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Zooplancton, l\u27anello mancante
No full textZooplankton communities are an important and integrated component of the pelagic food web, but they are absent from the list of biological quality elements to be considered for the assessment of ecological status in Annex V of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). Studies from extensive monitoring across a number of lakes representing different lake type and a gradient of anthropogenic impact and studies on time series following change in pressures, show that zooplankton is a strong indicator of ecological quality. The assessment of the zooplankton can be cost-effective and related to reference conditions. Reasons for this omission from the requirements of monitoring under the Water Framework Directive are unclear, but this should not preclude the use of zooplankton communities if they can provide a valuable component for ecological assessment
Lake Orta 25 years after the liming intervention: what phytoplankton assemblages could tell us about the recovery of the largest acidic lake in the world
Get PDFLake Orta (N. Italy) became the world\u27s largest acidic lake, after a dramatic industrial pollution, dating back to the late 1920. The lake was limed in 1989-1990: since then, a recovery of the chemical and biological conditions gradually took place. Concerning phytoplankton, the gradual decrease of the chlorophytes and the noticeable increase of the diatoms, reappearing in the pelagic phytoplankton after decades, were the most outstanding features of the post-liming assemblages. However, the most recent study, carried out in 2001, pointed out that, comparing the assemblages of lakes Orta and Maggiore, the complete recovery was not yet reached. In particular, a decadal comparison (1990-2001) beetwen the two ecosystems, shows that, although the taxa number increased in Lake Orta after the liming, some differences in terms of functional diversity are clear. Since 2011 detailed taxonomic analyses are lacking. However, between 2005 and 2013 bsome samples analysed in both lakes, using in vivo fluorimetry, show that the dominance of chlorophytes is still a distinctive trait of Lake Orta, although the importance of the diatoms is now greater than in previous years and their dynamics is following a pattern comparable with that observed in Lake Maggiore
Treated OMW for feeding photosynthetic processes in order to produce green products
No full textConcept One of the major environmental problem in Mediterranean countries is the safe disposal of olive mill wastewater (OMW) derived from the extraction process of olive oil. The organic load of OMW is within the 50-150 g/L range and includes organic compounds as sugars and polyphenols [1]. Polyphenols, more soluble in the water than oil, have concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 25 g/L in OMW [2]. Studies on OMW valorization have proved that biorefinery integrated concepts can effectively bio-convert OMW to a group of desired products as reported by [3]. The olive oil mill can produce very different waste types, depending on the extraction system operated: discontinuous and continuous. This last is, substantially, a 2-phase system or 3-phase system. The production of olive oil through 3-phase extraction system, leads to the co-production of large quantities of olive mill wastewater and a separate solid waste named olive husk. Motivations and Objectives Agro-industrial wastewaters are a potential no-cost feedstock for feeding bioprocesses; among wastewaters can be found OMWs. Although OMWs are nutrient-rich for feeding bioprocesses, they are complex to be degraded because of: low pH; dark color; high BOD and COD contents and significant amounts of polyphenols (phytotoxic substances). This last are also a potential antioxidant sources, consequently, integrated technologies should be developed in order to maximize the valorization of OMW. Since pure OMWs have not been proved suitable as feedstock, a pretreatment is needed for polyphenol removal before their use. The phenol-free OMWs (e.g. by sorption) are also a low-cost feedstock for feeding photosynthetic processes in order to produce biofuels (hydrogen and lipids) and or bioplastics as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Results and Discussion The chemical, physical, biological, and combined treatment technologies of OMW have been examined aiming at efficient and feasible processes [3]. A few researcher groups investigated on OMW dephenolization by sorption. Several adsorbent matrices have been proposed for polyphenol removal from OMW: a granular active carbon (GAC); an aquatic dry-fern named Azolla (Az); a zeolite (Z) and a non-polar resin (Amberlite, XAD16). A solid phase extraction procedure dedicated to the recovery of polyphenols from OMWs has been investigated [4]. Diluted OMW have been used for feeding bioreactors growing heterotrophic bacteria (fermentation), purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria (photofermentation), phototrophic microorganisms as microalgae and/or cyanobacteria (mixotrofic growth conditions). A two-stage process, e.g. dark fermentation followed by photofermentation, has also been carried out. Since 2010, our group has investigated on bioH2 production feeding photobioreactors with dephenolized OMW. These last can be used fresh or stored: fresh-OMW are rich in sugars, while stored-OMW are rich in volatile fatty acids (VFAs)
Good for management, not for conservation: an overview of research, conservation and management of Italian small mammals
Get PDFSmall mammals (Rodentia, Soricomorpha and Erinaceomorpha) play a crucial ecological role for their distribution and importance in food chains, as well as for being considered environmental bioindicators. Thus, they represent excellent models for understanding the evolutionary processes of ecosystems, population dynamics under changing environmental conditions, and habitat vulnerabilities. However, some rodents may help the spread of human diseases and are responsible for impacts on agriculture, forestry, and ecosystems. Consequently, small mammal species are often neglected in conservation biology, and only a few of them are protected according to national and European laws and directives. In this work, we summarize open questions related to Italian small mammals and analyze conservation issues linked to these species. We address research, management and conservation priorities by considering ongoing activities and the novelties as regards the taxonomy and zoogeography. In Italy, 39 native species, including four out of six Italian endemic mammal species and one questioned as native, and 10 alien species are currently included within the category "small mammals". Although several studies revealed that small mammals may be heavily impacted by habitat loss and fragmentation as well as forest management, only three rodents are listed in IUCN red list as "Near Threatened", the remaining being "Least Concern". We suggest that this may be due to the fact that pertinent information, is not translated in assessments in line with those of other taxonomic groups (e.g. bats). Conservation strategies are still inadequate, impacts of alien species still partly unknown or neglected. Thus, wide monitoring projects, ecological studies and general public involvement in conservation effort should be implemented, with the aim to amend national legislation, thus providing native small mammals with adequate protection status
Autonomous Construction with Compliant Building Material
Get PDFIn this paper, we develop an autonomous construction system in which a self-contained ground robot builds a protective barrier by means of compliant pockets (i.e., filled bags). We present a stochastic control algorithm based on two biological mechanisms (stigmergy and templates) that takes advantage of compliant pockets for autonomous construction. The control algorithm guides the robot to build the structure without relying on any external motion capture system or external computer. We propose a statistical model to represent the structures built with the compliant pockets, and we provide a set of criteria for assessing the performance of the proposed system. To demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system, real-robot experiments were carried out. In each experiment, the robot successfully built the structure. The results show the viability of the proposed autonomous construction system
Can the metrical structure of Italian motivate focus fronting?
Get PDFThis paper addresses the issue of the interplay between discourse-related properties, syntax, and prosody in Italian. How this interplay between prosody, syntax, and information structure is to be conceptualized is lively debated in the literature. The theoretical relevance of this issue is not marginal, because it gives rise to several core questions with regard to the architecture of the grammar. According to the cartographic approach (Rizzi 1997; Cinque and Rizzi 2008; and much related work), discourse-related properties are encoded as active features in the syntax, and focus fronting is an instance of feature-driven syntactic movement. Reinhart (1995, 2006) proposes a radically different view: focus and d-linking are encoded at PF (Phonetic Form). Building on Reinhart\u27s work, Szendr?i (2001, 2002) develops a model in which PF information is directly available at the conceptual-intentional interface. Under this approach, discourse-related phrasal movement is not feature driven, but takes place to repair potential mismatches at the PF-LF interface. Focus movement in Italian is analyzed as prosodically motivated by the need to align focus with main prominence and to destress given information (in the sense of Schwarzschild 1999). The key component of this analysis is that postfocal elements in Italian are extraprosodic and destressed. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, we want to address the issue of the metrical representation of postfocal and given constituents in Italian. Second, we want to ascertain on empirical grounds the prosodic assumptions underpinning the stress-based approach to focus movement. On the basis of a production experiment, we propose an analysis of the metrical structure of Italian according to which phrasing and head assignment apply exhaustively. We show that postfocal elements, though given, are assigned phrase-level metrical heads by virtue of default syntax-prosody mapping rules. Accordingly, we claim that Italian fails to destress given information, and that rightmostness of prosodic heads is violated when focus does not occurs in sentence-final position: postfocal constituents are neither extraprosodic nor destressed. These conclusions strongly undermine the stress-based approach. On the basis of a comprehension experiment, we further support the validity of our analysis showing that the distribution of phrase-level metrical heads and boundaries in postfocal contexts are used by listeners in sentence comprehension
Neural processing of emotions in traumatized children treated with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy: a hdEEG study
Get PDFEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has been proven efficacious in restoring affective regulation in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) patients. However, its effectiveness on emotion processing in children with complex trauma has yet to be explored. High density Electroencephalography (hdEEG) was used to investigate the effects of EMDR on brain responses to adults\u27 emotions on children with histories of early maltreatment. Ten school-aged children were examined before (T0) and within one month after the conclusion of EMDR (T1). hdEEGs were recorded while children passively viewed angry, afraid, happy, and neutral faces. Clinical scales were administered at the same time. Correlation analyses were performed to detect brain regions whose activity was linked to children\u27s traumatic symptom-related and emotional-adaptive problem scores. In all four conditions, hdEEG showed similar significantly higher activity on the right medial prefrontal and fronto-temporal limbic regions at T0, shifting towards the left medial and superior temporal regions at T1. Moreover, significant correlations were found between clinical scales and the same regions whose activity significantly differed between pre- and post-treatment. These preliminary results demonstrate that, after EMDR, children suffering from complex trauma show increased activity in areas implicated in high-order cognitive processing when passively viewing pictures of emotional expressions. These changes are associated with the decrease of depressive and traumatic symptoms, and with the improvement of emotional-adaptive functioning over time
A Systematic Literature Review on Business Process Flexibility
No full textIn dynamic business environments organizations must quickly react to changes in order to remain competitive. Dynamicity should be reflected on the various artefacts used to organize and monitor the organization itself. Business Process models are one of these artefacts, and it becomes necessary to have the possibility of including in them some form of flexibility. Correspondingly process aware information systems will have to include suitable mechanisms to support flexibility
Semantics for the Wiki - First Iteration
No full textDeliverable D5.2 focuses on Ontology Supported Learning. We analysed and partially enhanced already defined requirements and derived additional ones from field research. Recommendations should comprise (contact information of) experts who can mentor a learner, wiki articles that correspond one-to-one to model elements (regarded as learning objects related to these model elements) and, learning material like textbooks but also audio and video documents. Recommendations of experts, learning objects and learning material are provided in a context-sensitive and personalized manner. This is possible as the Learn PAd ontology not only represents characteristics of the wiki content (and hence, the models), but also profiles of the learners, containing their competencies and learning preferences. In addition - at run-time - process execution data and application data are analysed for recommendations. Recommendations can be made in all of three modes of learning supported by the Learn PAd system, i.e. browsing, simulation and execution. The more is known about the context of a learner the more sophisticated the recommendations. For the research reported in D5.2 we adopted the design science research methodology for information systems complemented by the posing competency questions for ontology engineering and evaluation. For the research reported in D5.2 we adopted the design science research methodology for information systems complemented by posing competency questions for ontology engineering and evaluation. In order to elicit realistic requirements and to make sure that the solution can be applied in practice, we created an application scenario together with Marche Region that reflects a learner\u27s real working environment and illustrates role and output of the recommendation system. The main artefact reported on in this deliverable is the recommender system specification. We assessed the first iteration of the recommender system by comparing the specified behaviour with the requirements. In addition, recommendations provided for learning within the browsing and simulation mode are evaluated within D8.2. Based on the specification the recommendation system is currently being developed. D5.2 provides the technical specification for it
Quality Assessment Strategies for BP Models
No full textIn this deliverable we identified the quality assessment strategies for Business Process models related to the Learn PAd project. This is discussed considering the different roles impacting on the platform and the strategies to be implemented for its maintenance. After an in-depth analysis of the literature, the deliverable (i) reports guidelines to model Business Processes in such a way that resulting models are understandable, and (ii) discusses Business Process correctness criteria. The quality assessment impacts on the learnability of the Business Process for Public Administrations. The deliverable also introduces some technical details that pave the way to successively create the Learn PAd platform model verification component