IRIS UNIME
Not a member yet
103940 research outputs found
Sort by
Development of regionalised inventory data for Life Cycle Assessment in agri-food sector: the case of italian olive production
No full textThe lack of representative data is one of the most important issues arising
for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies focused on the agri-food sector.
Indeed, agricultural processes are strongly influenced by technological, bi ological, and environmental factors depending on the geographical context
in which the practices are implemented. Furthermore, when primary data
are not available, the LCA practitioner shall use secondary data through
the international scientific literature and databases that should be represen tative of the investigated system as far as possible. Despite this, the use of
secondary data from not regionalised sources may result in missing such
representativeness as well as the “true” inventory that reports site-specific
data. In this context, the aim of this study is to propose regionalised inven tory data, based on secondary sources, related to olives production in Italy.
Datasets are referred to 19 Italian Regions and are built starting from the
olive yield per ha per each region, as well as using national statistical data,
scientific literature, and integrated production regulations. The importance
of using such data for implementing LCA studies to evaluate olive produc tion and related derivates has been confirmed through descriptive statistical
analysis, by which high variability in terms of input and output among the
different Regions has emerged.
This study is part of the research project “Promoting Agri-Food Sustain ability: Development of an Italian LCI Database of Agri-Food Products
(ILCIDAF)” (PRIN – Progetti di Ricerca di Interesse Nazionale 2017- Prot.
2017EC9WF2, sector ERC SH2, Linea C – funded by the Ministry of
University and Research)
Geographical distribution, genetic diversity, and environmental adaptations of dromedary camel breeds in Saudi Arabia
No full textThe dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) in Saudi Arabia exhibits significant genetic diversity, driven by adaptation to diverse ecological niches such as deserts, mountains, and coastal areas. This study explores the genetic structure of these camel populations, correlating their genetic diversity with geographical regions rather than ecological classifications. Through whole-genome sequencing of 63 camel genomes, we identified substantial differences in heterozygosity and inbreeding across different ecotypes, particularly noting higher genetic diversity in mountainous populations and lower diversity in coastal populations. The study also revealed significant enrichment of specific gene sets associated with environmental adaptation, such as the HECT domain in desert populations, which is crucial for maintaining protein integrity under extreme conditions. Principal component and admixture analyses further highlighted the genetic distinctiveness of certain breeds, particularly the Awarik (beach ecotype), which showed signs of genetic isolation
Investigating ad/desorption kinetics of SAPO-34/graphite filled coatings by T-LTJ for energy-efficient sorption application
No full textThis study assesses the performance of coated heat exchangers in order to favor heat and mass transfer for adsorption-based thermal energy storage and conversion systems. The investigation focused on the kinetic behavior of a novel composite coating composed of a sulfonated polyether ether ketone (S-PEEK) matrix, SAPO-34 zeolite, and exfoliated graphite (EG) as a conductive filler, applied on aluminum heat exchangers. Using the Thermal Large Temperature Jump (T-LTJ) method, a comparative kinetic analysis of a coating with 90 wt% zeolite and 5 wt% graphite filler was performed against a baseline zeolite-only coating under real operating conditions. Results show that EG significantly enhances adsorption kinetics, reducing characteristic times by 21 %–31 % and increasing maximum specific power by 24 %–29 %. This improvement is attributed to enhanced heat transfer due to EG's thermal conductivity. Desorption kinetics showed marginal improvements, likely due to the inherent efficiency of the zeolite-only coating. The study confirms that even small amounts of EG effectively boost heat transfer and overall coating performance, especially during adsorption. This highlights the potential of EG for optimizing adsorbent coatings in adsorption heat transforming applications
Shaping consumer preferences for sweet peppers: exploring the role of social, environmental, and sensory attributes in the era of health consciousness and local sourcing
No full textThis study explores consumer segments within the fruit and vegetable market, with a specific focus on sweet peppers, to evaluate how product characteristics influence consumption patterns. A multivariate analysis was conducted to examine consumer preferences and behaviours, considering factors such as environmental concerns, intrinsic product attributes, health aspects, local product consumption, and shopping habits. Using a segmentation approach, consumers were categorized into five clusters: “Local Loyalty Shoppers”, “Health-Conscious Consumers”, “Sustainability-Conscious Seekers”, “Flavour-Driven Convenience Seekers”, and “Low-Interest”. Each cluster was analysed according to socio-demographic characteristics, providing insights into the motivations behind consumer choices. The findings highlight that local market, sustainability, health-conscious decisions, seasonality, and convenience are key drivers of sweet pepper consumption and purchasing behaviour, offering valuable guidance for market players and policymakers
Circadian oscillation of leukocyte subpopulations and inflammatory cytokines over a 24-H period in horses
No full textThe objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of daily rhythms on the immune and inflammatory systems in horses, considering white blood cell count (WBCs), leukocyte subpopulations (neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes), CD4+, and CD8+ lymphocyte populations, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Ten Italian Saddle horses (7-12 years old, body weight 480 ± 30 kg) underwent blood sampling every 4 h over a 24-h period. The COSINOR method was used to identify rhythms and their parameters. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to identify the differences in acrophase and robustness, and a multiple correlation analysis model (Pearson) was used to evaluate the relationships among the investigated parameters. WBCs, leukocyte subpopulations, CD4+, CD8+, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα exhibited daily rhythmicity. In particular, white WBCs, lymphocytes, IL-1β, and IL-6 reached their acrophases during the dark phase, while neuthrophils, CD4+, CD8+, and TNFα showed a diurnal acrophase. One-way ANOVA showed a statistical difference in the acrophase among the investigated parameters (p < 0.0001). The Pearson correlation matrix showed positive and negative relationships among the parameters. Circadian rhythms should be taken into consideration with the daily fluctuations in immune and inflammatory biomarkers to develop good management practices and improve welfare in horses
SLM Manufacturing of a Novel Highly Compact Quarter-Sphere Resonator Based Filter
No full textThis letter presents a highly compact waveguide-based bandpass filter, which can be used for high-power transmission for satellite communications. The filter consists of a quarter spherical resonator, whose higher-order modes are restricted by introducing four tool cavities. By integrating four spherical resonators into a sphere, a highly compact fourth-order filter with wideband and good out-of-the-band rejection is obtained, whose geometric size is (Formula presented.). The spherical filter with complex internal structure is manufactured by using the selective laser melting (SLM) technology, which is a 3D printing technique with a low cost-to-complexity ratio. Finally, measurement results validate the good performance and obvious miniaturization of the developed filter
Myths on the Origins of Time in Ancient Mesopotamia
No full textMany Mesopotamian mythological texts offer a remarkably rich and imaginative vision of the origins of time and its division into days and nights, seasons, and years. By analysing a selection of myths and literary passages, this contribution aims to retrace the long temporal journey from a mythical past to a present in which the structure and perception of time remain deeply influenced by ancient Mesopotamian thought. The seminar focuses first on the mythical creation of time in one of the most celebrated texts of Mesopotamian literature, the Enūma Eliš, and then turns to the opening
lines of the Enūma Anu Enlil astronomical compendium, a passage from the Great Prayer to Šamaš, and finally to Gilgameš’s journey along the path of the sun. Though drawn from diverse literary genres, all these texts share a common thematic thread: the measurement, regulation, and cosmic meaning of time in ancient Mesopotamia
Levels of mineral elements in different organs of dogs from the ionian-etnean volcanic area
No full textMineral elements can either be pollutants or essential dietary components. Monitoring their levels in the environment and living organisms is crucial because excessive amounts can become toxic. Dogs, due to their proximity to humans, shared habitats, and similar organ structures, can be effective indicators of environmental pollution by toxic elements. This study aimed to assess the levels of 11 mineral elements in 80 dog carcasses (49 males and 31 females), aged between 2 and 16 years, from the Ionian-Etnean volcanic region of the province of Catania, where the dogs had died under unknown circumstances. A direct mercury analyzer (DMA-80) was used to measure Hg, and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) was used for the other elements. A one-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni’s multiple comparison for post hoc analysis, was conducted to evaluate significant differences between the organ samples and different minerals and between the weight and metal levels. The statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The study indicates that high concentrations of metals like cadmium, mercury, lead, and chromium are present in the liver, kidneys, and other organs. These elevated concentrations suggest that the local volcanic emissions contribute to soil, water, and atmospheric contamination. The data showed differences in the metal concentrations between the sexes, which could be attributed to biological and environmental factors
Come si scrive una tesi di laurea oggi. Guida pratica per tesi, tesine e altri elaborati
No full textTutti i docenti universitari lamentano le scarse competenze scrittorie degli studenti. Questi ultimi segnalano l’urgenza di strumenti utili alla stesura di tesi, tesine e simili. La rete ridonda di rimedi fai-da-te, perlopiù impressionistici e intenti, semmai, agli aspetti più superficiali della lingua e della scrittura. Questo libro si rivolge in primo luogo agli studenti e alle studentesse alle prese con la tesi di laurea, ma anche a tutte le persone interessate a migliorare le proprie competenze nella scrittura e nell’articolazione del discorso argomentativo. L’autore parte dal presupposto che scrivere un elaborato universitario, così come qualunque libro, saggio o articolo scientifico, richieda in primo luogo la capacità di argomentare. Argomentare vuol dire legare tra loro in modo logico, coerente, e coeso parti di testo che procedano, con ordine e chiarezza, da premesse e ipotesi di partenza per giungere – attraverso una serie di dimostrazioni, esperimenti, prove, contestazioni, deduzioni e controdeduzioni – a conclusioni, mettendo a disposizione del lettore tutti i documenti necessari a ripercorrere, verificare o falsificare le conclusioni stesse e ogni singola fase del percorso. Vengono fornite indicazioni pratiche su come si costruisce la bibliografia, come si imposta la ricerca, come si cercano libri e articoli in biblioteca e online ecc. Il tutto è illustrato da centinaia di esempi reali presi da tesi e tesine. Il volume è articolato in sei parti, tutte molto agili, suddivise in capitoli e paragrafi brevi, tanto da risultare utili anche a chi è pressoché privo di esperienza scrittoria e di ricerca. Le prime due parti sono dedicate al lavoro preparatorio: come si costruisce una ricerca, con quali metodi, come si organizza il materiale, come si scheda un libro, come si prendono appunti? La terza parte scandisce le varie sezioni della tesi, dall’introduzione alle conclusioni. Le ultime tre parti costituiscono una vera e propria guida pratica alla scrittura, con indicazioni sulla grammatica, sul lessico, sugli errori da evitare, con un’attenzione particolare alla punteggiatura, tra le parti più trascurate dalla manualistica corrente e invece tra le più utili all’articolazione scritta del pensiero. Chi interpunge male pensa male, si potrebbe dire parafrasando Nanni Moretti