Mauro Masiero

Pepsinogen group I radioimmunoassay and total serum pepsinogen colorimetric determination: a comparative study in normal subjects and in peptic ulcer patients

Pepsinogens, proteolytic enzymes produced by peptic cells of the stomach and discharged into the gastric lumen as well as into the blood have been divided into two groups: PG-I, originating from chief cells, and PG-II, mainly from antrum peptic cells. Both total serum pepsinogen (s-Pg) and PG-I have been separately reported as being significantly increased in gastric (GU) and duodenal ulcer (DU) patients and related to maximal acid output. In order to ascertain the relationship between s-Pg measured by means of the colorimetric Uete method, and PG-I determined by RIA method, these were assayed in 72 control subjects, 35 GU and 95 DU patients. s-Pg was found to be significantly increased both in GU and DU patients in comparison with control subjects. Likewise PG-I was significantly enhanced in GU and DU patients as compared with controls. A significant direct correlation between s-Pg and PG-I was found in all the subjects studied (r = 0.732).

TOLUENE DIISOCYANATE-STIMULATED RELEASE OF ARACHIDONIC-ACID METABOLITES IN THE ORGAN BATH FROM GUINEA-PIG AIRWAYS

This study was designed to evaluate whether metabolites of arachidonic acid play a role in the contractile response to toluene diisocyanate in isolated guinea pig airways. In control experiments we collected the supernatant from an organ bath over a time period of 2 h, after the addition of toluene diisocyanate (100 and 300 microM), and after the addition of toluene diisocyanate (300 microM) in the presence of indomethacin (5 microM). We measured prostaglandin E2, 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, prostaglandin F2 alpha, thromboxane B2, leukotriene B4, leukotriene C4/D4/E4/F4 by radioimmunoassays. Levels of prostaglandin F2 alpha and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha increased significantly after addition of toluene diisocyanate in the absence of indomethacin. These results suggest that prostaglandins are involved in toluene diisocyanate-induced contractions in guinea-pig airways.

First mapping of the main high conservation value forests (HCVFs) at national scale: The case of Italy

Abstract Forest certification is one of the many tools that have been developed to achieve sustainable forest management. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was the first organization to develop an independent forest certification scheme in early 1990s. FSC standards introduced the concept of high conservation value forests (HCVFs) that identifies forest areas with high conservation values (HCVs) according to six different categories including environmental services, social and cultural values, rare, threatened or endangered species, and ecosystems and habitats. HCVFs are becoming more relevant even beyond forest certification purposes, and the concept is increasingly being adopted and used as a tool for improving forest management operations. This paper represents a preliminary study for the identification and mapping of the main HCVFs in Italy. It is based on existing information and available datasets and identifies some out of six existing HCVs categories. The extent of forest areas identified as HCVFs in Italy varies according to the HCV category taken into consideration. Altogether, the HCVs investigated correspond to about 66% of the Italian forest. This preliminary study on HCVFs in Italy and GIS tools had proved to be a useful support for the identification and analysis of investigated areas for the purposes of both facilitating certification processes and improved management of national forests.

Enhancing outdoor recreation and biodiversity through payments for ecosystem services: emerging potentials from selected Natura 2000 sites in Italy

Efforts in preserving natural and seminatural ecosystems and associated ecosystem services are affected by scarce financial resources. Payments for ecosystem services (PES) are increasingly recognised for creating additional funding, as in protected areas, and outdoor recreation is one important ecosystem service that is promising for successfully implementing PES. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and evaluate potentials for PES schemes related to recreational services in Natura 2000 sites. For 10 sites in different Italian regions, the study first assessed the ecosystem service outdoor recreation and analysed managerial and economic aspects of Natura 2000 sites. Then, various options for PES schemes were defined in a participatory process. Furthermore, we developed a dynamic model for evaluating the effects of PES on ecosystems and related recreational ES. Whereas the provision of recreational opportunities was mostly at a high level, the potential demand varied greatly among the sites, depending on the spatial distribution of potential beneficiaries. Moreover, we found great differences in visitation rates and consequently the actual recreational value. The PES schemes included small payments (€1) via mobile phone by visitors, contributions from regional government and tourism businesses, and visitor fees or tourist taxes among others. This study highlights how economic agreements, such as PES schemes, may support funding of Natura 2000 sites for biodiversity conservation by valorising the benefits of recreational ecosystem services; however, further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of PES in the long term.

Financing Forests for Rural Development

Rural development strategies often neglected forests in the past, but in the last two decades the attitude of policy makers and the interests of public and private investors have changed considerably. Although the forestry sector has inherent characteristics that increase the complexity of investments, forest financing has grown in importance and became a focal point for the implementation of rural development policies. Finncial actors are conventionally distinguished as private, i.e. profit oriented investors, or public, i.e. development oriented investors. As regards finance instruments in use, they could be distinguished as conventional (i.e. also utilized outside forestry), or innovative ones (i.e. forestry-specific). According to UNEP figures, USD 64 billion have recently been invested in the forest sector every year, but global need for funding for sustainable forest management is estimated by the Collaborative Partnership on Forestry to be between USD 70 and USD 160 billion per year. While direct public sector investments in forestry played a decisive role in the past, recent figures show that they are generally stable or declining, especially with regard to bilateral flows. At the same time private sector direct investments are on the increase, but they remain concentrated in a few countries. In the near future private forest investments will probably be mainly in planted forests. A consequent global shift in the industrial wood supply from temperate to tropical zones and from the Northern to Southern hemisphere is predicted by several studies. Financial flows for investments in the timber sector will shift accordingly: this progress is not free of social and environmental risks. While the forestry sector presents new business opportunities for private operators, specific international and national policy tools for the governance of the changes are greatly needed.