed by L cells within the gastrointestinal wall. The long-term satiating effect of whey proteins and the effectiveness of a supplementation with these amino acids (i.e., as a nutraceutical intervention) administered during body weight reduction programs need to be further investigated

Risk aversion and willingness to pay for water quality: The case of non-farm rural residents

Stated choice experiments are used to investigate the economic valuation of rural residents living in the province of Quebec for water quality improvements. In Quebec, rural residents played an important role in the setting of stricter environmental regulations. Unlike most stated choice experiments about the valuation of improvements in water quality, this study explicitly accounts for risk in the design and analysis of choice experiments. Risk in phosphorus and coliform reductions is introduced through a three-point uniform distribution in the choice sets. The results show greater support for constant absolute risk aversion preferences than for constant relative risk aversion. Rural residents value coliform and phosphorus reductions and the more educated ones are particularly willing to see the government tax farmers and taxpayers to secure such reductions. As the science improves and risk in water quality outcomes decrease and as the political weight of non-farm rural residents increase, it should be easier for governments to replace voluntary cost-share programs by polluter-payer programs

Sitios candidatos a AICA marinas: áreas costeras y pelágicas importantes para la conservación de las aves en el Mar Argentino

El Mar Argentino es una de las áreas oceánicas más productivas del hemisferio sur, un ecosistema particularmente diverso, rico en endemismos y con gran biomasa de algunas especies que alimentan a predadores tope. El litoral marítimo no escapa a estas particularidades que además se caracteriza por ser heterogéneo, con ambientes costeros como playas de arena o canto rodado, acantilados,humedales, cangrejales, praderas de macro algas, arrecifes rocosos, entre muchos otros. De las mil especies de aves que se han identificado en nuestro país, más de 150 dependen de esos ambientes,entre las que podemos citar al quetro cabeza blanca (Tachyeres leucocephalus), endémico de nuestro país, la gaviota cangrejera (Larus atlanticus), que nidifica exclusivamente en nuestras costas, o almacá tobiano (Podiceps gallardoi) y al albatros de Tristán (Diomedea dabbenena) ambos en peligro crítico de extinción.Para identificar, proteger y manejar los sitios importantes para estas especies, BirdLife International ha desarrollado el Programa de Áreas Importantes para la Conservación de las Aves (AIC A o IBAs por sus siglas en inglés). En Argentina se ha llevado a cabo un primer inventario de 273 AIC A terrestres que cubren el 12% de la superficie del país, trabajo realizado mediante la aplicación de criterios científicos acordados internacionalmente basados en el conocimiento certero y lo más actualizado posible. Para replicar dicho ejercicio en el ambiente marino-costero y pelágico se han aplicado los mismos criterios referidos a dos atributos esenciales para identificar prioridades en conservación: vulnerabilidad e irreemplazabilidad, dando como resultado 55 AIC A marinas candidatas,de las cuales 47 son marino costeras y 8 pelágicas, totalizando una superficie de 3.050 km2 y 86.900 km2 respectivamente.Fil: Dellacasa, Rubén. No especifíca;Fil: Rabuffetti, Fabián L.. No especifíca;Fil: Tamini, Leandro Luis. No especifíca;Fil: Falabella, Valeria. No especifíca;Fil: Frere, Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Caleta Olivia. Centro de Investigaciones Puerto Deseado; Argentin

Spectacled Petrel (Procellaria conspicillata) attending on fishing vessels in the Argentina Sea

Se reportan observaciones de individuos de Petrel de Anteojos (Procellaria conspicillata) asociados a buques pesqueros en el Mar Argentino. Entre 2008 y 2014, 18 individuos fueron observados en la Zona Común de Pesca Argentina-Uruguaya y en la zona adyacente a la veda permanente para la pesca de merluza común (Merluccius hubbsi). El 75% de las observaciones se realizaron durante el arrastre del arte de pesca y con la presencia de descarte. A pesar de no registrarse mortalidad, la especie podría ser vulnerable a su captura incidental.We report new sightings of Spectacled Petrel (Procellaria conspicillata) attending on fishing vessels in the Argentina Sea. Between 2008 and 2014, 18 individuals were observed in the Argentine-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone and near the permanent closure zone to fishing common hake (Merluccius hubbsi). Most observations (75%) were made in the trawl operations with discards. We did not observe mortality; however, the species could be vulnerable to its incidental capture

Residual mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Burkina Faso

Background: Burkina Faso is one of the countries in West Africa most affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, despite the implementation of a mother-to-child HIV transmission prevention program as a strategy to reduce the risk of vertical transmission of the disease.Objective: To assess the current risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Burkina Faso.Materials and methods: A prospective study was conducted between December 2014 and July 2016, in the 13 health regions of Burkina Faso. Women who were screened HIV-positive during a prenatal consultation were followed until delivery. Their babies received dry blood spot (DBS) at birth, at week 6 and at 1year, to screen for HIV.Results: Overall, 186 pregnant women were included in the study, with a mean age of 29.17±6.13 years. Of their children, 430 DBS actually received a PCR test, giving a 91.1% PCR implementation rate. After analyses, 6 (1.3%) babies were identified as carriers of HIV1. The newborn’s serological status was associated with delivery pattern (p=0.000), the administration of antiretroviral drugs to the mother after delivery (p=0.0064), the administration of Nevirapine to the newborn at birth (p=0.022), the use of contraceptive methods after delivery (p=0.028) and the presence of breast affections/infections since delivery (p=0.013).Conclusion: The results of our study are encouraging and demonstrate the effectiveness of interventions in the mother-tochild prevention program (PMTCT) for HIV-positive pregnant women can be improved through early initiation of triple therapy in early pregnancy and improved adherence to antiretroviral (ARV) therapy.Keywords: Burkina Faso, HIV/AIDS, mother-to-child transmission, antiretroviral drugs, pregnant wome