Search results for "conservation."

Insect pests of the Herbarium of the Palermo botanical garden and evaluation of semiochemicals for the control of the key pest Lasioderma serricorne …

2020

Abstract The herbaria are scientific tools of great importance that preserve extinct, rare, endemic, and common plant species and also have importance as Cultural Heritage for their historical and esthetical value. Herbaria can be infested by several insect pests feeding on dried plants, and their management is often complicated and difficult as the use of chemical insecticides can have negative drawbacks. This suggests a strong need for alternative control tools such as the use of semiochemicals to develop Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. In order to identify the main insect pests that determine the damages on the exsiccata stored in the Palermo Botanical Garden's Herbarium, one …

Invasive Aliens in Italy: Enumeration, History, Biology and Their Impact

2021

Italy includes two large islands, Sardinia and Sicily, and a peninsula separated from the European continent by the Alpine Arch. At national level ISPRA (Instituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Higher Institute for Environmental protection and research) is the instrument of the Ministry of Environment and for the Protection of the Territory and the Sea to carry out its mission, including the study, monitoring, and control of invasive alien species. Universities, Scientific Societies, and ONGs play a vital role in basic research. The interest in the study of alien plants is of a theoretical nature, as regards the migrations of living beings and interactions with native…

Targeting human {gamma}delta} T cells with zoledronate and interleukin-2 for immunotherapy of hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

2007

Abstract The increasing evidence that γδ T cells have potent antitumor activity suggests their value in immunotherapy, particularly in areas of unmet need such as metastatic carcinoma. To this end, we initiated a phase I clinical trial in metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer to examine the feasibility and consequences of using the γδ T-cell agonist zoledronate, either alone or in combination with low-dose interleukin 2 (IL-2), to activate peripheral blood γδ cells. Nine patients were enlisted to each arm. Neither treatment showed appreciable toxicity. Most patients were treated with zoledronate + IL-2, but conversely only two treated with zoledronate displayed a significant long-te…

Eliölajien uhanalaisuuden arviointi : arvoja vai ekologiaa?

2014

Scientific investigation to preserve our architectural heritage: experimental application in Sicily between 2002 and 2012

2014

The essay introduces the result of thermographic surveys and other scientific applications on some Sicilian monuments, and demonstrates the clear evolution of the method to support an effective conservation of ancient buildings. The method introduced is useful to get a metric thermal image to be edited with the photogrammetric image of the architectural surfaces simultaneously, and related with the results of other kind of diagnostic tests. Some examples of its application are introduced and critically commented to understand all the potentialities of the investigation in the discipline of the restoration of cultural heritage.

What are the factors driving the adoption and intensity of sustainable irrigation technologies in Italy?

2020

This paper aims to analyse the determinants of Italian farmers’ adoption of sustainable irrigation technologies such as micro-irrigation (drip and sprinklers) and sub-irrigation technologies. To improve farmers’ water management, climate variability adaptive behaviour should be incentivized. Italy, like other Mediterranean countries, has suffered the most for an increase in frequency and intensity of droughts, higher temperatures and fewer precipitations. Applying innovative irrigation systems, water scarcity and water stress may be overcome. Water conservation and saving technologies may help in supporting water-saving behaviour, increasing water conservation in the natural environment and…

What future for decommissioned historic irrigation canals? Crafting new identities in the Lower Ter (Spain)

2020

Historic irrigation canals are valuable socioecological systems capable of delivering several ecological and cultural services. However, ecological modernisation initiatives are leaving decommissioned ditches in limbo. A case study strategy is used to analyse the history of a decommissioned 700-year-old canal network in northeastern Spain and the unexpected intervention of several stakeholders who have attempted to redefine the former canals through new uses. The study relies on the analysis of documents and eight semistructured interviews with key stakeholders. We argue that this case reflects a policy failure in the application of multifunctionality, integrative planning and social partic…

Bridging Mediterranean cultures in the International Year of Soils 2015: A documentary exhibition on irrigation techniques in water scarcity conditio…

2017

The paper presents the activity performed at the University of Brescia by students and researchers, belonging to different Mediterranean cultures and different disciplines, to prepare a documentary exhibition on irrigation techniques in water scarcity conditions, on the occasion of the International Year of Soils 2015. Traditional irrigation techniques were identified as a key aspect of soil conservation and agricultural practices, to build living and autopoietic ecosystems, also in adverse climatic conditions, and to adapt to climatic changes. Being a structural source of ecosystem survival, and being based on long-lasting observation of the climate and of the environment, they have deep r…

Lagrangian dynamics and possible isochronous behavior in several classes of non-linear second order oscillators via the use of Jacobi last multiplier

2015

Abstract In this paper, we employ the technique of Jacobi Last Multiplier (JLM) to derive Lagrangians for several important and topical classes of non-linear second-order oscillators, including systems with variable and parametric dissipation, a generalized anharmonic oscillator, and a generalized Lane–Emden equation. For several of these systems, it is very difficult to obtain the Lagrangians directly, i.e., by solving the inverse problem of matching the Euler–Lagrange equations to the actual oscillator equation. In order to facilitate the derivation of exact solutions, and also investigate possible isochronous behavior in the analyzed systems, we next invoke some recent theoretical result…

Global review of recent taxonomic research into Isoetes (Isoetaceae), with implications for biogeography and conservation

2018

With the advent of cytological analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy, the recognition of sterile hybrids, improved access to wild populations and increasingly comprehensive molecular investigations, there has been a revolution in Isoetes taxonomy in recent times. The last 40 years have seen an almost 100% increase in the diversity documented during the previous two centuries. Four geographic areas account for over 90% of this diversity: northern-central South America, eastern North America, western Eurasia (including the northern Mediterranean) and South to Tropical Africa. There is a significant global conservation concern for Isoetes, with many taxa being rare (known from one to a handfu…