1,721,011 research outputs found
Assessment of the Genetic and Phytochemical Variability of Italian Wild Hop: A Route to Biodiversity Preservation
No full textBackground: Northern Italy has an enormous heritage of hop biodiversity that need to be exploited and studied. The preservation and valorization through the characterization of the existent biodiversity is a primary goal of the European Green Deal 2023-2030. The aim of this study was to acquire information on the biodiversity of Italian wild hops. Methods: Genetic characterization of sixty accessions was done resorting to Single Sequence Repeated (SSR) markers. Phytochemical characterization of wild hops was achieved using: (i) high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection for bitter acids quantification, (ii) steam distillation for essential oils quantification and (iii) Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry for the determination of the aromatic profile. Results: The eight SSR primers showed high Polymorphic Information Content (PIC), especially HlGA23. alpha-Acids reached values between 0 and 4.125. The essential oils analysis highlighted variability within the studied population, with some accessions characterized by important spicy fraction, and others by fruity and floral notes. Conclusions: The present study allowed the characterization of Italian wild hops and demonstrated an interesting biodiversity. Part of this biodiversity have been shown to be potentially suitable for use in brewing. Moreover, several genotypes could be used in breeding programs to obtain new more sustainable varieties
Modelling the potential impact of groundwater dynamics on gully erosion and drainage basin evolution
No full textIn river basins, groundwater dynamics often condition the spatio-temporal patterns ofrunoff generation and discharge. Hence, water table level controls the patterns of"Dunne" runoff generation or saturation excess overland flow. In this study geomorphicchanges of a complex gully system in Swaziland's Middleveld were traced from 1947 to1998. For this purpose, High-resolution Digital Terrain Models (HDTMs) weregenerated, based on aerial photographs. The gully system shows a complex history, thatinvolves fluvial erosion and mass movement processes. During the observation period,104,500 m3 of material were eroded from an 11 ha gully contributing area. The evolutionof gully growth is strictly depending on the deepening of gully bottom at the mouth (localerosion base level), that in turns is influenced by the temporary base level (regionalerosion base level). Consequently, the longitudinal profile of the stream generates lateralsubsurface head distributions. To investigate the escarpment retreat by groundwatererosion we developed a landscape evolution model with an integrated hydrologic module.Groundwater flow is simulated by a dynamic two-dimensional equation for anunconfined aquifer. This model was subsequently applied to evaluate the effect ofgroundwater fluctuations on the development of gullies and hence, on landscapeevolution. In this paper we show that gully genesis and growth are closely related to thehydrological properties of a complex aquifer system. © 2009 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved
Exploring Italian consumer acceptance and sensory preferences of cereal bars made by Brewery Spent Grains.
No full textPhytonutritional compounds and antioxidant activity of eight new edible flowers
No full textIn the last years, special attention has been given to the nutritional
properties of food, and the edible flowers (EFs) represent an uncommon
fresh product to characterise, with the aim to explore new
species with peculiar aesthetic and the aromatic features. This work
investigated some nutritional properties of eight new EFs, such as
Begonia boliviensis A.DC. (pink and white varieties), Dahlia pinnata
Cav., Salvia farinacea Benth., S. × jamensis J.Compton, S. ‘Purple
Queen’ Tulbaghia simmleri Beauv. ‘Alba’, T. violacea Harv. ‘Alba’, chosen
for their different colours and corolla morphologies. Primary
and secondary metabolites have been determined. The highest protein
content was found in T. violacea ‘Alba’ and D. pinnata. The
Salvia species showed the highest soluble sugar content. The two
Tulbaghia species were notable for hexose and ascorbic acid content.
D. pinnata showed the highest polyphenols, flavonoids and
carotenoid content, with the highest antiradical activit
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Simulation of soil erosion and deposition in a changing land use: A modelling approach to implement the support practice factor
No full textUsing the USPED (Unit Stream Power Erosion Deposition) model, three land use scenarios were analysed for an Italian small catchment (15 km2) of high landscape value. The upper Orme stream catchment, located in the Chianti area, 30 km south of Florence, has a long historical agriculture record. Information on land use and soil conservation practices date back to 1821, hence offering an opportunity to model impacts of land use change on erosion and deposition. For this study, a procedure that takes into account soil conservation practices and potential sediment storage is proposed. The approach was to calculate and model the flow accumulation considering rural and logging roads, location of urban areas, drainage ditches, streams, gullies and permanent sediment sinks. This calculation attempts to assess the spatial variability, especially the impact of support practices (P factor). Weather data from 1980-2003 were taken into account to calculate the R factor. However, to consider the intense pluviometric conditions in terms of the erosivity factor, the 0.75th quantile was used, while the lowest erosivity was modelled using the 0.25th quantile. Results of the USPED model simulation show that in 1821 the mean annual net erosion for the watershed was 2.8 Mg ha- 1 y- 1; in 1954 it was 4.2 Mg ha- 1 y- 1; and in 2004 it was 5.3 Mg ha- 1 y- 1. Conservation practices can reduce erosion processes by ≥ 20 Mg ha- 1 y- 1 when the 1821 practices are introduced in the present management. On the other hand, if the support practices are not considered in the model, soil erosion risk is overestimated. Field observation for the present-day simulation confirmed that erosion and associated sediment deposition predicted by the model depend, as expected, on geomorphology and land use. The model shows limitations that are mainly due to the input data. A high resolution DEM is essential for the delineation of reliable topographic potential to predict erosion and deposition especially in vineyards. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
Application of Airborne Microorganism Indexes in Offices, Gyms, and Libraries
No full textThe determination of microbiological air quality in sporting and working environments requires the quantification of airborne microbial contamination. The number and types of microorganisms, detected in a specific site, offer a useful index for air quality valuation. An assessment of contamination levels was carried out using three evaluation indices for microbiological pollution: the global index of microbiological contamination per cubic meter (GIMC/m3), the index of mesophilic bacterial contamination (IMC), and the amplification index (AI). These indices have the advantage of considering several concomitant factors in the formation of a microbial aerosol. They may also detect the malfunction of an air treatment system due to the increase of microbes in aeraulic ducts, or inside a building compared to the outdoor environment. In addition, they highlight the low efficiency of a ventilation system due to the excessive number of people inside a building or to insufficient air renewal. This study quantified the levels of microorganisms present in the air in different places such as offices, gyms, and libraries. The air contamination was always higher in gyms that in the other places. All examined environments are in Northern Italy
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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