Search Results (7,641)

The interplay between accessibility and population change is a relatively new subject in Italian academic research. Along with social and economic factors such as regional economic prosperity, the ease of movement inside and outside an area can play a pivotal role in shaping population dynamics. This study seeks to explore the spatial distribution and spatial relationships of three indicators, including one related to real accessibility (RAI) and two others related, respectively, to the shares of the older population (SOP) and of the foreign population (SFP). An exploratory spatial data analysis is, therefore, conducted at the local level using Italian municipalities as the statistical units for the empirical analysis. Local univariate spatial autocorrelation analysis is used together with a regression analysis based on ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models. The results provide valuable insights into the local heterogeneity that characterizes the distribution of each indicator and the local relationship between them, highlighting the importance of thinking locally in quantitative social sciences. Full article

The aim of this article is to determine and assess the changes in the central functions of major Polish cities in the context of Poland’s 1999 administrative reform. This study covers a period of twenty-two years (1998–2019), which provides a solid perspective for evaluating the functional changes occurring within the current territorial division of the country. The conclusions indicate that the dynamics of changes in central functions in former provincial capitals differed from those in cities that retained this status. At the same time, it was found that the administrative reform sanctioned the scope and scale of earlier socio-economic dependencies in the present regional centers. The research results suggest that administrative reforms in Poland solidified existing socio-economic development paths in cities, but were not the sole catalyst for change. They point to a complex interaction of factors influencing urban evolution. By utilizing indicators that measure the centrality of cities in relation to their demographic potential, this research offers a quantitative assessment of the level of development of central functions, which is crucial for monitoring progress towards sustainable urbanization. By providing this information, this research also contributes to a broader discussion on the advancement and dynamics of sustainable urban development. Full article

This article presents the results of the automatic monitoring of the concentrations of gaseous impurities of sulfur and nitrogen oxides in the ground-level atmosphere of the urban and rural areas in the Southern Baikal region (East Siberia, Russia). The study was conducted from 2020 to 2023 at the urban Irkutsk station and the rural Listvyanka station located at a distance of 70 km from each other. We calculated the main statistical characteristics of the variations in the concentrations of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide in the ground-level atmosphere and determined a nature of variability in their concentrations on various time scales: annual, weekly, and daily. Annual variabilities of gaseous pollutants in the ground-level atmosphere above the Irkutsk city and the Listvyanka settlement were similar and showed the highest values in winter and the lowest in summer. The daily and weekly dynamics of the nitrogen oxide concentrations in the urban area clearly depended on the increase in the road traffic during rush hours (morning and evening). In the rural area, there was no such dependence. In this area, the daily and weekly variability in the concentrations of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide mainly depended on natural meteorological processes. The work systematizes the meteorological parameters at which the largest amount of anthropogenic impurities enters the air basin of Lake Baikal. The maximum values of acid-forming gas concentrations were observed when the air masses were transferred from the northwest direction, which corresponds to the location of sources in the territory of the Irkutsk–Cheremkhovo industrial hub—the largest concentration of anthropogenic objects in the Irkutsk region. Full article

The next decade will see severe environmental and technological risks, pushing our adaptive capacity to its limits. The EPBD Case Green directive, to counter this phenomenon, emphasizes accelerating building renovations, reducing GHG emissions and energy consumption, and promoting renewable energy installations. Additionally, it calls for deadlines to phase out fossil fuels and mandates solar system installations. This research provides a comprehensive perspective on the opportunities for and challenges of incorporating renewable energy into the built environment. It focuses on the 2961 residential buildings on Procida, a small island located south of Italy, to efficiently utilize energy resources and lay the groundwork for sustainability. Beginning with an analysis of the territorial, urban, historical–conservation, structural, and geological context, in addition to environmental assessments, the research develops a classification and archetypalization system using in-house software. This system aggregates data on the island’s residential buildings, analyzes their current state, and formulates various intervention scenarios. These scenarios demonstrate how integrating technological–environmental design interventions, such as upgrading the building envelope and enhancing bioclimatic behavior, with energy retrofitting measures, such as replacing mechanical systems and installing solar panels, can improve the overall performance of the existing building stock and achieve energy self-sufficiency. Full article

Declared as a Public Health Emergency in 2016 by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Zika virus (ZIKV) continues to cause outbreaks that are linked to increased neurological complications. Transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes, the virus is spread mostly amongst several tropical regions with the potential of territorial expansion due to environmental and ecological changes. The ZIKV envelope protein’s domain III, crucial for vaccine development due to its role in receptor binding and neutralizing antibody targeting, was integrated into sterically optimized AP205 VLPs to create an EDIII-based VLP vaccine. To increase the potential size of domains that can be accommodated by AP205, two AP205 monomers were fused into a dimer, resulting in 90 rather than 180 N-/C- termini amenable for fusion. EDIII displayed on AP205 VLPs has several immunological advantages, like a repetitive surface, a size of 20–200 nm (another PASP), and packaged bacterial RNA as adjuvants (a natural toll-like receptor 7/8 ligand). In this study, we evaluated a novel vaccine candidate for safety and immunogenicity in mice, demonstrating its ability to induce high-affinity, ZIKV-neutralizing antibodies without significant disease-enhancing properties. Due to the close genetical and structural characteristics, the same mosquito vectors, and the same ecological niche of the dengue virus and Zika virus, a vaccine covering all four Dengue viruses (DENV) serotypes as well as ZIKV would be of significant interest. We co-formulated the ZIKV vaccine with recently developed DENV vaccines based on the same AP205 VLP platform and tested the vaccine mix in a murine model. This combinatory vaccine effectively induced a strong humoral immune response and neutralized all five targeted viruses after two doses, with no significant antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) observed. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of the AP205 VLP-based combinatory vaccine as a promising approach for providing broad protection against DENV and ZIKV infections. Further investigations and preclinical studies are required to advance this vaccine candidate toward potential use in human populations. Full article

The urban areas of Mediterranean Europe, and particularly Italy, have experienced considerable expansion since the late 19th century in terms of settlements, structures, and infrastructure, especially in large population centers. In such areas, the geohydrological risk is high not only for inhabited areas but also along roadways exposed to flooding. This scenario is worrying, especially in road underpass sections, where drivers are unlikely to perceive a real risk due to the high degree of confidence that comes from the habit of driving. Underpasses have been widely used to obviate the need to find shorter alternative routes and manage vehicular traffic in urban settings impeded by previous anthropogenic and natural constraints. To assess the numerical consistency, frequency, and areal distribution of flood risk around road underpasses, several hundred pieces of data were selected (mostly from international, national and local newspapers, CNR IRPI archive and local archives) and cataloged in a thematic database, referring mainly to the Italian territory. The behavioral aspects in the face of risk were also examined in order to provide a better understanding and raise awareness for preventive purposes. The results of this specific CNR research, which lasted about two years, confirm the exposure of underpasses to extreme risk events, affecting road users. In Italy alone, between 1942 and 2023, 698 underpasses were identified as having experienced a flooding event at least once. The database shows that 680 vehicles were involved in Italy, with a total of at least 812 individuals, of whom 19 died. Despite incomplete and uneven information, the findings of the analysis regarding the increment in underpasses flooding and the drivers action in front of a flooded underpass may be useful for undertaking the appropriate mitigation strategies. Full article

In Canada, vaccine safety studies are often conducted at the provincial/territorial level where the primary data on vaccination reside. Combining health services data from multiple jurisdictions using a pooled data analytic approach would reduce the amount of time needed to detect vaccine safety signals. To determine the difference in the time it would take to identify safety signals using different proportions of the Canadian population, we conducted power and sample size calculations for a hypothetical self-controlled case series-based surveillance analysis. We used scenarios modeled after the real-world examples of myocarditis and vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) following COVID-19 vaccination as our base cases. Our calculations demonstrated that in the case of a myocarditis-type event, a pooled analysis would reduce the time needed to detect a safety signal by over 60% compared to using Ontario data alone. In the case of a VITT-type event, a pooled analysis could detect a safety signal 49 days sooner than using Ontario data alone, potentially averting as many as 30 events. Our analysis demonstrates that there is substantial value in using pan-Canadian health services data to evaluate the safety of vaccines. Efforts should be made to develop a pan-Canadian vaccine data source to allow for an earlier evaluation of suspected adverse events following immunization. Full article

This study aims to describe the current framework of the Italian agricultural sector and the changes that occurred in the decade between the two general censuses of agriculture of 2010 and 2020, and the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) programming period 2014–2020. The General Census of Agriculture is an economic census carried out to fulfill international and EU legislation requirements, but also to meet national information needs. It consists in counting farms and identifying their characteristics. For this study, the official data of the 7th Italian General Census of Agriculture (GCA) of 2020 were collected, analyzed, and compared to those of the previous 6th GCA of 2010. Farms’ type of activities, structure, digitalization/computerization, innovation, and workforces’ characteristics were analyzed. Correlations between farms with investments in innovation and other variables like the age and the educational qualification of entrepreneurs and the farm’s size (agricultural used area) were calculated. Groups of similar Italian regions for types of farm and types of farming (segmenting the sector into subsets of regions that share common characteristics), and groups of similar farming characteristics in the entire agricultural sector, were highlighted. The results showed a notable positive correlation between farms’ investment in innovation and farms’ size, and a medium but positive correlation also with other two variables, the entrepreneur’s range of age and educational qualification. Results found groups of regions that are similar in terms of types of farm and farming types, highlighting that the agricultural sector in Italy is not homogeneous among all the regions of north, center, and south. Moreover, the discovered different groups of farming characteristics highlighted the Italian “farm profiles”, i.e., descriptions of key information about different specific types of farm. The overall analysis of all the results of this study provided the current situation of the Italian agricultural sector and discussion about its characteristics and changes during the last ten years. Based on our knowledge, this study is the first one with such a level of comprehensiveness. Findings are of high interest to academics in agriculture economics and policy maker, because they contribute to identifying the farms’ and territories’ strategic elements that require strengthening to foster economic and social development. Moreover these findings may provide food for thought on the effectiveness of the development strategy of the EU CAP 2023–2027 (through greening and digitization) at the regional and European levels, starting from the baseline situation of this country, which is certainly one, but which is among the most relevant ones in the European agri-food system and also globally. Full article

Natal dispersal is a crucial period for raptors with serious implications for individuals’ survival and population demography. In this study we analyzed data from 18 GPS-tracked golden eagles in order to describe their dispersal ecology in northern Greece, where the species feeds mostly on tortoises. Young eagles in our population dispersed at 176 days post fledging, spent their first year of independence relatively close (40–60 kms) to their natal ranges and exhibited a variable temporary settlement behavior. Overall dispersal range sizes did not differ seasonally, but temporary settlement area range sizes were significantly larger in winter. Three eagles survived to territorial settlement and occupied ranges 20–60 kms from their natal areas. The application and refinement of the Scottish GET dispersal ranging model suggested that eagles used areas that had higher topographical relief and lower canopy cover during their natal dispersal. Habitat heterogeneity seems to also be influential during temporary settlement. Our study is the first to provide both such insights for golden eagles in southern eastern Europe and a method for delineating temporary settlement areas for the species. Our findings can be explained in terms of food and habitat availability. We highlight the importance of conserving heterogeneous open areas of complex topography and applying proactive management measures within temporary settlement areas for our population’s conservation. Full article

The northern inland region of Portugal has experienced significant population decline due to the exodus of younger generations and an aging population. This has led to the abandonment of traditional activities in these territories, contributing to territorial abandonment, degradation of local economic conditions, increased social vulnerability, and a heightened risk of rural fires. The presence of communal lands, known as “baldios”, is an important facilitator for implementing actions that revitalize local villages, making them more attractive to the community. Forests, which are abundant in the baldios of northern inland Portugal, have the potential to generate environmental, social, and economic value through carbon sequestration, job creation, population stabilization, and wealth generation in the villages. However, the viability of this asset as a driver for sustainable development depends on the forest management model implemented. This case study aims to demonstrate that different forest management models have varied impacts on sustainability indicators, particularly economic and environmental sustainability. Based on naturally regenerated forests in the Carvalhelhos baldio in the Tâmega Valley region, data were collected to simulate in software four management scenarios, varying the number (0 to 4) and age of thinnings until the final cut. The simulation allowed for the calculation of the following economic indicators: Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Net Present Value (NPV), and Net Profitability Index (NPI), as well as environmental indicators related to carbon capture and accumulation, such as Gross Carbon Accumulation, Net Carbon Accumulation, Carbon accumulated in dead and suppressed trees, and carbon balance per management model. The simulations indicate that, for the studied area, Scenario 2, which involves only one thinning, yielded the highest total wood volume (cubic meters per hectare) over the cycle, making it the most suitable for biomass production. Meanwhile, Scenario 4, with three thinnings, showed the best results for individual volume (cubic meters per tree), making it more suitable for producing higher-value logs. Scenario 5 presented the best economic results and carbon capture. In all simulations, Scenario 1 showed the worst performance in the analyzed indicators. It was found that the indicators varied among the studied crop plans, highlighting that the adoption of a silvicultural regime depends on the forest characteristics, objectives, exploitation conditions, and local population sensitivity to regional priorities. Full article

Turbulent political and economic changes in 1989 caused the gradual decline of the mining industry in the Slovak Republic. Abandoned territorial localities were created, affected by mining activity, without any use with devastated mining objects, or even a certain form of environmental burden. These territorial locations used for mining in the past, unused currently, in varying degrees of devastation, are referred to as mining brownfields. This issue is topical, as there is constant urbanization of new territories. Mining brownfields often represent a certain form of territorial reserve to support tourism development. The present study deals with identifying the tourist potential of the Fedö shaft mining brownfield in the Červenica—Dubník area (Slovakia), which is included in the list of national cultural monuments. The study points out the need for reclamation from the point of view of supporting the development of a tourist destination based on the accessible mining brownfield—the Jozef tunnel—making it possible to use the interaction links of both mining brownfields in the investigated area of tourism. Based on the results of the conducted SWOT analysis, the study presents the quantification of the tourism development support potential of the analyzed mining brownfield. It also includes selected environmental, social, and economic aspects of the reclamation, and the definition of an effective strategy for usage of the examined mining brownfield as a tool to support tourism development. The article concludes a model of effective management of the use of mining brownfields in the field of tourism in Slovakia, which is constructed as open and modifiable in its interaction with the specification of diverse conditions of tourist destinations with integrated mining brownfields, which include old mine works. Full article

Assessing the seismic vulnerability of existing buildings at the territorial scale is a crucial aspect for seismic-prone regions to properly plan effective strategies for disaster risk management. This paper presents a simplified methodology for the seismic vulnerability assessment of existing masonry and reinforced concrete buildings. The main purpose is to provide a tool able to evaluate the vulnerability of large building stocks, with the aim of defining priorities for further investigations or interventions. The procedure, inspired by methods in the literature devoted to the large-scale evaluation of structural vulnerability, allows defining the collapse peak ground acceleration (PGA_c) through the evaluation of the resisting shear force, the latter being estimated by mechanical considerations and by taking expert judgment into account to consider the real structural complexities involved. A classification is proposed, which aims to categorize buildings within homogenous groups characterized by a level of seismic vulnerability belonging to given intervals. The method was calibrated with reference to several case studies in order to reach a sufficient level of reliability in the vulnerability estimate and was then applied to a significant number of school buildings in the province of Ravenna, Italy. For some of them, the simplified methodology was validated through comparisons with results obtained by means of vulnerability assessment procedures based on finite element analyses. Full article

Intellectual capital (IC) has been an important element of business management for some time. Understanding the role of IC and consciously incorporating it into organisational and management processes is one of the key aspects of building unique competitive advantages in the context of sustainable development. The basic goal of the research was to determine which IC components are given greater importance by the management staff of selected Polish enterprises when shaping their operating strategy and which elements are the object of greater concern during everyday functioning. A statistical analysis of the survey results obtained was carried out, allowing for the characterisation of both the phenomena and trends in the entire surveyed population and taking into account the division criteria related to the size of enterprises and the specificity of their activities. The basic research instrument consisted of a questionnaire. This study covered the territory of southern Poland. The results showed that there are certain elements of IC that managers focus on in particular, and there are differences in the approach that is related to the selected criteria of analysis. This study adds to the existing knowledge of the key elements of strategy for companies managing strategic capital in the context of sustainable development. Full article

Beyond the human-related conception, Urban Science is a broad concept that includes and concerns various interconnected issues linked to Natural, Engineering, Human, Social, and Computational Sciences. Natural Science is represented by issues linked to GeoScience and BioScience. GeoScience issues concern (i) the physical-environmental aspects linked to (a) design, planning, and expansion of the urban environment; (b) urban management interventions; (c) prevention and (d) mitigation of natural and human-induced risks; (e) defense against natural and human-induced risks and (ii) cultural aspects linked to (a) educational purposes and (b) promoting, enhancing, and disseminating scientific as well as territorial and environmental knowledge and awareness. Geoscience is represented also by Street Geology, a silent geology mainly present in historical centers of urban areas, but not only, and that can be used as an educational tool, an opportunity for broader discussions on geological-environmental and socio-cultural issues. Look, see, understand, and take awareness are four steps that give voice to street geology. This paper highlights some aspects of GeoScience in two different urban areas, located in Southern Italy, represented by (a) the Longobard Walls of Benevento (BN) and (b) the 1794 Vesuvius’ lava flow in Torre del Greco (NA). Full article

This study introduces an innovative methodology for designing sustainable urban energy districts using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The scope is to identify specific parts of the urban fabric, suitable for becoming energy districts that can meet the energy needs of dwellings and activities and produce an energy surplus for the city. The method uses building archetypes to characterize the districts and perform simulations through an algorithm based on correction coefficients considering variables such as total building height, exposure, year of construction, and building typology. By leveraging GIS, this approach supports the creation of urban energy maps, which help identify and address potential energy-related issues in various urban contexts. Additionally, the research explores different scenarios for developing energy communities within the district, aiming to optimize energy use and distribution. A case study in Naples, Southern Italy, demonstrates that installing photovoltaic panels on the roofs of buildings can allow a complete electrical supply to the building stock. The final goal is to provide a robust tool that enhances confidence in urban energy planning decisions, contributing to more sustainable and efficient energy management at the district level. This approach may support the urban and territorial governance towards sustainable solutions by developing strategies for the creation of energy communities and optimizing the potential of specific sites. Full article