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Thousands of theatres were built during the Hellenistic period in Greece and overseas colonies. The main elements of the Hellenistic theatre are the following: the orchestra, where music and songs were performed to accompany the acting performance, and the koilon, where the audience sat. Hellenistic theatres were built without any ceiling, with an open-air configuration. This paper reports the acoustic characteristics of the Greek (Hellenistic) theatre located in Morgantina (Sicily, Italy) based on the technical data gathered in different listening positions selected across the sitting area (koilon). The theatre of Morgantina was built in the third century BC and renovated a few decades ago. Nowadays, it is the center of important social and cultural activities. The outcomes of the beamforming technique employed for the survey have been discussed in comparison with traditional acoustic parameters, such as ISO 3382. The scope of this article is to assess the usability of this theatre intended to be used for different types of artistic performances.

The behavioural response of adult maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais, to different types of semolina pasta enriched or not enriched with increasing proportions (5%, 10%, and 15%) of house cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder was investigated in olfactometer arena bioassays by using trap devices. In the five-choice behavioural bioassays, the number of S. zeamais adults attracted to 100% durum wheat semolina pasta was significantly higher than those attracted to the other pasta types enriched with A. domesticus powder. In the two-choice behavioural bioassays, the Response Index for each pasta type was positive and significant. However, although not significant, there was a progressive reduction in the Response Index as the cricket powder content increased. In similar experiments, there were no significant differences between cricket powder alone and the control in the number of attracted S. zeamais, indicating a neutral effect towards insects. These observations suggest that the lower attractiveness of pasta enriched with house cricket powder is mainly due to the masking of host food odours. Solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy identified a total of 18 compounds in the head-space samples of the different types of pasta, highlighting differences in volatile composition. Some volatile compounds were only present in the pasta produced with cricket powder. In particular, 1-octen-3-ol and phenol were present in the samples containing 5%, 10%, or 15% cricket powder; pentanal, benzaldehyde, and dimethyl disulphide were present in samples containing 10% or 15% cricket powder; and 2,5-dimethyl-pyrazine was present in the sample containing 15% cricket powder. Further investigation with individual compounds and mixtures is needed to define the chemical basis of the differences in the insect olfactory preference observed in this study.

Acoustic applications of metamaterials have rapidly developed over the past few decades. The sound attenuation provided by metamaterials is due to the interaction between soundwaves and scatterers organized into a reticular grid, with a peak attenuation at a specific frequency band that is highly dependent on the scatterers’ diameter and reticular geometric organization of installation. In this article, the scatterer types chosen for the experiments are represented by a 2D shape, which are cylindrical solid-wood bars of 15 mm diameter and empty cylindrical bars of 20 mm diameter. Acoustic measurements were conducted in a semi-anechoic chamber to identify the specific frequency at which the highest insertion loss (IL) was registered. A second experiment was conducted by creating holes of 5 mm diameter on the external surface of the empty bars; in this way, it registered a higher sound attenuation. In particular, the resonant system characterized with holes, in combination with the attenuation given by 2D scatterer metamaterials, increased the sound attenuation for the frequency range between 1 kHz and 10 kHz.

We compared the attractiveness of five commercially available Italian macaroni pastas of different shapes (penne, casarecce, and fusilli) made from cereals and/or legumes [100% Triticum durum; 100% Cicer arietinum; 100% Lens esculenta; 50% Triticum durum + 50% Cicer arietinum; 60% Triticum durum + 40% Lens esculenta] to adults of Sitophilus zeamais (L.). A multiple-choice walking bioassay showed that S. zeamais adults were more attracted to cereal than legume pastas. The modified Flit-Track M2 trap devices baited with pasta made with 100% T. durum captured an average of 61.4% of the adults released into the olfactometric arena after 7 days. Of the insects tested, pasta made with 100% C. arietinum trapped 3.8%, pasta made with 100% L. esculenta trapped 2.7%, pasta made with 50% T. durum + 50% C. arietinum trapped 4.3%, and pasta made with 60% T. durum + 40% L. esculenta trapped 4.2%. When individually compared, 79.6% of S. zeamais adults chose the Triticum durum pasta. Orientation to 100% Cicer pasta or 100% Lens pasta was not observed. In the choice test, only 37% and 25% were attracted to Triticum and Cicer pastas or Triticum and Lens pasta, respectively. Our results confirm that the low attractiveness of legume pasta is mainly due to the lack of attractant stimuli rather than the emission of repellent compounds. From a practical perspective, it is also interesting to note how mixed pasta decreases the risk of S. zeamais infestation.

This manuscript treats the acoustic analysis of a garden located in Rufolo’s villa, south of Italy, which has already been studied to install some acoustic panels to improve the response across the seating area. After a campaign of acoustic measurements, acoustic simulations have been conducted based on three specific scenarios, highlighting the effectiveness of a new acoustic shell (project C) over the existing conditions (project A) and option A shell (project B). The results coming from the simulations show that the values of the main acoustic parameters are significantly improved with the installation of a scientifically designed acoustic shell, to be closer to the optimal ranges. The comparison among different projects highlights that the acoustic response of the existing conditions is not optimal, and that a marginal improvement was found with the addition of vertical panels mounted at the perimeter of the stage in combination with suspended ceiling above the stage. This research study is addressed to potentially auralize the voice or sound of famous artists that would be performing within the new acoustic shell; furthermore, the outputs could even implement the website of the Rufolo’s villa for marketing purposes.

Simple Summary: The house cricket, Acheta domesticus, is one of the species recently authorised for production and commercialisation as novel food by European legislation. Powder from this insect can be used to enrich bread, extruded snacks, and pasta. The aim of this work was to analyse the behavioural response of one of the main pests of alimentary pasta, the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais), to different types of semolina pasta enriched or not enriched with increasing proportions of house cricket powder. In five-choice behavioural bioassays, the number of maize weevil adults attracted to 100% durum wheat pasta was significantly higher than those attracted to the other pasta types enriched with house cricket powder. In two-choice behavioural bioassays, all types of pasta had a positive and significant attraction. In similar experiments, cricket powder alone was not attractive, indicating a neutral effect towards insects. These observations suggest that the lower attractiveness of pasta enriched with cricket powder is mainly due to a masking effect of host food odours. The behavioural response of adult maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais, to different types of semolina pasta enriched or not enriched with increasing proportions (5%, 10%, and 15%) of house cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder was investigated in olfactometer arena bioassays by using trap devices. In the five-choice behavioural bioassays, the number of S. zeamais adults attracted to 100% durum wheat semolina pasta was significantly higher than those attracted to the other pasta types enriched with A. domesticus powder. In the two-choice behavioural bioassays, the Response Index for each pasta type was positive and significant. However, although not significant, there was a progressive reduction in the Response Index as the cricket powder content increased. In similar experiments, there were no significant differences between cricket powder alone and the control in the number of attracted S. zeamais, indicating a neutral effect towards insects. These observations suggest that the lower attractiveness of pasta enriched with house cricket powder is mainly due to the masking of host food odours. Solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy identified a total of 18 compounds in the head-space samples of the different types of pasta, highlighting differences in volatile composition. Some volatile compounds were only present in the pasta produced with cricket powder. In particular, 1-octen-3-ol and phenol were present in the samples containing 5%, 10%, or 15% cricket powder; pentanal, benzaldehyde, and dimethyl disulphide were present in samples containing 10% or 15% cricket powder; and 2,5-dimethyl-pyrazine was present in the sample containing 15% cricket powder. Further investigation with individual compounds and mixtures is needed to define the chemical basis of the differences in the insect olfactory preference observed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution proposes the study of the Meteora Monasteries in Greece, a complex of Orthodox places of cult situated on rocky promontories, included in the World Heritage list in 1988. While these areas originated as a result of the desire of some monks to build isolated and inaccessible places of cult, with the opening to tourism and the attribution of a new museum function, the original characteristic aimed at isolation is now a distant prerogative. In the context of expanded and inclusive use, these areas present high criticalities. The contribution intends to question the possibilities offered by the discipline of restoration for the recovery of some elevators and funicular railways, added in recent years and currently in disuse or only usable by the monastic community, in order to guarantee each individual the possibility of being able to enjoy an heritage with a high historical, architectural and landscape value.

The discovery of Roman amphitheaters continues to excite the minds of archaeologists. Within the framework of various excavation campaigns, the architectural requalification of the amphitheater of Durres has been investigated, but no acoustic analyses have yet been carried out. This paper deals with the acoustic reconstruction of the Roman amphitheater of Durres in its original form. A campaign of acoustic measurements was carried out in accordance with ISO 3382 in order to understand the existing conditions, which are very detrimental to any type of live performance. After an accurate analysis of the geometric composition of the building, acoustic simulations were performed to determine the original acoustic response of the building. A comparison of the measured and simulated results, with and without an audience, was made in terms of the main acoustic parameters, while the acoustic map showing the spatial distribution of speech clarity at 1 kHz was added as an alternative way of representing the data. The outcomes show that the results related to the original shape are closer to the optimal values than the existing conditions.

The term Movida takes its name from the evening and night life of the city for their liveliness and animation. During the Movida, noise is one of the problems in the city centers due to the negative effects on the resident population. This paper reports the effects of noise due to the Movida phenomenon within the city center in southern Italy. Along the roads affected by the Movida phenomenon, the values of sound levels in dBA were measured both with fixed stations with a sound level meter and with mobile stations by wearing a noise dosimeter a participant of Movida. The measured noise levels are between 85 dBA to 90 dBA. The noise levels show that the Movida phenomenon generates disturbing conditions on the resident population with consequent conflict between club managers, patrons and residents.

The paper reports 19 species to be added to the list of Lepidoptera Tortricidae of the Italian fauna. The new data come from entomologists living in Central and Eastern Europe and from the webpage of “https://lepiforum.org”.

In the paper, we present the results carried out in central-southern Italy during the years 2022 and 2023 of a field survey conducted on the leaf-miners of the tree Robinia pseudoacacia. Three invasive alien species pests, Chrysaster ostensackenella, Parectopa robiniella and Macrosaccus robiniella (Lepidoptera Gracillariidae), were collected. Some ecological aspects and an illustration of their characteristics, supplemented with photographs of the three leaf-miners, emphasizing life history and diagnostic characteristics enabling their differentiation, are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion of mechanical ventilation systems increased rapidly due to the climate changes in all parts of the world. The mechanical ventilation systems are mainly used in the summer for many difficulties to face very hot temperatures. One of the biggest problems considered if every residential unit is equipped with a mechanical ventilation system is the generation of noise by the rotating blades of the fan for refrigeration. This paper discusses the applications of metamaterials to create attenuation filters to be installed inside the encases of the mechanical ventilation systems in order to obtain sound attenuation. A three-dimensional reticular structure made with spheres has been studied in different configurations related to the numbers of layers employed. The sound attenuations were measured at some specific octaves, depending on the particular configurations. In general, the sound attenuation peaks have been measured between 4 kHz and 8 kHz; this is expected to mitigate the tonal noise component typical of fans based on different variables that compose the whole system (e.g., fan diameter, number of blades, fan speed). However, the outcomes shall be considered in terms of laboratory conditions since material properties of the enclosure and potential polarization effects due to reflection of sound waves at the boundaries may occur.

A list of 155 species of Lepidoptera Tortricidae collected in Sicily (Italy) is reported. The two most numerous tortricid subfamilies recorded are the Olethreutinae and Tortricinae, which have 84 species and 70 species, respectively; the subfamily Chlidanotinae is represented by 1 species. Species belonging to almost all the tribes cited in the Italian fauna have been found in Sicily (Tortricini with 10 species, Cochylini 26, Cnephasiini 18, Archipini 16, Polyorthini 1, Bactrini 5, Olethreutini 12, Enarmoniini 1, Eucosmini 33, and Grapholitini 33), with the exception of the members of the tribes Sparganothini and Eulini. Phtheochroa ochralana and Cydia magnesiae are new to Italian fauna; Fulvoclysia forsteri and Tortricodes selma are recorded for first time in Europe. The females of Thiodia major and Pammene castanicola are descripted. Acleris hastiana, A. notana, Cochylidia rupicola, C. moguntiana, Cochylis sannitica, Eana joannisi, E. italica, Cnephasia fulturata, Archips betulanus, A. crataeganus, Pandemis cerasana, Olindia schumacherana, Epinotia dalmatana, Eucosma obumbratana, Epiblema cirsianum, E. graphanum, Cydia medicaginis, C. cythisantana, C. ulicetana, C. derrai, C. leguminana, Lathronimpha balearici, Grapholita pallifrontana, Pammene querceti, P. obscurana, and Strophedra weirana are cited for first time in Sicily.

The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata, is a key pest of fruit crops in a wide range of climatic zone. Its economic importance is increasing due to its invasion and establishment in new geographical areas caused by global warming. Generally, the management of medfly infestation has been carried out with the use of synthetic pyrethroids and phosphorganic insecticides. Other containment approaches include attract-and-kill, biological control, and the sterile insect technique. The mass trapping technique can be considered an eco-friendly method to use in combination with other control systems. The present study reported the trapping effectiveness of commercially available devices (Decis Trap, Tephri Trap Ecological, and Conetrap) baited with different types of female attractants (Econex Trypack and Biodelear) under different thermal conditions. The performance of trapping systems was evaluated in semi-field cages. Our results showed that the combination of Conetrap with Biodelear was not proven effective, while the Tephri Trap baited with Trypack or Biodelear and the Decis Trap reported the same performance in capturing females and could be used for medfly mass trapping.

Theory regarding metamaterials was developed in the 1960s, aiming to control the propagation of electromagnetic waves. Under this scope, research has been focused on the realization of materials having specific characteristics to be invisible to the electromagnetic and optics fields. These principles have been expanded only recently to the acoustic sector, with metamaterials capable of controlling the sound propagation due to the interference effect between the soundwaves and the periodic structural elements composing the system. This paper deals with sound attenuation and analyzes a metamaterial acoustic barrier characterized by multiple rows in different configurations. The variety of configurations depends on different diameters of the wooden scatterers (i.e., 9 mm and 15 mm) and the distance between the sound source and the closest edge of the barrier (i.e., 400 mm and 800 mm). Despite having the same height (i.e., 300 mm) of a scaled model, the combination of different diameters in creating an acoustic barrier highlights an increase of the overall Insertion Loss (IL) and a broadened (instead of sharp) sound attenuation of the band gap, captured between 4 kHz and 12.5 kHz.

Results regarding the combination of light-traps and coloured glue-boards for the trap and control of the house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), are reported. Monitoring was performed using as basic structure PRO 80S UV fluorescent fly traps in a confinement swine farm in the south of Italy. During the trials, neon traps with a combination of glue-boards (yellow vs black and yellow vs white) and neon vs LED traps with yellow glue-boards were evaluated. Results indicated that yellow and black glue-boards were equally attractive to flies, with no significant differences. Light-traps captured significantly more flies when a white glue-board was used rather than a yellow panel. The neon lamp attracted significantly more flies than the LED lamp. According to our results, light-traps with white panels have potential to be employed in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs for monitoring and controlling house flies in livestock farms and in food processing, reducing risks in dissemination of pathogens which have the potential to affect humans or animals.

The Byzantine churches built between the 7th and the 15th centuries represent an architectural typology that has been developed along with other architectural styles. The evolution of the interior organization, to be composed of only a single nave for the oldest architecture and then developed with additional lateral naves, is one of the multiple aspects that characterizes this building type, studied mainly from an architectural perspective. The variety of roof morphology, being flat, double slope, vaulted or domed, contributes to determining the overall acoustics. This paper deals with the analysis of the acoustic characteristics related to five Byzantine churches located in Albania, specifically in Berat and Cete. A comparison of the impulse response (IR) measured inside each church was given by analyzing the most appropriate acoustic parameters and in line with ISO 3382. The acoustic surveys were undertaken with a minimal furniture and without any audience. The results highlight small difficulties in terms of speech understanding, especially under a speech clarity index found to be below the optimal range limit. This shortfall is attributed to the geometry of the volumes and to the reflecting materials applied to the surfaces that facilitate the build-up of sound energy.

In the paper are reported 37 species to add at the “Catalogue of Lepidoptera Tortricidae of the Italian fauna” published on 2003. After this paper the list of tortricids found in Italy passed from 633 to 670 species.

Manufacturers of dry food products have a real challenge to exclude pests everywhere along the food chain because of the rather complex and different environments of food industry buildings. Current practices that influence pest presence and development in food industry facilities have been identified in the stages of food plant design, food ingredient reception and storage, processing or conditioning of finished food, and marketing. The preventive pest control measures in the food industry may be ineffective because of a non-observance of simple rules of good manufacturing practice (GMP), such as permanent control and monitoring of critical points or the ban of unsafe practices favourable to pest entry and infestation in food plants. The underutilization of methods for rapid assessment of pest presence and movement within food industry facilities, as well as the inability to rely on pest monitoring data for the economic damage threshold (EDT), are also underlined. Practical tools for processing data from pest monitoring systems should improve pest presence detection and alert. More realistic EDTs need to be proposed with direct links to decision-making support. More practical predictive models are also required for predicting the long-term efficacy and resilience of corrective control methods in food processing buildings, which should render the implementation of complex IPM programs easier.

A field experiment of 4 years’ duration was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of combining the mating disruption (MD) formulation Dismate ZETA (9Z,12E-tetradecadienyl acetate), with the parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor against the Indianmeal moth Plodia interpunctella in a chocolate factory. The experimental period began early in 2011 and ended in late 2014. Begane Dismate dispensers were placed in the facility from 2011 to 2014 and H. hebetor was released in 2014. Pheromone-baited traps were used to monitor the flight activity of the male moths and oviposition Petri dish cups were placed to assess the progeny production of P. interpunctella females. Following the start of MD, a decrease in the number of P. interpunctella males caught in monitoring traps was observed from 2011 to 2013. A further decline in the moth population was noted in 2014, when MD was combined with the release of parasitoids. The presence of larvae in the oviposition cups was occasionally observed throughout the monitoring period, from 2011 to 2014. This study demonstrates that the combined system of MD and parasitoids is an effective and reliable technique that can be used to successfully control P. interpunctella.

In recent years, considerable progress has been made in the monitoring and control of Lepidoptera, by pheromones also used in mass-trapping, attracticide (lure and kill), mating-disruption, auto-confusion methods. In context of IPM "insectistasis" can be readily achieved by continual supervision of environments by traps in combination with a limited number of preventive and curative measures appropriately timed. In the present paper are reported some promising results offering efficient control of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, populations in food and feed processing facilities based on pheromones and line up a number of remaining questions to be answered to improve the reliability and competitiveness of the methods used. These field researches show potential for successful pheromone-based suppression methods for Mediterranean flour moths in practical applications.