scholarly journals Hydraulic contacts identification in the aquifers of limestone ridges: tracer tests in the Montelago pilot area (Central Apennines)

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Tazioli ◽  
Lucia Aquilanti ◽  
Francesca Clementi ◽  
Mirco Marcellini ◽  
Torquato Nanni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Dyes ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Tracer Tests ◽  
Parameter Determination ◽  
Transport Parameter ◽  
Central Apennines ◽  
Dna Molecule ◽  
Marche Region ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Definition Of

The investigated area, located in the inner part of the Marche region (central Italy) and belonging to the carbonate Umbria- Marche ridges in the central Apennines, is characterised by very complex geo-structural setting and widespread karst phenomena that make difficult the definition of the relation among the aquifers basing only on the hydrogeological survey. Hence, the presence of different flowpaths among aquifers of the Umbria-Marche hydrostratigraphic sequence and of tectonic contacts among the different structures is verified using tracer tests. In particular, the tests showed that the Calcare Massiccio and the Maiolica aquifers are connected under certain tectonic conditions. A new tracer given by a single stranded DNA molecule and traditional fluorescent dyes have been injected into the Montelago sinkhole in different periods (during the recharge and during the discharge) and recovered in several points along the expected hydrogeological basin, using either manual and automatic sampling. Fluorescent traps were positioned in creeks, rivers and springs. The DNA molecule is useful to trace surface water and groundwater, is detectable even at very low concentrations, no significant change in water density and viscosity can be observed and its use is not dangerous for the environment. The results stress the suitability of DNA as hydrogeological tracer, capable to identify connections among aquifers and study different flowpaths even in high flow conditions when traditional tracers are more and more diluted. Moreover, fluorescein tracer allowed for the transport parameter determination, giving mean velocities ranging from 100 to 3000 m/day and mean residence time from some tens to hundreds of hours, and determining the aquifer volumes.

scholarly journals Seismogenic structure behaviour revealed by spatial clustering of seismicity in the Umbria-Marche Region (Central Italy)

1998 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Tosi
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Clustering ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Seismogenic Structure ◽  
Marche Region ◽  
Background Seismicity ◽  
Clustering Of Events ◽  
Time Variations ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Correlation Dimension Method

Time variations in the spatial distribution of earthquake epicentres are analyzed by application of the fractal correlation dimension method. The zone under investigation is located in Central Italy, bounded in longitude by 12.0 and 14.4 degrees east and in latitude by 42.0 and 43.6 degrees north. From 1st January 1978 to 5th October 1997, 2028 events with a magnitude above Ml= 2.5 constitute the database.Evolution of the spatial fractal dimension Ds permits the identification of seismic cycles that are connected to the occurrence of main earthquakes.In particular, it is possible to recognize a division within each cycle, between a period of random background seismicity and a spatial clustering of events where shocks of magnitude Ml ³occur. Moreover, the decrease in Ds prior to such events, evidences a structural relationship between foreshocks and the occurrence of a main shock, even if not in close territorial proximity.This feature indicates a new, more extensive definition of seismogenic structure which can includes several interconnected structures within a large area.

scholarly journals Analysis of Rainfall Trends and Extreme Precipitation in the Middle Adriatic Side, Marche Region (Central Italy)

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1948 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Gentilucci ◽  
Maurizio Barbieri ◽  
Han Soo Lee ◽  
Dino Zardi
Keyword(s):  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Extreme Precipitation ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Rain Gauges ◽  
Marche Region ◽  
Extreme Precipitation Events ◽  
Rainfall Trends ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Gis Software

Extreme precipitation trends and events are fundamental for the definition of the region’s climate and allow the subsequent analysis of the risk for the territory and the possible countermeasures. This study takes into account the Marche Region (Central Italy) with 128 rain gauges from 1921 to 2017. Initially, in order to obtain a rainfall overview, the dominant trend of the period 1921–2017 was evaluated. Initially, in order to obtain a rainfall overview, the dominant trend of the period 1921–2017 was evaluated. In addition, to obtain a comparable analysis, the average precipitations grouped in climatological standard normals were analyzed. Finally, the main purpose of the research was achieved by analyzing extreme events in the middle Adriatic side. In addition, forecasts of extreme precipitation events, with a return period of 100 years, were made using the theory of “generalized extreme value” (GEV). The innovation of this research is represented by the use of geostatistics to spatialize the variables investigated, through a clear and immediate graphic representation performed through GIS software. This study is a necessary starting point for the study of climate dynamics in the region, and it is also a useful tool for land use planning.

scholarly journals The Role of Faults in Groundwater Circulation before and after Seismic Events: Insights from Tracers, Water Isotopes and Geochemistry

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1499
Author(s):  
Davide Fronzi ◽  
Francesco Mirabella ◽  
Carlo Cardellini ◽  
Stefano Caliro ◽  
Stefano Palpacelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preferential Flow ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Tracer Tests ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Tectonic Structures ◽  
Fault Systems ◽  
Isotopic Analyses ◽  
Before And After

The interaction between fluids and tectonic structures such as fault systems is a much-discussed issue. Many scientific works are aimed at understanding what the role of fault systems in the displacement of deep fluids is, by investigating the interaction between the upper mantle, the lower crustal portion and the upraising of gasses carried by liquids. Many other scientific works try to explore the interaction between the recharge processes, i.e., precipitation, and the fault zones, aiming to recognize the function of the abovementioned structures and their capability to direct groundwater flow towards preferential drainage areas. Understanding the role of faults in the recharge processes of punctual and linear springs, meant as gaining streams, is a key point in hydrogeology, as it is known that faults can act either as flow barriers or as preferential flow paths. In this work an investigation of a fault system located in the Nera River catchment (Italy), based on geo-structural investigations, tracer tests, geochemical and isotopic recharge modelling, allows to identify the role of the normal fault system before and after the 2016–2017 central Italy seismic sequence (Mmax = 6.5). The outcome was achieved by an integrated approach consisting of a structural geology field work, combined with GIS-based analysis, and of a hydrogeological investigation based on artificial tracer tests and geochemical and isotopic analyses.

scholarly journals Sustainability of sunflower cultivation for biodiesel production in central Italy according to the Renewable Energy Directive methodology

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Duca ◽  
Giuseppe Toscano ◽  
Ester Foppa Pedretti ◽  
Giovanni Riva
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Biodiesel Production ◽  
European Level ◽  
Minimum Threshold ◽  
Irrigated Crops ◽  
Standard Value ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
Definition Of

The use of renewable energies as alternative to fossil fuels has value from different points of view and has effects at environmental, social and economic level. These aspects are often connected to each other and together define the overall sustainability of bioenergy. At European level, the Directive 2009/28/EC gives the basic criteria for the estimation of sustainability of biofuels and indicates a minimum threshold of 35% of greenhouse gas saving for a biofuel in order to be considered sustainable. The Directive gives the possibility to identify standard regional values for the cultivation steps that could be utilized for the certification. This paper aims to give a contribution to the definition of these values considering the RED methodology applied to the sunflower cropped in central Italy which is characterized by a hilly landscape and not-irrigated crops. To determine input and output of sunflower cultivation in the central Italy, the results of PROBIO project, carried out by the Authors, were used. The sustainability of biodiesel produced from sunflower grown in central Italy is variable and depends on the nitrogen input and seasonal climatic conditions that affect the yields. The greenhouse gases savings of the Italian chain is 40% in average, greater than the required 35% and would be possible to assign this value as standard to the biofuel chain <em>biodiesel from sunflower cultivated in central Italy</em>. Using an averaged regional standard value guards against the possibility of considering unsustainable harvesting in unfavourable years and seeing it overestimated in the favourable ones.

scholarly journals DISTRIBUTION AND GENETIC ANALYSIS OF WILD-LIVING EURASIAN BEAVERS IN CENTRAL ITALY

Redia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 104 ◽  
pp. 209-215
Author(s):  
EMILIANO MORI ◽  
ANDREA VIVIANO ◽  
LEONARDO BRUSTENGA ◽  
FRANCESCO OLIVETTI ◽  
LUCA PEPPUCCI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Perception ◽  
Hair Sample ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Protected Species ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Eurasian Beaver ◽  
Marche Region ◽  
Free Ranging ◽  
Management And Conservation ◽  
Potential Origin

The presence of the Eurasian beaver Castor fiber L. has been recently confirmed with two separated populations in Tuscany (Central Italy) and probably represents the result of an unofficial release. In late spring and summer 2021, seven reliable records of Eurasian beaver have been collected in Umbria and other neighbouring regions, implying that the distribution of this large rodent is even wider than previously reported. In this short work, we updated the distribution of this protected species in Central Italy, by collecting and mapping all the confirmed occurrences. Beavers were proved to be present throughout the Tiber (Tevere) river basin in both provinces of Umbria, and another individual has been road-killed in the Marche region, near the border with Tuscany. Other single signs of presence occurred in Emilia Romagna and Latium. The only hair sample we were able to collect confirmed it as the Eurasian beaver species. No reliable evidence is available on the number of free-ranging beavers in Central Italy, and systematic monitoring is needed. Before any management and conservation action, further data are required concerning distribution range, potential origin, social perception, and the effects on the ecosystems.

scholarly journals Low Concentrations of Chlorhexidine Inhibit the Formation and Structural Integrity of Enzyme-Treated Multispecies Oral Biofilms

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Andrin Gränicher ◽  
Lamprini Karygianni ◽  
Thomas Attin ◽  
Thomas Thurnheer
Keyword(s):  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Fluorescent Dyes ◽  
Combined Treatment ◽  
Extracellular Proteins ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Extracellular Dna ◽  
Anaerobic Growth ◽  
Low Concentration ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Dental Hard Tissues

The self-produced matrix of biofilms, consisting of extracellular polymeric substances, plays an important role in biofilm adhesion to surfaces and the structural integrity of biofilms. In dentistry, biofilms cause multiple diseases such as caries, periodontitis, and pulpitis. Disruption of these biofilms adhering to dental hard tissues may pose a major challenge since biofilms show higher tolerance to antimicrobials and antibiotics than planktonic cells. In this study, the effect of low concentrations of chlorhexidine (CHX) on enzyme-treated multispecies oral biofilm was investigated in an in vitro model. Six-species biofilms were enzymatically treated by anaerobic growth in a medium containing DNase I and proteinase K. Biofilms were exposed to a low concentration of CHX at defined time points. After 64h, biofilms were either harvested and quantified by cultural analyses or stained for confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analyses using either Live/Dead kit or different fluorescent dyes. A mixture of YoPro1 and SYTOX™ Green, Fluorescent Brightener 28 (Calcofluor), and SYPRO™ Ruby Protein Gel Stain was used to stain total DNA, exopolysaccharides, and extracellular proteins, respectively. Extracellular DNA (eDNA) was visualized via an indirect immunofluorescence assay (Mouse anti-DNA IgG, Goat anti-Mouse IgG, Streptavidin-Cy3). Overall, the total colony-forming units significantly decreased after combined treatment with a low concentration of CHX and enzymes compared to the group treated with CHX alone (p&lt;0.001). These findings also apply to five species individually (Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis, Actinomyces oris, Veillonella dispar, and Candida albicans) occurring in the biofilms, with Fusobacterium nucleatum being the only exception. Furthermore, CLSM images showed less dense biofilms and a reduction in cell numbers after combined treatment compared to the group without enzymes. The combination of enzymes capable of disturbing the matrix integrity with antimicrobial agents thus appears to be a promising approach for biofilm disruption and killing.

A possible crawling paracomatulid crinoid from the Lower Jurassic of central Italy

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 523-532
Author(s):  
Riccardo Manni ◽  
Rolando Di Nardo
Keyword(s):  
Central Italy ◽  
Lower Jurassic ◽  
Central Apennines ◽  
Morphofunctional Analysis

A new paracomatulid crinoid, Tiburtocrinus toarcensis gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Lower Jurassic of Tivoli (central Apennines, Italy). This type of stemless crinoids has never previously been recorded in Italy, and this report bridges a significant gap. Morphofunctional analysis of the radial facets suggests that Tiburtocrinus toarcensis gen. et sp. nov. may have been a crawling paracomatulid, very different from other paracomatulids that probably swam.

scholarly journals Nearshore Sandbar Classification of Sabaudia (Italy) with LiDAR Data: The FHyL Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1053 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Taramelli ◽  
Sergio Cappucci ◽  
Emiliana Valentini ◽  
Lorenzo Rossi ◽  
Iolanda Lisi
Keyword(s):  
Central Italy ◽  
Management Technique ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Spectroscopic Techniques ◽  
Sand Bars ◽  
Bed Form ◽  
Position Index ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Spectral Libraries

An application of the FHyL (field spectral libraries, airborne hyperspectral images and topographic LiDAR) method is presented. It is aimed to map and classify bedforms in submerged beach systems and has been applied to Sabaudia coast (Tirrenyan Sea, Central Italy). The FHyl method allows the integration of geomorphological observations into detailed maps by the multisensory data fusion process from hyperspectral, LiDAR, and in-situ radiometric data. The analysis of the sandy beach classification provides an identification of the variable bedforms by using LiDAR bathymetric Digital Surface Model (DSM) and Bathymetric Position Index (BPI) along the coastal stretch. The nearshore sand bars classification and analysis of the bed form parameters (e.g., depth, slope and convexity/concavity properties) provide excellent results in very shallow waters zones. Thanks to well-established LiDAR and spectroscopic techniques developed under the FHyL approach, remote sensing has the potential to deliver significant quantitative products in coastal areas. The developed method has become the standard for the systematic definition of the operational coastal airborne dataset that must be provided by coastal operational services as input to national downstream services. The methodology is also driving the harmonization procedure of coastal morphological dataset definition at the national scale and results have been used by the authorities to adopt a novel beach management technique.

scholarly journals Microscopic investigations as an aid in raw ham’s ripening analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Domenico Paludi ◽  
Giovanni Di Guardo ◽  
Alberto Olivastri ◽  
Antonio Zizzi ◽  
Corrado Rubini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Italy ◽  
Biochemical Reactions ◽  
Time Intervals ◽  
Ripening Process ◽  
Marche Region ◽  
Microscopic Findings ◽  
Microscopic Investigations

The raw ham’s ripening process contributes to the development of numerous biochemical reactions, mainly affecting proteins and lipids and allowing to obtain an adequate texture and a characteristic flavor. This article reports the results of histologic investigations carried out on 5 different anatomic regions from raw hams manufactured in the Fermo Province, Marche Region, Central Italy. Raw ham specimens were collected at the 10 following time intervals throughout the ripening process: 1) “Time 0”, when ripening was started, 2) one month, 3) three months, 4) four months, 5) eight months, 6) nine months, 7) twelve months, 8) eighteen months, 9) twentythree months and 10) twenty-eight months after the ripening process began, respectively. Different microscopic findings of variable extension and degree were observed, with the vast majority of them being interpreted as dehydration- and proteolysisrelated modifications. In conclusion, morpho- histological investigations may represent a valuable aid in raw ham’s ripening analysis.

scholarly journals No Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 Circulation in Rome (Italy) during the Pre-Pandemic Period: Results of a Retrospective Surveillance

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (22) ◽  
pp. 8461
Author(s):  
Carlo Capalbo ◽  
Enrico Bertamino ◽  
Alessandro Zerbetto ◽  
Iolanda Santino ◽  
Andrea Petrucca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
World Health ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Causative Agents ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Health Organization

In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the COVID-19 outbreak recorded over the previous months could be characterized as a pandemic. The first known Italian SARS-CoV-2 positive case was reported on 21 February. In some countries, cases of suspected “COVID-19-like pneumonia” had been reported earlier than those officially accepted by health authorities. This has led many investigators to check preserved biological or environmental samples to see whether the virus was detectable on dates prior to those officially stated. With regard to Italy, the results of a microbiological screening in sewage samples collected between the end of February and the beginning of April 2020 from wastewaters in Milan (Northern Italy) and Rome (Central Italy) showed presence of SARS-CoV-2. In the present study, we evaluated, by means of a standardized diagnostic method, the SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence amongst patients affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARI) in an academic hospital located in Central Italy during the period of 1 November 2019–1 March 2020. Overall, the number of emergency room (ER) visits during the investigated period was 13,843. Of these, 1208 had an influenza-like syndrome, but only 166 matched the definition of SARI as stated in the study protocol. A total of 52 SARI cases were laboratory confirmed as influenza: 26 as a type B virus, 25 as a type A, and 1 as both viruses. Although about 17% of the total sample had laboratory or radiological data compatible with COVID-19, all the nasopharyngeal swabs stored underwent SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and tested negative. Based on our result, it is confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic spread did not start prior to the “official” onset in central Italy. Routine monitoring of SARI causative agents at the local level is critical for reporting epidemiologic and etiologic trends that may differ from one country to another and also among different influenza seasons. This has a practical impact on prevention and control strategies.

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