Tuscany Italy Research Articles

Environmental factors and Parkinson's disease: a case–control study in the Tuscany region of Italy

To date the aetiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is unknown although both genetic susceptibility and environmental factors appear to play an important role in the development of the disease. Recent data have also indicated that chronic exposure to a common pesticide can reproduce the neurochemical, behavioral and neuropathological features of PD. The epidemiological studies previously carried on the prevalence of PD in population exposed to environmental factors have produced controversial results, probably because of different trial design and different analysis methods. A case–control retrospective study was conducted in a well-defined geographic area in Tuscany—Italy with the aim to identify environmental factors possibly related to PD. No significant difference between PD patients and control subjects was observed in time spent in rural or industrial residence, in well water drinking and in the exposure to herbicides and pesticides. A significant difference between patients with PD and controls was reported for cigarette smoking, controls resulting more likely cigarette smokers in comparison with PD patients. The present findings support the view of a protective effect of cigarette smoking and do not show any significant association between environmental factors and the risk of development of PD.

Palynological investigation at Bilancino dam (Mugello, Central Italy)

Summary Palynological analyses were carried out in a Gravettian settlement; the settlement is situated on a natural terrace that faces the Sieve valley (Tuscany—Italy). Samples were collected from various levels that reflected the chronological periods that preceded, were contemporary with and followed the interval of inhabitation of the site. The aim of the study was to contribute to the reconstruction of the local floral context before, during and after human presence. The most ancient layers seemed to belong to the early Pleistocene. The level that coincided with human settlement were datable to Würm III. During that period, the arboreal cover at the site was very scarce. The only abundant trees were pines, particularly Pinus sylvestris L. In the spectra, many hygrophytes were present. After the site had been abandoned by its human occupants, a decrease in the amount of hygrophytes was noted. This may indicate a local trend towards dryness. The most recent spectra show that there is an increasing arboreal cover.

Geothermal power plants at Mt. Amiata (Tuscany–Italy): mercury and hydrogen sulphide deposition revealed by vegetation

At Mt. Amiata (Italy) geothermal energy is used, since 1969, to generate electricity in five plants with a nominal capacity of 88 MW. Anomalous levels of mercury characterise geothermal fluids of Mt. Amiata, an area renowned for its vast cinnabar deposits and for the mercury production carried out in the past. Mercury emission rates range from 300 to 400 g/h, or 3–4 g/h per MW electrical installed capacity. These emissions are coupled with a release of 7–8 kg/(h MW) of hydrogen sulphide (H 2S). Mercury is discharged as Hg 0 gaseous species and reaches the atmosphere with the non-condensable gas fraction. In this fraction, CO 2 is the major component (94–98%), H 2S is around 1% and mercury concentration is as high as 1–10 mg/Nm 3. Leaves of a spontaneous grass ( Avena sterilis), at the end of the vegetative cycle, were used as mercury bioconcentrators to map deposition near geothermal power plants and to calculate the corresponding average levels of Hg 0 in the air. Direct measurements of mercury and hydrogen sulphide vapours in the air reached by power plant emissions showed a ratio of about 1–2000. This ratio was applied to calculate average levels of hydrogen sulphide starting from mercury deposition mapping: typical concentrations of mercury and hydrogen sulphide were of the order of 10–20 ng/m 3 and 20–40 μg/m 3, respectively.

The well-being of British expatriate retirees in southern Europe

This article examines the personal outcomes of overseas residence in later life, by analysing some findings from the first large-scale, comparative study of the retirement of British citizens to southern Europe. Four study areas are compared: Tuscany in Italy, Malta, the Costa del Sol of Spain, and the Algarve region of Portugal. The analysis focuses on the expressed reasons for moving to and residing in the areas, the reported advantages and disadvantages, and the respondents' predictions of whether they would stay or leave in response to adverse and beneficial events. Overall the subjects give very positive reports, but there are considerable differences among the four areas. The associations of individual variation in well-being with both a person's ‘temporal commitment’ to the area and to facets of their social integration are analysed. The onset of severe incapacity, sufficient to prevent the continued running of a home, is the event most likely to cause people to leave their adopted areas of residence.

Making a difference? Regional government, economic development and European regional policy

This article assesses the contribution regional government makes to economic development. The role of regional government is evaluated through a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of two different regions, Tuscany in Italy and the East Midlands in the UK, which possess different types of regional governance structures, managing a common framework—European Regional Policy. I conclude that democratically elected regional government may provide a number of crucial advantages for promoting economic development.

The taxonomic status and biochronological implications of new finds ofOreopithecus from Baccinello (Tuscany, Italy)

Abstract Several species of mammals endemic to the late Miocene faunas of the Maremma region of Tuscany in Italy are known to have undergone a significant degree of morphological change during the time interval between the deposition of V-1 and V-2 horizons at Baccinello. This raises the interesting question of whether or not Oreopithecus , which occurs in association with both V-1 and V-2 faunas, exhibits corresponding morphological change or taxonomic differentiation through time. Detailed comparisons of the Oreopithecus sample from Baccinello V-1 (and from the biostratigraphically equivalent sites of Ribolla, Casteani and Montemassi) with the type material of O. bambolii from the site of Monte Bamboli, tentatively correlated with Baccinello V-2, indicate that there are no morphological or metrical differences by which to distinguish them. The recovery of a small sample of Oreopithecus specimens from the Trasubbie River valley near Baccinello, derived from horizons stratigraphically above those yielding a V-1 fauna, allows, for the first time, direct comparisons of material from different strata within a single depositional basin. The material consists of a newly discovered partial mandible (IGF 4883V) from the F1 horizon, and four isolated teeth, a malar fragment, and a patella from the V-2 horizon. IGF 4883V is very similar to Oreopithecus specimens from Baccinello V-1, although it differs in having a more molariform P 3 and relatively larger cheek teeth. However, given the extent of variation in Oreopithecus , and the fact that the mandible almost certainly belonged to a male individual, these minor differences do not seem to be significant, and are best interpreted as being due to intraspecific variation. This conclusion is further supported by comparisons with Baccinello V-2 specimens, which appear to be indistinguishable from the large sample of specimens from Baccinello V-1. Although the sample of Oreopithecus specimens from horizons located above V-1 remains small, there is sufficient material to conclude that there is no evidence of morphological change or taxonomic differentiation in Oreopithecus during the time interval of about 2 Ma between Baccinello V-1 and V-2.

Fossil seed cones of Pinus L. (sect. Pinus, subsect. Pinaster Loudon, Sula group) from the late Neogene and early Pleistocene of Europe

European late Neogene to early Pleistocene seed cones and seeds similar to those of the modern species of Pinus roxburghii Sarg. in the Himalayas and Pinus canariensis C. Sm. on the Canary Islands are treated in detail. Material obtained from various collections in Italy, Greece, Germany and France was evaluated with the aim to find diagnostic traits that may help to distinguish taxa within the studied fossil records. On the basis of subtile differences in morphology of seed cone apophyses the four populations studied were assigned either to Pinus strozzii Gaudin (apophyses on convex side conical to pyramidal, edged – records from Tuscany in Italy and Rhodes in Greece) or Pinus timleri Kinkelin (apophyses cylindrical to hemispherical, apically rounded – records from Rhineland in Germany and Gascony in France). The independent status of both species is also maintained because they occurred in isolated areas in the eastern and central Mediterranean vs. western Europe. Both closely related species assume an intermediate position between the two related extant species assigned to the informal Sula group (former subgen. Pinus sect. Sula or sect. Pinus subsect. Canarienses Loudon, recently merged with subsect. Pinaster Loudon based on molecular phylogeny) and share many morphological traits typical of the Sula group (excentromucronate apophyses with minute mucros and seeds with adnate wings). A statistical evaluation of morphology of apophyses/umbos has been attempted stressing close morphological affinity of the fossil record. However, limited number of available fossils does not suffice to indicate exact pathways of divergence between both extant species but the record from the Pleistocene of Rhodes is more similar to the highly variable seed cones of Pinus canariensis. Other seed cones from the German and French late Neogene also show the character variations typical of the seed cones of the Himalayan species Pinus roxburghii, P. strozzii and P. timleri represent undoubtedly direct continuations of earlier representatives of pines of the Sula group from the European Oligocene and Miocene not included in the present study.