Durum wheat (
Triticum turgidum L. var.
durum) is an important cereal crop extensively cultivated in Mediterranean areas, whose grain is predominantly used for pasta making.
Ten durum wheat cultivars ...were cultivated during two consecutive years in the same area following both conventional and organic farming systems (CFS and OFS, respectively). The content of six heavy metals (i.e., Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in soil and semolina samples from 10 different wheat cultivars was assessed, and the effect of conventional and organic fertilizers on these heavy metal contents evaluated. Although significantly higher heavy metal input to soil was provided by adding the organic fertilizer, semolina samples obtained from the cultivars grown in CFS were richer in Cd (82
μg
kg
−1
vs. 18
μg
kg
−1), Cr (182
μg
kg
−1
vs. 50
μg
kg
−1), and Cu (6.6
μg
kg
−1
vs. 5.8
μg
kg
−1), thus suggesting a potential for the organic system to reduce the amount of these elements in the soil solution, to limit their availability and uptake by plants, and to influence their translocation processes to grains. On the other hand, semolina samples obtained from OFS showed higher concentrations of Ni (295
μg
kg
−1
vs. 166
μg
kg
−1), Pb (94
μg
kg
−1
vs. 82
μg
kg
−1), and Zn (13.6
mg
kg
−1
vs. 10.8
mg
kg
−1) with respect to those obtained from CFS. These differences in heavy metal content among semolina samples obtained from OFS and CFS were also clearly highlighted by the Principal Component Analysis that showed, according to bulk results, the opportunity of encouraging/discouraging some cultivars in relation to the adopted farming system and to the kind of metals to be preferentially accumulated or depleted.
Earthquakes represent huge risks for cultural heritage. Although there is a large literature about prevention on historical buildings, the seismic assessment on collections and exhibition designs is ...usually underestimated. "RESIMUS" long running project involves different knowledge and fields; its goal is to prevent seismic damages to museum collections and artefacts, combining both museographical solutions and anti-seismic methods. This contribution focuses on the "Fontana di Giunone", designed in 1555 by Bartolomeo Ammannati and currently kept at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello. The museographical and historical researches have been combined with the seismic performance of the reconstructed Fountain. In this paper the first results provided by the seismic analysis of this artefact are shown. A 3D structural model has been set, based on the three dimensional digital model provided by an detailed laser scanner survey. An elastic dynamic analysis has been performed, by representing the seismic input through an ensemble of seven ground motions expressing the seismic hazard of the area. The analysis has provided the seismic response of the sculptures, evidencing its sensitivity to the dynamic properties of the considered ground motions.
Sunflower is one of the most cultivated oil crops in the world. Recently, high oleic acid cultivars have been developed whose oil has higher oxidative stability and better dietary properties than ...standard genotypes. In Mediterranean environments where water deficit frequently occurs, early sowing and irrigation are used to overcome environmental constraints due to water scarcity. Since, in the literature, the data on the effect of these agronomic techniques on sunflower oil quality are scarce and contrasting, the aim of this paper was to evaluate the effect of the sowing time and the water regime on seed yield and oil quality of high oleic hybrids in a Mediterranean environment. For this purpose, two high oleic hybrids (Platon and Vyp70) sown in spring at two different dates were cultivated in southern Italy under two water regimes (irrigated and non-irrigated) in 1996 and 1997. Yield and its main components were positively affected by irrigation and by the earlier sowing date. With regard to fatty acid composition, a decrease in oleic and stearic acid and an increase in linoleic and palmitic acid were observed under irrigation. At early sowing, oleic and palmitic acid decreased whereas linoleic and stearic acid increased. The decrease in the oleic/linoleic acid ratio observed at early sowing and under irrigation, suggests a possible role of temperature on the activity of oleate desaturase in the developing seeds.
Sunflower is a major oil seed crop worldwide, and it is also an important crop in Mediterranean areas where salinity is an increasing problem. In this paper, the effect of saline irrigation water on ...seed yield and quality of sunflower was evaluated. A pot experiment was carried out over two crop seasons on two hybrids - a standard one (Carlos) and a high oleic one (Tenor) - submitted to five salinity levels of irrigation water (0.6, 3, 6, 9 and 12 dS m⁻¹). Soil salinity was monitored over the entire crop cycle, and leaf ion content was determined at maturity. Tenor showed higher Na⁺ and Mg²⁺ content but lower K⁺ values. No difference between the two hybrids was observed for Cl⁻ content. A progressive increase in leaf Na⁺, K⁺ and Cl⁻ contents and Na⁺/K⁺ ratio with increasing salinity level was observed. Seed weight per head, 1000 achene weight, number of seeds per plant and oil yield significantly decreased under salt stress in both hybrids. The percent seed yield decrease was higher per unit increase in electrical conductivity of irrigation water, ECw (8%), than per unit increase in electrical conductivity of saturated-soil extracts, ECe (5%). Concerning oil fatty acid composition, the main significant difference as result of salt stress was a progressive increase in oleic acid content, from 82.2% to 86.7% for Tenor and from 21.8% to 27.3% for Carlos, which was consistent with a decrease in linoleic acid content, from 5.9% to 3% for Tenor and from 66% to 61.3% for Carlos. These results confirm the possible inhibition of oleate desaturase under salt stress.
Sunflower is a species moderately tolerant to salt stress and is currently cultivated in dry areas where salinity can be a threat. The effect of salt stress on achene yield has been investigated, but ...no information exists about its effect on the oil fatty acid composition. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the changes in oil yield and fatty acid composition in a high oleic hybrid submitted to different salinity levels of irrigation water. Furthermore, since the addition of a leaching fraction to the irrigation volume may be relevant to prevent excessive soil salinization, a water regime equal to 1.5 maximum evapotranspiration (1.5 ETc) was compared with the restoration of evapotranspiration (1 ETc). A pot experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with a high oleic sunflower hybrid (Platon) grown on a loam soil under two irrigation regimes with five salinity levels of irrigation water (0.6, 3, 6, 9 and 12
dS
m
−1). At harvesting, seed production, oil yield and fatty acid composition were determined. The percent seed yield decrease per unit increase of irrigation water electrical conductivity (ECw) was higher for 1 ETc (7%) than for 1.5 ETc (5.8%). Oil yield showed a significant decrease from 38.3 to 3.4
g per head on increasing salt stress and a marked increase of about 50% with the higher irrigation volume. Under our experimental conditions with a medium textured soil, this result confirms the importance of leaching to limit salt accumulation along the soil profile, thus reducing seed and oil yield drop under salt stress. Concerning fatty acid oil composition, under all the adopted experimental conditions, both oleic and linoleic acid accounted together for 90% of total fatty acid concentration, while stearic and palmitic acid were about 4%. No great differences were observed in fatty acid composition between the two irrigation regimes. With the higher irrigation volume, only a slight decrease in linoleic and gadoleic acid and an increase in arachidic acid were observed. The only significant differences among saline treatments were observed for oleic and linoleic acid. Oleic acid showed an increase from 82.8% in the control to 86.8% at the highest salinity treatment. Inversely, for linoleic acid a progressive decrease from 6.9 to 2.8% with increasing salinity level was observed. These results will be discussed in the light of a possible inhibition of oleate desaturase occurring under salt stress.
Italy is one of the countries in the world with the largest concentration of architectural cultural heritage, most of which are churches, bell towers, and religious buildings in general. This paper ...deals with the issues of the analysis and evaluation of the seismic behaviour of slender masonry structures, taking as the subject of analysis Giotto's Bell Tower in Florence (Italy). The seismic vulnerability has been analysed according to the current Italian legislation and the guidelines for the evaluation and reduction of seismic risk of cultural heritage. For this purpose, the bell tower was analysed using three evaluation levels: simplified methods (EL1), a kinematic analysis (EL2), and, finally, a finite element analysis (EL3). For each methodology, the level of seismic safety obtained by comparison with the local seismic demand has been evaluated.
The effect of different surface treatments (with olive oil, liquid smoke or pimaricin) on a number of physico-chemical characteristics (namely, moisture, NaCl content, pH, total and soluble nitrogen ...fractions, lipolytic processes and mould production) of the core and the rind zones of Canestrato Pugliese cheese were studied during the whole ripening period (100 days). Treated cheese data were statistically compared with data obtained for untreated cheese. While for the core zone proteolytic and lipolytic processes, together with all the other physico-chemical properties studied, remained unaffected by the surface treatment, in the layer close to the rind these were influenced significantly by the surface treatment in a manner correlated with the fungal growth.
In this work is reported the development and application of an amperometric biosensor for the determination of total biogenic amines content by using the commercial diamino oxidase (DAO from
Porcine ...kidney E.C. 1.4.3.6) as the biocomponent, entrapped by glutaraldehyde onto an electrosynthesized bilayer film.
In order to minimize both the fouling and the interference caused by the direct electrochemical oxidation of both the analytes (i.e., biogenic amines) and the common interferents usually present in food products the performances of Pt and Au electrodes and of several electroproduced anti-interferents mono- and bi-layer films were tested.
In spite of a very low activity of the commercial DAO, the biosensor displayed a high response sensitivity in flow experiments, short response time, a good linear response and low detection limits. The excellent anti-interference characteristics allowed the use of the biosensor in screening analysis of food products.
Aim of the present work is the evaluation of the ultimate load bearing capacity of masonry panels reinforced with FRP strips. The investigation is developed performing both experimental and numerical ...studies. In particular, several panels subjected to different loading conditions are tested in the Tests Laboratory of the University of Florence (Italy). Then, numerical models based on combined homogenization and limit analysis techniques are proposed. The results obtained by numerical simulations are compared with experimental data. The good agreement obtained shows that the proposed numerical model can be applied for the evaluation of the ultimate load bearing capacity of reinforced masonry walls.
PDF
