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The European Roller Coracias garrulus has suffered greatly from breeding habitat loss due to the renovation of old farmhouses and rural buildings and changing agricultural practices that took place extensively across Europe in the last decades. As a consequence, this species experienced a significant decline, and local extinctions of breeding populations were recorded in several European countries. We investigated nest sites and nesting area selection by the Italian Roller population during the breeding period (May–August) between 2016 and 2018. We collected 711 points from field surveys and used four types of point pattern analysis to detect space-time patterns of nest site and nesting area selection. We found that: (a) the spatial distribution of selected (i.e., occupied) nest sites was significantly nonrandom (p < 0.01) for all years and months; (b) only 2.6% of the selected nest sites was located within parks or reserves; (c) there were significant (p < 0.01) latitudinal, longitudinal, and altitudinal shifts of selected nest sites between May and August; (d) the geographical barycentres of selected nest sites shifted northward by about 80 km per month from May (southernmost barycentre) to August (northernmost barycentre); (e) four main nesting areas (7886 km2 in total) occurred in central and southern Italy, whose utilization by the European Rollers differed between months but not between years; (f) the detected nesting areas corresponded mainly to non-irrigated arable lands (41.22% of their extent) and natural grasslands (12.80%). Our results are useful to support conservation strategies for the breeding sites of this farmland species, which is not a regular visitor to protected areas in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial production of citrus plants for ornamental use (ornacitrus) began in Italy at the end of the 1960s due to the need for many citrus nurseries to adapt their activities in a time of crisis for citriculture. Nowadays, the ornamental citrus nursery sector is a well-established industry in many European countries such as Portugal, Spain, Greece, and southern Italy. In Italy, nursery production of ornamental citrus plants has become prominent due to the gradual shutdown of many commercial citrus orchards. Currently, Italy maintains its leadership with more than 5.5 million ornacitrus plants produced annually. Ornamental citrus production regards mainly different cultivars of Citrus and Fortunella species, with lemon as the lead species. In this paper, the contribution of breeding and cultural techniques to the innovation of the sector is reported and discussed. This review aims to give an updated scientific and technical description of a sector with large competitive potential that remains still largely unexplored, pointing out its strengths and weaknesses.

Nuts consumption has increased significantly in the last 10 years, especially driven by the stimulated awareness of their possible beneficial health effects. Increased nuts consumption is linked to an obvious accumulation of by-products and waste. With the view of the circular economy, the aim of this review is to analyse the recent and innovative approaches able to valorise the by-products derived from almonds and hazelnuts, two important nut products of the Italian scene, with historical and traditional importance. The most important solutions are concerned with reuse of almond hull, shell, skin, oil cake, and hazelnut shell; skin and oil cake are often considered waste or by-products. Many interesting implications in the feed and food sectors have been detected in the last ten years, aimed at designing innovative materials developed from by-products and extraction of bioactive molecules for different purposes. The perspective chosen to discuss the topic is related to the sustainability of these processes, in terms of both the environment and economy. The circular economy supports a zero-waste approach, which should not also be meant as a zero-cost process in terms of the level of technology that has been partially developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, four accessions of Crithmum maritimum L., not previously studied, collected in Isola delle Femmine (Italy) (S43), Croatia (S44), Montenegro (S45), and Israel (S46) were investigated. The volatile profile of essential oils was evaluated using GC–MS and 38 compounds were identified. All the analyzed samples show a composition characterized essentially by monoterpene hydrocarbons (94.0–97.6%), with limonene, γ-terpinene, β-phellandrene, α-pinene, and p-cymene as the principal compounds. In addition, a comprehensive review of the composition of C. maritimum essential oils that have been studied thus far was conducted. To evaluate the similarity between samples, principal component analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) were utilized. To evaluate the possibility of addressing food value to natural species that can strengthen sustainable food policies, it appears necessary to consider the previous safety of the dietary intake of C. maritimum. A matrix plot analysis of the content of dillapiole, a toxic constituent, in the samples was performed. The results of the statistical analysis show the presence of six clusters indicating some differences between C. maritimum accessions from different locations. Regarding dillapiole content, the four accessions discussed in this paper showed dillapiole values of less than 2%, suggesting the healthiness of sea fennel from these locations, while the highest values were found in samples from France, Portugal, and Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) spectroscopy has been used in many fields of solid-state physics and theoretical chemistry as an accurate and quantitative probe of elementary excitations. We show that non-resonant IXS spectra in the energy loss range below 100 eV exhibit a strong contrast across a wide range of commercially available pigments, opening new routes for their discrimination. These signatures combine plasmonic transitions, collective excitations and low energy absorption edges. We have performed IXS to discriminate different artists' pigments within complex mixtures and to quantitatively determine rutile and anatase polymorphs of TiO2. The integration of experimental data on pigment powders with suitable ab initio simulations shows a precise fit of the spectroscopic data both in the position of the resonances and in their relative intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hieracium lucidum subsp. lucidum is a critically endangered endemic taxa of the Sicilian flora. It is a relict of the Tertiary period surviving on the cliffs of Monte Gallo (NW-Sicily). This research focused on finding the best protocols for seed germination and vegetative and in vitro propagation to contribute to ex situ conservation. Seed germination tests were carried out using constant temperatures of 15 ℃, 20 ℃ and 25 ℃ in continuous darkness and an alternating temperature of 30/15 ℃ (16 h/8 h, light/dark). The seeds had no dormancy, and a high germination capacity (70-95%) was obtained at all tested thermoperiods. The possibility of vegetative propagation of the taxon was evaluated through the rooting capacity of stem cuttings treated or not treated with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). All cuttings were treated with IBA rooted within 2 months, while only 50% of the untreated cuttings were rooted within a longer time. An efficient protocol for rapid in vitro propagation from leaf portions was developed. The response of explants was tested on hormone-free Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium and MS enriched with different types of cytokinins: 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) and meta-Topolin (mT) in combination with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at the same concentration. The combination of mT (2 mg L-1) and 2,4-D (1 mg L-1) in the medium was the most effective and showed the highest percentage of callus induction and the mean number of regenerated shoots. The maximum rate of root regeneration and the maximum number and length of roots were obtained on hormone-free MS and MS enriched with IBA at concentrations of 1 mg L-1. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that H. lucidum subsp. lucidum can be successfully propagated using one of the tested techniques, subject to the availability of the material for reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Sorbus has maintained an extremely relevant role over time from a landscape and environmental perspective in many countries in the Mediterranean and Central Europe. Based on the requirements coming from the environmental policies provided in the European strategy Next Generation EU, Sorbus has been considered a valuable species to be introduced in urban and peri-urban areas. The purpose of this study was to propagate four Sorbus accessions selected in the Sicilian territory, Southern Italy, using the liquid substrate in temporary immersion bioreactors Plantform™. The results obtained showed that the presence of 1 mg L−1 mT in the substrate in combination with IBA 0.05 mg L−1 produced a significant number of shoots (4.7) and a greater length (2.2 cm). Among the accessions, there were statistically significant differences; the accession SN2 and SN1 produced more shoots (respectively, 4.0 and 3.6), and a greater length of the shoots was observed in the selections SN4 and SN3 (respectively, 2.4 cm and 2.3 cm). The relative growth rate (RGR) was significantly influenced by the presence of the culture substrate of the combination of cytokines and auxin; SN4 selection showed the best RGR results of 8.3 mg−1 d−1. The use of the bioreactor Plantform™ in Sorbus domestica L. has favored a better development of plants obtained in vitro, demonstrating that this system is a valid alternative for the micropropagation of Sorbus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility of using materials from the waste of agricultural products for the conservation of cultural and artistic heritage has led to important technological developments on mortars, plasters, colors, and other applications. In this experimental work, we investigated the binding properties of mucilage obtained from two different species of the genus Opuntia, both collected in Sicily, Italy: Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. and Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw. Through chemical acid hydrolysis, and subsequent spectroscopic analysis conducted at 13C-NMR, the main monosaccharide composition of both mucilage was studied, identifying considerable compositional differences. In fact, the mucilage of O. ficus indica had similar total amounts of arabinose (23.65%), galactose (20.87%), and glucose isomers (23.89%), while that of O. stricta was characterized by significant amounts of arabinose (36.48%) and galactose (32.31%) units. The samples were obtained by dispersing pigments on the mucilage and applying the obtained tempera by a brush onto both paper and chalk supports, in order to observe if the colors changed with different substrates. Colorimetric analysis, measuring ΔE, showed how the same pigment modifies its aspect depending on the binder used. After a two-week UV ageing process, pigments that had dispersed in O. stricta changed their aspect more than those dispersed in O. ficus-indica. Overall, it is also evident how ΔE data for organic pigments are higher than those for inorganic ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-based beverages (PBBs) represent a growing global alternative to cow's milk. However, their development is strongly influenced by consumers' expectations of new foods introduced into the diet: environmental sustainability, balanced nutritional content, health aspects, and organoleptic properties. This study analyzes consumers' preferences and choice orientations towards plant-based beverages through the assessment of their eating style and concern towards environmental and health issues. To that end, an online questionnaire was conducted with a sample of 233 respondents living in the South-East area of Italy. Initially, principal component analyses were performed to identify distinct dimensions of individuals' orientation towards food quality, environment and health involvement. Then, the emerging dimensions were used as dependent variables for ANOVA comparisons between consumers and non-consumers of plant-based beverages, considering also individuals' preferences towards different PBBs. The main results showed a strong consumer concern for environmental sustainability issues, which was found as the main purchasing driver for plant-based beverage consumers. On the other hand, many respondents stated that they do not consume PBBs due to their negative organoleptic aspects and the unfamiliarity with these products. Furthermore, the individual's dietary style influences the consumption of plant-based beverages and, in particular, the search for nutritional and balanced compounds plays a key role in consumption choices. Finally, despite that the almonds cultivation for the traditional 'almond milk' production is typical in various Italian regions, consumers expressed averagely a weak connection with this product. In conclusion, considering our results, the market development of PPBs at a national level might be supported by marketing strategies dedicated to different individuals' profiles. At the same time, however, direct actions on the production process are needed to improve the organoleptic profile of these products and meet the dissatisfaction expressed by consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research analysed the size and depth of assortment and the marketing strategies of communications around plant-based beverages (PBBs) on the Italian market. Sales of PBBs have increased over the last year due to their use as a substitute for cow's milk and also thanks to their popularity in online distribution. This study compares the characteristics of the PBB assortment sold across 65 large-scale retail stores and on 74 websites. The comparison was made considering 15 product categories defined by main ingredient, packaging type, specialty, and claims found on labels. An ordered logit regression analysis was performed to understand how key product features positively or negatively influence the selling price. The results showed that online sales focus on describing plant-based beverages with characteristics that are closer to new consumer preferences (with labels such as "free from" products, "naturalness" of the product, and "health" characteristics). In both distribution channels, there were few products with packaging information related to nutritional characteristics, health benefits, and environmental sustainability, in contrast to the needs expressed by baby food purchasers. Additionally, the price analysis showed unexpected results: in fact, some products for which, according to the literature, consumers would be willing to pay a premium price, instead showed a lower retail price than the average price. These results could represent a concrete tool to improve the efficiency of promotional campaigns and communication strategies for baby food, optimising communication according to consumer needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years in the field of conservation of cultural heritage, a wide use of traditional products for the plastic reintegration of wooden artifacts has been seen. However, they are usually not designed for this purpose. The present study also shows, in terms of material compatibility, the material most suited for wood restoration, cellulose pulp, from the perspective of a new green approach of reusing waste. Indeed, microcellulose was obtained by simple alkaline treatment from softwood almond shells. In particular, Prunus dulcis Miller (D.A.) Webb. was considered an agro-industrial waste largely available in southern Italy. To value the possibility of using this material in a circular economy framework, a microcellulosic material was used, by adding different binders, to manufacture several stuccos to utilize as wood consolidants. Successively, in order to obtain stuccos with biocidal properties against fungal colonization or insect infestation, to which wooden artifacts are often exposed, cellulose pulp was combined with the essential oil of Thymus capitaus (L.) Hoffmanns. & Link., whose biological properties have been largely reported. The physical flexion properties of all new materials were tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, almond skin of Prunus dulcis L. variety Casteltermini was characterised for its chemical composition and for the inhibitory activity towards food associated microorganisms belonging to pathogenic (Salmonella Enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytgenes), spoilage (Pseudomonas poae and Brochotrix thermospacta) and useful (Levilactobacillus brevis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) groups. The n-hexane extract of P. dulcis skin, investigated by GC–MS, evidenced linoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids as the main abundant compounds. Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 33862 growth was strongly limited by n-hexane extract and the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) was 25.5 mg/mL. These results highlight the potential of almond by-products as food bio-preservatives as well as pharmaceutical products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation of endangered, rare, and endemic plant species is based on in situ and ex situ conservation strategies. When in situ conservation alone is not sufficient to guarantee the survival of the species, ex situ techniques are adopted in support. This study aimed to develop an efficient micropropagation protocol for Adenostyles by evaluating the effect of different plant growth regulators on leaf explants. Adenostyles alpina subsp. macrocephala (Asterace) is a perennial herbaceous plant endemic to Calabria (Southern Italy). The genus Adenostyles includes three species confined to the mountains of the Mediterranean and southern Europe. For callus induction, media supplemented with different concentrations of Benzylaminopurine (BAP) (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 mg L−1), Naphthaleneacetic Acid (NAA) (1 mg L−1), and 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4-D) (1 mg L−1) were tested. Shoot regeneration and proliferation were obtained in media supplemented with BAP (1, 2, and 3 mg L−1) and NAA (1 mg L−1). Root induction was obtained in media supplemented with IBA (0.25, 0.50, and 1 mg L−1) and NAA (0.25, 0.50, and 1 mg L−1). Statistically significant differences in callus induction and shoot regeneration were observed between the various media tested. The medium containing Murashige and Skoog (MS) supplemented with 3 mg L−1 of BAP and 1 mg L−1 of NAA showed the highest percentage of callus induction and increased shoot regeneration. The regenerated shoots showed more effective root induction in the hormone-free MS medium and in the presence of Indole-3-Butyric Acid (IBA) at concentrations of 0.25, 0.50, and 1 mg L−1. These results can be used as a basis for the preparation of a micropropagation protocol for different taxa of Adenostyles, as well as other species of Asteraceae specialized to the Mediterranean mountain habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new accession of myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera L.) from Sicily (Italy) was studied for the first time for its chemical and nutraceutical properties. A description of the main morphological and pomological traits was created as a tool for characterization for consumers. For this purpose, three different extracts of fresh myrobalan fruits were subjected to different analyses, including the evaluation of total phenol (TPC), flavonoid (TFC), and anthocyanin (TAC) contents. The extracts exhibited a TPC in the range 34.52–97.63 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g fresh weight (FW), a TFC of 0.23–0.96 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/100 g FW, and a TAC of 20.24–55.33 cyanidine-3-O-glucoside/100 g FW. LC-HRMS analysis evidenced that the compounds mainly belong to the flavonols, flavan-3-ols, proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, and organic acids classes. A multitarget approach was used to assess the antioxidant properties by using FRAP, ABTS, DPPH, and β-carotene bleaching tests. Moreover, the myrobalan fruit extracts were tested as inhibitors of the key enzymes related to obesity and metabolic syndrome (α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and lipase). All extracts exhibited an ABTS radical scavenging activity that was higher than the positive control BHT (IC50 value in the range 1.19–2.97 μg/mL). Moreover, all extracts showed iron-reducing activity, with a potency similar to that of BHT (53.01–64.90 vs 3.26 μM Fe(II)/g). The PF extract exhibited a promising lipase inhibitory effect (IC50 value of 29.61 μg/mL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymethoxyflavonoids (PMFs) are a large group of compounds belonging to the more general class of flavonoids that possess a flavan carbon framework decorated with a variable number of methoxy groups. Hydroxylated polymethoxyflavonoids (HPMFs), instead, are characterized by the presence of both hydroxyl and methoxy groups in their structural unities. Some of these compounds are the aglycone part in a glycoside structure in which the glycosidic linkage can involve the −OH at various positions. These compounds are particular to Citrus genus plants, especially in fruits, and they are present mainly in the peel. A considerable number of PMFs and HPMFs have shown promising biological activities and they are considered to be important nutraceuticals, responsible for some of the known beneficial effects on health associated with a regular consumption of Citrus fruits. Among their several actions on human health, it is notable that the relevant contribution in controlling the intracellular redox imbalance is associated with the inflammation processes. In this work, we aim to describe the status concerning the chemical identification and the anti-inflammatory activity of both PMFs and HPMFs. In particular, all of the chemical entities unambiguously identified by isolation and complete NMR analysis, and for which a biochemical evaluation on the pure compound was performed, are included in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a formalism for the resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) cross section. The resulting compact expression in terms of polarizability matrix elements, particularly lends itself to the implementation in an all-electron many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) framework, which is realized in the full-potential package exciting. With the carbon K edge RIXS of diamond and the oxygen K edge RIXS of β-Ga2O3, respectively, we demonstrate the importance of electron-hole correlation and atomic coherence in the RIXS spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we propose a semi-random technique for the generation of a class of eIRA codes (a popular class of irregular LDPC codes that can be encoded in linear time) suited to partially parallel decoder implementations. The suggested technique tries to avoid both low-weight codewords and near-codewords, which limit the performance of the belief propagation decoder. Its effectiveness is verified by comparison with literature results. The obtained codes are versatile, in terms of code-rate and block length, and they are characterized by a low error floor. Index Terms--Low-density parity-check, LDPC, minimum distance, near-codewords, parallel decoders.

The public catering sector has important responsibilities in seeking a change toward more sustainable choices for many aspects related to the environmental impacts of their services. The environmental impact of production processes can be studied through life cycle assessment (LCA), which allows a greater awareness of choices and has rarely been applied to catering. In this work, we studied the impacts of two dishes (braised meat and cauliflower meatballs) in a school canteen, their impacts were studied using the daily energy requirement (expressed in kcal) as a functional unit. Global warming potential (GWP) and nonrenewable energy (NRE) were calculated starting from the supply of raw materials up to distribution. Electricity and the act of cooking the meatballs accounted for more than 60% of the measured impact in terms of GWP, whereas, less markedly, they dominated in terms of nonrenewable energy used. In the case of braised meat, the total impact was, however, attributable to the life cycle of the meat (between 60% and 76%) and the consumption of electricity (between 19% and 27%), whereas for all other factors, the contribution was never particularly high. Additionally, a discussion on the correct functional unit to be used proposed the environmental impact of different recipes as an additional criterion for nutritionists during the composition of the menu. An integrated system appears important for changing policies and behaviors and the application of LCA can be a tool capable of contributing to the construction of a holistic instrument of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the mid-1990s, there has been a growing interest among consumers and producers in downscaling to a local level the length of the agri-food chains as a solution for fairer and more sustainable food production systems. From the point of view of consumption, the attribute "local" is assuming an important role in defining food purchasing preferences, both in terms of expectations of product quality and in terms of its perceived relevance in determining the supply chain sustainability. This research aims to define how individuals' perception of local production influences the definition of "local" among consumers based on a survey submitted to a sample of 500 consumers in North-Western Italy. The paper provides: (i) a semantic map built on keywords adopted by the respondents to describe local production; (ii) a categorization of food consumers divided in clusters on the basis of their eating styles; and (iii) a characterization of consumers clusters according to the preferences and knowledge expressed towards local production. The results show that consumers' awareness and attitudes towards the concept of the "local" are influenced by the joint effect of their socio-demographic profile and their food consumption style, with some unexpected evidences that would deserve to be deepen with further research. However, given this uncertainty, three main traits seem to characterize the consumers attitude towards the "local": a positive relation among the dimensions of environment, local development and product quality and the strength of the link between local production and the reduction of the length of the supply chain. Ultimately, territoriality is perceived as an index of higher product quality (seasonal, therefore fresh and genuine). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Crepis L., included within the Asteraceae family, has a very wide distribution, expanding throughout the northern hemisphere, including Europe, northern Africa, and temperate Asia. This genus has a fundamental value from biodynamic and ecological perspectives, with the different species often being chosen for soil conservation, for environmental sustainability, and for their attraction towards pollinating species. Furthermore, various species of Crepis have been used in the popular medicine of several countries as medicinal herbs and food since ancient times. In most cases, the species is consumed either in the form of a decoction, or as a salad, and is used for its cardiovascular properties, as a digestive, for problems related to sight, for the treatment of diabetes, and for joint diseases. This literature review, the first one of the Crepis genus, includes publications with the word 'Crepis', and considers the single metabolites identified, characterised, and tested to evaluate their biological potential. The various isolated compounds, including in most cases sesquiterpenes and flavonoids, were obtained by extracting the roots and aerial parts of the different species. The secondary metabolites, extracted using traditional (solvent extraction, column chromatography, preparative thin layer chromatography, preparative HPLC, vacuum liquid chromatography), and modern systems such as ultrasounds, microwaves, etc., and characterised by mono- and bi- dimensional NMR experiments and by HPLC-MS, have a varied application spectrum at a biological level, with antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, antiviral, antiulcer, phytotoxic, and nutritional properties having been reported. Unfortunately, in vitro tests have not always been accompanied by in vivo tests, and this is the major critical aspect that emerges from the study of the scientific aspects related to this genus. Therefore, extensive investigations are necessary to evaluate the real capacity of the different species used in food, and above all to discover what the different plants that have never been analysed could offer at a scientific level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the big challenges of theoretical condensed-matter physics is the description, understanding, and prediction of the effects of the Coulomb interaction on materials properties. In electronic spectra, the Coulomb interaction causes a renormalization of energies and change of spectral weight. Most importantly, it can lead to new structures, often called satellites. These can be linked to the coupling of excitations, also termed dynamical effects. State-of-the-art methods in the framework of many-body perturbation theory, in particular, the widely used GW approximation, often fail to describe satellite spectra. Instead, approaches based on a picture of electron-boson coupling such as the cumulant expansion are promising for the description of plasmon satellites. In this work, we give a unified derivation of the GW approximation and the cumulant expansion for the one-body Green's function. Using the example of bulk sodium, we compare the resulting spectral functions both in the valence and in the core region, and we discuss the dispersion of quasi-particles and satellites. We show that self-consistency is crucial to obtain meaningful results, in particular, at large binding energies. Very good agreement with experiment is obtained when the intrinsic spectral function is corrected for extrinsic and interference effects. Finally, we sketch how one can approach the problem in the case of the two-body Green's function, and we discuss the cancellation of various dynamical effects that occur in that case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a perennial xerophytic shrub, characterized by plesiomorphic features, the caper (Capparis spinosa L.) is naturally spread throughout the Mediterranean basin and occupies an important ecological role, as well as an economic one, in traditional and specialized systems for commercial production. This species, in spite of its wide diffusion, is currently considered at risk of genetic erosion, mainly due to overgrazing and overharvesting for domestic uses and for trade. This situation is made more serious because of the lack of efficient propagation techniques, determining the caper as a “difficult-to-propagate species”. In this review, we report the main available sexual and vegetative propagation techniques with the aim of assessing whether, and to what extent, this criticality is still true for caper as a horticultural crop. In terms of seed propagation, germination rates have generally been considered quite low or unsatisfactory, and are also affected by hybridization phenomena that are likely to occur among both the wild and cultivated forms. The seeds show a physiological dormancy that can be lowered by adopting hormonal treatments, but in situ germination remains a critical phase. Vegetative propagation appears quite effective, mostly as related to in vitro techniques that allow caper cultivation that is no longer affected by propagation for an economic dissemination of the species in more intensive orchards. The research needs for Caper spinosa L. as a horticultural crop, especially in the field of genetic improvement and breeding, are also underlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulosic fibres have been obtained by green procedures from the cladodes of Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill., constituting a large agro industrial waste in our territory. The materials have been analysed for its relative composition, applying, IR and TG methodologies and it was characterised by the absence of lignin. The fibrous material allowed the manufacture of a handmade paper obtaining an ecological material suitable for packaging purposes. The authors evidenced that the simple protocol based on hot water treatment was able to decrease the amount of hemicellulose in the final material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kohn–Sham system is the prototypical example of an auxiliary system that targets, in principle exactly, an observable like the electronic density without the need to calculate the complicated many-body wavefunction. Although the Kohn–Sham system does not describe excited-state properties directly, it also represents a very successful strategy guideline for many spectroscopy applications. Here we propose a generalization of the Kohn–Sham idea. In many situations one is interested only in limited answers to specific questions, whereas in state-of-the-art approaches a lot of information is generally calculated that is not needed for the interpretation of experimental spectra. For example, when the target is a spectrum S(ω) like the optical absorption of a solid, within time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) one calculates the whole response function χ(r,r′,ω). Analogously, within many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) one calculates the whole one-particle Green's function G(r,r′,ω), while only the total spectral function A(ω) is needed for angle-integrated photoemission spectra. In this contribution, we advocate the possibility of designing auxiliary systems with effective potentials or kernels that target only the specific spectral properties of interest and are simpler than the self-energy of MBPT or the exchange–correlation kernel of TDDFT. In particular, we discuss the fundamentals and prototypical applications of simplified effective kernels for optical absorption and spectral potentials for photoemission, and we discuss how to express these potentials or kernels as functionals of the density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high quality of the various biotypes present in the natural or cultivated state is one of the main features for caper production. Up to now, however, no selection activity has been carried out in order to identify the most suitable accessions for providing better quality products. In this paper, we report the first results of a selection of caper genotypes characterised by significant qualitative traits. A micropropagation protocol was evaluated in order to improve and allow the multiplication of the most promising Capparis spinosa L. subsp. spinosa genotypes, selected in Salina (Aeolian Islands), Sicily (Italy), in collaboration with the most important local growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a theoretical investigation of electronic and optical properties of free-base porphyrins based on density functional theory and many-body perturbation theory. The electronic levels of free-base porphine (H2P) and its phenyl derivative, free-base tetraphenylporphyrin (H2TPP) are calculated using the ab initio GW approximation for the self-energy. The approach is found to yield results that compare favorably with the available photoemission spectra. The excitonic nature of the optical peaks is revealed by solving the Bethe–Salpeter equation, which provides an accurate description of the experimental absorption spectra. The lowest triplet transition energies are in good agreement with the measured values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the description of the interaction between electrons beyond the classical Hartree picture, bare exchange often yields a leading contribution. Here we discuss its effect on optical spectra of solids, comparing three different frameworks: time-dependent Hartree-Fock, a recently introduced combined density-functional and Green’s function approaches applied to the bare exchange self-energy, and time-dependent exact exchange within time-dependent density-functional theory (TD-EXX). We show that these three approximations give rise to identical excitonic effects in solids; these effects are drastically overestimated for semiconductors. They are partially compensated by the usual overestimation of the quasiparticle band gap within Hartree-Fock. The physics that lacks in these approaches can be formulated as screening. We show that the introduction of screening in TD-EXX indeed leads to a formulation that is equivalent to previously proposed functionals derived from many-body perturbation theory. It can be simulated by reducing the long-range part of the Coulomb interaction: this produces absorption spectra of semiconductors in good agreement with experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]