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Projectile implements are one of the most frequent transformed lithic blanks within the Upper Paleolithic assemblages. Since the first taxonomic studies, their morphological variability has been used as primary fossil director to define specific regional trends and diachronic phases. However, an exhaustive analysis of manufacturing methods and techniques applied to shape this gear category is extremely rare. In fact, during the Late Epigravettian, except for a certain typological variability, the lack of detailed studies resulted in an apparent homogeneity in armatures production. In this paper, a technological and traceological approach applied to reconstruct the whole chaîne opératoire of armatures manufacture in three Northern Italian sites dated between 17,000 and 12,000 cal BP demonstrates important variations in how projectile implements are fashioned, concerning shape, production methods and retouch techniques. Moreover, a large-scale comparison suggests how renewals in projectile implements production in North-Eastern Italy may result from long-distance connections between human groups over the western Late Epigravettian territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the structural change in both central-northern and southern Italy, focusing on its implications for productivity dynamics and its micro-economic determinants. We document three main results. First, between 2001 and 2018, the deindustrialization process involved both areas; however, in the southern regions it mostly started after the financial crisis. In the South, the employment shares in low knowledge-intensive services increased more than in the central-northern area, whereas those in high knowledge-intensive services increased less markedly. Second, structural change slowed down productivity growth in the central and northern regions, but had no role in the productivity fall in the South. Finally, in central and northern Italy, employment growth was driven by the net creation of jobs among incumbents and larger firms. In contrast, employment dynamics in the southern regions largely reflected the process of firms entering and exiting the market, in particular in less knowledge-intensive service sectors, and in young and smaller enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new technological innovations for eco-friendly vehicles combined with the usage of renewable energy sources is essential for mitigating the environmental impact of freight transport. In this context, this paper investigates the opportunities for implementing the eHighway system, a novel recent technology designed to supply new hybrid trucks. This technology uses overhead catenary heavy-duty vehicles that are supplied with electric energy from overhead power lines through a pantograph that is positioned at the top of the truck. A novel bi-level multi-objective network electrification design (BM-NED) model is proposed to assess the environmental benefits and opportunities of adopting eHighways, considering the limited budgetary resources for road infrastructure electrification. Still, the implementation of eHighways requires collaboration between public and private stakeholder interests. The upper level considers multiple objectives aiming at minimizing the total travel cost, infrastructure, and environmental costs and maximizing the average traffic density of OC hybrid trucks on electrified arcs, whereas the lower level is the traffic assignment model. The Elitist multi-objective Genetic Algorithms are used as a solution approach for the multi-objective optimization and the Pareto front of the non-dominated solutions have been generated. Results of the model, tested on a part of a motorway network in the Veneto region in Italy, show that the implementation of the eHighway system can lead to an average emission reduction of about 66%, considering all Pareto-optimal solutions. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis has been carried out by giving different weights to the objective functions that can be a basis for decision-makers regarding the adoption of this new technology. • The implementation of the eHighway system is investigated to evaluate its benefits. • A novel bi-level multi-objective network electrification design model is proposed. • The model is tested on a part of a motorway network in the Veneto region (Italy). • Sensitivity analysis evaluates different solutions for potential decision-makers. • The study gives insights for policy makers regarding eHighway adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision Agriculture (PA) has revolutionized crop management by leveraging information technology, satellite positioning data, and remote sensing. One crucial component in PA applications is the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which offers valuable insights into crop vigor and health. However, discontinuity of optical satellite acquisitions related to cloud cover and the huge load of the required processing time pose challenges to real-time applications. NDVI prediction emerges as an innovative solution to address these limitations. It allows for proactive decision-making by providing accurate estimates, enabling farmers and land managers to plan essential agronomic activities such as irrigation, fertilization, and pest control, based on anticipated future conditions. This study introduces an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model incorporating NDVI, Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), temperatures, and precipitation as predictive variables. The model employs a novel time series slicing algorithm, Boosting Adaptive Time Series Slicer (BATS), to enhance the input training dataset's variability, presenting the model with a broader range of examples. A 2-Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) forecasting model was developed to predict future NDVI values over short and medium-term horizons. The study area used to train, test and validate the ANN corresponds to a diverse landscape of cultivated corn fields located in Piemonte (NW-Italy). Results showed that NDVI future estimates were accurate; considering three time horizons for predictions (5, 10, and 15 days) RMSE values resulted to be 0.028, 0.038 and 0.050, respectively. Additionally, ablation tests proved that the most important variable for enhancing the model's accuracy is the NDWI, and the most useful timesteps are the four most recent ones. To preliminary investigate the capability of the ANN to operate over a wider and different area it was applied over the entire Europe, using the LUCAS dataset as reference map to locate corn fields. Results show RMSE of 0.062, 0.083 and 0.105 for the 5, 10 and 15 days forecasting horizons, respectively. The methodology proposed in this paper can be a possible alternative to more ordinary approaches for NDVI forecasting that nowadays appears to be a fundamental step for a proactive precision agriculture where crop management can be significantly improved. Future developments should explore the use of sequence-to-sequence ANNs to predict the development of multiple spectral indices over multiple crop types simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freedom of Information (FOI) is considered a crown jewel of reforms fostering public administration transparency and accountability. However, FOI's symbolic power alone cannot overcome the organizational barriers and obstacles to its effective implementation. This paper presents the results of a field experiment performed in Italy, a late FOI adopter, where an FOI request was sent to the 307 municipalities with more than 30k inhabitants. The experimental design exploits marginal wording variation in the requests to test whether municipalities discriminate between ordinary citizens and high-profile requesters. The experimental evidence suggests that most Italian municipalities reply to FOI requests. The results show two opposite types of discretionary bias: Northern municipalities tend to favor high-profile requesters, whereas Southern municipalities tend to respond to them with a higher degree of attrition. The study investigates the determinants of this difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multimodal computational approach was used for the 3D survey of a panel painting. • Data from close-range photogrammetry and laser microprofilometry were fused. • The warping arrow before and after restoration was quantified on the 3D point cloud. • Multi-temporal monitoring of the painting is computed via Cloud-to-Cloud distance. • Micrometric roughness of paint layers is measured by laser microprofilometry. This paper reports the results obtained from the workflow designed for the 3D survey of a Renaissance panel painting using close-range photogrammetry and conoscopic laser microprofilometry, before and after its restoration. The artwork under examination is the central panel of a Renaissance polyptych realized by a late Gothic painter active in central Italy in the late 15th century. This painting has had a rather troubled conservation history following numerous adverse events that have severely damaged it structurally. In preparation for restoration work, the fusion of point cloud data derived from active and passive sensors served to create a single multi-resolution model on which to conduct advanced metrological analyses for multi-temporal monitoring of the changes undergone by the panel painting during and after structural restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel energy management strategy (EMS) to control a wind-hydrogen microgrid which includes a wind turbine paired with a hydrogen-based energy storage system (HESS), i.e., hydrogen production, storage and re-electrification facilities, and a local load. This complies with the mini-grid use case as per the IEA-HIA Task 24 Final Report, where three different use cases and configurations of wind farms paired with HESS are proposed in order to promote the integration of wind energy into the grid. Hydrogen production surpluses by wind generation are stored and used to provide a demand-side management solution for energy supply to the local and contractual loads, both in the grid-islanded and connected modes, with corresponding different control objectives. The EMS is based on a hierarchical model predictive control (MPC) in which long-term and short-term operations are addressed. The long-term operations are managed by a high-level MPC, in which power production by wind generation and load demand forecasts are considered in combination with day-ahead market participation. Accordingly, the hydrogen production and re-electrification are scheduled so as to jointly track the load demand, maximize the revenue through electricity market participation and minimize the HESS operating costs. Instead, the management of the short-term operations is entrusted to a low-level MPC, which compensates for any deviations of the actual conditions from the forecasts and refines the power production so as to address the real-time market participation and the short time-scale equipment dynamics and constraints. Both levels also take into account operation requirements and devices' operating ranges through appropriate constraints. The mathematical modeling relies on the mixed-logic dynamic (MLD) framework so that the various logic states and corresponding continuous dynamics of the HESS are considered. This results in a mixed-integer linear program which is solved numerically. The effectiveness of the controller is analyzed by simulations which are carried out using wind forecasts and spot prices of a wind farm in center-south of Italy. • Design of control algorithms for islanded and grid-connected microgrids. • Development of hierarchical MPCs to target long-term and short-term operations. • Tracking the load demand and maximizing the revenue via electricity markets. • Minimization of the HESS operational costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the underexplored impact of the procedures in public contracts on market allocation efficiency that are at risk of corruption. We integrated the GMM-SYS estimator with analyses of a balanced panel database of all the provinces in Italy between the period 2013–2021. The use of a high level of spatial granularity in an under-researched context revealed two distinct scenarios. In competitive markets, a more entrepreneurial and less widespread form of corruption emerged which may enhance market efficiency (bottom-up pattern). Conversely, in a context with limited market competition and low institutional quality, corruption indicators may be less useful due to potential pre-bribery behavior (top-down pattern). Our study underscores the capacity of corrupt suppliers to exploit market opportunities and secure selection. We found that corruption risk practices within public contracts have the potential to improve market efficiency, thus rendering them appealing to corrupt suppliers due to their capacity to deliver economic advantages. This also applies to provinces with high-quality governance. Additionally, the paper highlights the limitations of indicators in alternative contexts. The paper has significant implications for policymakers in defining assignation criteria in high-quality contexts, but also offers insights into the effectiveness of grand corruption indicators for academics. • Examines the impact of public contract procedures on market efficiency. • GMM-SYS estimator and innovative matching DID for panel analysis. • Bottom-up corruption in competitive markets, top-down in less competitive ones. • Corrupt suppliers exploit market opportunities, enhancing efficiency. • Offers insights in assignation criteria, and limitation of indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A timber system is proposed for the seismic retrofit of URM buildings. • Analytical equations are derived for design against different failure modes. • Wall in-plane and out-of-plane responses, diaphragms and connections are addressed. • The proposed equations are applied to case-study buildings and structural members. • Good agreement between analytical calculations and experimental data is shown. An innovative timber retrofit was investigated at the EUCENTRE and at the University of Pavia, Italy, as part of a comprehensive research campaign on the seismic vulnerability of existing unreinforced masonry buildings subjected to induced seismicity in The Netherlands. The retrofit system consists of timber frames, connected to the masonry piers and to the floor diaphragms, and oriented-strand board sheathing nailed to the frames and to flexible timber diaphragms. Starting from the main critical aspects observed in experimental tests, the proposed solution was conceived to enhance the in-plane and out-of-plane capacities of masonry piers, improve the overall wall-to-diaphragm connections, increase the floor diaphragm stiffness and strength, and allow possible integration with energy efficiency upgrades. This paper, the first of a series of two, focuses on the conceptual bases of the seismic retrofit system and on the analytical equations that can be used for the design of its components. Moreover, a step-by-step design procedure is presented to guide the reader through the application of these equations. A companion paper [1] will discuss the validation of the analytical formulation with the experimental data from quasi-static cyclic and dynamic shake-table tests on building components and complete specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hydrological digital twins (HDT) are essential tools to understand the hydrological cycle especially in a changing climate. • We present, test, and validate an open-source framework to implement HDT in the large anthropized alpine Adige catchment. • The HDT is calibrated/validated on a variety of hydrological processes and data sources providing satisfactory performances. Understanding and simulating the hydrological cycle, especially in a context of climate change, is crucial for quantitative water risk assessment and basin management. The hydrological cycle is complex as it is a combination of non-linear natural processes and anthropogenic influences that alter landforms and water flows. Human-induced changes of relevance, including changes in land uses, construction of dams and artificial reservoirs, and diversion of the river course, lead to changes in water flows throughout the basin. These should be explicitly accounted for a realistic representation of the anthropogenically altered hydrological cycle. Such a realistic representation of the hydrological cycle is a necessary input for the water risk assessment in a particular region. In this paper, we present a hydrological digital twin (HDT) model of a large anthropized alpine basin: the Adige basin located in the northeast of Italy. Most catchments model often overlook land-uses changes over time and forget to model reservoir operation and their influence over time on water flow. Yet, for example, the Adige basin has>30 reservoirs affecting the water flow. We therefore use the GEOframe modeling framework to demonstrate the ability to create a hydrological twin model accounting for these anthropogenic changes. Specifically, we model each component of the water cycle over 39 years (1980–2018) at daily timescale through calibration of the Adige HDT with a multi-site approach using discharge data of 33 stations, based on a high-resolution (1 km) temperature and precipitation dataset and a calculated crop potential evapotranspiration (PETc) dataset, which accounts for human-induced change of the land cover over time. The modeling system also includes the simulation of artificial reservoirs and dams by the dynamically zoned target release (DZTR) reservoir model. The Adige HDT is assessed/validated/compared through a variety of hydrological processes (i.e., river and reservoir discharges, PETc and actual evapotranspiration, snow, and soil moisture) and data sources (i.e., observations and remote sensing data). Overall, the HDT reproduces well the measured discharge in space and time with a Kling Gupta Efficiency (KGE) above 0.7 (0.8) for 30 (23) of the 33 gauge-stations. For 7 artificial reservoirs with available data, the reservoir turbinated discharges are successfully reproduced with an average KGE of 0.92. A comparison between modeled and MODIS remote sensing snow data showed an average error of < 10% across the entire basin; the model also presented a good spatio-temporal agreement both with GLEAMS potential (and actual evapotranspiration) with an average KGE of 0.63 (0.60) and a high-level of correlation (0.5 on average) with the ASCAT satellite retrieved soil moisture. The findings of this paper demonstrate the potential of the open-source, component-based, GEOframe system to build a HDT, to provide a reliable and long term (39 years) estimation of all the water cycle components in a complex anthropized river basin at high spatial resolution. Spatially detailed HDT models results of this type can be used to inform basin-wise adaptation policy decisions and better water management practices in a time of changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Estimation of damping ratios on a short-span RC bridge with half-joints beam through AVTs in in-service conditions. • Minimum signal length to minimize the bias in the damping estimation. • Analysis of the damping with a fixed-length moving window over the entire vibration signatures. • Correlation between signals properties and estimated damping parameters. Experimental tests for dynamic identification of reinforced concrete (RC) bridges by means of Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) are increasingly used in common engineering practice. Nevertheless, especially when measurements are carried out under in-service conditions (i.e. under traffic induced vibrations), some drawbacks should be carefully considered, especially in the damping-ratio quantification. As a matter of fact, the estimation is affected by several factors: i) the length of the signals, ii) the non-stationarity of the input process, and iii) the dependence on the vibration amplitude. Even if the damping ratio is a key parameter in the bridge dynamics, a major part of these aspects has not been yet fully investigated to estimate reliable values. Starting from a dynamic test program on a short-span RC bridge with half-joints in Italy, this paper investigates the issues mentioned above for the damping ratio estimation of the first two modes focusing on: i) the influence of the signal length, ii) the effects of the signals properties, and iii) their correlation with the vibration amplitude. Both the Stochastic Subspace Identification technique fed with the signal covariance (SSI-cov) and the Random Decrement technique (RD) have been used to compute the damping ratios from the collected signals. This paper shows how a convergence of the results cannot be attained by simply increasing the sample size, suggesting that the nature of the vibration itself influences the damping values. A negative, although weak, correlation between the damping ratio and the power of the signals indicates that several factors play a crucial role in the damping estimation in the short span RC bridges with half-joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Venosa-Notarchirico is a musealized Lower Paleolithic site in southern Italy (Basilicata), where a human femoral shaft was discovered in 1985. The fossil specimen can be evaluated in the new light of excavations started in 2016, which provide a more updated and extensive picture of the site, including the crucial Ar/Ar date of 661-614 ka for the human specimen. This makes the fossil diaphysis from Venosa-Notarchirico (Vn-H1) the oldest fossil hominin found so far in the Italian peninsula, associated with the earliest evidence of genuine Acheulean in Europe. In this paper, we report a comparative morphometric analysis of this femur, as well as a paleopathological reappraisal of the periosteal alteration that affects the specimen, supported by an unpublished histological analysis. Vn-H1 represents the proximal two-thirds of a right femur lacking the epiphyseal region. We argue it belonged to an immature individual, possibly a juvenile (late adolescent). Its features suggest that the specimen may refer to an archaic (i.e. , non-modern) human species, also showing morphological differences compared to fossil samples of the Neanderthal lineage. We also support the identification of a pathological condition affecting Vn-H1, particularly evident in some preserved portions of the mid-shaft as described here. Its etiology is discussed after differential diagnosis, which led us to suggest an alteration of inflammatory origin, viewed as a nonspecific periosteal response. This pathology may have been roughly concomitant with the death of the individual. • Vn-H1 represents the oldest human fossil specimen ever found in Italy within one of the earliest Acheulean sites in Europe. • The age of Vn-H1, dated Ar/Ar at 661-614 ka, takes advantage of the recent new excavations at the Venosa-Notarchirico site. • Both morphology and morphometry of the human specimen suggest an age at death of the individual to the late adolescence. • Palaeopathological observations, supported by unpublished histological data, suggest the nature of the periosteal alteration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food insecurity and food surplus are two pressing issues that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper presents a novel approach to addressing these problems using blockchain technology. More specifically, data from the Italian Regusto platform are analysed to identify factors that determine the volume and economic value of surplus food redistribution. From a methodological statistical perspective, the performance of Stepwise Multiple Linear Regression and Random Forest are compared in a blockchain data analysis. The effective machine-learning-based analysis reveals that the Regusto platform gives people greater access to the surplus food redistributed by non-profit organizations and suppliers through both donations and sales. The study also highlights the potential effects of redistributing surplus food on the beneficiaries' diets and health and we find that redistributing surplus food can reduce household food insecurity among low-income families and communities measured by food poverty and COVID-19 indexes at different spatial locations. Overall, by offering a unique perspective on these issues through the lens of blockchain technology, our study can inspire further research on how this technology can ensure everyone has enough affordable, nutritious food to lead healthy lives. • Blockchain technology can address food insecurity and surplus by unlocking the value of surplus food and ensuring equitable distribution. • The Regusto platform facilitates food surplus management and increases access in areas at risk of food insecurity during COVID-19 crisis. • Surplus food traveled across Italy, not only between big cities and agricultural provinces but also over short distances. • Forward Stepwise MLR and Random Forest models used to identify factors influencing food transactions on Regusto platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many historic centers in Italy and around the world consist of ancient masonry buildings closely packed together or constructed in clusters for defensive purposes. Alternatively, the recent population growth in modern megalopolises, coupled with the increasing use of reclaimed soils to address land scarcity, has resulted in the development of highly densely urbanized areas placed on soft or very soft soils. In both scenarios, neighboring structures, despite being structurally separate, may interact with one another through the underlying soil. To gain new insights into this phenomenon, the paper presents a comprehensive numerical study. It analyzes the static and dynamic responses of three closely-spaced shallow foundations in both the time and frequency domains using a rigorous 3D continuum approach. The conducted parametric study considers the effects of foundation spacing, oscillation frequency, and soil configuration (homogeneous or layered), quantifying their impact on the soil-foundation impedance matrix. The results of the numerical study reveal distinct responses between the central and lateral foundations of a group of three shallow foundations placed on the same subsoil. A comparison is drawn between the response of the pivotal foundation within a group of three identical footings and its response when paired or isolated. As an extension of an earlier work of the authors (Zeolla et al., 2023), a simplified approach is proposed to address cross-interaction effects in design practice. This approach introduces a set of group factors to modify the impedance matrix of the primary foundation when surrounded by closely-spaced neighbors. The practical approach is applied to estimate the increase in the fundamental period of a masonry terrace house. The cross-interaction effect is deemed non-negligible and warrants consideration in such squat structures, as it can result in significant increases in spectral acceleration along the ascending branch of the design spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Functional beta diversity is considered a key signature of many ecological processes. • We propose to decompose this variability into three additive components. • These three components can be used to portray the functional resemblance among sites on a ternary diagram. The variability in species composition among a set of sampling sites, or beta diversity, is considered a key signature of the ecological processes that shape the spatial structure of species assemblages. In this paper, we propose to decompose this variability into three additive components: i) the standard similarity in the (relative) abundances of species among sites, ii) the degree of functional dissimilarity between individuals of distinct species among sites, and iii) the degree of functional similarity between individuals of distinct species among sites, or beta redundancy. These three components can be used to portray the functional resemblance among sites on a ternary diagram. With the resulting ternary diagram of 'functional resemblance' we can relate various aspects of taxonomic and functional variability among sites to community assembly processes more completely than just looking at individual components. The potential of this method is shown with real data on the functional turnover of Alpine species along a primary succession on glacial deposits in northern Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3D modeling and representation of geological data have experienced significant growth within last years, due to the use of new technologies derived from advancements in land representation methods. These technologies enable interactive, intuitive and clear geological visualizations. This paper shows how, by using the open-source Python software (operable with a simple internet browser) for machine learning (linear and KNN interpolations), together with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), it is possible to achieve interactive 3D visualizations of geological features in sedimentary basins. This study is performed in the onshore-offshore Crotone area (southern Italy) where a large amount of stratigraphic datasets are available from core perforation and seismic profiles due to the presence of a natural gas extraction field. Thanks to a database of 63 drilling lithologic records and 43 check points obtained from 9 interpreted seismic sections, several 3D HTML models were constructed defining three stratigraphic units (Pre-Messinian, Messinian, and Post-Messinian). An overlap of the Post-Messinian top surface and an erosional truncation of the Messinian top surface toward the N were observed, together with a rising of the Pre-Messinian top surface in the northwestern area. This stratigraphic architecture may indicate differential subsidence and/or uplifting due to syn-sedimentary fault kinematics in the whole studied area. The 3D models with the stratigraphic unit boundary surfaces obtained with KNN interpolation (showing stepped and abrupt edges) allowed the interpretation in terms of structural architecture and syn-sedimentary fault kinematics. Three main sets of faults were deduced: N–S; NNW-SSE, and ENE-WSW. A minorly represented E-W set was added to the main sets. These faults generated a horsts-grabens structure, and in many cases a determinate set of faults caused a progressive lowering or rising of some areas with an "en echelon" arrangement. According to previous works, these deduced sets of faults (most of them strike-slip faults) have a good agreement with the general structural architecture and defined faults in the area. • 3D modeling and representation of geological borehole data. • Open-source Python libraries for machine learning linear interpolation and KNN algorithms, along with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). • 3D HTML model for the three-dimensional visualization of the boundary surfaces and volumes of the stratigraphic units obtained with KNN interpolation. • Interpretation of the stratigraphic architecture and syn-tectonic sedimentation of the Messinian deposits in the Crotone Basin. • Fault analysis and interpretation of structural architecture and syn-sedimentary fault actuation in the Crotone Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart monitoring systems in orchards can automate agriculture monitoring processes and provide useful information about the presence of insects, such as the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB), that threaten the production quantity and quality of fruit such as pears. Unlike other approaches in the literature, we propose a low-cost image monitoring system which exhibits a very low power consumption without compromising much of the accuracy that existing expensive systems incorporating significant computing and processing capability can achieve in such applications. The proposed system relies on a microcontroller unit and a camera which can take pictures of a double-sided sticky insect trap which, with the help of novel machine learning algorithms, can report on the presence of BMSB via a long-range communication link. The Internet of Things data capture and analysis system has recently been deployed in a real orchard in Italy which is subject to BMSB infestation and the first images have been analysed. This paper presents how the system works, the image processing, detection and classification algorithms, as well as a demonstration of the memory and energy consumption associated with the processing algorithms. The system achieves an accuracy of over 90% with multiple times less memory and energy consumption compared to other similar approaches in the literature. • Low-Power Edge-based insect monitoring system. • Insect detection and classification on resource-constrained microcontroller units (MCUs). • Extremely lightweight classification model for Halyomorpha Halys detection. • Joint improvement of hardware metrics without considerably compromising accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main challenges for the construction of DEMO, the first fusion demonstration reactor, is the power exhaust issue. To deal with it, EUROfusion has undertaken the construction of DTT (Divertor Tokamak Test) facility which will be held in Frascati, Italy. It aims to test various divertor models which can be integrated and used under different plasma confinement configurations. The current design of DTT embed 54 divertor cassettes which must be anchored to the vacuum vessel using suitable fixation systems. This paper deals with the initial monotonic load assessment of the fixation system of the Fixation System which must ensure compliance with multiple design requirements. The Remote Handling compatibility is one of the most demanding, since it includes a preloading phase of the divertor necessary to mitigate the shaking of the cassette due to dynamic forces. Moreover, the system must withstand the conspicuous loads acting on the Divertor due to the full or partial loss of plasma confinement (Disruptive Events). Structural verifications through Finite Element Method (FEM) have been performed on the Divertor-Fixation System, considering a set of load combinations, with particular focus on the most demanding case related to Fast-transient Vertical Disruption Event-downward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of advanced, high gradient accelerating structures is one of the leading activity of the particle accelerator community. In the technological research of new construction methods for these devices, high-power testing is a critical step for the verification of their viability. Recent experiments showed that accelerating cavities made out of hard copper, fabricated without high-temperature processes, can achieve better performance as compared with soft copper ones. Recently, we have built cavities using Tungsten Inert Gas welding and the high-power experiments confirmed that this joining process is a robust and low-cost alternative to brazing or diffusion bonding. This is a good solution for high-gradient operation, with a gradient of about 150 MV/m in X-band, at a breakdown rate of 1 0 − 3 /pulse/meter using a shaped RF pulse with a 150 ns flat part. We continue the design, construction and high power tests of three-cells standing-wave X-band accelerating cavities fabricated with a split-open geometry, made of hard copper and vacuum-sealed by welding. Our aim is the fabrication of accelerating structures made out of hard copper alloys by using innovative cost-effective technologies. Moreover, our method of multiple-sector structures opens the way to new technological approaches and design methods, for example providing the possibility of placing dampers of the parasitic higher-order modes. Such structures with dampers allow for acceleration of multi-bunch beams, both in standing and in travelling-wave accelerating modality. This paper describes the design of two cavities made of multiple sectors that were fabricated at the Italian Institute for Nuclear Physics in Frascati, Italy (INFN-LNF), assembled by means of clamping and then joined with the Tungsten Inert Gas welding in order to preserve the hardness of the metal. These are three-cell standing-wave X-band accelerating cavities, to be operated in the π -mode. We report the low-power RF tests of the first one, made of two halves, and the RF design of the second one, made of four quadrants. Both structures were built for high-gradient tests at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. • Multiple sector RF cavities. • Braze-free hard copper RF structures. • Cost-effective linacs for multibunch operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nirano Salse in Italy is a well-studied site where natural gas seepage (NGS) and other hydrocarbon fluids and gases are emitted at the earth's surface. A novel integrated approach is applied to define a comprehensive structural interpretation of the gas seepage and flow dynamic in the mud volcano system of the Nirano Salse Regional Nature Reserve (Modena, Northern Apennines). The paper investigates the relationship between gas emissions and local structures, particularly faults and fractures, in the shallow subsurface (down to 500–600 m depth) to understand the control that structures have on fluid ascent from deep leaky hydrocarbon traps. We performed continuous monitoring of mud levels within vents; carried out geological surveys to characterize the main stratigraphic and structural discontinuities; measured the carbon emissions (CH 4 and CO 2) seepage both from volcanoes and the surrounding soil by a portable gas fluxmeter; and integrated the results with available geophysical surveys. The authors argue that the transgressive Pleistocene-Pliocene Argille Azzurre Formation hides the complex and highly structured pre-Pliocene geology of the area, in which faults and fractures act as pathways for deep fluid ascent. The emissions are aligned along a NE-SW trend at the intersection of a NE-SW fracture system and NW-SE-oriented normal faults, which are both associated to the local tensional stress field of a likely left-lateral strike-slip transfer structure or in the extrados of a fold. By examining both natural gas macroseepage and diffuse flux, it is shown that local structures control the fluid ascent and contribute to the emission of hydrocarbon gases and fluids at the Earth's surface. Understanding the structural control of carbon emissions at the Nirano Salse is also important for evaluating the carbon budget at the site, particularly in areas where there are detectable surface emissions. The study has implications for geologic, environmental, and economic issues, including hydrocarbon exploration, hazard assessment, and impact on the atmospheric carbon budget. Furthermore, the outcomes have an important implication to evaluate the potential for dangerous abrupt mud eruptions, and the site safety in proximity to the mud volcanoes. [Display omitted] • Alignment of surface mud vents with a NE-SW to ENE-WSW direction relate to a transfer strike-slip structural element in the Apennines thrust fault belt. • Green house emissions from mud volcanoes at Nirano are small compared to the anthropogenic sources of the area. • Stress concentration in the extensional quadrants of NE-SW to ENE-WSW-oriented strike-slip fault segments promotes NW-SE normal faults formation with associated fracturing and rise of CH4 and water that forms mud volcanoes. • Fluid ascent and methane emissions are related to the complex Miocene fault structures that are hidden below the Pliocene-Pleistocene marine clays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We propose a new method to quantify Climate Change Effects at hydrological scales. • The method allows to assimilate climatic projections in CDFs at rain gauge scale. • The initial (i.e., before any change scenario begins) skewness plays a crucial role. • A strong increase of outliers frequency is expected for series EV1 alike skewed. Quantifying the potential effects of Climate Change (CC) on hydrological scales is a topic with a more and more increasing interest for the scientific community, given the CC impact on agriculture, industry, economy, human health, ecosystems, among the others. In this context, the paper focuses on the sub-daily Annual Maxima (AM) of rainfall height time series, and specifically on the crucial role played by initial skewness, i.e. the skewness of the observed rainfall series used to evaluate potential parametric trends. Here a quick and user-friendly methodology is proposed, that is aimed at quantifying plausible future changes in terms of probability distributions assumed at rain gauge scale, from projections of any climatic model. In detail, the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) and the Two-Component Extreme Value (TCEV) distributions are adopted as probability functions suitable for modelling observed rainfall AM series, which could increase their frequency and magnitude into future horizons under CC. EURO-CORDEX projections for Europe are considered, under the hypothesis that the values of the change factor, i.e. the ratio between the values of a specific quantile at two specific time horizons, are invariant when moving from an areally-averaged scale (typical for any climate model) to a point rain gauge scale, which induces that future changes are provided (in terms of frequency and magnitude of extreme events) without the need of any spatial downscaling from the assumed projections. The proposed methodology can contribute to hazard quantification associated to potential climate changes, and thus it can play a crucial role in the assessment of hydraulic structures resilience; the obtained results, specific for the study area of Italy, but easily extendable on a global scale, showed that larger increases in frequency of future heavy events are expected for time series with "EV1 alike" values of initial skewness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Channel dynamics of pseudomeandering rivers is poorly known. • The study river reacted very rapidly to sediment supply changes. • Deforestation resulted in an increase of sediment supply and in a braided channel. • Reforestation and gravel mining caused river incision and a low sinuosity channel. • Post mining sediment supply increase was a key factor in shaping channel morphology. Typically, pseudomeandering rivers are gravel-bed streams considered unstable and prone to turning into braided or meandering channels under the effect of external forcings. Channel changes of pseudomeandering rivers have not been investigated in detail so far. This paper analyses the response of a pseudomeandering river (the Cecina River in western central Italy) to variations of sediment supply resulting from streambed material mining and land use change throughout the last two centuries. Old maps and 11 sets of aerial images from 1954 to the present of four representative sites were used to measure the variation through time of bankfull width and channel sinuosity. The changes in the number of bends, chute channels, bank erosion, bend extension, migration and retraction were recorded and the main processes which favoured pseudomeandering river channel changes were investigated. The old maps indicate that in the first half of the XIX century, the study river had probably a braided morphology in response to the increase in sediment supply following the liberalization of deforestation. From the beginning of the XX century to the present, the river had a predominantly single thread, pseudomeandering morphology which did not change during about 20 years of intense gravel mining (the 1960s – mid-1980s) when the main response of the river was channel incision and narrowing. A few years after bed material extraction stopped the river started to widen, to increase channel sinuosity and consolidate its pseudomeandering morphology. The study confirms that marked variations in sediment supply are more effective than floods in triggering river channel changes. The study also shows that the pseudomeandering configuration is less unstable than previously highlighted in other scientific works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular actions cannot be considered sustainable if their financial benefits are not demonstrated. While the environmental benefits of the circular economy have been widely studied, sustainable development from a financial point of view has been much less studied. In this paper we assess the financial benefits of circular innovations applied in the fashion industry that have been previously assessed as sustainable using the Life Cycle Assessment. The focus is on two innovative processes such as salt recovery and tannin baths reuse that reuse water, chemicals and raw materials in an Italian small company operating in the tanning industry. A cost benefit analysis was carried to evaluate the net contribution of these actions to the operating margin. Then we model a forward-looking cash flow projection in order to determine the fundamental value of circular investments. Through these practices, the company achieved an increase in operating profitability above 30% and the 10-year value of the salt recovery is 159,061.40 euros, while the reused tanning water equals just over one million euros. The results show unexpected and strong financial benefits that can leverage similar initiatives that would advance resource equity and finally promote a real and convenient industrial dedication to environmental guardianship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, austerity measures have been widely adopted in public healthcare systems, so as to cope with financial constraints. This paper assesses the impact of a specific austerity policy implemented in Italy since 2007, with the purpose of reducing the budget deficit of regional governments originated by an excessive healthcare expenditure, the so called Recovery Plans (Piani di rientro). We exploit this context for a counterfactual analysis of the effects of Recovery Plans on the technical efficiency of hospitals operating in the regions where the Plans have been implemented, using as a control group similar hospitals in the regions where the policies were not enacted. The empirical analysis is based on a unique sample of administrative data relative to a large panel of hospitals in the period 2003–2010, and it employs, as identification strategy, the exogenous introduction of the austerity policy in some regions. We find that the policy had a detrimental effect on the efficiency of the hospitals operating in the regions subjected to the policy. The results show that the efficiency loss grows over time, suggesting the existence of negative cumulative effects of the austerity policy. • Counterfactual analysis of the impact of austerity on efficiency of Italian hospitals. • Use of a balanced panel of 547 hospitals for the period 2003–2010. • The austerity policy had a detrimental effect on the efficiency of hospitals. • The efficiency loss grows over time, that is austerity had cumulative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There are few examples of field survey data being utilized to test the effectiveness of UN SDG indicator 15.3.1. • The annual mean of NDVI shows some weakness in detecting land productivity dynamics. • Remote sensing coupled with a cloud-based computing platform may improve knowledge of the land productivity index. • The trend of maximum NDVI values appears more suitable for the assessing of land degradation processes. • Analysis of finer resolution satellite datasets is the best solution for regional/local contexts. Land degradation is a critical issue at a global level and its progressive increasing greatly reduces soil ecosystem services. In this context, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, defined the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and indicated some targets of particular interest for a territory to be integrated into short- and medium-term national programs. Target 15.3, which aims to end desertification and restore degraded lands, is currently monitored by indicator 15.3.1, measured as the combination of three sub-indicators (trends in land cover change, land productivity and carbon stocks) as suggested by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the custodian agency for the SDG indicator. In our opinion, this assessment shows some weakness that are generally caused by a lack of information from direct field observations. The greatest limitation regards land productivity dynamics linked to the NDVI trajectory adopted by the UNCCD methodological approach. For this reason, the paper proposes an alternative approach that consists of using annual maximum NDVI value assessments instead of annual mean values for trajectory calculation. To come to these conclusions, the study addresses a reliability assessment by using remote sensing techniques via the Google Earth Engine (GEE) and analysing the NDVI evolution over time at 450 locations spread around the Campania region (southern Italy). To this end, a customised Graphical User Interface (GUI) was built on the GEE platform and a Google Earth time slider tool was applied to visualize land cover changes which occurred at each location over a period of 18 years (2001–2018). The survey was carried out on MODIS and Landsat 7 collections and showed that the new approach had a better performance than the UNCCD approach (90 % vs 62 % of successful reliability tests, up to 96 % considering results from Landsat images). The application of maximum NDVI values to assess productivity dynamics spatially shows, with regard to UNCCD data, more than double the percentages of degraded and stable lands and a drastic reduction in improved areas within the Campania region. Overall, this innovative approach appears to agree more closely with ground truth and the use of finer resolution data is more suitable for investigating land degradation processes within a regional context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wine sector in Italy is a significant contributor to the country's economy. Furthermore, Italy is renowned for producing some of the world's most excellent wines. For these reasons, the wine industry is susceptible to frauds, such as reporting false origin claims in labels. In this context, this paper aims to provide traceability and quality tool to recognise wines from different Italian regions, i.e. Calabria, Piemonte, Sicily and Veneto, from selected winemakers that reach the Top 10% in almost three international rankings. The multi-elemental analysis of soil and wine samples by ICP-MS and their chemometric treatments have identified Ni, Cs, Li, Ca, Ba, Pb, Rb, Sb, Fe and U as the most informative variables to reach optimal classification of samples. The analytical data have been used to develop an original managerial framework to leverage Pareto's Principle for effective brand-land management in the top wine segment. • Soil and wine samples from selected top vinery have been analysed by ICP-MS. • Chemometric treatment (PCA, variables selection, classification) were employed. • Ten variables were identified to recognise samples from geographical origin. • Pareto's Principle was applied on data for top wine management use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In dealing with personnel management in companies, two fundamental planning issues have to be handled: staff rostering and activities assignment. These two problems have historically been treated separately, in a sequential way; however, it is evident how strongly they are tied to each other and that solution quality inevitably drops if this connection is not taken into proper account. For this reason, also taking advantage of the massive recent advances in software and hardware technologies, the integrated task scheduling and personnel rostering problem (TSPR) has been formalized along with suitable algorithmic approaches to tackle both planning stages altogether. In this paper, we describe how the peculiar and complex case of airport ground staff was handled in a scenario defined by real-world data from a large airport in Italy. Specifically, we show that the problem can be cast into a mixed integer linear programming model. We then show that, to make the problem computationally tractable, the introduction within the model of a set of suitable valid inequalities is crucial. Indeed, as opposed to the base model from the literature, the novel, improved formulation allowed to effectively obtain near-optimal solutions in reasonable time even for the considered large-scale and real-world scenario. • The problem of simultaneously deciding shifts and duties in airports is addressed. • The resulting Integrated TSPR problem can be modeled as a MIP program. • The introduction of valid inequalities into the model is computationally beneficial. • 10 large real-world instances of the problem have been solved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates drivers or hindrances to households' adoption of behavioural changes concerning energy efficiency at home. A Choice Experiment survey has been conducted to elicit households' preferences regarding adoption of innovative heating/cooling systems in Ireland and Italy. The choice data is analysed through a Latent Class model, and posterior analysis is used for class profiling, aimed to detect the emergence of factors identified in the literature. In both country samples respondents could be grouped in three classes according to their preferences and willingness to pay for adoption of innovative heat pump systems. Early adopters, younger and with higher education, exhibit strong pro-innovation attitudes. Conversely, Laggards, typically older and less educated, display hesitancy, and may require substantial subsidies for adoption. Late adopters value trialability and rely less on social networks. Information processing varies according to individual capabilities and social contexts. Hence, we recommend targeted information to enhance awareness of benefits and on feasibility of installation in different types of dwelling. Technical information and support, possibly complemented by demonstration activities, is suggested to foster innovation, especially among less advantaged households. • Assessment of drivers and barriers to adoption of energy efficient heating systems. • A survey with Choice Experiments in Ireland and Italy. • Willingness to pay for innovative systems is assessed through a Latent Class model. • Three classes identified with specific preferences and willingness to pay. • Profiling confirms the importance of attitudinal factors and trialability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how hot (250°–350 °C) to super-hot (>350 °C) fluids circulate and interact with host rocks in fault-controlled upper continental crust is a challenging task. In this paper, we present the results of a structural, fluid inclusions, Sr isotope, petrographic and mineral study on an exhumed geothermal system to describe how hot to super-hot fluids were controlled by the increased permeability resulting from the interplay between low-angle normal faults and high-angle oblique-slip faults, the latter being part of a regional transfer zone. The study area is located on the eastern Elba Island (northern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy), where the emplacement of a Messinian felsic intrusion has allowed hydrothermal fluids to circulate in relation to a fault-related permeability of the order of 10‐15 to 10‐13 m2. Magmatic fluids reacted with the host rocks (carbonate and phyllite) to form Fe-ore deposits hosted within the fault zones that controlled the fluid flow. Fluid inclusions trapped in quartz crystals indicate that the fluids consisted of saline solutions (salinity from 18.0 to 26.6 wt% NaCl eq.), which later mixed with low salinity waters of probably meteoric origin. The fluid temperature during the main hydrothermal stage ranged between about 300° and 360 °C under an estimated maximum hydrostatic pressure of 28–30 MPa. In contrast, the maximum possible temperature was about 400 °C at a lithostatic pressure of 89 MPa. The hydraulic breccias formed as a result of the transient fluid pressurisation up to lithostatic values, due to the self-sealing process and the subsequent pressure drop, down to hydrostatic values, as framed in the hydrofracturing processes. The results provide useful inputs for the identification of geothermal and ore-body targets in those geological settings where fluids of magmatic and meteoric origin are controlled by active faults in an extensional tectonic regime. • Hot to super-hot geothermal fluid migration through extensional fault zones. • Geometrical parameters from veins arrays and mineralised cataclasite provided hydraulic parameters of the palaeo-reservoir. • Hydrofracturing processes during fluid flow cause transient pressure drops. • Fluid inclusions analyses given information on temperature, salinity and origin of palaeo-fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the energy transition, focusing on the decisions to be taken about the change in the energy conversion capacity of specified portion of the universe, such as industrial or domestic districts, regions, countries, etc. Conversion capacity is intended here as the set of all energy conversion and storage units characterized by type, size and number, and interacting with the natural gas and electricity grids. The goal is to find guidelines for new installations, obtained by simulations of a model able to describe properly the behavior of each energy conversion technology and the interaction with grids. The model is based on a traditional MILNP approach, but contains unique features in the literature, which allow to obtain results of general validity for applications to very different geographical areas, or to countries including very different regions that transmit energy with each other or export/import it from abroad. The main novelty of this work is to identify the best planning for the decarbonisation of energy demand sectors, according to the criterion of minimum cost, both at global and at regional level. The results applied to the case of Italy allow identifying clearly the energy demand sectors to which new installations should be applied first to minimize the cost for the total energy system, and the units that must be foreseen to satisfy these energy demands, i.e. a precise strategy for the energy transition towards a 100% renewable system. • A multi-regional model is built to find the most convenient energy transition path. • General guidelines for Western countries are derived from the Italian case study. • Replacement of boilers with heat pumps allows increasing RES share from 20 to 30%. • For RES share >60%, PtG is the low-carbon strategy for high temperature heat demand. • Transportation is the last energy sector that should be decarbonized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to analyze the evolution of oil prices and renewable energy production in Italy during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis with daily data for the period January 2020-September 2020 through several time series techniques (long memory test and spectral causality analysis) and Wavelet Analysis tools. Italy has been the first country all over the world to be severely hit by the pandemic, reacting immediately with strong restrictive measures. The applied results show that oil prices and renewable energy sources were highly correlated during the pandemic shock. Moreover, causality tests reveal a unidirectional flow running from solar, hydro, and wind sources to oil prices, highlighting the relevance of the effect of the energy transition on the oil market. It is also imperative for a country that is a net energy resources importer to achieve a more sustainable way of production and accelerate the energy transition process, especially during phases of high fossil fuel prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate modelling and palaeotemperature reconstructions derived from several proxies (TEX 86 , δ18O) suggest that the Late Cretaceous was one of the warmest intervals in Earth history. The greenhouse climate reached its acme near the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary (CTB) interval with sea surface temperatures over 35 °C in low and mid- palaeolatitudes, coinciding with the highest sea level stands of the Phanerozoic. Following this warming phase, a general cooling trend punctuated by short-term hot snaps characterized the rest of the Cretaceous. Palaeotemperature and palaeoenvironmental changes are well documented in deep-water carbonate deposits based on variations in geochemical proxies and distribution patterns of macro- and microfauna. However, such climatic and environmental fluctuations severely impacted carbonate platforms, sedimentary environments that are particularly sensitive to external perturbations. Palaeontological data show major changes within the main carbonate platform producers (rudists and benthic foraminifera) during the early Late Cretaceous. Both groups experienced major taxonomic turnovers at the CTB, followed by a further re-radiation in the middle/late Turonian. The lack of detailed palaeoclimatic reconstructions in shallow water carbonate succession hampers the possibility to investigate a possible causal relationship between temperature changes and faunal evolution. In this paper, we report integrated geochemical, sedimentological, and palaeontological data from the Adriatic Carbonate Platform (Friuli, north-east Italy). Benthic foraminifera biostratigraphy and isotope stratigraphy (δ13C and 87Sr/86Sr) were used to precisely constrain the stratigraphy of the late Cenomanian-middle Turonian interval. δ18O analysis on both well-preserved rudist shells and bulk rock samples enabled the construction of high-resolution palaeotemperature curves. The resulting temperature trends are comparable with those from the deep-water record across the late Cenomanian-Turonian interval. The warmest phase was in the Early Turonian with sea surface palaeotemperatures as high as 41–45 °C recorded in rudist shells. Data show temperature fluctuation from the late Cenomanian to the Early Turonian with a magnitude >7 °C. Benthic foraminifera and rudist evolution responded to these palaeotemperature fluctuations, and their decline in the late Cenomanian and full recovery in the Turonian suggest a strong link with temperature changes. • Reconstructed temperatures from carbonate platforms during the Cenomanian -Turonian interval are missing • High resolution paleotemperatures reconstruction and biota evolution (rudists and benthic foraminifera) from Friuli Carbonate Platform is presented • Paleotemperatures estimated using δ18O analyses on bulk rock and well preserved bivalve samples (rudists and Chondrodonta) • δ18O analyses in bivalve shells suggest warmest Temperatures °>40°C in the Early Turonian • Rudists and benthic foraminifera distribution/abundance strongly modulated by temperature changes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to broaden the concept of Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB), assessing its suitability to the emerging grid-based energy sharing models. The energy exchange between two buildings with shifted load schedules, namely, a new residential NZEB (prosumer) and an existing school building (consumer), is analysed to investigate energy sharing dynamics. The buildings are in Southern Italy, a region with high solar radiation. The model of the existing school building is calibrated on measured data and the study is performed by dynamic energy simulation. Three energy sharing scenarios based on the design of a photovoltaic system installed on the roof of the NZEB have been investigated, i.e., PV system peak power designed: to satisfy the NZEB target on annual basis; to satisfy the NZEB target on monthly basis; to fully exploit the available roof area of the NZEB. Considering annual and monthly net energy balances, oversizing the NZEB PV system leads to the compensation of a high share of school building non-renewable energy consumption. However, self-consumption analysis performed on hourly basis shows that increasing the PV system size negatively affects the self-consumption rate of the renewable energy community, and the presence of the school building only mitigates this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transplantation of an organ from a donor carries an unavoidable risk of tumor transmission. The need to extend the donor pool increases the use of organs from donors with malignancies and potential disease transmission is a constant tension influencing donor suitability decisions. Current classification systems for the assessment of donor malignancy transmission risk have evolved from reports of potential transmission events in recipients to national donation and transplant surveillance agencies. Although the risk of malignancy transmission is very low in the general transplant setting it must constantly be balanced with the transplant benefits. Guidelines are mainly based on large registries and sparse case reports of transmission, so they cannot cover all the possible situations. For this reason, in 2004 in Italy, the National Transplant Center gave rise to the Second Opinion Service, charged by the Ministry of Health, by structuring expertise in diagnostic oncology and risk transmission and making it available to the Italian Transplant Centers. In this paper the registry of the Italian Oncological Second Opinion was reviewed, from 2016 to 2018, to detail the most frequent and problematic neoplastic topics addressed, those are separately reported and discussed. Furthermore, a review of the most recent strategies and risk stratification is provided, according to the most recent literature evidence and to the European Guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union has been allocating funds for the energy transition to meet escalating global energy demands while minimising the environmental impact. This paper focuses on the impact of post-pandemic policies on photovoltaic technology in Italy and Portugal, specifically analysing self-consumption schemes and energy communities. A techno-economic assessment identified optimal PV systems for four families in each country, considering financial incentives. Italy offers Superbonus 110 and Ecobonus schemes, while Portugal provides access to the Environmental Fund. Profitable PV systems with storage are feasible in Italy but not in Portugal. Superbonus 110 favours smaller systems, Ecobonus supports larger ones, and Portuguese policies prioritise smaller systems. Simulations of energy communities for the same families showed that in Italy, the best configurations consist of families acting as producers with larger PV capacities and smaller batteries. In contrast, in Portugal, the policies favour smaller PV systems without batteries, resulting in optimal configurations where families are solely consumers. This research underscores diverse national approaches to post-pandemic energy policies and their nuanced impacts on PV technology in Italy and Portugal. It can be concluded that energy communities offer greater profitability than individual self-consumption schemes. This is because individual households continue to prioritise self-consumption and personal savings while selling their excess energy at a more favourable price than what they would receive from the grid. • In Italy, there are financial incentives and in Portugal, electricity cost reductions. • The models used the Net Present Value and the Internal Rate of Return as indicators. • In Italy, Superbonus 100 favours smaller systems, while Ecobonus supports larger ones. • Smaller systems without batteries for self-consumption are more profitable in Portugal. • Energy communities are more economically viable in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the influence of temperature and of rainfall intensity and the effect of such variations on the treatment efficiencies and on the electrical consumptions in seven medium-large size Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) in Apulia in South Italy (Bari, Barletta, Brindisi, Lecce, Foggia, Andria and Taranto). It has been observed, in the considered WWTPs, a slight but clear increase of the incoming flow due to the increase in rainfall intensity, which results to an increase of the energy consumption per incoming volume. The impact of the climate change to the incoming flow, during the last five years (2016–2020), has been assessed indicating that an increase in rainfall intensity results to an increase of the WWTPs energy consumptions per wastewater treated volume. More specifically, for a specific WWTP (Lecce) it was found that the electrical consumption increases from 0.36 kw/m3 to 0.51 kw/m3 when the rainfall intensity was increased from 0.8 mm/min to 2.9 mm/min. Some adaption measures have been considered to upgrade the existing WWTP so to mitigate the energy increase and to limit the global effects of climate change. [Display omitted] • As Rain intensity rises, wastewater influx into WWTPs increases. • Rainfall intensity influences negatively electrical consumptions. • BOD removal is lower with increasing annual precipitations. • Temperature influences BOD, COD and SST removal efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seismic stability assessment of anthropogenic cavities is a challenging issue for land and urban planning, particularly in areas of possible interaction with surface structures and infrastructures. The paper proposes a novel methodology for the preliminary assessment at urban scale of the safety level against roof collapse of underground cavities under seismic actions through seismic stability charts, SSCs. The SSCs are the result of extensive parametric two-dimensional FEM analyses focused on cavities excavated in soft rock, as it is frequent in many inhabited areas all over the world. The study is mainly oriented to the instability of shallow cavities, includingthe effects at the ground surface. The SSCs allow evaluation of stability conditions of a generic cavity through a factor of safety, calculated as the minimum ratio between the resistant and loading bending moment of the critical sections of the cavity roof during the whole earthquake duration. The method is applied to the case study of Sant'Agata de' Goti, a historical center in Southern Italy, rising on top of a volcanic tuff ridge. • Methodology to preliminary screen the seismic stability of underground cavities at urban scale. • Parametric 2D FEM analyses to calculate the cavity factor of safety during earthquake. • Analytical interpretation of cavity response under a seismic pseudo-static action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During major floods, rivers erode their banks and thus recruit large wood pieces from the riparian zones. There is still a lack of knowledge about the transport of large wood, the volumes involved and the flux distribution, i.e. the large wood connectivity at catchment scale. During storm Alex (October 2020), the French Roya catchment (394 km2) experienced a paroxysmal morphogenic flood involving massive bank erosion. The riparian vegetation was largely recruited, with large wood contributing to logjams and bridge destruction. This paper presents a methodology for volumetric assessment of the large wood fluxes involved. Simple approaches are used to (i) quantify the inputs from stand density data from the national forest inventory and from source areas based on diachronic analysis of active channels highlighting the erosion of 87 ha of wooded areas; and (ii) quantify the volumes deposited via an exhaustive manual digitisation of 16,846 pieces of large wood deposited on 59 km of channels on the Roya and its tributaries. This catchment-scale, large wood connectivity analysis shows that the flood recruited and transported downstream a volume of around 14,000 m3 of large wood (uncertainty range: 7000–29,500 m3). Drone observations of the Roya River mouth in Italy and satellite images showing a raft of driftwood, several km long, drifting off the Roya River mouth in the aftermath of the flood corroborate our findings. • Storm Alex (Oct. 2020) triggered dramatic geomorphic changes in the Roya River (FR). • We quantified the volume of large wood (LW) eroded, conveyed and deposited. • Large wood production is deduced from eroded forest maps and forest stand density. • Large wood deposition is estimated by digitizing logs on aerial pictures. • Circa 14,000 m3 of LW were recruited, 900 m3 deposited, the rest went to the sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper builds on the empirical literature that analyses the relationship between government efficiency and economic growth by investigating the link on a sample of about 3800 Italian municipalities. While the correlation has been explored at country or regional level, empirical studies at municipal or city level are virtually absent. This is a severe limitation given the numerous fiscal decentralization reforms that took place in many European countries over the last few decades aimed at increasing the autonomy and responsibilities of sub-national government. Estimation results show that government efficiency, when instrumented, is conducive for economic growth. The effect is larger for low populated municipalities, for those located in the South of Italy, and in more peripheral areas. Results are robust to alternative measures of efficiency and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at evaluating the best allocation of potential biomethane generation for the decarbonization of the transport system, presenting a case study in Italy. The country has some peculiar features, such as several operating biogas plants, additional potential feedstock for biogas/biomethane generation, a well-developed natural gas network and established relevant natural gas uses in different final sectors, including transport. Based on current estimates for sustainable biomethane potential by 2030, ranging from 2.3 to 7.6 billion cubic meters depending on the scenario, the analysis compares technologies for the generation, distribution and final use of biomethane. The results of the analysis confirm the potential interesting contribution of biomethane in decarbonizing the Italian transport system: a billion cubic meters of biomethane can lead to 2.33–4.37 Mt CO 2 e savings, depending on the feedstock mix and the application. On a national basis, annual climate emission savings in 2030 range from 10.0 to 26.7 Mt CO 2 e , depending on the scenario. Additional 3.1–8.1 Mt CO 2 of emissions can be avoided if the CO 2 captured during the biomethane upgrading can be stored or reused. The proposed methodology could be used to extend the analysis to other countries, and to the European context. • We analyze the climate emissions of biomethane for different supply chains. • We evaluate the effects of feedstock, distribution strategy and electricity mix. • The results confirm the important role of biomethane for transport decarbonization. • We discuss the best allocation in transport segments based on emissions savings. • We compare alternative biomethane scenarios for Italy in 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy retrofitting of residential buildings is considered a challenge to be tackled not only at building level, but also at urban scale, to give a stronger impulse for a concrete transition towards climate neutrality. This paper presents an easy-to-use analysis method based on the elaboration and scaling-up of data collected through the energy performance certificates (EPCs) to identify different urban energy zones distinguished by their energy performance index. This method is therefore conceived for better informing urban planning decisions, thus boosting more effective energy-sensitive urban planning strategies and eventually to foresee dedicated financial instruments to act in the more energy demanding areas of the city, establishing priorities for integrated strategies. This analytical method has been applied and tested in one municipality in the Emilia-Romagna region, Italy, where the recent urban planning law is pushing municipalities towards the development of urban planning strategies oriented to drastically improve the energy efficiency of the existing building stock. Results show that only a small number of areas manage to reach a good performance with fairly low levels of energy performance index, with the most critical situation found in the most central areas of the capital and in the hamlets. • Easy-to-use method for assessing energy performance of residential building at urban scale is proposed • Method based on data easily available for local authorities, like energy performance certificates (EPCs) and urban morphology • The method supports urban planners in municipalities in taking more targeted decisions for improving energy efficiency • The main output of the method is the definition of an energy performance index (EPI) for different urban contexts • EPI allows to wisely balance economic incentives, identifying areas where multi-purpose interventions are recommended [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So far, energy planning methods faced several challenges in achieving a proper assessment due to the extreme variability of input conditions. To considerably decrease the computational efforts in achieving solutions, most of the analyses reported in the scientific literature assume constant costs and demand over the entire planning horizon in a typical year. However, results might not be perfectly aligned with real ones because of the incapability of some models to address several aspects like energy demand/production variability, energy and technology costs, efficiency degradation, and use of different energy carriers. This paper proposes a novel methodology that optimises both the long-term planning and short-term scheduling decisions in the management of a multi-energy carries community by means of a Mixed Integer Linear Programming model that also considers the modular design of technologies (e.g., technological devices selection from a discrete set of variants). Such a model has been applied to the case study of a University campus in Italy, whose historical demand data were used for its energy planning with a time horizon of 30 years. Three scenarios have been analysed: (i) the Business As Usual, (ii) the Sector-coupling scenario, and, finally, (iii) the Hydrogen deployment one. The results are obtained under different energy scenarios, showing the effectiveness of the methodology in dealing with multi-investment stages at different planning levels in a reasonable computational time. In particular, they showed that deploying more sustainable technologies would increase the cost of the electricity (between 43%–89%), while reducing other energy carriers' cost (about 60%) and lowering all energy carriers' carbon footprint (between 50%–80%). From a long-term perspective, (i) the use of sector-coupling technologies is beneficial from both economic and environmental points of view, and ii) dynamic variations of some parameters can strongly affect the deployment of high-cost technologies to be installed beyond 2030. • A novel multi-investment stage approach for multi-energy-carriers community is proposed. • Methodology validated on different energy-policy-driven scenarios with up to five energy-carries. • Manufacturer's datasheet-based size enables realistic modular design. • Automatic energy systems expansion aligned with fluctuating parameters. • Electricity cost increment (40%–80%) for the economic and environmental benefit of the other carriers (50%–90%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the presence of urban wildlife has increased in many cities around the world, with the consequent increase of human-animal relations. The city of Genoa (NW Italy) is a particularly complex case study where such phenomena are associated with rural depopulation of the surrounding countryside and spontaneous rewilding processes that have led several animal species to approach urban areas in search of new spaces. This paper deals with human-wildlife interactions in Genoa in relation to the geography of the city by way of a survey circulated throughout Genoa. Drawing from survey data, the research investigates residents' perceptions and understanding of urban wildlife in relation to their area of residency with a focus on wild boars. People's responses show that some areas of the city have a higher level of interaction with wildlife, and this partly affects the way in which such phenomena are perceived and tolerated by the population. In addition, the results show that there is no clear opposition towards urban wildlife and that people are concerned about sustainable forms of urban planning to the benefit of both residents and wildlife. • Rewilding processes involve both rural and urban areas of Liguria (NW Italy). • In recent times city of Genoa (NW Italy) has seen a progressive increase of wildlife. • Intensity of human-animal interactions varies in relation to people's area of residency. • People are concerned about public safety and good quality of urban environments but also animal welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Messinian, the sensitivity of the Mediterranean Basin to ecosystem perturbation was enhanced in response to the progressive restriction of water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean. The widespread deposition of organic-rich layers (i.e. sapropel) during the Messinian testifies the perturbation of the carbon and oxygen cycles; indeed, these sediments were deposited under conditions of oxygen starvation, presumably in response to a periodic deterioration of the thermohaline circulation strength. Disentangling the causes, the effect and magnitude of the thermohaline circulation weakening during the geological past is crucial for better constraining present and near-future deoxygenation dynamics in the Mediterranean region under the current climate warming. For this purpose, we investigate a Messinian sapropel-bearing succession cropping out at Monte dei Corvi (Ancona, central Italy) with mineralogical, petrographic, micropaleontological and stable Carbon and Oxygen isotopic analyses. We show that sapropel layers were deposited in response to an increase of the sea surface buoyancy, which hampered the thermohaline circulation and thus the oxygenation of bottom water, in turn affecting the bioturbating organisms. Within the lithological cycle, the recovery of an efficient thermohaline circulation is recorded by thin packstone layers underlying the marly limestone/marlstone, which record intense bottom currents. The marly limestone/marlstone accumulated during periods of intense primary productivity and organic carbon export to the sea bottom, which promoted bottom hypoxia but not organic matter preservation. We infer that these lithological changes resulted from variations in the Adriatic Deep Water formation system, controlled by precession-driven climatic and oceanographic changes. By integrating previously published Sea Surface Temperature (SST) with new isotopic and mineralogical data, we show that variations in Sea Surface Salinity (SSS) were the leading factor controlling sapropel deposition, minimizing the role of primary productivity. The SSTs characterizing the sapropel deposits are close to the range of those projected in the Eastern Mediterranean at the end of this century under climate warming. In this scenario, future warming will be coupled with SSS increase, which will counteract the density loss provided by temperature, making the bottom deoxygenation in the Eastern Mediterranean abysses unlikely. However, additional forcing, such as winter heat waves and eutrophication, could contribute to negatively affecting the Mediterranean oxygen balance and should be considered in model-based projections. • The Monte dei Corvi recorded the changes in the ADW formation during the Messinian. • The bottom deoxygenation resulted from variations in the freshwater input. • Future deoxygenation in Mediterranean can be provided by productivity or heatwaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the challenge of mitigating greenhouse gases produced mainly by fossil fuels, the recovery of agricultural and food waste to produce biohydrogen by dark fermentation is considered a promising source for the future. However, industrial-scale production remains challenging and several parameters significantly influencing the application of the technology need to be finely tuned. In the present study, an evaluation of the production of biohydrogen from cassava and pineapple waste, widely available in many African countries, was carried out using different microbial consortia originating from industrial biogas plants in Italy. The production of biohydrogen was defined both by screening the most appropriate inoculum and by using a "centered composite design" to optimize the inoculum pretreatment time and the pH. From cassava waste, which is abundant of starch (43%), the highest hydrogen levels (62.32 mL H 2 /gVS) were obtained at pH 7.72 adopting a 4-h heat treated inoculum originating from an anaerobic digester fed with corn and barley silage. Higher hydrogen yields (75.50 mL H 2 /gVS) were achieved at pH 6 once pineapple, which has a high content of hemicellulose, was converted by another selected inoculum, isolated from an olive pomace treating plant, where hemicellulose is one of the most common polysaccharide. The correlation coefficients R2 and adjusted R2 are close to unity, proving the model to be appropriate to express the concentration of hydrogen produced. This combined approach performed successfully and represents a strong strategy to optimize the production of biohydrogen from agricultural residues even in African contexts. [Display omitted] • African residues are good candidates for biohydrogen production. • Response surface methodology optimized bio-H 2 yields. • The selection of proper inoculum is decisive for bio-H 2 production. • Inoculum treatment and pH are major factors for bio-H 2 production. • Cassava and pineapple were converted up to 62 and 75 mL H 2 /gVS, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]