Segnalazioni floristiche e vegetazionali per le zone umide costiere del territorio di Petrosino (Sicilia occidentale)

Si riportano popolazioni inedite di alcune specie di angiosperme rare per il territorio siciliano, localizzate nelle aree umide costiere del territorio di Petrosino (provincia di Trapani), attualmente tutelate come sito della rete europea “Natura 2000” (codice ITA010006), e come zona “Ramsar”: si tratta nel dettaglio di Apium graveolens, Briza minor, Carex extensa, Cladium mariscus, Euphorbia hirsuta, Ipomoea sagittata, Ruppia drepanensis, Sonchus maritimus. Per ogni specie viene brevemente illustrata l’importanza dei nuovi reperti nel contesto regionale. Viene inoltre segnalata la presenza di un habitat prioritario non censito nel piano di gestione del sito Natura 2000, ossia “7210*: Paludi calcaree con Cladium mariscus e specie del Caricion davallianae”, nei margi Milo, e di nuove stazioni dell’habitat prioritario “1150*: Lagune costiere” (già segnalato per margi Milo e per Capo Feto) nei margi Nespolilla.Floristic and vegetation records for the coastal wetlands in the territory of Petrosino (Western Sicily). - New populations of some regionally rare angiosperm species, found in the coastal wetlands of the territory of Petrosino (Province of Trapani) currently protected as a site of the European network “Natura 2000” (code ITA010006) and as a “Ramsar” area, are reported: in detail, the species are Apium graveolens, Briza minor, Carex extensa, Cladium mariscus, Euphorbia hirsuta, Ipomoea sagittata, Ruppia drepanensis, Sonchus maritimus. For each species, the importance of the new findings in the regional context is briefly illustrated. A priority habitat not mentioned in the Natura 2000 site management plan, i.e. “7210*: Calcareous fens with Cladium mariscus and species of the Caricion davallianae”, in the Milo marshes, and new stations of the priority habitat “1150*: Coastal lagoons” (already reported for Milo marshes and Capo Feto) in the Nespolilla marshes, are also reported

Experimental Analysis of Neural Approaches for Synthetic Angle-of-Attack Estimation

Synthetic sensors enable flight data estimation without devoted physical sensors. Within modern digital avionics, synthetic sensors can be implemented and used for several purposes such as analytical redundancy or monitoring functions. The angle-of-attack, measured at air data system level, can be estimated using synthetic sensors exploiting several solutions, e.g. model-based, data-driven and model-free state observers. In the class of data-driven observers, multilayer perceptron neural networks are widely used to approximate the input-output mapping angle-of-attack function. Dealing with experimental flight test data, the multilayer perceptron can provide reliable estimation even though some issues can arise from noisy, sparse and unbalanced training domain. An alternative is offered by regularisation networks, such as radial basis function, to cope with training domain based on real flight data. The present work's objective is to evaluate performances of a single layer feed-forward generalised radial basis function network for AoA estimation trained with a sequential algorithm. The proposed analysis is performed comparing results obtained using a multilayer perceptron network adopting the same training and validation data

Una storia, tanti modi di raccontarla. Una nuova proposta di definizione dell’heritage marketing mix / One story, so many ways to narrate it. A new proposal for the definition of the heritage marketing mix

L’obiettivo del lavoro è proporre una precisa categorizzazione dei molteplici strumenti utilizzabili, nell’ambito di una strategia di heritage marketing, per gestire in termini manageriali la narrazione della storia dell’impresa e dei suoi prodotti e/o marchi. A tal fine, è stata realizzata una multiple case study research su 20 imprese ultracentenarie italiane che si sono distinte per le attività di valorizzazione del proprio patrimonio storico. Secondo un approccio qualitativo di tipo narrativo, ciascun caso è stato costruito integrando fonti orali (interviste), testuali (materiale aziendale) e visive (visite e osservazione diretta). In base alla diversa natura della narrazione, viene proposta una declinazione dell’heritage marketing mix in quattro categorie di strumenti, il cui utilizzo integrato e contestuale può offrire un contributo fondamentale alla valorizzazione dell’identità racchiusa nel patrimonio storico aziendale, con particolare riferimento alle imprese del settore agroalimentare. Il lavoro costituisce un “follow up” di un precedente contributo pubblicato su questa Rivista, e mira a correggere la prospettiva d’analisi che era stata allora utilizzata, alla luce degli sviluppi più recenti di un percorso di ricerca che non si è mai interrotto e che risulta tuttora incompiuto. A conoscenza degli autori, si tratta della più dettagliata declinazione dell’heritage marketing mix presente in letteratura. The aim of the paper is to propose a precise categorization of the multiple tools that can be used, as part of a heritage marketing strategy, to manage the narration of the history of the company and its products and/or its brands according to a strategic perspective. To this aim, a multiple case study research has been carried out on 20 Italian companies that have distinguished themselves for the enhancement of their historical heritage. According to a qualitative narrative approach, each case was built by integrating oral (interviews), textual (company material) and visual (visits and direct observation) sources. Based on the different nature of the narrative used, a definition of the heritage marketing mix is proposed, consisting in four categories of tools, whose integrated and contextual use can offer a fundamental contribution to the enhancement of the identity embedded in the company’s historical heritage, with particular reference to companies operating in the food and beverage industries. This paper is a “follow up” of a previous contribution published in this Journal, and aims to correct the analysis perspective that was then used, in light of the most recent developments of a research path that has never been interrupted and which is still unfinished. To the best of our knowledge, this is the most detailed definition of the heritage marketing mix that it is possible to find in the literature.

Retrospective analysis of dog bites in Southern Italy

ABSTRACT: Dog bite is one of the major public health problems involving people worldwide. Although, several studies have investigated this phenomenon in different countries, little information about the incidence of dog bite episodes in Italy is available. We analysed data about dog biting events between 2010 and 2019 provided by the CRIUV, the Regional Reference Centre for Veterinary Urban Hygiene in the largest city of Southern Italy, namely. Naples. We observed severe and profound inconsistencies in the data collection that reveal structural and significant weaknesses of the current data collection system. Given the multifactorial nature of dog bite, we highlight the need to improve the gathering of all the information related to the factors affecting the occurrence of biting episodes for an accurate assessment of the biting phenomenon

The Potential Impact of a Dog Training Program on the Animal Adoptions in an Italian Shelter

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Human–dog relationships are mainly focused on the physical and emotional wellbeing, and has much evolved in the last decades, becoming even more intense over time. Such a novel conception should also be applied to the life that takes place in kennels, which have been mistakenly regarded as a landfill or a burden on society for too many years. Here, we took into consideration an Italian shelter, and analyzed 555 adopted dogs who underwent a well-detailed behavioral training program, to assess the potential impact of the education upon the adoption of attitude. We documented a higher increase in the number of adoptions both for adult and senior animals when compared to the age-matched untrained dogs. Collectively, our data highlight the importance of a proper training, mainly accomplished with reward methods, to get a more suitable and balanced owner-dog attachment. ABSTRACT: One of the main concerns of the human–dog relationship is today associated with the quality life inside the kennels, which are very often regarded as animal dump where dogs are exiled, representing a burden on society. In the present study we sought to investigate the importance of performing an appropriate behavioral program on the adoption chances within an Italian shelter, near Naples (Ottaviano). In this respect, we enrolled 555 adopted dogs of different ages, who followed a tailored-4-month lasting training program between 2018 and 2020. Once entered there, they were carefully examined by the veterinary behaviorist, and directed towards a suited training program, to improve living conditions. We documented a higher number of both adult and senior dogs who left the kennel and were adopted, compared to the age-matched untrained animals (n = 479), housed in the same kennel from 2015 to 2017. Taken together, the present data highlight an important role for training in improving the natural attitudes of the companion dogs, thus pointing towards a better human–animal bond

Applying critical discourse analysis to explore the Italian Universities. Orientation towards the entrepreneurial model

This paper is aimed to discuss the actual commitment of Italian universities towards their third mission of economic and social development, providing an innovative perspective of analysis. We apply Critical Discourse Analysis to assess how Italian universities engagement with the stakeholder community is interpreted, implemented, communicated and disseminated within and outside the academic organizations. One of the most significant points in the evolution of organizational studies is the growing interest in language, whose construction is a key, alternative to traditional, to understand the organizational and inter-organizational phenomena. Critical Discourse Analysis is based on the assumption that language is not neutral with respect to organizational and inter-organizational dynamics, but it contributes to their production. In management studies, discourse analysis is a new heuristic strategy for those who are interested in the processes of social construction of organizational phenomena that have as their central element the text. Critical Discourse Analysis tries to unite, and determines the relationship between, three levels of analysis: (a) the actual text; (b) the discursive practices; and (c) the larger social context that bears upon the text and the discursive practices. We made our survey focusing on the texts published by each one of the 84 Italian universities on their websites. The first level of analysis was a lexical-statistical study of the texts with the main aim of observing the adopted terminology (vocabulary). At a second level, and on the basis of the previously performed analysis, we employed multidimensional statistic techniques, in order to study the discursive practices. Discourse study starts from concordances analysis, that deals with the identification of some local contexts containing word-types of specific interest. The final result is the reconstruction of the major sense behavior models. At a macro level, an exploratory study of the social context has been realized in order to link the texts and the discursive practices to the background conditions. Such analysis partially contributed to fill a gap in the literature, that is the study of the entrepreneurial university model from the discursive profile in the specific Italian context

Combining cannabis and melatonin treatment with a rehabilitation program improved symptoms in a dog with compulsive disorder: A case report

: Compulsive disorder in dogs (CD) is characterized by constant and time-consuming repetition of behaviors, emancipated from the environment, that definitely compromise their everyday life activities. Here, we documented the efficacy of a novel approach to counteract the negative symptoms of CD in a 5-year-old mongrel dog, previously found to be resistant to the conventional antidepressant. The patient underwent an integrated and interdisciplinary approach, based on the cannabis and melatonin co-administration, together with a tailored 5-month-lasting behavioral program. Observational findings showed a lower rate of compulsive episodes and better management of the dog as well, when compared to the previous paroxetine treatment. We followed him for an additional four months of therapy, and the owners reported easier management of the dog, as reduction of abnormal behaviors to a level acceptable to the owners. Overall, our data so far collected in the CD dog may allow us to test more deeply the feasibility and safety of such an off-label approach, at both preclinical and clinical levels

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor induces proliferative inhibition of NT2/D1 cells through RET-mediated up-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27kip 1

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Decreased Rhes mRNA levels in the brain of patients with Parkinson's disease and MPTP-treated macaques

In rodent and human brains, the small GTP-binding protein Rhes is highly expressed in virtually all dopaminoceptive striatal GABAergic medium spiny neurons, as well as in large aspiny cholinergic interneurons, where it is thought to modulate dopamine-dependent signaling. Consistent with this knowledge, and considering that dopaminergic neurotransmission is altered in neurological and psychiatric disorders, here we sought to investigate whether Rhes mRNA expression is altered in brain regions of patients with Parkinsonâ\u80\u99s disease (PD), Schizophrenia (SCZ), and Bipolar Disorder (BD), when compared to healthy controls (about 200 post-mortem samples). Moreover, we performed the same analysis in the putamen of non-human primate Macaca Mulatta, lesioned with the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Overall, our data indicated comparable Rhes mRNA levels in the brain of patients with SCZ and BD, and their respective healthy controls. In sharp contrast, the putamen of patients suffering from PD showed a significant 35% reduction of this transcript, compared to healthy subjects. Interestingly, in line with observations obtained in humans, we found 27% decrease in Rhes mRNA levels in the putamen of MPTP-treated primates. Based on the established inhibitory influence of Rhes on dopamine-related responses, we hypothesize that its striatal downregulation in PD patients and animal models of PD might represent an adaptive event of the dopaminergic system to functionally counteract the reduced nigrostriatal innervation