197,044 research outputs found
Demonstration of coinfection with and recombination by caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus and maedi-visna virus in naturally infected goats
No full textRecombination of different strains and subtypes is a hallmark of lentivirus infections, particularly for human immunodeficiency virus, and contributes significantly to viral diversity and evolution both within individual hosts and within populations. Recombinant viruses are generated in individuals coinfected or superinfected with more than one lentiviral strain or subtype. This, however, has never been described in vivo for the prototype lentivirus maedi-visna virus of sheep and its closely related caprine counterpart, the caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus. Cross-species infections occur in animals living under natural conditions, which suggests that dual infections with small-ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) are possible. In this paper we describe the first documented case of coinfection and viral recombination in two naturally infected goats. DNA fragments encompassing a variable region of the envelope glycoprotein were obtained from these two animals by end-limiting dilution PCR of peripheral blood mononuclear cells or infected cocultures. Genetic analyses, including nucleotide sequencing and heteroduplex mobility assays, showed that these goats harbored two distinct populations of SRLVs. Phylogenetic analysis permitted us to assign these sequences to the maedi-visna virus group (SRLV group A) or the caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus group (SRLV group B). SimPlot analysis showed clear evidence of A/B recombination within the env gene segment of a virus detected in one of the two goats. This case provides conclusive evidence that coinfection by different strains of SRLVs of groups A and B can indeed occur and that these viruses actually recombine in vivo
Clinical signs and MRI findings of bilateral porencephaly and caudal vermian hypoplasia in a young dog.
No full text
The Internationalization Strategies of Italian MNCs in India
No full textThis study explores the characteristics of Italian foreign direct investment (FDI) in India and aims at filling the gap identified in the literature (i.e., a lack of empirical studies on Italian MNCs internationalizing in India) by providing an exploratory study on this issue. In particular, different questions need basically to be asked and answered, such as "Why do Italian firms invest in India," "Role of the subsidiary in the international network of the Italian MNC," and "Its value chain configuration." In order to investigate the research questions, a unique database of Italian firms that invested in India was created. The first empirical confirmation we collected was about the low number of Italian companies with subsidiaries in India. In terms of internationalization goals it emerges clearly from the research that the main target is market seeking. In order to acquire that market share Italian companies have organized their subsidiaries as partially independent companies, adopting a typical "multidomestic" approach
The internationalization path of Italian firms in India: localization drivers
No full textEmerging markets of today are represented by companies with international growth ambitions and new opportunities to be exploited. This study explores the characteristics of the Italian Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India and aims to fill the gap identified in literature by providing a comprehensive empirical analysis of this issue. The study specifically focuses on the localization drivers of Italian MNCs that internationalized in India. In order to investigate the research questions, a unique database of Italian firms that invested in India was created. The number of Italian companies with subsidiaries in India was found to be low. In terms of geographical distribution, the sample showed prevalence in New Delhi, followed by Mumbai and Bangalore. The main driver for localization choice was found to be the general economic importance of the city, and a majority of the sampled companies chose the place of establishment of their Indian subsidiary mainly based on the location of their clients (prospect and actual). This data was consistent with the idea that ‘market seeking’ is the primary strategic goal for the companies analyzed. A typical ‘multidomestic’ approach was adopted by customizing products and services to the local needs and demands. This supports the progressive embeddedness of the subsidiary into the local market. Under this perspective, FDIs could also represent a way to access local knowledge to be combined at a global scale to contribute to the overall performance of the MNC
Editorial for the "Environmental Science and Policy" special issue, on "Multidisciplinary research findings in support to the EU air quality planning: experiences from the APPRAISAL, SEFIRA and ACCENT-Plus FP7 projects"
No full textThe European Union has since long recognized the strong impacts of air pollution on human health and the environment in general (EC, 2001). While there are success stories of European air pollution policies (such as the case of sulphur dioxide, that has definitely decreased) other pollutants such as particulate matter, ground level ozone and nitrogen dioxide are still of concern.
The latest study from the World Health Organization (WHO, 2013) provides strong evidences in this respect, clearly linking long-
term exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) with deaths due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as increased morbidity, particularly in children and asthmatics. According to the European Environmental Agency (EEA, 2015), more than 80% of the urban population in the EU Member States is exposed to PM levels above the WHO guidelines. This translates into a decrease of life expectancy of more than eight months (on average), and up to two years in the most polluted areas. Air pollution also causes significant damage to ecosystems and the environment. Ground level ozone damages agricultural crops and vegetation. Nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and ammonia contribute to the acidification of soil, lakes and rivers, causing loss of biodiversity. Ammonia and NOx also negatively impact upon water ecosystems by introducing excessive amount of nutrients, in turn causing algal blooms and water hypoxia – a process known as ‘eutrophication’. Estimates suggest that two-thirds of the protected sites in the EU Natura 2000 network are currently under severe threat from air pollution.
The awareness of this difficult situation and the simultaneous growing concern in the public opinion has fostered the launch of a number of research and coordination projects, particularly within the 7th Framework and the Life+ Programs, to best integrate the ongoing scientific activities and make their results available to the decision makers at the different levels.
Among the many actions developed in this context, this special issue of “Environmental Science and Policy” presents some of the main results of the APPRAISAL, SEFIRA and ACCENT-Plus EU-FP7 projects.JRC.C.5 - Air and Climat
La ceramica e i fittili non vascolari del Bronzo finale provenienti dall’ustrinum/luogo di culto funerario di Salorno - Dos de la Forca (Cava Girardi) (BZ). Inquadramento cronologico e culturale
No full textThe site of Salorno - Dos de La Forca is located just
north of the homonymous lock, on the left side of the
river Adige, about 30 kilometers south of Bolzano. The
locality is known for having given back on several times
evidence of prehistoric, protohistoric and Roman frequentation.
The site was discovered in 1986 in a quarry cultivated
for the extraction of gravel, at the foot of the talus
cone that lies on the rocky walls of Monte Alto (Geiersberg,
1083 m). In the following year, the Soprintendenza
Provinciale ai Beni Culturali of Bolzano ordered
an archaeological excavation to be carried out in an
area partially damaged by mechanical means for the
excavation of a large pit intended for waste disposal.
At the time of the intervention, of the four visible sections,
the southern section presented the best preserved
stratigraphic sequence with regard to the depositional
events of the debris cone.
The microenvironmental context of the site is that
of an acclive talus that has been deposited at the foot of
the imposing rock walls, here practically vertical, that
constitute the western side of Monte Alto, and of the
easternmost edge of the Adige alluvial plain.
within the stratigraphic sequence observable in the
section opened by mechanical means above the ustrinum/
mortuary place of worship, at least eight different
episodes of deposits were observed, which stratified
above the most recent anthropic layer (US 10). They
document the progressive degradation of the slope following
the abandonment of the site by man. The stratigraphic
episodes are substantially similar and almost
indistinguishable from each other. These are originally
weakly vegetated sediments, originating from the flow
of water, with the consequent transport of more or less
coarse gravelly material. Above the original sequence,
no less than two metres of modern debris linked to the
industrial activity of the quarry had been deposited. In
the context of the stratigraphic succession, the highest
anthropic level (US 10), brought to light on an area of
about 150 m2, differs from the gravelly growths above
for the less intense black color of the earth matrix, and
for the almost total absence of remains of material culture.
The characteristics and compactness of the US 10
layer, whose inclination was completely different from
the levels above and below the ustrinum, lead us to believe
that in ancient times it was briefly pedogenized.
The layer, of power between 5 and 8 cm, composed of
selected and compacted earthy and gravelly material,
seems to be the product of an intentional obliteration
of the ustrinum.
US 10 had a subplane portion that evolved on a
slope towards N, w and S. The flat portion of US 10
was therefore interpreted at the time of the excavation
as an artificial plane. A sort of podium subject to trampling,
covering US 11, a strongly carbonaceous earth
layer rich in ceramic remains, minute carbonized bone
fragments, glass beads, bronze objects and a deer antler,
which could be interpreted as the product of the activity
of a funeral pyre and of a related area of funerary worship.
Also US 11, like US 10, seems to be set on a sort of
tiny terrace of the slope. In plan US 11 has a subcircular
shape: towards S and towards w the limits of US
11 were underlined by the clear chromatic difference
compared to US 12, gravelly-loamy sediment weakly
anthropic, of light colour, covered by US 11.
within US 11, two concentrations of ceramic fragments
were excavated, powerful up to twenty cm, pertinent
to several dozen pots crushed on the ground,
called US 14 and US 18.
These concentrations were coacerviums of ceramic
fragments in almost direct contact with each other,
minutely fragmented and repeatedly trampled underfoot.
e fractures, mainly ancient, had sharp edges.
An interesting aspect, useful to define the meaning of
these clusters of ceramic fragments, consists in the fact
that in these points, unlike the rest of US 11, there were
no calcined bones, except in such a small measure as to
make the suspicion of sporadic infiltrations due to localized
phenomena of erosion of US 11 itself lawful.
is means, that in US 11 there are some areas with
ceramic thickenings combined with calcined bones and
areas where ceramic thickenings are not accompanied
by calcined bones.
In summary, the area occupied by US 11 can be defined
as an area of subcircular shape of about six meters
in diameter, cut by mechanical means in the northeastern
portion and characterized by a powerful accumulation
of ashes and coals, ceramic remains and
various artifacts probably related to funerary outfits
and ritual practices. US 11. In the Sw direction, a
large square-shaped boulder, longitudinally crossed by
a wide and deep crack, with a sub-flat top surface, delimited
the area. It is difficult to determine whether the
rock existed before the implantation of the culto-ustrinum
area, or if it had been brought deliberately. A
cultural function seems likely.
The study of pottery and non-vascular artefacts
refers to the selection of a sample of 320 objects, selected
on the basis of chronological, cultural and morphological
information that could be inferred from them.
e stratigraphic situation, which was considerably
compressed as a result of the persistence of activity on a
small area (about 150 square meters), makes it necessary
to rely exclusively on typological studies for the
analysis of the findings.
134 lUCA PISoNI, UMBERTo TECChIATI
The discovery of a small quantity of ceramic fragments,
which is compared to the recent Bronze levels of
many complexes of the Adige basin, makes it reasonable
to assume that the site of Salorno began in that same
chronological horizon. However, the complex stratigraphic
situation and the small number of findings do
not allow us to exclude the hypothesis of productions,
referable to prototypes of the recent Bronze, which continued
until phase A of the Luco culture.
The number of mugs of Salorno has been calculated
based on the count of the loops that, for morphology or
decoration, belong with certainty to different specimens.
e 48 mugs identified are theoretically the most
represented form in the site; actually, it is quite probable
that the truncated cone and the bicone forms are
significantly underestimated, given that many edges
with angled inner profile have not been attributed to
any form.
obviously, the closest correspondences were found
with the geographically closest sites (Appiano, La Groa,
Monte ozol, Seeberg, Luco), but numerous comparisons
were also found in the Venosta valley complexes
(Ganglegg, Corces, Covelano), and, to a lesser extent,
in the Engadine (Scuol-Munt Baselgia) and Upper
Rhine valley (Montlingerberg) sites.
The data of Salorno seem therefore to confirm the
hypothesis of Renato Perini, according to whom the
areas of production of the mugs were to be found in the
basin of the Adige, where groups of artisans in possession
of common techniques of workmanship acted, such
as to justify a reduced variability in the decorative syntax.
Since the excavation area was excavated according
to extremely fine grids (0.25m2) and since the finds
were collected paying the utmost attention to their original
location, it was possible to plant and quantify the
relative abundance (expressed in grams) of ceramic materials
in the various points where it thickened. This
makes it possible to evaluate the methods of deposition
as part of the complex funerary ritual.
Distribution graphs show the quantities of ceramic
shards collected in the four cuts of US 11, and are expressed
in grams. we propose that the smaller quantities
dispersed on the surface of the layer can be interpreted
as an overall effect of the destruction and dispersion of
the pots at the time of deposition/offering, while the
larger thickenings, especially highlighted in cuts I and
III, represent the primary point of deposition. If this
reading were actually close to the truth, we could see in
the different weight quantities of finds in the different
cuts what remains of deposition acts repeated over time,
probably in correspondence to single combustion events
of the deceased, or repeated posthumous commemorations
of the same.
In US 14 and US 18, on the other hand, the quantity
of finds, and their location, in accordance with a
significantly circumscribed thickening, do not change
in an appreciable way, so that it is possible to think of
a single deposition event for each US.
In conclusion, the symbolic and social character of
the ritual and cultural deposition of objects, with particular
regard to pottery, is discussed
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