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F Santini

Publications and source records attributed to F Santini.

139 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Assessing conservation biology priorities through the development of biodiversity indicators.

Biodiversity erosion is now a recognized phenomenon within the scientific community, and it is understood that there is an urgent need for action to relieve this loss. However, no consensus exists on how to go about achieving this goal. This is due to two kinds of problems: namely, that there are many different reasons which can motivate conservation attempts and hence they can lead to different priorities, sometimes in direct contrast with one another; and that of the complexity of the natural world which we have to operate in. Regarding the latter, several authors have lamented a severe lack of theoretical support for many conservation decisions. We briefly review some of the criteria that are commonly adopted in conservation, and indicate some of their problems; we then introduce a new theoretical framework based on the use of a series of biological indicators, many of which have already been proposed in the past but never fully explained and/or adopted. In addition, we propose two indices for one of these potential indicators, i.e. evolutionary potential. We conclude with an appeal for a greater collaboration between conservation scientists and evolutionary biologists, in order to encompass evolutionary evidence in the decision-making process. In doing so, we hope to increase the chances of successful conservation efforts.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Non-light based ecosystems and bioastronomy.

The possibility of the existence of life beyond planet Earth has always fascinated humans. However, due to certain circumstances such as the failure of the Viking expeditions to detect any sign of biotic activity on Mars, and the understanding that the presence of life would lead to drastic alterations in the atmosphere of the host planet (alterations that have never been detected on other planets or planetoids of the solar system), the belief that our planet is the only planet to sustain life inside the solar system originated. During the last three decades a series of new complex biological communities have been discovered, in the deep sea, inside caves isolated from the external biosphere, and deep inside the crust of our planet, and found to depend on geothermal energy instead of solar energy for their survival. These discoveries give us new evidence and hope that life might exist not only on other planets, but perhaps even in other planetoids of our solar system. Life may exist in regions other than the surface of a planet, and these areas would be extremely difficult to identify.

Ecosystem↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[In vitro activity of fosfomycin].

The in vitro activity of phosphomycin has been compared with other antibiotics in 1703 bacterial strains isolated from pathological specimens sent to the Laboratory from various divisions of the hospital. Results were first class on both gram-positive and gram-negative flora. It was in first place as regards staphylococcus (97.4% sensitive strains), citrobacter (68.6%), proteus mirabilis (73.1%), indole positive proteus (48.2%). It also predominated in pseudomonas (54.6%) and E. coli (86.7%). In view of the fact that gram-negative infections are taking on a predominant position within the hospital environment, it is considered that phosphomycin should be rightfully included among the antibacterial drugs in routine use.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗