This paper offers an analysis of the supply of Airbnb accommodation in Rome, one of the main tourist destinations in the world, the third-largest city in Europe, by the number of Airbnb listings. The ...aim is to focus on the recent spatial trend of Airbnb listings, including the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlight the main housing and socioeconomic characteristics of the neighbourhoods associated with a strong presence of Airbnb listings. The study is developed with quantitative methods and spatial regression (spatial lag and spatial error using OLS as a benchmark), based on data collected from the Inside Airbnb and Tomslee websites. In the period 2014–2019, the listing trend in Rome has been increasing in absolute numbers. After the start of the pandemic, the trend became negative, and the decline of Airbnb offerings is more substantial for shared accommodation. Airbnb supply is related to the distance from the city centre, the average income of the area, empty apartments, singles and the share of foreign residents coming from high-income countries. A signal of spatial diffusion of Airbnb listings emerges in the coastal area, even if they are increasingly concentrated in the historic centre, where there is a
monoculture
of short-term renting.
The aim of the study was to determine the serum vitamin D levels in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and compare it with patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and with osteoarthritis (OA), ...as well as to explore the relationship of the vitamin D level with indices of disease activity and functional ability in a real-life setting in a South-European country.
In a cross-sectional study, 120 adult patients with established diagnosis of PsA, RA and OA were consecutively enrolled. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and intact parathyroid hormone were determined. Parameters of disease activity and functional ability were obtained using standard instruments.
Serum vitamin D insufficiency (≤ 75 nmol/L) was found in 74% of patients with PsA, 94% patients with RA and 97% of patients with OA, whereas vitamin D deficiency (≤ 25 nmol/L) was found in 13% of patients with PsA, 39% of patients with RA and in 38% of patients with OA. Compared with RA, patients with PsA had significantly higher serum vitamin D (P = 0.002), and when controlling for age and gender, their serum vitamin D level was significantly associated with disease activity and functional activity.
In the group of rheumatic patients, a high prevalence of serum vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency was found regardless of the type of arthritis. Patients with PsA might have higher levels of vitamin D than patients with RA, and this was associated with disease activity and functional ability. The results of this study indicate that prophylactic supplementation with vitamin D might be recommended for all rheumatic patients.
Regional development has been in the centre of interest among both academics but also decision makers in the central and local governments of many European countries. Identifying the key problems ...that regions face and considering how these findings could be effectively used as a basis for planning their development process are essential in order to improve the conditions in the European Union regions. For a long period of time a country's or a region's development has been synonymous with its economic growth. Over the last years, however, economies and societies have been undergoing dramatic changes. These changes have led to the concept of sustainable development, which refers to the ability of our societies to meet the needs of the present without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Measuring sustainable development means going beyond a purely economic description of human activities; requires integration of economic, social and environmental concerns. New techniques are required in order to benchmark performance, highlight leaders and laggards on various aspects of development and facilitate efforts to identify best practices. Furthermore, new tools have to be designed so as to make sustainability decision-making more objective, systematic and rigorous. The growth or decline of a country or region depends on its power to pull and retain both business and the right blend of people to run them. Working in this context, we have so far defined a variable which is called the Image of a region and quantifies this pulling power. The region's Image is a function of a multitude of factors physical, economic, social and environmental, some common for all potential movers and some specific for particular groups of them and expresses its present state of development and future prospects. The paper examines a number of south European countries and focuses on their NUTS 2 level regions. Its objective is to: *Estimate the Basic Image values of those regions. *Group those regions into different clusters on the basis of the values of the various factors used to define their respective Basic Images. *Present and discuss the results.
The aim of this special issue is to contribute to the study of alternative forms of resilience, visible in the economic and noneconomic activities of citizens confronting hard economic times and ...falling rights in Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal, since the global financial crisis of 2008. It does so through a set of recent empirical studies which adopt recent theoretical approaches, such as Social Innovation or Sustainable Community Movement Organizations, and offer new evidence on solidarity oriented practices, including their links to social movement activism. The authors of this special issue contribute to the existing recent debates by highlighting key features of alternative forms of resilience, their links to social movements and theoretical orientations influenced by social movement and resilience studies in four Southern European countries and regions.
At urban areas in south Europe atmospheric aerosol levels are frequently above legislation limits as a result of road traffic and favourable climatic conditions for photochemical formation and dust ...suspension. Strategies for urban particulate pollution control have to take into account specific regional characteristics and need correct information concerning the sources of the aerosol.
With these objectives, the ionic and elemental composition of the fine (PM
2.5) and coarse (PM
2.5–10) aerosol was measured at two contrasting sites in the centre of the city of Oporto, roadside (R) and urban background (UB), during two campaigns, in winter and summer.
Application of Spatial Variability Factors, in association with Principal Component/Multilinear Regression/Inter-site Mass Balance Analysis, to aerosol data permitted to identify and quantify 5 main groups of sources, namely direct car emissions, industry, photochemical production, dust suspension and sea salt transport. Traffic strongly influenced PM mass and composition. Direct car emissions and road dust resuspension contributed with 44–66% to the fine aerosol and with 12 to 55% to the coarse particles mass at both sites, showing typically highest loads at roadside. In fine particles secondary origin was also quite important in aerosol loading, principally during summer, with 28–48% mass contribution, at R and UB sites respectively. Sea spray has an important contribution of 18–28% to coarse aerosol mass in the studied area, with a highest relative contribution at UB site.
Application of Spatial Variability/Mass Balance Analysis permitted the estimation of traffic contribution to soil dust in both size ranges, across sites and seasons, demonstrating that as much as 80% of present dust can result from road traffic resuspension.
Lupinus mutabilis Sweet is an Andean protein crop with agro-economic potential. However, it is characterized by low yields and phenotypic plasticity related to environmental conditions when ...cultivated in different locations in Europe. Current research objective was to evaluate L. mutabilis agro-morphological performance in two locations in Greece and to record its pollinators, since these can contribute to optimization of crop performance. For this purpose, eight Andean lupin accessions, one white and one blue lupin commercial varieties were evaluated for 71 agro-morphological traits in a Randomized Complete Block design with three replications. Combined Analysis over Location presented a significant accession-location interaction for traits of economic interest such as seed crude protein and 100 seed weight. Seed crude protein was higher in L. mutabilis accessions (up to 43.8 g 100 g−1 seed) than white and blue lupins. Andean lupin yielded up to 327 kg ha−1 (LIB214) in Kalamata, while its yield was lower than the white lupin in Athens. Using principal component analysis, three groups of accessions were formed, one by each lupin species and three within Andean lupin accessions. Floral traits such as color and size are related to pollinators diversity and preference. Insect pollinators and floral traits interplay among different lupin species was examined. Pollinators visited L. mutabilis flowers belong to the genera Anthophora, Bombus, Megachile and Xylocopa. The results of the present study, indicate that L.mutabilis has agronomic potential and enhances above ground biodiversity, however breeding for higher yields is required.
We report the karyotype, some aspects of spermatogenesis, and ovarian trophocytes ploidy in three aquatic bug species:
(Linnaeus, 1758),
Linnaeus, 1758, and
Fabricius, 1871 from previously unexplored ...regions - South Europe (Bulgaria) and Southeast Asia (Vietnam). Our results add considerable support for the published karyotype data for these species. In
, we observed achiasmate male meiosis - the first report of achiasmy for the family Naucoridae. More comprehensive cytogenetic studies in other species of the Naucoridae are required to elucidate the role of achiasmy as a character in the systematics of the family. Our observations on the association between phases of spermatogenesis and developmental stages in
and
differ from the previously published data. In these species, we assume that the spermatogenesis phases are not strongly associated with certain developmental stages. For further cytogenetic studies (on the Balkan Peninsula), we recommend July as the most appropriate month for collection of
and
. In the ovaries of both species, we studied the level of ploidy in metaphase and interphase trophocytes. In
, diploid and tetraploid metaphase trophocytes were found. Heteropycnotic elements, observed in interphase trophocytes of this species, represented the X chromosomes. It allowed us to determine the trophocytes ploidy at interphase (2n was repeated up to 16 times). The situation with
was different. The metaphase trophocytes were diploid and we were not able to determine the ploidy of interphase trophocytes since such conspicuous heteropycnotic elements were not found. The scarce data available suggest a tendency for a low level of trophocyte ploidy in the basal infraorders (Nepomorpha and Gerromorpha) and for a high level in the more advanced Pentatomomorpha. Data about this character in species from other infraorders are needed to confirm that tendency.
Particle size distribution in the range 0.3
<
D
p
≤
20 μm, has been analysed from August 2002 to July 2006 at the GAW Station of Mt. Cimone (44.10 N, 10.42 E; 2165 m asl) in the northern Italian ...Apennines. The seasonal aerosol number size distribution, characterized by a bimodal shape, showed a behaviour typical for background conditions, characterized by highest values in summer and lowest in winter. The seasonal and diurnal variations of the larger accumulation mode (0.3
<
D
p
≤
1 μm average values: 26.15 cm
−
3
) and the coarse mode (1
<
D
p
≤
20 μm, average value: 0.17 cm
−
3
) particle number concentrations (
N
0.3–1 and
N
1–20, respectively) exhibited a seasonal cycle with the highest values in spring–summer and the lowest value in autumn–winter. Except in winter,
N
0.3–1 showed a clear diurnal variation with high values during day-time.
N
1–20 showed a less marked diurnal variation (but with higher variability), suggesting the influence of non-continuous sources of coarse particle (i.e. Saharan dust events).
Since July 2005, continuous measurement of black carbon (BC) concentrations was also available at the measurement site. On average low BC concentrations were recorded (average value: 0.28 μg m
−
3
) even if a few events of high concentrations were recorded both in warm and cold season.
Apart from wet scavenging processes which strongly affected aerosol concentrations, combined analysis of
N
0.3–1, BC, meteorological parameters and air mass back-trajectories, suggests that the transport of polluted air masses from the lower troposphere (by local, regional or long-range transport) represents an important mechanism favouring
N
0.3–1 and BC increases at Mt. Cimone. In particular, a trajectory statistical analysis for the period July 2005–July 2006 allowed the identification of the main source regions of BC and
N
0.3–1 for Mt. Cimone: north Italy, west Europe and east Europe.
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