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Long considered a cultural contact zone, the Mediterranean has become a weaponised border zone keeping refugees from Africa and the Middle East away from 'Fortress Europe'. The Mediterranean has become excessively dangerous to cross, leading many commentators to call this maritime space a 'massive graveyard'. The widespread indifference and enmity towards migrants in Europe is, amongst other things, countered by documentary and commemorative projects by artists drawing attention to the suffering of drowned refugees. In this paper, I zoom in on documentary and memorial artistic projects by Mimmo Paladino, Jason deCaires Taylor, Christoph Büchel, Ai Weiwei and Đỉnh Q. Lê. In the frequent absence of dead bodies and specific grave sites on the 'high seas', they make claims regarding the humanity, singularity and memorability of the human lives of refugees drowned at sea. Based on a description of the artworks and their public, I make two interlinked theoretical arguments. First, the commemorative materialisations by contemporary artists are temporal claims to constitute the cultural heritage of the future. Second, given the sea's aquatic materiality, the commemorative claims of these art projects require that commemorative materialisations must spatially move from the flux of the sea to the fixity of the land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assess the importance of three relevant and readily obtainable life-history traits (dispersal syndrome, stem height and growth form) and biogeographical origin (European vs. non-European) on the local and regional abundance of over 400 exotic plant species across eight Mediterranean islands. The Mediterranean islands of Lesbos, Rhodes, Crete, Malta, Corsica, Sardinia, Majorca and Minorca. We adopt two abundance criteria for each exotic species: the proportion of islands in which the species occurs (regional abundance), and a qualitative estimate of species abundance within each of five islands (local abundance). Subsequently, we assess the relationship between local and regional abundance, as well as the role of key life-history traits on both regional and local abundance. These analyses were undertaken separately for the European exotics and the non-European exotics. Only 10.9% of the species occur on more than four islands, and only four species are present on all eight islands. Both local and regional abundances were higher for the non-European than the European species. Local and regional abundances were positively correlated, particularly for exotics with non-European origins. Wind-dispersed species tended to have higher regional abundance than species dispersed by other means but this trend only occurred for local abundance on two islands — Corsica and Majorca. Neither a species’ growth form nor its stem height explained trends in regional or local abundance. Although wind-dispersed exotics are more widespread in the Mediterranean, plant life-history traits appear to play a lesser role in invasion success than area of biogeographical origin. In general, exotic species of non-European origin were more abundant at both local and regional scales. Invasion patterns should be interpreted at both local and regional scales, but the stochastic nature of biological invasions may limit deterministic interpretations of invasion patterns, especially if islands are studied in isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marine context of the Lago Mare deposit near Malaga has received agreement as well as its ascription to the third Lago Mare event of Clauzon et al. (2005). This deposit is not a “transitional unit towards normal marine conditions” but followed the marine reflooding of the Mediterranean Basin, allowing the connection with the Dacic Basin (Eastern Paratethys). We show that this Lago Mare event did not result from a climatic change leading to a dilution episode but from a high sea-level connection. Different interpretations on the respective effects of tectonics and eustatism on the sedimentary archives linked to the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) are once more debated. They depend on (1) the duration assigned to the MSC and its subdivisions, (2) the amplitude of the successive sea level variations, and at last (3) the dimensional (local or regional) view of the MSC. Such discrepancies concern subsidiary matters which cannot mask first order facts and progresses in their knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: The COVID‐19 pandemic has induced a considerable amount of mental health difficulties, ranging from anxiety and depression to psychosis. As services struggle to cope with the demand for support, the effect of such psychological challenges on quality of life remains a major concern. What does the paper add to existing knowledge?: Since the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic, a vast amount of research has focused on the physical consequences of the virus. Gradually, studies on the mental health effects related to the pandemic started to emerge, as it became clear that mental health difficulties were as present and as concerning as the physical ones. Whilst such studies commonly explore the prevalence and nature of the presenting mental health challenges, the publication of personal mental health experiences linked to the ongoing situation is lacking. Introducing the human element in literature is an important means of raising awareness on the mental health difficulties that can be triggered by the pandemic. Using public figures such as the individual in this paper is additionally powerful due to the role model effect. What are the implications for practice?: The paper highlights the need for enhanced awareness and monitoring of mental health especially by health professionals who therefore need to receive adequate mental health training. Furthermore, mental health awareness efforts need to be considered as being a part of the role of the psychiatric and mental health nurse who is at a prime position to educate, monitor and support those receiving care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menstrual health is important for adolescent girls and is particularly compromised in displaced communities due to restricted access to information and lack of private spaces to manage menstruation. Menarche is the biological and social milestone of girls' adolescence, marking the onset of puberty and confirming womanhood in many communities. It also marks a difficult transitional period influenced by socio-cultural beliefs and expectations. Menstrual preparedness is critical for this transition, and the lack of accurate, timely, age-appropriate information might impact current, and future reproductive health and well-being. This paper investigates the menstrual preparedness status of adolescents living in Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank and Jordan. These are long-term refugee camps characterised by a variety of social, economic, and political constraints affecting the health of women and girls. We conducted 39 in-depth interviews and 23 focus-group discussions with adolescent girls. The study reveals inadequate menstrual preparedness among the participants, especially in pre-menarche. Among the barriers to adequate menstrual preparedness is a predominance of practical concerns, such as the use of sanitary pads and hygienic practices, socio-cultural norms that promote secrecy and taboo around menstruation, and divergent notions of timeliness of information among girls, their mothers, and teachers. The study contends that addressing the taboo around menstruation requires joint efforts by the family, school, and social services. Menstrual preparedness should begin early and encompass biological, practical, emotional, and psychological components. The paper advocates for Comprehensive, Contextually Relevant, Timely Menstrual Preparedness (CCTMP) policies and initiatives, empowering adolescent girls, their mothers, and educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to draw a balance sheet of different approaches to the interpretation of Roman expansion to the East between 200 and 30 B.C. It was done mainly through wars against Macedon, Syria and Egypt. In order to accomplish this a short analysis is made of three ways of explaining this: that of Arthur Eckstein, called realist, that of Paul Burton, constructivist, and that of William Harris, who emphazises Rome's agresiveness, unmatched in those times. The conclusion is that, although not all of them are pro-Roman, they are made with an American perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Teenage pregnancy and motherhood is a crucial problem in countries of the World Health Organisation Eastern Mediterranean Region (WHO–EMR). The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse the phenomenon of adolescent childbearing in ten countries according to social determinants like milieu (rural–urban), education level, wealth quintiles, territoriality (countries, regions) and nationality. Methods: Inequity in terms of adolescent childbearing was analysed using disaggregated data given by Demographic Health Surveys (DHS), UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and the Pan Arab Project for Family Health (PAPFAM) surveys. Beside the absolute differences (gaps) and relative differences (ratios), the index of dissimilarity (ID) was used to compare the distributions of adolescent pregnancy and motherhood by social determinants in each country. Results: Data analysis indicates that the average percentage of adolescent women aged 15–19 years who have begun childbearing shows a large difference between countries, varying from 0.4% in Tunisia to 15.1% in Sudan, combined with huge gaps within each country as indicated by the values of the index of dissimilarity. Poor, rural and non-educated adolescent girls are more exposed to teenage childbearing than their counterparts—rich, urban and educated girls. Conclusion: According to different social determinants, sensible variations are seen in terms of adolescent pregnancy and motherhood within the ten countries considered in this study. This is a clear appeal to decision makers to reduce child marriage and pregnancy by acting on social determinants of health, targeting disadvantaged girls coming mainly from marginalised groups and poor families living in remote rural zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent so called Mediterranean refugee crisis has ignited concerns about the magnitude of the flows of asylum seekers to Europe. This paper examines the determinants of the destination choice of first time non-EU asylum applicants to the EU, between 2008–2020. It investigates the role played by policies related to employment rights, processing of asylum applications, attractiveness of the welfare system, economic factors and networks on the destination of asylum seekers within the EU. We find that the strongest pull factor for asylum seekers to a destination is social networks both in terms of previous asylum applicants as well as stock of previous migrants. Our findings also suggest that employment bans are not a strong deterrence for asylum seekers given their modest association to asylum flows. • This paper examines the pull factors for asylum seekers to EU destination countries. • We focus on non-EU first time asylum applicants between 2008-2020. • The results suggest that social networks are the strongest pull factor. • Policies in destinations are modestly associated to asylum flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While surveillance on a global scale has been showing a decline in tobacco smoking in the past decade, rates in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) remained stable with some countries showing rising trends. This study aimed to analyze the landscape of tobacco research in the EMR, present data on publication trends, and identify research gaps and opportunities to guide future tobacco research in the region. We conducted a scoping review of tobacco research in seven countries from January 2000 to December 2013. Three hundred and forty eight studies were identified, the majority of which were published in international journals and in English language. There was an increase in publications over time, with a significant positive linear trend (p = 0.03). Descriptive cross-sectional and case–control studies were the most common study designs (67.0%), and only 8% were longitudinal studies. Papers that reported, in part or solely, on waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) constituted 25.6% of the total publication pool. Tobacco consumption was treated as an exposure variable in half of the papers and mostly in relation to cancer and cardiovascular diseases, as an outcome measure in 37.7%, and as a confounding variable in 14.7% of the papers. Studies that examined associations of tobacco with other behaviors (5.3%) were lacking. The scarcity of high-evidence tobacco research in the EMR, together with the relatively deficient data on WTS and associations with other factors warrant the need for discussions on research priority setting and guidance on funding allocations in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numismatists have long puzzled over the number of imitation Andrea Dandolo ducats that circulated in the eastern Mediterranean. The minting authority, location, and purpose of these coins has proved elusive. This study distinguishes between multiple types of imitation Andrea Dandolo ducats, focusing on Dandolo Types 1 and 2. A close examination of the coins themselves, including a punch analysis and gold content measurements, suggests multiple origins. This paper presents new theories about the source and circulation of these types of imitation coins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the 1840s Italian society began to see the Mediterranean region as a dangerous place to live, owing to what was regarded as threats represented by Austria, Great Britain, France, and even Russia and the United States. This conviction resulted from various affairs both within and outside Europe, where the same powers were accused of behaving in an overtly aggressive way, which was used as an argument for the political unity of Italy's various states in order to give them greater strength for defence. Since danger was seen all around, this unity became important for both the peninsular Italians and the Sicilians, who agreed on the need to establish an Italian league with federal land and naval forces. The principal objective of this paper is to show that the question of Sicily's future was seen as a question of not only Italy's security, but also of its future position in the Mediterranean as a whole, and that the de facto unanimous support of Sicily's membership in the league in 1848 resulted from this self-protecting response that, moreover, already contained proto-imperialist tendencies in which for geostrategic reasons the island played an important role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how the olive tree and olive oil continue to seep into imaginaries of the Mediterranean. The olive tree, long lived and durable, requires human intervention to be productive: it is emblematic of the Mediterranean region and the longstanding human habitation of it. Long central to the religious imaginaries and practices of the monotheistic tradition and those which preceded it, olive oil has emerged, in recent decades, as the star of The Mediterranean Diet. This paper, inspired by anthropologists who follow the 'thing', also follows the advocates, both scientists and chefs, who tout the scientific research which underpins The Mediterranean Diet's claims, which critics might consider part of contemporary ideologies of 'healthism' and 'nutritionism'. Nonetheless, as I analyze, this diet with its olive oil star, and the forms of sociality which are imagined to be part of it continue to affect the circulations of olive oil, culinary practices, and people from and to the Mediterranean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composition and diversity of forest macromoth communities strongly depend on the tree cover and they are very sensitive to environmental changes in terms of species composition and their relative abundance. Very few studies concerning the composition of forest Lepidoptera have been carried out on thermophilous oaks, one of the forest types most intensively exploited by humans for timber and other forest products. In this paper we analysed a georeferenced dataset of macromoths collected in an oak-dominated landscape of southern Italy in order to describe moth communities and their functional relationships with forest cover. We found that moth communities inhabiting cork oak and riparian woodlots are the most functionally linked to the tree cover, mainly because of less fragmentation than other investigated forest types. Eupithecia dodoneata, Cyclophora puppillaria, and Catocala nymphagoga were the most abundant oak-feeders, the last two shared with other moth communities of thermophilous oaks sampled in Spain and Corsica. However, all of them were absent in studies carried out in Central Europe where more mesophilous oak woodlots were sampled and where some species found in Calabrian beech forests at high altitudes were abundant. Standardized studies are needed to clarify large-scale functional relationships between moth communities and a given forest type, allowing us to predict and mitigate the detrimental effects due to land use and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Croatia is one of the well-known Mediterranean destinations for nautical tourism which full development potential is waiting to be used. Cultural attractions, indented coastline, numerous islands, climatic and other advantages are not enough. Croatia needs new infra- and supra-structures, which are reflected through investments in new marinas, anchorages and other facilities. Portugal is an Atlantic country, but with a Mediterranean culture due to its proximity and (potentially) benefiting from its extensive shoreline, two archipelagos, and being located in a geographical position where thousands of yachts pass by each year. The article aims to analyse the accommodation capacities of nautical tourism ports in Croatia and in Portugal. The authors have given an overview of the current situation with an emphasis on the differences and possibilities. The purpose of this article is to analyse the legal objective of nautical tourism and the growing need for accommodation capacities in ports of nautical tourism in both countries. The authors have carried out the research and have analysed data from different years and regions. Although more in Croatia, nautical tourism is a significant part of the national economy in both countries with a strong incentive on the local community. The special goal of this paper is to research into and analyse the economic and ecological impact of nautical tourism through ports of nautical tourism and with a special emphasis on marinas. The result obtained and the critical overview has been presented as one of the important contributions of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The present paper reviews a number of geophysical and geological datasets acquired in recent and less recent times on the modern Messina Strait, aiming at reconstructing the sedimentary dynamics of this complex system. In a second paper, the results achieved with the present study are used as proxy for interpreting the analogue lower Pleistocene succession cropping out along the margins of the modern strait. The tide-dominated Messina Strait separates the Italian peninsula and Sicily in the central Mediterranean Sea. This 3-km-wide marine passageway is governed by bi-directional tidal currents flowing along the strait axis, because of semi-diurnal tidal phase opposition, so that high tide in the Ionian Sea corresponds with low tide in the Tyrrhenian Sea and vice versa. Tidal currents cyclically accelerate passing through the strait central restriction and decelerate towards the strait exits, following reverse directions during each tidal phase. This hydrodynamics generates specific by-pass areas, sediment routes and accumulation patterns in the modern strait, based upon the varying bed-shear stress exerted onto the strait bottom by the converging/diverging M2 tidal waves. Recent multibeam-based investigations on the modern Messina Strait bottom reveal subaqueous morpho-bathymetric features, which allow a number of areas with specific morphologic characters and sedimentary processes to be identified: (i) the 'strait-centre zone' is the narrowest and shallowest by-pass sector, where the tidal currents reach their maximum strength eroding and scouring the substrate. (ii) Towards NE and S, two larger 'dune-bedded zones' occur. Here, clastic sediments transported as bed load and in suspension are accumulated and continuously reworked forming characteristic bedform fields, whose features reflect complex current patterns due to a strong tidal asymmetry. (iii) The 'strait-end zones' represent distal depositional areas, where decelerating currents rework fine-grained smaller moribund dunes. (iv) The 'strait-margin zones' are diffusely characterised by mass-wasting processes along the steepest sublittoral sectors, where sediment instability are caused by earthquakes or sea storms. Fan-deltas prograde from the gentler-sloping coastal segments, represent the main sediment entry points with episodic, high-magnitude discharge and are influenced by the tidal circulation only along their delta-front parts. However, a dogmatic zone partition, based on a 'mutually-evasive' mechanism of sediment distribution and consequent decrease in the transport capacity towards the strait ends is not everywhere applicable to the Messina Strait sedimentary dynamics. The examination of measured tidal ellipses reveals that although flood and ebb tidal currents are approximately equal in speed, they are collinear only across the narrowest zone, being separated as the strait enlarges. This flow separation has possibly generated two main populations of flood and ebb bedforms, which migrate at high angle and with reverse direction in the two dune-bedded zones of the strait. Moreover, because of a strong water-mass stratification due to a marked difference in salinity, the denser flood constituent dominates over the lighter ebb current. As a consequence, the largest dunes observed in both the strait opposite depositional areas have northward-oriented lee faces, whereas superimposed smaller dunes have southward-oriented fronts, reflecting flood and ebb tidal constituents, respectively. Erosional features in the central sill, uncharacteristic bedforms having orientations not explained by modern currents and coarser grains in some places implying thresholds of motion larger than the modern currents all suggest that different, most likely, larger currents, probably occurred at some point in the past. It is suggested here that these features reflect an early stage of strait connection, during the initial sea-level rise after the Last Glacial Maximum. The data reviewed in the present work summarise the complex sedimentary dynamics of the modern Messina Strait and allow a comparative analysis of the ancient strait exposed along the modern margins, also suggesting insights for other examples of tidal straits developed under similar oceanographic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the role of stakeholders in creating and managing food tourism experiences. The main aim was to discover who participates in this process, why, and how. The research is based on interviews and participatory observation of twenty-two case studies mainly located in rural areas in eight Mediterranean countries. The paper focuses on two types of food experience: food events and food services with additional subtypes. The results reveal three models of stakeholder collaboration: one typical for events, one typical for services, and one emphasizing more direct interaction between visitors and local communities. The findings show diversity in the connections among stakeholders, who have different motives and roles in food experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: By reflecting on both the exclusionary and the inclusionary role of humanitarian migration and border management in the Central Mediterranean, this paper explores the relationship of humanitarianism with the delocalization of the EU border and with human rights. First, the paper analyses the role of human rights in the institutional humanitarian discourse about migration and border management at the Mediterranean EU border. The paper then analyses the Italian operation Mare Nostrum and, more generally, Italian humanitarianized border management in the Central Mediterranean. In doing this, it shows that humanitarianism contributes to the discursive legitimation and spatial delocalization of exclusionary policies and practices. Moreover, humanitarianism contributes to a symbolically and legally subordinate inclusion of migrants in the European space. While such humanitarian inclusion can be more inclusive than what human rights would require, it is posited as an act of grace rather than an enhancement of human rights. In both its exclusionary and inclusionary dimension, humanitarianism transcends and expands territorial boundaries by outsourcing responsibilities and enhancing delocalized border management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the tempo of celebration in prehistoric Malta through the deployment of new fieldwork data and comparison with ethnographic study of modern celebrations on the same island. The article commemorates the late Jeremy Boissevain and his stimulation of new ways of thinking about prehistory, assesses and updates the 1990 article in World Archaeology by two of the current authors, and deploys new computerized modelling of celestial alignments, in the context of new chronologies and sequential data of celebratory locales. The paper shows how contrasts between the tempo of celebration in modern times and prehistory emerge by comparing ethnographic and archaeological evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on a close reading of Greek and Rodesli (Rhodian Jewish) narratives focusing on the time when Rhodes was under Italian (1912-1943) and then German (1943-1945) rule, the last period when religiously diverse communities coexisted in the island. While Greek historiography seeks to vindicate the island’s final integration into the Greek national space, Rodesli memory is meant to preserve the heritage of a community destroyed by the Nazis. Notably, these corpuses make no references to one another. This phenomenon of soliloquy, the article argues, is illustrative of a competitive memory characteristic of recollections of the past in the eastern Mediterranean and challenges nostalgic invocations of a pre-national, “cosmopolitan” Mediterranean. Broadening the discussion to other post-Ottoman settings, the article draws attention to property redistribution in the aftermath of ethnic cleansing as a major factor in the separation of memory along communal lines. Noting the omnipresence of the figure of the “ghost” in the literature on the region, the paper finally explores the heuristic potential of hauntology to conceive histories of the region that would be inclusive and yet attentive to the differences in the nature, purpose and reciprocal indifference of the sources and of the asymmetrical relations of power in which they were produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU’s initial reaction to the Arab uprisings in the field of energy cooperation was yet another proposal for creating an integrated Euro-Mediterranean energy market, despite the moot success of previous efforts. This paper investigates the policy frame underpinning the EU’s persistent focus on market-regulatory harmonization since the late 1990s and enquires into whether it has experienced any change in the post-uprising context. While the paper finds an enduring dominance of themarket-liberal frame, it also identifies signs of its erosion through processes ofreframingandmisframing, affecting also the EU’s practical engagement with the region. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

After the Arab uprisings, the EU designed a new regional programme for the development of the agricultural sector of the European Neighbourhood Policy partners. The European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD) is based on an integrated logic for rural development. This new conceptual framework advocates multi-sectoral planning and the active participation of local actors in the decision-making process in order to promote inclusive growth and to support small and medium enterprises. This approach aims to contribute to the security and stability of the rural areas of the Arab Mediterranean partners. This paper analyses ENPARD and it argues that the inclusion of new actors in the design of the programme has partially challenged established views of policy-makers within the EU. However, EU engagement in this area is still determined by a hierarchical mode that puts local actors at the bottom of the decision-making process and it is driven by a technocratic ratchet mechanism that fits new information into existing cognitive frames. Despite some positive changes in national policies, the paper claims that this type of technocratic engineering does not change social relations in rural areas and it undermines the success of the programme. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The main aim of this work is to progress in the study of desertification processes in Mediterranean regions in the framework of DESERTNET project by means of the execution of pilot studies and development of evaluation models. This paper shows the results of an investigation on the degradation processes of soils carried out in the Murcia Region (SE, Spain). Specifically, salinization problems in Murcia Region were evaluated by means of two chemical degradation indicators, salinization state and salinization rate. We define chemical degradation indicator as the representative value of an observed chemical phenomenon in soil which produce its degradation. Chemical degradation indicators were calculated in order to simplify the interpretation of all the complex processes involved in environmental monitoring. The results obtained showed that in some areas an increase in salinization processes is taking place. On the other hand, there are only a few points with high a risk of salinization, obtaining similar results in the two periods of time studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The academic literature largely attributes causes for migration to economic disparities between sending and receiving countries as well as to social networks and the presence family or friends overseas. Studies on political migration motives are mostly related to so-called forced migration, i.e. migration in the case of life-threatening situations, such as civil war and ethnic cleansing. Less attention has been paid to the political circumstances of voluntary migration. The paper at hand investigates this gap in the literature and examines the effect of several political indicators on young people's intention to move abroad. The quantitative analysis is based on a unique survey data set from four Arab Mediterranean countries (Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia), comprising information on about 8000 respondents aged between 15 and 29. Applying a multinomial logistic regression model, we show that political discontent significantly increases the intentions of young people to migrate. Among others, the perception of democracy and the ability to shape government policies are important determinants of migration intentions. Moreover, we find that the perception of corruption and the experience of violence in everyday life are particularly important in young people's decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One consequence of European unification has been the transformation of the Mediterranean Sea into a defensive moat to stop the flow of unwanted migrants. In this techno-political moat, the communication networks of 'Fortress Europe' have established, through monitoring and interception technologies (and their corresponding speech acts), a buffer zone surrounding European Union (EU) territorial waters. In this buffer zone, the EU and its member states impose on refugees and migrants a survival test that stops all but the fittest from entering – a test that often results in serious and irreversible human rights violations. This paper examines the Mediterranean as a transidiomatic environment: a multilingual space shaped by the communicative practices of groups of people, either territorially defined or deterritorialized, who interact using an array of both face-to-face and long-distance media. These interactions are activated by two sets of opposing players: those involved in border reinforcement and those engaged in border crossing. Transidiomatic practices, in the form of either order-words or passwords, provide an effective angle for the analysis of the intense conflicts and struggles that today fill the Mediterranean borderscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water resources in Mediterranean regions are under increasing pressure due to climate change, economic development, and population growth. Many Mediterranean rivers have their headwaters in mountainous regions where hydrological processes are driven by snowpack dynamics and the specific variability of the Mediterranean climate. A good knowledge of the snow processes in the Mediterranean mountains is therefore a key element of water management strategies in such regions. The objective of this paper is to review the literature on snow hydrology in Mediterranean mountains to identify the existing knowledge, key research questions, and promising technologies. We collected 620 peer-reviewed papers, published between 1913 and 2016, that deal with the Mediterranean-like mountain regions in the western United States, the central Chilean Andes, and the Mediterranean basin. A large amount of studies in the western United States form a strong scientific basis for other Mediterranean mountain regions. We found that: (1) the persistence of snow cover is highly variable in space and time but mainly controlled by elevation and precipitation; (2) the snowmelt is driven by radiative fluxes, but the contribution of heat fluxes is stronger at the end of the snow season and during heat waves and rain-on-snow events; (3) the snow densification rates are higher in these regions when compared to other climate regions; and (4) the snow sublimation is an important component of snow ablation, especially in high-elevation regions. Among the pressing issues is the lack of continuous ground observation in high-elevation regions. However, a few years of snow depth (HS) and snow water equivalent (SWE) data can provide realistic information on snowpack variability. A better spatial characterization of snow cover can be achieved by combining ground observations with remotely sensed snow data. SWE reconstruction using satellite snow cover area and a melt model provides reasonable information that is suitable for hydrological applications. Further advances in our understanding of the snow processes in Mediterranean snow-dominated basins will be achieved by finer and more accurate representation of the climate forcing. While the theory on the snowpack energy and mass balance is now well established, the connections between the snow cover and the water resources involve complex interactions with the sub-surface processes, which demand future investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of unarticulated human remains with anthropic marks in archaeological contexts normally involves solving two issues: a general one associated with the analysis and description of the anthropic manipulation marks, and another with regard to the interpretation of their purpose. In this paper we present new evidence of anthropophagic behaviour amongst hunter-gatherer groups of the Mediterranean Mesolithic. A total of 30 human remains with anthropic manipulation marks have been found in the Mesolithic layers of Coves de Santa Maira (Castell de Castells, Alicante, Spain), dating from ca. 10.2–9 cal ky BP. We describe the different marks identified on both human and faunal remains at the site (lithic, tooth, percussion and fire marks on bone cortex). As well as describing these marks, and considering that both human and faunal remains at the site present similar depositional and taphonomic features, this paper also contextualizes them within the archaeological context and subsistence patterns described for Mesolithic groups in the region. We cannot entirely rule out the possibility that these practices may be the result of periodic food stress suffered by the human populations. These anthropophagic events at the site coincide with a cultural change at the regional Epipalaeolithic-Mesolithic transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically examines the soil exhaustion and societal collapse hypothesis both theoretically and empirically. The persistence of civilizations, especially in the Mediterranean, despite intensive and presumably erosive arable farming creates what is described here as the archaeology soil erosion paradox. This paper examines the data used to estimate past erosion and weathering rates before presenting case studies that engage with the theoretical arguments. Study 1 shows 5000 years of high slope erosion rates with both soil use and agriculture continuously maintained in the catchment. Study 2 shows how ancient agricultural terraces were constructed as part of an integrated agricultural system that fed the ancient city of Stymphalos-now abandoned. Study 3 presents a recent example of how after the removal of terraces high soil erosion rates result during intense rainstorms but that arable agriculture can still be maintained while external costs are borne by other parties. What these case studies have in common is the creation of soil, and increased weathering rates while productivity is maintained due to a combination of soft bedrock and/or agricultural terraces. In societal terms this may not be sustainable but it does not necessarily lead to land abandonment or societal collapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an operational chain for high-resolution leaf area index (LAI) retrieval from multiresolution satellite data specifically developed for Mediterranean rice areas. The proposed methodology is based on the inversion of the PROSAIL radiative transfer model through the state-of-the-art nonlinear Gaussian process regression (GPR) method. Landsat and SPOT5 data were used for multitemporal LAI retrievals at high-resolution. LAI estimates were validated using time series of in situ LAI measurements collected during the rice season in Spain and Italy. Ground LAI data were collected with smartphones using PocketLAI, a specific phone application for LAI estimation. Temporal evolution of the LAI estimates using Landsat and SPOT5 data followed consistently the temporal evolution of the in situ LAI measurements acquired on several Mediterranean rice varieties. The estimates had a root-mean-square-error (RMSE) of 0.39 and 0.51 m 2 /m 2 in Spain and 0.38 and 0.47 m 2 /m 2 in Italy for Landsat and SPOT5 respectively, with a strong correlation (R 2 > 0.92) for both cases. Spatial-temporal assessment of the estimated LAI from Landsat and SPOT5 data confirmed the robustness and consistency of the retrieval chain. This paper demonstrates the importance of an adequate characterization of the underlying rice background in order to address changes in background condition related to water management. Results highlight the potential of the proposed chain for deriving multitemporal near real-time decametric LAI maps fundamental for operational rice crop monitoring, and demonstrate the readiness of the proposed method for the processing of data such as the recently launched Sentinel-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent and ongoing technological developments make the application of unmanned aerial platforms increasingly accessible for archaeological research and heritage management. While the effectiveness of drones for documentation purposes of standing monuments and excavations has been amply demonstrated in recent years, there are also promising developments in their application for landscape archaeological projects. In this paper, the potential use of drones for the detection of subsurface archaeological remains in mountainous, Mediterranean landscapes is explored by presenting a case study in Molise, South Italy. In this rugged, Apennine area, traditional aerial archaeology approaches have in the past failed to yield good results as regards the detection and documentation of subsurface structures through crop marks. Recent experiments with low altitude, both vertical and oblique aerial photography using small, consumer friendly UAV's drones have, however, produced important and clearly readable information about the existence and extent of subsurface features in a series of sites in the Tappino Valley in Molise. This paper presents the first results of a case study of a complex rural site of the Classical-Roman period. Consequently, the paper discusses the potential value and feasibility of UAV's for archaeological research and cultural heritage management. In particular, the potential of the integration of UAV imagery in existing standard landscape archaeological research methods, such as field survey and geophysical prospection, is discussed. It is concluded that the targeted use of small remote controlled aerial platforms can significantly add to existing practices of both site-recognition and heritage management in the heavily threatened Mediterranean landscapes, and that it can be feasibly and efficiently integrated within standard methodologies applied in field survey projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until recently, Mediterranean countries were called on by European Union officials to provide for a “less-rigid” regulatory framework, in order to enhance “flexicurity”. This paper critically examines post-2008 flexibilization trends by focusing on Spanish, Italian and Greek regions. Starting from a contextualization of atypical employment and security, it then moves in a twofold direction; firstly, it presents the Flexible Contractual Arrangements and Active Labour Market Policies composite indicators, calculated for the NUTS-II regions of 12 member states for 2008 and 2011. These indicators reveal the changing ranking, especially of the Greek regions, towards higher labour market flexibility and relatively low levels of employability security; secondly, it focuses on the changing forms of atypical labour in the six regions that host the capital and the most important port city of Greece, Italy and Spain, respectively, by offering data on the expansion of flexible arrangements therein. The uneven flexibilization trends found in the study regions are seen as an outcome of the interaction between the general devaluation trends, different backgrounds and regionally specific patterns of labour market adjustment, while employment is found to be neither “rigid” nor “flexicure”. The paper concludes with some remarks on the relation between post-2008 dismantling of local labour regimes, restructuring and flexicurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the author analyzes the presence of ancient Egyptian shabtis discovered around Europe. These are commonly related to the diffusion of ancient Egyptian cults during the Late and Greco-Roman periods. The first section discusses the role of shabtis in Egyptian religious and funerary custom. The second describes the production of shabtis. The third deals with the so-called forgeries from the Greco-Roman period. The fourth discusses the diffusion of shabtis during this period, and the fifth offers hypotheses about their use in the Mediterranean world. The sixth analyzes various examples of shabtis discovered in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents ethnographic data on a migrant-specific nursing home ward in Switzerland. It shows that the structurally pre-defined segregation of residents sharing a common characteristic affects care practices along three dimensions: performances of sameness/otherness, informalisation of relationships and language/understanding. Yet, 'death work' showed little difference to non-segregated wards. However, relatives' practices in dying trajectories were less congruent with nursing home 'doing death', and collisions may evolve. The need for negotiations associated with running a segregated ward seems to elicit enhanced institutional reflexivity with potential to increase the ability of institutions to provide diversity-sensitive services to all residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This synthesis paper offers a comparative perspective on how seven different Mediterranean regions, from Iberia and Morocco to the Levant, have been transformed by human and natural agencies during the past 10 millennia. It draws on a range of data sources: notably (1) archaeological site surveys (n = 32,000) and 14C dates (n = 12,000) as proxies for long-term population change, (2) pollen records as a proxy for past vegetation and land cover (n = 253) and (3) proxies, such as stable isotopes, from lake, cave and marine records as indicators of hydro-climate (n = 47). Where possible, these data sets have been made spatially and temporally congruent in order to examine relationships between them statistically and graphically. Data have been aggregated or averaged for each region/sub-region and put into 200-year time windows. Archaeo-demographic data show a clear increase at the start of Neolithic farming, followed by a series of regionally asynchronous fluctuations in population, prior to a pan-Mediterranean Roman settlement maximum. Pollen data indicate a late-Holocene decline in %Arboreal Pollen in those regions that were initially well wooded, but not in drier regions of the southern/eastern Mediterranean. Overall, the clearest palynological proxy for human land cover change is provided by the OJCV (tree crop) index. The cultivation of these trees in the eastern Mediterranean after 6500 cal. yr BP may have been an adaptive response to mid-Holocene climatic desiccation. These anthropogenic pollen indicators correlate more closely with trends in population than with regional hydro-climatic z scores, implying that they reflect primarily human activities. During the mid Holocene, most Mediterranean landscapes were transformed by a combination of climate and rural land use, but after ~3500 cal. yr BP, human actions became increasingly dominant in determining land cover. During the past 1500 years, the dominant landscape trajectory in the eastern Mediterranean was markedly different to that in the central/western Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a special issue on The Changing Face of the Mediterranean: Land Cover, Demography, and Environmental Change, which brings together up-to-date regional or thematic perspectives on major long-term trends in Mediterranean human–environment relations. Particularly, important insights are provided by palynology to reconstruct past vegetation and land cover, and archaeology to establish long-term demographic trends, but with further significant input from palaeoclimatology, palaeofire research and geomorphology. Here, we introduce the rationale behind this pan-Mediterranean research initiative, outline its major sources of evidence and method, and describe how individual submissions work to complement one another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The cultivation of marginal lands for bioenergy production has recently become a topic of research interest for the agronomic and agricultural economy scientific communities. The growing availability of arable land in the Mediterranean regions, as a consequence of the decline of cereal cropping systems and grain legume, provides ample opportunities for performing successful feedstock production on unmanaged areas. This paper seeks to capture and analyze ongoing and emerging questions concerning bioenergy production on marginal lands in the Mediterranean area in a framework of sustainability indicators. A qualitative methodology was adopted to evaluate the effectiveness of eight critical issues that bio-energy developers, scholars and policymakers should consider in terms of agronomic, techno-economic and methodological practices for growing bioenergy feedstock. The issues investigated on selected case studies are: Greenhouse gas emissions; soil quality; land restoration and phytoremediation capacity; water use and efficiency; biodiversity; land use/cover changes; farmers' willingness and acceptance of new agro-system, and profitability of value chain. Starting from an in-depth analysis of the definition of marginal land from the perspective of ecosystem service cascade, we synthesize how these challenges are nowadays addressed and which are the key bottlenecks, trends and potential directions for guiding future research into bioenergy production in the Mediterranean regions. The findings of this study suggest that dedicated energy crops can be grown on marginal lands with substantial positive effects in terms of sustainability aspects, although more efforts should be carried out through agronomic research especially on water use efficiency and biodiversity conservation, as well as by national and EU institutions and policies for promoting economic opportunities and integration with surrounding agro-ecosystems and farmers' involvement. Developing a site-specific landscape design with the use of Life Cycle Assessment and certification schemes with sustainability indicators is of primary importance for the effective bioenergy production on marginal lands. Graphical abstract fx1 Highlights • Key issues concerning bioenergy production in the Mediterranean area were analyzed. • The concept of marginal land was analyzed. • The use of tailored GBEP sustainability indicators was fostered. • Eight critical issues were reviewed discussing key results and future challenges. • Possible technical and policies improvement solutions are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper deals with the selection of optimal intensity measures (IMs) for displacement-based seismic demand assessment and fragility derivation of case-study mid-rise reinforced concrete (RC) frames. The considered frames represent distinct RC vulnerability classes in the Mediterranean region. Optimal IM selection is performed by means of probabilistic seismic demand models considering multiple IMs and various engineering demand parameters (EDPs). Based on findings from previous and concurrent studies, a small subset of potential IMs is investigated here, including conventional peak IMs and two advanced scalar IMs accounting for spectral shape over a range of periods. Probabilistic seismic demand models are built on data obtained from analysis of the case-study frames subjected to over nine hundred ground motions by employing an innovative capacity spectrum method using inelastic response spectra derived from actual earthquake accelerograms to estimate seismic demand and derive fragility curves. This approach has the advantage of simplicity and rapidity over other methods as nonlinear dynamic analysis. This study concludes that advanced IMs, and particularly the ones accounting for period elongation (due to the nonlinear structural behavior) and structure-specific parameters, can effectively satisfy all the selection criteria, including the hazard computability criterion. Highlights • The selection of optimal ground-shaking intensity measures (IMs) for displacement-based seismic demand of case-study reinforced concrete (RC) frames is investigated. • The study uses 1) a large (>900) dataset of recorded earthquake ground motions; 2) numerical analyses performed through an innovative capacity spectrum method that uses inelastic response spectra derived from actual earthquake accelerograms to estimate seismic demand and derive fragility curves; 3) a systematic statistical analysis of the numerical analysis results. • Findings from this study are in agreement with previous investigations conducted by other researchers on selecting optimal IMs for predicting structural response by using full nonlinear dynamic analysis. • Advanced IMs, and particularly the ones accounting for spectral shape in a range of periods, can effectively satisfy all the selection criteria, including the hazard computability criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Carbonate escarpments are submarine limestone and dolomite cliffs that have been documented in numerous sites around the world. Their geomorphic evolution is poorly understood due to difficulties in assessing escarpment outcrops and the limited resolution achieved by geophysical techniques across their steep topographies. The geomorphic evolution of carbonate escarpments in the Mediterranean Sea has been influenced by the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC). During the MSC (5.97–5.33 Ma), the Mediterranean Sea became a saline basin due to a temporary restriction of the Atlantic-Mediterranean seaway, resulting in the deposition of more than one million cubic kilometres of salt. The extent and relative chronology of the evaporative drawdown phases associated to the MSC remain poorly constrained. In this paper we combine geophysical and sedimentological data from the central Mediterranean Sea to reconstruct the geomorphic evolution of the Malta Escarpment and infer the extent and timing of evaporative drawdown in the eastern Mediterranean Sea during the MSC. We propose that, during a MSC base-level fall, fluvial erosion formed a dense network of canyons across the Malta Escarpment whilst coastal erosion developed extensive palaeoshorelines and shore platforms. The drivers of geomorphic evolution of the Malta Escarpment after the MSC include: (i) canyon erosion by submarine gravity flows, with the most recent activity taking place <2600 cal. years BP; (ii) deposition by bottom currents across the entire depth range of the Malta Escarpment; (iii) tectonic deformation in the southern Malta Escarpment in association with a wrench zone; (iv) widespread, small-scale sedimentary slope failures preconditioned by oversteepening and loss of support due to canyon erosion, and triggered by earthquakes. We carry out an isostatic restoration of the palaeoshorelines and shore platforms on the northern Malta Escarpment to infer an evaporative drawdown of 1800–2000 m in the eastern Mediterranean Sea during the MSC. We interpret the occurrence of pre-evaporite sedimentary lobes in the western Ionian Basin as suggesting that either evaporative drawdown and canyon formation predominantly occurred before salt deposition, or that only the latest salt deposition at the basin margin occurred after the formation of the sedimentary lobes. Highlights • We reconstruct the geomorphic evolution of the Malta Escarpment. • During MSC, subaerial and coastal erosion formed canyons and palaeoshorelines. • Gravity flows, bottom currents and tectonic deformation shaped escarpment after MSC. • We infer a drawdown of 1800–2000 m in the eastern Mediterranean during MSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Two SDHW working strategies are simulated and compared, for low and high flow. • The test curves used for simulations are obtained according to the SST from EN12975. • There are no differences in the test curves obtained for quite different flows. • Economic-energetic comparison for low and high flow SDHW recommends low flow. • EC pumps are not justified when installed in moderates climates like Mediterranean. Abstract The mass flow rate in the collector loop of a solar domestic hot water system (SDHW) affects its thermal performance. The initial investment and the operation cost are also affected by the selection of the primary flow. Common design rules state a standard specific flow rate of 50 l/hm2 for most collector models. However, the emergence of electronically commuted motors recommends reviewing the interest of the low flow alternative (7–14 l/hm2) for solar thermal systems. In this paper, the thermal performance of a typical serpentine collector has been measured for different mass flow rates. The resulting performance curves and associated measurement uncertainty bands show only a moderate improvement in performance as the flow rate increases. Once the collector thermal behaviour has been characterized, the whole system is modelled, and the initial investment and operating cost are calculated for two design options: high flow (80 l/hm2) and low flow (20 l/hm2). As expected, the solar fraction is slightly higher for the high flow system (4.6% higher) and the number of hours of operation is lower for this system (4.4% less hours of operation). Considering the lower investment cost of the low flow system, the best thermal behaviour of the high flow system requires near 18 years to amortize the largest investment. If other considerations like embodied energy are accounted for, the common practice in designing SDHW systems should promote low flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lebanon, with its geographic location facing the Mediterranean Sea and dominant rugged topography, is characterized by a strong climatic variability even between zones located few kilometres apart. The investigation of the climatic indices is necessary to delineate such diverse climatic situation over Lebanon. In this context, this paper investigates the periodic behaviour in annual Emberger aridity index (AIE) of 14 weather stations in representative sites of Lebanon. The AIE indicates that the dominant climate of Lebanon, which is mainly varying from humid to semi-arid, follows cyclonic meteorological patterns. The periodicities of AIE identified by using a robust technique seem almost altitude related and range between 2 and 21 years. The geographic distribution of periodicities implies two major zones in the northern and southern parts of Lebanon, being featured by longer and shorter periodicities, respectively. The formation of these two periodicity zones can be related to regional climatic zoning. The remarkable diversity in periodicity indicates predominant microclimates with specified cyclonic climate that characterizes Lebanon's climate rather than a merely existence of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper examines one EC-funded multinational project (RESCAP-MED), with a focus on research capacity building (RCB) concerning non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Mediterranean Middle East and North Africa. By the project's end (2015), the entire region was engulfed in crisis. Objective: Designed before this crisis developed in 2011, the primary purpose of RESCAP-MED was to foster methodological skills needed to conduct multi-disciplinary research on NCDs and their social determinants. RESCAP-MED also sought to consolidate regional networks for future collaboration, and to boost existing regional policy engagement in the region on the NCD challenge. This analysis examines the scope and sustainability of RCB conducted in a context of intensifying political turmoil. Methods: RESCAP-MED linked two sets of activities. The first was a framework for training early- and mid-career researchers through discipline-based and writing workshops, plus short fellowships for sustained mentoring. The second integrated public-facing activities designed to raise the profile of the NCD burden in the region, and its implications for policymakers at national level. Key to this were two conferences to showcase regional research on NCDs, and the development of an e-learning resource (NETPH). Results: Seven discipline-based workshops (with 113 participants) and 6 workshops to develop writing skills (84 participants) were held, with 18 fellowship visits. The 2 symposia in Istanbul and Beirut attracted 280 participants. Yet the developing political crisis tagged each activity with a series of logistical challenges, none of which was initially envisaged. The immediacy of the crisis inevitably deflected from policy attention to the challenges of NCDs. Conclusions: This programme to strengthen research capacity for one priority area of global public health took place as a narrow window of political opportunity was closing. The key lessons concern issues of sustainability and the paramount importance of responsively shaping a context-driven RCB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing tax models in nautical tourism, different for an individual country, contain various additional taxes already analyzed in scientific researches, while the characteristics and impacts of occupancy tax have been left neglected. The aim of the paper is to examine the impact of occupancy tax on the competitiveness of the price policy in nautical tourism within the Mediterranean countries, by performing the comparative analysis of tax models between the European Union member states and other Mediterranean countries. The results obtained have shown different and hardly comparable tax models, determined by the strategic orientation of the individual country in nautical tourism. The charges of the representatives of two target groups, the occupancy tax prices in Montenegro and similar models in Croatia and Greece have been compared, where the research findings indicated Montenegro as more competitive than the two other EU countries in all categories of the analysis. The obtained results have neglected other destinations comparative advantages mainly favorable to the EU countries having excellent development perspectives. The small scale participation of the occupancy tax in the overall tax model should not allow long-term outflow of the users in the European Union's nautical tourism due to short-term revenue growth. The obtained results have neglected other destinations comparative advantages mainly favorable to the EU countries, having excellent development perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Alpujárride Complex has concentrated discussion on the extent and role of orogenic extension in the Betic-Rif Orogen (westernmost Mediterranean). Structural analysis on Permo-Triassic rocks of the Alpujárride Complex is a firm basis to assess extension and to integrate it in the plate tectonic scenario. The main Alpine deformation was dominated by top-to-the-NE shearing, with rare map-scale folds; as a whole, this deformation attests ductile extension during exhumation of previously subducted rocks. Some authors have suggested that the Alpujárride Complex continued evolving extensionally since this early exhumation, but in this paper a stage of regional shortening is documented. Thus, km-scale overturned NW-vergent folds are interpreted as witnessing shortening. Subsequently, post-metamorphic low-angle faults of Burdigalian-Langhian age cut the train of folds in two ways: firstly, top-to-the-N thrusts generated stratigraphic and metamorphic superpositions; then, top-to-the-N low-angle normal faults, kinematically congruent with the thrusts, formed due to accretion at deep levels of the orogenic wedge when the Nevado-Filábride Complex underthrust the Alpujárride Complex. The shortening stage occurred at latest Oligocene early-middle Miocene and can be related to fast convergence rates between Africa and Iberia. Later, a drop in the convergent rates prompted lithospheric rollback and top-to-the-SW crustal extension since Serravallian time, coexisting with moderate orthogonal shortening that gave way to E-W trending upright folds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology transfer, scientific research and education could have a key role in Mediterranean regions, in order to reduce the environmental impact of the building sector. Recently, the Department of Engineering of University of Sannio has developed a laboratory suitable for performing researches on the dynamic interactions between building envelope components, indoor environment and mechanical systems for a typical climate of south of Italy. The work described within this paper is a part of this large-scale project. Its goals are: (a) to design, test and validate a poly-equipped test room, (b) to perform transient tests to determine performances of common and innovative building components and alternative HVAC systems. More in detail, this paper focuses on the first goal, with the aim to generalize the design approach, requirements and capabilities of calibrated outdoor test facilities, specifically thought for Mediterranean climate. The facility has undergone a substantial amount of characterization tests, aimed at determining its response under yearly operations. The primary conclusions are that the new test facility is usable for a wide range of environmental and indoor conditions, it is functional and has been validated through characterization and preliminary investigations of the behavior of the thermal envelope. Moreover, some experimental results are here analyzed, by evidencing the potentialities of vacuum insulation panels for improving the performances of the thermal envelope, for what concerns both winter and summer seasons. Then, some numerical analyses have been carried out. A 3D CFD model has been calibrated for studying the real distribution of temperatures and water vapor partial pressures within VIP panels. Furthermore, a dynamic energy model of the test cell has been developed by means of Energy Plus, with the aim to use its capability to compare potential configurations that would be installed in future researches, or to evaluate energy, environmental and economic issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of recent records of stag beetles (Coleoptera Lucanidae) species occurring in Mediterranean countries is given to improve the current knowledge on their geographic distribution. The saproxylic larvae of the stag beetles are very important for forest ecosystems, and some lucanid species are included in the IUCN Red List and in several national protection lists. However, the knowledge on their distribution is rather heterogeneous for several countries and taxa because the distribution records are scattered in poorly known papers or hidden in Museum or private collections. This paper is an attempt to better understanding the distribution of the stag beetle species across the Mediterranean region, to facilitate research and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Mixtures of wild food plants, part of the Mediterranean diet, have potential benefits for their content in bioactive compounds, minerals and fibers. In Italy, wild plants are still consumed in various ways, for their taste, effects on health and nutritional value. In this paper, we provide a list of wild plants used in vegetable mixtures, indicating their phytochemical and nutritional profile, highlighting those not yet studied. Aim of the study We provide a first complete review of traditional uses of wild food plants used as vegetables and their preparations (e.g., salads, soups, rustic pies). We also highlight their phytochemical constituents. Materials and methods We carried out an extensive literature review of ethnobotanical publications from 1894 to date for finding plants used in traditional vegetable mixtures. We also performed an online search for scientific papers providing the phytochemical profile of plants that were cited at least twice in recipes found in the literature. Results We list a total of 276 wild taxa used in traditional vegetable mixtures, belonging to 40 families. Among these, the most represented are Asteraceae (88), Brassicaceae (33), Apiaceae (21), Amaranthaceae (12). Many plants are cited in many recipes across several Italian regions. Among the most cited plant we note: Reichardia picroides (L.) Roth , Sanguisorba minor Scop. , Taraxacum campylodes G. E. Haglund, Urtica dioica L. Tuscany is the region with the highest number of food recipes that incorporate wild plants used as vegetables. We also list the phytochemical constituents and some pharmacological activities of the plants cited at least twice. Finally, we discuss topics such as the taste of plants used in the recipes. Conclusions Nineteen edible wild plants, such as Asparagus albus L. , Campanula trachelium L., Hypochaeris laevigata (L.) Benth. & Hook f. , Phyteuma spicatum L. , Scolymus grandiflorus Desf., are not yet studied as regards their phytochemical and nutritional profile. Some plants should be avoided due to the presence of toxic compounds such as Adenostyles alliariae (Gouan) A. Kern or Ranunculus repens L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]