Is-sebat ijiem tal-ħolqien

L-awtur jikteb dwar il-ktieb tal-Ġenesi u r-rakkont tas-sebat ijiem tal-ħolqien.N/

Believing in Conspiracy Theories : Evidence from an Exploratory Analysis of Italian Survey Data

Beliefs in conspiracy theories have attracted significant international media attention in recent years. This phenomenon has been studied in the US but while anecdotal evidence suggests it is also widespread among the Italian public, little evidence has been collected to assess it empirically. Using data from a 2016 survey, this pioneering study of the Italian case investigates the extent of diffusion of conspiracy theories among Italians and tests several hypotheses concerning individual determinants. The paper finds that conspiracism is indeed widely diffused in Italy. It is negatively associated with education and positively with religiosity, while no correlation is found with political trust. Beliefs in conspiracies are also related to rightwing orientation and support for the populist Five Star Movement

Circular dielectric cavity and its deformations

The construction of perturbation series for slightly deformed dielectric circular cavity is discussed in details. The obtained formulae are checked on the example of cut disks. A good agreement is found with direct numerical simulations and far-field experiments.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figure

Interpretation of the behaviour of compacted soils using cam-clay extended to unsaturated conditions

This paper is focused on the interpretation of experimental results obtained at the Department of Geotechnical Engineering of the University of Naples Federico II (Italy) to investigate the effects of partial saturation on the volumetric behaviour and the initial shear stiffness of a compacted silt. Tests were performed by using suction-controlled triaxial and resonant column cells. Herein, the compatibility of the results with a Single Stress Model (SSM) is discussed. The SSM allows to highlight that suction can have two effects on the mechanical behaviour of an unsaturated soil: it increases the average volumetric stress acting on the soil skeleton and it has a sort of cementing effect on the soil packing (hardening and cementation)

Application to a compacted soil of a Cam Clay model extended to unsaturated conditions

This paper presents an interpretation of experimental results obtained at the Department of Geotechnical Engineering of the Università di Napoli Federico II. The results are part of an extensive program carried out to investigate the effects of partial saturation on the volumetric behaviour and on the initial shear stiffness of a compacted silt. Tests were performed using two suction-controlled devices, a triaxial cell and a Resonant Column Torsional Shear (RCTS) cell. The compatibility of experimental data with a Bishop Stress Model (BSM) is discussed in the paper. The BSM permits to highlight the two main effects of suction on soil behaviour: the increase of the average stress acting on the soil skeleton and the hardening - cementing of the soil packing. Hydraulic hysteresis is included in the definition of the water retention curve so that its effects, such as the irreversible component of volume change recorded during drying paths, are automatically incorporated in the predictions of the model

Is there scope for a new project bond market in Europe? A promising opportunity for promoting transnational infrastructure

La Unión Europea acaba de lanzar una iniciativa para fomentar Participaciones Público Privadas (PPPs) mediante bonos de proyecto más atractivos a inversores institucionales para promover proyectos transeuropeos. Esto se logra a través de mecanismos de mejora crediticia como garantías de liquidez o tramos de deuda subordinada facilitados por el Banco Europeo de Inversiones. Esta iniciativa pretende evitar los problemas de liquidez experimentados actualmente por bancos comerciales en Europa para financiar megaproyectos. En este artículo exploramos las ventajas e inconvenientes de esta iniciativa para promover redes de infraestructuras transnacionales en Europa, y analizamos su aplicabilidad a otras áreas como Latino-América. The European Union recently launched an initiative to foster Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) for delivering Trans-European projects by making long-term project-bonds more appealing to institutional investors. This is achieved through credit-enhancement mechanisms such as partial stand-by liquidity guarantees, or layers of subordinated debt provided by the European Investment Bank. This initiative intends to circumvent the liquidity problems currently endured by commercial banks in Europe to fund megaprojects. In this paper we explore the advantages and drawbacks of this initiative for promoting transnational infrastructure networks in Europe, and analyse its applicability to other economic areas such as Latin America

Reducing plastic pollution by recovery and recycling: evidence from a ‘Blue Economy’ project impacting policy-making in Italy

: This paper recognizes the relevance of the Seabed Cleaning Project, created by the Angelo Vassallo Sindaco Pescatore Foundation in 2010, and presents it as a tool to achieve benefits in environmental, social, and economic terms, in line with the innovative framework of the Blue Economy. The project suggests a practical, feasible, and scalable solution to plastic pollution that can be obtained thanks to the activity performed by fishermen in cooperation with the municipality and local community (in a multi-level cooperation perspective). The data show a significant reduction of plastic on the seafloor thanks to the project, but further research is needed in order to collect further positive outcomes from different applications of the project. In 2022, the "Salva Mare" Law was approved in the Senate, extending the good practices proposed by the Foundation nationwide and showing how small gestures and concrete actions can provide significant improvements in pursuit of a healthier, safer, greener, and smarter city for the future

An alien invader is the cause of homogenization in the recipient ecosystem: a simulation-like approach.

Biotic homogenization is an expected effect of biological invasions. Invasive alien species typically show great adaptability to a wide range of environmental conditions and may expand into different habitats, thus reducing the dissimilarity among the recipient communities. We tested this assumption by analyzing a comprehensive database (78 species x 229 samples) collected between 2012 and 2017 in the marine protected area of Portofino (NW Italy), where Caulerpa cylindracea, one of the worst invaders in the Mediterranean Sea, exhibits high substratum cover at depths between 1 m and 45 m in 14 different communities (identified according to the European Nature Information System EUNIS for habitat classification). Five samples for each of the eight depth zones (i.e., 5 m, 10 m, 15 m, 20 m, 25 m, 30 m, 35 m, and 40 m) were randomly re-sampled from the comprehensive database to produce a dataset of 67 species x 40 samples. Then, a second dataset of 66 species x 40 samples was simulated by excluding Caulerpa cylindracea. Both re-sampled datasets underwent multivariate analysis. In the presence of C. cylindracea, the overall similarity among samples was higher, thus indicating homogenization of the rocky reef communities of Portofino Marine Protected Area. Continued monitoring activity is needed to understand and assess the pattern and extent of C. cylindracea\u2019s inclusion in the recipient ecosystems