Un contributo alla conservazione della biodiversità in Sicilia

Dinamica della vegetazione in relazione all’impatto degli incendi in Sicilia.

Esperienze di monitoraggio a Salaparuta e nella R.N.O. “Grotta di Santa Ninfa” (TP, Sicilia Occidentale): effetto di pratiche di agricoltura sostenibile sulle componenti abiotiche e biotiche

Il Castagno in Sicilia: una storia antica e poco nota

Diversi studi compiuti negli ultimi anni hanno messo in luce una lunga quanto sottovalutata tradizione nell’uso del legno in generale e di quello di castagno in particolare, in Sicilia e sue isole satelliti (Sala et al., 2020). Altre indagini hanno inoltre confermato le ottime qualità tecnologiche del legno di castagno siciliano (Cruciata et al., 2018; La Mantia et al., 2006a; Maggiore et al., 2006). Meno noto ma altrettanto interessante è l’uso prolungato delle castagne nell’alimentazione; i frutti venivano infatti consumati prevalentemente, ma non esclusivamente, nelle zone montane dell’isola. Insufficientemente esplorate appaiono tuttora anche la ricchezza genetica, così come il ruolo de…

Distribuzione pregressa ed estinzione della Foca monaca (Monachus monachus) in Sicilia (Carnivora Phocidae)

Land cover change in the Nature Reserve Sughereta di Niscemi (SE Sicily) in the 20th century

La flora vascolare dell’Isola di Marettimo (Arcipelago delle Egadi, Canale di Sicilia): aggiornamento ed analisi fitogeografica. – Webbia 61 (2) 359-402.

The vascular flora of Marettimo Island (Egadi’s Archipelago, W Sicily): updating and phytogeographic analysis – Exactly 50 years after the work of FRANCINI & MESSERI (1956), the present contribution, deriving from both field collections and thorough checking of literature and herbarium available data, provides an up-to-date synthesis about the vascular flora of Marettimo, which at present consists of 492 infra-generic taxa (i. e. species, subspecies and varietes), pertaining to 291 genera and 92 families. Among these taxa, 28 are here reported for the first time, 37 are confirmed more or less one century after their first and unique record (GUSSONE, 1832-34; 1842-45; LOJACONO-POJERO, 1888-1…

Notes on the status and the current spread of Viburnum tinus L. (Viburnaceae) in Sicily (Italy)

The authors carried out a multi-disciplinary research in order to clarify the native status of Viburnum tinus in Sicily and update the knowledge about its current regional distribution. With this purpose, a large amount of scientific papers on forestry, botany and palaeo- and archaeobotany was consulted; more useful data issued from papers focused on local historical gardens, from archives and from herbarium specimens. The available data suggest that most of the extant nuclei may issue from the recent colonization of plants introduced just few centuries ago. Although the status of the stands found in some warm and humid sites in the surroundings of the city of Palermo and on the Sicani Moun…

A novel multi-wavelength procedure for blood pressure estimation using opto-physiological sensor at peripheral arteries and capillaries

© 2018 SPIE. In this study, the Carelight multi-wavelength opto-electronic patch sensor (OEPS) was adopted to assess the effectiveness of a new approach for estimating the systolic blood pressure (SBP) through the changes in the morphology of the OEPS signal. Specifically, the SBP was estimated by changing the pressure exerted on an inflatable cuff placed around the left upper arm. Pressure acquisitions were performed both with gold standard (i.e. electronic sphygmomanometer), and Carelight sensor (experimental procedure), on subjects from a multiethnic cohort (aged 28 ± 7). The OEPS sensor was applied together with a manual inflatable cuff, going slightly above the level of the SBP with in…

Sicily: the island that didn't know to be an archipelago

Recent geological studies demonstrated that most of Sicily was still under water during lower Pliocene, with the exception of the NE and the SE corners of the island (Peloritani Mts and Hyblaean Plateau, respectively). This geological evidence, so far not considered sufficiently by the scholars of the Sicilian flora, poses many still open questions on how and where many ancient lineages and Palaeogene relicts, currently found on the island, managed to survive. Purpose of this paper is to review the potential significance of isolation and ecological differentiation for the local floristic diversity and the evolution of narrow endemism in the Sicilian flora. In particular, the following drive…

Gli impatti degli impianti eolici sulla componente biotica e le misure di mitigazione

Monitoraggio e tutela del patrimonio floristico delle Saline di Trapani e Paceco

Photoplethysmograhic sensors, potential and limitations: Is it time for regulation? A comprehensive review

Healthcare is expected to increasingly shift care out of inpatient settings thanks to wearable monitoring systems. Photoplethysmography (PPG) is an optical technique already integrated into wrist-worn commercial products which presents significant advantages in terms of cost and dimensions. PPG-based devices, despite their ability to detect multiple cardiovascular parameters, are affected by several influencing conditions that depend both on technological or environmental variables, and on intra- and inter-subject variability that influences the whole measurement chain and reliability, hindering an objective characterization of PPG devices. Plus, the lack of standardization for data collect…

3D Printing and Computational Modeling for the Evaluation of LVOT obstruction in Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) is an emerging alternative treatment for those patients not qualified for surgery. However, TMVR can determine an obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract (namely, neo-LVOT) induced by the transcatheter heart valve (THV) displacing the native mitral valve leaflet towards the myocardial wall. This condition can lead to haemodynamic impairment and ultimately patient death. We sought to predict the neo-LVOT obstruction by first developing patient-specific simulations of the THV deployment and then comparing predictions with post-TMVR diagnostic images and 3D printed human models. Using pre-TMVR computed-tomography (CT) imaging, patient-spe…

Influenza della Morfologia Funzionale della Valvola Aortica sull'Emodinamica di Pazienti con Aneurisma Toracico dell'Aorta Ascendente

Il presente lavoro si propone di studiare le differenze emodinamiche e i carichi di parete che si sviluppano in pazienti con aneurisma toracico dell'aorta ascendente (ATAA) con differente morfologia della valvola aortica. Sono stati identificati 5 pazienti con ATAA sottoposti a scansione TC per il controllo del diametro dell'aneurisma presso l'Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione. In particolare, tre pazienti presentano valvola aortica di tipo tricuspide(TAV) mentre due valvola aortica di tipo bicuspide (BAV) generalmente associata alla formazione di ATAA. Sono state ricostruite le geometrie dei ATAA includendo anche la ricostruzione delle valvole aortich…

The Sicilian phanerophytes: still a noteworthy patrimony, soon a lost resource? IUFRO Conference “Monitoring and indicators of forest biodiversity in Europe - from ideas to operationality” 12 - 15 November 2003, Firenze

The bird-beak stent-graft configuration: The end of aortic arch endograft collapse?

The bird-beak stent-graft configuration: The end of aortic arch endograft collapse?

The role of dominant tree cover and silvicultural practices on the postfire recovery of Mediterranean afforestations

Fire is one of the major disturbance factors in Mediterranean-type ecosystems, where since long time man has deeply modified the natural fire regime. To know how woody species recover after fire is of prominent importance for understanding vegetation dynamics, as well as for the management of Mediterranean plantations, especially where broadleaved and coniferous trees coexist. Our research was carried out at Monte Petroso (Sicily), within an historical afforestation intervention in the Mediterranean basin. We assessed the post-fire response of mixed oaks and oak-pine afforestations within six experimental plots (two plots per homogeneous sector) differing in dominant tree species (Quercus i…