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Apricot breeding programs could be strongly improved by the availability of molecular markers linked to the main fruit quality traits. Fruit acidity is one of the key factors in consumer acceptance, but despite its importance, the molecular bases of this trait are still poorly understood. In order to increase the genetic knowledge on the fruit acidity, an F1 apricot population (‘Lito’ ‘BO81604311’) has been phenotyped for titratable acidity and juice pH for the three following years. In addition, the contents of the main organic acids of the juice (malate, citrate, and quinate) were also evaluated. A Gaussian distribution was observed for most of the traits in this progeny, confirming their quantitative inheritance. An available simple sequence repeat (SSR)- based molecular map, implemented with new markers in specific genomic regions, was used to perform a quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. The molecular map was also anchored to the recently published apricot genome sequence of ‘Stella.’ Several major QTLs linked to fruit acidity-related traits have been identified both in the ‘Lito’ (no. 21) and ‘BO81604311’ (no. 13), distributed in five linkage groups (LG 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8). Some of these QTLs show good stability between years and their linked markers were used to identify candidate genes in specific QTLs genomic regions.

Il castagno da sempre domina il paesaggio delle pendici dell’Appennino Tosco-Emiliano. Il binomio Castagno-Appennino è assai antico e la narrazione ci porta a molti secoli fa, quando la contessa Matilde di Canossa ne promosse la diffusione per sfamare le genti della montagna. La figura di Matilde, legata anche alla lotta fra Papa Gregorio VII ed Enrico IV, Imperatore del Sacro Romano Impero, ha avuto un ruolo così importante per la diffusione appenninica del castagno che non dobbiamo stupirci se gli esemplari plurisecolari hanno assunto, fra le altre, anche la denominazione di ‘Matildici’. Il castagno, inoltre, nel XVIII secolo fu una risorsa fondamentale per contrastare le carestie che dilagavano in Italia ed in Europa; grazie alla produzione di frutti e di farine, venne chiamato l’albero del pane.

La rendono unica l’aspetto, la qualità e l’elevato contenuto di polifenoli, che supera anche quello dell’Annurca, la mela salutistica per eccellenza. Gli imprenditori dell’Alta Valle del Reno hanno colto il potenziale e ne stanno riprendendo la coltivazione

Unica per aspetto, qualità e per l’elevato contenuto di polifenoli, che supera anche quello dell’Annurca, una mela salutistica per eccellenza. Gli imprenditori dell’Alta Valle del Reno ne hanno colto il potenziale

In questa nota riportiamo le prime acquisizioni emerse da un’indagine iniziata nel 2017 e tuttora in corso sulle mele “Rosa romana” dell’Alta Valle del Reno, e delle altre vallate appenniniche bolognesi, ad altitudini che oscillano dai 300 metri delle prime pendici collinari (es. Marzabotto) fino a 900-1.000 m (es. Castel dell’Alpi), nei territori confinanti dei due versanti emiliano e toscano del crinale appenninico. Poche, per la verità, sono le colture rimaste sui suoli fertili adatti al melo e fortunatamente non ancora restituiti al pascolo e alla macchia mediterranea, come sta avvenendo, per larga parte delle superfici abbandonate dell’agricoltura attiva. L’indagine intende far luce ed individuare, nei vecchi impianti, i vari tipi di “Rosa romana” esistenti, cioè i possibili mutanti fenotipici e le tipologie similari di questa varietà isolati e propagati localmente attraverso il tempo, fino a farne varie denominazioni clonali rappresentative però della “vera” “Rosa romana”, per identità fenotipica e punto di riferimento, anche per i nuovi impianti. Questo identikit della mela “Rosa romana” servirà anche sul piano vivaistico per una possibile certificazione genetica e anche sanitaria dei cloni che andremo ad individuare.

This paper briefly describes the design and characterization of a base isolation system that protects HV ceramic circuit breakers during seismic events. This qualifies them to the European standard CEI EN 62271-207. The solution is based on an innovative application of wire rope isolators. Preliminary numerical analyses and tests were performed on a typical HV circuit breaker and demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed isolation system in reducing seismic demand. The results were also validated using a shaking table, which is described in an accompanying paper. The on-site installation of this system in several Italian substations has finally proved simple enough to upgrade the equipment for seismic protection.

In this paper, the preliminary results of a vulnerability analysis carried out on a case study, consisting of short-medium span steel-concrete composite I-girder bridges are presented and discussed. The selected case study is part of the a group of bridges analysed within the SEQBRI project, funded in 2012 by the European Union, that deals with a systematic development of the Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE) for short-medium span steel-concrete composite I-girder bridges including seismic input randomness, demand and damage analysis as well as economic cost-benefit estimations. More in particular, the definition of proper EDPs (Engineering Demand Parameters) and DMs (Damage Measured) are investigated through a non-linear numerical model of the bridge, which is developed in OpenSEES environment and analysed using IDA technique. Fragility curves will be developed with the aim to better understand the correctness of the selected response and damage parameters for the evaluation of the seismic vulnerability of this kind of bridges.

"The Retro TA project funded by the European commission within the. Series-project aims at studying the seismic behaviour of existing reinforced concrete. (RC) bridges and the effectiveness of innovative retrofitting systems. The research. activity focuses on old bridges, designed chiefly for gravity loads. Towards this aim, the. seismic vulnerability of an old Italian viaduct with portal frame piers (Rio Torto. Viaduct) is evaluated and an isolation system is designed using both yielding-based and. slide spherical bearings. Some results of predictive numerical analyses, both for “asbuilt”. and “isolated” configuration are illustrated and discussed. The work is subdivided. in two parts: the present paper is devoted to the analysis of the “as-built” configuration.. The structure is assessed through dynamic analyses. To do so, the Italian guidelines for. the seismic assessment of existing bridges, proposed within the Reluis research program. (2005-2008), are employed. Progressive damage using natural records is estimated and. failure modes of the system components are accurately analyzed. The assessed systems. is found sub-standard; it is thus deemed necessary to utilize an adequate retrofitting. system such as seismic isolation."

The “Retro” TA project funded by the European commission within the Series-project aims at studying numerically and experimentally the seismic behaviour of an old existing reinforced concrete bridge with portal frame piers and the effectiveness of different isolation systems. In particular, an experimental test campaign will be performed at ELSA Laboratory of JRC (Ispra, Italy). Two piers (scale 1:2.5) will be built and tested using the PsD technique with sub-structuring; the modelling of the entire viaduct is considered along with the non-linear behaviour of each pier, due to bending, shear on the transverse beams and strain penetration effect at the column bases. The comprehensive numerical investigations have shown the high vulnerability of the sample bridge. Consequently two isolation systems (yielding-based and friction-based bearings) have been currently designed and characterized. Because the test will start after the summer 2012, in this paper the relevant issues will be here addressed and discussed.

The “Retro” TA project funded by the European commission within the Series-project aims at studying numerically and experimentally the seismic behaviour of an old existing reinforced concrete bridge with portal frame piers and the effectiveness of different isolation systems. In particular, an experimental test campaign will be performed at ELSA Laboratory of JRC (Ispra, Italy). Two piers (scale 1:2.5) will be built and tested using the PsD technique with sub-structuring; the modelling of the entire viaduct is considered along with the non-linear behaviour of each pier, due to bending, shear on the transverse beams and strain penetration effect at the column bases. The comprehensive numerical investigations have shown the high vulnerability of the sample bridge. Consequently two isolation systems (yielding-based and friction-based bearings) have been currently designed and characterized. Because the test will start after the summer 2012, in this paper the relevant issues will be addressed and discussed.

A procedure for the evaluation of the seismic risk of damaged structures due aftershocks is here proposed with the aim to provide a tool for deciding whether, after a damaging mainshock, a structure can still be open for either emergency or ordinary traffic. In particular the mean annual rate of collapse of a mainshock-damaged structure due to aftershocks is calculated using the probabilistic aftershock hazard theory and calculating the fragility curves with IDA technique. The novelty of the procedure consists in using the in-situ inspection results in order to updated the fragility curves by Bayes theorem. For this purpose the correlation values between the observed damage and the drift available in literature has been used. An application to a highway r.c. bridge has shown the effectiveness of the procedure.

Worldwide research has now reached a level of integration where an effort towards the harmonization of procedures is absolutely needed. Such harmonization may regard, for example, the various steps that lead to the definition of capacity models to be included in design codes, specifically: definition of the test setup, quantities to be measured, identification of the basic variables influencing the phenomenon, distinction between average values and other fractiles, disaggregation of the model in different parts accounting for mechanics, fine-tuning and randomnesses, and, finally, assessment of the model against the experimental results. Test results and ensuing model developed according to this procedure would naturally lend themselves to be easily shared among the scientific community and would facilitate the task of calibrating the partial coefficients, with the ambitious aim of attaining a uniform reliability level among all capacity equations.

Roma, Museo Barracco, 8 luglio - 28 novembre 1999

Purified allergens are required to detect cross-contamination with other allergenic foods and to understand allergen interaction with other components of the food matrix. Pure allergens are also used for the diagnosis and treatment of food allergies. For example, serological methods are being developed to improve the quality of diagnosis, and to reduce the need for food challenge tests. In addition, recombinant allergens are being evaluated as candidate vaccines for safe and efficacious specific immunotherapy. Pure allergens are indispensable as reference materials for the calibration and standardization of methods between different laboratories and operators for risk assessment in the food industry. Therefore, there is a need for well-defined purified food allergens. In this context, a panel of 46 food allergens from plant and animal sources has been purified, from either the food sources or as recombinant forms, within the EU-funded EuroPrevall project. These allergens have been characterized by a battery of diagnostic tests demonstrating that they constitute an authentic, well-defined library of comparable quality. The review summarizes the applications, potentials and limitations of key techniques used for the characterization and authentication of these allergen preparations, with a special emphasis on protein purity and identity, folding, post-translational modifications and immunochemical properties. One key area identified is the development of powerful analytical techniques, such as mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance, to improve the authentication of allergens for routine applications in allergy management.

Allergic reaction following fish consumption can trigger life-threatening reactions in predisposed individuals. Parvalbumins from different species have been identified as the major fish allergens. There are two distinct phylogenetic lineages of parvalbumins, alpha and beta. Most allergic reactions are caused by β-parvalbumins. We cloned and expressed cDNAs encoding cod (Gadus morhua) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) β-parvalbumins and purified natural cod β-parvalbumin. CD spectra of the purified proteins showed that their overall secondary structure contents were very similar. No differences in thermal stability were monitored in the calcium-bound or calcium-depleted form of natural cod parvalbumin. IgE reactivity was assessed using 26 sera of fish allergic patients from Spain, The Netherlands, and Greece in immunoblot and ELISA experiments. Twenty-five of the 26 patients with IgE reactivity to native and recombinant cod parvalbumin also reacted to the recombinant carp parvalbumin. IgE inhibition assays were performed using cod and carp extracts and purified recombinant parvalbumin of cod and carp. High crossreactivity among cod and carp parvalbumins was observed in immunoblots as well as in fluid phase assays. Natural and recombinant parvalbumins gave comparable results when performing various in vitro diagnostic assays. © 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Several hazelnut allergens with different clinical relevance and crossreactive properties have been identified and characterized so far. The aim of this study was to develop protocols for producing relatively large amounts of three recombinant hazelnut allergens Cor a 1.04, Cor a 2, and Cor a 8 in a folded and immunologically active form. The availability of well-characterized, pure recombinant allergens will improve diagnostic in vitro tests for food allergy, by allowing a highly sensitive component resolved diagnosis. Depending on the individual hazelnut allergen, protocols for heterologous production - either as fusion or nonfusion protein - were developed to obtain homogenous protein batches. The resulting proteins were purified by a two-step FPLC method and their IgE antibody reactivity was verified. Identity was verified by N-terminal sequencing and MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. Their secondary and tertiary structure was controlled by circular dichroism (CD)-spectroscopy and NMR analysis. Decisions on the strategies for expression and purification of allergens on a large scale were made on a case by case basis: Preparation of rCor a 1.04 and rCor a 2 as fusion proteins in E. coli from inclusion bodies resulted in approximately 10 mg pure protein per liter whereas rCor a 8 expression in yeast as nonfusion protein yielded 30 mg/L.

Well-characterised and immunologically active recombinant allergens are of eminent importance for improvement of diagnostic tools and immunotherapy of allergic diseases. The use of recombinant allergens has several advantages such as the more precise quantification of the active substance compared to allergen extracts and the reduced risk of contamination with other allergenic proteins compared to purified natural allergens. Optimised standard protocols for expression and purification and a detailed physico-chemical characterisation of such recombinant allergens are necessary to ensure consistent quality and comparability of results obtained with recombinant material. In this study the major allergen Pen a 1 of brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus) was expressed in E. coli and purified in two steps by immobilised metal chelate-affinity chromatography (IMAC) and size-exclusion chromatography. Identity and purity were verified with N-terminal sequencing and peptide mass fingerprinting. Circular dichroism and NMR-spectroscopy indicated an alpha-helical flexible structure of rPen a 1 which is in accordance with the known structure of tropomyosins. Finally, the recombinant allergen proved to be immunologically reactive in IgE Western blot analysis and ELISA. This study provides a protocol for the preparation of recombinant shrimp tropomyosin in standardised quality.

This paper briefly describes the design and characterisation of a base isolation system that protects HV ceramic circuit breakers during seismic events. This qualifies them to the European standard CEI EN 62271-207. The solution is based on an innovative application of wire rope isolators. Preliminary numerical analyses and tests were performed on a typical HV circuit breaker and demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed isolation system in reducing seismic demand. The results were also validated using a shaking table, which is described in an accompanying paper. The on-site installation of this system in several Italian substations has finally proved simple enough to upgrade the equipment for seismic protection.

This work investigated the genetic diversity of 134 Castanea sativa Mill. accessions present in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. Samples were taken from three collection fields (Granaglione, Zocca and Paloneta) in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. The accessions were analyzed by using 16 microsatellite markers (SSR). Genetic distances among accessions, calculated through the DICE coefficient, were used to construct an UPGMA cluster analysis. One major genotype (named &ldquo, Marroni&rdquo, ) was identified across the three investigated collection fields, this variety corresponds to a sweet chestnut cultivar that has been propagated and widely diffused in the Emilia-Romagna region. Other genotypes were represented by different varieties of Italian chestnuts. The results of this study will be used to define and share guidelines for the characterization and varietal certification of the chestnut varieties in the Emilia-Romagna region.

The only native species of the Castanea genus in Europe is Castanea sativa Mill., a widespread and important multipurpose tree species in the Mediterranean area that provides fruit, wood and shelter for hives. With the aim of expanding the knowledge of the genetic variability of the chestnut species (wild trees and varieties) and promoting the traceability of local products, an analysis based on 16 SSRs was carried out on 630 single trees from Italy and Spain. 319 unique genotypes were identified. A Bayesian approach combined with the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation method revealed the existence of two genetically distinct groups of chestnuts: Cluster 1 (Spain) and Cluster 2 (Italy), with a clear separation between the cultivars from (northern and southern) Spain and from Italy. The results also confirmed a common genetic structure between chestnut populations from southern Spain and southern Italy, which is the result of historical events and long-term human impact. The results showed no genetic differentiation between chestnut cultivars (grafted trees) and wild chestnut trees, probably as a consequence of the proximity of orchards and natural populations, which resulted in a gene flow between them.

A molecular characterization on the ancient variety ‘Rosa Romana’ was carried out to improve biodiversity knowledge and preserve these trees from extinction risks. In this work, 47 accessions were collected throughout an investigation in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) and particularly in the mountain area of the Bologna province (19 collection sites). The analysis at molecular level by using 15 SSR (microsatellites) identified two main genotype groups and ascertained their relationship with several phenotypic traits. This two clusters contained most of the collected accessions, while remaining genotypes differ clearly, according with the phenotypic diversity on the behavior of the trees or fruits. This study also revealed the highest quality traits of ‘Rosa Romana’ apple grown in the Apennines mountain around Bologna (in a range between 400 and 1000 m.a.s.l.) if compared to each main clone produced at the lowland corresponding to the Bologna University Agricultural Experimental Station (30 m.a.s.l). Therefore, the apple quality as color, appearance, taste (flesh firmness and texture, sweetness, acidity, aroma, polyphenol soreness), were improved in the higher altitudes. In conclusion, the results of this environmental and genetic investigation on the residual cultivation of ‘Rosa Romana’ apple provided a genomic validation of its best identified clones (correspondent to the main two clusters), which now can be recovered and promoted as new planting, with a own brand ‘Rosa Romana’ produced in the Apennines mountain of north Italy.

The vulnerability of process plants to natural hazards has been demonstrated in the last decades by a number of catastrophic events. Unfortunately, despite the continuous evolution of the knowledge on this matter, there is a lack of widely accepted and standardized procedures to perform a risk assessment of process plants subjected to Na-Tech hazards. In this paper, a new tool for the probabilistic seismic risk assessment of process plants is thus proposed, based on Monte Carlo simulations. Starting from the seismic hazard curve of the site in which the plant is placed, a multi-level approach is proposed. In this approach, the first level is represented by the components seismically damaged, whereas the following levels are treated through a classical consequence analysis, including propagation of multiple simultaneous and interacting chains of accidents. This latter is applied through the definition, for all relevant equipment, of proper correspondences between structural damage (i.e., damage states) and loss of containment events. The procedure has been implemented in the software “PRIAMUS” (Probabilistic RIsk Assessment with Monte Carlo simulations of Process Plants Under Seismic Loading). By automatically generating samples of damage propagation chains, the risk of the plant can be easily quantified in terms of economic losses, content losses, damage propagations or final damage scenarios. The application to a petrochemical plant shows the potentiality of the method and envisages possible further evolutions.