L’approccio ecosistemico come strumento di mitigazione del rischio ambientale. Un’applicazione per la valutazione della gestione del ‘caso Xylella’

Il rischio ambientale di matrice antropica è il risultato dell’alterazione dell’ecosistema e della gestione del territorio diretta da logiche competitive e di speculazione. La mitigazione del rischio ambientale richiede, dunque, oltre la conoscenza dell’ambiente, delle sue criticità e degli impatti antropici, un approccio che ponga al centro l’ecosistema e il territorio. Pertanto, si propone l’approccio ecosistemico su base scientifica come strumento di valutazione e mitigazione dei rischi ambientali e dei costi ecologici e socioeconomici connessi, in fase ante operam, in corso d’opera e post operam. Tale approccio è stato applicato al «caso Xylella» permettendo di verificare come le scelte di gestione se ne siano profondamente discostate producendo significativi effetti territoriali. Tuttavia, essendo il caso Xylella ancora in corso si ritiene che, alla luce di tale approccio, sia possibile operare una rivalutazione delle scelte adottate al fine di contenere gli impatti antropici, mitigare e ridurre i rischi connessi.The Ecosystem Approach as an Environmental Risk Mitigation Instrument. An Application for the Evaluation of the «Xylella Case» Management. The environmental risk by human activities is the outcome of the ecosystem alteration and the territory management driven by competitive and speculative logics. The environmental risk mitigation requires, in addition to the knowledge of the environment, its level of criticality and the human impact, an approach that places at the centre the ecosystem and the territory. Therefore, we propose the ecosystem approach based on the scientific methodology as a mitigation and an evaluation instrument of the environmental risks and linked ecological and socioeconomic costs, in the ante operam, in progress and post operam phases. This approach applied to the «Xyella case» has allowed to verify as the management choices, that disagree with this approach, have produced very important territorial effects. However, because the “Xylella case” is in progress, we think that is possible reconsider the made choices in order to limit the human impacts, mitigate and reduce the linked risks.L’approche écosystémique comme instrument de mitigation du risque environnemental. Une application pour l’évaluation de la gestion du « cas Xylella » Le risque environnemental généré par les activités anthropiques est le résultat de l’altération de l’écosystème et de la gestion du territoire dirigée par les logiques compétitives et de la spéculation. La mitigation du risque environnemental demande, en plus de la connaissance de l’environnement, de ses criticités et impacts anthropiques, une approche centrée sur l’écosystème et le territoire. Donc, nous proposons l’approche écosystémique basée sur la méthodologie scientifique comme un instrument d’évaluation et mitigation des risques environnementaux et des couts écologiques et socioéconomiques liés, dans les phases ante operam, en cours de développement et post operam. Cette approche a été appliqué au « cas Xylella » en permettant de vérifier comment les choix de gestion sont très loin de cette approche et ont produit d’importants impacts territoriaux. Cependant, puisque le cas Xylella est en cours de développement, nous pensons qui est possible de reconsidérer les choix adoptés au but de limiter les impacts anthropiques et réduire les risques dérivants

The olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) diffusion in Apulia Region: an apparent contradiction according to the agricultural model

The agricultural models and innovations are not neutral, in relation both to the goals and to the territorial impacts, with special reference to the ecological and social dimensions. This awareness has become the key to observe the olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) that has affected the Apulia, a land of secular olive trees characterizing landscape and economy. By an inductive approach and according to data on the provincial level, we have verified the correlation between the ways of land use and the OQDS diffusion. In fact, in the Lecce and Brindisi provinces affected by the phenomenon we have observed an unexpected distribution of herbicides and the location of experimental fields with chemical products. The hypothesis is that the pathogens have damaged the weaker plants, that is to say those in polluted and poor soils, while the zones with a higher presence of organic agricultural land result less affected by the OQDS. Data on the local scale could be very important to know the correlation in greater detail, and make clearer the OQDS focus origin, as well as to better understand the territorial impact.Les modèles agricoles et les innovations ne sont pas neutres quant à leurs objectifs et leurs effets territoriaux (notamment dans leurs dimensions écologique et sociale). Nous utilisons cette clé d’observation pour analyser le complexe du dessèchement rapide des oliviers (CDRO) qui a affecté les Pouilles, terre où les oliviers séculaires marquent le paysage et l’économie. Par une approche inductive et sur la base des données à l’échelle provinciale, nous avons vérifié la corrélation entre les modalités d’utilisation de la terre et la diffusion du CDRO. Dans les provinces de Lecce et Brindisi, affectées par le phénomène, nous avons observé une distribution massive d’herbicides et la présence de champs d’expérimentation de produits chimiques. L’hypothèse est que les pathogènes ont affecté les plantes les plus faibles, c’est-à-dire celles qui sont dans des terrains pauvres et pollués. Par contre, les zones moins affectées comptent une plus grande présence de terrains conduits selon les modalités de l’agriculture biologique. Les données à l’échelle locale pourraient aider à affiner l’étude des corrélations et à rendre plus claire l’origine de l’épicentre du CDRO, ainsi qu’à mieux comprendre l’impact territorial

Derivation of critical rainfall thresholds for shallow landslides as a tool for debris flow early warning systems

Abstract. Real-time assessment of debris-flow hazard is fundamental for developing warning systems that can mitigate risk. A convenient method to assess the possible occurrence of a debris flow is to compare measured and forecasted rainfalls to critical rainfall threshold (CRT) curves. Empirical derivation of the CRT from the analysis of past events' rainfall characteristics is not possible when the database of observed debris flows is poor or when the environment changes with time. For debris flows and mud flows triggered by shallow landslides or debris avalanches, the above limitations may be overcome through the methodology presented. In this work the CRT curves are derived from mathematical and numerical simulations, based on the infinite-slope stability model in which slope instability is governed by the increase in groundwater pressure due to rainfall. The effect of rainfall infiltration on landside occurrence is modelled through a reduced form of the Richards equation. The range of rainfall durations for which the method can be correctly employed is investigated and an equation is derived for the lower limit of the range. A large number of calculations are performed combining different values of rainfall characteristics (intensity and duration of event rainfall and intensity of antecedent rainfall). For each combination of rainfall characteristics, the percentage of the basin that is unstable is computed. The obtained database is opportunely elaborated to derive CRT curves. The methodology is implemented and tested in a small basin of the Amalfi Coast (South Italy). The comparison among the obtained CRT curves and the observed rainfall amounts, in a playback period, gives a good agreement. Simulations are performed with different degree of detail in the soil parameters characterization. The comparison shows that the lack of knowledge about the spatial variability of the parameters may greatly affect the results. This problem is partially mitigated by the use of a Monte Carlo approach

Non executive directors in the S.p.A.

La presente tesi intende offrire una ricostruzione sistematica della disciplina applicabile agli amministratori deleganti di S.p.A. post riforma del 2003, attraverso una analisi della disciplina della delega, dei poteri, dei doveri e della responsabilità applicabili a tali amministratori. Il lavoro analizza, in primis, la disciplina della delega di funzioni amministrative ante e post riforma del 2003, evidenziando gli aspetti di continuità e discontinuità tra i due regimi. In secondo luogo, procede a una descrizione analitica dei poteri e dei doveri previsti in capo agli amministratori deleganti post riforma, per determinarne il contenuto e l'estensione. Infine, analizza le responsabilità degli amministratori deleganti per inadempimento dei doveri previsti a loro carico, tentando di dimostrare che la riforma ha attenuato il regime di responsabilità applicabile a tali amministratori attraverso una migliore distinzione del ruolo di tali soggetti rispetto a quello degli amministratori delegati.The work addresses the issue of the role of non executive directors in the S.p.A. in the light of the civil code reform of 2003. The study is intended to provide a systematic analysis of non executive directors' role in the S.p.A. through the analysis of the powers, the duties and the liability regime applicable to them before and after the civil code reform. This work tries to demonstrate that the liability regime applicable to non executive directors after the civil code reform is lighter than the previous rule, thanks to the more analytic system of executive and non-executive directors' powers and duties as provided by the civil code reform

Absence of the brachial artery: Report of a rare human variation and review of upper extremity arterial anomalies

AbstractVariations in the arterial anatomy of the upper extremities, although uncommon, occur in up to one in five patients. Most of these variants occur in either the radial or ulnar artery; brachial artery variations are less common. The case we report is a rare anomaly consisting of brachial artery agenesis or regression. The brachial artery was absent from its origin but reconstituted as a normal-appearing vessel 3 cm above the antecubital fossa. The profunda brachii artery and the superior and inferior ulnar collateral arteries were also absent in this patient. The axillary artery served as the main collateral to the forearm. This constellation of anomalies has not been previously described or explained by developmental models in humans and other primates. We speculate that failure of development or arrest of specific vascular anlage in the upper extremity occurs at particular embryological stages because of unknown factors. (J Vasc Surg 2001;33:191-4.

Risk factors for Haemophilus influenzae and pneumococcal respiratory tract colonization in CVID

To the Editor: Disease-specific studies focused on infection risk in common variable immune deficiencies (CVIDs) are needed to define strategies for controlling respiratory infections predominantly due to bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae.1 Little information is available on the rate of airway bacterial carriage and its consequence in hypogammaglobulinemias. Despite IgG replacement, recurrent respiratory infections are common in CVID, possibly leading to chronic lung damage2 and poor quality of life.3 Thus, patients are often prescribed antibiotics and/or long-term antimicrobial prophylactic regimens. Several regimens are used including rotation or periodically changing antibiotics.4 However, antibiotics influence antimicrobial resistance among airway microbiota. In a recent meta-analysis on patients with chronic lung diseases, 30% of S pneumoniae showed resistance to macrolides.

Real-time polymerase chain reaction and laser capture microdissection: an efficient combination tool for Chlamydophila pneumoniae DNA quantification and localization of infection in atherosclerotic lesions.

Chlamydophila pneumoniae has been implicated in atherosclerosis, but the role of this obligate intracellular pathogen in the development of the above pathology is still unclear. In particular, its presence and quantitative distribution within lesional areas has not yet been defined. We studied 18 carotid biopsies obtained from patients undergoing endoartherectomy. By laser microdissection (LCM), two different sites (intra-plaque and plaque-adjacent areas) were taken from each lesion, and the presence and quantity of the pathogen DNA were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). A total of 8 plaques, exclusively, from patients with unstable angina, were positive in real-time PCR. The bacterial DNA was detected in both lesional areas of 3 plaques which contained the highest number of DNA copies (1,900 to 2,200 copy numbers), while C. pneumoniae DNA was detected only in the intra-plaque area of the other 5 positive (500 to 1,600 copy numbers). No C. pneumoniae DNA was found in the other 10 plaques of which 6 were from patients with unstable angina and 4 from stable angina patients. No DNA from Helicobacter pylori or Cytomegalovirus was found in any plaque. This is the first report where both the target lesion and an adjacent reference site were evaluated for the presence of C. pneumoniae DNA by the combination of LCM and Real-time PCR assays. The integration of these two methodologies offer an excellent tool for in situ studies and may help to elucidate the putative role of C. pneumoniae in atherosclerosis

DYNAMIC SIMULATION OF A SOLAR HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM INCLUDING A SEASONAL STORAGE SERVING A SMALL ITALIAN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT

A centralized solar hybrid heating and cooling system satisfying the thermal, cooling and sanitary water demands of a typical Italian small district composed of six residential buildings situated in Naples (southern Italy) is modelled, simulated and analysed through the software TRNSYS over a period of 5 years. The plant is based on the operation of solar thermal collectors coupled with seasonal borehole storage; the solar field is also composed of photovoltaic solar panels connected with electric energy storage. An adsorption chiller powered by solar energy is adopted for cooling purposes, while a condensing boiler is used as an auxiliary unit. The performance of the proposed system has been assessed from energy, environmental and economic points of view and contrasted with the operation of a typical Italian heating and cooling plant, highlighting the following main results: saving of primary energy consumption up to 40.2%; (decrease of equivalent CO2 emissions up to 38.4%; reduction of operating costs up to 40.1%; and simple pay-back period of about 20 years