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Agricultural heritage systems are receiving increasing attention due to their multifunctional role, their capability to provide ecosystem services, and for representing sustainable development models for rural areas. At the international level, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations launched in 2002 the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Program to identify and safeguard traditional agro-silvo-pastoral systems that are the result of the adaptation of rural communities to the surrounding environments. Following this approach, similar national programs have been developed, among which the Italian National Register of Historical Rural Landscapes and the China Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (China-NIAHS) initiative stand out. This research compares the China-NIAHS initiative and the Italian Register of Historical Rural Landscapes, highlighting similarities and differences and identifying strengths and weaknesses, to contribute to the development of proper tools for the conservation and valorization of agricultural heritage systems. Both initiatives were established in 2012 and share similar aims and inscription criteria, including historical and current significance, knowledge system and social structure, economic and productive framework, and causes of vulnerability. The main differences are related to the delimitation of the boundaries of the proposed sites and to the inscription process; in addition, while for the Italian National Register spatial analyses of land-use changes and landscape structure are mandatory according to a precise methodology, for the China-NIAHS no specific landscape analyses are required. The main critical issues are the lack of public participation and the lack of a monitoring plan after the inscription. The absence of monitoring is also the main vulnerability of the FAO GIAHS Programme. This research can offer important information for different stakeholders at the international, national, and local levels dealing with agricultural heritage conservation and valorization. In particular, it highlights the need of developing a multidisciplinary monitoring system with a standard methodology based on different indicators that can contribute to maximizing the impact of these initiatives. This research also provides useful information for the countries that are interested in developing a national initiative for agricultural heritage systems' identification and valorization/conservation or for countries that intend to improve their national programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recently, genetic predisposition to injury has become a popular area of research and the association between a few single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the susceptibility to develop musculoskeletal injuries has been shown. This pilot study aimed to investigate the combined effect of common gene polymorphisms previously associated with muscle injuries in Italian soccer players. Results: A total of 64 Italian male top football players (age 23.1 ± 5.5 years; stature 180.2 ± 7.4 cm; weight 73.0 ± 7.9 kg) were genotyped for four gene polymorphisms [ACE I/D (rs4341), ACTN3 c.1729C > T (rs1815739), COL5A1 C > T (rs2722) and MCT1 c.1470A > T (rs1049434)]. Muscle injuries were gathered for 10 years (2009–2019). Buccal swabs were used to obtain genomic DNA, and the PCR method was used to genotype the samples. The combined influence of the four polymorphisms studied was calculated using a total genotype score (TGS: from 0 to 100 arbitrary units; a.u.). A genotype score (GS) of 2 was assigned to the "protective" genotype for injuries, a GS of 1 was assigned to the heterozygous genotype while a GS of 0 was assigned to the "worst" genotype. The distribution of genotype frequencies in the ACE I/D (rs4341), ACTN3 c.1729C > T (rs1815739) and MCT1 c.1470A > T (rs1049434) polymorphisms was different between non-injured and injured football players (p = 0.001; p = 0.016 and p = 0.005, respectively). The incidence of muscle injuries was significantly different among the ACE I/D (rs4341), ACTN3 c.1729C > T (rs1815739) and COL5A1 C > T (rs2722) genotype groups, showing a lower incidence of injuries in the "protective" genotype than "worse" genotype (ACE, p < 0.001; ACTN3, p = 0.005) or intermediate genotype (COL5A1, p = 0.029). The mean TGS in non-injured football players (63.7 ± 13.0 a.u.) was different from that of injured football players (42.5 ± 12.5 a.u., p < 0.001). There was a TGS cut-off point (56.2 a.u.) to discriminate non-injured from injured football players. Players with a TGS beyond this cut-off had an odds ratio of 3.5 (95%CI 1.8–6.8; p < 0.001) to suffer an injury when compared with players with lower TGS. Conclusions: These preliminary data suggest that carrying a high number of "protective" gene variants could influence an individual's susceptibility to developing muscle injuries in football. Adapting the training load parameters to the athletes' genetic profile represents today the new frontier of the methodology of training. Key Points: The ACE I/D (rs4341), ACTN3 c.1729C>T (rs1815739), COL5A1 C>T (rs2722) and MCT1 c.1470A>T (rs1049434) polymorphisms (and their interaction) are associated with muscle injury in football players. The ACE D allele, the ACTN3 C allele, the COL5A1 C allele, and the MCT1 T allele seem to protect football players from developing muscle injuries. The Total Genotype Score was associated with the incidence of muscle injuries in Italian top-level footballers, and this result needs replication in a larger independent cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional agro-silvo-pastoral systems are becoming each day more important, representing multifunctional systems that can contribute to the preservation of agrobiodiversity and of traditional knowledge and associated culture, to the wellbeing of local communities and to sustainable development of rural areas, as testified by the increasing interest regarding the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Despite many researches on traditional agro-silvo-pastoral systems tend to focus only on land uses and land use changes, is also important to analyse the different features that characterize cultural landscapes, as well as to produce detailed spatial maps, in order to preserve and valorise these systems as a whole. The paper intends to compare two traditional silvopastoral systems in two different continents and environments: sabana de morro (El Salvador) and pastures with carob trees (Italy), considered as good example of biocultural diversity. Both these sites are characterized by extensive cattle breeding in a hot climate under the shade of trees, whose fruits can also integrate the animal diet. The study analyzed the traditional landscape structure, with particular attention to the presence of linear elements, that act as property divisions and as ecological corridors, contributing to biodiversity at landscape scale. Sabana de Morro is characterized by a complex system of hedges that enhances the variety of species, while an extensive network of dry-stone walls divides the Sicilian pastures with carob trees. These two different types of linear elements created thanks to the local farmers' knowledge are made of different materials but can play a similar ecological and social function, acting as a division between one pasture and another, as a delimitation of property boundaries, and are necessary to allow a correct pasture management. Despite the differences, these two traditional linear features deeply characterize the landscape structure and fragmentation, creating important microhabitat for many animal and vegetal species and a network of ecological corridors. For these reasons the conservation of linear features should be promoted at planning level, as well as their restoration. Thanks to the applied methodology, it was possible to identify peculiarities and vulnerabilities of linear features and of the systems as a whole, so that it will be possible to create effective management and conservation tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ACE I/D polymorphism has been recently associated with the susceptibility to inflammation and muscle damage after exercise. The aim of this study was to understand the association between the ACE I/D polymorphism and muscle injuries in a large cohort of elite football players from two different countries. Seven hundred and ten male elite football players from Italy (n = 341) and Japan (n = 369) were recruited for the study. Genomic DNA was extracted from either the buccal epithelium or saliva using a standard protocol. Structural-mechanical injuries and functional muscle disorders were recorded from 2009 to 2018. A meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3.5. In the Japanese cohort, the ACE I/D polymorphism was significantly associated with muscle injury using the D-dominant model (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.24–0.97, P = 0.040). The meta-analysis showed that in the pooled model (Italian and Japanese populations), the frequencies of the DD+ID genotypes were significantly lower in the injured groups than in non-injured groups (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.38–0.98, P = 0.04) with a low degree of heterogeneity (I2 = 0%). Our findings suggest that the ACE I/D polymorphism could influence the susceptibility to developing muscle injuries among football players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Current global warming and biodiversity policies favor the increase of forests. • Due to rural abandonment, since 1861 Italian forests doubled their surface. • Human influence affected forest extension, density,structure, and species composition. • The decrease of traditional management leads to the loss of cultural values. • A definiton of cultural forests as a category for conservation is proposed. In the context of the worldwide increasing interest on the role of forests for global warming and biodiversity targets, there is a growing tendency to consider the need to increase not only the extension of forests, but also their degree of naturalness. These indications have been recently included also in important political documents such as the European Green Deal enacted by the European Union, affecting 28 member states of the European continent, also with the aim of fighting deforestation and desertification. In Italy national and regional forest inventories, as well as planning documents, classify more and more forests as natural or seminatural. These indications often result in the limitation of traditional silvicultural methods, by environmental and landscape restrictions, orienting forest management towards favoring more natural forests structures. These policies are often threatening the conservation of the cultural features of the Italian forests. The paper provides an analysis of the evolution of forests in Italy during the last 150 years through official forest inventories and various investigations. This study shows that from 4.215.000 ha of forest in 1888 we have today about 11.778.000 ha, with an increase of 7.563.000 ha and an annual growth rate of 59.551 ha. The present Italian forests can be described partly as derived from those already mapped in 1936 and entirely managed, although not regularly, and secondary forests developed on abandoned land, extending for 5.279.895 ha. The results show that human influence has affected extension, density, structure and species composition of Italian forests in all the geographical areas of the country, independently from altitude, latitude or climate conditions. There are no dangers of deforestation, but rather an uncontrolled increase of forests and there is no need of further afforestation but rather to better manage the existing ones. Moreover, "cultural forests", meaning forest shaped and managed by human activities through times, are more and more reducing their extensions together with the material and immaterial heritage associated to them. Considering the third pillar of Sustainable Forest Management in Europe, the one on "social and cultural values", defined by MCPFE in 2003, the paper proposes the definition of "cultural forests" as a new category in forest conservation and an important part of the biocultural heritage associated to the rural territory. Furthermore, the paper stresses the need of historical investigations, for the better understanding of the features of the forest ecosystems and for the identification of the values to be considered in forest restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Authorities have presented contagion administrative with no reference to the type of development. • The study investigates the correlation between infections and landscpe types. • The results shows that a higher number of COVID-19 infections occurred in intesive landscapes. • The paper suggests planning for more rural territory with lower energy inputs. Throughout the covid-19 emergency, health authorities have presented contagion data divided by administrative regions with no reference to the type of landscape, environment or development model. This study has been conducted to understand whether there is a correlation between the number of infections and the different rural landscapes of the country. Italy's rural landscape can be classified in four types, according to the intensity of energy inputs used in the agricultural process, socioeconomic and environmental features. Type A includes areas of periurban agriculture surrounding the metropolitan cities, type B areas of intensive agriculture with high concentration of agroindustry, type C hilly areas with highly diversified agriculture and valuable landscape, and type D high hills and mountains with forests and protected areas. Areas A and B are located in the plains, covering 21% of the territory and accounting for 57% of the population. They produce most of the added value, consume high levels of energy and represent the main source of pollution. Areas C and D cover 79% of the territory and 43% of the population. We find that provinces with 10% more type C and D areas exhibit on average 10% fewer cases of contagion. The result is statistically significant, after controlling for demographic, economic and environmental characteristics of the provinces. The pollution produced in more energy-intensive landscape has triggered an intense debate of how to ensure the economic competitiveness of Italian agriculture, without compromising environmental integrity or public health. Our findings speak to this debate, by suggesting that planning for more rural territory with lower energy inputs may come with the added benefit of new development opportunities and decreasing the exposure of the population to covid-19. Cost benefit-analyses should take into account that policies aimed at revitalizing more rural areas may reduce the economic impact of covid-19 and of potential future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The ACTN3 R577X gene variant results in the absence of the α-actinin-3 protein in ∼18% of humans worldwide and has been associated with athletic performance and increased susceptibility to eccentric muscle damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between ACTN3 R577X variant and indirect muscle disorders/injuries in professional football players. Design: A case–control, genotype–phenotype association study. Intervention: Two hundred fifty-seven male professional Italian football players (from Serie A, Primavera, Allievi, and Giovanissimi; age = 21.2 ± 5.3 years) and 265 nonathletic controls were recruited for the study. Genomic DNA was extracted using a buccal swab, and the ACTN3 R577X genotype was performed using a PCR method. Structural–mechanical injuries and functional muscle disorders were collected from a subgroup of 169 football players during the period of 2009 to 2014. Main Outcome Measure: We hypothesized that the 577XX genotype would be associated with higher predisposition to muscle injuries (compared with the other genotypes). Results: ACTN3 XX (α-actinin-3 deficiency) players had 2.66 higher odds for an injury incidence than their ACTN3 RR counterparts (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-6.63, P = 0.02), whereas RX and RR players had similar injury incidence. Furthermore, ACTN3 XX players had 2.13 higher odds for having a severe injury compared with their RR counterparts (95% CI: 1.25-3.74, P = 0.0054), whereas RX individuals had 1.63 higher odds for having a severe injury compared with the RR players (95% CI: 1.10-2.40, P = 0.015). Conclusions: The ACTN3 R577X polymorphism is associated with the incidence and severity of muscle injuries in professional football players; players with the ACTN3 577XX genotype have higher odds of having muscle injuries than their RR counterparts. Clinical Relevance: Discovering the complex relationship between gene variants and muscle injuries may assist coaches, physiologists, and the medical community to development tailored injury prevention program for football players, which could provide a new edge for successful competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]