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There are economic and socio-cultural differences that characterise the north and south of Italy. A stereotype is that university students from rural southern Italy are more disadvantaged and isolated than those from the urban north. Past research has hypothesised that differences in socio-economic status impact on student learning, which is a factor of thinking style. This study set out to explore if university students from a northern and a southern Italian university report markedly different thinking style preferences. Samples of 170 students from the University of Calabria and 263 students from the University of Milan were surveyed using Sofo's (2005) Thinking Style Inventory. If economic and socio-cultural differences impact on preferred ways of thinking of university students, the impacts may very well be mediated through various pedagogical or informational methods and communication technology. The results of the study did not produce all the expected differences. (Contains 4 tables.)

Kiwifruit vine decline syndrome (KVDS) is an emerging challenge related to various factors, including water stagnation, soil compaction, root hypoxia, imbalanced soil redox potential, soil nutrient imbalance and fungal pathogens, yet its definitive causes remain unconfirmed. This study compared soils and roots of healthy plants (CTRL group) and plants affected by KVDS (KVDS group) at a kiwifruit orchard (Actinidia chinensis cv. 'Zesy002') in Sermoneta (Lazio region), Italy. Our findings indicate that soil redox potential, a parameter related to soil oxidation, and soil macroporosity were significantly lower in the KVDS soils. The water table was also found to be higher in the KVDS block of the orchard, demonstrating a higher soil water content. This suggests less aeration and more water content in KVDS‐affected soils compared to the control. Root analyses showed that KVDS led to browning and decomposition of rhizodermis, decay of the central stele, detachment of the cortex, reduced cell size and the presence of starch granules in the parenchyma, with significant variations in root morphometric parameters. To mitigate KVDS, sustainable agronomic practices, including precision irrigation, green manure, compost addition and water drainage root pruning, were carried out on some KVDS‐symptomatic vines (SUST group). Molecular analyses revealed the presence of 10 fungal species from treated root plants, with Paraphaeosphaeria michotii, Fusarium oxysporum and Ilyonectria vredenhoekensis being frequently isolated from symptomatic KVDS‐affected plants but less from SUST plants. Also, Beauveria bassiana and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, showed an effect against I. vredenhoekensis and P. michotii, and may be suitable candidates as biocontrol agents. The adoption of sustainable agronomic practices resulted in significantly more healthy plants (46% increase) by the end of the trial, demonstrating that a sustainable soil use and water management at kiwifruit orchards can mitigate KVDS through restoration of natural growth conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Most recent developments in the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies can boost the efficacy of business process management (BPM) to improve process performance. The purpose of this paper is to describe a method for redesigning bank branch (BB) protection systems contributing to make BBs "smarter." Design/methodology/approach: Based upon a multiple case study approach, the paper deployed a four-step business process reengineering design from an information system development perspective. To overcome limitations of information scarcity required for modeling activities, a multimethod approach to data gathering and results validation was adopted. The approach was based on a comprehensive literature review and an in-depth qualitative survey involving a sample of six security managers of primary Italian banking groups. Findings: The intelligent protection system resulting from the application of the methodology to the Italian BB sector was able to improve the security management process. Lead time and actors' workload were reduced; running costs decreased; quality of information improved as well as the overall effectiveness of the protection system against criminal attacks. Originality/value: The specific IoT technologies proposed are new. Additionally, to date, their application to BB security management has not been analyzed in the BPM literature. The value resides in the highly applicable results of the methodology to the BB network of a banking group both inside and outside of Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In conventional olive growing, frequent soil tillage strongly reduces the complexity and diversity of the agro-ecosystem. Here, a metabolomic analysis was carried out on the xylem sap (XS) of olive plants (Olea europaea L.) from a grove located in Southern Italy (Basilicata region). The orchard has been divided in two plots that have been managed for 18 years with two different systems: a) 'sustainable management' (S mng), with no-tillage, fertigation and internal C-inputs (spontaneous weeds and pruning residues), and b) an adjacent rainfed 'conventional management' (C mng), that included soil tillage and mineral fertilization. The XS was extracted from olive shoots in two sampling times (ST1: May; ST2: October) using a Sholander pressure chamber, and its metabolome analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to a hybrid quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometer (QTOF-MS). The discriminating compounds were 94 at ST1 and 119 at ST2, and 35 of them were in common between the two sampling times. The majority of the discriminating metabolites (73 on 94 at ST1, and 109 on 119 at ST2) were found at higher concentration in the XS of S mng plants, compared to that of C mng ones. Most of the discriminating metabolites found in XS (about 80%, both at ST1 and ST2) were involved in plant secondary metabolism, mainly for plant chemical defense, growth regulation and signal transduction. The most prevailing class of compounds included terpenoids, phytohormones, alkaloids, sterols/steroids, retinols/retinoids, tocopherols and carotenoids. For the first time, we have demonstrated that the XS of a tree crop significantly responds to a shift of soil management. Generally, the plants of the S mng plot showed an up-regulated secondary metabolism. The results of our study encourage the use of a set of sustainable agricultural practices in a productive orchard, in order to enhance plant physiological status, increase yield quantity/quality, safeguard the environment and ameliorate human health. • Olive plants were managed by a sustainable (S mng) or a conventional (C mng) system. • A metabolomic analysis (UHPLC/QTOF-MS) of extracted xylem sap was conducted. • Deep differences in xylem sap composition were observed between S mng and C mng. • The plants from the S mng showed an up-regulated secondary metabolism. • The xylem sap of olive trees responded to a shift of soil management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Beneficial bacteria-plant interactions play an important role in agriculture, positively affecting plant status and improving product quality. Bacterial endophytes contribute to host plant protection and survival. Aim: This study characterised the bacterial communities present in soil, leaf surface and xylem sap of olive trees, and investigated their response under a sustainable (Smng) or a conventional (Cmng) management system in an olive grove located in southern Italy. The aims are: (a) to understand if soil bacteria enter xylem and reach leaves and (b) to verify if the bacterial communities in the two management systems deeply differ due to the different agronomic practices applied in Smng and in Cmng. Methods: Therefore, a metagenomic approach was used to detect microorganisms, in order to estimate bacterial diversity and abundance, and to identify the bacterial taxa in the three analysed compartments in plants subjected to Smng and Cmng systems. Results: Bacterial communities came from the soil and reached aerial plant parts through xylem sap. The application of different agronomic practices influenced the composition of soil bacterial communities. Conclusions: The potential benefits of the specific bacterial taxa detected under the Smng system could improve plant growth protection and provide a higher crop quality in fruit plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of deaths due to Covid-19 in Italy was incorrectly written as "15,35". It should be corrected to "15,915". The original article has been corrected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study discusses the thinking style of university students in three different countries and answers the key research question posed by the study's design: is there a difference amongst the thinking styles of university students from Australia, China and Italy? Using the Thinking Style Inventory (TSI) designed by Sofo (2002) as the data collection tool, 450 students enrolled in universities in the three countries were assessed on their thinking style. The results reveal that the Chinese students had statistically significant lower scores than both the Australian and Italian samples on the Inquiring subscale of the TSI, yet significantly higher scores on the Independent subscale. Overall, Chinese students were found to have a significantly different thinking style profile compared to Italian and Australian students since there was no significant difference found between the Italian and Australian students. The findings of this study indicate a number of interesting points of convergence and similarly, two points of divergence in thinking style among the three samples of students. The opportunity exists for the study to be extended to include a comparative analysis of a wider selection of students (such as those from differing disciplines) or to explore the similarities and differences between post-graduates or those students in the second or third year of their university studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salvia ceratophylloides (Ard.) is an endemic and rare plant species recently rediscovered as very few individuals at two different Southern Italy sites. The study of within-plant variation is fundamental to understand the plant adaptation to the local conditions, especially in rare species, and consequently to preserve plant biodiversity. Here, we reported the variation of the morpho-ecophysiological and metabolic traits between the sessile and petiolate leaf of S. ceratophylloides plants at two different sites for understanding the adaptation strategies for surviving in these habitats. The S. ceratophylloides individuals exhibited different net photosynthetic rate, maximum quantum yield, light intensity for the saturation of the photosynthetic machinery, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, leaf area, fractal dimension, and some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) between the different leaf types. This within-plant morpho-physiological and metabolic variation was dependent on the site. These results provide empirical evidence of sharply within-plant variation of the morpho-physiological traits and VOCs profiles in S. ceratophylloides, explaining the adaptation to the local conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under suitable conditions, low-quality, treated urban wastewater (TWW) is an additional water resource for irrigation in water-scarce environments but its use in agriculture requires a careful monitoring of a range of hygiene parameters, including human pathogenic bacteria (HPB). DNA-based microbiological analyses on soil, xylem sap, and leaves surface (phyllosphere) were carried out in an olive (Olea europaea L.) grove located in Southern Italy (Basilicata region). The experimental grove has been managed in two plots for 18 years. The experimental plot (WW tr ) was drip irrigated daily with TWW (2800 m 3  ha -1  year -1 ), while the control plot (RF tr ) was rainfed. The results of the 16S-rRNA-based metagenomic analysis demonstrated that the phyllosphere had the lowest number of potential HPB (6), compared to soil (22) and xylem (26) compartments. Gammaproteobacteria, including potential HPB, like Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter spp., were significantly higher in WW tr soil and xylem sap, compared to RF tr . A similar trend was observed for Burkholderia spp. (Betaproteobacteria) and Mycobacterium spp. (Actinobacteria). The Firmicutes Enterococcus, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus spp. were more abundant in WW tr xylem sap. The pathogenic Clostridium perfringens was found higher on WW tr leaves (relative abundance 7.17 in WW tr and 1.33 in RF tr ) and Enterococcus faecalis in WW tr xylem sap (93.22 in WW tr and 7.08 in RF tr ). On the basis of the results obtained, the irrigation with TWW can be considered a realistic and safe agronomic practice in Mediterranean orchards, and an opportunity for farmers and consumers., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The present article reports the anthocyanin content in the berry skin and wine of the Italian red grape cultivar Aglianico (clone VCR11 grafted onto 1103 Paulsen), one of the most ancient vines and famous for its deep-red colour. Anthocyanins were extracted from frozen berry skin in an acidified methanol solution. The extraction mixtures, monitored for 120 h, were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography., Results: The extraction from berry skin of delphinidin, petunidin and malvidin appeared to be a time-independent process, whereas the concentration of peonidin increased linearly with time. Peonidin-O-acetyl-glucoside was transferred from skin more slowly than petunidin-O-acetyl-glucoside and malvidin-O-acetyl-glucoside. The anthocyanin composition of the resulting wine showed that the total anthocyanin content was about one-tenth of the corresponding berry skin content. The ratio acetyl/coumaroyl anthocyanins in the wine was sharply higher than the value in berry skin (0.85 and 0.10, respectively), indicating an enrichment of acetyl derivatives in the wine., Conclusion: Levels of single anthocyanins in wine were not always correlated with those detected in grapes, as they were affected by winemaking. The high values of some anthocyanins in Aglianico wine could ameliorate its quality, increasing the chromatic properties, aging stability and product acceptance., (Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The aims of this work are to assess the persistence of rotenone in oil and drupes of olive plants of cultivars Nocellara del Belice (NB) and Cassanese (CA), and to compare the quality of oils from rotenone-treated and untreated plants. Samples of drupes and oil were analyzed at 2, 12, 22 and 30 days after treatment. Rotenone levels in drupes of treated plants declined by about 50% after 22 days from treatment (0.037 mg kg(-1) in NB and 0.039 mg kg(-1) in CA), whereas the respective values in the oil were higher (0.209 mg kg(-1) in NB and 0.229 mg kg(-1) in CA) and had a lower decay half-life (4.02 days in NB and 4.71 days in CA). For both cultivars, no significant differences in oil physicochemical and nutritional parameters were found between the two treatments. The panel test of oils extracted after 22 days did not reveal significant differences in unpleasant aromatic notes nor defects between the two treatments. Our results confirm that serious doubts remain about the safety and healthiness of oils extracted from drupes treated with rotenone. This information could assess the real risk in the use of this product for plant protection in olive growing.