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90-574: Biasca is a town of the district of Riviera in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland . Biasca is first mentioned in 830 as Aviasca in the Liber viventium of Pfäfers Abbey . In 1119 it was mentioned as Abiasca . In 948, the Bishop of Vercelli donated the area around Biasca to the Bishop of Milan . This led to the spiritual and secular domination of the valley north of Bellinzona . During

180-503: A child or children. There were 34 households that were made up unrelated people and 2 households that were made some sort of institution or another collective housing. In 2000 there were 967 single family homes (or 67.5% of the total) out of a total of 1,433 inhabited buildings. There were 394 multi-family buildings (27.5%), along with 40 multi-purpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (2.8%) and 32 other use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (2.2%). Of

270-626: A four-year program to prepare for higher education. There were 576 students in the two-year middle school and 7 in their pre-apprenticeship, while 213 students were in the four-year advanced program. The upper secondary school includes several options, but at the end of the upper secondary program, a student will be prepared to enter a trade or to continue on to a university or college. In Ticino, vocational students may either attend school while working on their internship or apprenticeship (which takes three or four years) or may attend school followed by an internship or apprenticeship (which takes one year as

360-545: A full-time student or one and a half to two years as a part-time student). There were 121 vocational students who were attending school full-time and 241 who attend part-time. The professional program lasts three years and prepares a student for a job in engineering, nursing, computer science, business, tourism and similar fields. There were 35 students in the professional program. 46°21′N 8°59′E  /  46.350°N 8.983°E  / 46.350; 8.983 Silkworm Bombyx mori , commonly known as

450-568: A full-time student or one and a half to two years as a part-time student). There were 61 vocational students who were attending school full-time and 114 who attend part-time. The professional program lasts three years and prepares a student for a job in engineering, nursing, computer science, business, tourism and similar fields. There were 20 students in the professional program. As of 2000, there were 81 students in Biasca who came from another municipality, while 193 residents attended schools outside

540-498: A legend indicates the discovery of the silkworm's silk was by an ancient empress named Leizu , the wife of the Yellow Emperor , also known as Xi Lingshi. She was drinking tea under a tree when a silk cocoon fell into her tea. As she picked it out and started to wrap the silk thread around her finger, she slowly felt a warm sensation. When the silk ran out, she saw a small larva. In an instant, she realized this caterpillar larva

630-526: A mate, and it lacks fear of potential predators. The native color pigments have also been lost, so the domestic silk moths are leucistic , since camouflage is not useful when they only live in captivity. These changes have made B. mori entirely dependent upon humans for survival, and it does not exist in the wild. The eggs are kept in incubators to aid in their hatching. Silkworms were first domesticated in China more than 5,000 years ago. Silkworm breeding

720-453: A number of days. Silkworms have been used in antibiotic discovery, as they have several advantageous traits compared to other invertebrate models. Antibiotics such as lysocin E , a non-ribosomal peptide synthesized by Lysobacter sp. RH2180-5 and GPI0363 are among the notable antibiotics discovered using silkworms. In addition, antibiotics with appropriate pharmacokinetic parameters were selected that correlated with therapeutic activity in

810-457: A population (as of December 2020) of 6,094. As of 2008, 35.6% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of -1.2%. Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks Italian (5,026 or 86.7%), with Albanian being second most common (205 or 3.5%) and Serbo-Croatian being third (194 or 3.3%). There are 45 people who speak French and 7 people who speak Romansh . As of 2008,

900-450: A science project. Students have a chance to observe complete life cycles of insects from eggs to larvae to pupae to moths. The domestic silk moth has been raised as a hobby in countries such as China, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Iran. Children often pass on the eggs to the next generation, creating a non-commercial population. The experience provides children with the opportunity to witness the life cycle of silk moths. The full genome of

990-532: A season, and they are generally found in and around Europe. Univoltine eggs must hibernate through the winter, ultimately cross-fertilizing in spring. Bivoltine varieties are normally found in East Asia, and their accelerated breeding process is made possible by slightly warmer climates. In addition, there are polyvoltine silkworms found only in the tropics. Their eggs typically hatch within 9 to 12 days, meaning there can be up to eight generations of larvae throughout

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1080-440: A silkworm that is genetically altered to produce spider silk. In September 2010, the effort was announced as successful. Researchers at Tufts developed scaffolds made of spongy silk that feel and look similar to human tissue. They are implanted during reconstructive surgery to support or restructure damaged ligaments, tendons, and other tissue. They also created implants made of silk and drug compounds which can be implanted under

1170-469: A standard school and a special school. In the municipality, 309 students attended the standard primary schools and 8 students attended the special school. In the lower secondary school system, students either attend a two-year middle school followed by a two-year pre-apprenticeship or they attend a four-year program to prepare for higher education. There were 250 students in the two-year middle school and 6 in their pre-apprenticeship, while 94 students were in

1260-406: A stream with an 80 m (260 ft) waterfall flows. The villages of Loderio, Ponte, Pontirone, Sant'Anna, and Valle belong to the municipality. The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Per pale argent a serpent erect azure and or an eagle displayed sable langued beaked and membered gules and overall in a chief gules two keys argent in saltire tied with a ribbon also argent. Biasca has

1350-401: A total of 2,364 apartments (82.0% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 381 apartments (13.2%) were seasonally occupied and 138 apartments (4.8%) were empty. As of 2007, the construction rate of new housing units was 5.6 new units per 1000 residents. The vacancy rate for the municipality, in 2008, was 1.35%. The historical population is given in the following chart: The Arsenale, and

1440-678: A total of 6,836 registered voters in the Riviera District, of which 4,550 or 66.6% voted. 74 blank ballots and 11 null ballots were cast, leaving 4,465 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PLRT which received 1,017 or 22.8% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PPD +GenGiova (with 829 or 18.6%), the SSI (with 815 or 18.3%) and the PS (with 814 or 18.2%). In

1530-406: Is 1,405 people or 11.3% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 1,006 people or 8.1% are between 70 and 79, there are 565 people or 4.6% who are over 80. In 2000 there were 4,987 single family homes (or 55.0% of the total) out of a total of 9,061 inhabited buildings. There were 1,308 two family buildings (14.4%) and 2,240 multi-family buildings (24.7%). There were also 526 buildings in

1620-407: Is 745 people or 12.5% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 530 people or 8.9% are between 70 and 79, there are 316 people or 5.3% who are over 80. As of 2000, there were 2,277 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 2,900 married individuals, 388 widows or widowers and 230 individuals who are divorced. As of 2000, there were 2,369 private households in

1710-485: Is aimed at the overall improvement of silkworms from a commercial point of view. The major objectives are improving fecundity , the health of larvae, quantity of cocoon and silk production, and disease resistance. Healthy larvae lead to a healthy cocoon crop. Health is dependent on factors such as better pupation rate, fewer dead larvae in the mountage, shorter larval duration (this lessens the chance of infection) and bluish-tinged fifth-instar larvae (which are healthier than

1800-399: Is forested. Of the rest of the land, 2.92 km (1.13 sq mi) or 4.9% is settled (buildings or roads), 1.19 km (0.46 sq mi) or 2.0% is either rivers or lakes and 21.7 km (8.4 sq mi) or 36.7% is unproductive land. Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 1.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.8%. Out of the forested land, 35.2% of

1890-614: Is given in the following table: In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the FDP which received 29.75% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP (25.08%), the SP (19.5%) and the Ticino League (15.71%). In the federal election, a total of 3,264 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 48.0%. In the 2007 Ticino Gran Consiglio election, there were

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1980-443: Is harvested. The moth is the adult phase of the silk worm's life cycle. Silk moths have a wingspan of 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in) and a white, hairy body. Females are about two to three times bulkier than males (due to carrying many eggs). All adult Bombycidae moths have reduced mouthparts and do not feed. The wings of the silk moth develop from larval imaginal disks . The moth is not capable of functional flight, in contrast to

2070-464: Is used for agricultural purposes, while 97.23 km (37.54 sq mi) or 58.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 7.41 km (2.86 sq mi) or 4.5% is settled (buildings or roads), 2.9 km (1.1 sq mi) or 1.7% is either rivers or lakes and 43.19 km (16.68 sq mi) or 25.9% is unproductive land. Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 1.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.4%. Out of

2160-474: The ahimsa philosophy "not to hurt any living thing". This led to Gandhi's promotion of cotton spinning machines, an example of which can be seen at the Gandhi Institute, and an extension of this principle has led to the modern production practice known as Ahimsa silk , which is wild silk (from wild and semiwild silk moths) made from the cocoons of moths that are allowed to emerge before the silk

2250-499: The Gotthard route opened in the early 13th century. The Orelli family collected tolls on the roads after 1352. In the following years, the existence of a Sust or transshipment warehouse for the transit of goods is mentioned in Biasca. Starting in 1434, the municipality collected a fee, known as forletto on the transport of goods over the passes. In addition to transportation, the main income sources were, forestry, agriculture in

2340-623: The Neolithic period. Before then, the tools to manufacture quantities of silk thread had not been developed. The domesticated Bombyx mori and the wild Bombyx mandarina can still breed and sometimes produce hybrids. It is unknown if B. mori can hybridize with other Bombyx species. Compared to most members in the genus Bombyx , domestic silk moths have lost their coloration as well as their ability to fly. Mulberry silkworms can be divided into three major categories based on seasonal brood frequency. Univoltine silkworms produce only one brood

2430-555: The Swiss Reformed Church . Of the rest of the population, there were 233 members of an Orthodox church (or about 4.02% of the population), there were 2 individuals (or about 0.03% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic Church , and there were 84 individuals (or about 1.45% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 5 individuals (or about 0.09% of

2520-409: The Swiss Reformed Church . There are 1,769 individuals (or about 15.47% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), and 416 individuals (or about 3.64% of the population) did not answer the question. In the Riviera District there was a total of 2,199 students (as of 2009 ). The Ticino education system provides up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten and in

2610-418: The Ticino League (17.54%). In the federal election, a total of 1,460 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 47.2%. In the 2007 Gran Consiglio election, there were a total of 3,093 registered voters in Biasca, of which 2,029 or 65.6% voted. 39 blank ballots and 3 null ballots were cast, leaving 1,987 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PLRT which received 494 or 24.9% of

2700-435: The domestic silk moth , is a moth species belonging to the family Bombycidae . It is the closest relative of Bombyx mandarina , the wild silk moth. Silkworms are the larvae of silk moths. The silkworm is of particular economic value, being a primary producer of silk . The silkworm's preferred food are the leaves of white mulberry , though they may eat other species of mulberry, and even leaves of other plants like

2790-439: The osage orange . Domestic silk moths are entirely dependent on humans for reproduction, as a result of millennia of selective breeding. Wild silk moths, which are other species of Bombyx , are not as commercially viable in the production of silk. Sericulture , the practice of breeding silkworms for the production of raw silk, has existed for at least 5,000 years in China, whence it spread to India, Korea, Nepal, Japan, and then

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2880-458: The provost's church of SS. Pietro e Paolo are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significance . The town of Biasca and the village of Pontirone are both part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites . In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the FDP which received 34.53% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP (21.72%), the CVP (17.57%) and

2970-530: The tertiary sector , with 237 businesses in this sector. There were 2,464 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 37.7% of the workforce. In 2008 the total number of full-time equivalent jobs was 2,052. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 34, all of which were in agriculture. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 675, of which 265 or (39.3%) were in manufacturing, 18 or (2.7%) were in mining and 322 (47.7%) were in construction. The number of jobs in

3060-645: The 2007 Ticino Consiglio di Stato election, 40 blank ballots and 8 null ballots were cast, leaving 4,503 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PLRT which received 984 or 21.9% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PS (with 959 or 21.3%), the LEGA (with 930 or 20.7%) and the PPD (with 841 or 18.7%). From the 2000 census , 8,858 or 77.5% were Roman Catholic , while 391 or 3.4% belonged to

3150-779: The Bishop's conflicts with the Holy Roman Empire over the Lombardy provinces, Biasca and the surrounding region suffered from armies marching through the valley. A branch of the Orelli family of Locarno was given the castle above Biasca, near the chapel of S. Petronilla, in the 12th century. They were also given the rights of high justice over the village. However, in 1292 the village was able to push through an agreement that allowed them to elect some local leaders, giving them limited self-government. The Orelli family ruled until

3240-528: The Leventina valley which had been conquered by Uri. It was again attacked and occupied by Uri in 1449. The town reached an agreement in 1450 with the new Duke of Milan, Francesco Sforza , which confirmed the previously extended rights. Other raids took place after the death of Francesco Sforza in 1466 and during the campaign of 1478. It was probably annexed in 1495 along with the rest of the Blenio valley by

3330-454: The Leventina, Blenio and Riviera valleys. It is the most important community in the so-called Ambrosian Valleys . The Ambrosian Valleys were several alpine valleys that were traditionally a center of Ambrosian Rite churches. It is 19 km (12 mi) north of Bellinzona , on the banks of the Brenno . About 3 km (1.9 mi) east of Biasca is the small lake of Carigiolo, from which

3420-406: The PLRT (with 488 or 24.4%), the LEGA (with 439 or 21.9%) and the SSI (with 314 or 15.7%). As of  2007, Biasca had an unemployment rate of 4.82%. As of 2005, there were 77 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 37 businesses involved in this sector. 768 people were employed in the secondary sector and there were 72 businesses in this sector. 1,479 people were employed in

3510-426: The Riviera District there were 332 children in kindergarten. The primary school program lasts for five years and includes both a standard school and a special school. In the district, 649 students attended the standard primary schools and 25 students attended the special school. In the lower secondary school system, students either attend a two-year middle school followed by a two-year pre-apprenticeship or they attend

3600-579: The Swiss. After 1500 it was part of the Bailiwick of Riviera. In 1512, a landslide from Monte Crenone created a dam across the Brenno river north of the village. The dam created a 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) long lake above the village, until 1515 when the dam burst causing heavy damage. Due to its location on a major Alpine road traffic, the local economy gradually recovered from this disaster. However, at

3690-638: The Visconti Duke, Biasca was conquered by the two Swiss cantons of Uri and Obwalden and incorporated into the Italian bailiwicks of the two towns. In 1422 the Visconti troops of Milan attacked and at the Battle of Arbedo defeated the Swiss and reestablished Milan's borders. In 1439, the town was attacked by Uri once again. The Duke of Milan reinforced Biasca and in 1441 made it a bulwark against

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3780-485: The West. The conventional process of sericulture kills the silkworm in the pupal stage. The domestic silk moth was domesticated from the wild silk moth Bombyx mandarina , which has a range from northern India to northern China, Korea, Japan, and the far eastern regions of Russia. The domestic silk moth derives from Chinese rather than Japanese or Korean stock. Silk moths were unlikely to have been domestically bred before

3870-451: The animal survives through the pupal phase of its life cycle, it releases proteolytic enzymes to make a hole in the cocoon so it can emerge as an adult moth. These enzymes are destructive to the silk and can cause the silk fibers to break down from over a mile in length to segments of random length, which reduces the value of the silk threads , although these damaged silk cocoons are still used as "stuffing" available in China and elsewhere in

3960-850: The cocoon, which provides a layer of protection during the vulnerable, almost motionless pupal state. Many other Lepidoptera produce cocoons, but only a few — the Bombycidae, in particular the genus Bombyx , and the Saturniidae , in particular the genus Antheraea  — have been exploited for fabric production. The cocoon is made of a thread of raw silk from 300 to about 900 metres (980 to about 3,000 ft) long. The fibers are fine and lustrous, about 10 μm (0.0004 in) in diameter. About 2,000 to 3,000 cocoons are required to make one pound (0.45 kg). At least 70 million lb (32 million kg) of raw silk are produced each year, requiring nearly 10 billion cocoons. If

4050-711: The collapse of the Western Roman Empire . It is the oldest Ambrosian Rite church in the region that came to be known as Ambrosian Valleys , which included the Levantine and Blenio valleys and the villages of the Riviera village down to Gnosca and Claro . It was the center of a parish at Biasca. However, it appears that the Church of San Martino in Olivone formed another independent parish, at least until

4140-429: The development has occurred around the Biasca industrial zone, which is the only one in the canton that is considered "of Cantonal importance". The services sector has grown as Biasca has become a hub for the entire Tre Valli region. The addition of Biasca on the trans-alpine rail link (NEAT) is expected to encourage it to continue its growth. The parish church of San Pietro dates back to the migration period following

4230-550: The district that were multipurpose buildings (used for both housing and commercial or another purpose). In 2000 there were 5,661 apartments in the district. The most common apartment size was the 4 room apartment of which there were 2,025. There were 268 single room apartments and 1,187 apartments with five or more rooms. Of these apartments, a total of 4,494 apartments (79.4% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 958 apartments (16.9%) were seasonally occupied and 209 apartments (3.7%) were empty. The historical population

4320-621: The domestic silk moth was published in 2008 by the International Silkworm Genome Consortium. Draft sequences were published in 2004. The genome of the domestic silk moth is mid-range with a genome size around 432 million base pairs. A notable feature is that 43.6% of the genome are repetitive sequences , most of which are transposable elements. At least 3,000 silkworm genes are unique, and have no homologous equivalents in other genomes. The silkworm's ability to produce large amounts of silk correlates with

4410-566: The end of the 16th and at the beginning of the 17th century, at least three major plague epidemics hit the town. After repeated searches, Charles Borromeo chose Biasca as the center to spread the reforms of the Council of Trent to the Tre Valli region. Located at the entrance to the Alpine valleys, Biasca as has always played an important role in regional and trans-Alpine trade, even after

4500-400: The first century AD. About AD 550, Christian monks are said to have smuggled silkworms hidden in a hollow stick out of China, selling the secret to the eastern Romans. According to a Vietnamese folk tale, silkworms were originally a beautiful housemaid running away from her gruesome masters and living in the mountain, where she was protected by the mountain god. One day, a lecherous god from

4590-400: The foreign population increased by 14. There was 1 Swiss man and 2 Swiss women who immigrated back to Switzerland. At the same time, there were 27 non-Swiss men and 18 non-Swiss women who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 69 and the non-Swiss population change

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4680-601: The forested land, 48.1% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.6% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 3.7% is used for growing crops and 1.7% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the district is flowing water. Of the unproductive areas, 11.5% is unproductive vegetation and 14.4% is too rocky for vegetation. Of the Swiss national languages (as of 2000 ), 343 speak German , 97 people speak French , 9,978 people speak Italian , and 12 people speak Romansh . The remainder (1,004 people) speak another language. As of 2008 ,

4770-456: The four-year advanced program. The upper secondary school includes several options, but at the end of the upper secondary program, a student will be prepared to enter a trade or to continue on to a university or college. In Ticino, vocational students may either attend school while working on their internship or apprenticeship (which takes three or four years) or may attend school followed by an internship or apprenticeship (which takes one year as

4860-401: The gender distribution of the population was 49.7% male and 50.3% female. The population was made up of 1,821 Swiss men (30.6% of the population), and 1,137 (19.1%) non-Swiss men. There were 2,019 Swiss women (33.9%), and 978 (16.4%) non-Swiss women. Of the population in the municipality 2,330 or about 40.2% were born in Biasca and lived there in 2000. There were 1,098 or 18.9% who were born in

4950-480: The gender distribution of the population was 50.0% male and 50.0% female. The population was made up of 4,151 Swiss men (33.5% of the population), and 2,055 (16.6%) non-Swiss men. There were 4,566 Swiss women (36.8%), and 1,628 (13.1%) non-Swiss women. In 2008 there were 69 live births to Swiss citizens and 37 births to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 84 deaths of Swiss citizens and 18 non-Swiss citizen deaths. Ignoring immigration and emigration,

5040-461: The heaven came down to Earth to seduce women. When he saw her, he tried to rape her but she was able to escape and was hidden by the mountain god. The lecherous god then tried to find and capture her by setting a net trap around the mountain. With the blessing of Guanyin , the girl was able to safely swallow that net into her stomach. Finally, the evil god summons his fellow thunder and rain gods to attack and burn away her clothes, forcing her to hide in

5130-409: The larval phase of the silkworms emerge white, naked, and with little horns on their backs. After they have molted four times, their bodies become slightly yellow, and the skin becomes tighter. The larvae then prepare to enter the pupal phase of their life cycle, and enclose themselves in a cocoon made up of raw silk produced by the salivary glands . The final molt from larva to pupa takes place within

5220-430: The mid-12th century. The Church of San Pietro was probably built in the 11th century. It became a collegiate church with a dean and canons . The collegiate chapter's statutes originate in 1398. It possessed the right to collect tithes in the Riviera and Levantine valleys. The Church of SS Giacomo e Filippo was finished in 1468 the village, but was destroyed, along with other religious and secular buildings, during

5310-601: The middle of the 14th century, when their territory was incorporated into the dominion of the Visconti . They granted the village along with the Blenio valley to the Bolognese Pepoli family. In the second half of the 14th century, Biasca as was granted the right to choose the Console who had the right to call courts. This right was confirmed in 1422 and subsequent years. In 1403, after the death of Gian Galeazzo,

5400-471: The municipality and 1,087 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 1.2 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving. Of the working population, 7.2% used public transportation to get to work, and 61.4% used a private car. As of 2009, there were 4 hotels in Biasca with a total of 70 rooms and 157 beds. From the 2000 census, 4,230 or 73.0% were Roman Catholic . From this 2000 census 101 or 1.7% belonged to

5490-479: The municipality, and an average of 2.4 persons per household. There were 727 households that consist of only one person and 134 households with five or more people. Out of a total of 2,371 households that answered this question, 30.7% were households made up of just one person and 47 were adults who lived with their parents. Of the rest of the households, there are 522 married couples without children, 902 married couples with children. There were 137 single parents with

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5580-756: The municipality. Biasca is served by the Biasca station , situated within the municipality. The station is on the Gotthard railway . The HCB Ticino Rockets were the city's main team and play in the Swiss League (SL) as the affiliate of both HC Lugano and HC Ambrì-Piotta of the National League (NL). They play their home games in the 3,800-seat Raiffeisen BiascArena. Riviera (district) The Riviera District has an area, as of 1997 , of 166.49 square kilometers (64.28 sq mi). Of this area, 9.77 km (3.77 sq mi) or 5.9%

5670-475: The oocytes of B. mori , meiosis is completely achiasmate (lacking crossovers). Even though synaptonemal complexes are formed during the pachytene stage of meiosis in B. mori , crossing-over homologous recombination does not occur between the paired chromosomes . Kraig Biocraft Laboratories has used research from the Universities of Wyoming and Notre Dame in a collaborative effort to create

5760-603: The population have completed non-mandatory upper secondary education , and 372 or (6.4%) have completed additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule ). Of the 372 who completed tertiary schooling, 55.6% were Swiss men, 26.6% were Swiss women, 13.4% were non-Swiss men and 4.3% were non-Swiss women. In Biasca there were a total of 1,015 students (as of 2009). The Ticino education system provides up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten and in Biasca there were 153 children in kindergarten. The primary school program lasts for five years and includes both

5850-415: The population of Swiss citizens decreased by 15 while the foreign population increased by 19. There were 3 Swiss men and 7 Swiss women who immigrated back to Switzerland. At the same time, there were 57 non-Swiss men and 32 non-Swiss women who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources) was an increase of 113 and the non-Swiss population change

5940-524: The population) did not answer the question. Biasca has an average of 97.3 days of rain or snow per year and on average receives 1,587 mm (62.5 in) of precipitation . The wettest month is May during which time Biasca receives an average of 181 mm (7.1 in) of rain or snow. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 11.4 days. The driest month of the year is December with an average of 65 mm (2.6 in) of precipitation over 5.6 days. In Biasca about 1,887 or (32.6%) of

6030-473: The population) who were Jewish . In Ticino, the synagogues are in Lugano. According to this 2000 census, 395 (or about 6.82% of the population) were Islamic . There were 3 individuals who were Buddhist , 1 individual who was Hindu and 2 individuals who belonged to another church. 538 (or about 9.28% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic or atheist , and 201 individuals (or about 3.47% of

6120-590: The presence of specific tRNA clusters, as well as some clustered sericin genes. Additionally, the silkworm's ability to consume toxic mulberry leaves is linked to specialized sucrase genes, which appear to have been acquired from bacterial genes. In 2018, Illumina 's short reads for 137 strain genomes were published. In 2022, Nanopore 's long reads for 545 strain genomes were published. Silk moth pupae are edible insects and are eaten in some cultures : Silkworms have also been proposed for cultivation by astronauts as space food on long-term missions. In China,

6210-424: The production of duvets , jackets, and other purposes. To prevent this, silkworm cocoons are boiled in water. The heat kills the silkworms, and the water makes the cocoons easier to unravel. Often, the silkworm is eaten. As the process of harvesting the silk from the cocoon kills the pupa, sericulture has been criticized by animal welfare and rights activists. Mahatma Gandhi was critical of silk production based on

6300-405: The reddish-brown ones). Quantity of cocoon and silk produced are directly related to the pupation rate and larval weight. Healthier larvae have greater pupation rates and cocoon weights. Quality of cocoon and silk depends on a number of factors, including genetics. In the U.S., teachers may sometimes introduce the insect life cycle to their students by raising domestic silk moths in the classroom as

6390-421: The role of YjbH in virulence and oxidative stress tolerance in vivo. The domestic species B. mori , compared to the wild species (e.g., B. mandarina ), has increased cocoon size, body size, growth rate, and efficiency of its digestion. It has gained tolerance to human presence and handling, and also to living in crowded conditions. The domestic silk moths cannot fly, so the males need human assistance in finding

6480-465: The same canton, while 286 or 4.9% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 1,979 or 34.2% were born outside of Switzerland. In 2008 there were 30 live births to Swiss citizens and 22 births to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 50 deaths of Swiss citizens and 8 non-Swiss citizen deaths. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens decreased by 20 while

6570-461: The silk industry is silkworms that can feed on food other than mulberry leaves, including an artificial diet. Research on the genome also raises the possibility of genetically engineering silkworms to produce proteins, including pharmacological drugs, in the place of silk proteins. Bombyx mori females are also one of the few organisms with homologous chromosomes held together only by the synaptonemal complex (and not crossovers) during meiosis . In

6660-410: The silkworm infection model. Silkworms have also been used for the identification of novel virulence factors of pathogenic microorganisms. A first large-scale screening using transposon mutant library of Staphylococcus aureus USA300 strain was performed which identified 8 new genes with roles in full virulence of S. aureus . Another study by the same team of researchers revealed, for the first time,

6750-412: The single family homes 18 were built before 1919, while 75 were built between 1990 and 2000. The greatest number of single family homes (315) were built between 1946 and 1960. In 2000 there were 2,883 apartments in the municipality. The most common apartment size was 4 rooms of which there were 1,049. There were 127 single room apartments and 518 apartments with five or more rooms. Of these apartments,

6840-494: The skin for steady and gradual time release of medications. Researchers at the MIT Media Lab experimented with silkworms to see what they would weave when left on surfaces with different curvatures. They found that on particularly straight webs of lines, the silkworms would connect neighboring lines with silk, weaving directly onto the given shape. Using this knowledge they built a silk pavilion with 6,500 silkworms over

6930-507: The tertiary sector was 1,343. In the tertiary sector; 432 or 32.2% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 75 or 5.6% were in the movement and storage of goods, 113 or 8.4% were in a hotel or restaurant, 1 or 0.1% were in the information industry, 58 or 4.3% were the insurance or financial industry, 93 or 6.9% were technical professionals or scientists, 143 or 10.6% were in education and 205 or 15.3% were in health care. In 2000, there were 1,351 workers who commuted into

7020-426: The thoracic legs at different ages of the larva resulted in the adult silk moth not developing the corresponding adult leg segments. Due to its small size and ease of culture, the silkworm has become a model organism in the study of lepidopteran and general arthropod biology. Fundamental findings on genetics, pheromones, hormones, brain structures, and physiology have been made with the silkworm. One example of this

7110-413: The total land area is heavily forested and 3.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 2.4% is used for growing crops and 1.9% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water. Of the unproductive areas, 13.7% is unproductive vegetation and 23.0% is too rocky for vegetation. The municipality is located in the Riviera district, between

7200-439: The town as well as a number of anti-clerical acts. In 1980, it became the town in Switzerland with the highest proportion of non-religious. The cause of this phenomenon is probably the influence of immigrants and the railway workers in the 19th century. For a few decades, the silkworm industry flourished in Biasca. Also, the granite mining industry is important to the whole region, and it reached its peak in Biasca in 1900. In

7290-433: The valleys and livestock which spent their summers in alpine pastures and migrated in the winter to the valley. The construction of the road network in 1815 and the construction of the Gotthard tunnel led to an economic and demographic change in Biasca as it lost its rural character. A feature of the history of Biasca from the middle of the 19th century into the early 20th century is the large number of atheists living in

7380-452: The vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PS (with 437 or 22.0%), the SSI (with 396 or 19.9%) and the LEGA (with 318 or 16.0%). In the 2007 Consiglio di Stato election, 22 blank ballots and 4 null ballots were cast, leaving 2,003 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PS which received 495 or 24.7% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were;

7470-478: The wake of industrialization, the first economic class battles in Ticino broke out in Biasca. There remains a strong Socialist Party core in the town. In the postwar years, Biasca's economy grew strongly, especially the industrial sector (in 1990, 43% of the economically active population) and the service sector (56%). Agriculture lost almost all importance in the area and now only provides about 1% of jobs. Most of

7560-515: The wars of the early 16th century. A Catholic church, the Rotonda di San Carlo, is a magnificent example of the modern architecture of the Milanese architect Macciacchini. Biasca has an area, as of 1997, of 59.13 square kilometers (22.83 sq mi). Of this area, 2.86 km (1.10 sq mi) or 4.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 26.6 km (10.3 sq mi) or 45.0%

7650-470: The wild B. mandarina and other Bombyx species, whose males fly to meet females. Some may emerge with the ability to lift off and stay airborne, but sustained flight cannot be achieved as their bodies are too big and heavy for their small wings. The legs of the silk moth develop from the silkworm's larval (thoracic) legs. Developmental genes like Distalless and extradenticle have been used to mark leg development. In addition, removing specific segments of

7740-457: The year. Eggs take about 14 days to hatch into larvae, which eat continuously. They have a preference for white mulberry , having an attraction to the mulberry odorant cis-jasmone . They are not monophagous , since they can eat other species of Morus , as well as some other Moraceae , mostly Osage orange . They are covered with tiny black hairs. When the color of their heads turns darker, it indicates they are about to molt . After molting,

7830-546: Was a decrease of 24 people. This represents a population growth rate of 0.7%. The age distribution, as of 2009 , in the Riviera District is: 1,243 children or 10.0% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 1,388 teenagers or 11.2% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 1,400 people or 11.3% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 1,697 people or 13.7% are between 30 and 39, 2,104 people or 17.0% are between 40 and 49, and 1,592 people or 12.8% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution

7920-517: Was a decrease of 39 people. This represents a population growth rate of 0.5%. The age distribution, as of 2009, in Biasca is; 554 children or 9.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 615 teenagers or 10.3% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 712 people or 12.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 738 people or 12.4% are between 30 and 39, 950 people or 16.0% are between 40 and 49, and 795 people or 13.4% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution

8010-515: Was the molecular identification of the first known pheromone, bombykol , which required extracts from 500,000 individuals, due to the small quantities of pheromone produced by any individual silkworm. Many research works have focused on the genetics of silkworms and the possibility of genetic engineering. Many hundreds of strains are maintained, and over 400 Mendelian mutations have been described. Another source suggests 1,000 inbred domesticated strains are kept worldwide. One useful development for

8100-400: Was the source of the silk. She taught this to the people and it became widespread. Many more legends about the silkworm are told. The Chinese guarded their knowledge of silk, but, according to one story, a Chinese princess given in marriage to a Khotan prince brought to the oasis the secret of silk manufacture, "hiding silkworms in her hair as part of her dowry", probably in the first half of

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