Journal articles on the topic 'Small business – Italy – Emilia-Romagna'
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Fareri, Silvia, and Giovanni Solinas. "Who rises and who drops? New technologies, workers, and skills." Sinappsi 11, no. 2 (2021): 96–119. http://dx.doi.org/10.53223/sinappsi_2021-02-5.
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In this paper, the authors study the evolution of the demand for new professional profiles and new skills in Emilia-Romagna in the decade 2008- 2017, through the analysis of the SILER database (Mandatory Notifications to the Ministry of Labour). The focus of the analysis is on digital skills. The results, among the few available for Italy, are in line with those offered in the international literature. The proposed methodology provides a measure, built on employment balances, that allows to identify `winners and losers' in a small open economy and is a useful tool to monitor business choices and public policies.
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Belussi, Fiorenza. "Path-dependency vs. industrial dynamics: an analysis of two heterogeneous districts." Human Systems Management 18, no. 2 (July 19, 1999): 161–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/hsm-1999-18209.
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This paper studies the genesis and growth of two Italian industrial districts specialised in leather upholstered furniture. The first is of recent formation and is located on the border between two regions, Basilicata and Puglia, in the South of Italy. The second, which began during 1970s, is based in Emilia–Romagna in the area around Forlì. Both are specialised in upholstered furniture: sofas, armchairs, and others small items related to these products. The Forlì case resemble the typical Marshallian district, where, over time, a local system of small-specialised producers has formed. The case of Forlì represents a typical path dependent process. Here, a certain industrial structure, once favourable conditions has allowed it to emerge, has tended to reproduce itself, following over time the same pattern of interactions. Low levels of learning among firms is found. They use the local knowledge, historically produced within the area with little absorption and elaboration of external knowledge. On the contrary, the case of Matera–Altamura–Santeramo represents a quite new agglomeration in a rapidly growing industrial network, made up of large and medium size units, in which firms have activated a process of creation of new contextual (and localised) technical knowledge. Here local firms show a notable propensity toward generative learning (new knowledge is absorbed from the outside and combined with the existing local knowledge). Obviously, not all firms in the district are innovative, but a few of them are (particularly certain dominant final firms that head large production networks). While agent proximity favours imitative behaviours, over time, the propagation of knowledge in Forlì has socialised craft-based skills. In contrast, in Matera–Altamura–Santeramo, the existence of a Schumpeterian-driven process, has accelerated the diffusion of new knowledge, stressing the dynamics of an endogenous growth process internally generated by knowledgeable entrepreneurs. A thick network of hierarchical firms has worked as an accelerator of technical change.
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Köhr, Christopher Karl, Giulio Malorgio, and Maurizio Aragrande. "Exploring determinants of internationalisation: the case of late starters." International Journal of Wine Business Research 29, no. 2 (June 19, 2017): 159–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijwbr-05-2016-0015.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of internationalisation among late starters in the wine sector. Strategic implications for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in a young wine producing region are derived based on the findings. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a quantitative survey among 38 wineries that are engaged in export activity in the Romagna wine producing area (Italy). Both multivariate analysis of cardinal company data through multiple and fractional regression models as well as nonparametric analysis of Likert-type survey elements were carried out. Findings The study identifies several determinants that affect the export intensity of businesses in the sample: Resources within the business turn out to be important, as well as the choice of distribution partners. Characteristics of exported goods were found to differ on comparing intra- and extra-EU exports. Practical implications Competitiveness in the international marketplace is closely linked to the product quality, distribution network and productivity of a firm. Regional networks can help businesses to develop these factors, overcome export barriers and strengthen the competitiveness of a region as a whole. Originality/value This study investigated the determinants of internationalisation in a wine producing region which is considered a late starter of internationalisation in the wine industry and it is the first one spotlighting on a regional firm-level in the Italian wine industry.
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Onime, Clement, James Uhomoibhi, Hui Wang, and Mattia Santachiara. "A reclassification of markers for mixed reality environments." International Journal of Information and Learning Technology 38, no. 1 (November 10, 2020): 161–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijilt-06-2020-0108.
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PurposeThis paper presents a reclassification of markers for mixed reality environments that is also applicable to the use of markers in robot navigation systems and 3D modelling. In the case of Augmented Reality (AR) mixed reality environments, markers are used to integrate computer generated (virtual) objects into a predominantly real world, while in Augmented Virtuality (AV) mixed reality environments, the goal is to integrate real objects into a predominantly virtual (computer generated) world. Apart from AR/AV classifications, mixed reality environments have also been classified by reality; output technology/display devices; immersiveness as well as by visibility of markers.Design/methodology/approachThe approach adopted consists of presenting six existing classifications of mixed reality environments and then extending them to define new categories of abstract, blended, virtual augmented, active and smart markers. This is supported with results/examples taken from the joint Mixed Augmented and Virtual Reality Laboratory (MAVRLAB) of the Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland; the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy and Santasco SrL, Regio Emilia/Milan, Italy.FindingsExisting classification of markers and mixed reality environments are mainly binary in nature and do not adequately capture the contextual relationship between markers and their use and application. The reclassification of markers into abstract, blended and virtual categories captures the context for simple use and applications while the categories of augmented, active and smart markers captures the relationship for enhanced or more complex use of markers. The new classifications are capable of improving the definitions of existing simple marker and markerless mixed reality environments as well as supporting more complex features within mixed reality environments such as co-location of objects, advanced interactivity, personalised user experience.Research limitations/implicationsIt is thought that applications and devices in mixed reality environments when properly developed and deployed enhances the real environment by making invisible information visible to the user. The current work only marginally covers the use of internet of things (IoT) devices in mixed reality environments as well as potential implications for robot navigation systems and 3D modelling.Practical implicationsThe use of these reclassifications enables researchers, developers and users of mixed reality environments to select and make informed decisions on best tools and environment for their respective application, while conveying information with additional clarity and accuracy. The development and application of more complex markers would contribute in no small measure to attaining greater advancements in extending current knowledge and developing applications to positively impact entertainment, business and health while minimizing costs and maximizing benefits.Originality/valueThe originality of this paper lies in the approach adopted in reclassifying markers. This is supported with results and work carried out at the MAV Reality Laboratory of Ulster University, Belfast–UK, the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste-Italy and Santasco SrL, Regio Emilia, Milan–Italy. The value of present research lies in the definitions of new categories as well as the discussions of how they improve mixed reality environments and application especially in the health and education sectors.
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Cainelli, Giulio, Roberto Fabbri, and Paolo Pini. "Performance-related pay or pay for participation ? The case of Emilia Romagna." Human Systems Management 21, no. 1 (February 16, 2002): 43–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/hsm-2002-21104.
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The income policy agreement of July 1993 – the so-called Accordo di Luglio – has considerably changed the industrial relations framework in Italy. The adoption of company agreements, linking workers' compensation to company performance, opened up a new phase in bargaining, increasing the growth of decentralised negotiation between workers' trade union organisations and companies. Previous empirical investigations have mainly analysed this phenomenon at national level, focussing on the factors behind this practice. Less attention has been devoted to the investigation of the diffusion of these negotiating practices at local level. The aim of this paper is to analyse this phenomenon at this level, investigating decentralised bargaining carried out in Emilia Romagna, one of the most industrialised and unionised regions of Italy. In particular, company bargaining on performance-related pay (PRP) and/or pay for participation (PFP) is analysed during the period 1994–1997 within this region. First of all, forms of agreement on PRP/PFP are investigated to find out the incentive, risk-sharing, and participation mechanisms as predicted by economic theory and embodied within each contract. Secondly, an econometric investigation is carried out to identify the variables that can explain their introduction.
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Barbarossa, A., J. Rambaldi, V. Miraglia, M. Giunti, G. Diegoli, and A. Zaghini. "Survey on antimicrobial prescribing patterns in small animal veterinary practice in Emilia Romagna, Italy." Veterinary Record 181, no. 3 (May 16, 2017): 69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/vr.104128.
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This investigation provides for the first time a general view of the prescribing patterns of antimicrobials in small animal practice in Emilia Romagna, Italy. In the context of a project on antimicrobial resistance managed by the Regional Veterinary Service, veterinary clinicians were invited to voluntarily complete an online questionnaire. This was designed to gather information on antimicrobial prescribing practices and biosecurity measures and to understand the perception of the issue specific to this region of Italy. In total, 266 questionnaires correctly completed were collected. Although clinicians seemed to follow different approaches when using antimicrobials, the data analysis revealed a general awareness on resistance. Penicillins were the most commonly prescribed class, followed by (fluoro)quinolones and cephalosporins. Among those who use laboratory testing more or less frequently (microbiological analysis and susceptibility testing) to support their prescribing habits, only 7 per cent make a habit of always waiting for the results before starting the treatment. Seventy-eight per cent of the respondents declared the use of antimicrobials licensed for human beings. Biosecurity measures were carefully taken into account by the majority of the veterinarians. The results identified the antimicrobial classes that are commonly prescribed and highlighted that perioperative hygiene measures and the use of laboratory diagnosis are critical aspects that need to be emphasised in drawing up guidelines on the prudent use of these drugs in pets.
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Diomede, Tommaso, Chiara Marsigli, Andrea Montani, Fabrizio Nerozzi, and Tiziana Paccagnella. "Calibration of Limited-Area Ensemble Precipitation Forecasts for Hydrological Predictions." Monthly Weather Review 142, no. 6 (May 28, 2014): 2176–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/mwr-d-13-00071.1.
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Abstract The main objective of this study is to investigate the impact of calibration for limited-area ensemble precipitation forecasts, to be used for driving discharge predictions up to 5 days in advance. A reforecast dataset, which spans 30 years, based on the Consortium for Small Scale Modeling Limited-Area Ensemble Prediction System (COSMO-LEPS) was used for testing the calibration strategy. Three calibration techniques were applied: quantile-to-quantile mapping, linear regression, and analogs. The performance of these methodologies was evaluated in terms of statistical scores for the precipitation forecasts operationally provided by COSMO-LEPS in the years 2003–07 over Germany, Switzerland, and the Emilia-Romagna region (northern Italy). The calibration provided a beneficial impact for the ensemble forecast over Switzerland and Germany; whereas, it resulted as less effective for Emilia-Romagna. The analog-based method seemed to be preferred because of its capability of correct position errors and spread deficiencies. A suitable spatial domain for the analog search can help to handle model spatial errors as systematic errors. However, the performance of the analog-based method may degrade in cases where a limited training dataset is available. The quantile-to-quantile mapping and linear regression methods were less effective, mainly because the forecast–analysis relation was not so strong for the available training dataset. The verification of the calibration process was then performed by coupling ensemble precipitation forecasts with a distributed rainfall–runoff model. This test was carried out for a medium-sized catchment located in Emilia-Romagna, showing a beneficial impact of the analog-based method on the reduction of missed events for discharge predictions.
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Mostacci, Barbara, Francesca Bisulli, Elisabetta Poluzzi, Guido Cocchi, Carlo Piccinni, Alessandra Curti, Giuliana Simonazzi, et al. "Emilia-Romagna Study on Pregnancy and Exposure to Antiepileptic drugs (ESPEA): a population-based study on prescription patterns, pregnancy outcomes and fetal health." Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 89, no. 9 (March 16, 2018): 983–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2017-317833.
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ObjectivesTo assess the prevalence of antiepileptic drug (AED) exposure in pregnant women and the comparative risk of terminations of pregnancy (TOPs), spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, major birth defects (MBDs), neonatal distress and small for gestational age (SGA) infants following intrauterine AED exposure in the Emilia Romagna region, Italy (4 459 246 inhabitants on 31 December 2011).MethodsWe identified all deliveries and hospitalised abortions in Emilia Romagna in the period 2009–2011 from the certificate of delivery assistance registry (Certificato di Assistenza al Parto— CedAP) and the hospital discharge card registry, exposure to AEDs from the reimbursed drug prescription registries, MBDs from the regional registry of congenital malformations, and Apgar scores and cases of SGA from the CedAP. Records from different registries were linked.ResultsWe identified 145 243 pregnancies: 111 284 deliveries, 16 408 spontaneous abortions and 17 551 TOPs. Six hundred and eleven pregnancies (0.42%; 95% Cl 0.39 to 0.46) were exposed to AEDs. In the AED-exposed group 21% of pregnancies ended in TOPs vs 12% in the non-exposed women (OR: 2.24; 95% CI 1.41 to 3.56). Rates of spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, neonatal distress and SGA were comparable. Three hundred and fifty-three babies (0.31%; 95% CI 0.28 to 0.35) were exposed to AEDs during the first trimester. MBD rates were 2.3% in the exposed vs 2.0% in the non-exposed pregnancies (OR: 1.12, 95% CI 0.55 to 2.55).ConclusionThe Emilia Romagna prevalence of AED exposure in pregnancy was 0.42%, comparable with previous European studies. Rates of spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, neonatal distress, SGA and MBDs following AED exposure were not significantly increased. The rate of TOPs was significantly higher in the AED-exposed women.
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Cantonati, Marco, Nicola Angeli, Horst Lange-Bertalot, and Zlatko Levkov. "New Amphora and Halamphora (Bacillariophyta) species from springs in the northern Apennines (Emilia-Romagna, Italy)." Plant Ecology and Evolution 152, no. 2 (July 9, 2019): 285–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.2019.1605.
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Background and aims – The detailed analysis of algae and cyanoprokaryotes in a heterogeneous group of spring habitats (including all the different typologies) of the northern Apennines (Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy) revealed a new Amphora species in a small mountain flowing spring with low conductivity, and a new Halamphora species in a large, inland-saline (Triassic gypsum), fast flowing spring (Poiano spring). The present study aims to describe in detail these two new species found in contrasting spring types.
Methods – This study is based on light microscopy (both fresh –for plastids – and prepared materials) and scanning electron microscopy observations, as well as a thorough morphological, physical, chemical, and biological characterization of the habitats.
Key results – Amphora eileencoxiae sp. nov. is most similar to A. vetula (and allied taxa), and is characterized by the outline with acutely rounded, moderately ventrally bent ends, by the dimensions, and by the well-defined, semi-elliptic dorsal area. Halamphora poianensis sp. nov. is most similar to H. gasseae but differs by the higher stria density, the clearly ventrally bent ends, and the strongly developed dorsal raphe ledge.
Conclusions – This is a contribution to the knowledge of the genera Amphora and Halamphora in mountain springs in understudied geographic areas and inland-saline springs, the species communities of which are likely insufficiently explored.
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Delnevo, Giovanni, Silvia Mirri, and Marco Roccetti. "Particulate Matter and COVID-19 Disease Diffusion in Emilia-Romagna (Italy). Already a Cold Case?" Computation 8, no. 2 (June 23, 2020): 59. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/computation8020059.
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As we prepare to emerge from an extensive and unprecedented lockdown period, due to the COVID-19 virus infection that hit the Northern regions of Italy with the Europe’s highest death toll, it becomes clear that what has gone wrong rests upon a combination of demographic, healthcare, political, business, organizational, and climatic factors that are out of our scientific scope. Nonetheless, looking at this problem from a patient’s perspective, it is indisputable that risk factors, considered as associated with the development of the virus disease, include older age, history of smoking, hypertension and heart disease. While several studies have already shown that many of these diseases can also be favored by a protracted exposure to air pollution, there has been recently an insurgence of negative commentary against authors who have correlated the fatal consequences of COVID-19 (also) to the exposition of specific air pollutants. Well aware that understanding the real connection between the spread of this fatal virus and air pollutants would require many other investigations at a level appropriate to the scale of this phenomenon (e.g., biological, chemical, and physical), we propose the results of a study, where a series of the measures of the daily values of PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 were considered over time, while the Granger causality statistical hypothesis test was used for determining the presence of a possible correlation with the series of the new daily COVID19 infections, in the period February–April 2020, in Emilia-Romagna. Results taken both before and after the governmental lockdown decisions show a clear correlation, although strictly seen from a Granger causality perspective. Moving beyond the relevance of our results towards the real extent of such a correlation, our scientific efforts aim at reinvigorating the debate on a relevant case, that should not remain unsolved or no longer investigated.
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Tassinari, Patrizia, Sergio Galassi, Stefano Benni, and Daniele Torreggiani. "THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT OF FARM WINERIES: AN ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY FOR DEFINING META-DESIGN REQUIREMENTS." Journal of Agricultural Engineering 42, no. 3 (June 22, 2012): 25. http://dx.doi.org/10.4081/jae.2011.2.25.
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The study represents the first step of a broader research aimed at outlining specific building and landscape design criteria for small to medium-sized farm wineries. With reference to a study area of the Emilia- Romagna region (Italy) representative of the regional wine-growing and producing sector, the specific aims of the study are the identification and quantification of the main production parameters, and the formulation of a preliminary framework of dimensional and functional requirements of wineries. We acquired, georeferenced, and analysed the available databases about wine farm production and sizes. We analysed a representative sample of such farms and the national and local codes about building design for that sector. The study has led to the definition of the main characters of the production process and a layout of the main parameters influencing the design process.
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Chelli, A., G. Mandrone, A. Ruffini, and G. Truffelli. "Dynamics and conceptual model of the Rossena castle landslide (Northern Apennines, Italy)." Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 5, no. 6 (November 10, 2005): 903–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/nhess-5-903-2005.
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Abstract. In the Northern Apennines there are many historical villages and castles, which are of great value and represent a cultural heritage of great importance. Their presence within a territory greatly affected by landslide hazards creates, in many circumstances, the need to solve problems of land management and to act for the preservation of historical monuments. This paper describe an interesting landslide, failed during the night of 28 February 2004, that involved the village of Rossena: the failure damaged the village (Fig. 1), the road and the fields down to the stream but, fortunately, the castle just upslope the village was not involved at all. The 10th century massive castle of Rossena stands on the top of a cliff at about 500 m a.s.l., on the border between the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia, and it is surrounded by a small ancient village. The castle of Rossena is the best preserved stronghold of the Longobard times, enlarged and reinforced in the tenth century and partially rebuilt by Bonifacio, the father of Matilda of Canossa (the Vice-Queen of Italy and probably the most important woman in the Middle Ages) as a defensive structure guarding the Enza Valley. In addition, at Conossa, very close to Rossena, there was the meeting between Pope Gregory VII and the Emperor of Germany Henry IV, during the historical event known as "fight for the investitures". For these reasons, the area of Rossena is one of the most relevant from a historical point of view in the entire western part of the Emilia Romagna Region and it also has a high value as a geosite (Coratza et al., 2004).
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Megna, Antonella, Giovanni Battista Cimini, Alessandro Marchetti, Nicola Mauro Pagliuca, and Stefano Santini. "A Waveform Dataset in Continuous Mode of the Montefeltro Seismic Network (MF) in Central-Northern Italy from 2018 to 2020." Data 7, no. 12 (November 26, 2022): 169. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/data7120169.
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The Montefeltro seismic network (FDSN Network code: 1S) was deployed in the Apennines area of northern Marche and southern Emilia-Romagna regions (central Italy). A temporary network was set up in December 2018 and continues to operate, with an array consisting of stations equipped with dynamic digitizers and three-component short/extended/broad band seismometers (Guralp CMG/20s and 30s, Lennartz 3D/5s, Sara SS20 3D/0.5s sensors). The network records in continuous mode at 100 sps. The data are used to analyze the seismic activity and the spatiotemporal evolution of small seismic sequences occurring in the considered area and surrounding zones, strongly clustered in time and space. The data of dataset files are mini-seed formatted and subdivided by the following tree: (1) the dataset is divided by years; (2) the dataset is then subdivided by stations; (3) finally, the data are divided by days of each year in every station folder.
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SEDGWICK, JOHN, PETER MISKELL, and MARINA NICOLI. "The Market for Films in Postwar Italy: Evidence for Both National and Regional Patterns of Taste." Enterprise & Society 20, no. 1 (August 31, 2018): 199–228. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/eso.2018.22.
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The postwar market for films in Italy resembles those found in other developed capitalist economies, in which supply adjusts to demand through a set of institutional arrangements designed to maximize revenue for the film distributor. The outcome is a statistical distribution of revenues that manifests extreme levels of inequality, indicating that the hits of the day were “giants” in relation to the median film and enjoyed throughout the territory. By drawing upon film industry–sourced box-office data for five cities, Milan and Turin in the north, Naples and Bari in the south, and Rome in the center, we can observe the market mechanism operating at the city level, allowing the exploration of differences in preferences between the cities. A relative popularity index (RelPOP) is introduced to measure variation in film popularity across the five cities, and clear evidence is found to support the coexistence of national and local taste. This phenomenon is examined with respect to those films that were exceptionally popular throughout, and those with particular geographically specific audiences. The example of the many films that starred Totò, appealing in particular to southern Italian audiences, is highlighted and contrasted with the Don Camillo series of films that were set in Emilia Romagna and appealed differentially to filmgoers in the north.
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Giuffrida, Salvatore, Maria Rosa Trovato, Chiara Circo, Vittoria Ventura, Margherita Giuffrè, and Valentina Macca. "Seismic Vulnerability and Old Towns. A Cost-Based Programming Model." Geosciences 9, no. 10 (October 2, 2019): 427. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/geosciences9100427.
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Vulnerability is a big issue for small inland urban centres, which are exposed to the risk of depopulation. In the climate of the centre-northern part of Italy, and in the context of the recent concentration of a high number of earthquakes in that area, seismic vulnerability can become the determinant cause of the final abandonment of a small town. In some Italian regions, as well as in Emilia Romagna, municipalities are implementing seismic vulnerability reduction policies based on the Emergency Limit Condition, which has become a basic point of reference for ordinary land planning. This study proposes an approach to seismic vulnerability reduction based on valuation planning for implementation within the general planning framework of the Faentina Union, a group of five small towns located in the southwestern part of the Province of Ravenna, Italy. This approach consists of three main stages: knowledge—the typological, constructive, and technological descriptions of the buildings, specifically concerning their degree of vulnerability; interpretation—analysis with the aim of outlining a range of hypotheses with respect to damage in case of a prospective earthquake; and planning—the identification of the courses of action intended to meaningfully reduce the vulnerability of buildings. This stage includes a cost modelling tool aimed at defining the trade-off between the extension and the intensity of the vulnerability reduction works, given the budget.
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Cilli, Silvia, Paolo Billi, Leonardo Schippa, Edoardo Grottoli, and Paolo Ciavola. "Field data and regional modeling of sediment supply to Emilia-Romagna’s river mouths." E3S Web of Conferences 40 (2018): 04002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20184004002.
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The Fiumi Uniti and Savio rivers are two small sandy-bed river systems which sediment yield contributes feeds part of the Emilia-Romagna beaches (Italy). Since the twentieth century the northern Adriatic coast has been affected by well-known beach retreat phenomena. As the sediment supply of these local rivers is not well known, an analysis of bed-load transport rates for the last 10 kilometres of the river has been done. Multiple analysis, supported by direct field measurements of the 2005-06 and 2017 years (still ongoing) have been realized. Complementary hydraulic investigation and modelling have been performed. Repeated bed-material samplings have been carried out during different flood conditions, obtaining a significant number of observations. Aiming at defining the behaviour of sediment-transport in these two rivers, this paper focuses on the analysis of threshold sediment transport condition. Several formulae available in literature were used to test the field measurements. All these criteria seem inappropriate to predict the threshold conditions for bed particle entrainment in terms of the value of bed shear stress. The inaccurate estimation given by these formulae is due to the fact that they do not consider natural grain-shape factors or are mainly suitable for gravel-bed rivers.
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Spadea, Teresa, Barbara Pacelli, Andrea Ranzi, Claudia Galassi, Raffaella Rusciani, Moreno Demaria, Nicola Caranci, et al. "An Italian Network of Population-Based Birth Cohorts to Evaluate Social and Environmental Risk Factors on Pregnancy Outcomes: The LEAP Study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 10 (May 21, 2020): 3614. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103614.
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In Italy, few multicentre population-based studies on pregnancy outcomes are available. Therefore, we established a network of population-based birth cohorts in the cities of Turin, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, and Rome (northern and central Italy), to study the role of socioeconomic factors and air pollution exposure on term low birthweight, preterm births and the prevalence of small for gestational age. In this article, we will report the full methodology of the study and the first descriptive results. We linked 2007–2013 delivery certificates with municipal registry data and hospital records, and selected singleton livebirths from women who lived in the cities for the entire pregnancy, resulting in 211,853 births (63% from Rome, 21% from Turin and the remaining 16% from the three cities in Emilia-Romagna Region). We have observed that the association between socioeconomic characteristics and air pollution exposure varies by city and pollutant, suggesting a possible effect modification of both the city and the socioeconomic position on the impact of air pollution on pregnancy outcomes. This is the largest Italian population-based birth cohort, not distorted by selection mechanisms, which has also the advantage of being sustainable over time and easily transferable to other areas. Results from the ongoing multivariable analyses will provide more insight on the relative impact of different strands of risk factors and on their interaction, as well as on the modifying effect of the contextual characteristics. Useful recommendations for strategies to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes may eventually derive from this study.
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Stefan, A., S. Scaramagli, R. Bergami, C. Mazzini, M. Barbanera, S. Perelle, and P. Fach. "Real-time PCR and enzyme-linked fluorescent assay methods for detecting Shiga-toxin-producingEscherichia coliin mincemeat samples." Canadian Journal of Microbiology 53, no. 3 (March 2007): 337–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/w06-142.
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This work aimed to compare real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the commercially available enzyme-linked fluorescent assay (ELFA) VIDAS ECOLI O157™ for detecting Escherichia coli O157 in mincemeat. In addition, a PCR-based survey on Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in mincemeat collected in Italy is presented. Real-time PCR assays targeting the stx genes and a specific STEC O157 sequence (SILO157, a small inserted locus of STEC O157) were tested for their sensitivity on spiked mincemeat samples. After overnight enrichment, the presence of STEC cells could be clearly determined in the 25 g samples containing 10 bacterial cells, while the addition of five bacteria provided equivocal PCR results with Ct values very close to or above the threshold of 40. The PCR tests proved to be more sensitive than the ELFA-VIDAS ECOLI O157™, whose detection level started from 50 bacterial cells/25 g of mincemeat. The occurrence of STEC in 106 mincemeat (bovine, veal) samples collected from September to November 2004 at five different points of sale in Italy (one point of sale in Arezzo, Tuscany, central Italy, two in Mantova, Lombardy, Northern Italy, and two in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, upper-central Italy) was less than 1%. Contamination by the main STEC O-serogroups representing a major public health concern, including O26, O91, O111, O145, and O157, was not detected. This survey indicates that STEC present in these samples are probably not associated with pathogenesis in humans.
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Tiberti, Simone, and Gabriele Milani. "Historic City Centers After Destructive Seismic Events, The Case of Finale Emilia During the 2012 Emilia-Romagna Earthquake: Advanced Numerical Modelling on Four Case Studies." Open Civil Engineering Journal 11, no. 1 (December 29, 2017): 1059–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874149501711011059.
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Introduction:The recent wave of seismic shocks in Central Italy (2016) had once more disastrous consequences for the local monuments, which consisted of old masonry churches and towers. The permanent, seismic-induced damage to cultural heritage has become a serious issue that can no longer be downsized, and questions have been raised about how to satisfactorily assess the vulnerability of such heritage in advance. This paper deals with the investigations into the actual condition of a historic city center partially destroyed by the seismic sequence occurred in May 2012 in Emilia-Romagna. Namely, the case of Finale Emilia – a small to medium-sized village located at the very center of the stricken area – is considered.Methods:Three important heritage masterpieces were numerically analyzed using Finite Element meshes to deepen the knowledge of their seismic vulnerability and try to avoid similar disasters in the future. The first structure is a masonry castle known as “Castello delle Rocche”, which underwent severe damages during the seismic sequence. The second and third examples deal with the structural analysis of two towers, both collapsed due to the quakes: the Fortified Tower of the castle and the Clock Tower of the village. The last analysis is devoted to study the seismic behavior of a medium-sized masonry church (Santa Maria del Rosario), heavily damaged by the seismic sequence and whose bell tower collapsed due to the formation of a hinge at mid-height.Results and Conclusion:Numerical models were created for all the buildings involved, and a variety of advanced analyses were carried out, including nonlinear static and dynamic ones, to have a deep insight into their expected vulnerability, also finding reasonable correspondence between the numerical results and the actual state of damage observed during the surveys made in the aftermath of the seismic events.
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Leggieri, M. Camardo, A. Lanubile, C. Dall’Asta, A. Pietri, and P. Battilani. "The impact of seasonal weather variation on mycotoxins: maize crop in 2014 in northern Italy as a case study." World Mycotoxin Journal 13, no. 1 (February 6, 2020): 25–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/wmj2019.2475.
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The occurrence of mycotoxins differs greatly from year to year and this variation has been attributed to climate variability. The aim of this study was to consider the variability of fungal infection and mycotoxin contamination on a small geographic scale as a possible result of local weather conditions. The presence of Fusarium spp. and Aspergillus spp. and their related mycotoxins was investigated in 51 maize fields grown in 2014 in the Emilia Romagna region, in northern Italy; information regarding the cropping system was collected for all the fields. Samples collected at harvest were analysed for fumonisins, aflatoxins and trichothecenes. Hourly meteorological data were collected from nine stations and fields were clustered with the stations based on the shortest distance principle. Fusarium spp. and Aspergillus spp. incidence varied between 17.6-46.0% and 0.6-6.3%, respectively. Fumonisins ranged between 1,718 and 106,054 μg/kg and aflatoxin B1 between <limit of quantification and 93.8 μg/kg, with a wide variability also with short distanced fields. Deoxynivalenol was detected with a considerable incidence (59%), but only three samples exceeded 1,750 μg/kg. Therefore, climate variability and related uncertainties, commonly stressed on a large scale, are not only a matter for policymakers, but also for farmers facing every day the impact on fungi and mycotoxin occurrence.
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Stagnati, Lorenzo, Giovanna Soffritti, Francesca Desiderio, Alessandra Lanubile, Sara Zambianchi, Adriano Marocco, Graziano Rossi, and Matteo Busconi. "The Rediscovery of Traditional Maize Agrobiodiversity: A Study Case from Northern Italy." Sustainability 14, no. 19 (September 25, 2022): 12110. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su141912110.
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Nowadays, agriculture is under the pressure of climate change and new pathogen outbreaks while farmers are requiring breeders to develop more resistant and resilient genotypes. The genetic base for breeding may be increased through appropriate conservation, description and characterization of local varieties and germplasm collections that have never been used in breeding, and which could be sources of useful alleles. In this framework, the present paper focuses on eight maize landraces of the eastern part of Emilia-Romagna, derived from the Italian maize collection sampled in 1954. Landraces are characterized by a short cycle length and different kernel types—mainly flint-like or an intermediate type of yellow or yellow–orange color—while dent landraces are less represented. Pigmented and white corns are absent even though one landrace (Va213) showed the presence of scattered blue kernels on yellow ears. Ear shape is frequently conical, a trait associated with drought-resistance and common in Italian traditional landraces. Genetic characterization was carried out on 529 individuals by using 10 SSR markers. A total of 68 different alleles, ranging from 4 for markers (phi084 and umc1401) to 11 (phi031) and from 27 (Va217) to 50 (Va211), were evidenced at the individual and population level. AMOVA analysis revealed a small amount (19%) of variability between populations, as supported also by PCoA, with the only exception of Va217, which is different from the others, as evidenced also by phylogenetic analysis. Population structure analysis resulted in the identification of three and four population levels, which are consistent with previous results.
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Pirozzi, Maria Grazia, and Giuseppe Paolo Ferulano. "Intellectual capital and performance measurement in healthcare organizations." Journal of Intellectual Capital 17, no. 2 (April 11, 2016): 320–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jic-07-2015-0063.
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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define a new conceptual framework or model, to measure and manage organizational performance, both financial/non-financial and intellectual capital (IC), in a healthcare organization. Design/methodology/approach – The integrated new model is produced by integrating the common assessment framework (CAF) model with two other frameworks representing the IC and leadership. These already existing models are originated, respectively by the Health Agency of Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy) and the National Healthcare System (NHS – UK). The integration phase is operated by comparing the CAF and IC models so as to assess the determinant factors that are present in both frameworks and eliminating such redundancies. Concerning the leadership determinant factor, the relevant conceptual framework of CAF model is substituted by the new leadership model proposed by the NHS. Findings – A new integrated model is made available for a subsequent step of empirical implementation and validation through its application in a healthcare organization. The main advantage of this model is the ability to measure and manage IC and financial/non-financial performance. Moreover, the use of a single measurement system facilitates the interpretation and coherency assessment of measured data so originated. Originality/value – The added value this work provides will enrich the academic literature regarding performance measurement systems in healthcare organizations, also providing an original integrated model that is able to exhibit the advantages highlighted above.
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Oppi, Chiara, and Emidia Vagnoni. "Management accountants’ role and coercive regulations: evidence from the Italian health-care sector." Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management 17, no. 3 (April 22, 2020): 405–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/qram-02-2019-0040.
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Purpose This paper aims to investigate the consequences of the coercive regulations for performance measurement and comparability that strengthened regional health authority’s control over organizations’ activities on management accountants’ relationship with clinician managers, who are the recipients of accounting information for decisional processes in health-care organizations. To achieve this aim, the research focuses on management accountants’ perception of their role and whether they perceive role conflict and role ambiguity. Design/methodology/approach A case study was undertaken in a public university hospital in the Emilia-Romagna region, Italy; 9 management accountants and 11 clinician managers were interviewed and secondary data analyzed. Findings Management accountants show low capabilities to support clinician managers’ decisional processes. Following the enactment of regulations, management accountants perform their role with a primary focus on functional responsibility. The focus on the provision of information to address regulations influenced management accountants’ capability to act as business partners in the organization. Because of the conflicting information needs from regulations and clinician managers, management accountants experience role conflict and ambiguity. Research limitations/implications The paper has implications for policymakers, underlining the consequences of strict regulations on management accountants’ role. It also emphasizes the importance of revising accounting techniques to satisfy both regional requirements and clinician managers’ needs for decision-making. Originality/value The article contributes to knowledge related to the role of management accountants in health care. It explores, in particular, the consequences of coercive regulations in health-care organizations, adding knowledge to a field that remains quite unexplored.
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Artese, G., S. Fiaschi, D. Di Martire, S. Tessitore, M. Fabris, V. Achilli, A. Ahmed, et al. "MONITORING OF LAND SUBSIDENCE IN RAVENNA MUNICIPALITY USING INTEGRATED SAR - GPS TECHNIQUES: DESCRIPTION AND FIRST RESULTS." ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences XLI-B7 (June 17, 2016): 23–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xli-b7-23-2016.
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The Emilia Romagna Region (N-E Italy) and in particular the Adriatic Sea coastline of Ravenna, is affected by a noticeable subsidence that started in the 1950s, when the exploitation of on and off-shore methane reservoirs began, along with the pumping of groundwater for industrial uses. In such area the current subsidence rate, even if lower than in the past, reaches the -2 cm/y. Over the years, local Authorities have monitored this phenomenon with different techniques: spirit levelling, GPS surveys and, more recently, Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) techniques, confirming the critical situation of land subsidence risk. In this work, we present the comparison between the results obtained with DInSAR and GPS techniques applied to the study of the land subsidence in the Ravenna territory. With regard to the DInSAR, the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) and the Coherent Pixel Technique (CPT) techniques have been used. Different SAR datasets have been exploited: ERS-1/2, ENVISAT, TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1. Some GPS campaigns have been also carried out in a subsidence prone area. 3D vertices have been selected very close to existing persistent scatterers in order to link the GPS measurement results to the SAR ones. GPS data were processed into the International reference system and the comparisons between the coordinates, for the first 6 months of the monitoring, provided results with the same trend of the DInSAR data, even if inside the precision of the method.
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Artese, G., S. Fiaschi, D. Di Martire, S. Tessitore, M. Fabris, V. Achilli, A. Ahmed, et al. "MONITORING OF LAND SUBSIDENCE IN RAVENNA MUNICIPALITY USING INTEGRATED SAR - GPS TECHNIQUES: DESCRIPTION AND FIRST RESULTS." ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences XLI-B7 (June 17, 2016): 23–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-xli-b7-23-2016.
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The Emilia Romagna Region (N-E Italy) and in particular the Adriatic Sea coastline of Ravenna, is affected by a noticeable subsidence that started in the 1950s, when the exploitation of on and off-shore methane reservoirs began, along with the pumping of groundwater for industrial uses. In such area the current subsidence rate, even if lower than in the past, reaches the -2 cm/y. Over the years, local Authorities have monitored this phenomenon with different techniques: spirit levelling, GPS surveys and, more recently, Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) techniques, confirming the critical situation of land subsidence risk. In this work, we present the comparison between the results obtained with DInSAR and GPS techniques applied to the study of the land subsidence in the Ravenna territory. With regard to the DInSAR, the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) and the Coherent Pixel Technique (CPT) techniques have been used. Different SAR datasets have been exploited: ERS-1/2, ENVISAT, TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1. Some GPS campaigns have been also carried out in a subsidence prone area. 3D vertices have been selected very close to existing persistent scatterers in order to link the GPS measurement results to the SAR ones. GPS data were processed into the International reference system and the comparisons between the coordinates, for the first 6 months of the monitoring, provided results with the same trend of the DInSAR data, even if inside the precision of the method.
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Segadelli, Stefano, Federico Grazzini, Veronica Rossi, Margherita Aguzzi, Silvia Marvelli, Marco Marchesini, Alessandro Chelli, Roberto Francese, Maria Teresa De Nardo, and Sandro Nanni. "Changes in high-intensity precipitation on the northern Apennines (Italy) as revealed by multidisciplinary data over the last 9000 years." Climate of the Past 16, no. 4 (August 19, 2020): 1547–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-1547-2020.
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Abstract. Several record-breaking precipitation events have struck the mountainous area of the Emilia–Romagna region (northern Apennines, Italy) over the last 10 years. As a consequence, severe geomorphological processes such as debris avalanches and debris flows, shallow landslides, and overbank flooding have affected the territory, causing severe damage to human-made structures. The unusual intensity of these phenomena prompted an investigation into their frequency in the past, beyond instrumental time. In the quest for an understanding of whether these phenomena are unprecedented in the region, peat bog and lake deposits were analyzed to infer the frequency of extreme precipitation events that may have occurred in the past. We present the results of a dedicated field campaign performed in summer 2017 at Lake Moo in the northern Apennines, a 0.15 km2 peat bog located at an altitude of 1130 m a.s.l. During the extreme precipitation event of 13–14 September 2015, several debris flows generated by small streams affected the Lake Moo plain. In such a small drainage basin (<2 km2), high-density floods can be triggered only by high-intensity precipitation events. The sedimentary succession (ca. 13 m thick) was studied through the drilling of two cores and one trench. The sequence, characterized by clusters of coarse-grained alluvial deposits interbedded with organic-rich silty clays and peat layers, was analyzed by combining sedimentological, pollen, microanthracological and pedological data with radiocarbon dating (AMS 14C) in an innovative multidisciplinary approach for this area. Original data acquired during the field campaign were also correlated with other specific paleoclimatic proxies available in the literature for the northern Apennines area. We discover that the increase in extreme paleoflooding, associated with coarse-grained deposits similar to the ones observed recently, correlates well with the warm phases of the Holocene Thermal Maximum and with the ongoing warming trend observed that started at the beginning of the last century.
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Accadia, Christophe, Stefano Mariani, Marco Casaioli, Alfredo Lavagnini, and Antonio Speranza. "Verification of Precipitation Forecasts from Two Limited-Area Models over Italy and Comparison with ECMWF Forecasts Using a Resampling Technique." Weather and Forecasting 20, no. 3 (June 1, 2005): 276–300. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/waf854.1.
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Abstract This paper presents the first systematic limited area model (LAM) precipitation verification work over Italy. A resampling technique was used to provide skill score results along with confidence intervals. Two years of data were used, starting in October 2000. Two operational LAMs have been considered, the Limited Area Model Bologna (LAMBO) operating at the Agenzia Regionale Prevenzione e Ambiente-Servizio Meteorologico Regionale (ARPA-SMR) of the Emilia–Romagna region, and the QUADRICS Bologna Limited Area Model (QBOLAM) running at the Agenzia per la Protezione dell’Ambiente e per i Servizi Tecnici (APAT). A 24-h forecast skill score comparison was first performed on the native 0.1° high-resolution grids, using a Barnes scheme to produce the observed 24-h accumulated rainfall analysis. Two nonparametric skill scores were used: the equitable threat score (ETS) and the Hanssen and Kuipers score (HK). Frequency biases (BIA) were also calculated. LAM forecasts were also remapped on a lower-resolution grid (0.5°), using a nearest-neighbor average method; this remapping allowed for comparison with ECMWF model forecasts, and for LAM intercomparisons at lower resolution, with the advantage of reducing the skill score sensitivity to small displacements errors. LAM skill scores depend on the resolution of the verification grid, with an increase when they are verified on a lower-resolution grid. The selected LAMs have a higher BIA compared to ECMWF, showing a tendency to overforecast precipitation, especially along mountain ranges, possibly due to undesired effects from the large-scale and/or convective precipitation parameterizations. Lower ECMWF BIA accounts for skill score differences. LAMBO precipitation forecasts during winter (adjusted for BIA differences) have less misses than ECMWF over the islands of Sardinia and Sicily. Higher-resolution orography definitely adds value to LAM forecasts.
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Wongprawmas, Rungsaran, and Roberta Spadoni. "Is innovation needed in the Old World wine market? The perception of Italian stakeholders." British Food Journal 120, no. 6 (June 4, 2018): 1315–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/bfj-07-2017-0409.
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PurposeThe wine market in Italy has been through several changes in the last decade. Actors in the supply chain need to find new strategies or tools in order to remain competitive in what has become a fiercely competitive sector. Innovation is one of the tools which have been successfully used in the New World wine market, hence innovation might also be a useful resource for actors in the Old World wine market, such as in Italy. The purpose of this paper is to explore stakeholders’ perception of such innovation, including how its usefulness in the Italian wine production and distribution chain is perceived.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were carried out in Emilia-Romagna with a wide range of actors in the Italian wine chain and consumer focus groups and the resulting data were analyzed using the content-summarizing approach.FindingsThese stakeholders agreed that innovation is needed for production and processing as well as in quality control, but only on condition that it should maintain the quality and value of traditional wines. Innovative wine products tend to be unacceptable to consumers. Most stakeholders associate innovation with communication as producers and distributors seek innovative ways to convey information regarding the value of wines to final consumers.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are qualitative and based on a small group of Italian wine industry players and consumers who operate mainly in a domestic context.Practical implicationsThe paper provides industrialists with information useful in the search to find the right strategies to make them more competitive in the Italian wine market. It is crucial to find and adopt innovative approaches toward communication throughout the chain. Information appealing to tradition and sentiment could be highly effective ways to reach the consumer.Originality/valueThis is the first in-depth study of the perceptions of all stakeholders (from producers to consumers) regarding innovation in the Italian wine chain; of particular importance as the industry is currently in transition toward globalization.
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Terlizzi, F., A. R. Babini, and R. Credi. "First Report of Stolbur Phytoplasma (16SrXII-A) on Strawberry in Northern Italy." Plant Disease 90, no. 6 (June 2006): 831. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/pd-90-0831a.
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Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is one of the most important small-fruit crops in northern Italy. During the autumn of 2003, in nurseries located in Ravenna Province (Emilia-Romagna Region), a disease characterized by pronounced stunting and a very poor root system was observed in plants of the cv. Tethis. Older leaves of diseased plants were rolled upward and displayed a marked premature purple discoloration; new leaves showed size reduction, shortened petioles, chlorosis, and were generally cupped. Some of these plants were potted and kept in greenhouse conditions; the following spring, they exhibited typical floral abnormalities as virescent and phylloid petals. Flowers were fully or partly sterile, producing small and deformed fruits; new foliage was dwarfed, asymmetrical, and pale green with chlorotic margins. Later, the affected plants expressed a quick decline consisting of growth cessation, bronzing of mature leaves, wilting, and death. This strawberry yellows-type disease was suggestive of a phytoplasmal infection. Symptoms were identical to “marginal chlorosis”, a stolbur-associated disease occurring in France (4). To acquire more information, field inspections were extended to the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Additional cultivars (Alba, Aromas, Camarosa, Gemma, Maya, NF 20, Queen Elisa, Roxana, and Selva) affected by a similar disorder were identified in strawberry nurseries and production fields from different sites of Ravenna and Forlì-Cesena provinces. Total DNA extracted from collected plants was tested using nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) performed with universal phytoplasma primers P1/P7, followed by phytoplasma-specific primer pair R16F2/R2 or group 16SrI and 16SrXII-specific primer pair R16(I)F1/R1 (1,2). Results from nPCR revealed that 21 of 23 diseased nursery plants were infected by a phytoplasma. On the contrary, no positive reaction was obtained with diseased strawberry plants collected from production fields. Subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the nPCR-amplified product R16(I)F1/R1 with enzyme MseI indicated that all diseased plants contained the same phytoplasma belonging to the phytoplasma subgroup 16SrXII-A. Subsequently, these results were confirmed by nPCR using group 16SrXII specific primer pair fSTOL/rSTOL (1). The fragments amplified from three samples were sequenced (GenBank Accession Nos. DQ350615-DQ350617) and showed 99.6 to 99.8% nucleotide sequence identity with a grapevine stolbur isolate (GenBank Accession No. AJ964960). In addition, all samples were assayed using nPCR with primer pair fTuf1/rTuf1 and primers fTufAy/rTufAy, specific for groups 16SrI and 16SrXII (1). Results showed the presence of an expected 945-bp product from infected samples. Sequencing of five amplicons (GenBank Accession Nos. DQ418456-DQ418460) shared 99.4 to 99.9% nucleotide sequence homology with a periwinkle stolbur isolate (GenBank Accession No. L46370). Before now, stolbur phytoplasma has been found to be associated with a strawberry plant showing phyllody symptoms in southern Italy (3). Our report is a wider demonstration of this pathogen infecting strawberry in major cultivations areas of northern Italy. References: (1) M. Langer et al. Extended abstracts ICVG 14:66, 2003. (2) I. M. Lee et al. Phytopathology 84:559, 1994. (3) M. Pastore et al. J. Plant. Pathol. 85:314, 2003. (4) L. Zreik et al. Acta Hortic. 551:101, 2001.
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Bianchi, Patrizio, Raffaele Giardino, Sandrine Labory, Alberto Rinaldi, and Giovanni Solinas. "Regional resilience: Lessons from a historical analysis of the Emilia-Romagna Region in Italy." Business History, July 13, 2021, 1–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2021.1945034.
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Antonietti, Roberto, Luca Cattani, Francesca Gambarotto, and Giulio Pedrini. "Education, routine, and complexity-biased Key Enabling Technologies: evidence from Emilia-Romagna, Italy." Industry and Innovation, March 8, 2022, 1–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13662716.2022.2045910.
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Warner Marzocchi, Maura Murru, Anna Maria Lombardi, Giuseppe Falcone, and Rodolfo Console. "Daily earthquake forecasts during the May-June 2012 Emilia earthquake sequence (northern Italy)." Annals of Geophysics 55, no. 4 (October 16, 2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.4401/ag-6161.
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On May 20, 2012, at 02:03 UTC, a magnitude Ml 5.9 earthquake hit part of the Po Plain area (latitude, 44.89 ˚N; longitude, 11.23 ˚E) close to the village of Finale-Emilia in the Emilia-Romagna region (northern Italy). This caused a number of human losses and significant economic damage to buildings, and to local farms and industry. This earthquake was preceded by an increase in the seismicity the day before, with the largest shock of Ml 4.1 at 23:13 UTC (latitude, 44.90 ˚N; longitude, 11.26 ˚E). It was then followed by six other Ml 5.0 or greater events in the following weeks. The largest of these six earthquakes occurred on May 29, 2012, at 07:00 UTC (Ml 5.8), and was located 12 km southwest of the May 20, 2012, main event (latitude, 44.85 ˚N; longitude, 11.09 ˚E), resulting in the collapse of many buildings that had already been weakened, a greater number of victims, and most of the economic damage (see Figure 1). This sequence took place in one of the Italian regions that is considered to be at small-to-moderate seismic hazard [Gruppo di Lavoro MPS 2004]. Earthquakes of the M6 class have occurred in the past in this zone [Gruppo di Lavoro CPTI 2004], but with a much smaller time frequency with respect to the most seismically hazardous parts of Italy. […]
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Musto, C., M. Tamba, M. Calzolari, D. Torri, K. Marzani, J. Cerri, P. Bonilauri, and M. Delogu. "Usutu virus in blackbirds (Turdus merula) with clinical signs, a case study from northern Italy." European Journal of Wildlife Research 68, no. 2 (March 18, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10344-022-01572-z.
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AbstractUsutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus. Natural transmission cycle of USUV involves mosquitoes and birds, so humans and other mammals are considered incidental hosts. In this study, USUV infection was diagnosed in all wild blackbirds, collected from July to September 2018 in a wildlife recovery center in the province of Bologna, in the Emilia-Romagna region, northern Italy. All blackbirds showed neurological clinical signs, such as overturning, pedaling, and incoordination. Moreover, the subjects died shortly after arriving at the hospitalization center. Virological investigations were performed by real-time PCR on frozen samples of the spleen, kidney, myocardium, and brain for the detection of Usutu (USUV) and West Nile (WNV) viruses. The small and large intestine were used as a matrix for the detection of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). All 56 subjects with neurological clinical signs were positive for USUV, only one subject (1.8%) tested positive for WNV, and no subject was positive for NDV. The most represented age class was class 1 J (58.9%), followed by class 3 (25.0%), and lastly from class 4 (16.1%). Most of the blackbirds before dying were in good (51.8%) and fair (39.3%) nutritional status, while only five subjects (8.9%) were cachectic. The USUV genomes detected in the blackbirds of this study fall within the sub-clade already called EU2 that has been detected since 2009 in the Emilia-Romagna region. Neurological clinical signs in USUV-affected blackbirds are still widely discussed and there are few works in the literature. Although our results require further studies, we believe them to be useful for understanding the clinical signs of Usutu virus in blackbirds, helping to increase the knowledge of this zoonotic agent in wild species and to understand its effect on the ecosystem. The goal of this study was to report—in the context of the regional passive surveillance program—the detection of USUV RNA in its most important amplifying host, the common blackbird, when showing clinical signs before death.
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Gibertoni, Dino, Chiara Reno, Paola Rucci, Maria Pia Fantini, Andrea Buscaroli, Giovanni Mosconi, Angelo Rigotti, Antonio Santoro, Francesca Bravi, and Mattia Altini. "MO497COVID-19 INCIDENCE AND MORTALITY IN PRE-DIALYSIS CHRONIC KIDNEY PATIENTS DURING THE FIRST WAVE OF THE PANDEMIC IN ITALY." Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 36, Supplement_1 (May 1, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ndt/gfab087.0017.
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Abstract Background and Aims Many studies are available that reported a higher risk of COVID-19 disease among patients on dialysis or with kidney transplantation, and the poor outcome of COVID-19 in these patients. Patients in conservative therapy for chronic kidney disease (CKD) have received lower attention, therefore little is known about how COVID-19 may affect this population. The aim of this study was to analyse the COVID-19 incidence and mortality in CKD patients followed up in an integrated healthcare program, living in a small area of Northern Italy. Method The study population included CKD patients from the Emilia-Romagna Prevention of Progressive Renal Insufficiency (PIRP) project, followed up in the 4 nephrology units (Ravenna, Forlì, Cesena and Rimini) of AUSL Romagna (Italy) and alive at 1.01.2020. All patients were in conservative therapy and none of them had initiated dialysis or received kidney transplantation. The hospital discharge database was used to identify patients hospitalized with COVID-19 up to 31.07.2020, and the mortality database was used to assess mortality among patients with COVID-19 at the same date. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of COVID-19 disease, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to identify predictors of COVID-19 mortality. Excess mortality of 2020 compared to mortality in 2015-19 in the PIRP cohort was also estimated. Results COVID-19 incidence among CKD patients was 4.09% (193/4716 patients), while in the general population it was 0.46% (5,195/1,125,574). COVID-19 was more likely in CKD patients with older age (Odds Ratio=1.038), cardiovascular comorbidities (OR=2.217), COPD (OR=1.559) and less likely in patients living in the province of Ravenna (OR=0.468), that was hit later by the first wave of pandemic compared to the other areas of AUSL Romagna. Baseline eGFR was lower in CKD patients with COVID-19 (31.7 vs. 35.8 ml/min/1.73 m2), but this difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.066). As of 31.07.2020, the crude mortality rate among CKD patients with COVID-19 was 44.6% (86/193), compared to 4.7% (215/4523) in CKD patients without COVID-19 and to 14.5% (4289/29670) in the general population with COVID-19 of the Emilia-Romagna region. Factors associated with mortality of CKD patients with COVID-19 were older age (p=0.034) and the period of COVID-19 onset (p=0.003). The highest crude mortality rate (71.4%) was found in CKD patients for whom COVID-19 onset occurred between 8 and 21 March. The excess mortality of January-July 2020 with respect to the average mortality of January-July 2015-19 in the PIRP cohort was +17.7%, corresponding to 77 excess deaths. March-April was the period with the highest excess mortality (+69.8%), while in January-February a 15.9% lower mortality was observed with respect to the corresponding months of the five previous years. Conclusion In our study, including a cohort of regularly followed up CKD patients, the risk of COVID-19 disease and of COVID-19 related mortality was comparable, or even somewhat higher, to that observed in patients on dialysis and those who received kidney transplantation. The incidence of COVID-19 in CKD patients was higher in the areas of AUSL Romagna earlier affected by the pandemic wave, whereas mortality rates were similar across all areas. CKD patients represent a population very vulnerable to COVID-19 disease, and their protection should be highly prioritized in the models of care and prevention measures.
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Malavolti, M., T. Filippini, S. J. Fairweather-Tait, C. Malagoli, L. Vescovi, and M. Vinceti. "Assessment of lead food contamination and dietary intake in a Northern Italian population." European Journal of Public Health 30, Supplement_5 (September 1, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.227.
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Abstract Background Lead is a heavy metal naturally occurring in the environment and also released by some anthropogenic activities. Food is one the major sources of human exposure for non-occupationally exposed individuals. In this study, we aimed at characterizing lead (Pb) content in foods consumed in Northern Italy population, in order to estimate its dietary intake. Methods We measured lead content in 908 food and beverage samples bought at small shops and supermarkets of the Northern Italy provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia, through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We used a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire to assess the dietary habits of a representative sample of 719 individuals (319 males and 400 females) aged 18-87 years residing in Northern Italy (Emilia Romagna). We estimated weekly dietary intakes of Pb, and we compared them with safety standards set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Results In this population, vegetables and vegetables products were the main contributors to Pb intake. The highest levels of Pb were in edible offal, and then in crustaceans, dry fruits, chocolate free sweet confectionery, and coffee and tea as beverages. In general, Pb levels in our samples were comparable and did not exceed the average contamination levels reported by EFSA in various European countries. We found a comparable average Pb intake in both sexes. Average weekly intake of Pb was below EFSA recommended provisional tolerable weekly intake. Conclusions Our study provides an updated assessment of lead exposure through diet in a Northern Italian community. Although environmental lead contamination and exposure have markedly decreased in the last decades, recent evidence pointed out that a safety threshold value cannot yet be established for prevention of adverse effects due to lead exposure, since even low levels of lead intake may still increase the risk of chronic renal disease and hypertension. Key messages Food is one the major lead sources of human exposure for non-occupationally exposed individuals. Lead levels in Northern Italian population studied are comparable and do not exceed the average contamination levels reported by European Food Safety Authority in various European countries.
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Arata, Linda, Anwesha Chakrabarti, Nelson Ekane, Henning Lyngsø Foged, Christoph Pahmeyer, Arno Rosemarin, and Paolo Sckokai. "Assessment of environmental and farm business impacts of phosphorus policies in two European regions." Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 6 (September 26, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.852887.
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This paper presents analyses of the economic and environmental impact of relevant phosphorus management policy scenarios, using representative pig and poultry farms in the Emilia-Romagna region (Po River basin, Italy) and Niedersachsen region (Ems River basin, Germany) as case studies. The analysis was done by using a farm-level linear programming bioeconomic model developed for different farm and animal types—sows, fattening pigs, laying hens and broilers. The baseline for the assessed scenarios involved farms situated within the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) and therefore, were subject to indirect phosphorus fertilization limitations via the Nitrates Directive (ND). The analyzed phosphorus management policy scenarios included the implementation of two different balances of 8.7 kg and 4.35 kg of P per ha per year, inspired by the German Fertilizer Ordinance for phosphorus fertilization implemented in 2007 and later updated from 2017 up to 2023, respectively. We also included a more rigorous zero P balance scenario. The results of the scenario simulations, based on model assumptions, reveal that the introduction of direct phosphorus management policies for pig and poultry farms situated in high livestock dense regions can be done without causing any significant impact on farm gross margin (around 2% of reduction) for both regions and all four animal types, except for sows and broiler production in the Ems River Basin (up to 12% of reduction). Selected technologies and methods, inspired by current practices, have been analyzed for their cost efficiency to achieve the target P balance of the individual scenarios, including export of slurry out of the farm or export of separation solids. Results also highlight that the Nitrates Directive alone is not enough to handle the P issue in monogastric livestock farms.
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Tedeschi, Sara, Lorenzo Badia, Fabio Berveglieri, Rodolfo Ferrari, Simona Coladonato, Sabrina Gabrielli, Antonio Maestri, et al. "Effective Containment of a COVID-19 Subregional Outbreak in Italy Through Strict Quarantine and Rearrangement of Local Health Care Services." Open Forum Infectious Diseases 8, no. 2 (January 19, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofab024.
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Abstract Background Since the beginning of the pandemic, the epidemiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Italy has been characterized by the occurrence of subnational outbreaks. The World Health Organization recommended building the capacity to rapidly control COVID-19 clusters of cases in order to avoid the spread of the disease. This study describes a subregional outbreak of COVID-19 that occurred in the Emilia Romagna region, Italy, and the intervention undertaken to successfully control it. Methods Cases of COVID-19 were defined by a positive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on nasopharyngeal swab. The outbreak involved the residential area of a small town, with ~10 500 inhabitants in an area of 9 km2. After the recognition of the outbreak, local health care authorities implemented strict quarantine and a rearrangement of health care services, consisting of closure of general practitioner outpatient clinics, telephone contact with all residents, activation of health care units to visit at-home patients with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and a dedicated Infectious Diseases ambulatory unit at the nearest hospital. Results The outbreak lasted from February 24 to April 6, 2020, involving at least 170 people with a cumulative incidence of 160 cases/10 000 inhabitants; overall, 448 inhabitants of the municipality underwent at least 1 nasopharyngeal swab to detect SARS-CoV-2 (positivity rate, 38%). Ninety-three people presented symptoms before March 11 (pre-intervention period), and 77 presented symptoms during the postintervention period (March 11–April 6). Conclusions It was possible to control this COVID-19 outbreak by prompt recognition and implementation of a targeted local intervention.
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Mancini, Elena, Antonio Santoro, and Gruppo di Lavoro Registro Emilia Romagna. "P1483INCIDENCE TRENDS IN CHRONIC DIALYSIS: AN IMPORTANT ASPECT, STILL UNDER-REPORTED." Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 35, Supplement_3 (June 1, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ndt/gfaa142.p1483.
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Abstract Background and Aims Whereas the progressive increase in the incidence of advanced age patients on chronic dialysis is widely described, the incidence trend concerning younger age patients, a potentially useful datum for the health services programming, has been little investigated. Method The Regional Dialysis Registry of Emilia-Romagna (a region in the north of Italy, near 4,460,000 inhabitants) has been active for 24 years. We analysed the changing incidence in dialysis over time, as a function of 6 different age brackets (excluding the extreme ages, <20 and >90, due to the small numbers involved). The study considered only hemodialysis patients, not peritoneal dialysis, due to small numbers, and in order to collect data from a more homogeneous population. For each year from 1994 to 2017, we extracted the percentage incidence on dialysis of each age bracket [(number of cases per bracket/overall number of incident patients)%]. We then carried out a correlation analysis as a function of time. Results The incidence on dialysis turned out to change over time with statistical significance in each one of the age brackets except 70-80. The incidence-time association was positive for the brackets 70-80 and 80-90, and negative for the remaining age brackets (Table 1). A scissor-like trend appeared evident when comparing the most advanced ages with the youngest ones (Figure 1). Conclusion Besides the well-known increase in old patients on chronic dialysis, it should be noted that, on the contrary, younger patients have tended to decrease significantly, at least in our Region. Even bearing in mind the limits of a Registry study, these data may support the value of health programs for the early diagnosis of nephropathy, because prompt pharmacological treatment (at least for glomerular or post-infective, or congenital/hereditary diseases) could reduce the attainment of ESRD and account for the results observed in the lower age-brackets.
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Wenneker, Marcel, Khanh Pham, Engelien Kerkhof, and Dalphy O. C. Harteveld. "First report of preharvest fruit rot of ‘Pink Lady’ apples caused by Colletotrichum fructicola in Italy." Plant Disease, January 8, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/pdis-11-20-2404-pdn.
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In late summer 2019, a severe outbreak of fruit rot was observed in commercial ‘Pink Lady’ apple orchards (>20 ha in total) in the region Emilia-Romagna (Northern Italy). The symptoms on the fruit appeared as small circular red to brown lesions. Disease incidences of over 50% of the fruits were observed. To isolate the causal agent, 15 affected apples were collected and small portions of fruit flesh were excised from the lesion margin and placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA). The plates were incubated at 20°C in the dark, and pure cultures were obtained by transferring hyphal tips on PDA. The cultures showed light to dark gray, cottony mycelium, with the underside of the culture being brownish and becoming black with age. Conidia (n=20) were cylindrical, aseptate, hyaline, rounded at both ends, and 12.5 to 20.0 × 5.0 to 7.5 μm. The morphological characteristics were consistent with descriptions of Colletotrichum species of the C. gloeosporioides species complex, including C. fructicola (Weir et al. 2012). The identity of two representative isolates (PinkL2 & PinkL3) from different apples was confirmed by means of multi-locus gene sequencing. Genomic DNA was extracted using the LGC Mag Plant Kit (Berlin, Germany) in combination with the Kingfisher method (Waltham, USA). Molecular identification was conducted by sequencing the ITS1/ITS4 region and partial sequences of four other gene regions: chitin synthase (CHS), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), actin (ACT), and beta-tubulin (TUB). The sequences have been deposited in GenBank under accession numbers MT421924 & MT424894 (ITS), MT424612 & MT424613 (CHS), MT424616 & MT424617 (GAPDH), MT424614 & MT424615 (ACT), and MT424620 & MT424621 (TUB). MegaBLAST analysis revealed that our ITS sequences matched with 100% identity to Colletotrichum fructicola (Genbank JX010177). The CHS, GAPDH, ACT and TUB sequences of both isolates were 100% identical with C. fructicola culture collection sequences in Genbank (JX009807, JX009923, JX009436 and JX010400, respectively), confirming the identity of these isolates as C. fructicola. Koch's postulates were performed with 10 mature ‘Pink Lady’ apples. Surface sterilized fruit were inoculated with 20 μl of a suspension of 105 conidia ml–1 after wounding with a needle. The fruits were incubated at 20˚C at high relative humidity. Typical symptoms appeared within 4 days on all fruit. Mock-inoculated controls with sterile water remained symptomless. The fungus was reisolated and confirmed as C. fructicola by morphology and sequencing of all previously used genes. Until recently the reported causal agents of bitter rot of apple in Europe belong to the Colletotrichum acutatum species complex (Grammen et al. 2019). C. fructicola, belonging to C. gloeosporioides species complex, is known to cause bitter rot of apple in the USA, Korea, Brazil, and Uruguay (Kim et al. 2018; Velho et al. 2015). There is only one report of bitter rot associated with C. fructicola on apple in Europe (France) (Nodet et al. 2019). However, C. fructicola is also the potential agent of Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) of apple (Velho et al. 2015; 2019). To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of C. fructicola on apples in Italy. It is important to stress that the C. gloeosporioides species complex is still being resolved and new species on apple continue to be identified, e.g. C. chrysophilum that is very closely related to C. fructicola (Khodadadi et al. 2020). Given the risks of this pathogen the presence of C. fructicola in European apple orchards should be assessed and management strategies developed.
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Buldrini, Fabrizio, Matteo Gentilini, Cinzia Bruni, Claudio Santini, Alessandro Alessandrini, and Giovanna Bosi. "[Vascular spontaneous flora of the town of Modena: analysis of the historic centre]." Natural History Sciences 7, no. 1 (June 19, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.4081/nhs.2020.443.
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[The results of the first systematic study concerning the urban flora of Modena are here presented. Data collection was carried out in 2014-2018, by inspecting every road and square of the historic centre, intended as the area encompassed within the wide avenues that retrace the layout of the 16th century ramparts. 344 plant species were found, of which 1 is new for the flora of Italy, 10 are new for Emilia-Romagna and 19 are new for the province of Modena. Among these 30 new species, alien species make up 63%. There are 17 species no longer found during this study, which were observed at least 20 years ago or were testified only by late 19th century herbarium samples. The life form spectrum is dominated by the therophytes (44%), followed by hemicryptophytes (28%) and phanerophytes (15%). Eurasian (28%), Mediterranean (24%) and cosmopolite species (24%) dominate the chorological spectrum. Neophytes are 18% of the total number of species, quite a low percentage if compared with what was observed in other towns of the Po Plain and Central Europe. This fact is probably due to the small area of the historic city centre, whose compact urbanistic structure seems to resist against the diffusion of alien plants. The invasive species are 11% of the total. The presence of 15 hygrophilous species is interesting, since they indicate irrigation or hyper-irrigation of lawns and flowerbeds. We found 4 protected species at the regional level, of which 2 are escaped from cultivation. Concerning the affinity of the species to urban ecology, the floristic list is dominated by the urban-neutral (45%) and urbanophilous species (42%). This fact can indicate a good variety in terms of growth environments, with most of them probably in a quite advanced phase of ecological evolution for an urban centre, and also a fairly good environmental quality, likely due – at least partially – to the abundance of green areas. The species richness in every road or square is strongly correlated to the environmental heterogeneity (ρ = 0,794) and moderately correlated to the nearby presence of green areas (ρ = 0,544) and to the road length or square surface (ρ = 0,665 and 0,673, respectively). Furthermore, a weak correlation (ρ = 0,212) exists between the presence of horticultural or food species and the presence of restaurants in the same road or square. Therefore, the town is confirmed to be a very dynamic ecosystem with great biological richness, useful to understand the ecological strategies developed by plants to adapt to sometimes very unfavourable conditions. In addition, during the process of colonisation of a region, urban areas often act as a «hub» for the spreading of species along the road and railway network. Understanding and respecting the ecological roles of native species is thus fundamental for modern urban planning, aimed at improving the quality of life as a whole.]
[Article in Italian]