Il contratto di foce per la gestione integrata delle risorse idriche nei territori all'interfaccia fiume-mare: il caso del Delta del Po

The national and European framework of tools and initiatives related to planning, management and development of areas characterized by the presence of water resources requires a system-based, collaborative and participatory approach (Barraque, 2001; Kallis et al., 2001; Aubin et al., 2002; Kaika, 2003; Carter, 2007; Vacik et al., 2014). The River Contracts (Bobbio et al., 2008; Magnaghi, 2008; Bastiani, 2011) that "contribute to the definition and implementation of district planning tools at both basin and sub-basin catchment scale as voluntary tools for strategic and negotiated planning pursuing the protection and proper management of water resources, as well as the valorization of riverine territories, together with the safeguard of the hydraulic risk, thus contributing to local development of such areas" (art.43 "River Contracts" DDL 1676 XVII Leg., better known as "Collegato Ambietntale", i.e. set of environmental norms included within the National Stability Law) operate within such a framework. The research builds on a strong interest in the implementation of the model River Contract in specific areas placed within the river-sea interface, in order to facilitate the implementation of water-management policies and initiatives at local scale (Governa, 2014; Alberton et al., 2011, De Vito, 2011; Armitage, 2008), with the aim to contribute to the sustainable development of these areas according to the revised regulatory framework and the new European programming period objectives. These preliminary issues have allowed developing and deepening the theoretical background as well as the conceptual framework of the research. The key-concepts identified for the purposes of the research are: (i) the peculiarities of the river mouth areas compared to those placed in along the rivers/water bodies; (ii) the state of the art of water-management and governance in Europe and Italy with special regard to participatory approaches and âplace-basedâ policies; (iii) the River Contracts -including both general principles and rules and the most significant experiences developed so far-; (iv) the transition from the traditional River Contract model to the new concept of the Mouth Contract that was developed starting from a number of limitations/weaknesses identified for the former and following the analysis of the main experiences as well as the decision to consider its applicability to the mouth areas. The overall objective of this PhD thesis is therefore to build a new conceptual model for water governance at the scale of mouth areas placed within the river-sea interface, according to an integrated and participative water-resource management approach and a place-based policy in favour of participative and sustainable local development focused on water. The logical path which allowed to pursue this overall objective is organised into three parts linked to specific sub-objectives and functional to the orientation of the main research outputs. These sub-objectives are: ⢠defining the new conceptual Mouth Contract model for areas within the river-sea interface, based on the adaptation/development of the traditional River Contract model and moving from the weaknesses identified for the latter (as well as from selected relevant experiences); ⢠testing the new conceptual model in the study area of the Po Delta that is part of the coastal arc of Veneto, through the Po Delta Mouth Contract built on the proper "territorial dimension" as emerging from hydrographic, physical, human and economic characteristics of the area, according to the place-based policy approach; ⢠assessing the exportability of the Mouth Contract model to different areas and comparative analysis with national policies (namely the experimental application of the Mouth Contract for the Po Delta chosen by Veneto Region and the Ministry of Economy and Finance - Department for Development and Economic Cohesion - for the 'implementation of the National Strategy for Internal Areas under the â2014-2020 Italy Partnership Agreementâ). The final research report, i.e. this thesis, was organized according to the structure described below. The rationale of the research and objectives of the thesis are presented within Chapter 1, "Introduction", while the basic concepts on which the research builds are discussed in Chapter 2, "Background and conceptual framework". These concepts primarily relate to the characterization of the catchment area of river territories as they are traditionally identifed and the specificity of the end portions of the rivers, at the mouth to the sea, to which different characteristics and dynamics must be recognized, but that migh also be house to conflicts related to different uses, fragmentation of skills and a complex and burdensome water resources management. The normative and policy framework for the government and governance of water resources at both European and national level was then addressed, with further considerations on the network governance at the local level. Newtork governance is recognized by literature as an opportunity for development policies, in line with the focus on "territorial dimension" promoted by research in this field. Participatory and intersectoral approaches were then explored in support of the place-based policy and for a better understanding of the most appropriate tools to be taken into account for the development of a new conceptual model based on a participatory process. River Contracts âas they are defined within sectorial and territorial planning- were finally analyzed according to the current national normative framework and based on the most relevant experiences at both national and internatonal scale. The last paragraph of this chapter was devoted to the identification of the weaknesses/limitations of the traditional conceptual model, recognized as not-adequate for the application to mouth areas. These areas were then considered as the main reference for the topics addressed by the following chapters. Chapter 3, "Materials and Methods", reports the literature sources and documents used for the research as well as a description of the research methodology with special reference to, the development of the conceptual framework that provides background for the research. The logical process and methodology that enabled the adaptation of the conceptual model, from the River Contract to the Mouth Contract, based on applicability to the study area and extendibility to other areas within the river-sea interface are then presented.. Special attention is paid to the description of the methodology used in the analysis of the territory, in line with the leading concept of the "territorial dimension", as well as to the methodology developed for the identification and assessment of the actors to be involved in the participatory process. The latter includes a description of the existing participatory tools and a special focus on those of them that were selected and adapted in accordance to research needs and the key-features of the new conceptual model. Chapter 4, "Case study: the Po Delta" describes the innovative issues introduced by the new conceptual Mouth Contract model according to the above-metioned methodology. Specific attention is given to the presentation of the specificities of the hydrographic area as well as the fragmentation of existing skills especially in terms of management of the main water resources due to the failure to implement policies at local level. Chapter 5, "Results and discussion", finally shows the main research outputs, i.e.: (i) the creation of a new conceptual model for the Mouth Contract; (ii) the application of the latter to the study area of Po Delta, including the discussion of outcomes from the participatory process implemented in accordance with the methodology developed by the research (Thematic Tables); and finally (iii) the results of tests aiming to check the exportability of the model to different mouth areas (as well as different areas) and the orientation of national policies. Chapter 6 is devoted to the drawing of "Conclusions". The development of the new conceptual model for the Mouth Contract, i.e. the first output of the research, and the results achieved through the successful application to the Po Delta area, show that the implementation ot this participatory planning tool in the areas within the river-sea interface can be strategic and instrumental in promoting local development. By doing so these tools can facilitate the transposition and implementation of policies at the local level thus contributing to overcome the existing fragmentation and complexity in the management of water -and more generally- land resources. As an additional result of the research, the relevance of the model has been confirmed by policy makers who have recognized the contract as a means for facilitating the implementation of the "National Strategy for Internal Areas" - i.e. one out of three strategic options on which the place-based development policy promoted by the National Government through the 2014-2020 Italy Partnership Agreement is focused, the other two being âThe Southâ and âCitiesâ - at the local scale. Chapter 7, "Bibliography", is organized into two sections distinctly related to the specific and general bibliography including legislation and regulations, programs, plans and projects, guidelines and web links. Chapter 8 consists of "Appendixes" where the main documents developed during the research, in particular during the experimental phase, are reported. In conclusion it can be stated that, besides the opportunity to further refine the new conceptual model for the Mouth Contract according to the results emerged during its implementation in the study area, the thesis has fully achieved its general objective

The challenge for large-scale vapor-phase growths of not-catalyzed ZnO nanostructures: purity vs. yield

ZnO nanostructures are today a very important research topic because their proved (or even just "potential") properties promoted huge studies in many different application fields, such as optoelectronics, photovoltaics, spintronics, gas sensing, photocatalysis, piezo-electric applications, etc. Since a reproducible large-scale production is essential for a likely use of these nanostructures in any industrial application, large efforts have been done to control and stabilize their synthesis processes. Good results have been obtained in vapor phase growths of nanorods and nanowires, by mean of metal catalysts (such as Au, Pt or Ni particles). On the other side, large and controlled production of some ZnO nanostructures have been realized by wet chemical processes. Unfortunately both these approaches are intrinsically affected by the introduction of impurities in the nanocrystals\u27 structure. Indeed, even very low impurity levels may have a strong effect on the physical properties of these semiconducting nanostructures. Catalyst-free vapor-phase growth techniques should not be affected by the same impurity levels if high purity sources and gases are employed. Unfortunately, the synthesis control is generally more difficult in this kind of processes. In the present work authors show the results obtained in the optimization of three different growth processes, for a large-scale oriented production of (i) ZnO tetrapods, (ii) ZnO nanorods and (iii) ZnO long nanowires. All the described processes share a catalyst-free growth and the use of high purity metallic Zn, O2 and inert carrier gas (Ar) only. The properties of the obtained ZnO nanostructures have been characterized and, hence, pros and cons of the used approach have been discussed

Growth And Characterization Of ZnO Nanostructures By A Self-Catalythic CVD Process

In the last years, many papers have dealt with the topic of metal oxide nanowire growth and characterization. In particular, it is widely reported that Zinc Oxide (ZnO) can be obtained in a large variety of nanostructures with different morphologies, namely nanowires, nanorods, nanotetrapods (or simply "tetrapods"), nanotapes or nanoribbons, etc. The possibility to obtain this material in different nanosized crystalline structures is particularly interesting in view of several application fields, e.g. chemical sensors, solar-cells, optoelectronics. However, different nanostructures often appear mixed on the same substrate, thus limiting the possibility of exploitation for applications

An integrative genomic approach reveals coordinated expression of intronic miR-335, miR-342, and miR-561 with deregulated host genes in multiple myeloma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in multiple myeloma (MM) has yet to be fully elucidated. To identify miRNAs that are potentially deregulated in MM, we investigated those mapping within transcription units, based on evidence that intronic miRNAs are frequently coexpressed with their host genes. To this end, we monitored host transcript expression values in a panel of 20 human MM cell lines (HMCLs) and focused on transcripts whose expression varied significantly across the dataset.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>miRNA expression was quantified by Quantitative Real-Time PCR. Gene expression and genome profiling data were generated on Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarrays. Significant Analysis of Microarrays algorithm was used to investigate differentially expressed transcripts. Conventional statistics were used to test correlations for significance. Public libraries were queried to predict putative miRNA targets.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We identified transcripts specific to six miRNA host genes (<it>CCPG1</it>, <it>GULP1</it>, <it>EVL</it>, <it>TACSTD1</it>, <it>MEST</it>, and <it>TNIK</it>) whose average changes in expression varied at least 2-fold from the mean of the examined dataset. We evaluated the expression levels of the corresponding intronic miRNAs and identified a significant correlation between the expression levels of <it>MEST</it>, <it>EVL</it>, and <it>GULP1 </it>and those of the corresponding miRNAs miR-335, miR-342-3p, and miR-561, respectively. Genome-wide profiling of the 20 HMCLs indicated that the increased expression of the three host genes and their corresponding intronic miRNAs was not correlated with local copy number variations. Notably, miRNAs and their host genes were overexpressed in a fraction of primary tumors with respect to normal plasma cells; however, this finding was not correlated with known molecular myeloma groups. The predicted putative miRNA targets and the transcriptional profiles associated with the primary tumors suggest that <it>MEST</it>/miR-335 and <it>EVL/</it>miR-342-3p may play a role in plasma cell homing and/or interactions with the bone marrow microenvironment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data support the idea that intronic miRNAs and their host genes are regulated dependently, and may contribute to the understanding of their biological roles in cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of deregulated miRNA expression in MM, providing insights that may lead to the identification of new biomarkers and altered molecular pathways of the disease.</p

Correction to: Management of early ankle osteoarthritis through anterior joint-preserving surgery: a retrospective evaluation at mid- to long-term follow-up

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Hepatic abscess caused by trans-gastric migration of a fishbone

Background Stomach or duodenal perforation due to foreign body are usually associated with the development of a walled-off abdominal mass or abscess, and are less prone to cause systemic signs of infection. Methods and Case presentation A 65-year-old man with no comorbidities was admitted for rapid onset of abdominal discomfort, fever, and chills. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed an 8 cm abscess in the left lobe of the liver. The lesion was aspirated under ultrasound guidance; cultures from the abscess grew Streptococcus constellatus. Chest CT scan, colonoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and blood cultures were negative. The patient’s clinical status rapidly improved with antibiotic therapy, but a follow-up CT scan revealed the presence of a thin, 3 cm-long radiopaque object at the site of the previous abscess. A few months later, due to symptomatic cholelithiasis, the patient underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy and concurrent removal of a 3 cm-long fishbone, which was embedded into the wall of the gastric antrum and the third segment of the liver, the latter which was partially resected. Results The small gastrotomy was reapproximated with a single resorbable stitch. The post-operative course was uneventful and at 6 month follow up, the patient was asymptomatic without evidence of residual abdominal pathology. Conclusions Asymptomatic perforation of the gastric wall by an ingested foreign body can occur and be subsequently complicated by a liver abscess. A contained perforation can be successfully managed conservatively

Cerebellar haemorrhages and pons development in extremely low birth weight infants.

UNLABELLED Neuropathological and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies showed a high frequency of posterior fossa abnormalities in preterms. To assess whether cerebellar haemorrhages (CH) diagnosed with ultrasound and/or MRI affect pons development in ELBW infants. The anteroposterior diameter of the pons was measured manually on the midline sagittal T1 MR image in 75 ELBW babies consecutively scanned at term postmenstrual age. Subjects with CH were identified and compared to babies with no posterior fossa bleeding. Nine ELBW infants with CH (CH-Group: median gestational age -GA- 26 wks, range 23-27; birth weight -BW- 680 g, 425-980) were compared with 66 babies with normal cerebellum (Control-Group: GA 28 wks, 23-33; BW 815 g, 430-1000). The two groups were comparable for BW (p=0.088) while GA was significantly shorter in CH babies (p=0.005). The pontine diameter was significantly lower in CH-Group compared to Control-Group (12.8 +/- 2.2 vs 14.8 +/- 1.2 mm; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Cerebellar haemorrhages seem to affect the development of the pons in ELBW with the youngest GA

Rapid and sensitive detection of bla KPC gene in clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae by a molecular real-time assay.

The aim of this study was the rapid identification of bla KPC gene in 38 Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates with reduced susceptibility to carbapenems. The modified Hodge Test (MHT) was carried out to phenotypically determine whether resistance to carbapenems was mediated by a carbapenemase. The detection of the bla KPC gene was performed by real-time acid nucleic sequence-based amplification (NASBA™™), specifically designed for the detection of KPC RNA target.Thirty-two/38 isolates evaluated by MHT showed the production of carbapenemases, while all the strains exhibited the production of KPC by inhibition test with phenylboronic acid (the combined disk test with IPM/IPM plus phenylboronic acid). The detection of bla KPC gene by Nuclisens EasyQ KPC yielded positive results in 38/38 (100\%) strains. The presence of bla KPC gene was confirmed in all K. pneumoniae isolates when tested by the gold standard PCR assay.In consideration of the serious challenge represented by infections due to K. pneumoniae it appears necessary the rapid identification of carbapenemases in clinical settings as it is made possible by the use of NASBA™ assay