MODELING AND OPTMIZATION POWER REQUIREMENTS OF ACTIVE ACOUSTIC LOUVRES

The development of new technologies for ventilated facades is within the context of energy efficiency of buildings , including the compatibility of the dichotomy between natural ventilation and soundproofing in tropical countries . Given this perspective, this work proposes the application of techniques for active noise control in acoustic louvers . One limitation of the spread of technical active noise control in buildings is the energy inherent in the technique. Thus, the proposed system is based on the reduction of structural vibrations of the shutter blades by using piezoelectric actuators . The acoustic transmission loss and energy requirements for active shutters are investigated from numerical modeling . The results suggest their technical feasibility with superior soundproofing to 30 dB and power consumption less than 35 W. Thus , the active noise control using piezoelectric actuators is presented as a promising technology , aligning soundproofing with low energy consumption Type the text of the abstract here, Times New Roman, 9, lower case letters, justified paragraphs, 1.0 line spacing. The abstract should state the objectives, methodology and main conclusions in 200 to 300 words. No not divide into paragraphs

Delayed or anticipated reproduction in the asp viper (Vipera aspis)? New field records

Field reports of delayed and anticipated parturition in the viperid snake Vipera aspis

First authentic record of the freshwater turtle mauremys from the upper pliocene of italy, with a new occurrence of the rarely reported ichnotaxon thatchtelithichnus holmani

Nowadays, the living species of the terrapin genus Mauremys (Testudinoidea: Geoemydi-dae) are mostly found in eastern Asia, but three of them inhabit the Western Palearctic ecozone. In Italy, occurrences of living individuals of Mauremys are interpreted as records of alien species; how-ever, a growing fossil record demonstrates that this genus has inhabited Italy as recently as the Late Pleistocene. We report on a new fossil specimen of Mauremys from the Upper Pliocene (Piacenzian) marginal-marine deposits of Tuscany (central Italy). This find, consisting of a partial plastron and a loose neural, represents the second authentic report of Mauremys from the Italian Pliocene, as well as the first one from the Piacenzian of Italy. Therefore, it is a significant fossil that fills a gap in the chro-nostratigraphic distribution of Italian fossil Mauremys, helping – together with the Lower Pliocene holo-type of Mauremys portisi – to bridge the rich Miocene and Pleistocene segments of this record. More-over, two unusual scars observed on the external surface of the studied plastron are here referred to the ichnospecies Thatchtelithichnus holmani. These traces represent one of the few records worldwide of this rarely identified ichnospecies, as well as its geologically youngest published occurrence. Hypo-theses regarding the origin of the Thatchtelithichnus traces are reevaluated, and an origin as attach-ment scars of aquatic ectoparasites (possibly ticks, leeches, or flukes) is reaffirmed as probable in ca-ses of traces occurring on the exterior of the plastral bones of turtles

Mirrored images but not silicone models trigger aggressive responses in male common wall lizards

Disentangling the effects of single releasers in animal communication is a demanding task because a releaser often consists of a combination of different key stimuli. Territorial communication in reptiles usually depends on visual, chemical, and acoustic stimuli, but the role of each of them depends on phylogeny. Lacertids are modern lizards that rely mainly on chemical cues for their communication, but they also use aggressive displays based on visual recognition. We experimentally tested the visual stimuli that release an aggressive response in the males of a typical lacertid, the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis), testing the effects of silicone models and mirrored images in captivity. The response to models and control (a blank sheet) was not significantly different and these stimuli did not release any aggressive behaviour. On the contrary, the reflected image in a mirror caused overt aggression (i.e., bites against it) in 63% of tested individuals. The results clearly demonstrate the role of visual stimuli in territorial communication, but only as a combined effect of shape and motion, differently from other lizard families for which shape is enough to stimulate aggre sive responses. Mirrors can be useful tools to investigate aggression related to physiological and morphological aspects in lacertid lizards

So close so different: what makes the difference?

The introduction of alien fish species in wetland ecosystems could have a great impact on freshwater communities and ecological processes. Despite fish introduction has been noticed as one of the principal cause of freshwater extinctions, ecosystem processes alteration, and change in aquatic community assemblage, very few data about impact on freshwater reptiles are available. As study model we used two neighbour sub-populations of the endangered Sicilian pond turtle, Emys trinacris, inhabiting two small, close each other and very similar lakes, except for the presence of allocthonous fish, Cyprinus carpio and Gambusia hoolbroki in one of the two. The multi-year study allowed highlighting significant differences in abundance, growth and reproductive output between the two freshwater turtle sub-populations, suggesting their influence on phenotypic plasticity of the studied population. These results are discussed in the light of previous evidence about the impact of these alien species on abundance and assemblage of the invertebrate community with an evident impact on niche width, diet composition and therefore energy intake by Emys trinacris. These data may provide important information to address management strategies and conservation actions of small wetland areas inhabited by pond turtles, pointing out a threats never highlighted up to now

Winter activity in a coastal population of Vipera aspis (Reptilia, Viperidae)

L'activité hivernale d'une petite population de Vipera aspis (4 mâles adultes et 3 femelles adultes) a été étudiée au cours de trois hivers à l'aide du radio-pistage. Presque tous les individus sont restés actifs, se cachant simplement sous les feuilles, se déplaçant d'un refuge à l'autre en effectuant des distances d'environ 150 m. Approximativement 50 % des serpents étaient actifs au soleil (29 % du total des journées d'observation). Les domaines vitaux et les zones de principale fréquentation sont statistiquement identiques entre les sexes, bien que légèrement supérieurs chez les mâles. Les tailles observées pour les domaines vitaux sont remarquablement grandes pour des périodes hivernales durant lesquelles l'activité est censée être très réduite. Des déplacements, courts et longs, sont relativement plus fréquents chez les mâles que chez les femelles. Des températures ambiantes favorables liées à la position géographique, et donc à la zone climatique de la zone d'étude, semblent être le stimulus principal pouvant expliquer la forte activité hivernale de la population étudiée

Loss of genetic diversity and increased embryonic mortality in non-native lizard populations

Many populations are small and isolated with limited genetic variation and high risk of mating with close relatives. Inbreeding depression is suspected to contribute to extinction of wild populations, but the historical and demographic factors that contribute to reduced population viability are often difficult to tease apart. Replicated introduction events in non-native species can offer insights into this problem because they allow us to study how genetic variation and inbreeding depression are affected by demographic events (e.g. bottlenecks), genetic admixture and the extent and duration of isolation. Using detailed knowledge about the introduction history of 21 nonnative populations of the wall lizard Podarcis muralis in England, we show greater loss of genetic diversity (estimated from microsatellite loci) in older populations and in populations from native regions of high diversity. Loss of genetic diversity was accompanied by higher embryonic mortality in non-native populations, suggesting that introduced populations are sufficiently inbred to jeopardize long-term viability. However, there was no statistical correlation between population-level genetic diversity and average embryonic mortality. Similarly, at the individual level, there was no correlation between female heterozygosity and clutch size, infertility or hatching success, or between embryo heterozygosity and mortality. We discuss these results in the context of human-mediated introductions and how the history of introductions can play a fundamental role in influencing individual and population fitness in non-native species

Refinement of the NISECI ecological index reference conditions for Italian freshwater fish communities in the eastern Emilia-Romagna region

Following the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/CE (WFD), each member state of the European Union must monitor compliance of its rivers with ecological quality standards through biological quality indicators. The New Italian Index of the Ecological State of Fish Communities (NISECI) was developed in 2017 for the assessment of fish communities, as directed by the WFD in Italian freshwater habitats. According to the WFD, the general reference conditions (GRCs) of NISECI must be refined on a regional scale through new calculation of its metrics and sub-metrics. In the present study we used environmental and ichthyological data from 457 fish samplings distributed among 299 sampling sites within 84 different water bodies collected from 1995 to 2012 to develop: 1) new lists of expected species for six homogeneous zones identified in the Reno basin (Italy) and in the eastern regional basins of the Emilia-Romagna region; and 2) the threshold values for their species-specific abundance. Results were set as refined reference conditions (RRCs) for two of the metrics used in the application of the NISECI index in the study area (i.e. X1, relating to indigenous species and X2,b, for the abundance of expected species). The RRCs were tested by applying NISECI to 24 monitoring sites of the regional surface water monitoring network (i.e., ARPAE) and comparing the results with the application of NISECI using the GRCs. Furthermore, the analytical power of the refined NISECI was evaluated by relating the findings to three expertbased blind assessments of fish community ecological status. The results confirmed an increase in refined NISECI values and its higher consistency with expert-based assessment, supporting the validity of the presented method for RRC development and its potential for application in other regions

Whole mitochondrial genome sequencing provides new insights into the phylogeography of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean Sea

Population structure and phylogeography of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) have so far been assessed mainly by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) single-gene sequencing studies. However, phylogenetic relationships amongst matrilines, genetic characterisation of rookeries and mixed-stock analyses have suffered from the limited resolution obtained by comparison of relatively short sequences such as from the mtDNA control region. Whole mitogenome sequencing can significantly improve population genetics, particularly in marine organisms showing female natal philopatry. Despite mitogenomics becoming increasingly common in biodiversity monitoring and conservation, only a few complete mitogenomes are available for C. caretta. In this study, we sequenced the complete mtDNA of 61 loggerhead turtles sampled between 2008 and 2021 along the Italian coastline and central Mediterranean Sea. We assigned complete mtDNA haplotypes to dead embryos and bycatch samples, and introduced a first nomenclature for loggerhead mitogenomes. Analysis of mtDNA diversity, Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction allowed improved resolution of lineages with respect to studies reporting on partial mtDNA control region sequence comparisons, and we were able to further inform previous analyses on loggerhead ancestry based on control region haplogroups. Overall, whole mitogenome analysis has potential for considerable improvement of evolutionary history and phylogeographic investigations as well as mixed-stock surveys of loggerhead turtles