Environment In Italy Research Articles

Israel in the Italian Media Before 7 October

Images broadcast on television, radio analyses, and long articles printed in newspapers and, today, the content of digital platforms have become an overwhelming part of our daily lives. The history of the State of Israel, which has been debated since its foundation, is very complex and not exempt from the reverberations that the policies of the opposing blocs have had over time on the conflicts that followed. Given the attention of the European public to international events concerning Israel and the role of the media in conveying information about them, the aim of this research was to investigate how Israel is talked about in the current media environment in Italy, particularly the digital one, within the Facebook platform between the years 2019 and 2021. This is the period before the outbreak of the war on 7 October 2023; this is to try to understand whether Israel has always been narrated according to specific media frames in Italy, such as those we see emerging with the current conflict against Hamas, or is it possible to highlight different aspects in previous years within the same context of crisis, but a global health crisis: before and after COVID-19.

Antimicrobial Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes Strains Isolated in Food and Food-Processing Environments in Italy

Listeria monocytogenes, along with various other pathogenic bacteria, may show resistance against a broad spectrum of antibiotics. Evaluating the extent of resistance in harmful microorganisms like Listeria monocytogenes holds significant importance in crafting novel therapeutic strategies to mitigate or combat the rise of infections stemming from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The present work aims to investigate the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance among Listeria monocytogenes strains in meat products (n = 173), seafood (n = 54), dairy products (n = 19), sauces (n = 2), confectionary products (n = 1), ready-to-eat rice dishes (n = 1), and food-processing environments (n = 19). A total of 269 Listeria monocytogenes strains belonging to eight different serovars were tested against 10 antimicrobials. In the classes of antibiotics, most of the strains were resistant antibiotics belonging to the family of β-lactams (92.94%). High proportions of L. monocytogenes isolates were resistant to oxacillin (88.48%), followed by fosfomycin (85.87%) and flumenique (78.44%). The lowest level of resistance was observed against gentamycin (1.49%). A total of 235 strains (n = 87.36%) showed a profile of multidrug resistance. In conclusion, a high occurrence of resistant and multidrug-resistant strains of Listeria monocytogenes was observed among the examined serotypes isolated from different food sources. This understanding enables the adoption of suitable measures to avert contamination and the spread of resistant bacteria via food.

Evaluation of spatial patterns accuracy in identifying built-up areas within risk zones using deep learning, RGB aerial imagery, and multi-source GIS data

In the presence of natural disasters that increasingly affect urban centers, innovative methodologies that can support all the subjects and bodies involved in the disaster management system are increasingly important. This task can be enhanced in urban settings by automatically assessing at-risk buildings through satellite and aerial imagery. However, creating and implementing models with robust generalization capabilities is crucial to achieving this goal. Based on these premises, the authors proposed a deep learning approach utilizing the U-Net model to map buildings within known landslide-prone areas. They trained and validated the U-Net model using the Dubai Satellite Imagery Dataset. The model's prediction accuracy in adapting its results to urban environments in Italy, different from those involved in the training and validation stages, was tested using natural color orthoimages and diverse geographic information system (GIS) data sources. The outcomes indicate that the model's predictions are better in contexts with denser urban fabric. The level of accuracy in dispersed urban shapes worsens as building footprints cover a small portion of the total image area. Overall, the results demonstrate that the suggested methodology can effectively identify buildings in landslide risk zones, demonstrating noteworthy adaptability, making the proposed platform a tool that can be instrumental for decision-makers and urban planners in pre-disaster and post-disaster stages.

Relationship Between Occupational Safety and Health Policy Principles, Organizational Action on Work-related Stress and the Psychosocial Work Environment in Italy

BackgroundIt is acknowledged that legislation acts as a motivator for organizational action on psychosocial risks. Our study aims to provide evidence on the relationship between key occupational safety and health (OSH) policy principles and organizational action on work-related stress, and, in turn, with reported employee job demands and resources and their experience of work-related stress. We focus on Italy where specific legislation and practices on work-related stress were introduced in 2008 which are underpinned by these key OSH policy principles. MethodsSecondary analysis of the Italian samples from the employer ESENER-2 and employee 6th EWCS surveys was conducted, using path analysis in structural equation modeling (SEM) linking the two datasets. ResultsWe found a strong statistically significant relationship between OSH policy principles and organizational action on work-related stress (C.I. = .62-.78 p < .001). The existence of an organizational action plan on work-related stress was found to be significantly associated with more reported job resources (C.I. = .02-.24, p < .05) but these were not found to be significantly associated with less work-related stress. No significant association was found between having an organizational action plan for work-related stress and reported job demands. However, job demands were significantly related to reported work-related stress (C.I. = .27-.47, p < .001). ConclusionsFindings add support to the call for specific legislation on work-related psychosocial risks and highlight how an organizational OSH culture underpinned by key OSH principles, and awareness/competence development on psychosocial risk management can have a positive effect on organizational action. However, further support needs to be provided to organizations around developing primary prevention interventions at the organizational level with the aim of reducing job demands.

Impact of weathering processes on n-alkane pattern in badlands

The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of weathering processes on the distribution of n-alkanes in unweathered and weathered samples of badland material. Organic matter (OM) of both the weathered and unweathered zones in badland environments is derived from the same sources such any differences between the n-alkane pattern of the two zones can be attributed to the impact of weathering processes under different climate conditions. Organic geochemical and mineralogical characterizations were employed to investigate twenty-one samples from weathered badland environments in Italy, Spain, and Canada that originally derive from marine, distal alluvial, and fluvial depositional settings, respectively.According to the distribution of n-alkanes and diterpanes, unweathered samples from Italy have an original mixed aquatic-terrestrial origin of OM, with a variable (low to moderate) contribution of terrestrial plants as precursors, while unweathered samples from Spain predominantly contain OM originating from submerged/floating macrophytes deposited under reducing conditions. Unweathered samples from Canada predominantly consist of terrigenous OM.Intensity of changes in n-alkanes distribution when subjected to weathering depends on the type of precursor biomass and quantity of smectite. Predominantly terrigenous OM under semi-arid conditions shows the highest affinity for adsorption is in contact with smectite surfaces. Mid- and long-chain odd n-alkanes have a tendency to build colloidal particles with polar organic compounds such as fatty acids by strong binding and thus their preservation from degradation is possible.

A car showroom for the fish: The visual story of the first-ever artificial reef in Italy and the beginning of contemporary environmental discourse (Varazze, December 1970)

In October 1970, the city of Genoa was devastated by a major flood. A few weeks later, hundreds of wrecked cars removed from the city's streets were sunk off the coast of Varazze, in the first-ever Italian project to create an artificial reef. This initiative, which was inspired by similar experiences tried out in the United States and other countries, had been aimed at increasing the fish population and protecting the seabed but was carried out without any thorough preliminary scientific study, and produced other effects not in the initial intentions of the project. Nonetheless, this story should be read as one point in the broadest trajectory in the evolution of environmental discourse. This contribution, based on hitherto unpublished visual documentation, is therefore an investigation into the very specific meaning of the environment in Italy at the beginning of the 70s. The first part of the article provides a reconstruction of the operational details involved in creating the new underwater seascape of Varazze while in the second part, the earlier examples of similar initiatives are described, as well as the reactions of the scientific community. In conclusion, we reflect on the legacy of the initiative, both at the environmental level and as a basic step in the relationship between visual media and contemporary environmental discourse.

An exploration of biosimilar TNF-alpha inhibitors uptake determinants in hospital environments in Italy, Portugal, and Spain.

The availability of biosimilar medicines in Southern European markets has allowed purchasing biologics at a lower cost for healthcare systems. However, the capacity to seize this cost-reduction opportunity in the long run depends on fostering a sustainable competitive environment for all the market players involved. Diverse policies and information campaigns have been launched in Italy, Portugal and Spain to support uptake of "best-value" biologics (BVB). Despite these measures, the utilization of lower-cost biologics in certain regions is low, especially when it comes to the treatment of chronic conditions. We aim to identify biosimilar uptake determinants in hospital environments in Italy, Portugal and Spain, using the class of TNF-alpha inhibitors as an example. This is a mixed-methods study based on (1) the quantitative analysis of regional uptake data for TNF-alpha inhibitor biosimilars and (2) the qualitative processing of semi-structured interviews capturing experts' views on uptake determinants for biosimilars. The organization of multi-stakeholder information campaigns supporting TNF-alpha inhibitor biosimilars use in Italy, Portugal and Spain has resulted in an increased familiarity of healthcare professionals and patients with the prescription/use of these products. However, barriers persist that impede high biosimilars uptake, especially in chronic patient populations eligible for a switch. These are: (1) the late publication of position statements on biosimilars interchangeability by regulatory health authorities; (2) the vague positioning of (national/regional) health authorities on best switching practices (including multiple biosimilar-to-biosimilar switches); (3) the existence of policy frameworks that do not necessarily support the initiation of switching protocols; (4) the establishment of sometimes inefficient purchasing procedures that limit biosimilars potential to compete for market shares. Diverse approaches taken regionally to address these barriers have contributed to heterogeneous TNF-alpha inhibitor biosimilars uptake across Southern Europe. Our research signaled the limited reach of biosimilar policies implemented locally, if not supported by a national policy framework. This study highlights the need for the coordinated implementation of policy measures fostering biosimilars use at the regional and national level in Italy, Portugal and Spain. These measures should account for the particularities of off-patent biologic and biosimilar markets and should jointly address supply- and demand-side challenges.

Toward sustainable environment in Italy: The role of trade globalization, human capital, and renewable energy consumption

The current study evaluates the effect of financial development (FD), economic growth (GDP), trade globalization (TGLO), renewable energy consumption (REC), and human capital (HC) on ecological footprint (ECF) in Italy using data between 1985 and 2018. We further assess the combined impact of trade globalisation and human capital on ecological footprint as well as the combined effect of trade globalisation and human capital on ecological footprint. In order to explore these associations, the present research utilizes autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) to catch both long and short-run associations between ecological footprint and its drivers. Furthermore, we use dynamic OLS (DOLS) and fully modified OLS (FMOLS) long-run estimators as robustness checks. Lastly, causality at different frequencies is captured using the frequency domain causality test. The outcomes of the ARDL estimator disclose that (a) a surge in ecological footprint is attributed to an increase in economic growth; (b) a decrease in ecological footprint is attributed to an increase in renewable energy, trade globalisation, and human capital; (c) the combined impact of human capital and trade globalisation lessen ecological footprint, and (d) combined effect of trade globalisation and human capital mitigate ecological footprint in Italy. Furthermore, the outcomes of the causality test revealed that all the exogenous variables can significantly predict ecological footprint in the long run with the exemption of financial development. Based on the study's findings, an SDG-focused policy framework is advocated.

Topographic thresholds for gully head formation in badlands

AbstractGully erosion is a particularly damaging process which is not yet sufficiently understood and parameterized. Gully head topographic threshold relative to Hortonian runoff have been studied in cropland, rangeland and forest. This study extends such modelling approach to badlands. Different badlands (eight sites) have been studied in the Mediterranean environment in Italy and Spain, characterized by diversified climatic, lithological, and geological settings under different anthropogenic conditioning. Many badlands have been characterized by their specific human history in addition to their geomorphological properties. Land use, as part of the human history, strongly affected many badland formation and development, through extremely impacting land exploitation (usually overgrazing). The effect of geological and geomorphological processes are usually particularly well visible. While the weakening effect of joints is confirmed, the different geological layer bedding orientation with respect to the slope aspect generates a different development of badland morphologies and different values of gully head thresholds values (as shown in two badlands sites on the same geological material and climate.The selection of Curve Number values, at the base of the introduction of land use into the gully head thresholds, has been more objectively defined in order to reduce arbitrariness in threshold application. The study additionally revises some of the physical basics behind the gully head threshold concept, requiring a description of the soil resistance in terms of frictional and cohesive components. This implies the explicit inclusion of rock fragment into the grain size distribution, which cannot be limited to fine grains. It results into an enriched threshold formulation that allows to describe the condition for gully head initiation and retreat as the result of the tradeoff between the frictional and cohesive components of the soil resistance forces. Eventually, the gully head threshold concept is confirmed and extended to include badlands.

P039 Cross-resistance to clinical and agricultural azoles among Aspergillus fumigatus strains isolated from humans and environment in Italy

Poster session 1, September 21, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PMObjectivesIn Italy, a prevalence of 16.9% of resistance to clinical azoles was observed among Aspergillus fumigatus isolates from an agricultural environment. This spread of azole-resistance is attributed to the widespread use of 14a-demethylase inhibitors (DMIs).The aims of the present study were to investigate: the DMIs resistance in Italian A. fumigatus strains of clinical and environmental origin, both susceptible and resistant to clinical azoles; the molecular mechanism of resistance in strains susceptible to clinical azoles but resistant to at least one of the tested DMIs; the in vitro DMI resistance induced by prolonged exposure to DMIs in susceptible clinical and environmental strains, and the molecular mechanism of resistance.MethodsA total of 54 A. fumigatus strains were selected: 23 susceptible to clinical azoles (CAS) and 31 resistant (CAR) with and without mutations in the CYP51A gene (TR34/L98H, F219I, G54R, G54E, D269Y, M220I, or F46Y/M172V/N248T/D255E/E427K). Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed for 8 DMIs (tebuconazole, epoxiconazole, difenoconazole, propiconazole, tetraconazole, flusilazole, fenbuconazole, and prochloraz) using broth microdilution method according to EUCAST and CLSI methods. Mutations in CYP51A, CYP51B, and HMG1 genes were investigated in CAS with DMI high MIC values. In vitro induction of resistance was performed using the 8 DMIs on 11 (6 clinical and 5 environmental) A. fumigatus strains susceptible both to clinical azoles and DMIs. A suspension of 106 conidia was inoculated on glucose-yeast extract-peptone agar plates containing different DMIs at different concentrations and incubated at 37°C for 72 h for six repeated passages.ResultsComparable results were obtained using EUCAST and CLSI methods.Resistance (MIC ≥16) to tetraconazole and fenbuconazole was observed in 100% of isolates, both CAR and CAS. On the contrary, a statistically significant difference in tebuconazole, epoxiconazole, difenoconazole, propiconazole, and flusilazole MICs between CAR strains and CAS strains was observed with higher geometric means (GM) in CAR (range 4.9-9.3 mg/L) than in CAS (1.5-2.7 mg/L) strains. Prochloraz showed the lowest GMs: 0.6 and 0.25 mg/L in CAR and CAS strains, respectively.A significant difference of the GMs for all the DMIs tested, except prochloraz, was observed between the isolates harboring a TR34/L98H or a M220I mutation (GM range 10.4-16 mg/L) and those with other CYP51A mutations (GM range 1-4.6 mg/L).In the CAS showing high DMI MICs, the absence of CYP51A mutations was confirmed, while a synonymous mutation P394P, was identified in CYP51B. No mutations in HMG1 gene were found.In the induction tests, the prolonged exposure to DMIs showed an induced phenotypic resistance of 100% (11/11 isolates) for epoxiconazole, of 72.7% (8/11) for propiconazole, of 54% (6/11) for tebuconazole and difenoconazole, and of 9.1% (1/11) for prochloraz.Molecular analysis to understand if the phenotypic resistance corresponds to induced mutations in CYP51A, CYP51B, and HMG1 genes is in progress.ConclusionsPreliminary results confirm cross-resistance between clinical azoles and DMIs, with MIC differences between CAR and CAS and between strains with different mutations in the CYP51A gene. Furthermore, the ability of DMIs to induce resistance in vitro was highlighted.

Children and neonates anesthesia in magnetic resonance environment in Italy: an active call survey

BackgroundPediatric anesthesia care in the Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a challenge for clinicians. The recent debate about the role of anesthetic agent on neural development, encouraged an evaluation of their actual activity in this environment. In this active call survey, the authors sought to delineate the Italian situation regarding national centers, staff involved, monitoring tools available and sedation techniques.MethodsA complete sample of all national centers performing almost a pediatric discharge in the 2014 was obtained from Health Ministry registers. All Institutions were contacted for a prospective phone investigation and a three-section survey was fill out with the Physician in charge. A descriptive and exploratory analyzes about the organization setting of the Centers were performed.ResultsAmong 876 Institution screened, only 106 (37%) met minimal criteria for inclusion. Children are managed by anesthesiologists in the 95% of cases, while neonates in the 54%. A dedicated nurse is present in 74% of centers. While a pulse oximetry is present in 100% of centers, the rate of prevalence of other monitoring is lower. A specific MRI-compatible ventilator is available in the 95% of Centers, but many tools are not equally homogenously distributed. Pharmacological approach is preferred in pediatric age (98%), but its use for newborns is reduced to 43%.ConclusionsWe found significant heterogeneity in the daily clinical practice of sedation in MRI. Our results could be a starting point to evaluate the further evolution of approach to children and neonates in magnetic resonance setting.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04775641.

Implementation level of best practice policies by Italian Government for healthier food environments: Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI).

This work aims to identify policies implemented for healthy food environments in Italy within The Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) project. Food-EPI tool, which includes two components, thirteen domains and fifty good practice indicators, was adapted for the Italian context. Evidence for implementation was gathered and summarized for all fifty indicators from data sources such as governmental websites, non-government organizations publications and websites and via direct contact with Government officials. The highest level of evidence was found within five domains: food composition (2/2 indicators), labelling (3/4), promotion (4/5), provision (4/5) and leadership (5/5). The domains with less identified evidence were food prices (1/4), food in retail (0/4), trade and investment (0/2) and platforms and interaction (1/4). The evidence summarization and the upcoming stakeholders' meeting to rate the level of implementation for each indicator in Italy have the potential to improve Government commitment to shape healthier food environments.

How Covid-19 Pandemic Reshaped Cultural Environment in Italy and Ukraine: Facebook Content Analysis

&lt;em&gt;&lt;span&gt;The need to incorporate cultural aspects into business practice is long-standing. The cultural environment in Ukraine and Italy was reshaped, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Social networks reflected such transformation both at the personal level and in the business activities of national companies on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other media. Facebook pages were analyzed as the most popular social platform in Ukraine and Italy to reveal these changes. Content analysis of countries' leaders in retail, e-commerce, and service was carried out, namely &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;EVA, Rozetka, and Nova Noshta for Ukraine; and Conad, Bottega Verde, and Italo Treno for Italy. T&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;wo-phase desk research was conducted with ten research questions for each cultural dimension encoded in a binary system. The research has shown that Ukrainian business still manifests collaborative problem solving, compliance with social standards, and the value of human life. It demonstrates a low level of power distance and uncertainty avoidance. Ukraine is gradually changing its paradigm of thinking to a more hedonic and individualistic similar to Western Europe. In contrast, Italy shows less respect for power in all its manifestations and a greater willingness to take risks than before. The country has become less goal-oriented, restrained, and masculine but more collectivistic.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;

Airborne concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor community environments in Italy.

COVID-19 pandemic raised a debate regarding the role of airborne transmission. Information regarding virus-laden aerosol concentrations is still scarce in community indoors and what are the risks for general public and the efficiency of restriction policies. This work investigates, for the first time in Italy, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in air samples collected in different community indoors (one train station, two food markets, one canteen, one shopping centre, one hair salon, and one pharmacy) in three Italian cities: metropolitan city of Venice (NE of Italy), Bologna (central Italy), and Lecce (SE of Italy). Air samples were collected during the maximum spread of the second wave of pandemic in Italy (November and December 2020). All collected samples tested negative for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, using both real-time RT-PCR and ddPCR, and no significant differences were observed comparing samples taken with and without customers. Modelling average concentrations, using influx of customers’ data and local epidemiological information, indicated low values (i.e. < 0.8 copies m−3 when cotton facemasks are used and even lower for surgical facemasks). The results, even if with some limitations, suggest that the restrictive policies enforced could effectively reduce the risk of airborne transmissions in the community indoor investigated, providing that physical distance is respected.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11356-021-16737-7.

Morpho-Mineralogical and Bio-Geochemical Description of Cave Manganese Stromatolite-Like Patinas (Grotta del Cervo, Central Italy) and Hints on Their Paleohydrological-Driven Genesis

Caves are dark subsurface environments with relatively constant temperatures that allow studying bio-mineralization processes and paleoenvironmental or climate changes in optimal conditions. In the extreme and oligotrophic cave environment, manganese patinas having stromatolite-like features are uncommon. Here we provide the first detailed mineralogical, geochemical, and microbiological investigation of fine-grained and poorly crystalline MnFe stromatolite-like wall patinas formed in a deep-cave environment in Italy. These mineralizations, about 3 mm thick, consist of an alternation of Mn-layers and Fe-lenses. We show that the microbial communities' composition is dominated by Mn-oxidizing bacteria, such as Bacillus, Flavobacterium, and Pseudomonas. Our multidisciplinary investigation, integrating data from different analytical techniques (i.e., optical microscopy, SEM-EDS, μXRF, XRPD, FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy, and DNA sequencing), revealed peculiar chemical, mineralogical, and biological features: 1) A cyclical oscillation of Mn and Fe along the growth of the patinas. We propose that this oscillation represents the shift between oxic and suboxic conditions related to different phases occurring during paleo-flood events; 2) A typical spatial distribution of mineralogy and oxidation state of Mn, bacterial imprints, detrital content, and stromatolite-like morphologies along the Mn-layers. We propose that this distribution is controlled by the local hydraulic regime of the paleo-floods, which, in turn, is directly related to the morphology of the wall surface. Under less turbulent conditions, the combination of clay mineral catalysis and biological oxidation produced vernadite, a poor-crystalline phyllomanganate with a low average oxidation state of Mn, and branched columnar stromatolite-like morphologies. On the other hand, under more turbulent conditions, the sedimentation of clay minerals and microbial communities' development are both inhibited. In this local environment, a lower oxidation rate of Mn2+ favored the formation of todorokite and/or ranciéite, two compounds with a high average oxidation state of Mn, and flat-laminated or columnar stromatolite-like morphologies.

Data Driven Approaches for Sustainable Development of E-Mobility in Urban Areas

This study focuses on a modeling framework to support mobility planners and energy providers in the sustainable development of electric mobility in urban areas. Specifically, models are provided to simulate measures for the optimal management of energy demand and thoughtful planning of charging infrastructures in order to avoid congestion on the power grid. The measures, and consequently the models, are classified according to short-term initiatives based on multimodality between electric vehicles and public transport (Park and Ride), as well as medium to long-term initiatives based on the development of an energy-oriented land use of the city. All the models are data-driven, and different sets of floating car data available for the city of Rome (Italy) have been exploited for this aim. The models are currently being implemented in an agent-based simulator for electric urban mobility adopted by the National Agency for Energy and Environment in Italy (ENEA).

Feedborne Salmonella enterica Serovar Jerusalem Outbreak in Different Organic Poultry Flocks in Switzerland and Italy Linked to Soya Expeller.

Poultry feed is a leading source of Salmonella infection in poultry. In Switzerland, heat-treated feed is used to reduce Salmonella incursions into flocks in conventional poultry production. By contrast, organic feed is only treated with organic acids. In 2019, the Swiss National Reference Center for Enteropathogenic Bacteria identified the rare serovar S. Jerusalem from samples of organic soya feed. Further, in July 2020, the European Union’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed published a notification of the detection of S. Jerusalem in soya expeller from Italy. During 2020, seven S. Jerusalem isolates from seven different poultry productions distributed over six cantons in Switzerland were reported, providing further evidence of a possible outbreak. Using whole-genome sequencing (WGS), S. Jerusalem isolates from feed and from animals in Switzerland were further characterized and compared to S. Jerusalem from organic poultry farm environments in Italy. WGS results showed that feed isolates and isolates from Swiss and Italian poultry flocks belonged to the sequence type (ST)1028, grouped in a very tight cluster, and were closely related. This outbreak highlights the risk of spreading Salmonella by feed and emphasizes the need for a heat-treatment process for feed, also in organic poultry production.

Serotyping and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Resistance of Salmonella Strains Detected in Wildlife and Natural Environments in Southern Italy.

Wild animals are potential vectors of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella serovars isolated from wildlife and the environment in Italy. A total of 164 Salmonella isolates were analyzed, and six different subspecies and 64 serovars were detected. High proportions of Salmonella isolates proved resistant to streptomycin (34.1%), followed by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (23.2%), tetracycline (17.7%), ciprofloxacin (14.63%) and ampicillin (11.59%). By source, the lowest level of resistance was observed in Salmonella serovars isolated from a water environment, while antimicrobial resistance was frequent in strains collected from shellfish, reptiles and birds. Multidrug-resistant strains were recovered from seafood (n = 11), mammals (n = 3) and water (n = 1). Three S. Typhimurium monophasic variant strains showed asimultaneous resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, which represents a recognized alert resistance profile for this serovar. These data indicate the environmental dissemination of resistant strains due to anthropogenic activities, which, in southern Italy, probably have a higher impact on marine ecosystems than on terrestrial ones. Moreover, as most of the animals considered in the present study are usually consumed by humans, the presence of resistant bacteria in them is a matter of great concern.

High energy efficiency ventilation to limit COVID-19 contagion in school environments

This study investigates the possibility to contain COVID-19 contagion in indoor environments via increasing ventilation rates obtained through high energy efficiency systems combining thermal recovery by heat exchanger and thermodynamic recovery by heat pump. The starting point of this assessment is a procedure to evaluate in naturally ventilated environments, the current infectious risk by using measurements of indoor/outdoor CO2 concentrations to calculate actual air changes per hour. The method was applied to some typical school environments in Italy. The results indicated very infectious situations with reproduction number Ro values up to exceed 13. But, the simulations assessed an extraordinary reduction of indoor viral concentration and consequently of the infection risk by a strong mechanical ventilation. High ventilation rates make facemasks effective even with use levels (from 50%) reasonable also for pupils. This way, R0 goes down the value one. As regards energy performance, the behavior of an autonomous high efficiency air handling unit (HEAHU), to be installed in an existing naturally ventilated classroom, was simulated in the monitored days. The results highlight the ability to achieve a reduction in energy consumption between 60% and 72%.

Pepper Mild Mottle Virus as Indicator of Pollution: Assessment of Prevalence and Concentration in Different Water Environments in Italy.

Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), a plant pathogenic virus belonging to the family Virgoviridae, has been proposed as a potential viral indicator for human faecal pollution in aquatic environments. The present study investigated the occurrence, amount and diversity of PMMoV in water environments in Italy. A total of 254 water samples, collected between 2017 and 2019 from different types of water, were analysed. In detail, 92 raw sewage, 32 treated sewage, 16 river samples, 9 estuarine waters, 20 bathing waters, 67 groundwater samples and 18 drinking waters were tested. PMMoV was detected in 79% and 75% of untreated and treated sewage samples, respectively, 75% of river samples, 67% and 25% of estuarine and bathing waters and 13% of groundwater samples. No positive was detected in drinking water. The geometric mean of viral concentrations (genome copies/L) was ranked as follows: raw sewage (2.2 × 106) > treated sewage (2.9 × 105) > river waters (6.1 × 102) > estuarine waters (4.8 × 102) > bathing waters (8.5 × 101) > groundwater (5.9 × 101). A statistically significant variation of viral loads could be observed between raw and treated sewage and between these and all the other water matrices. PMMoV occurrence and viral loads did not display seasonal variation in raw sewage nor correlation with faecal indicator bacteria in marine waters and groundwater. This study represents the first report on the occurrence and quantification PMMoV in different water environments in Italy. Further studies are required to evaluate the suitability of PMMoV as a viral indicator for human faecal pollution and for viral pathogens in waters.