60 research outputs found
Multitemporal analyses of anthropogenic changes to the drainage network in urban areas: a case study in Rome (Italy)
No full textand at the same time water
management and supply needs were more relevant.
Before significant land-use changes had started since the roman time, this area was drained by the
most important left tributaries of the Tiber River, such as the Aniene River, the main watercourses
of the city, the Nodicus-Aqua Mariana stream, the Almone River, the Grotta Perfetta and the
Vallerano streams. Their courses became culverted or were diverted. Emblematic is the example of
the Nodicus valley, standing between Aventino and Palatino historical hills, and the Rivo Aqua
Mariana artificially streaming into the Nodicus drainage basin since the 1022 a.D. diversion, which
probably restored the original Nodicus hydrographic system.
This work aims at presenting the first relevant results towards the reconstruction of the main
topographic transformations on the Tevere River hydrographic left area by analysing the current
drainage network and its anthropogenic modifications. The methodological approach consists of
multidisciplinary bibliographic research supported by multitemporal geomorphological and
topographical analyses. The results of this work are summarized in the map of the changes to the
hydrographic network
An Integrated Simulation Framework to Model Electric Vehicles Operations and Services
No full textAt present, battery charging operations constitute one of the most critical obstacles toward a large-scale uptake of Electric Mobility (EM), due to performance issues and implementation complexities. Although several solutions based on the utilization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and on mobile applications have been investigated to assist the Electric Vehicles (EVs) drivers and to coordinate the charging operations, there is still the problem of how to evaluate and validate such solutions on realistic scenarios, due to the lack of accurate simulators integrating vehicular mobility, wireless communication and battery charging/discharging models. In this paper, we attempt to fill this gap, by proposing a novel EV simulation platform that can assist the pre-deployment of charging infrastructures and services on realistic, large-scale EM scenarios. The simulation platform, realized within the ARTEMIS EU project “Internet of Energy for Electric Mobility“ (IoE), supports two utilization modes, i.e. evaluation of EM scenarios and immersive emulation of EM-related mobile applications, thanks to a semantic architecture through which virtual and real components can be integrated in a seamless way. We provide three major contributions with respect to the state of the art. First, we extend the existing co-simulation platform composed by SUMO (vehicular traffic simulator) and OMNET++ (network simulator) with realistic models of EVs, EVSEs and ontology-based communication protocols that enable the deployment of city-wide mobile services (e.g. charging reservation). Second, we validate the battery model against the consumptions data of target EVs, and we evaluate the operations of EVs on a large-scale scenario (the city of Bologna), by analyzing the effectiveness of the charging reservation process and the resulting impact to the smart grid. Finally, we introduce the Mobile Application Zoo (MAZ), a sandbox through which EM-related mobile ap- lications can be seamlessly integrated within the simulation platform in order to be validated on virtual environments before their deployment on real scenarios, and we describe the implementation of an Android app for battery monitoring and charging reservation
Spinal Direct Current Stimulation Modulates Short Intracortical Inhibition
No full textObjective Transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) is a new and safe technique for modulating spinal cord excitability. We assessed changes in intracortical excitability following tsDCS by evaluating changes in cortical silent period (cSP), paired-pulse short intracortical inhibition (SICI), and intracortical facilitation (ICF). Materials and Methods Healthy subjects were studied before (T0) and at different intervals (T1 and T2) after anodal, cathodal, and sham tsDCS (20', 2.0 mA) applied over the thoracic spinal cord (T10-T12). We assessed changes in cSP, SICI (interstimulus interval, ISI = 3 ms) and ICF (ISI = 10 ms). Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from first digital interosseus (FDI) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles. Results Cathodal tsDCS increased MEP amplitudes at interstimulus interval of 3 ms, while anodal one elicited opposite effects (FDI: p = 0.0023; TA: p = 0.0004); conversely, tsDCS left MEP amplitudes unchanged at ISI of 10 ms (FDI: p = 0.39; TA: p = 0.45). No significant change in cSP duration was found from upper limb (p = 0.81) and lower limb (p = 0.33). Conclusion tsDCS modulates inhibitory GABA(A)ergic drive, as assessed by SICI, without interfering with cSP and ICF. The possibility to interfere with cortical processing makes tsDCS a useful approach to modulate spinal drive through nonspinal mechanisms. tsDCS could also represent an early rehabilitation strategy in patients with acute brain lesions, when other noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) tools are not indicated due to safety concerns, as well as in the treatment of spinal diseases or pain syndromes
An unexpected target of spinal direct current stimulation: Interhemispheric connectivity in humans
No full textBackground: Transcutaneous spinal Direct Current Stimulation (tsDCS) is a noninvasive technique based on the application of weak electrical currents over spinal cord. New method: We studied the effects of tsDCS on interhemispheric motor connectivity and visual processing by evaluating changes in ipsilateral Silent Period (iSP), Transcallosal Conduction Time (TCT) and hemifield Visual Evoked Potentials (hVEPs), before (T0) and at a different intervals following sham, anodal and cathodal tsDCS (T9-T11 level, 2.0mA, 20'). Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs) were recorded from abductor pollicis brevis (APB), abductor hallucis (AH) and deltoid muscles. hVEPs were recorded bilaterally by reversal of a horizontal square wave grating with the display positioned in the right hemifield. Results: Anodal tsDCS increased TCT (p< 0.001) and the interhemispheric delay for both the main VEP components (N1: p= 0.0003; P1: p< 0.0001), dampening at the same time iSP duration (APB: p< 0.0001; AH: p= 0.0005; deltoid: p< 0.0001), while cathodal stimulation elicited opposite effects (p< 0.0001). Discussion: tsDCS modulates interhemispheric processing in a polarity-specific manner, with anodal stimulation leading to a functional disconnection between hemispheres. tsDCS would be a new promising therapeutic tool in managing a number of human diseases characterized by an impaired interhemispheric balance, or an early rehabilitation strategy in patients with acute brain lesions, when other non-invasive brain stimulation techniques (NIBS) are not indicated due to safety concerns
Harem size and male mating mating tactics in <em>Nyctalus leisleri</em> (Kuhl, 1817) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)
No full text<strong>Abstract</strong> Between 1994 and 2008, we studied the structure of harems in <em>Nyctalus leisleri</em> and factors that determine their size by monitoring 90 bat-boxes placed in a beech forest in the natural reserve Pian degli Ontani (Tuscany, northern Italy). The number of females in the harem positively correlated with the number of males defending a harem. The number of males in the mating area did not significantly influence harem size, whilst we found a significant correlation between the variance in harem size and mean harem size. This may be explained by the existence of an uneven aggregation favouring few males. A strong relation was found between males&rsquo; age (estimated by teeth wear) and mean harem size. <br /> <strong>Riassunto</strong> <strong>Dimensioni dell'harem e tattiche riproduttive dei maschi di <em>Nyctalus leisleri</em> (Kuhl, 1817) (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae).</strong> Sono presentati i risultati di uno studio sulla struttura dell'harem in <em>Nyctalus leisleri</em> e sui fattori che ne determinano la dimensione. Tra il 1994 e il 2008, sono stati monitorati 90 rifugi artificiali (bat-box) per pipistrelli collocati in una faggeta della Riserva Statale di Pian degli Ontani (Pistoia, Toscana). Il numero di femmine presenti nel harem &egrave; risultato positivamente correlato con il numero di maschi presenti nell&rsquo;area di accoppiamento. Il numero di maschi presenti non influenza la dimensione media dell'harem mentre una significativa correlazione positiva &egrave; stata evidenziata tra il valore della varianza delle dimensioni dell'harem e la sua dimensione media. Tale relazione suggerisce che le femmine tendono ad aggregarsi, favorendo i maschi pi&ugrave; competitivi. Infine &egrave; stato evidenziato un modello generale dove sia i maschi giovani sia quelli ad et&agrave; pi&ugrave; avanzata (stimata in base all&rsquo;usura dei denti) hanno minor capacit&agrave; di formare harem con un numero elevato di femmine.<br /> <br /> <tt>doi:10.4404/hystrix-20.2-4445</tt>
Osservazioni in cattività sul ciclo stagionale del peso corporeo e sull'efficienza digestiva di <em>Pipistrellus kuhlii</em> e <em>Hypsugo savii</em> (Chiroptera: Verspertilionidae)
No full text<strong>Abstract</strong> <strong>Captivity observation on body weight cycle and digestive efficiency in <em>Pipistrellus kuhlii</em> and <em>Hypsugo savii</em> (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)</strong> Many bat species of cold-temperate climate are subject to seasonal variation of temperature and food availability. Fat reserve during summer-autumn is therefore a physiological adaptation to spend the winter months by hibernating or to sustain migration. During a research on bats in urban areas, two juveniles of Kuhl's bat (<em>Pipistrellus kuhlii</em>, 2 females) and two juveniles of Savi's bat (<em>Hypsugo savii</em>, 1 male and 1 female) were collected in 1997 in the urban area of Florence (central Italy). Bats were kept in a cage of 50x40x30 cm with a temperature between 17° and 22° C. Every day they were weighted with an electronic balance before eating mealworms (<em>Tenebrio molitor</em>). Digestive efficiency, calculated on dry material, was about 90% for both species. In about six months <em>P. kuhlii</em> and <em>H. savii</em> increased on the average of 450% and 280% in weight respectively. Deposition of fat reserve seemed to be faster in <em>P. kuhlii</em> than in <em>H. savii</em>. Both species showed a circannual cycle in the variation of weight. <strong>Riassunto</strong> Molte specie di pipistrelli dei climi temperato-freddi sono soggette a marcate variazioni stagionali di temperatura e disponibilità di cibo. L'accumulo di grasso in tarda estate-autunno è quindi un adattamento fisiologico per trascorrere in ibernazione i mesi invernali o per intraprendere la migrazione. Nell'ambito di una ricerca pluriennale sui pipistrelli in ambienti urbani, 4 esemplari giovani, di cui 2 di Pipistrello albolimbato (<em>Pipistrellus kuhlii</em>, 2 femmine) e due di Pipistrello di Savi (<em>Hypsugo savii</em>, 1 maschio e 1 femmina), sono stati raccolti nella pianura di Firenze durante l'estate del 1997 e mantenuti in un contenitore di 50x40x30 cm ad una temperatura tra i 17° e i 22°C. Ogni sera sono stati pesati, prima della somministrazione di cibo (vermi della farina, <em>Tenebrio molitor</em>) e acqua, con una bilancia elettronica di precisione. L'efficienza digestiva, calcolata su materiale essiccato, è risultata di circa il 90% per entrambe le specie. Nell'arco di circa sei mesi, l'incremento medio del peso è risultato del 450% per <em>P. kuhlii</em> e del 280% per <em>H. savii</em>. Il processo di accumulo di grasso sembra essere più rapido in <em>P. kuhlii</em>. Per entrambe le specie si evidenzia un ciclo circannuale del peso
The influence of body weight on the quantity of food ingested in Pipistrellus kuhlii (K\ufchl, 1817) and Pipistrellus savii (Bonaparte, 1837) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)
No full textVolume: 62Start Page: 203End Page: 20
Chirotteri carnivori in Europa? Il caso della Nottola gigante (<em>Nyctalus lasiopterus</em>)
No full textNel maggio 1994, iniziò uno studio sulla chirotterofauna forestale nella Riserva Biogenetica di Pian di Novello (Toscana, Pistoia, 44°07?N-10°42?E). La vegetazione della riserva è dominata essenzialmente dal faggio ed è governata ad alto fusto con una età media degli esemplari di 80-100 anni. Un totale di 90 bat-boxes furono distribuite all?interno della riserva. In questi anni sono state evidenziate le seguenti specie all?interno della foresta: <em>Nyctalus leisleri</em>, <em>N. noctula</em>, <em>N. lasiopterus</em>, <em>Myotis bechsteinii</em>, <em>M. mystacinus</em>, <em>M. nattereri</em>, <em>Pipistrellus pipistrellus</em>, <em>P. kuhlii</em>, <em>Hypsugo savii</em> e <em>Tadarida teniotis</em>. Nel contesto della ricerca sono stati avviati approfondimenti per valutare la dieta delle varie specie e valutare l?eventuale sovrapposizione di nicchia trofica. L?analisi degli escrementi della nottola gigante (<em>N. lasiopterus</em>) ha sorpreso non poco per la presenza di una cospicua presenza di residui appartenenti a piccoli passeriformi. La carnivoria nei pipistrelli è definita come una specializzazione a catturare e consumare altri vertebrati ad esclusione dei pesci. Ad oggi è stata documentata in circa 12 specie su circa 1000 descritte. In particolare: 1 specie di Nycteridae, 4 specie di Megadermatidae, 5 specie di Phyllostomidae, 1 specie di Vespertilionidae e 1 specie di Hipposideridae. La nottola gigante è presente nella riserva solo nel periodo tardo estivo-autunnale. Una approfondita indagine su di un certo numero di escrementi ha permesso di valutare che la dieta è basata principalmente su passeriformi come pettirosso (<em>Erithacus rubecula</em>) e cinciarella (<em>Parus caeruleus</em>). Successivi rilievi hanno permesso di esaminare il comportamento predatorio da parte della nottola gigante, soprattutto le strategie alimentari in relazione alla termoregolazione. Viene inoltre confrontato la morfologia alare con le altre specie carnivore fino ad oggi documentate e presenti solo in ambienti tropicali utilizzando alcuni parametri quali il carico alare (peso/superficie alare), l?indice di forma (apertura alare&#178;/superficie alare) e vari rapporti tra avambraccio e falangi. Si evidenzia una certa anomalia nel modello predittivo sulla carnivoria da parte della <em>N. lasiopterus</em>
Prima segnalazione di Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) per la Toscana (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)
No full textFirst record of Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) for Tuscany (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). The presence in Tuscany of the katydid Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) is recorded for the first time. Saga pedo is considered a vulnerable species in the EU and it is included in Annex IV of Council Directive 92/43/EEC
First record of Basilia mediterranea Hůrka, 1970 from Italy (Diptera: Nycteribiidae)
No full textThe presence of Basilia mediterranea Hůrka, 1970, species with Western Mediterranean distribution, is reported for the first time from Italy. Two specimens, a male and a female, were collected from two bats belonging to the species Pipistrellus pipistrellus Schreber, 1774 captured with mist nets during a research on bats of Montecristo and Capraia islands (Tuscan Archipelago National Park, Central Italy)
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