Locating the Italian Radioactive Waste Repository: Issues and Perplexities Arisen from Open Data-Based Analyses about the TO-10 Site (NW Italy)

Recently, Italy has started the procedure for the selection of suitable sites for hosting the National Repository for Low-Medium Activity Radioactive Wastes. Sogin spa, a public company, taking into account the criteria of the ISPRA Technical Guide no. 29, solicited by the EU Directive 2011/70/Euratom, has presented the CNAPI (National Map of the Potentially Suitable Areas) which has become operative since 5 January 2021. Sixty-seven sites were identified in Italy as potentially suitable for hosting the repository. Some criticalities immediately appeared concerning the properness of the selection. An analysis was, therefore, achieved to explore part of the rationales underlying the adopted procedure. A paradigmatic site, namely the TO-10 one (NW Italy), was chosen for the analysis, which highlighted significant anomalies affecting both the procedure rationales and its results. Since the selection process majorly relies on geographical data, attention was particularly paid on the role of official data from open archives. With reference to the most updated and detailed ones, we demonstrated that the Sogin procedure suffers from several critical points. In particular, with reference to the TO-10 site, we found that it cannot be absolutely considered to be suitable for hosting the National Deposit. In fact, it proved to match several exclusion criteria included in the ISPRA Technical Guide n. 29. These include: the potentially high “seismic risk” due to a “seismic gap” and complex tectonics associated with uplift (up to 1–1.5 mm/y); a highly vulnerable and extremely superficial groundwater table; a high permeability (10−2–10−3 m/s) of the cover sedimentary units; not proper buffer zones around local settlements. In spite of the local specificity of the analysis, results concerning procedure weaknesses are general. Consequently, we expect that they can be a stimulus for Sogin to more properly face the next steps of the selection procedure.

Soil enzyme activity in the dry valley phytocenoses under the influence of Acer negundo L.

The activity of hydrolytic enzymes in the soil of dry valley phytocenoses under the influence of ash-leaved maple was investigated. The research objects were selected taking into account the ranking of plantations by crown density. Soil samples were collected depending on the horizontal differentiation of communities in the undercrown and outer zones of phytogenic fields. An increase in the enzyme activity during the period of active tree growth among experimental and control samples was established. Among the enzymes, invertase demonstrated the highest activity, while protease and phosphatase were characterised by medium activity. An increased invertase activity was found in the trees with a high crown density as compared to the trees of other groups. The obtained data can be used as diagnostic indicators of soil condition for monitoring natural ecosystems.

Characterization of Curcuminoid from Curcuma xanthorrhiza and Its Activity Test as Antioxidant and Antibacterial

Curcuminoids are the main component found in many Zingiberaceae family plants. The aim of this study was to characterize curcuminoid and its activity test as an antioxidant and antibacterial. Dryed powder of C. xanthorrhiza (1 kg) was macerated with ethanol for 24 hours at room temperature. Ethanol extract of C. xanthorrhiza was subsequently fractionated with n-hexane and chloroform to take the yellow or orange indicated contain of curcuminoids. Analysis of total phenolic levels was carried out by the Follin-Ciaocalteau method. The isolation of curcuminoid componens from this fraction was carried out by chromatographic method and the structure elucidation was performed by interpretation of spectroscopic data, including UV, IR, 1H and 13C NMR 1D and 2D. The antioxidant activity test used the DPPH (2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl) method, while the antibacterial activity test used Kirby Bauer test diffusion method. The results showed that the curcuminoid fraction yield was 10.06% from ethanol extract C. xanthorrhiza. The total phenolic content of curcuminoids fraction was 745.45 ± 18.5 mg galic acid (GA)/g extract. Curcuminoids fraction was isolated a known compound desmethoxycurcumin (1). The content of demethoxycurcumin (1) in curcuminoid fraction is 20.97 %.The antioxidant activity of curcuminoids fraction showed strongest activity with IC50 24.98 µg/ml. Antibacterial activity against of the four pathogenic bacteria showed medium activity. The study suggests that curcuminoids extract from C. xanthorrhiza rhizome have potential compounds could be suitable for antioxidant and the treatment of various infections caused of microbial.

Bacterial and mold resistance of selected tropical wood species

The biological resistance of 21 tropical wood species against bacteria and molds was studied. The gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli had none or negligible activity on surfaces of zebrano and maçaranduba (up to 1 ×106 CFU/mL), and they had negligible or medium activity on surfaces of macassar ebony, ovengol, santos rosewood, and iroko (from 1 ×106 up to 1 ×107 CFU/mL). These bacteria had high activity on surfaces of okoumé, tineo, doussié, makoré, and both reference woods, beech and Scots pine (usually over 1 ×107 CFU/mL). The mold growth activity (MGA) of Aspergillus niger and Penicillium brevicompactum was minimal on surfaces of ipé, yellow balau, macassar ebony, doussié, bubinga, and merbau, but it was strong on surfaces of okoumé, cerejeira, ovengol, wengé, sapelli, and both reference woods. When comparing individual biological tests of (a) bacterial and mold but also (b) bacterial, mold and rot with decaying fungi C. puteana and T. versicolor, no significant relationships were found. These results confirm that the bio-durability of woods is influenced not only by their molecular structure, but also by the attacking biological pest group.

Some Business in Dyrrachium During I-III Centuries AD

In this paper, we will analyze the data that are discovered in archaeological excavations in Dyrrachium, the modern city of Durres in Albania. The archaeological excavations that are made in the last fifty years have discovered interesting information about business in this city during the I-III centuries AD. The city of Dyrrachium was the most important city during the Roman Imperial Period in Albanian territory. It was inhabited by thousand citizens from I century AD to III century AD. In this study, we will analyze the results of excavations that are made in Durres where are discovered ruins of business building in I-III centuries AD. Naturally, it is impossible to identify all business that have existed in I-III centuries AD in Dyrrachium because the scarce archaeological and historical data. This paper will mention and analyze some of business that are found and study today. The majority of the business that are discovered were small of medium activity, only a few were big business.

Saturating ability of the borax melt

The work is devoted to the research of influence of the electrolysis on the saturating ability of the electrolyte, which is a borax melt. To establish regularity when the saturating medium activity changes, which influences the intensification of saturation process, the structure and properties of borax during electrolysis were investigated. The change in the saturating medium activity was estimated by a relative value equal to the ratio of the boride layer depth obtained by non-electrolysis borating to the layer depth obtained by electrolysis borating. When comparing the real and theoretical saturating abilities, their convergence was observed. It was found that the saturation ability of the borax melt increases with increasing electrolyte runtime, which is due to a change in the structural components of the borax melt. A quantum-chemical calculation of the borax molecule structure was carried out using the non-empirical method of molecular orbitals in the theory of the density functional (DFT) with the three-parameter exchange-correlation functional B3LYP. Calculations show that two main structures are characteristic of a borax molecule: non-coplanar, with two mutually perpendicular 4-membered boron-oxygen cycles and flat linear. An increase in the saturation ability of the borax melt during electrolysis allows the development of new low-energy borating processes.

СОДЕРЖАНИЕ БЕЛКА В ЗЕРНЕ СОРТОВ ОЗИМОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ ПРИ РАЗЛИЧНЫХ УРОВНЯХ МИНЕРАЛЬНОГО ПИТАНИЯ

Основным направлением повышения качества зерна является выведение новых сортов, генетически предрасположенных формировать зерно с высоким качеством. Вместе с тем, генетический потенциал сортов способен реализовываться только при конкретных погодных условиях и применении приемов возделывания, благоприятно влияющих на рост и развитие растений. В настоящих исследованиях путем изменения режимов питания растений создавали различные условия для того, чтобы определить возможности сортов формировать урожай зерна с большим содержанием белка. Цель работы оценить и выделить сорта озимой пшеницы, способные реализовать потенциал качества зерна при различных уровнях интенсификации минерального питания. Для достижения цели был заложен двухфакторный полевой опыт. Фактор А сорта озимой пшеницы, фактор В уровни минерального питания. В результате установлено, что сорта озимой пшеницы характеризуются неодинаковыми свойствами накапливать белок в зерне. Высокой активностью накапливать белок при внесении удобрений характеризуется сорт Клавдия 2. Средней активностью сорта Безенчукская 380, Московская 56 и низкой Немчиновская 57, Скипетр и Фатинья. Внесение минеральных удобрений из расчета N16 P16 K16 при посеве осенью и N68 в подкормку весной способствует формированию зерна с более высоким содержанием белка у всех сортов озимой пшеницы.The main direction of improving the quality of grain is the cultivation of new varieties genetically predisposed to form high quality grain. At the same time, the genetic potential of varieties can only be realized under specific weather conditions and the application of cultivation techniques that favourably affect the growth and development of plants. In these studies, various conditions were created by changing plant nutritional regimes in order to determine the possibilities of varieties to form a grain crop with a high protein content. The purpose of the work was to evaluate and highlight varieties of winter wheat that can realize the potential of grain quality at various levels of intensification of mineral nutrition. To achieve the goal, a two-factor field experiment was carried out. Factor A - winter wheat varieties, factor B - levels of mineral nutrition. As a result, it was established that varieties of winter wheat were characterized by unequal properties to accumulate protein in grain. Variety Claudia 2 was characterized by high activity to accumulate protein when fertilizing. Bezenchukskaya 380, Moskovskaya 56 were characterized by medium activity and Nemchinovskaya 57, Scepter and Fatigna - by low. The application of mineral fertilizers at the rate of N16 P16 K16 during sowing in fall and N68 for top dressing in spring contributed to the formation of grain with a higher protein content in all varieties of winter wheat.

UJI AKTIVITAS ANTIBAKTERI EKSTRAK ETANOL BUNGA KECOMBRANG (Etlingera elatior (Jack) R. M.Sm.) TERHADAP BAKTERI Propionibacterium acnes

Acne is one of the skin diseases that disturbs the appearance especially of teenagers. Some types of bacteria that cause acne is Propionibacterium acnes. An alternative natural ingredient that can be used to treat acne is kecombrang flowers (Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M.Sm.). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the kecombrang ethanol extract has antibacterial activity against the bacteria that caused acne, and to know the effective concentration of the ethanol extract of the kecombrang flower on the bacteria that caused the acne. The research conducted was experimental research. The stages of the study began from the determination of the sample, the manufacture of simplicia powder, extraction of kecombrang flowers using the maceration method, phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity test using the disc diffusion method. The concentrations of extract used in the testing of antibacterial activity were 20%, 40%, 60% and 80%. The results showed that the ethanol extract of the kecombrang flower contained secondary metabolites in the form of flavonoids and saponins. The results of the testing of the antibacterial activity showed that the ethanol extract of the kecombrang flowers had a medium activity at a concentration of 80% against the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria with a inhibition zone of 7,67 mm. Keywords: Kecombrang flowers (Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M.Sm.), Antibacterial activity test, Propionibacterium acnes

Technical note: validation of a system for monitoring individual behavior in beef heifers

The objectives of the 2 studies conducted were to validate the accuracy of an automated monitoring device (AMD; HR-LDn tags, SCR Engineers Ltd., Netanya, Israel) for different types of behaviors or cow-states (side lying, resting, medium activity, high activity, rumination, grazing, walking, and panting) in beef heifers and to determine if the total time per cow-state recorded by the AMD corresponds to the total time per cow-state recorded by instantaneous observations. Cow-state is recorded every second and, within 1 min, the most prevalent cow-state is considered to be the behavior presented by the animal during that interval. Study personnel (n = 2) observed heifers (n = 10) for 20 min from 0800 to 1140 h and 10 min from 1500 to 1640 h during 4 consecutive days and recorded continuously each cow-state at started and ended. Thus, study personnel were able to determine within a 1-min interval, which cow-state was most prevalent and represented the heifer’s behavior. Because the proprietary machine learning algorithm prioritizes certain behaviors over others based on their contribution to the understanding of generalized bovine behavior patterns, we also determined the most prevalent behavior observed in 5-min intervals. Test characteristics (sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and negative and positive predicted values) were calculated using the observer as the gold standard. In study 2, heifer behavior was scanned by observers (n = 2) every 5 min from 0800 to 1100 h and 1500 to 1800 h for 3 consecutive days. Total minutes per cow-state according to the observer were compared with the total minutes per cow-state according to the AMD during the same period to determine the correlation coefficient. In study 1, test characteristics were high (low ≤ 40%, moderate = 41 to 74%, high ≥ 75%) for rumination (≥ 89.7%), grazing (≥ 76.5%), and side lying (≥ 81.8%), and moderate for resting (≥ 48.8%). In study 2, the correlation coefficient for rumination (R2 = 0.92) and grazing (R2 = 0.90) were high and the correlation coefficient for resting (R2 = 0.66) and walking (R2 = 0.33) were moderate. We conclude that the AMD used in this study showed high accuracy when measuring rumination and grazing, but it was subpar when measuring resting and walking. The algorithms employed by the AMD used need to be improved for determination of walking and resting behaviors of beef cattle.