117,706 research outputs found
Foreste, un’infrastruttura verde per lo sviluppo delle aree interne
No full textLe aree montane e le risorse forestali di cui sono ricche, sono da tempo oggetto di strategie, politiche e programmi internazionali, che ne riconoscono la centralità da un punto di vista economico, sociale e ambientale, soprattutto alla luce delle nuove sfide legate ai cambiamenti globali. Esiste una sovrapposizione importante fra geografia della montagna, patrimonio forestale e aree marginali, nonché una forte comunanza di problematiche ambientali, sociali ed economiche con traiettorie di sviluppo ed esiti spesso incerti. In Italia, la marginalità delle aree montane con l’avvio della Strategia Nazionale per le Aree Interne (SNAI) ha inglobato il concetto di perifericità geografica e sociale, definendo con il termine aree interne il 61% del territorio nazionale. L’analisi effettuata mediante l’utilizzo dell’Inventario dell’Uso delle Terre d’Italia (IUTI) e di altri dati forniti dall’Agenzia per la Coesione Territoriale, evidenzia la sovrapposizione geografica tra aree interne e aree montane (definizione ISTAT), dove
le prime coprono l’82% (6.9 M ha) delle seconde, ed ancor di più come nei territori montani si collochi il 75% (8.7 M ha) della superficie forestale nazionale. La SNAI, grazie al processo di co-progettazione partecipata (modello bottom-up) mira ad invertire, fra gli altri, il processo di abbandono delle terre e, contestualmente, a promuovere nuove forme di utilizzazione e valorizzazione delle risorse territoriali, considerando centrale il rilancio del comparto agro-silvo-pastorale grazie alle opportunità offerte dalla bioeconomia e dalle filiere foresta-legno-energia: valorizzazione di beni (legna, legname e prodotti forestali non legnosi) e dei servizi forniti dal patrimonio agro-silvo-pastorale (es., fissazione del carbonio, tutela della biodiversità). Il presente contributo ha l’obiettivo di caratterizzare le aree interne mediante un confronto diacronico dell’uso del suolo, monitorando le dinamiche territoriali degli ultimi decenni e, di conseguenza, il capitale naturale ivi presente. È stata inoltre effettuata una prima analisi delle strategie d’area approvate o in via di definizione delle diverse Aree Pilota individuate dalla SNAI, in relazione al ruolo occupato dalla risorsa forestale nei processi di sviluppo territoriale e agli interventi e risorse economiche messi in campo, affinché si realizzi un’inversione di tendenza rispetto al passato in accordo anche con quanto previsto da altri programmi comunitari (es., POR e PSR)
Energy Recovery From Biomass: Process Simulation And Second Law Analysis Of An Anaerobic Digester Coupled With An Internal Combustion Engine
No full textVegetable waste: functional ingredients and “green” excipients in dermocosmetics
No full textVegetable waste: functional ingredients and “green” excipients in dermocosmetic products
Dr. Valentina Sallustio
PhD student in Safety, Health and Green Systems
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum -University of Bologna, Via San Donato
19/2, 40127 Bologna, Italy; [email protected]
Abstract
Demand for natural and sustainable cosmetics is increasing in Europe owing to growing public awareness of
importance of preserving natural sources and protecting the environment.[1]
Rosa canina L. (RC) is a wild shrubs spontaneously growing in Europe and Asia [2]. Their fruits are well
known for preparation of jams and liqueurs. Their vegetable wastes from the food processing are still rich
in bioactive compounds such as vitamins and polyphenols that could be useful in the pharmaceutical and
cosmetic industries. The aim of my PhD research project is to recover the main bioactive compounds
extracted by the fruit of RC to encapsulate them in vesicular systems able to protect their own antioxidant
activity.
Firstly, the berries, previously harvested and stored by different preservation methods, were extracted
using the green chemistry approach. The natural extracts were analyzed to determine the main antioxidant
compounds by LC-DAD-MS/MS analysis, the Total Phenolic Content by the Folin Ciocalteu method [3], the
Total Flavonoids Content by the aluminum chloride method, and the antioxidant activity by DPPH assay [4] .
Among all extracts obtained, the extract rich in bioactive substances (anthocyanins, catechins, gallic acid,
quercetin and ascorbic acid) and with the highest antioxidant activity was encapsulated in different
vesicular systems, namely liposomes, hyalurosomes, ethosomes, and phytosomes. All the types of vesicular
systems were characterized in terms of size, polydispersity index, entrapment efficiency, and zeta potential.
The most promising nanocarriers (ethosomes) were assessed for their stability, the in vitro release, the skin
permeation, and the cell viability. Finally, the ethosomal suspension was incorporated into a cosmetic gel
based on hyaluronic acid. The physical-chemical characteristics and rheological properties of the gels were
analyzed to determine the more suitable formulation for skin application. In conclusion, encapsulation of
RC into ethosomes could be considered a promising strategy for skin delivery of bioactive compounds, such
as polyphenols.
References
1. Dini, I.; Laneri, S. The New Challenge of Green Cosmetics: Natural Food Ingredients for Cosmetic
Formulations. Molecules 2021, 26, 3921, doi:10.3390/molecules26133921.
2. Ercisli, S. Chemical Composition of Fruits in Some Rose (Rosa Spp.) Species. Food Chem. 2007, 104,
1379–1384, doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.01.053.
3. Singleton, V.L.; Orthofer, R.; Lamuela-Raventós, R.M. [14] Analysis of Total Phenols and Other
Oxidation Substrates and Antioxidants by Means of Folin-Ciocalteu Reagent. In Oxidants and Antioxidants
Part A; Methods in Enzymology; Academic Press, 1999; Vol. 299, pp. 152–178.
4. Brand-Williams, W.; Cuvelier, M.E.; Berset, C. Use of a Free Radical Method to Evaluate Antioxidant
Activity. LWT - Food Sci. Technol. 1995, 28, 25–30, doi:10.1016/S0023-6438(95)80008-
The Heterogeneity of Renal Stem Cells and Their Interaction with Bio- and Nano-materials
No full textFor a long time, the kidney has been considered incapable of regeneration. Instead, in recent years, studies have supported the existence of heterogeneity of renal stem/progenitor cells with the ability to regenerate both glomerular and tubular epithelial cells. Indeed, several studies evidence that renal progenitor cells, releasing chemokines, growth factors, microvesicles, and transcription factors through paracrine mechanisms, can induce tissue regeneration and block pathological processes of the kidney. In this chapter the potentiality of the kidney regenerative processes is considered and reviewed, and the main classes of stem/progenitor cells that might contribute to the renal tissue renewal is analyzed. Moreover, we evaluate the role of biomaterials in the regulation of cellular functions, specifically addressing renal stem/progenitor cells. Materials can be synthesized and tailored in order to recreate a finely structured microenvironment (by nanostructures, nanofibers, bioactive compounds, etc.) with which the cells can interact actively. For instance, by patterning substrates in regions that alternately promote or prevent protein adsorption, cell adhesion and spreading processes can be controlled in space. We illustrate the potentiality of nanotechnologies and engineered biomaterials in affecting and enhancing the behavior of renal stem/progenitor cells. Although there are still many challenges for the translation of novel therapeutics, advances in biomaterials and nanomedicine have the potential to drastically change the clinical and therapeutic landscape, even in combination with stem cell biology
Sviluppo locale e valorizzazione del patrimonio ambientale in aree marginali. Antinomia o possibilità? L'esperienza del Matese nella Strategia nazionale per le aree interne
No full textThe geomorphologic forcing of wild boars
No full textAmong the main invasive species, the wild boar (Sus scrofa) is the most responsible for soil degradation in Europe and
many Italian regions. At the same time, the stable presence of this species in agricultural areas has induced a conflict with humans,
causing economic losses, environmental degradation and also social issues. A clear quantification of the potential damages (in terms
of soil bioturbation) of this species at large scale is, however, still obscure. The purpose of this research is to analyse the role of wild
boars as a geomorphologic agent, presenting a general diagnostic framework regarding the geomorphic impact of this species, classifying
and mapping potential sediment hotspots and their likely connection to rivers and road networks. Accordingly, a record of
wild boar damage types is first presented, and their possible interaction with hydrological and geomorphological processes is described.
Then, a pilot case study is discussed on mapping and quantifying wild boar damages in a hilly agricultural landscape located
in northeast Italy. The wild boar damages were geolocalized using a geographical positioning system (GPS) in two years of intensive
field campaigns among agricultural fields involved in wild boar damaging activities. For each damaged area (total 406), several measures
of soil erosion depth were taken and the degradation surface of interest mapped for a total of 10 150 measures. The volume of
removed soil was then estimated, considering the average depth of damages previously recorded. Finally, the Index of Connectivity
was applied to provide a classification of the considered damages based on their connection to both river and road networks. The
results indicate that the ongoing uncontrolled wild boar expansion may not affect crops only or be a risk for people, but can also increase
soil erosion, with a potential connection to hydrographic networks and human infrastructures
Aulo Gellio lettore di Sallustio
No full textDall'analisi dei riferimenti espliciti all'opera di Sallustio reperibili nelle Noctes Atticae si deduce il grado di auctoritas che allo storico di età repubblicana era riconosciuto da Aulo Gellio e più in generale dagli ambienti culturali greco-latini del secondo secolo dopo Cristo
Trasformazioni territoriali recenti ed effetti sugli ecosistemi e sul paesaggio italiano [Recent land use changes and their effects on ecosystems and Italian landscape]
No full textSviluppo locale e valorizzazione del patrimonio ambientale in aree marginali. Antinomia o possibilità? L'esperienza del Matese nella Strategia nazionale per le aree interne
No full textAssessing land take by urban development and its impact on carbon storage: findings from two case studies in Italy
No full textLand take due to urbanization triggers a series of negative environmental impacts with direct effects on quality of life for people living in cities. Changes in ecosystem services are associated with land take, among which is the immediate C loss due to land use conversion. Land use change monitoring represents the first step in quantifying land take and its drivers and impacts. To this end, we propose an innovative methodology for monitoring land take and its effects on ecosystem services (in particular, C loss) under multi-scale contexts. The devised approach was tested in two areas with similar sizes, but different land take levels during the time-span 1990-2008 in Central Italy (the Province of Rome and the Molise Region). The estimates of total coverage of built up areas were calculated using point sampling. The area of the urban patches including each sampling point classified as built up areas in the year 1990 and/or in the year 2008 is used to estimate total abundance and average area of built up areas. Biophysical and economic values for carbon loss associated with land take were calculated using InVEST.Although land take was 7-8 times higher in the Province of Rome (from 15.1% in 1990 to 20.4% in 2008) than in Molise region, our findings show that its relative impact on C storage is higher in the latter, where the urban growth consistently affects not only croplands but also semi-natural land uses such as grasslands and other wooded lands. The total C loss due to land take has been estimated in 1.6. million. Mg C, corresponding to almost 355 million €.Finally, the paper discusses the main characteristics of urban growth and their ecological impact leading to risks and challenges for future urban planning and land use policies
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