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Multicentre, retrospective cohort study with multivariable Cox proportional-hazards modelling and survival-time inverse-probability-weighting, evaluating the impact of different treatments on survival of proven COVID-19 patients admitted to two Hospitals in the province of Piacenza, Italy. Use of tocilizumab and of high doses of low molecular weight heparin, but not of antivirals (either alone or in combination), azithromycin, and any corticosteroid, was independently associated with lower mortality. Our results support further clinical evaluation of high doses of low molecular weight heparin and tocilizumab as COVID-19 therapeutics., The work of the corresponding author (LG) in the Hospital of Piacenza was supported by the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (SIMIT).

Trabajo Fin de Máster., The reprogramming of energy metabolism represents an important hallmark of cancer. The main cause of this alteration is represented by the presence of hypoxic areas. The decreased availability of oxygen activates the Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF) pathway which regulates the switch from an aerobic to an anaerobic metabolism, as well as an increased uptake of glucose. This thesis has two main objectives. In the first part we study and we nu- merically simulate a mathematical model consisting of four ordinary differential equations (ODEs): one for cancer cells with inactivated HIF signaling, one for cancer cells with activated HIF signaling and two for the metabolites cancer cells can consume in order to produce ATP. We model the dynamics of the transi- tion between the two different metabolic behaviors, of cancer growth under normoxic and hypoxic conditions and of cancer progression in a hostile environ- ment; furthermore we compare the behaviour of cancer cells in highlanders and lowlanders. In the second part we introduce a simple mathematical model to analyse the link between angiogenesis and the Warburg effect in cancer cells. We show that the increased expression of glucose receptors is an important factor in the transition from initiation to cancer progression. We also show that the genetic polymorphism considered in highlanders does not provide useful in- formation on cancer growth in the long term behaviour. The second model, despite only being introduced, will let us formulate new questions concerning the role of angiogenesis in cancer progression and links among different aspect of cancer metabolism.

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) constitutes a high challenging issue to cope with to move towards sustainability of the urban policies. Despite new standards call for recycling and reusing materials contained in the city waste, several municipalities still use extensive landfills. Other than the environmental pressure exerted by these plants, the waste transportation from the recovery points of towns to landfills needs consideration to correctly assess the whole burden of the waste management. In this paper, the Ecological Footprint indicator is applied to the MSWM of the town of Palermo (Sicily). Results show that the effects produced by the involved transportation vehicles, both in the status-quo and in the hypothesized enhanced scenario (characterized by a reduced amount of urban waste landfilled), are relevant compared to those caused by the other segments of the waste management system. The concept of “saved footprint” is further introduced, to suitably compare the two scenarios.

Il lavoro tratta il tema di "Energia e sviluppo locale", con focus sul modello “a rete” della coalizione di Comuni “Monti Sicani e Valle del Platani”

Public Administrations are currently constrained, in their aims of carrying out actions and projects for the limitation of the energy consumption of buildings, by the scarcity of adequate budgets and by the need of observing the Growth and Stability Pact. On the contrary, the availability of (and the access to) suitable financial sources would represent significant opportunities for an economic development characterized by energy and environmental sustainability. This paper, after a short review of the domestic financial tools actually available for the reduction of their energy consumption of municipalities, analyses the technical and economic barriers that limit their effective utilization and that should be properly removed.

Se da un lato l’energia ed il suo costo rappresentano da tempo una delle più serie limitazioni alla sostenibilità del settore della pesca, dall’altro lato affrontare questo tema in un’ottica di innovazione può costituire un interessante fattore di sviluppo e di innovazione del settore stesso. Non è del resto un caso che ai temi della sostenibilità siano ispirate le linee guida del nuovo programma europeo Horizon 2020, Work Programme 2014-2010; come è noto, tra le sette sfide principali del programma europeo, una è espressamente riservata alla ricerca marina e marittima (“Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture, Marine and maritime research and the bio-economy”). Nell’ambito dei programmi sviluppati o in progetto da parte dell’Osservatorio della Pesca, questa visione ha sempre ricevuto una costante attenzione. L’intento è, da un lato, quello di individuare gli interventi migliorativi ed innovativi che consentano di razionalizzare e rendere economicamente ed ambientalmente sostenibile il processo produttivo e le fasi organizzative delle aziende prese in esame; dall’altro lato, quello di indirizzare efficacemente le aziende verso le certificazioni e le dichiarazioni ambientali che le rendano maggiormente protagoniste nel mercato, con evidenti benefici anche sul fronte occupazionale. Per intraprendere questa strada virtuosa è necessario partire da un’indagine capillare volta all’individuazione del profilo energetico ed ambientale del ciclo produttivo e lavorativo delle aziende, al fine di determinare il livello di efficienza con cui viene impiegata l’energia (termica ed elettrica) e l’entità dei rilasci in atmosfera connessi con il ciclo lavorativo, anche in relazione all’intero ciclo di vita dei processi produttivi. Occorre inoltre monitorare le modalità di gestione dei reflui, di utilizzo dell’acqua potabile e la produzione e gestione dei rifiuti. Questa base conoscitiva dinamica dei dati del settore, oltre a rappresentare l’imprescindibile punto di partenza per qualunque azione migliorativa e per la partecipazione ai bandi di sostegno finanziario da parte delle singole aziende, consentirebbe altresì di porre le basi per la progettazione di un Marchio di Filiera per l’intero distretto della pesca di Mazara del Vallo.

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae is the causal agent of bacterial canker of green‐fleshed kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) and yellow‐fleshed kiwifruit (A. chinensis). A recent, sudden, re‐emerging wave of this disease has occurred, almost contemporaneously, in all of the main areas of kiwifruit production in the world, suggesting that it can be considered as a pandemic disease. Recent in‐depth genetic studies performed on P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains have revealed that this pathovar is composed of four genetically different populations which, to different extents, can infect crops of the genus Actinidia worldwide. Genome comparisons of these strains have revealed that this pathovar can gain and lose the phaseolotoxin gene cluster, as well as mobile genetic elements, such as plasmids and putative prophages, and that it can modify the repertoire of the effector gene arrays. In addition, the strains currently causing worldwide severe economic losses display an extensive set of genes related to the ecological fitness of the bacterium in planta, such as copper and antibiotic resistance genes, multiple siderophore genes and genes involved in the degradation of lignin derivatives and other phenolics. This pathogen can therefore easily colonize hosts throughout the year. Taxonomy: Bacteria; Proteobacteria, gamma subdivision; Order Pseudomonadales; Family Pseudomonadaceae; Genus Pseudomonas; Pseudomonas syringae species complex, genomospecies 8; Pathovar actinidiae. Microbiological properties: Gram‐negative, aerobic, motile, rod‐shaped, polar flagella, oxidase‐negative, arginine dihydrolase‐negative, DNA 58.5–58.8 mol.% GC, elicits the hypersensitive response on tobacco leaves. Host range: Primarily studied as the causal agent of bacterial canker of green‐fleshed kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa), it has also been isolated from yellow‐fleshed kiwifruit (A. chinensis). In both species, it causes severe economic losses worldwide. It has also been isolated from wild A. arguta and A. kolomikta. Disease symptoms: In green‐fleshed and yellow‐fleshed kiwifruits, the symptoms include brown–black leaf spots often surrounded by a chlorotic margin, blossom necrosis, extensive twig die‐back, reddening of the lenticels, extensive cankers along the main trunk and leader, and bleeding cankers on the trunk and the leader with a whitish to orange ooze. Epidemiology: Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae can effectively colonize its host plants throughout the year. Bacterial exudates can disperse a large amount of inoculum within and between orchards. In the spring, temperatures ranging from 12 to 18 °C, together with humid conditions, can greatly favour the multiplication of the bacterium, allowing it to systemically move from the leaf to the young shoots. During the summer, very high temperatures can reduce the multiplication and dispersal of the bacterium. Some agronomical techniques, as well as frost, wind, rain and hail storms, can contribute to further spreading. Disease control: An integrated approach that takes into consideration precise scheduled spray treatments with effective and environmentally friendly bactericides and equilibrated plant nutrition, coupled with preventive measures aimed at drastically reducing the bacterial inoculum, currently seems to be the possible best solution for coexistence with the disease. The development of resistant cultivars and pollinators, effective biocontrol agents, including bacteriophages, and compounds that induce the systemic activation of plant defence mechanisms is in progress. Useful websites: Up‐to‐date information on bacterial canker research progress and on the spread of the disease in New Zealand can be found at: http://www.kvh.org.nz. Daily information on the spread of the disease and on the research being performed worldwide can be found at: http://www.freshplaza.it.

Lo studio si colloca sulla scorta dei risultati elaborati nell’ambito del Rapporto Annuale del 2009, nel quale è stata presentata una rassegna generale dello stato del settore della pesca in Sicilia, con particolare riguardo ai consumi energetici, all’impatto ambientale ed all’innovazione tecnologica nella filiera della pesca e dell’acquacoltura in Sicilia. In questo studio si analizzeranno più in dettaglio alcune situazioni di aziende della filiera ritenute emblematiche delle condizioni del settore in Sicilia, allo scopo di delinearne le esigenze ed i limiti, anche in vista della proposta di introdurre innovazioni tecnologiche mirate e puntuali. Ancora una volta, il tema dell’efficienza energetica della filiera sarà assunto come il parametro centrale per le analisi, dal momento che intorno ad esso si possono sviluppare le tematiche e le motivazioni di carattere ambientale, economico e sociale. In particolare, per contestualizzare lo studio sullo sfondo dei temi di ricerca proposti dal VII Programma Quadro, sarà proposta un’analisi delle pressioni esercitate dal settore della pesca nei suoi segmenti principali: la fase di cattura e le altre fasi che concorrono a sincronizzare il prodotto pescato sui mercati. Come detto, sarà seguito un approccio metodologico che si basa su analisi di campo di alcune particolari situazioni operative nel Distretto della Pesca di Mazara del Vallo. Da queste indagini di campo saranno desunti alcuni parametri di efficienza energetica e produttiva e di compatibilità ambientale, che verranno confrontati con i dati medi regionali del rapporto del 2009. Inoltre, sarà proposto un semplice “calcolatore” che consentirà di acquisire facilmente lo stato di efficienza con cui i natanti utilizzano l’energia e la tecnologia: si tratta di un semplice foglio di calcolo già utilizzato in Nord Europa che, sulla base di informazioni molto basilari, indica il livello delle prestazioni dell’imbarcazione, della sua manutenzione e dell’uso dei combustibili.

This paper will examine three methodologies deployed in off-line research relating to air quality in museums. These methodologies made use of sensors based on the different chemical-physicalproperties of various materials (corrosiveness, hardness and absorption). Various field applications were applied to case studies, which were performed in two museums in Palermo, Italy: the Regional Gallery of Palazzo Abatellis and the Diocesan Museum. This review of methodologies and sensors examines which protocol should be put into practice in museums in monitoring the air quality of display spaces and the conservation of cultural artefacts.

This article address an issue of paramount importance in the Mediterranean area, that is the efficient use of energy and sustainability of fishing sector. A recent study concerning the situation of Fishery and Aquaculture in Sicily highlighted that the Sicilian fishing system requires a bigger amount of energy than the typical Italian or European situation, in order of getting the product available to the market. On the other hand this involves an higher level of environmental pollution, for a given quantity of catch. One of the main findings is that there is a need for a clear, scientifically-founded panorama of the situation and that further studies should be undertaken to provide fishing operators with adequate guidance in order to choose fishing practises and energy technologies that are more efficient in terms of energy expenditure by unit of revenue from catch. At this aim, this work carries out a concise analysis of catching segment of the fishing sector in Europe, in Italy and Sicily, starting from literature data. Some productivity, economic, capacity and efficiency indicators will be analyze and suggest in order to make a comparative comparison among the three geographic ambits.

I beni artistici, anche se collocati in ambienti chiusi, sono ugualmente esposti ad un processo di degrado che non è possibile evitare ma sul quale si può intervenire per rallentarne il decorso. I materiali che costituiscono un bene variano nel tempo a causa di trasformazioni fisiche, chimiche, biologiche e meccaniche: entro certi limiti di modificazione del bene si parla di invecchiamento, ma se tali limiti vengono superati e viene compromessa la possibilità di fruizione del bene stesso si parla di vero e proprio degrado. Le condizioni ambientali all’interno dei musei dovrebbero, pertanto, essere tali da preservare le opere d’arte dal degrado e da ridurre la frequenza degli interventi di restauro e manutenzione. Nel presente articolo vengono analizzati, a partire da un’indagine di campo effettuata presso il museo archeologico Baglio Anselmi di Marsala, le condizioni termoigrometriche all’interno delle tre sale espositive al fine di valutare l’idoneità del museo alla conservazione degli oggetti in esso esposti, con particolare riferimento al più noto reperto in esso contenuto: la nave punica.

The improvement of the energy efficiency of buildings calls for the availability of tools for evaluating and simulating the thermal behaviour of buildings. These simulation tools generally need a complete input data set and, in particular, information referring to the climatic conditions of the site where buildings are built-up. Among climatic issues, particularly important for the thermal energy balance is the solar radiation. However, this huge mass of data is not very useful in this form, so simple aggregation methods have been developed in order to run these simulation computer programs: the test reference year (TRY) is one of the most used methods. In this paper the comparison of two methodologies for compiling TRY of the solar radiation is presented. The two methodologies, elaborated respectively by Dogniaux and Finkelstein-Schafer, have both a statistical approach to the problem. The first one is based on the normal distribution of the monthly average of each climatic parameter and his variance, while the second one is a more powerful version of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, based on the cumulative probability function. The two methods give quite different results, suggesting a particular caution in the choice of the method for generating such reduced sets of data.