An integrated analytical approach for characterizing an organic residue from an archaeological glass bottle recovered in Pompeii (Naples, Italy).

PubMed

Ribechini, Erika; Modugno, Francesca; Baraldi, Cecilia; Baraldi, Pietro; Colombini, Maria Perla

2008-01-15

Within the framework of an Italian research project aimed at studying organic residues found in archaeological objects from the Roman period, the chemical composition of the contents of several glass vessels recovered from archaeological sites from the Vesuvian area (Naples, Italy) was investigated. In particular, this paper deals with the study of an organic material found in a glass bottle from the archaeological site of Pompeii using a multi-analytical approach, including FT-IR, direct exposure mass spectrometry (DE-MS) and GC-MS techniques. The overall results suggest the occurrence of a lipid material of vegetable origin. The hypothesis that the native lipid material had been subjected to a chemical transformation procedure before being used is presented and discussed.

A critical review of seismotectonic setting of the Campanian Plain (Southern Italy) in GIS environment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaudiosi, Germana; Alessio, Giuliana; Luiso, Paola; Nappi, Rosa; Ricciolino, Patrizia

2010-05-01

The Plio-Pleistocene Campanian Plain is a structural depression of the Southern Italy located between the eastern side of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Southern Apennine chain. It is surrounded to the North, East and South by the Mesozoic carbonate massifs of the Apennine chain and, to the West, by the Tyrrhenian Sea. The graben origin is similar to other peri-Tyrrhenian regions and is related to a stretching and thinning of the continental crust by the counterclockwise rotation of the Italian peninsula and the contemporaneous opening of the Tyrrhenian sea. The consequent subsidence of the Campanian carbonate platform took place along the Tyrrhenian coast during the Plio-Pleistocene with a maximum vertical extent of 5 km. The plain is filled by volcanic and clastic, continental and marine deposits. Voluminous volcanic activity of Roccamonfina, Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Procida and Vesuvio occurred in the Plain during the Quaternary. In the middle of the plain lies the city of Naples, bordered by the two active volcanoes of Campi Flegrei and Vesuvio. It is a very densely inhabited area that is exposed to high potential volcanic risk. The stress field acting in the Campanian area is poorly known. Structural observations on the Pleistocene faults suggest normal to sinistral movements for the NW- SE-trending faults and normal to dextral for the NE-SW-trending structures. These movements are consistent with those of the structures affecting the inner margin of the Southern Apennines. The Campanian Plain is characterized by seismicity of energy lower than the seismic activity of the Southern Apennine chain. The earthquakes mainly occur along the margin of the plain, in the volcanic areas and a minor seismicity spreads out inside the Plain. The aim of this paper is an attempt to identify active, outcropping and buried fault systems of the Campanian plain through the correlation between seismicity and tectonic structures. Seismic, geologic and geomorphologic data have been

Archaeometric study of artefacts from firing places of Longola-Poggiomarino protohystoric settlement site (Naples, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balassone, G.; di Maio, G.; Barca, D.; Mormone, A.

2009-04-01

The Longola-Poggiomarino protohistoric village was discovered at west of Naples (southern Italy) in the year 2000, during the construction of a purification plant. It is located nearby the harbour of the Roman town of Pompeii and its age spans from the late Middle Bronze Age to the 6th century B.C., when the site was definitely abandoned (Cicirelli et al., 2006). This is a noteworthy discovery in southern Italy and in Europe, due to the peculiarity of its riverine location and the way in which it was constructed. In fact the village was built on many artificial small islands surrounded by a navigable canal network; hence it is surnamed "The prehistoric Venice". It is characterized by numerous evidences of human activities, like houses, pirogues, numerous objects and some handicraft working areas, where artefacts for domestic artisan and ornamental use were made (Salari et al., 2006). A great abundance of ceramics and metallic objects (made of diversified materials like lead, bronze, iron and gold) has been found, pointing to several distinct working/smelting sites throughout the village (Balassone et al., 2009). In these working sites, fair evidences of heating have been detected on several materials. In this work we characterized the compositional features of fifteen samples coming from firing places found at Longola, by means of a multi-analytical approach. Likely use of these findings could be coverings of burnt pavements, bricks or heat resistant vessel. The research aim is to contribute to the scenario reconstruction of this archaeological site by the knowledge of some production techniques, firing temperatures and provenance of raw materials. The microstructural features and modal mineralogy of the findings were determined by optical microscopy. X-ray diffraction, SEM-EDS and FTIR spectroscopy were used to determine and characterize overall mineral constituents and their quantitative composition. Representative findings were also analyzed for their whole

Tectonic controls on the genesis of ignimbrites from the Campanian Volcanic Zone, southern Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rolandi, G.; Bellucci, F.; Heizler, M.T.; Belkin, H.E.; de Vivo, B.

2003-01-01

The Campanian Plain is an 80 x 30 km region of southern Italy, bordered by the Apennine Chain, that has experienced subsidence during the Quaternary. This region, volcanologically active in the last 600 ka, has been identified as the Campanian Volcanic Zone (CVZ). The products of three periods of trachytic ignimbrite volcanism (289-246 ka, 157 ka and 106 ka) have been identified in the Apennine area in the last 300 ka. These deposits probably represent distal ash flow units of ignimbrite eruptions which occurred throughout the CVZ. The resulting deposits are interstratified with marine sediments indicating that periods of repeated volcano-tectonic emergence and subsidence may have occurred in the past. The eruption, defined as the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI), with the largest volume (310 km3), occurred in the CVZ 39 ka ago. The products of the CI eruption consist of two units (unit-1 and unit-2) formed from a single compositionally zoned magma body. Slightly different in composition, three trachytic melts constitute the two units. Unit-1 type A is an acid trachyte, type B is a trachyte and type C of unit-2 is a mafic trachyte. The CI, vented from pre-existing neotectonic faults, formed during the Apennine uplift, Initially the venting of volatile-rich type A magma deposited the products to the N-NE of the CVZ. During the eruption, the Acerra graben already affected by a NE-SW fault system, was transected by E-W faults, forming a cross-graben that extended to the gulf of Naples. E-W faults were then further dislocated by NE-SW transcurrent movements. This additional collapse significantly influenced the deposition of the B-type magma of unit-1, and the C-type magma of unit-2 toward the E-SE and S, in the Bay of Naples. The pumice fall deposit underlying the CI deposits, until now thought to be associated with the CI eruption, is not a strict transition from plinian to CI-forming activity. It is derived instead from an independent source probably located near the

Planning of geological investigations in areas affected by anthropogenic sinkholes: the case of densely urbanised area northeast of Naples (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guarino, Paolo Maria; Santo, Antonio

2013-04-01

In the last years, many studies about sinkholes have been produced. These sudden phenomena can be generated from natural or artificial causes: the first ones are developed in soluble rocks like carbonate or sulphates, the second are linked to the presence of artificial caves or mines. In Italy both the typologies are widely present, but more often the anthropogenic sinkholes are cause of most damages and fatalities, because many ancient city center were built using the local rock, giving rise to complex and widespread networks of underground cavities, whose collapse brings about the formation of sinkholes. Examples are the Lazio, Toscana, Umbria, Campania, Puglia and Sicily regions, where important towns like Rome, Naples and Palermo are frequently affected by sinkholes. Identifying and analyzing natural and anthropogenic predisposing and triggering factors are essential steps for evaluating susceptibility to sinkholes; nevertheless, the susceptibility zoning must be considered the starting point towards further detailed studies. This study aims to provide a contribution to the definition of a more accurate planning of geological studies at the municipality scale, in order to mitigate the risk in densely urbanized areas affected by anthropogenic sinkholes. The considered study area includes the metropolitan area northeast of Naples (Italy), where sinkholes are very frequent because of the widespread presence of artificial caves dug in pyroclastic rocks. In a first phase, data and information relative to stratigraphic logs, presence and distribution of cavities and sinkholes phenomena were collected and organized in a GIS associated database. Thereafter, the processing of contour maps of tuff top surface and caves depth has been realized, as well as fully detailed cross sections, in order to recognize different characteristics and genesis of sinkholes. At the end, with reference to high susceptibility areas, a list of possible geological surveys and monitoring

Compositional analysis and pollution impact assessment: A case study in the Gulfs of Naples and Salerno

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menghan, Wang; Stefano, Albanese; Annamaria, Lima; Claudia, Cannatelli; Antonio, Cosenza; Wanjun, Lu; Marco, Sacchi; Angela, Doherty; Benedetto, De Vivo

2015-07-01

This paper presents the results of an environmental geochemical investigation of the Gulfs of Naples and Salerno, near the Campania plain (Southern Italy). Surface marine sediment samples were collected during three field campaigns: 96 from the Gulfs of Naples and Salerno (NaSa); 123 from the Bagnoli site coastal area (BaSi); and 11 from the ports around the Gulf of Naples (PoNa). Elemental concentrations were determined and their interpolated distribution maps were compiled. Three geochemical sources (or processes) were determined associating elemental distribution with the results obtained from a R-mode factor analysis: 1) geogenic, 2) water kinetics and 3) anthropogenic. The results are presented as raw data single element distributions of eight potential toxic elements (PTEs) (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Ni and Zn) in the forms of raw data and additive log-ratio transformed data. The latter showed advantages in revealing the actual distribution patterns. Geochemical background reference values of PTEs were determined from the median value of local background reference values. Based on these values, pollution impact analysis was carried out to both BaSi and PoNa samples, indicating most of BaSi and PoNa sediments were affected by moderate to strong Pb, Zn, Cd and Hg pollution. An ecological risk assessment was subsequently carried out on the entire database, pointing a toxic risk ranking in the order Pb > As > Ni > Cd > Hg > Cr.

Mt. Vesuvius, Italy

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-10-22

This ASTER image of Mt. Vesuvius Italy was acquired September 26, 2000, and covers an area of 36 by 45 km. Vesuvius overlooks the city of Naples and the Bay of Naples in central Italy. In 79 AD, Vesuvius erupted cataclysmically, burying all of the surrounding cites with up to 30 m of ash. The towns of Pompeii and Herculanaeum were rediscovered in the 18th century, and excavated in the 20th century. They provide a snapshot of Roman life from 2000 years ago: perfectly preserved are wooden objects, food items, and the casts of hundreds of victims. Vesuvius is intensively monitored for potential signs of unrest that could signal the beginning of another eruption. The image is centered at 40.8 degrees north latitude, 14.4 degrees east longitude. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11091

Concept, Implementation and Testing of PRESTo: Real-time experimentation in Southern Italy and worldwide applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zollo, Aldo; Emolo, Antonio; Festa, Gaetano; Picozzi, Matteo; Elia, Luca; Martino, Claudio; Colombelli, Simona; Brondi, Piero; Caruso, Alessandro

2016-04-01

The past two decades have witnessed a huge progress in the development, implementation and testing of Earthquakes Early Warning Systems (EEWS) worldwide, as the result of a joint effort of the seismological and earthquake engineering communities to set up robust and efficient methodologies for the real-time seismic risk mitigation. This work presents an overview of the worldwide applications of the system PRESTo (PRobabilistic and Evolutionary early warning SysTem), which is the highly configurable and easily portable platform for Earthquake Early Warning developed by the RISSCLab group of the University of Naples Federico II. In particular, we first present the results of the real-time experimentation of PRESTo in Suthern Italy on the data streams of the Irpinia Seismic Network (ISNet), in Southern Italy. ISNet is a dense high-dynamic range, earthquake observing system, which operates in true real-time mode, thanks to a mixed data transmission system based on proprietary digital terrestrial links, standard ADSL and UMTS technologies. Using the seedlink protocol data are transferred to the network center unit, running the software platform PRESTo which is devoted to process the real-time data streaming, estimate source parameters and issue the alert. The software platform PRESTo uses a P-wave, network-based approach which has evolved and improved during the time since its first release. In its original version consisted in a series of modules, aimed at the event detection/picking, probabilistic real-time earthquake location and magnitude estimation, prediction of peak ground motion at distant sites through ground motion prediction equations for the area. In the recent years, PRESTo has been also implemented at the accelerometric and broad-band seismic networks in South Korea, Romania, North-East Italy, and Turkey and off-line tested in Iberian Peninsula, Israel, and Japan. Moreover, the feasibility of a PRESTo-based, EEWS at national scale in Italy, has been tested

Geochemical survey of an illegal waste disposal site under a waste emergency scenario (Northwest Naples, Italy).

PubMed

Ferrara, L; Iannace, M; Patelli, A M; Arienzo, M

2013-03-01

Since the mid 1980s, Naples and the Campania region have suffered from the dumping of wastes into overfilled landfills. The aim was to characterise a former cave located in Roccarainola (Naples, Italy) for its eventual destination to a controlled landfill site. A detailed hydro-geochemical survey of the area was carried out through drilling of 14 boreholes and four monitoring wells. Samples of water, sediment and soil were analysed for heavy metals and organic contaminants from a dew pond placed in the middle of the cave. The underneath aquifer was also surveyed. The nature of gases emitted from the site was investigated. Results of the geognostic survey revealed the presence of huge volumes of composite wastes, approximately half a million of cubic metre, which accumulated up to a thickness of 25.6 m. In some points, wastes lie below the free surface level of the aquifer. The sampled material from the boreholes revealed levels of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sn, Tl and Zn exceeding the intervention legal limits. Outstanding loads of Cd, Pb and Zn were found, with levels exceeding of about 50, 100 and 1,870 times the limit. In several points, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon load was extremely high, 35 vs 1 mg kg(-1) of the threshold. The aquifer was also very heavily polluted by Cd, Cr-tot, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn, with impressive high load of Cr and Mn, up to 250-370 times the limits. Hot gases up to 62 °C with presence of xylene and ethylbenzene were found. Results indicated that the site needs an urgent intervention of recovery to avoid compromising the surrounding areas and aquifers of the Campania plain.

The influence of water on the strength of Neapolitan Yellow Tuff, the most widely used building stone in Naples (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heap, Michael J.; Farquharson, Jamie I.; Kushnir, Alexandra R. L.; Lavallée, Yan; Baud, Patrick; Gilg, H. Albert; Reuschlé, Thierry

2018-06-01

Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT) has been used in construction in Naples (Italy) since the Greeks founded the city—then called Neapolis—in the sixth century BCE. We investigate here whether this popular building stone is weaker when saturated with water, an issue important for assessments of weathering damage and monument preservation. To this end, we performed 28 uniaxial compressive strength measurements on dry and water-saturated samples cored from a block of the lithified Upper Member of the NYT. Our experiments show that the strength of the zeolite-rich NYT is systematically reduced when saturated with water (the ratio of wet to dry strength is 0.63). Complementary experiments show that two other common Neapolitan building stones—Piperno Tuff and the grey Campanian Ignimbrite (both facies of the Campanian Ignimbrite deposit devoid of zeolites)—do not weaken when wet. From these data, and previously published data for tuffs around the globe, we conclude that the water-weakening in NYT is a consequence of the presence of abundant zeolites (the block tested herein contains 46 wt.% of zeolites). These data may help explain weathering damage in NYT building stones (due to rainfall, rising damp, and proximity to the sea or water table) and the observed link between rainfall and landslides, rock falls, and sinkhole formation in Naples, and the weathering of other buildings built from zeolite-rich tuffs worldwide.

Body art practices and health risks: young adults' knowledge in two regions of southern Italy.

PubMed

Gallè, F; Quaranta, A; Napoli, C; Di Onofrio, V; Alfano, V; Montagna, M T; Liguori, G

2012-01-01

In the past several decades the number of individuals, particularly young adults, acquiring body art has increased very seriously in occidental society. In order to verify young adults' practices and knowledge of the risks related to body art, an investigation was conducted among university freshmen in Bari (Apulia Region) and Naples (Campania Region), both in Southern Italy. The study was carried out during the period 2008-2010 through an anonymous questionnaire distributed to 3,868 people selected among 26 Degree Courses of the University of Bari and Naples Parthenope. The two regional samples were matched for age and sex. On the whole, 84.4% declare to know the infectious risks associated with body art practices, but only 4.1% of them correctly identified the infectious diseases which can be transmitted through these procedures; while 59.2% of the sample declared that non-infectious diseases can occur after a tattoo or a piercing, but only 5.4% of them correctly identified allergies, cysts, bleeding and scars. The possible occurrence of infectious and non-infectious diseases has been acknowledged by most students in Apulia region (89.7 versus 79.1% and 64.8 versus 53.6% respectively). In this Region, of the 1,001 (32.4%) pierced and 597 (19.8%) tattooed youths 23.4% reported complications. Campania region youths reported a greater number of complications than Apulia did (30.3 versus 13.1%) and they also purchased more frequently their tattoos or piercings in unauthorized facilities (35.3% versus 15.9%). With regard to the knowledge of health risks associated to body art, it has been registered a higher awareness of infectious than non-infectious diseases. Information about freshmen's knowledge and practices could help in effective planning of health promotion strategies.

Mt. Vesuvius, Italy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

This ASTER image of Mt. Vesuvius Italy was acquired September 26, 2000, and covers an area of 36 by 45 km. Vesuvius overlooks the city of Naples and the Bay of Naples in central Italy. In 79 AD, Vesuvius erupted cataclysmically, burying all of the surrounding cites with up to 30 m of ash. The towns of Pompeii and Herculanaeum were rediscovered in the 18th century, and excavated in the 20th century. They provide a snapshot of Roman life from 2000 years ago: perfectly preserved are wooden objects, food items, and the casts of hundreds of victims. Vesuvius is intensively monitored for potential signs of unrest that could signal the beginning of another eruption. The image is centered at 40.8 degrees north latitude, 14.4 degrees east longitude.

The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Mount Vesuvius, Italy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) image of Mt. Vesuvius, Italy was acquired September 26, 2000. The full-size false-color image covers an area of 36 by 45 km. Vesuvius overlooks the city of Naples and the Bay of Naples in central Italy. (Popocatepetl and Mount Fuji are other volcanos surrounded by dense urban areas.) In 79 AD, Vesuvius erupted cataclysmically, burying all of the surrounding cites with up to 30 m of ash. The towns of Pompeii and Herculanaeum were rediscovered in the 18th century, and excavated in the 20th century. They provide a snapshot of Roman life from 2000 years ago: perfectly preserved are wooden objects, food items, and the casts of hundreds of victims. Vesuvius is intensively monitored for potential signs of unrest that could signal the beginning of another eruption. Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team

FUTURE PERSPECTIVES IN MELANOMA RESEARCH. Meeting report from the “Melanoma Research: a bridge from Naples to the World. Napoli, December 5th–6 th2011”

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

After more than 30 years, landmark progress has been made in the treatment of cancer, and melanoma in particular, with the success of new molecules such as ipilimumab, vemurafenib and active specific immunization. After the first congress in December 2010, the second edition of “Melanoma Research: a bridge from Naples to the World” meeting, organized by Paolo A. Ascierto (INT, Naples, Italy), Francesco M. Marincola (NIH, Bethesda, USA), and Nicola Mozzillo (INT, Naples, Italy) took place in Naples, on 5–6 December 2011. We have identified four new topics of discussion: Innovative Approaches in Prevention, Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment, New Pathways and Targets in Melanoma: An Update about Immunotherapy, and Combination Strategies. This international congress gathered more than 30 international faculty members and was focused on recent advances in melanoma molecular biology, immunology and therapy, and created an interactive atmosphere which stimulated discussion of new approaches and strategies in the field of melanoma. PMID:22551296

Large-Scale Survey of Human Enteroviruses in Wastewater Treatment Plants of a Metropolitan Area of Southern Italy.

PubMed

Pennino, Francesca; Nardone, Antonio; Montuori, Paolo; Aurino, Sara; Torre, Ida; Battistone, Andrea; Delogu, Roberto; Buttinelli, Gabriele; Fiore, Stefano; Amato, Concetta; Triassi, Maria

2018-06-01

Human enteroviruses (HEVs) occur in high concentrations in wastewater and can contaminate receiving environmental waters, constituting a major cause of acute waterborne disease worldwide. In this study, we investigated the relative abundance, occurrence, and seasonal distribution of polio and other enteroviruses at three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Naples, Southern Italy, from January 2010 to December 2014. Influent and effluent samples from the three WWTPs were collected monthly. One hundred and sixty-one of the 731 wastewater samples collected (22.0%) before and after water treatment were CPE positive on RD cells; while no samples were positive on L20B cells from any WWTPs. Among the 140 non-polio enterovirus isolated from inlet sewage, 69.3% were Coxsackieviruses type B and 30.7% were Echoviruses. Among these, CVB3 and CVB5 were most prevalent, followed by CVB4 and Echo6. The twenty-one samples tested after treatment contained 6 CVB4, 5 CVB3, 3 Echo11, and 2 Echo6; while other serotypes were isolated less frequently. Data on viral detection in treated effluents of WWTPs confirmed the potential environmental contamination by HEVs and could be useful to establish standards for policies on wastewater management.

Effect of sequential release of NAPLs on NAPL migration in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bang, Woohui; Yeo, In Wook

2016-04-01

NAPLs (Non-aqueous phase liquids) are common groundwater contaminants and are classified as LNAPLs (Light non-aqueous phase liquids) and DNAPLs (Dense non-aqueous phase liquids) according to relative density for water. Due to their low solubility in water, NAPLs remain for a long time in groundwater, and they pose a serious environmental problem. Therefore, understanding NAPLs migration in porous media is essential for effective NAPLs remediation. DNAPLs tend to move downward through the water table by gravity force because its density is higher than water. However, if DNAPLs do not have sufficient energy which breaks capillary force of porous media, they will just accumulate above capillary zone or water table. Mobile phase of LNAPLs rises and falls depending on fluctuation of water table, and it could change the wettability of porous media from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. This could impacts on the migration characteristics of subsequently-released DNAPLs. LNAPLs and DNAPLs are sometime disposed at the same place (for example, the Hill air force base, USA). Therefore, this study focuses on the effect of sequential release of NAPLs on NAPLs (in particular, DNAPL) migration in porous media. We have conducted laboratory experiments. Gasoline, which is known to change wettability of porous media from hydrophilic to intermediate, and TCE (Trichloroethylene) were used as LNAPL and DNAPL, respectively. Glass beads with the grain size of 1 mm and 2 mm were prepared for two sets of porous media. Gasoline and TCE was dyed for visualization. First, respective LNAPL and DNAPL of 10 ml were separately released into prepared porous media. For the grain size of 2 mm glass beads, LNAPL became buoyant above the water table, and DNAPL just moved downward through porous media. However, for the experiment with the grain size of 1 mm glass beads, NAPLs behaved very differently. DNAPL did not migrate downward below and just remained above the water table due to capillary pressure of

Forecasting Organized Crime Homicides: Risk Terrain Modeling of Camorra Violence in Naples, Italy.

PubMed

Dugato, Marco; Calderoni, Francesco; Berlusconi, Giulia

2017-06-01

Mafia homicides are usually committed for retaliation, economic profit, or rivalry among groups. The variety of possible reasons suggests the inefficacy of a preventive approach. However, like most violent crimes, mafia homicides concentrate in space due to place-specific social and environmental features. Starting from the existing literature, this study applies the Risk Terrain Modeling approach to forecast the Camorra homicides in Naples, Italy. This approach is based on the identification and evaluation of the underlying risk factors able to affect the risk of a homicide. This information is then used to predict the most likely location of future events. The findings of this study demonstrate that past homicides, drug dealing, confiscated assets, and rivalries among groups make it possible to predict up to 85% of 2012 mafia homicides, identifying 11% of city areas at highest risk. By contrast, variables controlling for the socio-economic conditions of areas are not significantly related to the risk of homicide. Moreover, this study shows that, even in a restricted space, the same risk factors may combine in different ways, giving rise to areas of equal risk but requiring targeted remedies. These results provide an effective basis for short- and long-term targeted policing strategies against organized crime- and gang-related violence. A similar approach may also provide practitioners, policy makers, and local administrators in other countries with significant support in understanding and counteracting also other forms of violent behavior by gangs or organized crime groups.

Top Soils Geochemical and Radioactivity Survey of Naples (Italy) Metropolitan.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somma, R.; De Vivo, B.; Cicchella, D.

2001-05-01

The metropolitan area of Naples due to intense human activities is an emblematic area affected by various environmental pollution of soils and waters in addition to hydrogeological volcanic, seismic and bradyseismic hazards. The geology of the area is prevailing represented by volcanics erupted, from the Upper Pleistocene to Recent by Mt. Somma-Vesuvius on the east and the Campi Flegrei fields on the west. The morphology of the metropolitan area of Naples city can be subdivided in flat areas, constituted by reworked pyroclastic terrains, and by hills originated by the overlapping of different welded pyroclastic flows (i.e.: Campanian Ignimbrite and Neapoletan Yellow Tuff) intercalated with pyroclastic deposits of different origins (i.e.: Campi Flegrei, Mt. Somma-Vesuvius, Ischia) and ages. In order to compile a multi-element baseline geochemical and radioactivity mapping of the metropolitan area of the Napoli we have sampled for this study, in situ top soil and imported filling material (mainly soil, volcanic ash, pumice and scoriae). The sampling and radioactivity survey has been carried out on about 200 sampling sites covering an area of about 150 Km2, with a grid of 0.5 x 0.5 km in the urbanised downtown and 1 km x 1 km in the sub urban areas. In each site has been determined a radioactivity by a Scintrex GRS-500 at different emission spectra as total radioactivity (> 0.08 MeV and > 0.40 MeV), 238U (at 1.76 MeV mostly from 214Bi), 232Th (at 2.6 MeV mostly from 208Tl) and 40K (at 1.46 MeV mostly for 40K). The range of values of in situ soils are as follow for the in situ soils (Total radioactivity: 1327- 360 and 114- 47; 238U: 2.6- 1.3; 40K: 8.1- 3.1; 232U: 0.5- 0.1). Analyses of major, metallic elements and pH of each soil sample are in progress, while Pb isotopes compositions, for a selected number of samples, will be determined to discriminate the natural (geogenic) from the anthropogenic components in the soils by versus the anthropogenetic origin. The data

Hepatitis E virus co-infection in HIV-infected patients in Foggia and Naples in southern Italy.

PubMed

Scotto, Gaetano; Grisorio, Benvenuto; Filippini, Pietro; Ferrara, Sergio; Massa, Salvatore; Bulla, Fabio; Martini, Salvatore; Filippini, Alberico; Tartaglia, Alessandra; Lo Muzio, Lorenzo; Fazio, Vincenzina

2015-01-01

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection represents an emerging infection in developed countries and is thought to be a zoonotic infection. It has recently been described as a new causative agent of acute and chronic hepatitis in immunosuppressed subjects, including HIV-infected patients. The aim of this study was to assess the sero-virological prevalence of HEV in HIV patients and in the general population as control group. A prospective and observational cohort study was carried out in two hospitals in southern Italy. The seroprevalence of HEV was determined in a cohort of 959 subjects, 509 (53%) of whom were HIV-positive patients and 450 were from the general population. Serum samples were tested for anti-HEV antibodies; repeatedly positive results were confirmed by a Western blot assay. In positive patients HEV RNA and genotypes were also determined. A total of 46 (4.8%) of the 959 serum samples examined were reactive to anti-HEV Ig and confirmed by Western blotting. The prevalence of HEV antibodies (IgG and/or IgM) was 2.7% in the control group and 6.7% in HIV-infected patients. Anti-HEV IgM was found in 6/46 (13.0%) of the anti-HEV Ig-positive serum samples, in 5/34 HIV patients and in 1/12 of the general population. No HIV-infected patient presented chronic hepatitis with HEV infection alone. This study indicates a higher circulation of HEV in HIV-infected patients, whereas a low prevalence of HEV antibodies in the general Italian population was shown. Chronic hepatitis with HEV alone was absent, while it was present in subjects with HIV-HEV, co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV).

NAPL: SIMULATOR DOCUMENTATION

EPA Science Inventory

A mathematical and numerical model is developed to simulate the transport and fate of NAPLs (Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids) in near-surface granular soils. The resulting three-dimensional, three phase simulator is called NAPL. The simulator accommodates three mobile phases: water, NA...

Remote sensing for illegal dumps detection: a case study in southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vincenzo Angelino, Cesario; Focareta, Mariano; Meoli, Giuseppe; Piacquadio, Giovanni; Cicala, Luca; Parrilli, Sara; De Mizio, Marco

2017-04-01

This paper presents a case study about the detection of illegal dumps from optical satellite images in a large territory falling in the provinces of Naples and Caserta, Southern Italy. This location is also known with the term "Terra dei Fuochi" because in this area is particularly widespread the phenomenon of waste burning and, over the past decades, there have been many landfills of hazardous waste of industrial origin. In addition to the potential damage caused to the environmental matrices, this situation has led to considerable concerns over the health of citizens and a serious economic impact on the agricultural sector. In order to contrast this phenomenon, the government of the Campania Region organized some prevention, monitoring and repression activities. In particular, the monitoring activities are employed by periodic inspection of sites, which are often object of illegal deposits (former quarries, illegal dumps, as well as city and country roads). The periodic inspection is usually performed by patrols of the company SMA Campania (the in-house regional company, specialized in environmental protection), and law enforcement. As part of a project, the remote sensing company MAPSAT srl and CIRA (the Italian Aerospace Research Center), have proposed to SMA Campania to support the periodic monitoring inspection of the patrols, with optical satellite acquisitions. This paper describes the proposed approach, the type of data used, the technical problems encountered and solutions introduced. The periodic monitoring with biannual satellite acquisitions, was effective for both finding new illegal spills and to follow the evolution (in terms of extension) of landfills already found in the past.

Evaluation of User Satisfaction in Public Residential Housing - A Case Study in the Outskirts of Naples, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forte, Fabiana; Russo, Yvonne

2017-10-01

Nowadays the quality of homes and social life are two closely interacting categories which require a more careful interpretation of the users’ needs. Their opinions, expectations and “desires” have to be incorporated into both the design and evaluation processes. With specific reference to the experiences of public housing, the practice of “user satisfaction” should be increasingly incorporated during the ex-post (or monitoring) evaluation in order to verify the quality and validity of the service offered, thus activating a real co-participation of the user in the creation and improvement of the housing service. It is well-known that the principle of customer satisfaction derives from the field of marketing as a tool to evaluate how and how much the products/services offered meet the needs of the consumers. In the field of the construction industry, customer satisfaction has been incorporated into the “Post-Occupation Evaluation”, an evaluation tool of the performance of the building “in use” through the combination of objective and subjective variables expressed by the occupiers. Widely used since the 1970s in Anglo-Saxon countries, Italy is still struggling to find a systematic implementation. In this perspective, the article presents an application of the customer satisfaction method for the identification of some interventions aimed at improving the quality of a complex of public residential housing localized in Ponticelli, the second most populated district in the outskirts of the metropolitan city of Naples, in the Campania Region (Italy). Following a synthetic introduction of the theme and the explanation of the object of evaluation, the article discusses the methodology and the results, focalizing on some intervention hypotheses verified in terms of economic sustainability.

Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers at a hospital in Naples, Italy, a low-incidence country.

PubMed

Lamberti, Monica; Muoio, Mariarosaria; Arnese, Antonio; Borrelli, Sharon; Di Lorenzo, Teresa; Garzillo, Elpidio Maria; Signoriello, Giuseppe; De Pascalis, Stefania; Coppola, Nicola; Nienhaus, Albert

2016-01-01

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at higher risk than the general population of contracting tuberculosis (TB). Moreover, although subjects with latent TB infection (LTBI) are asymptomatic and are not infectious, they may eventually develop active disease. Thus, a fundamental tool of TB control programs for HCWs is the screening and treatment of LTBI. From January 2014 to January 2015, hospital personnel at Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Naples, Italy, were screened for TB. To this end, a tuberculin skin test (TST) was administered as an initial examination, unless when contraindicated, in which case the QuantiFERON® TB-Gold (QFT) assay was performed. Moreover, QFT was carried out on all TST-positive cases to confirm the initial result. Of 628 personnel asked to participate, 28 (4.5%) denied consent, 533 were administered TST as the baseline examination, and 67 were tested only with QFT. In the TST group, 73 (13.2%) individuals were found positive, 418 (78.4%) were negative, and 42 (7.9%) were absent for the reading window; QFT confirmed the result in 39 (53.4%) TST-positive individuals. In the QFT-only group, 44 (65.7%) individuals were found positive. All TST- and/or QFT-positive subjects were referred for chest X-ray and examination by an infectious diseases specialist. None were found to have active TB, and were thus diagnosed with LTBI. Although Italy is a low-incidence country regarding TB, our findings suggest that the prevalence of LTBI in HCWs may be relatively high. As a result, active screening for TB and LTBI is needed for these workers.

Odontometric sex discrimination in the Herculaneum sample (79 AD, Naples, Italy), with application to juveniles.

PubMed

Viciano, Joan; Alemán, Inmaculada; D'Anastasio, Ruggero; Capasso, Luigi; Botella, Miguel C

2011-05-01

Sex determination of subadult skeletal remains with satisfactory accuracy represents one of the most important limitations of archaeological research and forensic practice. Teeth are one of the most durable physical elements of an individual that remain after death, and constitute a potential source of information about the biological sex of that individual. This study was based on the skeletal remains of 117 individuals from the ancient city of Herculaneum (Naples, Italy), victims of the eruption of the nearby volcano Vesuvius on 24/25 August, 79 AD. It has been possible to develop discriminant function formulae based on dental dimensions of adult individuals whose sex had previously been determined based on descriptive osteologic criteria. These formulae were subsequently applied to the permanent dentitions of immature individuals of the same population in order to estimate their sex. The results show that the canine is the tooth with the greatest sex dimorphism in adults, providing percentages of correct assignment of sex between 76.5% and 100% depending on the dimension used. Of the 30 subadult individuals in the target sample, estimation of sex was possible for 22 individuals. Sex assignments matched those determined from descriptive characteristics of the ilia and mandible in 73.33% of the cases. The results provide some optimism that this method may be applicable to juvenile archaeological samples. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A geochemical and sedimentological perspective of the life cycle of Neapolis harbor (Naples, southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delile, H.; Goiran, J.-P.; Blichert-Toft, J.; Arnaud-Godet, F.; Romano, P.; Bravard, J.-P.

2016-10-01

Since the discovery of the ancient harbor of Naples in 2004 during construction work on an underground railway, geoarchaeological studies undertaken on the archaeological excavation have revealed the main stratigraphic and paleo-environmental levels of the harbor site near the Piazza Municipio. However, knowledge of the dynamics and paleo-environmental changes in the water column of the harbor, as well as the processes of transport and deposition of sediments that led to siltation and infilling of the harbor basin, has been lacking due to the absence of high-resolution data. To fill these gaps, we have undertaken a three-dimensional study (longitudinal, transverse and vertical) of the harbor deposits by carrying out geochemical and sedimentological analyses of four stratigraphic sections of the archaeological excavation. The results show that after a phase of relative calm during the first half of the 1st c. AD, siltation of the harbor progressed exponentially up to the 5th c. AD, when dredging operations were carried out to obtain a water level sufficient for the development of maritime and harbor activities. We attribute this acceleration of siltation to a combination of climatic, anthropic and volcanic factors. Volcanic activity was responsible for a high-energy, tsunami-type event during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. From the 5th c. AD onwards, the harbor basin of Neapolis does not appear to have been functional as evidenced by its transformation into a lagoon following coastal progradation. The last stage of infilling was the development of a flood-dominated fan delta under the combined influences of climatic cooling in the Early Medieval Cool Period and agro-pastoral activities in the catchment area of the harbor. Several generations of paleo-channels, containing flash flood deposits, as well as sheet wash from sheet floods, are indicative of high environmental instability in this period.

Ethnobotanical remarks on Central and Southern Italy

PubMed Central

Guarrera, Paolo Maria; Lucia, Leporatti Maria

2007-01-01

Background The present paper is a brief survey on the ethnobotanical works published by the Authors since 1981, concerning the research carried out in some southern and central Italian regions. Before Roman domination these territories were first inhabited by local people, while the southern areas were colonized by the Greeks. These different cultural contributions left certain traces, both in the toponyms and in the vernacular names of the plants and, more generally, in the culture as a whole. Methods Field data were collected through open interviews, mainly of farmers, shepherds and elderly people, born or living in these areas for a long time. Voucher specimens of collected plants are preserved in the respective herbaria of the Authors and in the herbarium of "Roma Tre" University. Important contributions have been made by several students native to the areas under consideration. A comparative analysis with local specific ethnobotanical literature was carried out. Results The paper reports several examples concerning human and veterinary popular medicine and in addition some anti-parasitic, nutraceutic, dye and miscellaneous uses are also described. Moreover vernacular names and toponyms are cited. Eight regions of central and southern Italy (particularly Latium, Abruzzo, Marche and Basilicata) were investigated and the data obtained are presented in 32 papers. Most of the species of ethnobotanical interest have been listed in Latium (368 species), Marche (274) and Abruzzo (203). The paper also highlights particularly interesting aspects or uses not previously described in the specific ethnobotanical literature. Conclusion Phyto-therapy in central and southern Italy is nowadays practised by a few elderly people who resort to medicinal plants only for mild complaints (on the contrary food uses are still commonly practised). Nowadays therapeutic uses, unlike in the past, are less closely or not at all linked to ritual aspects. Several plants deserve to be taken

Soil radon survey to assess NAPL contamination from an ancient spill. Do kerosene vapors affect radon partition ?

PubMed

De Simone, Gabriele; Lucchetti, Carlo; Pompilj, Francesca; Galli, Gianfranco; Tuccimei, Paola; Curatolo, Pierpaolo; Giorgi, Riccardo

2017-05-01

A soil radon-deficit survey was carried out in a site polluted with kerosene (Rome, Italy) in winter 2016 to assess the contamination due to the NAPL residual component in the vadose zone and to investigate the role of the vapor plume. Radon is indeed more soluble in the residual NAPL than in air or water, but laboratory experiments demonstrated that it is also preferentially partitioned in the NAPL vapors that transport it and may influence soil radon distribution patterns. Specific experimental configurations were designed and applied to a 31-station grid to test this hypothesis; two RAD7 radon monitors were placed in-series and connected to the top of a hollow probe driven up to 80-cm depth; the first instrument was directly attached to the probe and received humid soil gas, which was counted and then conveyed to the second monitor through a desiccant (drierite) cylinder capturing moisture and eventually the NAPL volatile component plus the radon dissolved in vapors. The values from the two instruments were cross-calibrated through specifically designed laboratory experiments and compared. The results are in agreement within the error range, so the presence of significant NAPL vapors, eventually absorbed by drierite, was ruled out. This is in agreement with low concentrations of soil VOCs. Accordingly, the radon-deficit is ascribed to the residual NAPL in the soil pores, as shown very well also by the obtained maps. Preferential areas of radon-deficit were recognised, as in previous surveys. An average estimate of 21 L (17 Kg) of residual NAPL per cubic meter of terrain is provided on the basis of original calculations, developed from published equations. A comparison with direct determination of total hydrocarbon concentration (23 kg per cubic meter of terrain) is provided. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Gold of Naples: the volcanic landscape throught photography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedele, Alessandro; Serio, Claudio; De Natale, Giuseppe

2016-04-01

In the last twenty years, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, section of Naples Vesuvius Observatory, public research institute in charge of volcanic research and surveillance, Italy, publish a thematic calendar about volcanoes. This year, the Vesuvius Observatory has produced a calendar dedicated to the volcanoes of the city of Naples, from Mount Vesuvius, the island of Ischia and the Campi Flegrei caldera. The great treasures of this beautiful city, among the oldest in Europe ever, are exemplified here by its volcanoes. 'The Gold of Naples', the subject of this calendar, is represented by the splendor of the territory, the culture and the passion of its people, and is inextricably linked to the presence of volcanoes. The volcanoes have given the fertility, the splendor of the landscape and the climate, the warmth and flavor of its thermal waters, the gentle hills and the safe haven of its natural inlets; and they have always been, for people that lives and loves this country since at least 4,000 years, an irresistible attraction. The meaning that we wanted to give is to look at the volcanoes not only as risk, but also as a large land resources, as they were always considered. In the images of the calendar we wanted to put in evidence the bridge between of art and science through photography, the impression of beauty and strength given to this land from its volcanoes, and along with their interaction with the history and culture of these areas. An immanent presence that certainly have to, now more than ever, warn us to respect volcanic nature, very rich but dangerous, using the knowledge to defend ourselves against the most devastating manifestations, fortunately rare, of volcanoes themselves. A tribute to Naples, its beauty and passion, which implies a strong hope in the future: the volcanic risk is seen today as an opportunity to redesign and make safe and accessible one of the most beautiful territory in the world, enhancing at most the great

Effectiveness of a physical barrier for contaminant control in an unconfined coastal plain aquifer: the case study of the former industrial site of Bagnoli (Naples, southern Italy).

PubMed

Arienzo, Michele; Allocca, Vincenzo; Manna, Ferdinando; Trifuoggi, Marco; Ferrara, Luciano

2015-12-01

A vertical engineered barrier (VEB) coupled with a water treatment plant was surveyed in the framework of a vast remedial action at the brownfield site of the former ILVA of Bagnoli steel making facility located in western Naples, Italy. The VEB was put in place to minimize contaminant migration from the brownfield site toward the sea at the shorelines sites of Bagnoli and Coroglio. The efficiency of the VEB was monitored through 12 piezometers, 8 at the Bagnoli shoreline and 4 at the Coroglio shoreline. Concentrations of inorganic and organic pollutants were examined in upstream and downstream groundwater relative to the VEB. The mean levels of Al, As, Fe, and Mn largely exceeded the legal limits, 10-15-fold, whereas that of Hg was up to 3-fold the rules. The VEB decreased the outlet concentrations only at certain specific location of the barrier, four times for Al, 6-fold for Hg, and by 20% for Mn with means largely exceeding the rules. At the other sites, the downstream water showed marked increases of the pollutants up to 3-fold. Outstanding levels of the hydrocarbons > 12 were detected in the inlet water with means of some hundred times the limits at both sites. Likewise most of screened inorganic pollutants, the downstream water showed marked increases of the hydrocarbons up to ~113%. The treatment plant was very effective, with removal efficiencies >80% for As, Al, Fe, and Mn. The study evidenced the need to put alternative groundwater remedial actions.

Mechanism for detecting NAPL using electrical resistivity imaging.

PubMed

Halihan, Todd; Sefa, Valina; Sale, Tom; Lyverse, Mark

2017-10-01

The detection of non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) related impacts in freshwater environments by electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) has been clearly demonstrated in field conditions, but the mechanism generating the resistive signature is poorly understood. An electrical barrier mechanism which allows for detecting NAPLs with ERI is tested by developing a theoretical basis for the mechanism, testing the mechanism in a two-dimensional sand tank with ERI, and performing forward modeling of the laboratory experiment. The NAPL barrier theory assumes at low bulk soil NAPL concentrations, thin saturated NAPL barriers can block pore throats and generate a detectable electrically resistive signal. The sand tank experiment utilized a photographic technique to quantify petroleum saturation, and to help determine whether ERI can detect and quantify NAPL across the water table. This experiment demonstrates electrical imaging methods can detect small quantities of NAPL of sufficient thickness in formations. The bulk volume of NAPL is not the controlling variable for the amount of resistivity signal generated. The resistivity signal is primarily due to a zone of high resistivity separate phase liquid blocking current flow through the fully NAPL saturated pores spaces. For the conditions in this tank experiment, NAPL thicknesses of 3.3cm and higher in the formation was the threshold for detectable changes in resistivity of 3% and greater. The maximum change in resistivity due to the presence of NAPL was an increase of 37%. Forward resistivity models of the experiment confirm the barrier mechanism theory for the tank experiment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Italy seeks geothermal renaissance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartlidge, Edwin

2009-03-01

Scientists in Italy are hoping to once again put their country at the forefront of geothermal energy research, by extracting power from one of the Earth's most explosive volcanic areas. Later this year they will drill a well 4 km deep into Campi Flegrei, a geological formation lying just to the west of Naples known as a caldera, which formed from the collapse of several volcanoes over thousands of years.

Multitemporal analysis of Landsat images to detect land use land cover changes for monitoring soil sealing in the Nola area (Naples, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Giglio, Michaela; Allocca, Maria; Franci, Francesca

2016-10-01

Land Use Land Cover Changes (LULCC) data provide objective information to support environmental policy, urban planning purposes and sustainable land development. Understanding of past land use/cover practices and current landscape patterns is critical to assess the effects of LULCC on the Earth system. Within the framework of soil sealing in Italy, the present study aims to assess the LULCC of the Nola area (Naples metropolitan area, Italy), relating to a thirty year period from 1984 to 2015. The urban sprawl affects this area causing the impervious surface increase, the loss in rural areas and landscape fragmentation. Located near Vesuvio volcano and crossed by artificial filled rivers, the study area is subject to landslide, hydraulic and volcanic risks. Landsat time series has been processed by means of the supervised per-pixel classification in order to produce multitemporal Land Use Land Cover maps. Then, post-classification comparison approach has been applied to quantify the changes occurring between 1984 and 2015, also analyzing the intermediate variations in 1999, namely every fifteen years. The results confirm the urban sprawl. The increase of the built-up areas mainly causes the habitat fragmentation and the agricultural land conversion of the Nola area that is already damaged by unauthorized disposal of urban waste. Moreover, considering the local risk maps, it was verified that some of the new urban areas were built over known hazardous sites. In order to limit the soil sealing, urgent measures and sustainable urban planning are required.

Magmatic-hydrothermal fluid interaction and mineralization in alkali-syenite nodules from the Breccia Museo pyroclastic deposit, Naples, Italy: Chapter 7 in Volcanism in the Campania Plain — Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei and Ignimbrites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fedele, Luca; Tarzia, Maurizio; Belkin, Harvey E.; De Vivo, Benedetto; Lima, Annamaria; Lowenstern, Jacob

2007-01-01

The Breccia Museo, a pyroclastic flow that crops out in the Campi Flegrei volcanic complex (Naples, Italy), contains alkali-syenite (trachyte) nodules with enrichment in Cl and incompatible elements (e.g., U, Zr, Th, and rare-earth elements). Zircon was dated at ≈52 ka, by U-Th isotope systematics using a SHRIMP. Scanning electron microscope and electron microprobe analysis of the constituent phases have documented the mineralogical and textural evolution of the nodules of feldspar and mafic accumulations on the magma chamber margins. Detailed electron microprobe data are given for alkali and plagioclase feldspar, salite to ferrosalite clinopyroxene, pargasite, ferrogargasite, magnesio-hastingsite hornblende amphibole, biotite mica, Cl-rich scapolite, and a member (probable davyne-type) of the cancrinite group. Detailed whole rock, major and minor element data are also presented for selected nodules. A wide variety of common and uncommon accessory minerals were identified such as zircon, baddeleyite, zirconolite, pollucite, sodalite, titanite, monazite, cheralite, apatite, titanomagnetite and its alteration products, scheelite, ferberite, uraninite/thorianite, uranpyrochlore, thorite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and galena. Scanning electron microscope analysis of opened fluid inclusions identified halite, sylvite, anhydrite, tungstates, carbonates, silicates, sulfides, and phosphates; most are probably daughter minerals. Microthermometric determinations on secondary fluid inclusions hosted by alkali feldspar define a temperature regime dominated by hypersaline aqueous fluids. Fluid-inclusion temperature data and mineral-pair geothermometers for coexisting feldspars and hornblende and plagioclase were used to construct a pressure-temperature scenario for the development and evolution of the nodules. We have compared the environment of porphyry copper formation and the petrogenetic environment constructed for the studied nodules. The suite of ore minerals observed in

Fire regime characterization in Mediterranean ecosystems of Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanorte, A.; Lasaponara, R.

2009-04-01

This paper addresses the wildfire regime in Mediterranean ecosystems of Southern Italy. Fire regimes refer to average fire conditions (including fire size, fire density, fire frequency, fire seasonality, fire intensity, fire severity, fire thresholds, etc.) occurring over a long period of time. Information on spatial pattern of forest fire locations is a key point in the study of the dynamics of fire disturbance, and allows us to improve the knowledge of past and current role of fire. Historical evidence clearly shows what did happen and this can fruitfully help to understand what is happening and what could happen in the next future. Mapping fire regimes is very challenging, because fire ocurrence features are the expression of the interactions between climate, fire, vegetation, topography, social factors. The main objective of this work is to provide a comprehensive characterization of the fire regime in Italy based on a recently updated national wildfire database. Fire data were obtained from the Italian National Forestry Service. This national database is comprised of information contained in individual fire reports completed for every fire that occurs on public lands in the Italian peninsula. Complete data were only available for 1996-2006 at the time we accessed the database, which determined the years we analysed. The primary fire history variables that we reported were number of fires, area burned, burning time and duration, and fire size (average size of individual fires) The wildfire records (wildfire area, location, time, vegetation) were analysed with other environmental (fuel availability and type), topographic features, and meteorological/climatological data. Results of our analysis could help better understand the different factors on the wildfire regime in Mediterranean ecosystems of Southern Italy.

Decision Support Systems To Manage Water Resources At Irrigation District Level In Southern Italy Using Remote Sensing Information. An Integrated Project (AQUATER)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinaldi, M.; Castrignanò, A.; Mastrorilli, M.; Rana, G.; Ventrella, D.; Acutis, M.; D'Urso, G.; Mattia, F.

2006-08-01

An efficient management of water resources is crucial point for Italy and in particular for southern areas characterized by Mediterranean climate in order to improve the economical and environmental sustainability of the agricultural activity. A three-year Project (2005-2008) has been funded by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Policies; it involves four Italian research institutions: the Agricultural Research Council (ISA, Bari), the National Research Council (ISSIA, Bari) and two Universities (Federico II-Naples and Milan). It is focused on the remote sensing, the plant and the climate and, for interdisciplinary relationships, the project working group consists of agronomists, engineers and physicists. The aims of the Project are: a) to produce a Decision Support System (DSS) combining remote sensing information, spatial data and simulation models to manage water resources in irrigation districts; b) to simulate irrigation scenarios to evaluate the effects of water stress on crop yield using agro-ecological indicators; c) to identify the most sensitive areas to drought risk in Southern Italy. The tools used in this Project will be: 1. Remote sensing images, topographic maps, soil and land use maps; 2. Geographic Information Systems; 3. Geostatistic methodologies; 4. Ground truth measurements (land use, canopy and soil temperatures, soil and plant water status, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Crop Water Stress Index, Leaf Area Index, actual evapotranspiration, crop coefficients, crop yield, agro-ecological indicators); 5. Crop simulation models. The Project is structured in four work packages with specific objectives, high degree of interaction and information exchange: 1) Remote Sensing and Image Analysis; 2) Cropping Systems; 3) Modelling and Softwares Development; 4) Stakeholders. The final product will be a DSS with the purpose of integrating remote sensing images, to estimate crop and soil variables related to drought, to assimilate

A family cluster of hepatitis A virus due to an uncommon IA strain circulating in Campania (southern Italy), not associated with raw shellfish or berries: a wake-up call to implement vaccination against hepatitis A?

PubMed

Tosone, Grazia; Mascolo, Silvia; Bruni, Roberto; Taffon, Stefania; Equestre, Michele; Tosti, Maria Elena; Ciccaglione, Anna Rita; Martucci, Fiorella; Liberti, Alfonso; Iannece, Maria Donata; Orlando, Raffaele

2016-09-01

Hepatitis A virus is a widely occurring disease, with different prevalence rates between countries in the North and West and those in the South and East. In Italy endemicity is low/medium, but not homogeneously distributed: in the northern/central regions a large hepatitis A outbreak due to genotype IA, related to the consumption of contaminated mixed frozen berries, occurred between 2013 and 2014, whereas in southern Italian regions recurrent outbreaks of hepatitis A, due to the IB genotype, still result from consumption of raw seafood. In 2014 an uncommon genotype IA strain was isolated from five patients (2 adults and 3 children) with hepatitis A, living in the surroundings of Naples (Campania) who did not have any of the most common risk factors for hepatitis A in Italy, such as consumption of raw shellfish or frozen berries, or travel to endemic countries. Moreover, based on the analysis of viral sequences obtained, this strain differed from several others in the national database, which had been recently isolated during Italian outbreaks. This case report reinforces the need to implement both information campaigns about the prevention of hepatitis A and vaccination programmes in childhood; in addition, it would be suitable to sequence strains routinely not only during large outbreaks of hepatitis A in order to obtain a more detailed national database of HAV strains circulating in Italy.

NAPL detection with ground-penetrating radar (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradford, J. H.

2013-12-01

Non-polar organic compounds are common contaminants and are collectively referred to as nonaqueous-phase liquids (NAPLs). NAPL contamination problems occur in virtually every environment on or near the earth's surface and therefore a robust suite of geophysical tools is required to accurately characterize NAPL spills and monitor their remediation. NAPLs typically have low dielectric permittivity and low electric conductivity relative to water. Thus a zone of anomalous electrical properties often occurs when NAPL displaces water in the subsurface pore space. Such electric property anomalies make it possible to detect NAPL in the subsurface using electrical or electromagnetic geophysical methods including ground-penetrating radar (GPR). The GPR signature associated with the presence of NAPL is manifest in essentially three ways. First, the decrease in dielectric permittivity results in increased EM propagation velocity. Second, the decrease in permittivity can significantly change reflectivity. Finally, electric conductivity anomalies lead to anomalous GPR signal attenuation. The conductivity anomaly may be either high or low depending on the state of NAPL degradation, but with either high or low conductivity, GPR attenuation analysis can be a useful tool for identifying contaminated-zones. Over the past 15 years I have conducted numerous modeling, laboratory, and field tests to investigate the ability to use GPR to measure NAPL induced anomalies. The emphasis of this work has been on quantitative analysis to characterize critical source zone parameters such as NAPL concentration. Often, the contaminated zones are below the conventional resolution of the GPR signal and require thin layer analysis. Through a series of field examples, I demonstrate 5 key GPR analysis tools that can help identify and quantify NAPL contaminants. These tools include 1) GPR velocity inversion from multi-fold data, 2) amplitude vs offset analysis, 3) spectral decomposition, 4) frequency

Southern-European Signposts for Critical Popular Adult Education: Italy, Portugal and Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guimaraes, Paula; Lucio-Villegas, Emilio; Mayo, Peter

2018-01-01

This paper focuses on three Southern European countries, Italy, Portugal and Spain, to explore examples of projects that provide signposts for a critical popular education that contributes to an ongoing democratic process--one whereby citizens are developed as social actors and members of a collectivity rather than simply passive…

High prevalence of Behçet's disease in southern Italy.

PubMed

Olivieri, Ignazio; Leccese, Pietro; Padula, Angela; Nigro, Angelo; Palazzi, Carlo; Gilio, Michele; D'Angelo, Salvatore

2013-01-01

This paper aims to estimate the prevalence of Behçet's disease (BD) in the city of Potenza, the regional capital of Basilicata (or Lucania) Region, in southern Italy. Patients with BD living in Potenza for at least 12 months prior to diagnosis were identified through the following sources: general practitioners, community-based specialists, San Carlo Hospital specialists, the Basilicata centralised index and the Basilicata database for rare diseases. All identified patients were contacted by phone and were recalled to our outpatient clinic for re-evaluation. Patients were classified as having complete BD if they met the International Study Group (ISG) criteria for BD. By surveying a population of 69.060 subjects, 13 patients with a diagnosis of BD were identified. All were white and Italian by descendent. Eleven out of these satisfied the ISG criteria and allowed us to obtain a prevalence rate of 15.9 per 100.000 (95%CI 8.9-28.5), which is the highest ever found value in Europe. This cross-sectional population-based study suggests that BD is more frequent in the southern part than in the northern part of Italy and confirms that the prevalence of the disease increases in a north-to-south manner within the European continent.

Partitioning and interfacial tracers for differentiating NAPL entrapment configuration: column-scale investigation.

PubMed

Dai, D; Barranco, F T; Illangasekare, T H

2001-12-15

Research on the use of partitioning and interfacial tracers has led to the development of techniques for estimating subsurface NAPL amount and NAPL-water interfacial area. Although these techniques have been utilized with some success at field sites, current application is limited largely to NAPL at residual saturation, such as for the case of post-remediation settings where mobile NAPL has been removed through product recovery. The goal of this study was to fundamentally evaluate partitioning and interfacial tracer behavior in controlled column-scale test cells for a range of entrapment configurations varying in NAPL saturation, with the results serving as a determinant of technique efficacy (and design protocol) for use with complexly distributed NAPLs, possibly at high saturation, in heterogeneous aquifers. Representative end members of the range of entrapment configurations observed under conditions of natural heterogeneity (an occurrence with residual NAPL saturation [discontinuous blobs] and an occurrence with high NAPL saturation [continuous free-phase LNAPL lens]) were evaluated. Study results indicated accurate prediction (using measured tracer retardation and equilibrium-based computational techniques) of NAPL amount and NAPL-water interfacial area for the case of residual NAPL saturation. For the high-saturation LNAPL lens, results indicated that NAPL-water interfacial area, but not NAPL amount (underpredicted by 35%), can be reasonably determined using conventional computation techniques. Underprediction of NAPL amount lead to an erroneous prediction of NAPL distribution, as indicated by the NAPL morphology index. In light of these results, careful consideration should be given to technique design and critical assumptions before applying equilibrium-based partitioning tracer methodology to settings where NAPLs are complexly entrapped, such as in naturally heterogeneous subsurface formations.

Bacterial Adhesion to Hexadecane (Model NAPL)-Water Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghoshal, S.; Zoueki, C. R.; Tufenkji, N.

2009-05-01

The rates of biodegradation of NAPLs have been shown to be influenced by the adhesion of hydrocarbon- degrading microorganisms as well as their proximity to the NAPL-water interface. Several studies provide evidence for bacterial adhesion or biofilm formation at alkane- or crude oil-water interfaces, but there is a significant knowledge gap in our understanding of the processes that influence initial adhesion of bacteria on to NAPL-water interfaces. In this study bacterial adhesion to hexadecane, and a series of NAPLs comprised of hexadecane amended with toluene, and/or with asphaltenes and resins, which are the surface active fractions of crude oils, were examined using a Microbial Adhesion to Hydrocarbons (MATH) assay. The microorganisms employed were Mycobacterium kubicae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida, which are hydrocarbon degraders or soil microorganisms. MATH assays as well as electrophoretic mobility measurements of the bacterial cells and the NAPL droplet surfaces in aqueous solutions were conducted at three solution pHs (4, 6 and 7). Asphaltenes and resins were shown to generally decrease microbial adhesion. Results of the MATH assay were not in qualitative agreement with theoretical predictions of bacteria- hydrocarbon interactions based on the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) model of free energy of interaction between the cell and NAPL droplets. In this model the free energy of interaction between two colloidal particles is predicted based on electrical double layer, van der Waals and hydrophobic forces. It is likely that the steric repulsion between bacteria and NAPL surfaces, caused by biopolymers on bacterial surfaces and aphaltenes and resins at the NAPL-water interface contributed to the decreased adhesion compared to that predicted by the XDLVO model.

Historical hydrology and database on flood events (Apulia, southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lonigro, Teresa; Basso, Alessia; Gentile, Francesco; Polemio, Maurizio

2014-05-01

. More details on previous results of this research activity were recently published (Polemio, 2010; Basso et al., 2012; Lonigro et al., 2013) References Basso A., Lonigro T. and Polemio M. (2012) "The improvement of historical database on damaging hydrogeological events in the case of Apulia (Southern Italy)". Rendiconti online della Società Geologica Italiana, 21: 379-380; Lonigro T., Basso A. and Polemio M. (2013) "Historical database on damaging hydrogeological events in Apulia region (Southern Italy)". Rendiconti online della Società Geologica Italiana, 24: 196-198; Polemio M. (2010) "Historical floods and a recent extreme rainfall event in the Murgia karstic environment (Southern Italy)". Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, 54(2): 195-219.

The role of intra-NAPL diffusion on mass transfer from MGP residuals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafieiyoun, Saeid; Thomson, Neil R.

2018-06-01

An experimental and computational study was performed to investigate the role of multi-component intra-NAPL diffusion on NAPL-water mass transfer. Molecular weight and the NAPL component concentrations were determined to be the most important parameters affecting intra-NAPL diffusion coefficients. Four NAPLs with different viscosities but the same quantified mass were simulated. For a spherical NAPL body, a combination of NAPL properties and interphase mass transfer rate can result in internal diffusion limitations. When the main intra-NAPL diffusion coefficients are in the range of self-diffusion coefficients (10-5 to 10-6 cm2/s), dissolution is not limited by internal diffusion except for high mass transfer rate coefficients (>180 cm/day). For a complex and relatively high viscous NAPL (>50 g/(cm s)), smaller intra-NAPL diffusion coefficients (<10-8) are expected and even low mass transfer rate coefficients ( 6 cm/day) can result in diffusion-limited dissolution.

Trichinellosis outbreak due to wild boar meat consumption in southern Italy.

PubMed

Turiac, Iulia Adelina; Cappelli, Maria Giovanna; Olivieri, Rita; Angelillis, Raffaele; Martinelli, Domenico; Prato, Rosa; Fortunato, Francesca

2017-02-28

We report a Trichinella britovi outbreak investigated during February-March 2016 in southern Italy. The source of infection was meat from infected wild boars that were illegally hunted and, hence, not submitted to post-mortem veterinary inspection. Thirty persons reported having eaten raw dried homemade sausages; five cases of trichinellosis were confirmed. Wild game meat consumers need to be educated about the risk for trichinellosis.

Folk medicine used to heal malaria in Calabria (southern Italy)

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

In Italy, malaria was an endemic disease that was eradicated by the mid-20th century. This paper evaluates the prophylactic and therapeutic remedies used by folk medicine to cure malaria in Calabria (southern Italy). The data has been collected by analysing works of physicians, ethnographers, folklorists and specialists of the study of Calabrian history between the end of the 19th century and the 20th century. The data collected have allowed us to describe the most common cures used by the Calabrian people to treat malaria and the most evident symptoms of this disease, such as intermittent fever, hepato-spleenomegaly, asthenia and dropsy. This approach uncovered a heterogeneous corpus of empirical, magical and religious remedies, which the authors have investigated as evidences of past "expert medicine" and to verify their real effectiveness in the treatment of malaria. PMID:20849654

Modeling NAPL dissolution from pendular rings in idealized porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Junqi; Christ, John A.; Goltz, Mark N.; Demond, Avery H.

2015-10-01

The dissolution rate of nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) often governs the remediation time frame at subsurface hazardous waste sites. Most formulations for estimating this rate are empirical and assume that the NAPL is the nonwetting fluid. However, field evidence suggests that some waste sites might be organic wet. Thus, formulations that assume the NAPL is nonwetting may be inappropriate for estimating the rates of NAPL dissolution. An exact solution to the Young-Laplace equation, assuming NAPL resides as pendular rings around the contact points of porous media idealized as spherical particles in a hexagonal close packing arrangement, is presented in this work to provide a theoretical prediction for NAPL-water interfacial area. This analytic expression for interfacial area is then coupled with an exact solution to the advection-diffusion equation in a capillary tube assuming Hagen-Poiseuille flow to provide a theoretical means of calculating the mass transfer rate coefficient for dissolution at the NAPL-water interface in an organic-wet system. A comparison of the predictions from this theoretical model with predictions from empirically derived formulations from the literature for water-wet systems showed a consistent range of values for the mass transfer rate coefficient, despite the significant differences in model foundations (water wetting versus NAPL wetting, theoretical versus empirical). This finding implies that, under these system conditions, the important parameter is interfacial area, with a lesser role played by NAPL configuration.

Asbestiform minerals in ophiolitic rocks of Calabria (southern Italy).

PubMed

Campopiano, Antonella; Olori, Angelo; Spadafora, Alessandra; Rosaria Bruno, Maria; Angelosanto, Federica; Iannò, Antonino; Casciardi, Stefano; Giardino, Renato; Conte, Maurizio; Oranges, Teresa; Iavicoli, Sergio

2018-03-22

Ophiolitic rocks cropping on Calabria territory, southern Italy, can hold asbestiform minerals potentially harmful for human health. The aim of this work was to detect the fibrous phases of ophiolites along the Coastal Chain of northern Calabria and southern part of the Sila massif. Above 220 massive samples were collected in the study areas and analyzed using optical and electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and Fourier transform infra-red spectrometry. The main fibrous constituent belonged to tremolite-actinolite series followed by fibrous antigorite that becomes more abundant in the samples collected in Reventino Mount surroundings. Results highlighted that serpentinites samples mainly consisted of antigorite and minor chrysotile. Samples collected along the coastal chain of northern Calabria did not hold fibrous materials. The results will be useful for Italian natural occurrences of asbestos (NOA) mapping in order to avoid an unintentional exposition by human activity or weathering processes.

Enhanced mobility of non aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) during drying of wet sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Govindarajan, Dhivakar; Deshpande, Abhijit P.; Raghunathan, Ravikrishna

2018-02-01

Enhanced upward mobility of a non aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) present in wet sand during natural drying, and in the absence of any external pressure gradients, is reported for the first time. This mobility was significantly higher than that expected from capillary rise. Experiments were performed in a glass column with a small layer of NAPL-saturated sand trapped between two layers of water-saturated sand. Drying of the wet sand was induced by flow of air across the top surface of the wet sand. The upward movement of the NAPL, in the direction of water transport, commenced when the drying effect reached the location of the NAPL and continued as long as there was significant water evaporation in the vicinity of NAPL, indicating a clear correlation between the NAPL rise and water evaporation. The magnitude and the rate of NAPL rise was measured at different water evaporation rates, different initial locations of the NAPL, different grain size of the sand and the type of NAPL (on the basis of different NAPL-glass contact angle, viscosity and density). A positive correlation was observed between average rate of NAPL rise and the water evaporation while a negative correlation was obtained between the average NAPL rise rate and the NAPL properties of contact angle, viscosity and density. There was no significant correlation of average NAPL rise rate with variation of sand grain size between 0.1 to 0.5 mm. Based on these observations and on previous studies reported in the literature, two possible mechanisms are hypothesized -a) the effect of the spreading coefficient resulting in the wetting of NAPL on the water films created and b) a moving water film due to evaporation that "drags" the NAPL upwards. The NAPL rise reported in this paper has implications in fate and transport of chemicals in NAPL contaminated porous media such as soils and exposed dredged sediment material, which are subjected to varying water saturation levels due to drying and rewetting.

Adolescents in southern regions of Italy adhere to the Mediterranean diet more than those in the northern regions.

PubMed

Noale, Marianna; Nardi, Mariateresa; Limongi, Federica; Siviero, Paola; Caregaro, Lorenza; Crepaldi, Gaetano; Maggi, Stefania

2014-09-01

There is a large amount of literature regarding the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in the adult population; however, there is growing curiosity about the individuals who naturally adhere to those principles early in life. The "Evaluation of Dietary Habits in Adolescents," carried out by the National Research Council of Italy in 2009, is a survey that aimed to assess the dietary habits and lifestyles of Italian adolescents and their adherence to the Mediterranean diet. We hypothesized that there would be differences across regions, with a higher adherence in Southern Italy compared with Northern Italy based on geography. The survey was conducted in 3 different geographic locations in Italy and included a convenience sample of adolescents who attended either a middle or high school. The participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire concerning demographic data, lifestyle factors, and eating patterns, and scores were assigned according to adherence to the Mediterranean diet, as calculated using Trichopoulou's Mediterranean diet scale. The final sample included 565 adolescents, between 12 and 19 years old, who attended school in the northeastern, northwestern, or southern regions of Italy in 2009. According to the findings, 38.6% of the respondents had scores indicating a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, whereas only 14% had scores showing a high adherence. Teenagers from the Southern region showed the highest adherence. Those with a high adherence to the Mediterranean diet consumed higher quantities of fiber, iron, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin D, and monounsaturated fats. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vegetation history and palaeoclimate of the last glacial period at Lago Grande di Monticchio, Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watts, W. A.; Allen, J. R. M.; Huntley, B.

A high-resolution palynological study of a 51 m core from Lago Grande di Monticchio, southern Italy, has provided a palaeonvironmental record for the last glacill. A annual lamination based chronology, supported by radiometric and tephrochronological dates, provides an absolute timescale for this record that spans 76,300 years. Correlations are established between the pollen stratigraphy, the GRIP ice core δ18O record and foraminiferal assemblages from Atlantic core V23-81. Both Dansgaard-Oeschger and Heinrich events are reflected by changes in the pollen stratigraphy. Revised dates are estimated for Heinrich events H1-H6. A quantitative palaeoclimate reconstruction based upon the pollen data provides evidence of the climate changes in southern Italy associated with these and other fluctuations during the last glacial.

Dermatological remedies in the traditional pharmacopoeia of Vulture-Alto Bradano, inland southern Italy

PubMed Central

Quave, Cassandra L; Pieroni, Andrea; Bennett, Bradley C

2008-01-01

Background Dermatological remedies make up at least one-third of the traditional pharmacopoeia in southern Italy. The identification of folk remedies for the skin is important both for the preservation of traditional medical knowledge and in the search for novel antimicrobial agents in the treatment of skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI). Our goal is to document traditional remedies from botanical, animal, mineral and industrial sources for the topical treatment of skin ailments. In addition to SSTI remedies for humans, we also discuss certain ethnoveterinary applications. Methods Field research was conducted in ten communities in the Vulture-Alto Bradano area of the Basilicata province, southern Italy. We randomly sampled 112 interviewees, stratified by age and gender. After obtaining prior informed consent, we collected data through semi-structured interviews, participant-observation, and small focus groups techniques. Voucher specimens of all cited botanic species were deposited at FTG and HLUC herbaria located in the US and Italy. Results We report the preparation and topical application of 116 remedies derived from 38 plant species. Remedies are used to treat laceration, burn wound, wart, inflammation, rash, dental abscess, furuncle, dermatitis, and other conditions. The pharmacopoeia also includes 49 animal remedies derived from sources such as pigs, slugs, and humans. Ethnoveterinary medicine, which incorporates both animal and plant derived remedies, is addressed. We also examine the recent decline in knowledge regarding the dermatological pharmacopoeia. Conclusion The traditional dermatological pharmacopoeia of Vulture-Alto Bradano is based on a dynamic folk medical construct of natural and spiritual illness and healing. Remedies are used to treat more than 45 skin and soft tissue conditions of both humans and animals. Of the total 165 remedies reported, 110 have never before been published in the mainland southern Italian ethnomedical literature. PMID

A set of constitutive relationships accounting for residual NAPL in the unsaturated zone.

PubMed

Wipfler, E L; van der Zee, S E

2001-07-01

Although laboratory experiments show that non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) is retained in the unsaturated zone, no existing multiphase flow model has been developed to account for residual NAPL after NAPL drainage in the unsaturated zone. We developed a static constitutive set of saturation-capillary pressure relationships for water, NAPL and air that accounts for both this residual NAPL and entrapped NAPL. The set of constitutive relationships is formulated similarly to the set of scaled relationships that is frequently applied in continuum models. The new set consists of three fluid-phase systems: a three-phase system and a two-phase system, that both comply with the original constitutive model, and a newly introduced residual NAPL system. The new system can be added relatively easily to the original two- and three-phase systems. Entrapment is included in the model. The constitutive relationships of the non-drainable residual NAPL system are based on qualitative fluid behavior derived from a pore scale model. The pore scale model reveals that the amount of residual NAPL depends on the spreading coefficient and the water saturation. Furthermore, residual NAPL is history-dependent. At the continuum scale, a critical NAPL pressure head defines the transition from free, mobile NAPL to residual NAPL. Although the Pc-S relationships for water and total liquid are not independent in case of residual NAPL, two two-phase Pc-S relations can represent a three-phase residual system of Pc-S relations. A newly introduced parameter, referred to as the residual oil pressure head, reflects the mutual dependency of water and oil. Example calculations show consistent behavior of the constitutive model. Entrapment and retention in the unsaturated zone cooperate to retain NAPL. Moreover, the results of our constitutive model are in agreement with experimental observations.

BIOSURFACTANT-ENHANCED SOLUBILIZATION OF NAPL MIXTURES. (R827112)

EPA Science Inventory

Remediation of nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) by conventional pump-and-treat methods (i.e., water flushing) is generally considered to be ineffective due to low water solubilities of NAPLs and to mass-transfer constraints. Chemical flushing techniques, such as surfactant flushi...

NAPL: SIMULATOR DOCUMENTATION (EPA/600/SR-97/102)

EPA Science Inventory

A mathematical and numerical model is developed to simulate the transport and fate of NAPLs (Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids) in near-surface granular soils. The resulting three-dimensional, three phase simulator is called NAPL. The simulator accommodates three mobile phases: water, NA...

Modeling of the Inter-phase Mass Transfer during Cosolvent-Enhanced NAPL Remediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agaoglu, B.; Scheytt, T. J.; Copty, N. K.

2012-12-01

This study investigates the factors influencing inter-phase mass transfer during cosolvent-enhanced NAPL remediation and the ability of the REV (Representative Elementary Volume) modeling approach to simulate these processes. The NAPLs considered in this study consist of pure toluene, pure benzene and known mixtures of these two compounds, while ethanol-water mixtures were selected as the remedial flushing solutions. Batch tests were performed to identify both the equilibrium and non-equilibrium properties of the multiphase system. A series of column flushing experiments involving different NAPLs were conducted for different ethanol contents in the flushing solution and for different operational parameters. Experimental results were compared to numerical simulations obtained with the UTCHEM multiphase flow simulator (Delshad et al., 1996). Results indicate that the velocity of the flushing solution is a major parameter influencing the inter-phase mass transport processes at the pore scale. Depending on the NAPL composition and porous medium properties, the remedial solution may follow preferential flow paths and be subject to reduced contact with the NAPL. This leads to a steep decrease in the apparent mass transfer coefficient. Correlations of the apparent time-dependent mass transfer coefficient as a function of flushing velocity are developed for various porous media. Experimental results also show that the NAPL mass transfer coefficient into the cosolvent solution increases when the NAPL phase becomes mobile. This is attributed to the increase in pore scale contact area between NAPL and the remedial solution when NAPL mobilization occurs. These results suggest the need to define a temporal and spatially variable mass transfer coefficient of the NAPL into the cosolvent solution to reflect the occurrence of subscale preferential flow paths and the transient bypassing of the NAPL mass. The implications of these findings on field scale NAPL remediation with

Analysis of user perception of hydrofoil service

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-06-01

This memorandum presents the findings from a survey of hydrofoil passengers in Southern Italy. This hydrofoil service links the ports of Palermo and Naples with a stop in Ustica, a resort island off the northern coast of Sicily. The vessel used in th...

Sustainable Remediation for Enhanced NAPL Recovery from Groundwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javaher, M.

2012-12-01

Sustainable remediation relates to the achievement of balance between environmental, social, and economic elements throughout the remedial lifecycle. A significant contributor to this balance is the use of green and sustainable technologies which minimize environmental impacts, while maximizing social and economic benefits of remedial implementation. To this end, a patented mobile vapor energy generation (VEG) technology has been developed targeting variable applications, including onsite soil remediation for unrestricted reuse and enhanced non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) recover at the water table. At the core of the mobile VEG technology is a compact, high efficiency vapor generator, which utilizes recycled water and propane within an entirely enclosed system to generate steam as high as 1100°F. Operating within a fully enclosed system and capturing all heat that is generated within this portable system, the VEG technology eliminates all emissions to the atmosphere and yields an undetected carbon footprint with resulting carbon dioxide concentrations that are below ambient levels. Introduction of the steam to the subsurface via existing wells results in a desired change in the NAPL viscosity and the interfacial tension at the soil, water, NAPL interface; in turn, this results in mobilization and capture of the otherwise trapped, weathered NAPL. Approved by the California Air Resources Control Board (and underlying Air Quality Management Districts) and applied in California's San Joaquin Valley, in-well heating of NAPLs trapped at the water table using the VEG technology has proven as effective as electrical resistivity heating (ERH) in changing the viscosity of and mobilizing NAPLs in groundwater in support of recovery, but has achieved these results while minimizing the remedial carbon footprint by 90%, reducing energy use by 99%, and reducing remedial costs by more than 95%. NAPL recovery using VEG has also allowed for completion of source removal historically

Pore space analysis of NAPL distribution in sand-clay media

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matmon, D.; Hayden, N.J.

2003-01-01

This paper introduces a conceptual model of clays and non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) at the pore scale that has been developed from a mathematical unit cell model, and direct micromodel observation and measurement of clay-containing porous media. The mathematical model uses a unit cell concept with uniform spherical grains for simulating the sand in the sand-clay matrix (???10% clay). Micromodels made with glass slides and including different clay-containing porous media were used to investigate the two clays (kaolinite and montmorillonite) and NAPL distribution within the pore space. The results were used to understand the distribution of NAPL advancing into initially saturated sand and sand-clay media, and provided a detailed analysis of the pore-scale geometry, pore size distribution, NAPL entry pressures, and the effect of clay on this geometry. Interesting NAPL saturation profiles were observed as a result of the complexity of the pore space geometry with the different packing angles and the presence of clays. The unit cell approach has applications for enhancing the mechanistic understanding and conceptualization, both visually and mathematically, of pore-scale processes such as NAPL and clay distribution. ?? 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Students' Perception of School Violence and Math Achievement in Middle Schools of Southern Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caputo, Andrea

2013-01-01

This study aims at both investigating bullying episodes occurring at school across different grades (from 6 to 8) and evaluating whether educational achievement in math can be predicted on the ground of students' perception of school violence. The sample was composed of 11,064 students coming from middle schools of Southern Italy. Standardized…

75 FR 76067 - Noise Exposure Map Notice, Naples Municipal Airport, Naples, FL

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-07

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Noise Exposure Map Notice, Naples... Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its determination that the Noise Exposure Maps submitted.... seq (Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act) and 14 CFR part 150 are in compliance with applicable...

Three different Hepatozoon species in domestic cats from southern Italy.

PubMed

Giannelli, Alessio; Latrofa, Maria Stefania; Nachum-Biala, Yaarit; Hodžić, Adnan; Greco, Grazia; Attanasi, Anna; Annoscia, Giada; Otranto, Domenico; Baneth, Gad

2017-08-01

Three species of Hepatozoon, namely, Hepatozoon felis, Hepatozoon canis and Hepatozoon silvestris may affect domestic and/or wild felids. Although hepatozoonosis has been documented in a wide range of mammal species, data on cats are limited. To investigate the occurrence of these pathogens in cats, blood samples were collected from animals living in three provinces of southern Italy (Bari, Lecce, and Matera), and molecularly analysed by PCR amplification and sequencing of segments of the 18S rRNA gene. Out of 196 blood samples collected, Hepatozoon spp. DNA was amplified in ten cats (5.1%, CI: 3%-9%), with the majority of infected animals from Matera (8/34, 23.5%) and one each from the other two provinces. BLAST analysis revealed the highest nucleotide identity with sequences of H. canis, H. felis and H. silvestris deposited in GenBank. Results of this study indicate that these three species of Hepatozoon infect domestic cats in Italy. This is the first report of H. silvestris infection in a domestic cat. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

COUPLED GEOPHYSICAL-HYDROLOGICAL MODELING OF A CONTROLLED NAPL SPILL

EPA Science Inventory

Past studies have shown reasonable sensitivity of geophysical data for detecting or monitoring the movement of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) in the subsurface. However, heterogeneity in subsurface properties and in NAPL distribution commonly results in non-unique data

...

Karst geomorphology and hydrology at the Campania - Basilicata border (southern Apennines of Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farfan Gonzalez, H.; Parise, M.

2009-04-01

This paper describes the main karst geomorphological and hydrological features of the area at the boundary between the Campania and Basilicata regions, in the southern Apennines of Italy. Even not far from the most important karst area of southern Italy (the Alburni Massif, hosting hundreds of caves, with very complex subterranean systems that have been extensively explored in the last 50 years), this sector has never been object of detailed karstic studies. Geologically, it shows a carbonate bedrock consisting of Cretaceous limestones and dolomites, in tectonic contact with terrigenous deposits of Miocene age. The territory is an active seismogenic zone, as testified by the November 23, 1980, earthquake that hit this part of southern Italy with a 6.8 magnitude, causing over 2,700 victims and destroying several small towns in the two regions. In 2007, within the framework of joint projects between the Italian Speleological Society (SSI) and the Cuban Speleological Society (SEC), a scientific and speleological expedition was carried out in a sector of this area. The efforts produced during the expedition, and in the preceeding phases as well, resulted in discovery, survey and documentation of 62 caves, and in supporting the progresses of the exploration activities in the main karst system in the area, a complex of two caves that reach a maximum depth of 123 meters and an overall length of 1,8 km. At the surface, a variety of karst landforms is recognizable. The main carbonate ridges show several orders of palaeosurfaces, located at different heights above sea level. Bounded by fault lines or fault line scarps, they present variable extension, the highest surfaces showing a much better continuity. On the Campanian side, several sinkholes are also present, some of which opened in the aftermath of the 1980 earthquake. The same event caused in Basilicata the formation of several caves of structural origin, controlled in their development by tectonics and extremely

Earth observations taken from Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-78 mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-06-28

STS078-751-012 (20 June-7 July 1996) --- The international crew of the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) mission onboard the Space Shuttle Columbia photographed this oblique view of the "toe" of Italy and the island of Sicily. Southern Italy is known as the Mezzogiorno because of the intensity of sunshine there at midday (Mezzogiorno is the Italian term for "midday" or "noon"). Mezzogiorno is a mainland subregion consisting of the modern southern Italian regions of Abruzzi, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, and Calabria and an insular subregion composed of Sicily and Sardinia. Southern Italy is dominated by the Apennine Range, seen in the photo on the west side, and up to one-half of the land is too steep for any form of cultivation. Coastal plains are generally narrow and poorly drained and are limited to the environs of the cities of Naples and Salerno, Foggia, and Taranto. Chief crops in this region include wheat, olives, grapes, peaches, apricots, pears, and various vegetables. Iron, steel, machine tools, agricultural machinery, and petrochemicals are produced in the industrial triangle of Bari, Brindisi, and Taranto; industries around Naples are more diversified and produce textiles and various consumer goods, iron, steel, Olivetti office machinery, Pirelli cables, Alfa Romeo automobiles, and ships. The Adriatic Sea on the east separates it from the Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea on the south separates it from North Africa. Three major tectonic plates, converging from the south, the west, and the northeast, create geologically unstable conditions throughout southern Italy and Sicily. The most famous of southern Italy's four active volcanoes is Mount Vesuvius, whose eruption in AD 79 destroyed Pompeii. Sicily's Mount Etna and Stromboli, on an island north of Sicily, were active during this Space Shuttle mission.

Prevalence of Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains isolated from raw beef in southern Italy.

PubMed

Nobili, Gaia; Franconieri, Ilenia; La Bella, Gianfranco; Basanisi, Maria Grazia; La Salandra, Giovanna

2017-09-18

Verocytotoxin (VT)-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) are a significant foodborne public health hazard, where most human infections are associated with six serogroups (O157, O26, O103, O145, O111 and O104). VTEC was the fourth most commonly reported zoonosis in the EU in 2015, with 5901 confirmed human cases. Ruminant animals, including cattle, are a major reservoir of VTEC. The consumption of VTEC-contaminated animal-derived foodstuffs, especially undercooked ground beef, is an important transmission route. To the best of our knowledge, there are few data available on the contamination of VTEC in meat products in Italy. During 2015 and 2016, 250 raw meat samples were collected from retail markets in southern Italy (Apulia) and analysed for the occurrence of vtx genes (vtx1/vtx2) at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata (IZS PB, Italy). In addition, the isolates were characterized by determining the presence of VTEC main virulence factors, the antimicrobial resistance profiles and the genetic relatedness by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The results have shown that 8.4% (21/250) of the samples were positive for vtx genes in the preliminary screening step but VTEC strains were isolated from only 2% (5/250) of overall meat analysed samples, including raw ground beef, beef hamburger and beef carpaccio. 5 isolates displayed a multi-drug resistance phenotype. All VTEC strains were analysed by XbaI-PFGE and dendrogram revealed 5 distinct restriction profiles, indicating their relatively high genetic diversity. Although this study demonstrates a low prevalence of VTEC in raw beef marketed in southern Italy, the presence of potentially pathogenic E. coli strains points to the need for proper hygiene during meat production to reduce the risk of foodborne illness and transmission of multi-drug resistant organisms via foods to humans. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectral induced polarization (SIP) measurement of NAPL contaminated soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, N.; Huisman, J. A.; Furman, A.

2010-12-01

The potential applicability of spectral induce polarization (SIP) as a tool to map NAPLs (non aqueous phase liquids) contaminants at the subsurface lead researchers to investigate the electric signature of those contaminant on the spectral response. However, and despite the cumulative efforts, the effect of NAPL on the electrical properties of soil, and the mechanisms that control this effect are largely unknown. In this work a novel experiment is designed to further examine the effect of NAPL on the electrical properties of partially saturated soil. The measurement system that used is the ZEL-SIP04 impedance meter developed at the Forschungszentrum Julich, Germany. The system accurately (nominal phase precision of 0.1 mrad below 1 kHz) measures the phase and the amplitude of a material possessing a very low polarization (such as soil). The sample holder has a dimension of 60 cm long and 4.6 cm in diameter. Current and potential electrodes were made of brass, and while the current electrodes were inserted in full into the soil, the contact between the potential electrode and the soil was made through an Agarose bridge. Two types of soils were used: clean quartz sand, and a mixture of sand with clean Bentonite. Each soil (sandy or clayey) was mixed with water to get saturation degree of 30%. Following the mixture with water, NAPL was added and the composite were mixed again. Packing was done by adding and compressing small portions of the soil to the column. A triplicate of each mixture was made with a good reproducible bulk density. Both for the sandy and clayey soils, the results indicate that additions of NAPL decrease the real part of the complex resistivity. Additionally, for the sandy soil this process is time depended, and that a further decrease in resistivity develops over time. The results are analyzed considering geometrical factors: while the NAPL is electrically insulator, addition of NAPL to the soil is expected to increase the connectivity of the

Diagnostic analysis of stone materials from underwater excavations: the case study of the Roman archaeological site of Baia (Naples, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aloise, P.; Ricca, M.; La Russa, M. F.; Ruffolo, S. A.; Belfiore, C. M.; Padeletti, G.; Crisci, G. M.

2014-03-01

This work belongs to the framework of the national research project "COMAS" (Planned COnservation, " in situ", of underwater archaeological artifacts), funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR), concerning the submarine archaeological area of Baia (Naples, Italy). The site includes remains of the ancient cities of Baiae and Portus Iulius, which, since the 4th century AD, started to be submerged because of the bradyseism phenomenon. The work aims to the characterization of four different types of stone materials collected from the site, specifically marbles, limestones, ignimbrites, and bricks, in order to investigate their state of conservation. In particular, specimens were sampled from some masonry structures and pavement slabs ( opus sectile) in a specific area of the submerged site, called " Villa a Protiro". In order to characterize archaeological samples from a mineralogical-petrographic point of view, polarized optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses were carried out, while to assess their conservation state, the surface colonization by biodeteriogen agents and their interaction with the substrate were studied through observations under a stereomicroscope, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Marble and limestone samples revealed an intense bioerosion phenomena, attributable to epilithic and endolithic forms, particularly boring sponges. On the contrary, ignimbrites suffer a lower degree of biological colonization related to the activity of other species, such as serpulids and bryozoans. In bricks, biocolonisation is correlated to the type of temper used in the artifact, the quartz pastes having a greater susceptibility to biological attack than the volcanic ones.

Laboratory Experiments and Modeling of Pooled NAPL Dissolution in Porous Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Copty, N. K.; Sarikurt, D. A.; Gokdemir, C.

2017-12-01

The dissolution of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) entrapped in porous media is commonly modeled at the continuum scale as the product of a chemical potential and an interphase mass transfer coefficient, the latter expressed in terms of Sherwood correlations that are related to flow and porous media properties. Because of the lack of precise estimates of the interface area separating the NAPL and aqueous phase, numerous studies have lumped the interfacial area into the interphase mass transfer coefficient. In this paper controlled dissolution experiments from a pooled NAPL were conducted. The immobile NAPL mass is placed at the bottom of a flow cell filled with porous media with water flowing on top. Effluent aqueous phase concentrations were measured for a wide range of aqueous phase velocities and for two types of porous media. To interpret the experimental results, a two-dimensional pore network model of the NAPL dissolution was developed. The well-defined geometry of the NAPL-water interface and the observed effluent concentrations were used to compute best-fit mass transfer coefficients and non-lumped Sherwood correlations. Comparing the concentrations predicted with the pore network model to simple previously used one-dimensional analytic solutions indicates that the analytic model which ignores the transverse dispersion can lead to over-estimation of the mass transfer coefficient. The predicted Sherwood correlations are also compared to previously published data and implications on NAPL remediation strategies are discussed.

Investigation of Processes Controlling Elution of Solutes from Nonaqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) Pools into Groundwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seyedabbasi, M.; Pirestani, K.; Holland, S. B.; Imhoff, P. T.

2005-12-01

Two major processes influencing the elution of solutes from porous media contaminated with nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) are external mass transfer between the NAPL and groundwater and internal diffusion through NAPL ganglia and pools. There is a relatively large body of literature on the dissolution of single-species NAPLs. Less is known about the rates of elution of compounds dissolving from multicomponent NAPLs. We examined the mass transfer of one solute, 2,3-dimethyl-2-butanol (DMB) - a partitioning tracer, between groundwater and a dense NAPL - trichloroethylene (TCE). Diffusion cell experiments were used to measure the molecular diffusion coefficient of DMB in pure TCE and in porous media contaminated with a TCE pool. Measured diffusion coefficients were compared with empirical correlations (pure TCE) and a parallel resistance model (TCE pool). Based on the results from these analyses, a dimensionless Biot number was derived to express the ratio of the external rate of mass transfer from a NAPL pool to the internal rate of diffusion within the pool, which varies with NAPL saturation and NAPL-water partition coefficient. Biot numbers were then estimated for several laboratory scale experiments involving DMB transport between NAPL pools and groundwater. The estimated Biot numbers were in good agreement with experimental results. The expression for the Biot number developed here may be used to assess the processes controlling the elution of solutes from NAPL pools, which has implications on long-term predictions of solute dissolution from NAPLs in the field.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the urban atmospheric particulate matter in the city of Naples (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caricchia, Anna Maria; Chiavarini, Salvatore; Pezza, Massimo

An investigation on PAH in the atmospheric particulate matter of the city of Naples has been carried out. Urban atmospheric particulate matter was sampled in three sampling sites (West, East and central areas of the city), whose characteristics were representative of the prevailing conditions. In each site, 24 h samplings for 7 consecutive days were performed during three sampling campaigns, in 1996-1997. The results were comparable with those reported in literature for similar investigations. Total PAH were in the range 2-130 ng m -3, with a seasonal variation (autumn/winter vs. summer) in the range 1.5-4.5. The relative contribution of diesel engines vs. gasoline fuelled engines was evidenced.

Indoor radon activity concentration measurements in the great historical museums of University of Naples, Italy.

PubMed

Quarto, Maria; Pugliese, Mariagabriella; Loffredo, Filomena; La Verde, Giuseppe; Roca, Vincenzo

2016-01-01

Indoor radon activity concentrations were measured in seven Museums of University of Naples, very old buildings of great historical value. The measurements were performed using a time-integrated technique based on LR-115 solid-state nuclear track detectors. The annual average concentrations were found to range from 40 up to 1935 Bq m(-3) and in 26 % of measurement sites, the values were higher than 500 Bq m(-3) which is the limit value of Italian legislation for workplace. Moreover, we analysed the seasonal variations of radon concentrations observing the highest average in cold weather than in warm. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Feasibility study on earthquake early warning application to schools: the example of the ITIS 'E. Majorana', Somma Vesuviana, Naples (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emolo, Antonio; Zollo, Aldo; Picozzi, Matteo; Martino, Claudio; Elia, Luca; Verderame, Gerardo; De Risi, Maria Teresa; Ricci, Paolo; Lombardi, Anna; Bindi, Dino; Parolai, Stefano; Boxberger, Tobias; Miranda, Nicola

2014-05-01

One of the main objective of the WP7 (Strategic Applications and Capacity Building) in the framework of the REAKT-Strategies and tools for Real Time Earthquake RisK ReducTion FP7 European project, is to evaluate the effectiveness of EEW and real-time risk assessment procedures in reducing seismic risk to various industrial partners and end-users. In the context of the REAKT project, the AMRA-RISSCLab group is engaged in a feasibility study on the application of earthquake early-warning procedures in two high schools located in the Irpinia region (South Italy), an area that in the 1980 was struck by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake. In this work we report on the activities carried out during the last 24 Months at the school ITIS 'E. Majorana', located in Somma Vesuviana, a village in the neighbourhood of Naples. In order to perform a continuous seismic monitoring of the site, which includes a rather complex structure building, 5 accelerometric stations have been installed in different part of the school. In particular, a 24-bit ADC (Sigma/Delta) Agecodagis-Kefren data-logger has been installed with a Guralp CMG-5TC accelerometer with a 0.25g full-scale in the school courtyard, while 4 SOSEWIN sensors have been also installed at different locations within the building. Commercial ADSL lines provide transmission of real-time data to the EEW centre. Data streams are now acquired in real-time in the PRESToPlus (regional and on-site, threshold-based early-warning) software platform [1]. The recent December 29, 2013 M 5.1 Monti del Matese Earthquake, gave us the unique opportunity to use real strong motion data to test the performance of threshold-based early warning method at the school. The on-site method [2] aims to define alert levels at the monitored site. In particular, at each station the characteristic P-waves period (τc) and the peak displacement (Pd) are measured on the initial P-wave signal. They are compared with threshold values, previously established through an

[Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), cervical cancer incidence and screening uptake: differences among Northern, Central and Southern Italy].

PubMed

Giorgi Rossi, Paolo; Chini, Francesco; Borgia, Piero; Guasticchi, Gabriella; Carozzi, Francesca Maria; Confortini, Massimo; Angeloni, Claudio; Buzzoni, Carlotta; Buonaguro, Franco Maria

2012-01-01

this article presents a review of evidences about Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer in Italy, highlighting geographical differences. two systematic reviews recently published were updated, one collecting studies on the prevalence of HPV types in Italy in the general population and the other collecting prevalence of HPV types in cervical pathologic samples.The search was updated to 31.10.2010 and performed exclusively in MedLine and references in retrieved papers. the prevalence of HPV types has been related with the incidence of cervical cancer and the spread of Pap tests and screening programs. the prevalence high risk HPV types is 8%in studies with population-based random sample, with no significant difference between Centre-North and South-Islands, however, the prevalence is slightly higher in the South than the Centre-North for women up to 54 years of age, whereas in older women the ratio is reversed. HPV 16 is the most common type, while HPV 18 is less frequent, 5% and 1% respectively. The average of HPV 16 positivity is 64% and 68% in CIN2/3 and invasive cancer respectively, while the average of HPV 18 is 7% and 11% in CIN2/3 and invasive cancer respectively. There are no significant differences by geographical area.The incidence of invasive cervical cancer in Italy has been decreasing in recent years changing from 9.2 to 7.7 per 100,000 inhabitants in 10 years. The incidence is lower in South-Islands. Pap test coverage is over 80% in Centre-North and less than 60%in South-Islands. cervical cancer incidence is lower in Southern Italy, while the Pap test coverage is much higher in Centre-Northern Italy. This paradox, until now, has been interpreted as a consequence of a lower HPV prevalence in Southern than Northern regions. Recent studies on HPV prevalence do not confirm this hypothesis. Our interpretation is that in Southern Italy we are facing an epidemiologic scenario in transition where the low cancer incidence is the consequence of a low HPV

Visualization of surfactant enhanced NAPL mobilization and solubilization in a two-dimensional micromodel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ZHONG,LIRONG; MAYER,ALEX; GLASS JR.,ROBERT J.

Surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation is an emerging technology for aquifers contaminated with nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). A two-dimensional micromodel and image capture system were applied to observe NAPL mobilization and solubilization phenomena. In each experiment, a common residual NAPL field was established, followed by a series of mobilization and solubilization experiments. Mobilization floods included pure water floods with variable flow rates and surfactant floods with variations in surfactant formulations. At relatively low capillary numbers (N{sub ca}<10{sup {minus}3}), the surfactant mobilization floods resulted in higher NAPL saturations than for the pure water flood, for similar N{sub ca}.These differences in macroscopic saturations aremore » explained by differences in micro-scale mobilization processes. Solubilization of the residual NAPL remaining after the mobilization stage was dominated by the formation of dissolution fingers, which produced nonequilibrium NAPL solubilization. A macroemulsion phase also as observed to form spontaneously and persist during the solubilization stage of the experiments.« less

Modeling NAPL dissolution from pendular rings in idealized porous media

EPA Science Inventory

The rate of NAPL dissolution often governs the clean-up time for subsurface hazardous waste sites. Most formulations for estimating this rate are empirical and assume that the NAPL is the non-wetting fluid. However, field evidence suggests that some waste sites might be organic...

Seasonal Trend of PAHs Concentrations in Farmed Mussels from the Coastal Areas of the Naples, Italy.

PubMed

Esposito, Mauro; Perugini, Monia; Lambiase, Sara; Conte, Annamaria; Baldi, Loredana; Amorena, Michele

2017-09-01

This paper reports on the results about the chemical pollution pressure in the Gulf of Naples and nearby coastal areas. Farmed mussels were analysed for the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results documented a decreasing trend in the PAHs levels respect to the past years. The Bay of Pozzuoli remains as the most contaminated site within the Lucrino area with the highest reported number of samples exceeding the benzo(a)pyrene and PAHs sum limits. All the samples with concentrations above the European regulatory limit were collected in the winter period illustrating a seasonal trend of PAHs distribution in mussels during the 4 years investigated.

Coupled geophysical-hydrological modeling of controlled NAPL spill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalsky, M. B.; Majer, E.; Peterson, J. E.; Finsterle, S.; Mazzella, A.

2006-12-01

Past studies have shown reasonable sensitivity of geophysical data for detecting or monitoring the movement of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) in the subsurface. However, heterogeneity in subsurface properties and in NAPL distribution commonly results in non-unique data interpretation. Combining multiple geophysical data types and incorporating constraints from hydrological models will potentially decrease the non-uniqueness in data interpretation and aid in site characterization. Large-scale laboratory experiments have been conducted over several years to evaluate the use of various geophysical methods, including ground-penetrating radar (GPR), seismic, and electrical methods, for monitoring controlled spills of tetrachloroethylene (PCE), a hazardous industrial solvent that is pervasive in the subsurface. In the current study, we consider an experiment in which PCE was introduced into a large tank containing a heterogeneous distribution of sand and clay mixtures, and allowed to migrate while time-lapse geophysical data were collected. We consider two approaches for interpreting the surface GPR and crosswell seismic data. The first approach involves (a) waveform inversion of the surface GPR data using a non-gradient based optimization algorithm to estimate the dielectric constant distributions and (b) conversion of crosswell seismic travel times to acoustic velocity distributions; the dielectric constant and acoustic velocity distributions are then related to NAPL saturation using appropriate petrophysical models. The second approach takes advantage of a recently developed framework for coupled hydrological-geophysical modeling, providing a hydrological constraint on interpretation of the geophysical data and additionally resulting in quantitative estimates of the most relevant hydrological parameters that determine NAPL behavior in the system. Specifically, we simulate NAPL migration using the multiphase multicomponent flow simulator TOUGH2 with a 2-D radial

[Naples: the historic capital of Italian paediatrics].

PubMed

Farnetani, I; Farnetani, F

2008-06-01

No other Italian city has contributed to the birth and development of paediatrics more than Naples. This is why it can be considered the historic capital of Italian paediatrics. Here are the main reasons: Luigi Somma was the first professor of Italian paediatrics whereas Francesco Fede was the first president of the Italian Paediatrics Association. Neapolitan paediatricians have been the most numerous amongst the founder members. The first three Italian journals of paediatrics were founded in Naples as well as the journal ''La Pediatria'' which was the most distributed and long-lasting journal in this field. Moreover, Neapolitans have been the most numerous presidents of the Italian Paediatrics Association, while Rocco Jemma was the one who remained the longest in charge. ''Rocco Jemma's school'' taught not only to most professors in paediatrics who afterwards taught in most Italian universities, but also four out of five paediatricians who took charge of the position as president. The first regional department of the Italian Paediatrics Association was founded in Naples as well as the Association of Nipiology.

Magnetotelluric imaging of the resurgent caldera on the island of Ischia (southern Italy): inferences for its structure and activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Giuseppe, M. G.; Troiano, A.; Carlino, S.

2017-12-01

The island of Ischia (located in the Bay of Naples, Italy) represents a peculiar case of a well-exposed caldera that has experienced a large (>800 m) and rapid resurgence, accompanied by volcanic activity. What drives the resurgence of calderas is a crucial issue to investigate, because this process is associated with potential eruptions and high risk to people living within and around such large active volcanic systems. To improve the knowledge of volcano-tectonic processes affecting the caldera of Ischia, electromagnetic imaging of the structures associated with its resurgence was performed and integrated with available geological information. A magnetotelluric (MT) survey of the island was carried out along two main profiles through the central-western sector, providing an electrical resistivity map to a depth of 3 km. These resistivity cross sections allowed us to identify the presence of a very shallow magmatic intrusion, possibly a laccolith, at a depth of about 1 km, which was responsible for both the resurgence and the volcanic activity. Furthermore, the tectonic structures bordering the resurgent area and the occurrence of a large thermal anomaly in the western sector of the caldera also provided a signature in the resistivity cross sections, with the magma intrusion producing advection of hot fluids with high geothermal gradients (>150 °C km-1) in the southern and western sectors. All of these data are fundamental for the assessment of the island's volcano-tectonic dynamics and their associated hazards. The structure and activity of the island have been controlled by the process of resurgence associated with the arrival of new magma and the progressive intrusion of a laccolith at a shallow depth. The reactivation of such a shallow system may imply imminent eruption which would pose a major volcanic hazard.

The Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on the Epidemiology of Maxillofacial Fractures in Southern Italy.

PubMed

Sbordone, Carolina; Barca, Ida; Petrocelli, Marzia; Dell'Aversana Orabona, Giovanni; Vaira, Luigi Angelo; Colangeli, Walter; Cristofaro, Maria Giulia; Giudice, Mario; Giudice, Amerigo; Cassandro, Francesco Maria; Attanasi, Federica; Iaconetta, Giorgio; Califano, Luigi

2018-05-15

Maxillofacial fractures represent a serious public health problem. Their epidemiology is extremely variable and its analysis is crucial to establish effective treatment and prevention of these injuries. The aim of this multicentric retrospective study was to analyze causes, demographics, incidence, characteristics of 987 patients diagnosed with maxillofacial trauma between 2011 and 2015 at Complex Operative Unit of Maxillofacial Surgery of Federico II University of Naples and Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Italy; 657 male and 310 female patients were admitted in the study. The most frequently observed fracture involved the mandible (399 patients, 35.4%), followed by zygomatic complex (337 patients, 29.9%), orbital walls (160 patients, 14.2%), and nasal bones (129 patients, 11.4%). The most frequent cause of fracture was assaults (30.4%), followed by road traffic injuries (27.2%), falls (23.2%), sport accidents (15.4%), and others causes (2.6%). Significant variations of etiology have been detected between the 2 hospitals in relationship with different migration flow trends and cultural and socioeconomic features. Epidemiological analysis of maxillofacial fractures is crucial to identify the trauma burden and to help in developing a more efficient system to plan resource allocation and to deliver care and preventive measures establishing clinical and research priorities for effective treatment and prevention of these injuries.

Oscillatory hydraulic testing as a strategy for NAPL source zone monitoring: Laboratory experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, YaoQuan; Cardiff, Michael

2017-05-01

Non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) have a complex mode of transport in heterogeneous aquifers, which can result in pools and lenses of NAPLs (the "source zone") that are difficult to detect and can cause long-term contamination via slow dissolution into groundwater (the "dissolved plume"). Characterizing the extent and evolution of NAPL contamination within the source zone is a useful strategy for designing and adapting appropriate remedial actions at many contaminated sites. As a NAPL flows into a given aquifer volume, the effective hydraulic conductivity (K) and specific storage (Ss) of the volume changes associated with the viscosity and compressibility of the impinging fluid, meaning that NAPL movement may be detectable with hydraulic testing. Recently, the use of oscillatory pumping tests - in which sinusoidal pumping variations are implemented and oscillatory pressure changes are detected at monitoring locations - has been suggested as a low-impact hydraulic testing strategy for characterizing aquifer properties (Cardiff et al., 2013; Zhou et al., 2016). Here, we investigate this strategy in an experimental laboratory sandbox where dyed vegetable oil is injected and allowed to migrate as a NAPL. Initial qualitative analyses demonstrate that measurable changes in pressure signal amplitude and phase provide clear evidence for NAPL plume emplacement and migration. Using the approach developed in Zhou et al. (2016), we then apply tomographic analyses to estimate the location of effective K changes (representing fluid changes) and their movement throughout time. This approach provides a method for monitoring ongoing NAPL movement without net extraction or injection of fluid, making it advantageous in field remediation applications.

Characterization of NAPL source zone architecture and dissolution kinetics in heterogeneous porous media using magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Zhang, Changyong; Werth, Charles J; Webb, Andrew G

2007-05-15

A direct visualization method using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was developed to characterize sand grain size distribution, nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) source zone architecture, and aqueous flowpaths in a three-dimensional (3-D) flowcell (26.5 cm x 10.5 cm x 10.5 cm) packed with a heterogeneous distribution of five different sand fractions. All images were acquired at a resolution of 0.1875 cm x 0.1875 cm x 0.225 cm. A 1H image of pore water resolved the heterogeneous permeability field; grain size differences as small as 0.1 mm could be distinguished. A time series of 1H images of water doped with the paramagnetic tracer MnCl2 were acquired and used to obtain voxel-scale breakthrough curves. Water preferentially flowed through coarse sands before NAPL release. After NAPL release, the flow bypassed NAPLzones, and bypassing was more evident for high NAPL saturation zones. A time series of 19F images of NAPL were acquired and used to determine voxel-scale NAPL saturation (Sn) during dissolution. Results show that 93% of NAPL mass was in the coarsest sand, most NAPL was trapped as pools and not as residual ganglia, NAPL saturation increased with depth, and the NAPL dissolution front moved vertically from the top to the bottom of the flowcell during the first 170 pore volumes of waterflushed. NAPL component effluent concentrations initially increased due to the development of flow in zones with decreasing NAPL saturation. Flowpath images suggest that this occurs as NAPL transitions from pools (Sn > 0.15) to residual ganglia. The results highlight the importance of flow bypassing and provide the opportunity to develop more accurate NAPL dissolution models.

The late Barremian Halimedides horizon of the Dolomites (Southern Alps, Italy).

PubMed

Lukeneder, Alexander; Uchman, Alfred; Gaillard, Christian; Olivero, Davide

2012-06-01

A new trace fossil marker level, the Halimedides horizon, is proposed for the Lower Cretaceous pelagic to hemipelagic succession of the Puez area (Southern Alps, Italy). The horizon occurs in the middle part of the late Barremian Gerhardtia sartousiana Zone ( Gerhardtia sartousiana Subzone). It is approximately 20 cm thick and restricted to the uppermost part of the Puez Limestone Member (marly limestones; Hauterivian-Barremian; Puez Formation). It is fixed to the top 20 cm of bed P1/204. The grey-whitish limestone bed of the G. sartousiana Zone is penetrated by Aptian red marls-siltstones of the Redbed Member. The horizon is documented for the first time from the Southern Alps, including the Dolomites, and can be correlated with other Mediterranean localities. The trace fossil assemblage of this marker bed with the co-occurrence of Halimedides , Spongeliomorpha and Zoophycos sheds light on the Lower Cretaceous sedimentological history and current system of the Puez area within the Dolomites. It also highlights the palaeoenvironmental evolution of basins and plateaus and provides insights into the late Barremian interval.

The late Barremian Halimedides horizon of the Dolomites (Southern Alps, Italy)

PubMed Central

Lukeneder, Alexander; Uchman, Alfred; Gaillard, Christian; Olivero, Davide

2012-01-01

A new trace fossil marker level, the Halimedides horizon, is proposed for the Lower Cretaceous pelagic to hemipelagic succession of the Puez area (Southern Alps, Italy). The horizon occurs in the middle part of the late Barremian Gerhardtia sartousiana Zone (Gerhardtia sartousiana Subzone). It is approximately 20 cm thick and restricted to the uppermost part of the Puez Limestone Member (marly limestones; Hauterivian–Barremian; Puez Formation). It is fixed to the top 20 cm of bed P1/204. The grey–whitish limestone bed of the G. sartousiana Zone is penetrated by Aptian red marls–siltstones of the Redbed Member. The horizon is documented for the first time from the Southern Alps, including the Dolomites, and can be correlated with other Mediterranean localities. The trace fossil assemblage of this marker bed with the co-occurrence of Halimedides, Spongeliomorpha and Zoophycos sheds light on the Lower Cretaceous sedimentological history and current system of the Puez area within the Dolomites. It also highlights the palaeoenvironmental evolution of basins and plateaus and provides insights into the late Barremian interval. PMID:27087717

Hominin responses to environmental changes during the Middle Pleistocene in central and southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orain, R.; Lebreton, V.; Russo Ermolli, E.; Sémah, A.-M.; Nomade, S.; Shao, Q.; Bahain, J.-J.; Thun Hohenstein, U.; Peretto, C.

2013-03-01

The palaeobotanical record of early Palaeolithic sites from Western Europe indicates that hominins settled in different kinds of environments. During the "mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT)", from about 1 to 0.6 Ma, the transition from 41- to 100-ka dominant climatic oscillations, occurring within a long-term cooling trend, was associated with an aridity crisis which strongly modified the ecosystems. Starting from the MPT the more favourable climate of central and southern Italy provided propitious environmental conditions for long-term human occupations even during the glacial times. In fact, the human strategy of territory occupation was certainly driven by the availabilities of resources. Prehistoric sites such as Notarchirico (ca. 680-600 ka), La Pineta (ca. 600-620 ka), Guado San Nicola (ca. 380-350 ka) or Ceprano (ca. 345-355 ka) testify to a preferential occupation of the central and southern Apennines valleys during interglacial phases, while later interglacial occupations were oriented towards the coastal plains, as attested by the numerous settlements of the Roma Basin (ca. 300 ka). Faunal remains indicate that human subsistence behaviours benefited from a diversity of exploitable ecosystems, from semi-open to closed environments. In central and southern Italy, several palynological records have already illustrated the regional- and local-scale vegetation dynamic trends. During the Middle Pleistocene climate cycles, mixed mesophytic forests developed during the interglacial periods and withdrew in response to increasing aridity during the glacial episodes. New pollen data from the Boiano Basin (Molise, Italy) attest to the evolution of vegetation and climate between MIS 13 and 9 (ca. 500 to 300 ka). In this basin the persistence of high edaphic humidity, even during the glacial phases, could have favoured the establishment of a refuge area for the arboreal flora and provided subsistence resources for the animal and hominin communities during the Middle

Hominin responses to environmental changes during the Middle Pleistocene in Central and Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orain, R.; Lebreton, V.; Russo Ermolli, E.; Sémah, A.-M.; Nomade, S.; Shao, Q.; Bahain, J.-J.; Thun Hohenstein, U.; Peretto, C.

2012-10-01

The palaeobotanical record of early Palaeolithic sites from Western Europe indicates that hominins settled in different kinds of environments. During the "Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT)", from about 1 to 0.6 Ma, the transition from 41-ka to 100-ka dominant climatic oscillations, occurring within a long-term cooling trend, was associated with an aridity crisis which strongly modified the ecosystems. Starting from the MPT the more favorable climate of central and southern Italy provided propitious environmental conditions for long-term human occupations even during the glacial times. In fact, the human strategy of territory occupation was certainly driven by the availabilities of resources. Prehistoric sites such as Notarchirico (ca. 680-600 ka), La Pineta (ca. 600-620 ka), Gaudo San Nicola (ca. 380-350 ka) or Ceprano (ca. 345-355 ka) testify to a preferential occupation of the central and southern Apennines valleys during interglacial phases, while later interglacial occupations were oriented towards the coastal plains, as attested by the numerous settlements of the Roma basin (ca. 300 ka). Faunal remains indicate that human subsistence behaviors benefited of a diversity of exploitable ecosystems, from semi-open to closed environments. In central and southern Italy, several palynological records have already illustrated the regional and local scale vegetation dynamic trends. During the Middle Pleistocene climate cycles, mixed mesophytic forests developed during the interglacial periods and withdrew in response to increasing aridity during the glacial episodes. New pollen data from the Boiano basin (Molise, Italy), attest to the evolution of vegetation and climate between OIS 13 and 9 (ca. 500 to 300 ka). In this basin, the persistence of high edaphic humidity, even during the glacial phases, could have favored the establishment of a refuge area for the arboreal flora and provided subsistence resources for the animal and hominin communities during the Middle

Laboratory Scale Experiments and Numerical Modeling of Cosolvent flushing of NAPL Mixtures in Saturated Porous Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agaoglu, B.; Scheytt, T. J.; Copty, N. K.

2011-12-01

This study examines the mechanistic processes governing multiphase flow of a water-cosolvent-NAPL system in saturated porous media. Laboratory batch and column flushing experiments were conducted to determine the equilibrium properties of pure NAPL and synthetically prepared NAPL mixtures as well as NAPL recovery mechanisms for different water-ethanol contents. The effect of contact time was investigated by considering different steady and intermittent flow velocities. A modified version of multiphase flow simulator (UTCHEM) was used to compare the multiphase model simulations with the column experiment results. The effect of employing different grid geometries (1D, 2D, 3D), heterogeneity and different initial NAPL saturation configurations were also examined in the model. It is shown that the change in velocity affects the mass transfer rate between phases as well as the ultimate NAPL recovery percentage. The experiments with slow flow rate flushing of pure NAPL and the 3D UTCHEM simulations gave similar effluent concentrations and NAPL cumulative recoveries. The results were less consistent for fast non-equilibrium flow conditions. The dissolution process from the NAPL mixture into the water-ethanol flushing solutions was found to be more complex than dissolution expressions incorporated in the numerical model. The dissolution rate of individual organic compounds (namely Toluene and Benzene) from a mixture NAPL into the ethanol-water flushing solution is found not to correlate with their equilibrium solubility values.The implications of this controlled experimental and modeling study on field cosolvent remediation applications are discussed.

Epidemiology of cholelithiasis in southern Italy. Part II: Risk factors.

PubMed

Misciagna, G; Leoci, C; Guerra, V; Chiloiro, M; Elba, S; Petruzzi, J; Mossa, A; Noviello, M R; Coviello, A; Minutolo, M C; Mangini, V; Messa, C; Cavallini, A; De Michele, G; Giorgio, I

1996-06-01

To determine behavioural, dietary and other common factors associated with new cases of gallstones, diagnosed by ultrasonography, in a prospective cohort study conducted in southern Italy. Between May 1985 and June 1986, systematic sampling from the electoral register of Castellana, a small town in southern Italy, yielded 2472 subjects who had had their gallbladder checked for gallstones by ultrasonography. Between May 1992 and June 1993, 1962 out of the 2235 (87.7%) subjects without gallstones at baseline agreed to a further ultrasound examination. At the first survey a standardized questionnaire was administered, inquiring about medical history, diet, cigarette smoking and other behavioural characteristics. Height and weight were also measured, and blood levels of glucose, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were determined by standard methods. The same variables were measured at the second survey. The diagnosis of gallstones was made with the same echograph by echographists working in the same department. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine which factors measured at the first survey were associated with the incident cases of gallstones. One hundred and four subjects had developed gallstones, an incidence of 9.7 per 1000 persons per year. Age, body mass index (BMI), weight change, a history of diabetes, constipation (shown by use of laxatives), cigarette smoking, years of schooling, consumption of fried foods and excessive oil, and pregnancy in females, were positively associated with the incidence of gallstones. Consumption of wine, coffee, fish and wholemeal bread was inversely associated. Sex, family history of cholelithiasis, use of oral contraceptives and serum lipids were not independent risk factors for gallstones. The results of this study confirm many gallstone-associated factors reported in previous cross-sectional and case-control studies, as well as in other cohort studies based on the clinical diagnosis of gallstones, such

In Situ NAPL Modification for Contaminant Source-Zone Passivation, Mass Flux Reduction, and Remediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mateas, D. J.; Tick, G.; Carroll, K. C.

2016-12-01

A remediation method was developed to reduce the aqueous solubility and mass-flux of target NAPL contaminants through the in-situ creation of a NAPL mixture source-zone. This method was tested in the laboratory using equilibrium batch tests and two-dimensional flow-cell experiments. The creation of two different NAPL mixture source zones were tested in which 1) volumes of relatively insoluble n-hexadecane (HEX) or vegetable oil (VO) were injected into a trichloroethene (TCE) contaminant source-zone; and 2) pre-determined HEX-TCE and VO-TCE mixture ratio source zones were emplaced into the flow cell prior to water flushing. NAPL-aqueous phase batch tests were conducted prior to the flow-cell experiments to evaluate the effects of various NAPL mixture ratios on equilibrium aqueous-phase concentrations of TCE and toluene (TOL) and to design optimal NAPL (HEX or VO) injection volumes for the flow-cell experiments. Uniform NAPL mixture source-zones were able to quickly decrease contaminant mass-flux, as demonstrated by the emplaced source-zone experiments. The success of the HEX and VO injections to also decrease mass flux was dependent on the ability of these injectants to homogeneously mix with TCE source-zone. Upon injection, both HEX and VO migrated away from the source-zone, to some extent. However, the lack of a steady-state dissolution phase and the inefficient mass-flux-reduction/mass-removal behavior produced after VO injection suggest that VO was more effective than HEX for mixing and partitioning within the source-zone region to form a more homogeneous NAPL mixture with TCE. VO appears to be a promising source-zone injectant-NAPL due to its negligible long-term toxicity and lower mobilization potential.

Retrospective Study of Hemoparasites in Cattle in Southern Italy by Reverse Line Blot Hybridization

PubMed Central

CECI, Luigi; IARUSSI, Fabrizio; GRECO, Beatrice; LACINIO, Rosanna; FORNELLI, Stefania; CARELLI, Grazia

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Tick-borne diseases are widespread in tropical and temperate regions and are responsible for important economic losses in those areas. In order to assess the presence and prevalence of various pathogens in southern Italy, we retrospectively analyzed cattle blood samples collected for a previous study in 2000 using reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization. The study had been carried out in three regions of southern Italy on 1,500 randomly selected and apparently healthy adult cattle. RLB showed that 43.7% of the cattle were positive for nine different species of hemoparasites with either a single infection or a mixed infection. Theileria buffeli was the most common species found, being present in 27.3% of the animals, followed by Anaplasma marginale in 18.1%, Anaplasma centrale in 13.8%, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma bovis in 4.2%, Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 1.7%, Babesia bovis in 1.6%, Babesia major in 0.2% and Babesia divergens in 0.1%. Complete blood counts showed different degrees of anemia in 363 animals (24.2%) and of these, 169 were RLB-positive for at least one pathogen. Among the ticks that were collected from the cattle, the following species were identified: Rhipicephalus bursa, Ixodes ricinus, Hyalomma marginatum, Boophilus annulatus, Dermacentor marginatus and Haemaphysalis (sulcata, parva, inermis and punctata). The results obtained confirmed the spread of endemic tick-borne pathogens in the regions studied. PMID:24614604

Retrospective study of hemoparasites in cattle in southern Italy by reverse line blot hybridization.

PubMed

Ceci, Luigi; Iarussi, Fabrizio; Greco, Beatrice; Lacinio, Rosanna; Fornelli, Stefania; Carelli, Grazia

2014-06-01

Tick-borne diseases are widespread in tropical and temperate regions and are responsible for important economic losses in those areas. In order to assess the presence and prevalence of various pathogens in southern Italy, we retrospectively analyzed cattle blood samples collected for a previous study in 2000 using reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization. The study had been carried out in three regions of southern Italy on 1,500 randomly selected and apparently healthy adult cattle. RLB showed that 43.7% of the cattle were positive for nine different species of hemoparasites with either a single infection or a mixed infection. Theileria buffeli was the most common species found, being present in 27.3% of the animals, followed by Anaplasma marginale in 18.1%, Anaplasma centrale in 13.8%, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma bovis in 4.2%, Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 1.7%, Babesia bovis in 1.6%, Babesia major in 0.2% and Babesia divergens in 0.1%. Complete blood counts showed different degrees of anemia in 363 animals (24.2%) and of these, 169 were RLB-positive for at least one pathogen. Among the ticks that were collected from the cattle, the following species were identified: Rhipicephalus bursa, Ixodes ricinus, Hyalomma marginatum, Boophilus annulatus, Dermacentor marginatus and Haemaphysalis (sulcata, parva, inermis and punctata). The results obtained confirmed the spread of endemic tick-borne pathogens in the regions studied.

Visualization of dyed NAPL concentration in transparent porous media using color space components.

PubMed

Kashuk, Sina; Mercurio, Sophia R; Iskander, Magued

2014-07-01

Finding a correlation between image pixel information and non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) saturation is an important issue in bench-scale geo-environmental model studies that employ optical imaging techniques. Another concern is determining the best dye color and its optimum concentration as a tracer for use in mapping NAPL zones. Most bench scale flow studies employ monochromatic gray-scale imaging to analyze the concentration of mostly red dyed NAPL tracers in porous media. However, the use of grayscale utilizes a third of the available information in color images, which typically contain three color-space components. In this study, eight color spaces consisting of 24 color-space components were calibrated against dye concentration for three color-dyes. Additionally, multiple color space components were combined to increase the correlation between color-space data and dyed NAPL concentration. This work is performed to support imaging of NAPL migration in transparent synthetic soils representing the macroscopic behavior of natural soils. The transparent soil used in this study consists of fused quartz and a matched refractive index mineral-oil solution that represents the natural aquifer. The objective is to determine the best color dye concentration and ideal color space components for rendering dyed sucrose-saturated fused quartz that represents contamination of the natural aquifer by a dense NAPL (DNAPL). Calibration was achieved for six NAPL zone lengths using 3456 images (24 color space components×3 dyes×48 NAPL combinations) of contaminants within a defined criteria expressed as peak signal to noise ratio. The effect of data filtering was also considered and a convolution average filter is recommended for image conditioning. The technology presented in this paper is fast, accurate, non-intrusive and inexpensive method for quantifying contamination zones using transparent soil models. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seismic Investigations of the Murci Geothermal Field (Southern Tuscany, Italy): Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riedel, M.; Alexandrakis, C.; Buske, S.

2013-12-01

The Monte Amiata region in the Southern Tuscany, Central Italy, describes a volcanic complex with great significance in terms of the regional fresh water supply, mining and geothermal power generation. Mainly for the latter purpose, the volcanic area of Mt Amiata has been the subject of extensive geological and geophysical research (e.g. Dini et al., 2010 and references therein). The insights from these studies have led to successful geothermal production in the Mt Amiata region since the early 1960s (e.g. Batini et al., 2003). Today's most important reservoirs in this area are the Bagnore and the Piancastagnaio fields which are both operated by the company Enel Green Power. The work presented here deals with the Murci area, another potential reservoir located about 10 km southwest of the Mt Amiata volcanic complex. Therefore, in order to get a more detailed understanding of this area, five reflection seismic profiles were carried out. We have performed on three of them a preliminary depth-migrated images, through Kirchhoff prestack depth migration (KPSDM). The vital point of depth migration algorithms is the accuracy of the velocity model that is used for the backpropagation of the seismic data. Therefore, we derived a suitable 1D starting model from nearby well logs and VSP measurements. In order to remove the large topography effects along the profiles, we then utilized first-arrival tomography for each seismic line. For the following processing we incorporated these 2D tomographic results into our starting model which compensates for static effects and improves the resolution in the near-surface area. The velocity models were then used in the application of KPSDM to the seismic data for each profile, respectively. The resulting preliminary images show a zone of high seismic reflectivity, known as the 'K-horizon' (e.g. Brogi, 2008), and could improve its geological interpretation. These promising results encourage us to proceed with deeper migration velocity

A novel experimental procedure to investigate the biodegradation of NAPL under unsaturated conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andre, Laurent; Kedziorek, Monika A. M.; Bourg, Alain C. M.; Haeseler, Frank; Blanchet, Denis

2009-05-01

SummarySoils need to be thoroughly investigated regarding their potential for the natural attenuation of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL). Laboratory investigations truly representative of degradation processes in field conditions are difficult to implement for porous media partially saturated with water, NAPL and air. We propose an innovative protocol to investigate degradation processes under steady-state vadose zone conditions. Experiments are carried out in glass columns filled with a sand and, as bacteria source, a soil from a diesel-fuel-polluted site. Water and NAPL ( n-hexadecane diluted in heptamethylnonane (HMN)) are added to the porous medium in a two-step procedure using ceramic membranes placed at the bottom of the column. This procedure results, for appropriate experimental conditions, in a uniform distribution of the two fluids (water and NAPL) throughout the column. In a biodegradation experiment non-biodegradable HMN is used to provide NAPL mass, while keeping biodegradable n-hexadecane small enough to monitor its rapid degradation. Biodegradation is followed as a function of time by measuring oxygen consumption, using a respirometer. Degradative activity is controlled by diffusive transfers in the porous network, of oxygen from the gas phase to the water phase and of n-hexadecane from the NAPL phase to the water phase.

Like a pig out of water: seaborne spread of domestic pigs in Southern Italy and Sardinia during the Bronze and Iron Ages.

PubMed

Lega, C; Fulgione, D; Genovese, A; Rook, L; Masseti, M; Meiri, M; Cinzia Marra, A; Carotenuto, F; Raia, P

2017-02-01

Southern Italy has a long history of human occupation and passage of different cultures since the Early Holocene. Repeated, ancient introductions of pigs in several geographic areas in Europe make it difficult to understand pig translocation and domestication in Italy. The archeozoological record may provide fundamental information on this, hence shedding light on peopling and on trading among different ancient cultures in the Mediterranean. Yet, because of the scanty nature of the fossil record, ancient remains from human-associated animals are somewhat rare. Fortunately, ancient DNA analysis as applied to domestic species proved to be a powerful tool in revealing human migrations. Herein, we analyzed 80-bp fragment of mitochondrial DNA control region from 27 Sus scrofa ancient samples retrieved from Southern Italian and Sardinian archeological sites, spanning in age from the Mesolithic to the Roman period. Our results surprisingly indicate the presence of the Near Eastern haplotype Y1 on both Italy's major islands (Sardinia and Sicily) during the Bronze Age, suggesting the seaborne transportation of domestic pigs by humans at least during 1600-1300 BC. The presence of the Italian E2 clade in domestic contexts shows that the indigenous wild boar was effectively domesticated or incorporated into domestic stocks in Southern Italy during the Bronze Age, although the E2 haplotype has never been found in modern domestic breeds. Pigs belonging to the endemic E2 clade were thus traded between the Peninsula and Sardinia by the end of the second millennium BC and this genetic signature is still detected in Sardinian feral pigs.

Like a pig out of water: seaborne spread of domestic pigs in Southern Italy and Sardinia during the Bronze and Iron Ages

PubMed Central

Lega, C; Fulgione, D; Genovese, A; Rook, L; Masseti, M; Meiri, M; Cinzia Marra, A; Carotenuto, F; Raia, P

2017-01-01

Southern Italy has a long history of human occupation and passage of different cultures since the Early Holocene. Repeated, ancient introductions of pigs in several geographic areas in Europe make it difficult to understand pig translocation and domestication in Italy. The archeozoological record may provide fundamental information on this, hence shedding light on peopling and on trading among different ancient cultures in the Mediterranean. Yet, because of the scanty nature of the fossil record, ancient remains from human-associated animals are somewhat rare. Fortunately, ancient DNA analysis as applied to domestic species proved to be a powerful tool in revealing human migrations. Herein, we analyzed 80-bp fragment of mitochondrial DNA control region from 27 Sus scrofa ancient samples retrieved from Southern Italian and Sardinian archeological sites, spanning in age from the Mesolithic to the Roman period. Our results surprisingly indicate the presence of the Near Eastern haplotype Y1 on both Italy's major islands (Sardinia and Sicily) during the Bronze Age, suggesting the seaborne transportation of domestic pigs by humans at least during 1600–1300 BC. The presence of the Italian E2 clade in domestic contexts shows that the indigenous wild boar was effectively domesticated or incorporated into domestic stocks in Southern Italy during the Bronze Age, although the E2 haplotype has never been found in modern domestic breeds. Pigs belonging to the endemic E2 clade were thus traded between the Peninsula and Sardinia by the end of the second millennium BC and this genetic signature is still detected in Sardinian feral pigs. PMID:27649620

Laboratory-scale experiments and numerical modeling of cosolvent flushing of multi-component NAPLs in saturated porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agaoglu, Berken; Scheytt, Traugott; Copty, Nadim K.

2012-10-01

This study examines the mechanistic processes governing multiphase flow of a water-cosolvent-NAPL system in saturated porous media. Laboratory batch and column flushing experiments were conducted to determine the equilibrium properties of pure NAPL and synthetically prepared NAPL mixtures as well as NAPL recovery mechanisms for different water-ethanol contents. The effect of contact time was investigated by considering different steady and intermittent flow velocities. A modified version of multiphase flow simulator (UTCHEM) was used to compare the multiphase model simulations with the column experiment results. The effect of employing different grid geometries (1D, 2D, 3D), heterogeneity and different initial NAPL saturation configurations was also examined in the model. It is shown that the change in velocity affects the mass transfer rate between phases as well as the ultimate NAPL recovery percentage. The experiments with low flow rate flushing of pure NAPL and the 3D UTCHEM simulations gave similar effluent concentrations and NAPL cumulative recoveries. Model simulations over-estimated NAPL recovery for high specific discharges and rate-limited mass transfer, suggesting a constant mass transfer coefficient for the entire flushing experiment may not be valid. When multi-component NAPLs are present, the dissolution rate of individual organic compounds (namely, toluene and benzene) into the ethanol-water flushing solution is found not to correlate with their equilibrium solubility values.

Electromagnetic outline of the Solfatara-Pisciarelli hydrothermal system, Campi Flegrei (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troiano, Antonio; Giulia Di Giuseppe, Maria; Patella, Domenico; Troise, Claudia; De Natale, Giuseppe

2014-05-01

We describe the results from a combined CSAMT and MT survey carried out in the Solfatara-Pisciarelli area, located in the central part of the Campi Flegrei composite caldera, west of Naples, Southern Italy. The Solfatara-Pisciarelli area represents the most active zone within the CF area, in terms of hydrothermal manifestations and local seismicity. Since 1969, the caldera is experiencing ground deformation, seismicity and geochemical fluid changes, which are particularly evident in this area. A 1 km long, nearly W-E directed CSAMT-MT profile crossing the fumaroles field was carried out with the aim of deducting an EM model of the structural setting of the hydrothermal system in the first 3 km depth. An interpretation of the EM modelled section is given in this paper, taking advantage from already existing seismic, gravity and geochemical data in the same area. Three well distinct EM zones have been outlined. The first EM zone is a very shallow, electrically conductive body localized beneath the westernmost segment of the profile, which, within a short distance of about 100 m, dips westwards from near surface down to some hundred metres depth. Mostly accounting for the very low resistivity (1-10 Ωm) and the exceedingly high values of vP/vS (>4), this shallow zone has been ascribed to a water-saturated, high-pressurized geothermal reservoir. The second EM zone, which has been localized below the west-central portion of the EM transect, appears as a composite body made of a nearly vertical plumelike structure that escapes at about 2.25 km depth from the top edge of the east side of a presumably horizontal platelike body. The plumelike structure rises up to the free surface in correspondence of the fumaroles field, whereas the platelike structure deepens at least down to the 3 km of maximum EM exploration depth. The combined interpretation of resistivity, wave velocity, gravity and geochemical data indicates the plumelike portion is likely associated with a steam

An application of a multi model approach for solar energy prediction in Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avolio, Elenio; Lo Feudo, Teresa; Calidonna, Claudia Roberta; Contini, Daniele; Torcasio, Rosa Claudia; Tiriolo, Luca; Montesanti, Stefania; Transerici, Claudio; Federico, Stefano

2015-04-01

The accuracy of the short and medium range forecast of solar irradiance is very important for solar energy integration into the grid. This issue is particularly important for Southern Italy where a significant availability of solar energy is associated with a poor development of the grid. In this work we analyse the performance of two deterministic models for the prediction of surface temperature and short-wavelength radiance for two sites in southern Italy. Both parameters are needed to forecast the power production from solar power plants, so the performance of the forecast for these meteorological parameters is of paramount importance. The models considered in this work are the RAMS (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System) and the WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting Model) and they were run for the summer 2013 at 4 km horizontal resolution over Italy. The forecast lasts three days. Initial and dynamic boundary conditions are given by the 12 UTC deterministic forecast of the ECMWF-IFS (European Centre for Medium Weather Range Forecast - Integrated Forecasting System) model, and were available every 6 hours. Verification is given against two surface stations located in Southern Italy, Lamezia Terme and Lecce, and are based on hourly output of models forecast. Results for the whole period for temperature show a positive bias for the RAMS model and a negative bias for the WRF model. RMSE is between 1 and 2 °C for both models. Results for the whole period for the short-wavelength radiance show a positive bias for both models (about 30 W/m2 for both models) and a RMSE of 100 W/m2. To reduce the model errors, a statistical post-processing technique, i.e the multi-model, is adopted. In this approach the two model's outputs are weighted with an adequate set of weights computed for a training period. In general, the performance is improved by the application of the technique, and the RMSE is reduced by a sizeable fraction (i.e. larger than 10% of the initial RMSE

Laboratory-scale experiments and numerical modeling of cosolvent flushing of multi-component NAPLs in saturated porous media.

PubMed

Agaoglu, Berken; Scheytt, Traugott; Copty, Nadim K

2012-10-01

This study examines the mechanistic processes governing multiphase flow of a water-cosolvent-NAPL system in saturated porous media. Laboratory batch and column flushing experiments were conducted to determine the equilibrium properties of pure NAPL and synthetically prepared NAPL mixtures as well as NAPL recovery mechanisms for different water-ethanol contents. The effect of contact time was investigated by considering different steady and intermittent flow velocities. A modified version of multiphase flow simulator (UTCHEM) was used to compare the multiphase model simulations with the column experiment results. The effect of employing different grid geometries (1D, 2D, 3D), heterogeneity and different initial NAPL saturation configurations was also examined in the model. It is shown that the change in velocity affects the mass transfer rate between phases as well as the ultimate NAPL recovery percentage. The experiments with low flow rate flushing of pure NAPL and the 3D UTCHEM simulations gave similar effluent concentrations and NAPL cumulative recoveries. Model simulations over-estimated NAPL recovery for high specific discharges and rate-limited mass transfer, suggesting a constant mass transfer coefficient for the entire flushing experiment may not be valid. When multi-component NAPLs are present, the dissolution rate of individual organic compounds (namely, toluene and benzene) into the ethanol-water flushing solution is found not to correlate with their equilibrium solubility values. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Numerical Modelling of Smouldering Combustion as a Remediation Technology for NAPL Source Zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macphee, S. L.; Pironi, P.; Gerhard, J. I.; Rein, G.

2009-05-01

Smouldering combustion of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) is a novel concept that has significant potential for the remediation of contaminated industrial sites. Many common NAPLs, including coal tar, solvents, oils and petrochemicals are combustible and capable of generating substantial amounts of heat when burned. Smouldering is a flameless form of combustion in which a condensed phase fuel undergoes surface oxidation reactions within a porous matrix. Gerhard et al., 2006 (Eos Trans., 87(52), Fall Meeting Suppl. H24A) presented proof-of-concept experiments demonstrating the successful destruction of NAPLs embedded in a porous medium via smouldering. Pironi et al., 2008 (Eos Trans., 89(53), Fall Meet. Suppl. H34C) presented a series of column experiments illustrating the self-sustaining nature of the NAPL smouldering process and examined its sensitivity to a variety of key system parameters. In this work, a numerical model capable of simulating the propagation of a smouldering front in NAPL-contaminated porous media is presented. The model couples the multiphase flow code DNAPL3D-MT [Gerhard and Grant, 2007] with an analytical model for fire propagation [Richards, 1995]. The fire model is modified in this work for smouldering behaviour; in particular, incorporating a correlation of the velocity of the smouldering front to key parameters such as contaminant type, NAPL saturation, water saturation, porous media type and air injection rate developed from the column experiments. NAPL smouldering simulations are then validated against the column experiments. Furthermore, multidimensional simulations provide insight into scaling up the remediation process and are valuable for evaluating process sensitivity at the scales of in situ pilot and field applications.

The Crotone Megalandslide, southern Italy: Architecture, timing and tectonic control.

PubMed

Zecchin, Massimo; Accaino, Flavio; Ceramicola, Silvia; Civile, Dario; Critelli, Salvatore; Da Lio, Cristina; Mangano, Giacomo; Prosser, Giacomo; Teatini, Pietro; Tosi, Luigi

2018-05-17

Large-scale submarine gravitational land movements involving even more than 1,000 m thick sedimentary successions are known as megalandslides. We prove the existence of large-scale gravitational phenomena off the Crotone Basin, a forearc basin located on the Ionian side of Calabria (southern Italy), by seismic, morpho-bathymetric and well data. Our study reveals that the Crotone Megalandslide started moving between Late Zanclean and Early Piacenzian and was triggered by a contractional tectonic event leading to the basin inversion. Seaward gliding of the megalandslide continued until roughly Late Gelasian, and then resumed since Middle Pleistocene with a modest rate. Interestingly, the onshore part of the basin does not show a gravity-driven deformation comparable to that observed in the marine area, and this peculiar evidence allows some speculations on the origin of the megalandslide.

Real-world automotive particulate matter and PAH emission factors and profile concentrations: Results from an urban tunnel experiment in Naples, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riccio, A.; Chianese, E.; Monaco, D.; Costagliola, M. A.; Perretta, G.; Prati, M. V.; Agrillo, G.; Esposito, A.; Gasbarra, D.; Shindler, L.; Brusasca, G.; Nanni, A.; Pozzi, C.; Magliulo, V.

2016-09-01

On-road particulate matter (PM) mass was measured during a sampling campaign in March of 2015 in the '4 giornate' tunnel in Naples, Italy. Two sets of samples were collected at both sides of the tunnel, each set representing the daily cycle at a 1 h time resolution. Distance-based - mass per kilometer - and fuel-based - mass per burned fuel - emission factors (EFs) were calculated using mass concentrations, traffic flow rates and wind speed as a function of fleet composition. Also, chemical analyses were performed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Due to the high traffic volume, particle mass concentration at the tunnel exit was always significantly elevated relative to entrance concentration; depending on the hour of the day, PM10 concentration ranged between 300 μg/m3, during the early afternoon, and 600 μg/m3 during rush hours at the tunnel exit. Correspondingly, PAHs achieved concentrations as high as 1450 ng/m3, and benzo(a)pyrene, a surely carcinogenic compound, achieved concentrations as high as 69 ng/m3, raising serious concerns in relation to population exposure close to this urban tunnel. Distance-based and fuel-based emission factors for CO2, PM10 and PAHs were estimated, but while the EF for CO2 was within the range of expected values, the present study found much higher EFs for particulate matter and PAHs. According to the national official statistics from ISPRA (the Italian Institute for the Protection and Research on Environment), derived from the COPERT database, we expected an EF for particulate matter of about 55 mg/km, but the EF estimated from measurements taken at both sides of the tunnel was about four times higher than that expected; also, benzo(a)pyrene achieved an average EF of 2.7 μg/km, about three times higher than that expected from the ISPRA database.

Development of Guidelines for Health Impact Assessment in Southern Italy.

PubMed

Bert, Fabrizio; Gualano, Maria Rosaria; Di Stanislao, Francesco; Siliquini, Roberta; Tozzi, Quinto; Pizzuti, Renato; Rizzo, Liliana; Scondotto, Salvatore; Bux, Francesco

2016-01-01

Health impact assessment (HIA) is a multidisciplinary method aimed at assessing the health effects of policies, plans, and projects using quantitative, qualitative, and participatory techniques. In many European countries, such as in Italy, there is a lack of implementation of HIA procedures and it would be necessary to develop instruments and protocols in order to improve the specific skills of professionals involved in the assessment process. This article aims to describe the development and implementation of HIA guidelines, promoted by the Italian National Agency for Regional Health Services (AGENAS), in 4 Southern Italian regions. Public health search engine and institutional Web sites were consulted to collect international data existing in this field. Monthly workshops were then organized with regional representatives to discuss the scientific literature and to identify the guidelines' contents: source of data, stakeholders, screening- and scoping-phase checklist tools, priority areas, monitoring, and reporting plans. Four regions (Calabria, Campania, Puglia, and Sicilia) took part in the project. This article describes the methodology of development and implementation of HIA guidelines in the Italian context. The tools created to collect data and assess health consequences (such as screening and scoping grids) are reported. This project represents the first structured initiative proposed and supported by the Ministry of Health aiming to introduce HIA in Italy. HIA should be considered a priority in the public health agenda, as a fundamental instrument in helping decision makers to make choices about alternatives to prevent disease/injury and to actively promote health.

USING TRACERS TO DESCRIBE NAPL HETEROGENEITY

EPA Science Inventory

Tracers are frequently used to estimate both the average travel time for water flow through the tracer swept volume and NAPL saturation. The same data can be used to develop a statistical distribution describing the hydraulic conductivity in the sept volume and a possible distri...

Sedimentology of the Paestum travertines, Salerno, Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anzalone, E.; Ferreri, V.; D'Argenio, B.

2009-04-01

The Paestum travertines, outcrop in the southern part of the Sele plain (Campania, southern Italy)and span in age from the late Pleistocene to the Recent. We have considered both the travertines resting under the ancient town of Paestum (founded by Sybaris Greeks in the VII century b.C.) and in its vicinities, as well as the travertine incrustations that post-date the VII century a.C. and partly cover the archaeological area. The textures and sedimentary features of the above rocks allow the environmental dynamics of the ancient as well as of the recent travertine deposits to be interpreted. The age of the ancient travertines ranges from 30-40 ka to 70-75 ka, even though more recent times of deposition cannot be excluded. They are genetically related to the waters springing from the south- western margin of the Mesozoic-Tertiary carbonates of Monte Soprano and Monte Sottano. These waters flow also through the travertines and their neighbouring deposits, feeding other springs along the coast. The travertines, both in situ and forming the building blocks of the town walls, have been classified using the textural nomenclature of the primary incrustations. On this basis, different lithofacies have been recognized and grouped into 3 main lithofacies associations: 1) Microhermal and Stromatolitic Travertines associated with Grain Supported Phytoclastic Travertines (gentle to steep slope environments); this lithofacies association is largely represented in the foundation travertines as well as in the blocks used to build the walls and the monuments of the ancient town; 2) Phytohermal and Microhermal Travertines (rapid and waterfall environments); this lithofacies association is well exposed in the foundation travertines of Porta Marina (western side of the town) and in some wall blocks (e.g. nearby Porta Sirena, eastern side of the town); 3) Phytoclastic and Phytohermal Travertines (swamp and marsh environments); this lithofacies association is common in the blocks

Synanthropy and Temporal Variability of Calliphoridae Living in Cosenza (Calabria, Southern Italy)

PubMed Central

Greco, Silvia; Brandmayr, Pietro; Bonacci, Teresa

2014-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the synanthropy of Diptera: Calliphoridae, insects of forensic importance, in Calabria (southern Italy). The study lasted 2 years, from February 2010 to January 2012, and was carried out in three areas of Cosenza province representing “urban”, “rural”, and “wild” environments. Bottle traps baited with pork were used to catch Calliphoridae. Six species were identified, Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy 1830, Calliphora vomitoria (L.), Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann 1819), Lucilia ampullacea Villeneuve 1922, Lucilia caesar (L.), and Lucilia sericata (Meigen 1826). Data on phenologies in the study areas are reported for these species and the Synanthropy Index was calculated to evaluate their relationship with the human environment. PMID:25527571

Sherwood correlation for dissolution of pooled NAPL in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aydin Sarikurt, Derya; Gokdemir, Cagri; Copty, Nadim K.

2017-11-01

The rate of interphase mass transfer from non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) entrapped in the subsurface into the surrounding mobile aqueous phase is commonly expressed in terms of Sherwood (Sh) correlations that are expressed as a function of flow and porous media properties. Because of the lack of precise methods for the estimation of the interfacial area separating the NAPL and aqueous phases, most studies have opted to use modified Sherwood expressions that lump the interfacial area into the interphase mass transfer coefficient. To date, there are only two studies in the literature that have developed non-lumped Sherwood correlations; however, these correlations have undergone limited validation. In this paper controlled dissolution experiments from pooled NAPL were conducted. The immobile NAPL mass is placed at the bottom of a flow cell filled with porous media with water flowing horizontally on top. Effluent aqueous phase concentrations were measured for a wide range of aqueous phase velocities and for two different porous media. To interpret the experimental results, a two-dimensional pore network model of the NAPL dissolution kinetics and aqueous phase transport was developed. The observed effluent concentrations were then used to compute best-fit mass transfer coefficients. Comparison of the effluent concentrations computed with the two-dimensional pore network model to those estimated with one-dimensional analytical solutions indicates that the analytical model which ignores the transport in the lateral direction can lead to under-estimation of the mass transfer coefficient. Based on system parameters and the estimated mass transfer coefficients, non-lumped Sherwood correlations were developed and compared to previously published data. The developed correlations, which are a significant improvement over currently available correlations that are associated with large uncertainties, can be incorporated into future modeling studies requiring non-lumped Sh

Geophysical approach for emergency management of landslide: the experience of Basilicata Civil Protection (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colangelo, G.; Lapenna, V.; Perrone, A.; Loperte, A.

2009-04-01

The Basilicata region (Southern Italy), being dissected by numerous and often significant rivers and characterized by the outcrop of terrains with bad mechanical properties, is one of the more exposed regions of the southern Apennine chain to hydrogeologic hazard and shows a complete panorama of mass movements. During the last years, after strong precipitations, this region has been affected by the reactivation of many quiescent landslides that involved buildings and infrastructures constructed on the slopes. The risk for people and assets needed the intervention of the end users involved in the risk management and, in particular, the inspection of Regional Department of Infrastructure and Civil Protection (RDICP). In many involved areas and for many families evacuation decrees have been issued in order to allow the damage valuation. An important contribution has been provided by the geophysical data and, in particular, by the 2D electrical resistivity tomographies (ERTs) that have been carried out in the areas some days after the event by IMAA-CNR. In this work we present the results regarding the application of unconventional geoelectrical techniques used for the emergency management of landslide in Basilicata Region (southern Italy). The information obtained by the application of indirect surveys appeared to be particularly useful for the end users involved in the risks management. In particular, taking into account the cycle of landslides emergency, the obtained data could give a valid contribution during the post-event phase which mainly regards the damage valuation. Indeed, only a corrected assessment of the damage and a precise geometric reconstruction of the landslide body, can direct the intervention actions of the end users. The results represent a valid cognitive support to choose the most appropriate technical solution for strengthening of the slopes and an example of best practice for the cooperation between the research activity (IMAA-CNR) and field

Quantifying Mass Transfer Processes in Groundwater as a Function of Molecular Structure Variation for Multicomponent NAPL Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, J. B., III; Tick, G. R.; Greenberg, R. R.; Carroll, K. C.

2017-12-01

The remediation of nonaqueous liquid (NAPL) contamination sources in groundwater has been shown to be challenging and have limited success in the field. The presence of multicomponent NAPL sources further complicates the remediation due to variability of mass-transfer (dissolution) behavior as a result of compositional and molecular structure variations between the different compounds within the NAPL phase. This study investigates the effects of the contaminant of concern (COC) composition and the bulk-NAPL components molecular structure (i.e. carbon chain length, aliphatic and aromatic) on dissolution and aqueous phase concentrations in groundwater. The specific COCs tested include trichloroethene (TCE), toluene (TOL), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Each COC was tested in a series of binary batch experiments using insoluble bulk NAPL including n-hexane (HEX), n-decane (DEC), and n-hexadecane (HEXDEC). These equilibrium batch tests were performed to understand how different carbon-chain-length (NAPL) systems affect resulting COC aqueous phase concentrations. The experiments were conducted with four different COC mole fractions mixed within the bulk-NAPL derivatives (0.1:0.9, 0.05:0.95, 0.01:0.99, 0.001:0.999). Raoult's Law was used to assess the relative ideality of the mass transfer processes for each binary equilibrium dissolution experiment. Preliminary results indicate that as mole fraction of the COC decreases (composition effects), greater deviance from dissolution ideality occurs. It was also shown that greater variation in molecular structure (i.e. greater carbon chain length of bulk-NAPL with COC and aromatic COC presence) exhibited greater dissolution nonideality via Raoult's Law analysis. For instance, TOL (aromatic structure) showed greater nonideality than TCE (aliphatic structure) in the presence of the different bulk-NAPL derivatives (i.e. of various aliphatic carbon chains lengths). The results suggest that the prediction of aqueous phase

Identifying the locations of future eruptions within large calderas: Campi Flegrei, Southern Italy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charlton, Danielle; Kilburn, Christopher; Sobradelo, Rosa; Edwards, Stephen

2016-04-01

Large calderas, with surface areas of 100 km2 or more, are among the most populated active volcanoes on Earth. New vents commonly open at locations across the caldera floor. An important goal for hazard mitigation, therefore, is to develop reliable methods for evaluating the most likely location for a future eruption. A preferred approach is to analyse statistically the distributions of previous vents. Using the Campi Flegrei caldera as a test case, we here examine the sensitivity of results to starting assumptions, notably the choice of data set for defining preferred vent locations. Situated immediately west of Naples, in southern Italy, Campi Flegrei poses a direct threat to more than 300,000 people. It has been in episodic unrest since the late 1950s. The unrest is the first since the last eruption in Campi Flegrei in 1538 and suggests that the caldera may have re-entered a state with an increased probability of an eruption. Since the most recent episode of caldera collapse 15.5 ka BP, at least 60 intra-caldera eruptions have occurred across the 150 km2 that make up the modern onshore area of Campi Flegrei. The eruptions have been concentrated within three epochs: 15.5-9.5 ka BP (Epoch 1, c. 27 eruptions), 8.6-8.2 ka BP (Epoch 2; c. 6 eruptions) and 4.8-3.8 ka BP (Epoch 3; c. 27 eruptions). Recent statistical studies of future vent locations have assumed that (1) only data from Epoch 3 are relevant to modern Campi Flegrei, and (2) repeated eruptions from the same vent can be incorporated, whether they are independent events or belong to a connected sequence of activity. We have relaxed these assumptions to investigate data from all epochs and to distinguish between independent and related eruptions from the same vent. Quadrat and nearest-neighbour statistics show that eruptions from Epochs 1 and 2 were distributed within an annulus 3-5 km around modern Pozzuoli, but that, in agreement with previous studies, eruptions occurred preferentially NE-ENE of Pozzuoli

Plasmodium falciparum malaria in 1st-2nd century CE southern Italy.

PubMed

Marciniak, Stephanie; Prowse, Tracy L; Herring, D Ann; Klunk, Jennifer; Kuch, Melanie; Duggan, Ana T; Bondioli, Luca; Holmes, Edward C; Poinar, Hendrik N

2016-12-05

The historical record attests to the devastation malaria exacted on ancient civilizations, particularly the Roman Empire [1]. However, evidence for the presence of malaria during the Imperial period in Italy (1st-5th century CE) is based on indirect sources, such as historical, epigraphic, or skeletal evidence. Although these sources are crucial for revealing the context of this disease, they cannot establish the causative species of Plasmodium. Importantly, definitive evidence for the presence of malaria is now possible through the implementation of ancient DNA technology. As malaria is presumed to have been at its zenith during the Imperial period [1], we selected first or second molars from 58 adults from three cemeteries from this time: Isola Sacra (associated with Portus Romae, 1st-3rd century CE), Velia (1st-2nd century CE), and Vagnari (1st-4th century CE). We performed hybridization capture using baits designed from the mitochondrial (mtDNA) genomes of Plasmodium spp. on a prioritized subset of 11 adults (informed by metagenomic sequencing). The mtDNA sequences generated provided compelling phylogenetic evidence for the presence of P. falciparum in two individuals. This is the first genomic data directly implicating P. falciparum in Imperial period southern Italy in adults. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Micro-scale displacement of NAPL by surfactant and microemulsion in heterogeneous porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javanbakht, Gina; Arshadi, Maziar; Qin, Tianzhu; Goual, Lamia

2017-07-01

Industrial processes such as remediation of oil-contaminated aquifers and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) often utilize chemical additives to increase the removal of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) from subsurface formations. Although the majority of crude oils are classified as LNAPLs, they often contain heavy molecules (DNAPLs) such as asphaltenes that tend to adsorb on minerals and alter their wettability. Effective additives are therefore those that can reduce the threshold capillary pressure, thus mobilizing LNAPL inside pore spaces and solubilizing DNAPL from rock surfaces. Nonionic surfactants in brine have often been injected to oil or contaminated aquifer formations in order to enhance NAPL displacement through IFT reduction. Recent studies revealed that surfactant-based microemulsions have a higher tendency to alter the wettability of surfaces, compared to surfactants alone, leading to more effective NAPL removal. However, the impact of these additives on pore-scale displacement mechanisms and multi-phase fluid occupancy in porous media is, to date, still unclear. In this study, x-ray microtomography experiments were performed to investigate the impact of surfactants and microemulsions on the mobilization and solubilization of NAPL in heterogeneous rocks. Saturation profiles indicated that an incremental NAPL removal was attained by addition of microemulsion to brine, compared with surfactant. Residual cluster size distributions revealed that microemulsions could break up large clusters into smaller disconnected ones, improving their mobilization in the rock. In-situ contact angle measurements showed that microemulsions could reverse the wettability of rough contaminated surfaces to a higher extent than surfactants. Unlike surfactant alone, the surfactant-solvent blend in the carrier fluid of microemulsions was able to penetrate rough grain surfaces, particularly those of dolomite cement, and desorb asphaltenes in the form of small-emulsified NAPL droplets

Serological and Molecular Investigation of Swine Hepatitis E Virus in Pigs Raised in Southern Italy.

PubMed

Costanzo, Nicola; Sarno, Eleonora; Peretti, Vincenzo; Ciambrone, Lucia; Casalinuovo, Francesco; Santoro, Adriano

2015-11-01

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is a common acute hepatitis transmitted by the fecal-oral route. In developed countries, the virus has a zoonotic potential, and domestic pigs and wild boars are considered main reservoirs. To assess the prevalence of HEV-positive animals in the Calabria region (southern Italy) on a serological and molecular level, a total of 216 autochthonous healthy pigs (Apulo-Calabrese breed) were sampled. Both sera and feces were collected. Pigs were grouped based on age: 117 pigs <6 months and 99 pigs >6 months. By using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system, a total of 173 (80%) of the 216 pigs tested seropositive. In all sampled farms (n = 8), pigs with antibodies (immunoglobulin G) against HEV were detected at a level higher than 60%, with a significant difference among age groups (P < 0.0001). Moreover, 16 fattening pigs were found to be nested reverse transcription PCR positive and thus to shed viral genomes in their feces. These positive findings resulted in a prevalence of 48.4% on the farm level (16 of 35 pigs) and an overall prevalence of 7.4% at the animal level (16 of 216 pigs). Based on the present study, HEV seems to circulate among the autochthonous domestic pig population of southern Italy with a low sharing rate. Further studies exploring the origin of infection are needed to minimize the risk of human exposure and to reduce consequences for public health.

Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infections in donkeys from Southern Italy.

PubMed

Piantedosi, D; D'Alessio, N; Di Loria, A; Di Prisco, F; Mariani, U; Neola, B; Santoro, M; Montagnaro, S; Capelli, G; Veneziano, V

2014-12-01

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) has been frequently described in donkeys in subtropical and tropical regions, but published data reflecting large scale surveys are very limited in Europe. The seroprevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi was determined in a donkey population from Campania Region in Southern Italy using a commercial indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), and the risk factors associated with the occurrence of the infection were assessed. Of 203 samples, the overall seroprevalence for EP was 57.1% (116/203), with 35.5% (72/203) for B. caballi and 44.3% (90/203) for T. equi. Co-infection was detected in 46 donkeys (22.6%). The distribution of IFAT antibody titres to B. caballi was: 1:80 (n= 67), 1:160 (n= 2), 1:320 (n= 3); while the distribution of IFAT antibody titres to T. equi was: 1:80 (n= 25), 1:160 (n= 42), 1:320 (n= 12), 1:640 (n= 8), 1:1280 (n= 3). All examined donkeys were asymptomatic, except one adult male (with a titre of 1:640 against T. equi) that showed clinical signs corresponding to the acute stage of EP, reported for the first time in Italy. The unique risk factor associated with a higher B. caballi seroprevalence was the presence of horses in the farms, while risk factors associated with a higher T. equi seroprevalence were poor body condition, presence of ruminants in the farms and milk production. The results indicate a high level of exposure in donkeys living in Southern Italy and suggest that donkeys may be an important reservoir of EP. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Column Experiments of Smouldering Combustion as a Remediation Technology for NAPL Source Zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pironi, P.; Switzer, C.; Rein, G.; Torero, J. L.; Gerhard, J. I.

2008-12-01

Smouldering combustion is an innovative approach that has significant potential for the remediation of industrial sites contaminated by non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). Many common liquid contaminants, including coal tar, solvents, oils and petrochemicals are combustible and release significant amounts of heat when burned. Smouldering combustion is the flameless burning of a condensed fuel that derives heat from surface oxidation reactions. Gerhard et al., 2006 (Eos Trans., 87(52), Fall Meeting Suppl. H24A) presented proof-of-concept experiments demonstrating that NAPLs embedded in a porous medium may be effectively destroyed via smouldering. Based upon that work, it was hypothesized that the process can be self- sustaining, such that, a short duration energy input (i.e., ignition) at a single location is sufficient to generate a reaction that propagates itself through the NAPL source zone until the NAPL is eliminated, provided that enough air is injected into the soil. In this work, this hypothesis is proven via column experiments at the intermediate bench scale (~ 30 cm) utilizing coal tar-contaminated quartz sands. Over 30 such experiments examine the sensitivity of NAPL smouldering to a series of fluid-media system variables and engineering control parameters, including contaminant type, NAPL saturation, water saturation, porous media type and air injection rate. Diagnostic techniques employed to characterize the results include temperature mapping, off-gas analysis (via FTIR), heat front mapping via digital imaging, and pre- and post-treatment soil analysis. The derived relationships between the manipulated system variables and experimental results are providing understanding of the mechanisms controlling the ignition and propagation of liquid smouldering. Such insight is necessary for the ongoing design of both ex situ and in situ pilot applications.

Awareness of health risks related to body art practices among youth in Naples, Italy: a descriptive convenience sample study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Body art practices have emerged as common activities among youth, yet few studies have investigated awareness in different age groups of possible health complications associated with piercing and tattooing. Methods We investigated perceptions of and knowledge about health risks. To highlight differences among age groups, we gathered data from students at high schools and universities in the province of Naples. Results Of 9,322 adolescents, 31.3% were pierced and 11.3% were tattooed. Of 3,610 undergraduates, 33% were pierced and 24.5% were tattooed (p < 0.05). A higher number of females were pierced in both samples, but there were no gender differences among tattooed students. Among high school students, 79.4% knew about infectious risks and 46% about non-infectious risks; the respective numbers among university students were 87.2% and 59.1%. Only 3.5% of students in high school and 15% of university undergraduates acknowledged the risk of viral disease transmission; 2% and 3% knew about allergic risks. Among adolescents and young adults, 6.9% and 15.3%, respectively, provided signed informed consent; the former were less knowledgeable about health risks (24.7% vs. 57.1%) (p < 0.05). Seventy-three percent of the high school students and 33.5% of the university students had body art done at unauthorized facilities. Approximately 7% of both samples reported complications from their purchased body art. Conclusions Results indicate a need for adequate information on health risks associated with body art among students in Naples, mainly among high school students. Therefore, adolescents should be targeted for public health education programs. PMID:21819558

Electromagnetic outline of the Solfatara-Pisciarelli hydrothermal system, Campi Flegrei (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troiano, A.; Di Giuseppe, M. G.; Patella, D.; Troise, C.; De Natale, G.

2014-05-01

We describe the results from a combined controlled source audio magnetotelluric (CSAMT) and natural source magnetotelluric (MT) survey carried out in the Solfatara-Pisciarelli (S-P) area, located in the central part of the Campi Flegrei (CF) composite caldera, west of Naples, Southern Italy. The S-P area represents the most active zone within the CF caldera, in terms of hydrothermal manifestations and local seismicity. Since 1969, the CF caldera is experiencing ground deformation, seismicity and geochemical fluid changes, which are particularly evident in the S-P area. A 1 km long, nearly W-E directed CSAMT-MT profile crossing the fumarole field was carried out in the S-P area with the aim of deducting a resistivity model of the structural setting of the hydrothermal system in the first 3 km depth. An interpretation of the modelled section across the profile is given in this paper, taking advantage from already existing seismic, gravity and geochemical data in the same area. Three well distinct zones have been outlined. The first zone is a very shallow, electrically conductive body localized beneath the westernmost segment of the profile, which, within a short distance of about 100 m, dips westwards from near surface down to some hundred metres in depth. Mostly accounting for the very low resistivity (1-10 Ω m) and the exceedingly high values of vP/vS (> 4), this shallow zone has been ascribed to a water-saturated, high-pressurized geothermal reservoir. The second zone, which has been localized below the west-central portion of the CSAMT-MT transect, appears as a composite body made up of a nearly vertical plumelike structure that escapes at about 2.25 km depth from the top edge of the east side of a presumably horizontal platelike body. The plumelike structure rises up to the free surface in correspondence of the fumarole field, whereas the platelike structure deepens at least down to the 3 km of maximum exploration depth. The combined interpretation of

THREE-DIMENSIONAL NAPL FATE AND TRANSPORT MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

We have added several new and significant capabilities to UTCHEM to make it into a general-purpose NAPL simulator. The simulator is now capable of modeling transient and steady-state three-dimensional flow and mass transport in the groundwater (saturated) and vadose (unsaturated...

Imaging the polarity switch between large seismogenic normal faults in the southern Apennines (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fracassi, U.; Milano, G.; di Giovambattista, R.; Ventura, G.

2009-04-01

The backbone of Italy's Apennines hosts the majority of the seismic moment release in the Italian peninsula. In particular, the area among the southern Abruzzo, southeastern Lazio and Molise regions in central-southern Italy includes the polarity switch, from north to south, between the large SW-verging seismogenic normal faults (the southernmost one being the Aremogna-Cinque Miglia, responsible for a Mw 6.4 event dated 800 B.C-1030 A.D.) and those NE-verging ones (the northernmost one being the Boiano Basin, responsible for the 26 July 1805, Mw 6.6 Molise earthquake), including the Carpino-Le Piane fault system. In addition, the area between these two faults is the locus of extension parallel to the chain axis, as shown by a low-magnitude (M < 3.3) seismic sequence occurred in 2001. As GPS data illustrate, NE-SW striking extension predominates in the western and the inner sectors of the Apennines. All active normal faults along the crest of the Apennines are essentially parallel to the mountain range (NW-SE) and are governed by the current extensional regime that has been in place since the Middle-Upper Pleistocene. However, the occurrence of such polarity switch between antithetic, conjugate seismogenic normal faults in Italy is very uncommon. In addition, the area of research marks the abrupt end of the two (three?) sub-parallel seismogenic belts in Abruzzo (to the north) and the inception of the single, aligned one in Molise (to the south), including the western termination of E-W striking, large oblique-slip faulting in the foreland. In other words, this is a critical area concerning seismogenesis in central Italy and, therefore, the tectonic mechanism that either causes or influences such polarity switch could represent a key ingredient in the above scenario. Between January and May 2005, the RSN (Italy's National Seismometric Network) recorded a rise in the background seismicity, that has been recently relocated. This sequence is essentially a low magnitude

Southern Italy, Instrument Pointing Subsystem

NASA Image and Video Library

1985-08-06

51F-32-024 (29 July - 6 August 1985) --- Italy's “boot heel" surrounded by waters of the Ionian Sea/Golfo di Taranto and the Adriatic Sea is very clearly visible in this scene made with a handheld 70mm camera. Spacelab 2's versatile instrument pointing system (IPS) protrudes from the cargo bay.

Tracer Tests History in the Alburni Massif (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parise, Mario; Santo, Antonio

2017-12-01

The Alburni Massif (Campania, southern Italy) is among the most important Italian karst areas, due to high number of caves (about 300), with several karst systems reaching depth of 500 m, and development of some kilometres. This remarkable karst is mainly related to three geological factors: presence of highly karstifiable and low-fractured Cretaceous and Tertiary limestones; peculiar morphological and structural conformation, with four main faults bounding the massif, forming a wide highplain with a variety of infiltration sites; presence of blind valleys and small catchments on flysch deposits, feeding the many swallets at the contact with the limestone rocks. The Alburni Massif represents an important hydrogeological structure, with a potential of about 10 mc/sec. Three basal spring systems are the main outcomes (Castelcivita, Tanagro and Pertosa) while other minor systems are located at higher elevation, as the Auso spring. The Castelcivita and Pertosa caves, located on the Alburni SW and NE foothills, respectively, are of particular importance also for the local economy, since Castelcivita became a show cave in 1930, followed two years later by Pertosa. Since 1950 many cavers have explored the Alburni Massif, due to the high potential of overall karstification, estimated in about 1 300m, and to the presence on its southern slope of the spectacular Auso spring. In this paper, the tracer tests carried out in the Massif are summarized, with the aim to update the available hydrogeological data, with particular regard to the most recent explorations and tests, carried out during the last 5 years, which brought significant new data to the overall knowledge of this remarkable karst area.

Ethnophytotherapeutical research in the high Molise region (Central-Southern Italy)

PubMed Central

Guarrera, Paolo Maria; Lucchese, Fernando; Medori, Simone

2008-01-01

Background In the years 2003–2005 research was carried out concerning ethno-medicine in the high Molise (central- southern Italy), a region that has been the object of very little investigation from the ethnobotanical point of view. Upper Molise is a continuation of the mountain profiles of the Abruzzi Appenines: a series of hills, steep slopes and deep fluvial valleys making communications difficult. Primordial traditions (e.g. harvest feasts) are typical of the region. Methods Field data were collected through open interviews in the field. These were conducted on both an individual and group level, fresh plants gathered from surrounding areas being displayed. In other cases, individual interviews were conducted by accompanying the person involved to the places where they perform their activities (for example, in the woods with woodcutters, kitchen gardens and fields with housewives, pastures with shepherds, etc.). In total 54 individuals were interviewed. Results Data of 70 taxa belonging to 39 families were gathered. Among the species, 64 are used in human therapy, 5 as insect repellents, 11 in veterinary medicine, 1 to keep eggs and cheeses and 4 for magic purposes. The most important findings in ethno-medicine relate to the lichen Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. (wounds) and to some vascular plant species: Asplenium trichomanes L. and Ceterach officinarum Willd. (to regularize menstruation), Cyclamen hederifolium (chilblains), Centaurium erythraea Rafn. and Pulmonaria apennina Cristof. & Puppi (bruises), while in the ethno-veterinary field, we have Valeriana officinalis L. (wounds sustained by mules). Also worthy of note, given the isolation of the area, is the number of plants used to protect foodstuffs from parasites, among which Allium sativum L. and Capsicum frutescens L. Conclusion The research revealed a deep-rooted and widespread habit of husbanding the family's resources. Whilst isolation and snowfalls contributed to the widespread knowledge of means

Spatial and temporal features of heavy rainstorm events in Calabria, Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terranova, Oreste Giuseppe; Gariano, Stefano Luigi; Greco, Raffaele

2015-04-01

Heavy rainstorms often induce flash floods, shallow landslides and debris flows, which cause several damage to manmade infrastructures and loss of lives. The analysis of spatial distribution and temporal features of intense rainfall events is a fundamental step for a better understanding of the phenomena and for its possible prediction. The present study is an attempt to improve, from a statistical point of view, the understanding at sub-hourly scale of the temporal and spatial structure of intense rainfall events, by examining those that have hit Calabria (Southern Italy) in the years 1998-2008. More in detail, a considerable amount of series with high temporal detail (5 min) related to 155 sites (one rain gauge per less than 100 sq km), were analysed. First, more than 152 thousands rainfall events, separated by at least 6 hours of dry weather, were recognized. Then, less than a third (45,533) were selected, since denoted as erosive. Finally, several heavy rainstorm events (HREs) were chosen by considering the rainfall events recorded simultaneously at different rain gauges, even non-contiguous, within the region. In particular, this further selection was conducted, based on heuristic threshold values of cumulated rainfall (≥ 100 mm), maximum intensity (≥ 50 mm/h), and kinetic energy (≥ 29 MJ/ha). Therefore, 25 distinct HREs, including all the well-known catastrophic geo-hydrological events, were subjected to thorough investigation. The obtained HREs, automatically classified according to their structure in time, were analysed as regards both spatial and temporal evolution. At this end, the 25 HREs were distinguished as widespread (17) or localized (8), if the affected area is ≥ 500 sq km or < 500 sq km, respectively. In particular, the temporal storm structure was described by means of the standardized rainfall profile (rainfall amount vs. duration, in terms on cumulative percentages). Then, a 4-digit binary shape code was adopted to automatically

Progressive approach to eruption at Campi Flegrei caldera in southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilburn, Christopher R. J.; de Natale, Giuseppe; Carlino, Stefano

2017-05-01

Unrest at large calderas rarely ends in eruption, encouraging vulnerable communities to perceive emergency warnings of volcanic activity as false alarms. A classic example is the Campi Flegrei caldera in southern Italy, where three episodes of major uplift since 1950 have raised its central district by about 3 m without an eruption. Individual episodes have conventionally been treated as independent events, so that only data from an ongoing episode are considered pertinent to evaluating eruptive potential. An implicit assumption is that the crust relaxes accumulated stress after each episode. Here we apply a new model of elastic-brittle failure to test the alternative view that successive episodes promote a long-term accumulation of stress in the crust. The results provide the first quantitative evidence that Campi Flegrei is evolving towards conditions more favourable to eruption and identify field tests for predictions on how the caldera will behave during future unrest.

Progressive approach to eruption at Campi Flegrei caldera in southern Italy.

PubMed

Kilburn, Christopher R J; De Natale, Giuseppe; Carlino, Stefano

2017-05-15

Unrest at large calderas rarely ends in eruption, encouraging vulnerable communities to perceive emergency warnings of volcanic activity as false alarms. A classic example is the Campi Flegrei caldera in southern Italy, where three episodes of major uplift since 1950 have raised its central district by about 3 m without an eruption. Individual episodes have conventionally been treated as independent events, so that only data from an ongoing episode are considered pertinent to evaluating eruptive potential. An implicit assumption is that the crust relaxes accumulated stress after each episode. Here we apply a new model of elastic-brittle failure to test the alternative view that successive episodes promote a long-term accumulation of stress in the crust. The results provide the first quantitative evidence that Campi Flegrei is evolving towards conditions more favourable to eruption and identify field tests for predictions on how the caldera will behave during future unrest.

Expectations and reality: a case study of return migration from the United States to Southern Italy.

PubMed

Cerase, F P

1974-01-01

A summary of Italy's emigration flows shows that Southern Italy sent her people abroad in great number, and, at the same time, return migration to Italy has been characteristic of a minority, e.g., an estimated 3000 from the US alone, 1964-68. Italy's modernization proceeded unevenly, the South remaining agricultural and for the most part, economically backward. Any form of identification with Italy as a country did not affect the Southern peasant thus preparing his/her way to emigrate as soon as any opportunity presented itself. Due to all the conditions which facilitated emigration from Italy on an individualistic and nonideological basis and without an understanding of the economic forces pushing the emigrant out, and in view of the lack of understanding of how the New World economy of the US was constituted, it is no surprise that the return migration of some remained as much ad hoc and based solely on individual motivations as was the emigration. The 2 fundamental approaches to the concept of immigrant both start by considering the immigrant in his/her new situation. 1 approach views the immigrant's success in the new situation as dependent upon acquiring values and patterns of behavior which would resolve his/her problems in the new society. According to the other approach, in order to resolve the problems of his/her new situation the immigrant must become critically aware of the consequences of his/her actions. The 1st view of conceiving integration has been prevalent, particularly in the study of international migration. And, mass migration from Italy, from the emigrant's perspective, is connected to a repeatedly unsuccessful search for economic success and failure to reach prevailing cultural objectives. The act of emigration, of abandonment, may thus be seen as the resolution of the disparity between the means at the emigrant's disposal and the objectives he/she seeks. The great majority succeed but some fail, and if they have a home and family to return

Dyke emplacement in a Quaternary active volcano: the exposed swarm of Monte Somma-Vesuvio (Naples, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marinoni, L. B.

2003-04-01

The Monte Somma-Vesuvius is a famous active stratovolcano located on the Bay of Naples (Italy). Unexpectedly, the intrusive complex of this volcano is poorly known. This work focuses on the moderate-intensity dyke swarm that crops out along the caldera wall cut in the Monte Somma (MS) and its host rock. A detailed field survey of 101 individual intrusions consisted of the recording of about 20 parameters for each intrusion according to a standardised method. The intrusions were located in the framework of a new geological map drawn for the caldera wall at a scale 1:2000. The MS intrusions that crop out from 780 to 1055 m a.s.l., are mostly monogenetic steeply-dipping segmented dykes; inclined sheets are also present, generally dipping towards the outer periphery of the volcano. Apparent crosscut due to dyke segmentation is common; true intersections show ambiguous alternation of dyke strikes. Indicators of initial intrusive flow (opening stage of the dyke-hosting fracture) often differ in direction and sense from late-stage indicators. Frequently, dykes intruded sub-horizontally in an early stage and later sub-vertically. The peak extension for MS, computed according to a standardised method, is 81.7 m in the direction N90°, based on 96 exposed sheets. Very likely, most of MS sheets intruded within ~12 ka, giving a time-averaged minimum extension rate of ~7 mm a-1. On MS, the azimuth pattern and the azimuth of peak extension are different in the two portions in which the caldera wall can be divided, east and west of Canale dell'Arena. This difference may indicate that two fault systems affecting the basement underneath the volcano exert their influence on the feeding system. On the other hand, three main dyke sets (among which the set trending NE-SW is prevalent) exist on MS, and inclined sheets form a significant portion of the intrusions. In addition, the peak extension and the percentage extension are comparable quantitatively in the two different sections of

Mapping the origins of Imperial Roman workers (1st-4th century CE) at Vagnari, Southern Italy, using 87 Sr/86 Sr and δ18 O variability.

PubMed

Emery, Matthew V; Stark, Robert J; Murchie, Tyler J; Elford, Spencer; Schwarcz, Henry P; Prowse, Tracy L

2018-04-18

We obtained the oxygen and strontium isotope composition of teeth from Roman period (1st to 4th century CE) inhabitants buried in the Vagnari cemetery (Southern Italy), and present the first strontium isotope variation map of the Italian peninsula using previously published data sets and new strontium data. We test the hypothesis that the Vagnari population was predominantly composed of local individuals, instead of migrants originating from abroad. We analyzed the oxygen ( 18 O/ 16 O) and strontium ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) isotope composition of 43 teeth. We also report the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr composition of an additional 13 molars, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values from fauna (n = 10), and soil (n = 5) samples local to the area around Vagnari. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr variation map of Italy uses 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values obtained from previously published data sources from across Italy (n = 199). Converted tooth carbonate (δ 18 O DW ) and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr data indicate that the majority of individuals buried at Vagnari were local to the region. ArcGIS bounded Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation of the pan-Italian 87 Sr/ 86 Sr data set approximates the expected 87 Sr/ 86 Sr range of Italy's geological substratum, producing the first strontium map of the Italian peninsula. Results suggest that only 7% of individuals buried at Vagnari were born elsewhere and migrated to Vagnari, while the remaining individuals were either local to Vagnari (58%), or from the southern Italian peninsula (34%). Our results are consistent with the suggestion that Roman Imperial lower-class populations in southern Italy sustained their numbers through local reproduction measures, and not through large-scale immigration from outside the Italian peninsula. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Assessment of groundwater recharge in an ash-fall mantled karst aquifer of southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manna, F.; Nimmo, J. R.; De Vita, P.; Allocca, V.

2014-12-01

In southern Italy, Mesozoic carbonate formations, covered by ash-fall pyroclastic soils, are large karst aquifers and major groundwater resources. For these aquifers, even though Allocca et al., 2014 estimated a mean annual groundwater recharge coefficient at regional scale, a more complete understanding of the recharge processes at small spatio-temporal scale is a primary scientific target. In this paper, we study groundwater recharge processes in the Acqua della Madonna test site (Allocca et al., 2008) through the integrated analysis of piezometric levels, rainfall, soil moisture and air temperature data. These were gathered with hourly frequency by a monitoring station in 2008. We applied the Episodic Master Recharge method (Nimmo et al., 2014) to identify episodes of recharge and estimate the Recharge to Precipitation Ratio (RPR) at both the individual-episode and annual time scales. For different episodes of recharge observed, RPR ranges from 97% to 37%, with an annual mean around 73%. This result has been confirmed by a soil water balance and the application of the Thornthwaite-Mather method to estimate actual evapotranspiration. Even though it seems higher than RPRs typical of some parts of the world, it is very close to the mean annual groundwater recharge coefficient estimated at the regional scale for the karst aquifers of southern Italy. In addition, the RPR is affected at the daily scale by both antecedent soil moisture and rainfall intensity, as demonstrated by a statistically significant multiple linear regression among such hydrological variables. In particular, the recharge magnitude is great for low storm intensity and high antecedent soil moisture value. The results advance the comprehension of groundwater recharge processes in karst aquifers, and the sensitivity of RPR to antecedent soil moisture and rainfall intensity facilitates the prediction of the influence of climate and precipitation regime change on the groundwater recharge process.

Coexisting shortening and extension along the "Africa-Eurasia" plate boundary in southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuffaro, M.; Riguzzi, F.; Scrocca, D.; Doglioni, C.

2009-04-01

We performed geodetic strain rate field analyses along the "Africa (Sicily microplate)"-"Eurasia (Tyrrhenian microplate)" plate boundary in Sicily (southern Italy), using new GPS velocities from a data set spanning maximum ten years (1998-2007). Data from GPS permanent stations maintained from different institutions and the recent RING network, settled in Italy in the last five years by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, were included into the analysis. Two dimensional strain and rotation rate fields were estimated by the distance weighted approach on a regularly spaced grid (30*30km), estimating the strain using all stations, but data from each station are weighted by their distance from the grid node by a constant a=70km that specifies how the effect of a station decays with distance from the node grid interpolation. Results show that most of the shortening of the Africa-Eurasia relative motion is distributed in the northwestern side offshore Sicily, whereas the extension becomes comparable with shortening on the western border of the Capo d'Orlando basin, and grater in the northeastern side, offshore Sicily, as directly provided by GPS velocities which show a larger E-ward component of sites located in Calabria with respect to those located either in northern Sicily or in the Ustica-Aeolian islands. Moreover, where shortening and extension have mostly a similar order of magnitude, two rotation rate fields can be detected, CCW in the northwestern side of Sicily, and CW in the northeastern one respectively. Also, 2-D dilatation field records a similar pattern, with negative values (shortening) in the northwestern area of Sicily close to the Ustica island, and positive values (extension) in the northeastern and southeastern ones, respectively. Principal shortening and extension rate axes are consistent with long-term geological features: seismic reflection profiles acquired in the southern Tyrrhenian seismogenic belt show active extensional faults

Three-model ensemble wind prediction in southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torcasio, Rosa Claudia; Federico, Stefano; Calidonna, Claudia Roberta; Avolio, Elenio; Drofa, Oxana; Landi, Tony Christian; Malguzzi, Piero; Buzzi, Andrea; Bonasoni, Paolo

2016-03-01

Quality of wind prediction is of great importance since a good wind forecast allows the prediction of available wind power, improving the penetration of renewable energies into the energy market. Here, a 1-year (1 December 2012 to 30 November 2013) three-model ensemble (TME) experiment for wind prediction is considered. The models employed, run operationally at National Research Council - Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (CNR-ISAC), are RAMS (Regional Atmospheric Modelling System), BOLAM (BOlogna Limited Area Model), and MOLOCH (MOdello LOCale in H coordinates). The area considered for the study is southern Italy and the measurements used for the forecast verification are those of the GTS (Global Telecommunication System). Comparison with observations is made every 3 h up to 48 h of forecast lead time. Results show that the three-model ensemble outperforms the forecast of each individual model. The RMSE improvement compared to the best model is between 22 and 30 %, depending on the season. It is also shown that the three-model ensemble outperforms the IFS (Integrated Forecasting System) of the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast) for the surface wind forecasts. Notably, the three-model ensemble forecast performs better than each unbiased model, showing the added value of the ensemble technique. Finally, the sensitivity of the three-model ensemble RMSE to the length of the training period is analysed.

Progressive approach to eruption at Campi Flegrei caldera in southern Italy

PubMed Central

Kilburn, Christopher R.J.; De Natale, Giuseppe; Carlino, Stefano

2017-01-01

Unrest at large calderas rarely ends in eruption, encouraging vulnerable communities to perceive emergency warnings of volcanic activity as false alarms. A classic example is the Campi Flegrei caldera in southern Italy, where three episodes of major uplift since 1950 have raised its central district by about 3 m without an eruption. Individual episodes have conventionally been treated as independent events, so that only data from an ongoing episode are considered pertinent to evaluating eruptive potential. An implicit assumption is that the crust relaxes accumulated stress after each episode. Here we apply a new model of elastic-brittle failure to test the alternative view that successive episodes promote a long-term accumulation of stress in the crust. The results provide the first quantitative evidence that Campi Flegrei is evolving towards conditions more favourable to eruption and identify field tests for predictions on how the caldera will behave during future unrest. PMID:28504261

Enhanced Retention of Chemotactic Bacteria in a Pore Network with Residual NAPL Contamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, R.; Wang, X.

2013-12-01

Nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) contaminants are difficult to eliminate from natural aquifers due, in part, to the heterogeneous structure of the soil matrix. Residual NAPL ganglia remain trapped in regions where the hydraulic conductivity is relatively low. Bioremediation processes depend on adequate mixing of microbial populations and the groundwater contaminants that they degrade. The ability of bacteria to sense a chemical gradient and swim preferentially toward locations of higher concentration, known as chemotaxis, can enhance the mixing of bacteria with contaminant sources that may not be readily accessible by advection and dispersion alone. The impact of chemotaxis on bacterial abundance within a low conductivity NAPL-contaminated region of a well-characterized porous matrix was investigated. A microfluidic device was designed to mimic heterogeneous features of a contaminated groundwater system. NAPL ganglia (toluene) were trapped within a fine pore network, and bacteria were injected into the system through a highly conductive adjacent channel. Chemotactic bacteria (P. putida F1) migrated preferentially towards and accumulated in the vicinity of NAPL contaminant sources. The accumulation of chemotactic bacteria was 15% greater in comparison to a nonchemotactic mutant (P. putida F1 CheA). Bacteria in the microfluidic device were subjected to different flow velocities from 0.25 to 5 m/d encompassing the range of typical groundwater flow rates. Chemotactic bacteria exhibited greater accumulation near the intersection between the macrochannel and the porous network at a flow velocity of 0.5 m/d than both the nonchemotactic mutant control and the chemotactic bacteria at a higher flow velocity of 5 m/d. Breakthrough curves observed at the outlet provided indirect evidence that chemotactic bacteria were retained within the contaminated low permeable region for a longer time than the nonchemotactic bacteria at a flow velocity of 0.25 m/d. This retention was

Provenance and accommodation pathways of late Quaternary sediments in the deep-water northern Ionian Basin, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perri, Francesco; Critelli, Salvatore; Dominici, Rocco; Muto, Francesco; Tripodi, Vincenzo; Ceramicola, Silvia

2012-12-01

The northern Calabria along the southeastern coast of Italy provides a favorable setting in which to study complete transects from continental to deep-marine environments. The present northern Ionian Calabrian Basin is a wedge-top basin within the modern foreland-basin system of southern Italy. The Ionian margin of northern Calabria consists of a moderately developed fluvial systems, the Crati and Neto rivers, and diverse smaller coastal drainages draining both the Calabria continental block (i.e., Sila Massif) and the southern Apennines thrust belt (i.e., Pollino Massif). The main-channel sand of the Crati and Neto rivers is quartzofeldspathic with abundant metamorphic and plutonic lithic fragments (granodiorite, granite, gneiss, phyllite and sedimentary lithic fragments). Sedimentary lithic fragments were derived from Jurassic sedimentary successions of the Longobucco Group. The mud samples contain mostly phyllosilicates, quartz, calcite, feldspars and dolomite. Traces of gypsum are present in some samples. The I-S mixed layers, 10 Å-minerals (illite and micas), chlorite and kaolinite are the most abundant phyllosilicates, whereas smectite and chlorite/smectite mixed layers are in small amounts. The geochemical signatures of the muds reflect a provenance characterized by both felsic and mafic rocks with a significant input from carbonate rocks. Furthermore, the degree of source-area weathering was most probably of low intensity rather than moderately intense because CIA values for the studied mud samples are low. Extrapolation of the mean erosion budget from 1 to 25 Ma suggests that at least 5 to 8 km of crust have been removed from the Calabrian orogenic belt and deposited in the marine basins. The Calabrian microplate played an important role in the dynamic evolution of southern Italian fossil and modern basins, representing the key tectonic element of the entire orogenic belt.

A contribution to the seismic hazard of the Apulia Region (Southern Italy): environmental effects triggered by historical earthquakes in last centuries.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porfido, Sabina; Alessio, Giuliana; Nappi, Rosa; De Lucia, Maddalena; Gaudiosi, Germana

2016-04-01

The aim of this study is a critical revision of the historical and recent seismicity of the Apulia and surrounding seismogenetic areas, for re-evaluating the macroseismic effects in MCS scale and ground effects in natural environment according to the ESI 2007 scale (Michetti et al., 2007) as a contribution to the seismic hazard of the region. The most important environmental effect due to historical earthquakes in the Apulia was the tsunami occurrence, followed by landslides, liquefaction phenomena, hydrological changes and ground cracks. The Apulia (Southern Italy) has been hit by several low energy and a few high energy earthquakes in the last centuries. In particular, the July 30, 1627 earthquake (I=X MCS, Rovida et al., 2011) and the May 5, 1646 event (I=X MCS), the strongest earthquakes of the Gargano promontory have been reviewed, together with the March 20, 1731 earthquake (I=IX MCS, Mw=6.5, Rovida et al., 2011), the most relevant of the Foggia province, and the February 20, 1743 earthquake (I=IX MCS, Mw= 7.1, Rovida et al., 2011, I ESI=X, Nappi et al, 2015), the strongest of the Salento area,. The whole Apulia region has also been struck by strong earthquakes of neighboring seismogenetic areas located in the Southern Apennines, Adriatic and Ionian Sea, Albania and Greece, well propagated throughout the Italian peninsula, and in particular in the southern regions, where the intensity degrees are higher, sometimes exceeding the limit of damage. Some well documented examples of Greek earthquakes strongly felt in the whole Apulia region were: the August 27, 1886 earthquake (Peloponnesus, Greece); the May 28, 1897 earthquake (Creta-Cypro); the June 26, 1926 earthquake (Creta and Cipro, Imax=X MCS), felt all over the Southern Italy; the August 28, 1962 earthquake (epicenter in Peloponnesus area). It is noteworthy that earthquakes located in the Southern Apennines were powerfully felt in the whole Apulia region; among the strongest historical events of the

Chemical structure influence on NAPL mixture nonideality evolution, rate-limited dissolution, and contaminant mass flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padgett, Mark C.; Tick, Geoffrey R.; Carroll, Kenneth C.; Burke, William R.

2017-03-01

The influence of chemical structure on NAPL mixture nonideality evolution, rate-limited dissolution, and contaminant mass flux was examined. The variability of measured and UNIFAC modeled NAPL activity coefficients as a function of mole fraction was compared for two NAPL mixtures containing structurally-different contaminants of concern including toluene (TOL) or trichloroethene (TCE) within a hexadecane (HEXDEC) matrix. The results showed that dissolution from the NAPL mixtures transitioned from ideality for mole fractions > 0.05 to nonideality as mole fractions decreased. In particular, the TCE generally exhibited more ideal dissolution behavior except at lower mole fractions, and may indicate greater structural/polarity similarity between the two compounds. Raoult's Law and UNIFAC generally under-predicted the batch experiment results for TOL:HEXDEC mixtures especially for mole fractions ≤ 0.05. The dissolution rate coefficients were similar for both TOL and TCE over all mole fractions tested. Mass flux reduction (MFR) analysis showed that more efficient removal behavior occurred for TOL and TCE with larger mole fractions compared to the lower initial mole fraction mixtures (i.e. < 0.2). However, compared to TOL, TCE generally exhibited more efficient removal behavior over all mole fractions tested and may have been the result of structural and molecular property differences between the compounds. Activity coefficient variability as a function of mole fraction was quantified through regression analysis and incorporated into dissolution modeling analyses for the dynamic flushing experiments. TOL elution concentrations were modeled (predicted) reasonable well using ideal and equilibrium assumptions, but the TCE elution concentrations could not be predicted using the ideal model. Rather, the dissolution modeling demonstrated that TCE elution was better described by the nonideal model whereby NAPL-phase activity coefficient varied as a function of COC mole

Dietary glycemic load and risk of cognitive impairment in women: findings from the EPIC-Naples cohort.

PubMed

Simeon, Vittorio; Chiodini, Paolo; Mattiello, Amalia; Sieri, Sabina; Panico, Camilla; Brighenti, Furio; Krogh, Vittorio; Panico, Salvatore

2015-05-01

Cognitive impairment is a common cause of morbidity in the elderly. The relationship between dietary habits and cognitive impairment in a female population living in the metropolitan area of Naples, in the Mediterranean part of Italy, has been evaluated in the Naples EPIC prospective cohort study. The study cohort, enrolled between 1993 and 1997, is composed of 5062 women aged 30-69 years. At time of enrolment anthropometric measures were performed and information about socio-demographic details, clinical data, lifestyle and dietary habits were collected. During 2008 and 2009, women 65 years of age or older received a telephone interview to evaluate cognitive status (TICS); the derived score was used as proxy of cognitive impairment. Analyses were carried out on 1514 participants. Linear regression model showed negative association between TICS score and, respectively, age at baseline (β = -.31, 95% CI -.34, -.24), body mass index (BMI) (β = -.08, 95% CI -.16, -.01), and glycemic load (GL) (β = -.02, 95% CI -.03, -.01), whereas education level (β = 0.62, 95% CI .56, .69) showed positive association. A logistic regression model, used to evaluate determinants of the low cognitive score (TICS score ≤ 15, 1st tertile), confirmed association for previous variables [age (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.08, 1.15); BMI (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.001, 1.07); GL (OR 1.005, 95% CI 1.001, 1.011); education level (OR .82, 95% CI .79, .84)] with, in addition, type II diabetes (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.014, 3.4). This study indicates that GL may play a role in determining risk of cognitive impairment, besides age, BMI, education and diabetes.

'Royal' pediculosis in Renaissance Italy: lice in the mummy of the King of Naples Ferdinand II of Aragon (1467-1496).

PubMed

Fornaciari, Gino; Giuffra, Valentina; Marinozzi, Silvia; Picchi, Malayka Samantha; Masetti, Massimo

2009-07-01

Pediculosis seems to have afflicted humans since the most ancient times and lice have been found in several ancient human remains. Examination of the head hair and pubic hair of the artificial mummy of Ferdinand II of Aragon (1467-1496), King of Naples, revealed a double infestation with two different species of lice, Pediculus capitis, the head louse, and Pthirus pubis, the pubic louse. The hair samples were also positive for the presence of mercury, probably applied as an anti-pediculosis therapy. This is the first time that these parasites have been found in the hair of a king, demonstrating that even members of the wealthy classes in the Renaissance were subject to louse infestation.

In situ stabilization of NAPL contaminant source-zones as a remediation technique to reduce mass discharge and flux to groundwater.

PubMed

Mateas, Douglas J; Tick, Geoffrey R; Carroll, Kenneth C

2017-09-01

Widely used flushing and in-situ destruction based remediation techniques (i.e. pump-and treat, enhanced-solubilization, and chemical oxidation/reduction) for sites contaminated by nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) contaminant sources have been shown to be ineffective at complete mass removal and reducing aqueous-phase contaminant of concern (COC) concentrations to levels suitable for site closure. A remediation method was developed to reduce the aqueous solubility and mass-flux of COCs within NAPL through the in-situ creation of a NAPL mixture source-zone. In contrast to remediation techniques that rely on the rapid removal of contaminant mass, this technique relies on the stabilization of difficult-to-access NAPL sources to reduce COC mass flux to groundwater. A specific amount (volume) of relatively insoluble n-hexadecane (HEXDEC) or vegetable oil (VO) was injected into a trichloroethene (TCE) contaminant source-zone through a bench-scale flow cell port (i.e. well) to form a NAPL mixture of targeted mole fraction (TCE:HEXDEC or TCE:VO). NAPL-aqueous phase batch tests were conducted prior to the flow-cell experiments to evaluate the effects of various NAPL mixture ratios on equilibrium aqueous-phase concentrations of TCE to design optimal NAPL (HEXDEC or VO) injection volumes for the flow-cell experiments. The NAPL-stabilization flow-cell experiments initiated and sustained significant reductions in COC concentration and mass flux due to a combination of both reduced relative permeability (increased NAPL-saturation) and via modification of NAPL composition (decreased TCE mole fraction). Variations in remediation performance (i.e. impacts on TCE concentration and mass flux reduction) between the different HEXDEC injection volumes were relatively minor, and therefore inconsistent with Raoult's Law predictions. This phenomenon likely resulted from non-uniform mixing of the injected HEXDEC with TCE in the source-zone. VO injection caused TCE concentrations and mass

TRACERS FORECAST THE PERFORMANCE OF NAPL REMEDIATION PROJECTS

EPA Science Inventory

Organic tracers which partition to residual NAPL contamination have been used to estimate the mass of contamination in the swept zone of the tracer. This paper expands on this approach using the same data to estimate the heterogeneity of the flow domain and the heterogeneity of ...

[Tobacco cultivationin Salento (Apulia Region, Southern Italy) from 1929 to 1993: possible health implications].

PubMed

Montinari, Maria Rosa; Minelli, Pierluca; Gianicolo, Emilio Antonio Luca

2018-01-01

The Province of Lecce (Apulia Region, Southern Italy) is one of the Italian areas where the prevalence of respiratory disease and cancer of the respitartory tract is very high. Through a descriptive analysis of the historical series of tobacco culture indicators, a historical reconstruction of the development of tobacco cultivation in Salento (the area where the Province of Lecce is located) is here presented, in order to provide an additional element of knowledge on potential risk factors for respiratory diseases and cancers. Data regarding extensions in hectares and crop productions in the province of Lecce, in Apulia, and in Italy are from the Chamber of commerce of Lecce province and from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat). From 1929 to 1993, the province of Lecce provided between 75% and 94% of the tobacco cultivated in Apulia Region and 25% of the national tobacco until 1945. Since the late Sixties, a growing increase in annual average production was observed, reaching 21.5 quintals per hectare in 1991 in Salento. This large tobacco production, associated with intensive use of pesticides, could be an element to be observed in analytical studies as a determining potential for the high prevalence of respiratory diseases and pulmonary cancers in the male population of the province of Lecce.

Volcanism offshore of Vesuvius Volcano in Naples Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milia, A.; Mirabile, L.; Torrente, M.M.; Dvorak, J.J.

1998-01-01

High-resolution seismic reflection data are used to identify structural features in Naples Bay near Vesuvius Volcano. Several buried seismic units with reflection-free interiors are probably volcanic deposits erupted during and since the formation of the breached crater of Monte Somma Volcano, which preceded the growth of Vesuvius. The presumed undersea volcanic deposits are limited in extent; thus, stratigraphie relationships cannot be established among them. Other features revealed by our data include (a) the warping of lowstand marine deposits by undersea cryptodomes located approximately 10 km from the summit of Vesuvius, (b) a succession of normal step faults that record seaward collapse of the volcano, and (c) a small undersea slump in the uppermost marine deposits of Naples Bay, which may be the result of nue??e ardentes that entered the sea during a major eruption of Vesuvius in 1631. Detection of these undersea features illustrates some capabilities of making detailed seismic reflection profiles across undersea volcanoes.

Naples between two fires: eruptive scenarios for the next eruptions by an integrated volcanological-probabilistic approach.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastrolorenzo, G.; Pappalardo, L.; de Natale, G.; Troise, C.; Rossano, S.; Panizza, A.

2009-04-01

Probabilistic approaches based on available volcanological data from real eruptions of Campi Flegrei and Somma-Vesuvius, are assembled in a comprehensive assessment of volcanic hazards at the Neapolitan area. This allows to compare the volcanic hazards related to the different types of events, which can be used for evaluating the conditional probability of flows and falls hazard in case of a volcanic crisis. Hazard maps are presented, based on a rather complete set of numerical simulations, produced using field and laboratory data as input parameters relative to a large range (VEI 1 to 5) of fallout and pyroclastic-flow events and their relative occurrence. The results allow us to quantitatively evaluate and compare the hazard related to pyroclastic fallout and density currents (PDCs) at the Neapolitan volcanoes and their surroundings, including the city of Naples. Due to its position between the two volcanic areas, the city of Naples is particularly exposed to volcanic risk from VEI>2 eruptions, as recorded in the local volcanic succession. Because dominant wind directions, the area of Naples is particularly prone to fallout hazard from Campi Flegrei caldera eruptions in the VEI range 2-5. The hazard from PDCs decreases roughly radially with distance from the eruptive vents and is strongly controlled by the topographic heights. Campi Flegrei eruptions are particularly hazardous for Naples, although the Camaldoli and Posillipo hills produce an effective barrier to propagation to the very central part of Naples. PDCs from Vesuvius eruptions with VEI>4 can cover the city of Naples, whereas even VEI>3 eruptions have a moderate fallout hazard there.

The analysis of fundamental period of cultural heritage buildings: experimental data for church towers in Basilicata (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gizzi, Fabrizio T.; Liberatore, Domenico; Masini, Nicola; Sileo, Maria; Zotta, Cinzia; Potenza, Maria Rosaria; Scavone, Manuela; Sorrentino, Luigi

2014-05-01

Seismic hazard is among the main factors conditioning the conservation of historical centres and cultural heritage located in them. This consideration is suitable especially for downtown areas located in Italy, whose territory is prone to seismic hazards, in the southern area especially. As a matter of fact, the historical sources inform us that most of monuments located in Southern Italy suffered damage and consequent restoration or rebuilding due to the earthquake of the past. Therefore, knowing what buildings are the most exposed to the seismic risk can help the stakeholders to fix priority actions aimed at mitigating the effects of future events. Starting from these preliminary remarks, in the framework of the Project PRO_CULT, we started an extensive campaign of measurements of dynamic features of the church towers in some towns of the Basilicata Region (Southern Italy). The aim of the research activity is to assess the fundamental period of such a typology of historical buildings and comparing it with the dynamic features of the foundation soil to put into evidence possible resonance phenomena responsible of an increase of building damage during the seismic shaking. The selection of the towns to be considered as a target of the experimental survey was performed taking into account the availability of written sources dealing with the historical seismic effects suffered by the bell-towers over the centuries with special attention to the sites heavily affected by the 16 December 1857 Basilicata and 23 November 1980 Irpinia-Basilicata earthquakes (Gizzi and Masini 2007). The fundamental period of bell-towers is estimated using ambient noise vibration signals recorded at the highest level of the towers. The techniques used to get the dynamic values are both the Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) and the Horizontal to Horizontal Spectral Ratio (HHSR) (Liberatore et al. 2008). Once the fundamental frequency has been estimated, it is compared with the

A zinc, copper and citric acid biocomplex shows promise for control of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca in olive trees in Apulia region (southern Italy)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The bacterium Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca is associated with the “olive quick decline syndrome” in the Apulia region of southern Italy. To investigate control of this phytopathogen, a compound containing zinc and copper complexed with citric-acid hydracids (Dentamet®) was evaluated for in vitro ...

[Attitudes and knowledge towards condom use among adolescents and young adults in Southern Italy].

PubMed

Starace, F; Minaci, F; Semmola, A; Nespoli, M; Palumbo, F

1997-06-01

A correct and consistent condom use can minimize the risk of acquiring HIV infection through sexual intercourse. The aim of this study has been to assess knowledge and attitudes towards condom use among adolescents and young adults living in southern Italy. 620 randomly selected subjects have been interviewed by means of a 16-item standardized questionnaire: 87.3% consider condom an useful tool in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases; however, 53.5% think that condom may reduce sexual pleasure and 26.8% state that its cost is too high to allow regular use. These results emphasize the need of carefully planned programs aimed to overcome objective and subjective barriers in the use of condom to prevent HIV infection spreading.

Comparison of theory and experiment for NAPL dissolution in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahar, T.; Golfier, F.; Oltéan, C.; Lefevre, E.; Lorgeoux, C.

2018-04-01

Contamination of groundwater resources by an immiscible organic phase commonly called NAPL (Non Aqueous Phase Liquid) represents a major scientific challenge considering the residence time of such a pollutant. This contamination leads to the formation of NAPL blobs trapped in the soil and impact of this residual saturation cannot be ignored for correct predictions of the contaminant fate. In this paper, we present results of micromodel experiments on the dissolution of pure hydrocarbon phase (toluene). They were conducted for two values of the Péclet number. These experiments provide data for comparison and validation of a two-phase non-equilibrium theoretical model developed by Quintard and Whitaker (1994) using the volume averaging method. The model was directly upscaled from the averaged pore-scale mass balance equations. The effective properties of the macroscopic model were calculated over periodic unit cells designed from images of the experimental flow cell. Comparison of experimental and numerical results shows that the transport model predicts correctly - with no fitting parameters - the main mechanisms of NAPL mass transfer. The study highlights the crucial need of having a fair recovery of pore-scale characteristic lengths to predict the mass transfer coefficient with accuracy.

Circulation of multiple subtypes of bovine viral diarrhoea virus type 1 with no evidence for HoBi-like pestivirus in cattle herds of southern Italy.

PubMed

Lanave, G; Decaro, N; Lucente, M S; Guercio, A; Cavaliere, N; Purpari, G; Padalino, I; Larocca, V; Antoci, F; Marino, P A; Buonavoglia, C; Elia, G

2017-06-01

Pestiviruses of cattle include bovine viral diarrhoea 1 (BVDV-1) and 2 (BVDV-2) plus an emerging group, named HoBi-like pestivirus. In the present paper, the results of an epidemiological survey for pestiviruses circulating in cattle in southern Italy are presented. Molecular assays carried out on a total of 924 bovine samples detected 74 BVDV strains, including 73 BVDV-1 and 1 BVDV-2 viruses. Phylogenetic analysis carried out on partial 5'UTR and N pro sequences revealed the presence of 6 different subtypes of BVDV-1 and a single BVDV-2c strain. BVDV-1 displayed a high level of genetic heterogeneity, which can have both prophylactic and diagnostic implications. In addition, the detection of BVDV-2c highlights the need for a continuous surveillance for the emergence of new pestivirus strains in cattle farms in southern Italy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of floods and the role of climate during the twentieth century (Calabria, Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrucci, Olga; Polemio, Maurizio

2010-05-01

In region as Calabria (Southern Italy), characterized by mountainous morphology, the areas suitable for agriculture and urban development are represented by narrow river and coastal plains. The human utilization of these areas is often hard fought with rivers and flowing waters; floods cause periodically damage to agricultural activities, roads, rural settlements and, sometimes, to people. The morphological setting of the region is dominated by the presence of a main river network made up of ephemeral streams widely observed in southern Italy, are locally called fiumara. They show river beds that in plain sector are often larger than one kilometer, completely dry for almost the entire summer season and affected, during the winter, by severe flash floods characterized by huge sediment load. Because the migration of river channel through the wide river bed, discharge data are unavailable. A wide archive containing data on historical floods occurred through the past two centuries and the defensive works carried out to cope with flood damage in Calabria has been recently upgraded by using data coming from the Ministry of Public Works. In the present work, for a study area located in the northernmost province of Calabria, the historical series of floods which have occurred since 1800 has been collected. Damage caused by the different flood events have been compared to both rainfall data (if available) and data concerning defensive work construction. The aim is to assess if and (for what fiumara of the study area) works carried out in the past obtained the effect of reducing damage caused by flash floods. Results of the analysis can represent a useful tool to correctly drive the future development of the main plain of the study area.

Chemical structure influence on NAPL mixture nonideality evolution, rate-limited dissolution, and contaminant mass flux.

PubMed

Padgett, Mark C; Tick, Geoffrey R; Carroll, Kenneth C; Burke, William R

2017-03-01

The influence of chemical structure on NAPL mixture nonideality evolution, rate-limited dissolution, and contaminant mass flux was examined. The variability of measured and UNIFAC modeled NAPL activity coefficients as a function of mole fraction was compared for two NAPL mixtures containing structurally-different contaminants of concern including toluene (TOL) or trichloroethene (TCE) within a hexadecane (HEXDEC) matrix. The results showed that dissolution from the NAPL mixtures transitioned from ideality for mole fractions >0.05 to nonideality as mole fractions decreased. In particular, the TCE generally exhibited more ideal dissolution behavior except at lower mole fractions, and may indicate greater structural/polarity similarity between the two compounds. Raoult's Law and UNIFAC generally under-predicted the batch experiment results for TOL:HEXDEC mixtures especially for mole fractions ≤0.05. The dissolution rate coefficients were similar for both TOL and TCE over all mole fractions tested. Mass flux reduction (MFR) analysis showed that more efficient removal behavior occurred for TOL and TCE with larger mole fractions compared to the lower initial mole fraction mixtures (i.e. <0.2). However, compared to TOL, TCE generally exhibited more efficient removal behavior over all mole fractions tested and may have been the result of structural and molecular property differences between the compounds. Activity coefficient variability as a function of mole fraction was quantified through regression analysis and incorporated into dissolution modeling analyses for the dynamic flushing experiments. TOL elution concentrations were modeled (predicted) reasonable well using ideal and equilibrium assumptions, but the TCE elution concentrations could not be predicted using the ideal model. Rather, the dissolution modeling demonstrated that TCE elution was better described by the nonideal model whereby NAPL-phase activity coefficient varied as a function of COC mole fraction

Significance of groundwater flux on contaminant concentration and mass discharge in the nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) contaminated zone.

PubMed

Zhu, Jianting; Sun, Dongmin

2016-09-01

Groundwater flowing through residual nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) source zone will cause NAPL dissolution and generate large contaminant plume. The use of contaminant mass discharge (CMD) measurements in addition to NAPL aqueous phase concentration to characterize site conditions and assess remediation performance is becoming popular. In this study, we developed new and generic numerical models to investigate the significance of groundwater flux temporal variations on the NAPL source dynamics. The developed models can accommodate any temporal variations of groundwater flux in the source zone. We examined the various features of groundwater flux using a few selected functional forms of linear increase/decrease, gradual smooth increase/decrease, and periodic fluctuations with a general trend. Groundwater flux temporal variations have more pronounced effects on the contaminant mass discharge dynamics than the aqueous concentration. If the groundwater flux initially increases, then the reduction in contaminant mass discharge (CMDR) vs. NAPL mass reduction (MR) relationship is mainly downward concave. If the groundwater flux initially decreases, then CMDR vs. MR relationship is mainly upward convex. If the groundwater flux variations are periodic, the CMDR vs. MR relationship tends to also have periodic variations ranging from upward convex to downward concave. Eventually, however, the CMDR vs. MR relationship approaches 1:1 when majority of the NAPL mass becomes depleted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The decapod fauna (Axiidea, Anomura, Brachyura) from the Late Pleistocene of Trumbacà, Reggio Calabria (Calabria, southern Italy).

PubMed

Garassino, Alessandro; Pasini, Giovanni; De Angeli, Antonio; Hyžný, Matúš

We report a rich faunal assemblage from the Tyrrhenian (Late Pleistocene) of Trumbacà, located in the southern area of Reggio Calabria (Calabria, southern Italy). The only brachyuran reported to date from this locality is Ranilia constricta (A. Milne Edwards, 1880) by Vazzana (2008). The studied specimens have been assigned, as follows: ? Corallianassa sp., Dardanus arrosor (Herbst, 1796), Dardanus substriatus (A. Milne Edwards, 1861), Paguristes cf. P. syrtensis de Saint Laurent 1970, Anapagurus sp., Ranilia constricta (A. Milne Edwards, 1880), Ranina propinqua Ristori, 1891, Ebalia cf. E. deshayesi Lucas, 1846, Ilia nucleus (Linnaeus, 1758), Medorippe lanata (Linnaeus, 1767), Calappa granulata (Linnaeus, 1758), Pisa armata (Latreille, 1803), Derilambrus cf. D. angulifrons (Latreille, 1825), Atelecyclus undecimdentatus (Herbst, 1783), Carcinus sp., Pilumnus hirtellus (Linnaeus, 1761), and Xantho cf. X. incisus (Leach, 1814). The studied assemblage enlarges our knowledge on the evolution of the Mediterranean decapod faunas.

Frequencies of polymorphisms of the Rh, Kell, Kidd, Duffy and Diego systems of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Costa, Daiane Cobianchi; Schinaider, Alessandra Arruda; Santos, Thais Mattos; Schörner, Everaldo José; Simon, Daniel; Maluf, Sharbel Weidner; de Moraes, Ana Carolina Rabello; Silva, Maria Claudia Silva

2016-01-01

Red blood cell genes are highly polymorphic with the distribution of alleles varying between different populations and ethnic groups. The objective of this study was to investigate gene polymorphisms of blood groups in the state of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil. Three hundred and seventy-three unrelated blood donors and 31 transfusion-dependent patients were evaluated to investigate polymorphisms of the Rh, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, and Diego blood group systems in a population from the state of Santa Catarina. The subjects, from seven regions that comprise the blood-banking network of the state, were assessed between August 2011 and March 2014. The genotypes of the Rh, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, and Diego systems were determined using the restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction and allele-specific polymerase chain reaction techniques. The genotype frequencies in this study were significantly different when populations from different regions of Santa Catarina were compared. Furthermore, there were also significant differences in the genetic frequencies compared to other Brazilian states. The genotype frequencies of the Kell and Kidd blood groups are similar to European populations from Naples, Italy and Zurich, Switzerland. This article reports for the first time the frequency of polymorphisms of blood group systems in blood donors from Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil. Copyright © 2016 Associação Brasileira de Hematologia, Hemoterapia e Terapia Celular. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

The western submerged sector of the Ischia volcanic island (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy): new insights into its volcano-tectonic evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passaro, Salvatore; de Alteriis, Giovanni; Milano, Girolamo; Fedi, Maurizio; Florio, Giovanni

2010-05-01

The Island of Ischia is a volcanic complex located in the northern boundary of the Gulf of Naples (south-eastern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). The island represents only the 30% of a larger, E-W trending, volcanic ridge and likely controlled by a regional tectonic lineament. Despite the many geo-volcanological and geophysical investigations conducted on the island since long time, still little is the knowledge of its offshore. Several marine surveys have been carried out over the past 10 years from IAMC - CNR research institute (Naples, Italy) mostly in the frame of INGV and GNV projects, funded by Italy Civil Protection Department. Such surveys have largely improved the knowledge of the entire volcanic complex. Multibeam bathymetry surveys has revealed several, previously unexpected, morphological and morphostructural features. Moreover some structural patterns and volcano alignments offshore show similarities with those occurring at a regional scale in the Campania region and, locally, between the island of Procida and Phlegrean Fields. Here we report the joint interpretation of geophysical data focused on the western underwater sector of the island. Interpretation was chiefly based on processing/inversion of magnetic data in turn constrained by bathymetry and seismic reflection profiles. Magnetic data, acquired by the IAMC during two different cruises in 2000 and 2002 onboard of the Urania R/V oceanographic vessel, put in evidence that the western seafloor of Ischia is characterized by the presence of a strong residual magnetic anomaly field of complex behaviour, somewhere correlated to local bathymetry. These two last methods allowed to define and distinguish between undersea and subsurface magnetic (i.e. magmatic) basement. Interpretation was also constrained by seismological data.

Integration of magnetometric, gpr and geoelectric measurements applied to the study of the new Viggiano archaeological site (Southern Italy).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, E.; Chianese, D.; Lapenna, V.; Piscitelli, S.

2003-04-01

In the frame of a collaboration with the Archaeological Superintendence of the Basilicata Region (Southern Italy), the Geophysical Lab of IMAA-CNR planned a multidisciplinary investigation in the archaeological site of Viggiano, integrating magnetic mapping, Ground Penetrating Radar profiling and 3D electrical resistivity imaging. The archaeological site, located in Agri Valley (Southern Italy, Basilicata), is an ancient structure developed in successive phases between IV and III century B.C. In this area during some shovel tests archaeological remnants have been identified in the western part. Successively the archaeologists hypothesized the presence of buried structures in the eastern part too, where we performed a geophysical survey. In particular, a magnetic map by means of a caesium vapour magnetometer G-858 GEOMETRICS has been carried to find the external perimeter; more than 50 Georadar profiles using SIR 2000 instrument have been performed to delineate the internal buried structures and the electrical resistivity method has been applied to estimate the depth of buried structures. According to the archaeological hypothesis significant wall structures have been identified in the eastern part. In conclusion, the integration of different geophysical techniques allows us to obtain very intriguing information about the shape, the dimension and the depth of the oriental buried wall structures giving a contribute to better develop a new hypothesis about the history of the archaeological site of Viggiano.

The FTO gene polymorphism (rs9939609) is associated with metabolic syndrome in morbidly obese subjects from southern Italy.

PubMed

Liguori, Rosario; Labruna, Giuseppe; Alfieri, Andreina; Martone, Domenico; Farinaro, Eduardo; Contaldo, Franco; Sacchetti, Lucia; Pasanisi, Fabrizio; Buono, Pasqualina

2014-08-01

Gene variants in MC4R, SIRT1 and FTO are associated with severe obesity and metabolic impairment in Caucasians. We investigated whether common variants in these genes are associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a large group of morbidly obese young adults from southern Italy. One thousand morbidly obese subjects (62% women, mean body mass index 46.5 kg/m(2), mean age 32.6 years) whose families had lived in southern Italy for at least 2 generations were recruited. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs12970134, rs477181, rs502933 (MC4R locus), rs3818292, rs7069102, rs730821, rs2273773, rs12413112 (SIRT1 locus) and rs1421085, rs9939609, 9930506, 1121980 (FTO locus) were genotyped by Taqman assay; blood parameters were assayed by routine methods; the Fat Mass, Fat Free Mass, Respiratory Quotient, Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and waist circumference were also determined. Binomial logistic regression showed that the TA heterozygous genotype of SNP rs9939609 in the FTO gene was associated with the presence of MetS in our population [OR (95% CI): 2.53 (1.16-5.55)]. Furthermore, the FTO rs9939609 genotype accounted for 21.3% of the MetS phenotype together with total cholesterol, BMR and age. Our results extend the knowledge on genotype susceptibility for MetS in relation to a specific geographical area of residence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The decapod fauna (Axiidea, Anomura, Brachyura) from the Late Pleistocene of Trumbacà, Reggio Calabria (Calabria, southern Italy)

PubMed Central

Garassino, Alessandro; Pasini, Giovanni; De Angeli, Antonio; Hyžný, Matúš

2015-01-01

We report a rich faunal assemblage from the Tyrrhenian (Late Pleistocene) of Trumbacà, located in the southern area of Reggio Calabria (Calabria, southern Italy). The only brachyuran reported to date from this locality is Ranilia constricta (A. Milne Edwards, 1880) by Vazzana (2008). The studied specimens have been assigned, as follows: ?Corallianassa sp., Dardanus arrosor (Herbst, 1796), Dardanus substriatus (A. Milne Edwards, 1861), Paguristes cf. P. syrtensis de Saint Laurent 1970, Anapagurus sp., Ranilia constricta (A. Milne Edwards, 1880), Ranina propinqua Ristori, 1891, Ebalia cf. E. deshayesi Lucas, 1846, Ilia nucleus (Linnaeus, 1758), Medorippe lanata (Linnaeus, 1767), Calappa granulata (Linnaeus, 1758), Pisa armata (Latreille, 1803), Derilambrus cf. D. angulifrons (Latreille, 1825), Atelecyclus undecimdentatus (Herbst, 1783), Carcinus sp., Pilumnus hirtellus (Linnaeus, 1761), and Xantho cf. X. incisus (Leach, 1814). The studied assemblage enlarges our knowledge on the evolution of the Mediterranean decapod faunas. PMID:26689358

Multi-temporal maps of the Montaguto earth flow in southern Italy from 1954 to 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guerriero, Luigi; Revellino, Paola; Coe, Jeffrey A.; Focareta, Mariano; Grelle, Gerardo; Albanese, Vincenzo; Corazza, Angelo; Guadagno, Francesco M.

2013-01-01

Historical movement of the Montaguto earth flow in southern Italy has periodically destroyed residences and farmland, and damaged the Italian National Road SS90 and the Benevento-Foggia National Railway. This paper provides maps from an investigation into the evolution of the Montaguto earth flow from 1954 to 2010. We used aerial photos, topographic maps, LiDAR data, satellite images, and field observations to produce multi-temporal maps. The maps show the spatial and temporal distribution of back-tilted surfaces, flank ridges, and normal, thrust, and strike-slip faults. Springs, creeks, and ponds are also shown on the maps. The maps provide a basis for interpreting how basal and lateral boundary geometries influence earth-flow behavior and surface-water hydrology.

Occurrence and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella strains from food of animal origin in southern Italy.

PubMed

Proroga, Yolande T R; Capuano, Federico; Carullo, Maria Rosaria; La Tela, Immacolata; Capparelli, Rosanna; Barco, Lisa; Pasquale, Vincenzo

2016-01-01

Six hundred fourteen strains of Salmonella enterica were isolated from 16,926 samples of food of animal origin collected in southern Italy from 2003 to 2012. The isolates were identified, serotyped, and challenged against 15 antibiotics according to the protocol defined at national level for veterinary isolates of Salmonella (EnterVet surveillance network). Salmonella serotypes Typhimurium, Hadar, Enteritidis, Derby, and 4,[5],12:i:- were those most frequently isolated. The widest resistances were recorded towards sulfonamides (69 % of the isolates), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (52 % of the isolates), and tetracycline (51 % of the isolates). The rate of multidrug resistance of the isolates decreased significantly from the first 5 years of the study period (82.6 %) to the last 5 years (54.3 %).

Personalized Prediction of Psychosis: External validation of the NAPLS2 Psychosis Risk Calculator with the EDIPPP project

PubMed Central

Carrión, Ricardo E.; Cornblatt, Barbara A.; Burton, Cynthia Z.; Tso, Ivy F; Auther, Andrea; Adelsheim, Steven; Calkins, Roderick; Carter, Cameron S.; Niendam, Tara; Taylor, Stephan F.; McFarlane, William R.

2016-01-01

Objective In the current issue, Cannon and colleagues, as part of the second phase of the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS2), report on a risk calculator for the individualized prediction of developing a psychotic disorder in a 2-year period. The present study represents an external validation of the NAPLS2 psychosis risk calculator using an independent sample of subjects at clinical high risk for psychosis collected as part of the Early Detection, Intervention, and Prevention of Psychosis Program (EDIPPP). Methods 176 subjects with follow-up (from the total EDIPPP sample of 210) rated as clinical high-risk (CHR) based on the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes were used to construct a new prediction model with the 6 significant predictor variables in the NAPLS2 psychosis risk calculator (unusual thoughts, suspiciousness, Symbol Coding, verbal learning, social functioning decline, baseline age, and family history). Discrimination performance was assessed with the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC). The NAPLS2 risk calculator was then used to generate a psychosis risk estimate for each case in the external validation sample. Results The external validation model showed good discrimination, with an AUC of 79% (95% CI 0.644–0.937). In addition, the personalized risk generated by the NAPLS calculator provided a solid estimation of the actual conversion outcome in the validation sample. Conclusions In the companion papers in this issue, two independent samples of CHR subjects converge to validate the NAPLS2 psychosis risk calculator. This prediction calculator represents a meaningful step towards early intervention and personalized treatment of psychotic disorders. PMID:27363511

PARTITIONING TRACERS FOR MEASURING RESIDUAL NAPL: FIELD-SCALE TEST RESULTS

EPA Science Inventory

The difficult task of locating and quantifying nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) present in the vadose and saturated zones has prompted the development of innovative, nondestructive characterization techniques. The use of the interwell partitioning tracer's (IWPT) test, in which ...

Contribution to the knowledge of the veterinary science and of the ethnobotany in Calabria region (Southern Italy)

PubMed Central

Passalacqua, Nicodemo G; De Fine, Giuseppe; Guarrera, Paolo Maria

2006-01-01

Background A series of preliminary research projects on plants used in Calabria (Southern Italy) in veterinary science and in other ethno-botanical fields (minor nourishment, domestic and handicraft sector) was carried out in the last twenty years. From the ethno-botanical point of view, Calabria is one of the most interesting region, since in the ancient times it was subject to the dominant cultures of several people (Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans etc.). Until some decades ago the road network was poorly developed and villages were isolated, so that the culture of the "subsistence" and some archaic customs were kept. Methods Data were collected by means of "open" interviews to farmers, shepherds and housewives in the last twenty years. More than 100 informants were interviewed, mostly over 50 years old. Plants were identified by local informants through gathering in the area or through examination of the fresh plants collected by the researchers. The collected data were compared with pharmacobotanical papers mainly of southern Italy and with other studies, in order to highlight novelties or concordances of uses. Results The use of 62 taxa distributed into 34 families are described. Among these, 8 are or were employed in veterinary science, 8 as anti-parasitic agents, 19 in minor nourishment, 5 as seasoning, 38 for other uses. Some toxic species for cattle are also mentioned. Conclusion Among the major findings: the use of Helleborus bocconei for bronchitis of bovines and of Scrophularia canina for lameness in veterinary science; Nerium oleander and Urginea maritima as anti-parasitic agents; Epilobium angustifolium, Centaurea napifolia L. and C. sphaerocephala L. in minor nourishment. PMID:17156472

Integration of numerical modeling and observations for the Gulf of Naples monitoring network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iermano, I.; Uttieri, M.; Zambianchi, E.; Buonocore, B.; Cianelli, D.; Falco, P.; Zambardino, G.

2012-04-01

to the cooperation of the Ocean Physics and Modeling Group and of the Atmospheric Modeling and Weather Forecasting Group of the University of Athens (partner of TOSCA project), the model surface air-sea fluxes are computed from the SKIRON Forecasting System. ROMS model is initialized with the High Resolution Atlantic and Mediterranean Product of Mercator Ocean data set and the same data are used as boundary conditions for the western and southern open boundaries of the domain. Realistic model simulations have been performed in the study area for the summer of 2009, in order to make comparisons with specific episodes and structures identified by HF radar data. Typical circulation regimes have been selected from the mentioned year simulation and different flow structures are recognized, that are expected to have a significant effect on the renewal of the coastal waters. The model allows us to further investigate the spatial characteristics of dynamical structures, their generation process and their role in the flushing of the basin improving the understanding of the dynamics governing the circulation of the basin. Model results show a good agreement with HF radar data collected during the analyzed periods in the Gulf of Naples.

Magnetotelluric survey of Ischia resurgent caldera (Southern Italy): inference for volcano-tectonics and dynamic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlino, S.; Di Giuseppe, M. G.; Troiano, A.

2017-12-01

The island of Ischia (located in the Bay of Naples) represents a peculiar case of well-exposed caldera that has experienced a large (>800m) and rapid resurgence, until recent time. It gives us the possibility for a better understanding of caldera resurgence process, by integrating the available geological information with new geophysical data of the deeper structures associated to the resurgence. To this aim, a magnetotelluric survey of the island, has been performed along two main profiles of the central-western sector, obtaining the first electrical resistivity map down to a depth of 3km. The resurgence is tough to be associated to a shallow magma intrusion, which also produced a vigorous hot fluids circulation with high geothermal gradients (>150°Ckm-1) in the southern and western sector. The interpretation of resistivity variations allow us to recognize the main volcano-tectonic features of central-western part of the island, along the two profiles, such as the presence of a possible very shallow magmatic intrusion to a depth of about 1km, the tectonic structures bordering the resurgent area and the occurrence of large thermal anomaly of the western sector. All these data are fundamental for the assessment of volcano-dynamic of the island and associated hazard. Furthermore, this study show a not common example of a large resurgence that is likely generated by a laccolith intrusion. This process is generally associated to the arrival of fresh magma into the system that, in turn, may imply imminent eruption and high volcanic hazard.

Using a multi-method approach based on soil radon deficit, resistivity, and induced polarization measurements to monitor non-aqueous phase liquid contamination in two study areas in Italy and India.

PubMed

Castelluccio, Mauro; Agrahari, Sudha; De Simone, Gabriele; Pompilj, Francesca; Lucchetti, Carlo; Sengupta, Debashish; Galli, Gianfranco; Friello, Pierluigi; Curatolo, Pierpaolo; Giorgi, Riccardo; Tuccimei, Paola

2018-05-01

Geochemical and geophysical surveys employing radon deficit, resistivity, and induced polarization (IP) measurements were undertaken on soil contaminated with non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) in two different sites in India and in Italy. Radon deficit, validated through the comparison with average soil radon in reference unpolluted areas, shows the extension of contamination in the upper part of the unsaturated aquifers. In site 1 (Italy), the spill is not recent. A residual film of kerosene covers soil grains, inhibiting their chargeability and reducing electrical resistivity difference with background unpolluted areas. No correlation between the two parameters is observed. Soil volatile organic compounds (VOCs) concentration is not linked with radon deficit, supporting the old age of the spillage. NAPL pollution in sites 2a and 2b (India) is more recent and probably still active, as demonstrated by higher values of electrical resistivity. A good correlation with IP values suggests that NAPL is still distributed as droplets or as a continuous phase in the pores, strengthening the scenario of a fresh spill or leakage. Residual fraction of gasoline in the pore space of sites 2a and 2b is respectively 1.5 and 11.8 kg per cubic meter of terrain. This estimation is referred to the shallower portion of the unsaturated aquifer. Electrical resistivity is still very high indicating that the gasoline has not been strongly degraded yet. Temperature and soil water content influence differently radon deficit in the three areas, reducing soil radon concentration and partly masking the deficit in sites 2a and 2b.

Enhanced removal of NAPL constituent from aquifer during surfactant flushing with aqueous hydraulic barriers of high viscosity.

PubMed

Ahn, Dayoung; Choi, Jae-Kyeong; Kim, Heonki

2017-06-07

This study examines the effect of controlled groundwater flow paths induced by hydraulic barriers on the removal of NAPL constituent. An aqueous solution of thickener [0.05% (w/v) sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, SCMC] was continuously injected into a horizontally set two-dimensional physical model (sand-packed), forming aqueous plume(s) of high viscosity. The water flux at the down gradient of the model was measured using a flux tracer (n-octanol) and passive flux meter (PFM, packs of granular activated carbon). A non-reactive tracer (pentafluorobenzoic acid, PFBA) was used to identify the plume of high viscosity (hydraulic barrier) and ambient groundwater. When the barrier of high viscosity was formed, the plume was separated from the background water with little mixing, which was confirmed by the concentration profile of PFBA; whereas, the measured flux of ambient groundwater showed a distinctive distribution, due to the hydraulic barrier. When two barriers were set, the ambient water flux was enhanced in the middle, and the removal rate of PCE from the non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL), measured by PFM, was found to improve by 26% during three hours of water flushing. When an aqueous solution of surfactant [0.37% (w/v), sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS] was applied instead of water into the domain with two barriers set around the NAPL-contaminated spot, the removal of PCE from the NAPL increased by 101% for a three-hour time period. Based on the observations made in this study, hydraulic barriers formed by continuous injection of thickener solution change the flow direction of groundwater, and may increase the flux of groundwater (or aqueous solution of remediation agent) through a NAPL-contaminated region, improving the removal of NAPL.

Stratigraphy and depositional history of the Pliocene Bianco section, Calabria, southern Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rio, D.; Thunell, R.; Sprovieri, R.; Bukry, D.; Destefano, E.; Howell, M.; Raffi, I.; Sancetta, C.; Sanfilippo, A.

1989-01-01

An integrated micropaleontological and geochemical study was carried out on the Pliocene-age Bianco section located in Calabria, southern Italy. This section is somewhat unique for the Pliocene of the Mediterranean region in that it contains abundant calcareous and siliceous microfossils. Based on the biostratigraphic findings, it ranges in age from approximately 3.7-3.0 Ma. The Bianco section is composed of marly mudstones intercalated with diatomites, with the diatomites being particularly common in the upper 50 m of the section (above 3.1 Ma). The diatomites contain an abundant benthic foraminiferal assemblage and have a low organic carbon content indicating that bottom waters were fairly well-oxygenated during their deposition. Faunal and floral indicators suggest a cooling of surface waters in this region at 3.1 Ma. The diatom assemblages within the Bianco diatomites are very similar to those living in the Gulf of California, suggesting an upwelling origin for these silica-rich units. A model is proposed which attributes diatomite formation to upwelling induced by climatically controlled changes in local hydrography. ?? 1989.

Archaeomagnetic results from southern Italy and their bearing on geomagnetic secular variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, M. E.; Hoye, G. S.

2005-07-01

Archaeodirectional results from kilns and other baked structures in southern Italy are presented. They are generally compatible with the much larger data sets from France and Bulgaria. In particular, a summary of all the results associated with the well-known eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii ( n = 9, D = 355°, I = 58°, α95 = 1.5°) provides a reliable archaeomagnetic anchor point supporting the French and Bulgarian master curves. It is extremely well-constrained in time and it comprises independent studies carried out in four different countries. Furthermore, it is derived from a diverse set of features agreement amongst which argues strongly against significant perturbations due to magnetic refraction, structural disturbance, or depositional shallowing. In terms of geomagnetic secular variation, we interpret the western European archaeomagnetic data summarized here in terms of an open loop caused by westward drift, followed by an inclination low spanning the first few centuries CE representing the signal of a static flux pulse that reaches a maximum magnetic moment of a few percent of the earth's main central dipole.

Mediterranean diet adherence rates in Sicily, southern Italy.

PubMed

Grosso, Giuseppe; Marventano, Stefano; Giorgianni, Gabriele; Raciti, Teodoro; Galvano, Fabio; Mistretta, Antonio

2014-09-01

To assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet and nutrient intakes in a population of Sicily, southern Italy and to evaluate possible determinants, particularly socio-cultural and lifestyle factors. Cross-sectional. Urban and rural areas of eastern Sicily. Between May 2009 and December 2010, 3090 adults were randomly recruited through the collaboration of fourteen general practitioners. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was measured by the MedDietScore. Nutrient intakes were assessed through the 24 h recall of the previous day's dietary intake. Rural participants were barely more adherent to the Mediterranean diet than their urban counterparts (mean scores were 27·8 and 27·2, respectively, P = 0·037). The MedDietScore was correlated with intakes of MUFA, fibre and vitamin C, as well as with consumption of non-refined cereals, vegetables, fruit, meat, dairy products, alcohol and nuts. Regression analysis revealed that older and more educated people were more likely to be in the highest tertile of MedDietScore (OR = 1.90; 95 % CI 1·39, 2·59 and OR = 1·29; 95 % CI 1·05, 1·58, respectively). A significant difference in quantity (moderate) and quality (red wine and beer) of alcohol was found according to adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Finally, more active participants were 1·5 times more likely to form part of the high-adherence group. A slow but concrete moving away from traditional patterns has been observed in younger people and low educated people. Public health interventions should focus on these target populations in order to improve the quality of their diet.

Satellite and in situ measurements for coastal water quality assessment and monitoring: a comparison between MODIS Ocean Color and SST products with Wave Glider observations in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Gulf of Naples, Italy).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sileo, Giancanio; Lacava, Teodosio; Tramutoli, Valerio; Budillon, Giorgio; Aulicino, Giuseppe; Cotroneo, Yuri; Ciancia, Emanuele; De Stefano, Massimo; Fusco, Giannetta; Pergola, Nicola; Satriano, Valeria

2015-04-01

A wave-propelled autonomous vehicle (Wave Glider, WG) carrying a variety of oceanographic and meteorological sensors was launched from Gulf of Naples on the 12th September 2012 for a three-week mission in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. The main objective of the mission was the opportunity to evaluate the usefulness of combined satellite and autonomous platform observations in providing reliable and concurrent information about sea water parameters about the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea surface layer. The Wave Glider was equipped with sensors to measure temperature, salinity, currents, as well as CDOM, turbidity and refined fuels fluorescence. Wave Glider oceanographic data were also compared to satellite measurements. In particular, MODIS Ocean Color (OC) products concerning sea water properties collected during the Wave Glider mission were used. The EOS constellation allowed us to have about two daily diurnal imagery providing information about ocean color products. Concerning SST, both diurnal and night-time data were available. The first study we performed was focused on the analysis of SST information coming from both WG and MODIS. A good coefficient of correlation was achieved considering together both day-time and night-time acquisitions, with a discrepancy not higher than 0,7 °C. The correlation increases considering only day-time values, when more samples respect to the night-time ones were available. The results confirm the capability of MODIS products to reproduce over large area the SST variability, with a good level of accuracy. A similar analysis has been carried out to compare the turbidity WG data with the kd-490 MODIS product, which provide information about the diffuse attenuation coefficient in water at 490 nm and it is directly related to the presence of scattering particles, either organic or inorganic, in the water column and thus it is an indication of water clarity or of the water column turbidity. The absence of correlation seems to indicate, for

Assessment of atmospheric trace element concentrations by lichen-bag near an oil/gas pre-treatment plant in the Agri Valley (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caggiano, R.; Trippetta, S.; Sabia, S.

2014-10-01

The atmospheric concentrations of 17 trace elements (Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Ti and Zn) were measured by means of the "lichen-bag" technique in the Agri Valley (southern Italy). The lichen samples were collected from an unpolluted site located in Rifreddo forest (southern Italy). The bags were exposed to ambient air for 6 and 12 months. The exposed-to-control (EC) ratio values highlighted that the used lichen species were suitable for biomonitoring investigations. The results showed that the concentrations of almost all the examined trace elements increased with respect to the control after 6-12 month exposures. Furthermore, Ca, Al, Fe, K, Mg and S were the most abundant trace elements both in the 6 and 12 month-exposed samples. Moreover, principal component analysis (PCA) results highlighted that the major sources of the measured atmospheric trace elements were related both to anthropogenic contributions due to traffic, combustion processes, agricultural practices, construction and quarrying activities, and to natural contributions mainly represented by the re-suspension of local soil and road dusts. In addition, the contribution both of secondary atmospheric reactions involving Centro Olio Val d'Agri (COVA) plant emissions and the African dust long-range transport were also identified.

Multi-temporal analysis of slope movements in the Southern Apennines of Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parise, M.

2012-04-01

Many types of thematic maps dealing with slope movements have been proposed in the scientific literature to describe the features and activity of landslides. One of the most common is the classical landslide inventory map: this can be defined as a photograph of the landscape at a given time, that is the moment of the field surveys, or the date of the air photographs and/or satellite images used for mapping. Unless further data (such as dates of occurrence of the landslides, frequency of movement, etc.) are not added, it does nothing more than depicting the instability situation at that given time. In order to reach more insights into the history and evolution of unstable slopes, a multi-time approach must be performed. This can be carried out through a multi-temporal analysis, based upon aerial photo interpretation of different years, possibly integrated by field surveys. Production of landslide inventory map for each available set of air photos results in the final output of landslide activity maps (LAMs), deriving from comparison of the individual inventory map. LAMs provide insights into the evolution of the landslide process, allowing to reconstruct a relative history of the mass movement, and to highlight the most active sectors in time. All these information may result extremely useful to correlate likely movements to anthropogenic activity or specific triggering factors, such as a seismic event or a rainstorm. In addition, LAMs can also be of effective use in evaluating the efficiency of remediation works. The Southern Apennines of Italy are intensely affected by a variety of slope movements, that interest very different settings and are at the origin of severe damage to the built-up environments, claiming every year a high number of casualties. Notwithstanding the availability of landslide maps for the whole Italian territory, with very good detail at local sites of interest, what is often lacking over the country is a thorough knowledge of the overall

Audit of cholesterol management among primary care patients in rural southern Italy.

PubMed

Buono, Nicola; Petrazzuoli, Ferdinando; D'Addio, Filippo; Farinaro, Carmine; Soler, Jean Karl

2013-01-01

There has not yet been an audit of achievement rates of therapeutic targets for cholesterol management in the rural Italian primary care setting. The purpose of this study was to measure the percentage of patients with hypercholesterolaemia in a rural primary care setting in southern Italy, classify their risk category and measure the proportions of those patients who achieved optimal cholesterol levels according to the Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. The audit was completed using records from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2007. An electronic search key was entered into the electronic clinical records of 10 family doctors in a rural area of southern Italy for subjects with a diagnosis of or being treated for hypercholesterolaemia. A total of 194 hypercholesterolaemic patients were randomly selected from a cohort of patients registered with these family doctors. The low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) target level was 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L) in patients with existing cardiovascular disease, 130 mg/dL (3.3 mmol/L) for patients with ≥2 risk factors, and 160 mg/dL (4.1 mmol/L) for all other patients. The results regarding the efficacy of the therapy were categorised as follows: (1) on target, LDL-C lower or equal to levels of affiliated class; (2) poor control, 1-30 mg/dL (0.03-0.78 mmol/L) above the target level of LDL-C; (3) very poor control, ≥31 mg/dL (≥0.8 mmol/L) above the LDL-C target level. The average age of the hypercholesterolaemic patients included in the study was 62.0 ± 9.0 years; 55% were males, 30% were smokers, 71.3% suffered from hypertension, 46.3% had diabetes, 39.9% were obese and 31.9% had a family history of coronary disease. There were 114 subjects in Class I (personal history of coronary disease, cardiovascular risk ≥ 20, diabetes mellitus) LDL-C target level. Of these patients, 24.6% were at target, 30.7% had poor control and 44.7% had very poor control. A total of 42.3% of the subjects examined with the

Paleomagnetic data from the Pignola 2 section (Southern Apennines, Italy) and the Dibona section (Dolomites, Italy): a contribution to the Carnian magnetostratigraphy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maron, Matteo; Muttoni, Giovanni; Guido, Roghi; Mazza, Michele; Manuel, Rigo

2015-04-01

New magnetostratigraphic data for the Carnian have been obtained from the Pignola 2 section (Southern Apennines, Italy) and the Dibona section (Dolomites, Italy), obtaining 6 and 9 magnetozones respectively, both calibrated with conodonts and pollens. These new data cover the Julian/Tuvalian interval (Carnian) that is currently lacking of a clear magnetostratigraphic record. The Pignola 2 and Dibona sections have been compared with the magnetostratigraphy of other Tethyan sections from literature (e.g. Pizzo Mondello, Silická Brezová, Bolücektasi Tepe), integrating the magnetostratigraphy of the Carnian around the Julian/Tuvalian boundary. Considering also the sections of Mayerling and Prati di Stuores, containing the Ladinian/Carnian boundary, we obtained a continuous magnetostratigraphy for the Carnian Stage. Sections like Pizzo Mondello and Silická Brezová span from the late Carnian to the late Norian and have been correlated with Norian/Rhaetian sections up to the Hettangian base, like Pignola-Abriola, Steinbergkogel, Brumano-Italcementi Quarry. This sequence of correlations reveals a continuous magnetostratigraphic record along the whole Late Triassic valid for the Tethyan realm. The radiometric age from the Pignola 2 section (230.91±0.33 Ma from the "green clay-radiolaritic horizon") and the recent proposal for the age of the Rhaetian base (205.7 Ma from the Pignola-Abriola section, obtained by means of correlation with the Newark Astrochronological Polarity Time Scale and coherent with recent radiometric ages around the Norian/Rhaetian boundary), constrain our Late Triassic Tethyan composite magnetostratigraphy to a well-defined time interval, therefore improving current versions of the Triassic time scale.

Medicinal and useful plants in the tradition of Rotonda, Pollino National Park, Southern Italy

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background This paper reports an ethnobotanical survey of the traditional uses of medicinal and useful plants in an area of the Pollino National Park, Basilicata, Southern Italy. The study, conducted between 2009 and 2010, gathered information on the medicinal plants traditionally used in the neighbourhood of town of Rotonda, in the Pollino National Park, that appears have very rich and interesting ethnopharmacological traditions. Methods In all, we interviewed 120 key informants, whose age ranged between 50 and 95 years. Results The research resulted to the identification of 78 medicinal plants belonging to 46 families. Among the species reported, 59 are used in human medicine, 18 for domestic use, 8 in veterinary medicine. Several plants have been reported in previous studies, but with different uses, or never reported. Conclusions Data obtained showed that in the studied area the folk use of plants is alive and still derives from daily practice. PMID:23522331

Nonstationarity of daily rainfall annual maxima in Puglia (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Totaro, Vincenzo; Gioia, Andrea; Iacobellis, Vito

2017-04-01

Extreme flood events occurring in the last decades, due to climatic conditions in rapid evolution and/or changes in land cover, has lead the scientific community to develop and improve probabilistic techniques in order to take into account these effects, as also requested by the EU Floods Directive 2007/60. In the recent literature are becoming more popular studies that investigate the nonstationarity of the variables usually treated in hydrology through the analysis of their trend behavior. In this context it is also useful to assess the impact that the climate and /or land cover modifications have on the performances of the probabilistic stationary models used to predict hydrological variables such as rainfall and flood peaks. Among several proposed approaches, we use the redefined concept of return period and risk by considering the variability over time of the position parameter of the GEV distribution, with the subsequent discussion about the implications of analytical and technical characters. The analysis was carried out on the time series of annual maximum of daily precipitation available for a broad number of rainfall gauged stations in Puglia (Southern Italy). The investigation, conducted at the regional scale, leads to the identification of areas with different significativity of the statistical tests usually performed in order to assess nonstationarity. The evaluated change of return period leads to considerations useful to redesign methods for regional analysis of flood frequency.

A three-dimensional QP imaging of the shallowest subsurface of Campi Flegrei offshore caldera, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serlenga, Vincenzo; de Lorenzo, Salvatore; Russo, Guido; Amoroso, Ortensia; Virieux, Jean; Garambois, Stephane; Zollo, Aldo

2017-04-01

We build a three-dimensional attenuation image of the shallowest subsurface of Campi Flegrei caldera, a resurgent caldera located 15 km west of Naples, southern Italy. Extracting tstar (t*) measurements from an active seismic dataset can be achieved by a spectral ratio method which has been intensively used for earthquakes. The applicability of such measurement has to be validated for active seismic datasets which have a narrower frequency band compared to frequency band of quakes. The validation, as well as the robustness, of such extraction for narrow Ricker source wavelet has been checked through many synthetic and realistic tests. These tests allow us to conclude that this measurement is valid as long as 1) short signal time window are chosen to perform the spectral analysis; 2) the effects caused by heterogeneities of the sampled medium on the seismic spectra have to be taken into account in the description of elastic Green's function. Through such a deconvolution strategy, contributions of the fine velocity structure on signal amplitudes have been significantly removed: in case of suspicious behavior of the spectrum ratio, the measurement is disregarded. This procedure, a kind of deconvolution of the phase propagation imprint, is expected to leave nearly untouched the attenuation signature of seismic traces we are interested in. Such refined measurement approach based on the spectral ratio method has been applied to the real active seismic SERAPIS database providing us a reasonable dataset of 11,873 differential t* measurements (dt*). These data are used for imaging anelastic properties of Campi Flegrei caldera through a linearized, iterative, damped attenuation tomography. Based on configuration of sources and receivers, an attenuating volume as large as 13 x 13 x 1.5 km3 has been imaged. The tomography, with a resolution of 1 km in the horizontal directions and 0.5 km in the vertical direction, allowed to image important features whose reliability has been

PARTITIONING INTERWELL TRACER TEST FOR NAPL SOURCE CHARACTERIZATION: A GENERAL OVERVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

Innovative and nondestructive characterization techniques have been developed to locate and quantify nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) in the vadose and saturated zones in the subsurface environment. One such technique is the partitioning interwell tracer test (PITT). The PITT i...

The tectonic puzzle of the Messina area (Southern Italy): Insights from new seismic reflection data

PubMed Central

Doglioni, Carlo; Ligi, Marco; Scrocca, Davide; Bigi, Sabina; Bortoluzzi, Giovanni; Carminati, Eugenio; Cuffaro, Marco; D'Oriano, Filippo; Forleo, Vittoria; Muccini, Filippo; Riguzzi, Federica

2012-01-01

The Messina Strait, that separates peninsular Italy from Sicily, is one of the most seismically active areas of the Mediterranean. The structure and seismotectonic setting of the region are poorly understood, although the area is highly populated and important infrastructures are planned there. New seismic reflection data have identified a number of faults, as well as a crustal scale NE-trending anticline few km north of the strait. These features are interpreted as due to active right-lateral transpression along the north-eastern Sicilian offshore, coexisting with extensional and right-lateral transtensional tectonics in the southern Messina Strait. This complex tectonic network appears to be controlled by independent and overlapping tectonic settings, due to the presence of a diffuse transfer zone between the SE-ward retreating Calabria subduction zone relative to slab advance in the western Sicilian side. PMID:23240075

The tectonic puzzle of the Messina area (Southern Italy): insights from new seismic reflection data.

PubMed

Doglioni, Carlo; Ligi, Marco; Scrocca, Davide; Bigi, Sabina; Bortoluzzi, Giovanni; Carminati, Eugenio; Cuffaro, Marco; D'Oriano, Filippo; Forleo, Vittoria; Muccini, Filippo; Riguzzi, Federica

2012-01-01

The Messina Strait, that separates peninsular Italy from Sicily, is one of the most seismically active areas of the Mediterranean. The structure and seismotectonic setting of the region are poorly understood, although the area is highly populated and important infrastructures are planned there. New seismic reflection data have identified a number of faults, as well as a crustal scale NE-trending anticline few km north of the strait. These features are interpreted as due to active right-lateral transpression along the north-eastern Sicilian offshore, coexisting with extensional and right-lateral transtensional tectonics in the southern Messina Strait. This complex tectonic network appears to be controlled by independent and overlapping tectonic settings, due to the presence of a diffuse transfer zone between the SE-ward retreating Calabria subduction zone relative to slab advance in the western Sicilian side.

A geochemical and geophysical reappraisal to the significance of the recent unrest at Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moretti, Roberto; De Natale, Giuseppe; Troise, Claudia

2017-04-01

Volcanic unrest at calderas involve complex interaction between magma, hydrothermal fluids and crustal stress and strain. Campi Flegrei caldera (CFc), located in the Naples (Italy) area and characterised by the highest volcanic risk on Earth for the extreme urbanisation, undergoes unrest phenomena involving several meters of uplift and intense shallow micro-seismicity since several decades. Despite unrest episodes display in the last decade only moderate ground deformation and seismicity, current interpretations of geochemical data point to a highly pressurized hydrothermal system. We show that at CFc, the usual assumption of vapour-liquid coexistence in the fumarole plumes leads to largely overestimated hydrothermal pressures and, accordingly, interpretations of elevated unrest. By relaxing unconstrained geochemical assumptions, we infer an alternative model yielding better agreement between geophysical and geochemical observations. The model reconciles discrepancies between what observed 1) for two decades since the 1982-84 large unrest, when shallow magma was supplying heat and fluids to the hydrothermal system, and 2) in the last decade. Compared to the 1980's unrest, the post-2005 phenomena are characterized by much lower aquifers overpressure and magmatic involvement, as indicated by geophysical data and despite large changes in geochemical indicators. Our interpretation points out a model in which shallow sills, intruded during 1969-1984, have completely cooled, so that fumarole emissions are affected now by deeper, CO2-richer, magmatic gases producing a relatively modest heating and overpressure of the hydrothermal system. Our results do have important implications on the short-term eruption hazard assessment and on the best strategies for monitoring and interpreting geochemical data.

A socioeconomic profile of vulnerable land to desertification in Italy.

PubMed

Salvati, Luca

2014-01-01

Climate changes, soil vulnerability, loss in biodiversity, and growing human pressure are threatening Mediterranean-type ecosystems which are increasingly considered as a desertification hotspot. In this region, land vulnerability to desertification strongly depends on the interplay between natural and anthropogenic factors. The present study proposes a multivariate exploratory analysis of the relationship between the spatial distribution of land vulnerability to desertification and the socioeconomic contexts found in three geographical divisions of Italy (north, center and south) based on statistical indicators. A total of 111 indicators describing different themes (demography, human settlements, labor market and human capital, rural development, income and wealth) were used to discriminate vulnerable from non-vulnerable areas. The resulting socioeconomic profile of vulnerable areas in northern and southern Italy diverged significantly, the importance of demographic and economic indicators being higher in southern Italy than in northern Italy. On the contrary, human settlement indicators were found more important to discriminate vulnerable and non-vulnerable areas in northern Italy, suggesting a role for peri-urbanization in shaping the future vulnerable areas. An in-depth knowledge of the socioeconomic characteristics of vulnerable land may contribute to scenarios' modeling and the development of more effective policies to combat desertification. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mineralogy and geochemistry of asbestos observed in soils developed within San Severino Lucano village (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloise, Andrea; Punturo, Rosalda; Ricchiuti, Claudia; Apollaro, Carmine

2017-04-01

Concerns of potential health effects from disturbed natural occurrences of asbestos (NOA) have resulted in environmental investigations worldwide, including Basilicata region (Southern Italy). Indeed, in this region, an increased number of lung disease were related to the environmental exposure to asbestos tremolite soils sources. On the basis of the effects of asbestos on biological systems, several authors ascribe the asbestos-fibres toxicity to the synergetic effect of fibre size, crystal habit, surface reactivity, ability to generate Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), biopersistence and chemical composition. The human health risks are based on the potential fibres inhalation, when they become airborne through rocks (e.g. serpentinite) weathering or human activities producing dust. In this frame, this paper reports the results of a detailed study on soils that developed on serpentinite bedrocks cropping out within the San Severino Lucano village (Basilicata region, Italy) in order to assess the presence of NOA potentially hazardous to human health (Bloise et al., 2016a). Twelve soil samples have been collected within the village and characterized by using different analytical techniques such as X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive spectrometry, analytical electron microscopy (SEM/EDS and TEM/AEM) and thermal analysis (TG, DTG, DSC, DDSC). Results pointed out as the collected soil samples contain asbestos minerals, clay minerals, diopside, quartz, and Fe-Cr oxides in various amounts. High amounts of chrysotile and asbestos tremolite were found in soils, suggesting that human activities can disturb and provoke the release of inhalable asbestos in the atmosphere, triggering thus mechanisms of hazardous exposition for population. Results also showed a high content of Fe and Cr in chrysotile in some samples, while high amount of Ni was predominantly found in asbestos

Microwave tomography enhanced GPR surveys in Centaur’s Domus, Regio VI of Pompeii, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catapano, I.; Crocco, L.; Di Napoli, R.; Soldovieri, F.; Brancaccio, A.; Pesando, F.; Aiello, A.

2012-08-01

The archaeological area of Pompeii (Naples, Italy) is known worldwide as one of the most remarkable examples of a Roman Empire town, but its origins are prior to the Roman age and there is a huge archeological interest in discovering the history of the forma urbis. With respect to this framework, the paper presents results from microwave tomography enhanced ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys carried out in the Centaur’s Domus, Regio VI, one of the most ancient housing areas of Pompeii. The GPR prospections aimed at addressing and driving the archeological excavation campaign performed in this area in October 2010. The results of stratigraphic assays are used to assess the reliability of the tomographic images obtained.

Active transpression in the northern Calabria Apennines, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferranti, L.; Santoro, E.; Mazzella, M. E.; Monaco, C.; Morelli, D.

2009-10-01

the Amendolara ridge and northern Sila, where partitioning between thrust and left strike-slip motion occurs in response to ˜ E to ˜ NE directed shortening. A local ˜ NW-SE extension is recorded by fault-kinematic analysis on NE-SW striking fault segments parallel to the coast on the eastern flank of Pollino. These small-length normal faults do not form a through-going lineament, rather they accommodate the seaward collapse of the uppermost crust above the deeper shortening compartment. Conversely, the active transpression testified by geomorphic, structural and seismicity data is accommodated along deep-seated oblique back-thrusts that involve the Apulian foreland plate underlying the now inactive thin-skinned accretionary wedge down to near-Moho depths. In light of the tight interlacing between regional and local components of deformation affecting the marine terraces, we suggest that the large-scale uplift in this sector of Calabria may reflect whole crustal-scale folding. The novel seismotectonic frame reconstructed for this region is consistent with GPS velocities suggesting that large part of geodetic shortening detected between the Apennines and the Apulian block on the eastern side of southern Italy might be accommodated in northern Calabria.

Assessment of atmospheric trace element concentrations by lichen-bag near an oil/gas pre-treatment plant in the Agri Valley (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caggiano, R.; Trippetta, S.; Sabia, S.

2015-02-01

The atmospheric concentrations of 17 trace elements (Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Ti and Zn) were measured by means of the "lichen-bag" technique in the Agri Valley (southern Italy). The lichen samples were collected from an unpolluted site located in Rifreddo forest (southern Italy), about 30 km away from the study area along the north direction. The bags were exposed to ambient air for 6 and 12 months. The exposed-to-control (EC) ratio values highlighted that the used lichen species were suitable for biomonitoring investigations. The results showed that the concentrations of almost all the examined trace elements increased with respect to the control after 6-12-month exposures. Furthermore, Ca, Al, Fe, K, Mg and S were the most abundant trace elements both in the 6-month and 12-month-exposed samples. Moreover, principal component analysis (PCA) results highlighted that the major sources of the measured atmospheric trace elements were related both to anthropogenic contributions due to traffic, combustion processes agricultural practices, construction and quarrying activities, and to natural contributions mainly represented by the re-suspension of local soil and road dusts. In addition, the contribution both of secondary atmospheric reactions involving Centro Olio Val d'Agri (COVA) plant emissions and the African dust long-range transport were also identified.

Dengue fever in travellers and risk of local spreading: case reports from Southern Italy and literature update.

PubMed

Fabrizio, Claudia; Lepore, Luciana; Chironna, Maria; Angarano, Gioacchino; Saracino, Annalisa

2017-01-01

Dengue fever (DF), an arbovirosis caused by Dengue viruses (DV, serotypes 1-4), is responsible for an increasing number of travel-related acute febrile illnesses due to population growth, climate changes, spreading by viremic travellers, and improved laboratory diagnosis. The presence of efficient vectors (mosquito Aedes albopictus) has also been described in temperate regions including Italy which is considered the most heavily infected European country. Normally characterized by non-specific signs and symptoms, DF incidence is probably underestimated, especially in non-endemic countries, but the risk of severe forms is substantial. Between August and November 2013, five DF patients (4 males, age 23-38) were observed in the Infectious Disease Clinic (University of Bari, Southern Italy). All had just returned from DF endemic areas (2 French Polynesia, 3 Dominican Republic); 4/5 were hospitalized. Common clinical features included acute febrile syndrome, headache (2 with retro-orbital pain), rash (all patients), two with bleeding manifestations and one with gum bleeding. Laboratory tests demonstrated leukopenia (4 patients), elevated liver enzymes (3 patients), and thrombocytopenia (1 patient). Serum samples for DV antibodies and RNA detection were analyzed by the Regional Arbovirosis Reference Laboratory. Viral RNA was identified in 2/5 patients (DV-4) and seroconversion in the remaining cases. All patients made a complete recovery. Recent literature was reviewed, focusing on epidemiology and vector distribution (especially European and Italian territories), pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment including vaccine strategies. The occurrence of 5 DF cases during the period of highest vector activity (June-November) in Italy emphasizes the risk of local outbreaks in temperate regions. This paper highlights the importance of clinical alert for dengue also in non-endemic countries.

The Naples University 3 MV tandem accelerator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campajola, L.; Brondi, A.

2013-07-18

The 3 MV tandem accelerator of the Naples University is used for research activities and applications in many fields. At the beginning of operation (1977) the main utilization was in the field of nuclear physics. Later, the realization of new beam lines allowed the development of applied activities as radiocarbon dating, ion beam analysis, biophysics, ion implantation etc. At present, the availability of different ion sources and many improvements on the accelerator allow to run experiments in a wide range of subjects. An overview of the characteristics and major activities of the laboratory is presented.

Late Quaternary faulting in the Vallo di Diano basin (southern Apennines, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villani, F.; Pierdominici, S.; Cinti, F. R.

2009-12-01

The Vallo di Diano is the largest Quaternary extensional basin in the southern Apennines thrust-belt axis (Italy). This portion of the chain is highly seismic and is currently subject to NE-extension, which triggers large (M> 6) normal-faulting earthquakes along NW-trending faults. The eastern edge of the Vallo di Diano basin is bounded by an extensional fault system featuring three main NW-trending, SW-dipping, right-stepping, ~15-17 km long segments (from north to south: Polla, Atena Lucana-Sala Consilina and Padula faults). Holocene activity has been documented so far only for the Polla segment. We have therefore focused our geomorphological and paleoseismological study on the southern portion of the system, particularly along the ~ 4 km long Atena Lucana-Sala Consilina and Padula faults overlap zone. The latter is characterized by a complex system of coalescent alluvial fans, Middle Pleistocene to Holocene in age. Here we recognized a > 4 km long and 0.5-1.4 km wide set of scarps (ranging in height between 1 m and 2.5 m) affecting Late Pleistocene - Holocene alluvial fans. In the same area, two Late Pleistocene volcanoclastic layers at the top of an alluvial fan exposed in a quarry are affected by ~ 1 m normal displacements. Moreover, a trench excavated across a 2 m high scarp affecting a Holocene fan revealed warping of Late Holocene debris flow deposits, with a total vertical throw of about 0.3 m. We therefore infer the overlap zone of the Atena Lucana-Sala Consilina and Padula faults is a breached relay ramp, generated by hard-linkage of the two fault segments since Late Pleistocene. This ~ 32 km long fault system is active and is capable of generating Mw ≥6.5 earthquakes.

Evidence of human-induced morphodynamic changes along the Campania coastal areas (southern Italy) since the 3rd-4th cent. AD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russo Ermolli, Elda; Romano, Paola; Liuzza, Viviana; Amato, Vincenzo; Ruello, Maria Rosaria; Di Donato, Valentino

2014-05-01

Italy) and its archaeobotanical implications. J. Archaeol. Sci. 37, 2365-2375. [4] Russo Ermolli E., Romano P., Ruello M.R., Barone Lumaga M.R, in press. The natural and cultural landscape of Naples (southern Italy) during the Graeco-Roman and Late Antique periods. J. Archaeol. Sci. [5] Amato, V., Aucelli, P.,D'Argenio, B., Da Prato, S., Ferraro, L., Pappone, G., Petrosino, P., Rosskopf, C.M., Russo Ermolli, E., 2012. Holocene environmental evolution of the coastal sector before the Poseidonia-Paestum archaeological area (Sele plain, southern Italy). Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei. doi:10.1007/s12210-011-0161-1 [6] Amato V., Bisogno G., Cicala L., Cinque A., Romano P., Ruello MR., Russo Ermolli E., 2010. Palaeo-environmental changes in the archaeological settlement of Elea-Velia: climatic and/or human impact signatures? In Ciarallo A., Senatore M.R. (2010) Scienze naturali ed archeologia. Il paesaggio antico: interazione uomo/ambiente ed eventi catastrofici. Aracne Editrice, Roma, pag 13-16. ISBN 978-88-548-3525-2 [7] Russo Ermolli E., Romano P., Ruello M.R., 2013. Human-environment interactions in the southern Tyrrhenian coastal area: hypothesis from Neapolis and Elea-Velia. In: Harris W.V. (Ed.) The ancient Mediterranean environment between science and history Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition 39, BRILL Leiden-Boston, ISBN 978-90-04-25343-8, pp. 213-232. [8] Büntgen, U., Tegel, W., Nicolussi, K., McCormick, M., Frank, D., Trouet, V., Kaplan, J.O., Herzig, F., Heussner, K-U., Wanner, H., Luterbacher, J., Esper, J., 2011. 2500 Years of European Climate Variability and Human Susceptibility. Science 331, 578-582.

[Polycyclic aromatic hidrocarbons deposition in the Milazzo-Valle del Mela (Sicily Region, Southern Italy) high-risk area following an oil refinery fire].

PubMed

Grechi, Daniele; Biggeri, Annibale

2016-01-01

On September 2014, a fire began within an oil refinery involving a storage tank containing several hundreds of thousands cubic meters of virgin naphtha. Mayors of neighbouring municipalities asked the Epidemiology and Prevention Society "Giulio A. Maccacaro" to carry out an environmental survey in order to evaluate what was the nature and how dangerous was suspended dust deposited by the fumes. In the following days, after fire had been extinguished we conducted a sample survey on the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and metals in particulate deposited on the soil on a radius of five kilometres from the refinery and we engaged the exposed population. The Milazzo-Valle del Mela (Sicily Region, Southern Italy) high-risk area includes several industrial plants; among them, an oil refinery and a fuel powered energy plant. As reference area we selected the Sarroch municipality (Sardinia Region, Southern Italy), in the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, which is geographically comparable, where a large oil refinery is located and where an environmental campaign with measurement of PAH and metals in particulate matter was ongoing. Qualitatively, metal composition of particulate matter resulted similar in the Sarroch and Milazzo samples. Instead, a large excess of PAH was documented in the Milazzo samples as compared to the Sarroch ones. In conclusion, the results of the analysis of the samples of particulate matter deposited in the Milazzo area in the days immediately following the oil refinery fire showed a high quantity of PAH, carcinogenic substances which pose major hazard to population health. The greater fall-out was registered in the proximity of the burnt storage tank and the West neighbourhood, and at lesser extent in the Southern neighbourhood. As a consequence, there was a population exposure to carcinogenic substances which could have reached the food chain.

A General Model of Dioxin Contamination in Breast Milk: Results from a Study on 94 Women from the Caserta and Naples Areas in Italy

PubMed Central

Rivezzi, Gaetano; Piscitelli, Prisco; Scortichini, Giampiero; Giovannini, Armando; Diletti, Gianfranco; Migliorati, Giacomo; Ceci, Roberta; Rivezzi, Giulia; Cirasino, Lorenzo; Carideo, Pietro; Black, Dennis M.; Garzillo, Carmine; Giani, Umberto

2013-01-01

Background: The Caserta and Naples areas in Campania Region experience heavy environmental contamination due to illegal waste disposal and burns, thus representing a valuable setting to develop a general model of human contamination with dioxins (PCDDs-PCDFs) and dioxin-like-PCBs (dl-PCBs). Methods: 94 breastfeeding women (aged 19–32 years; mean age 27.9 ± 3.0) were recruited to determine concentrations of PCDDs-PCDFs and dl-PCBs in their milk. Individual milk samples were collected and analyzed according to standard international procedures. A generalized linear model was used to test potential predictors of pollutant concentration in breast milk: age, exposure to waste fires, cigarette smoking, diet, and residence in high/low risk area (defined at high/low environmental pressure by a specific 2007 WHO report). A Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis was carried out by taking into account PCDDs-PCDFs and dl-PCBs as endogenous variables and age, waste fires, risk area and smoking as exogenous variables. Results: All milk samples were contaminated by PCDDs-PCDFs (8.6 pg WHO-TEQ/98g fat ± 2.7; range 3.8–19) and dl-PCBs (8.0 pg WHO-TEQ/98g fat ± 3.7; range 2.5–24), with their concentrations being associated with age and exposure to waste fires (p < 0.01). Exposure to fires resulted in larger increases of dioxins concentrations in people living in low risk areas than those from high risk areas (p < 0.01). Conclusions: A diffuse human exposure to persistent organic pollutants was observed in the Caserta and Naples areas. Dioxins concentration in women living in areas classified at low environmental pressure in 2007 WHO report was significantly influenced by exposure to burns. PMID:24217180

[The incidence of dental caries during childhood. A clinical and epidemiologic study in Matera (Southern Italy)].

PubMed

Bottalico, L; Valenzano, A; Leone, D; Mangini, F; Santacroce, L

2007-01-01

The aim of the present study is to obtain comprehensive epidemiological data of the incidence of oral and dental health conditions in an Italian homogeneous population of schoolchildren. The study has been performed on schoolchildren born, living and attending the primary school in Matera, Basilicata, Southern Italy. Such data have been compared with the alimentary habits of the participants to the study, as well as with the social-economic family situations and with the social-environmental data. The data show a marked difference in the habits of oral hygiene, and in the health status of the oral structures also, based on both the sex and the environment of life. Such differences in the prevalence of caries among various urban areas and the behavioural habits related to sex and age ratios may be very useful findings for future regional prevention programs.

Environmental and climatic conditions at a potential Glacial refugial site of tree species near the Southern Alpine glaciers. New insights from multiproxy sedimentary studies at Lago della Costa (Euganean Hills, Northeastern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaltenrieder, Petra; Belis, Claudio A.; Hofstetter, Simone; Ammann, Brigitta; Ravazzi, Cesare; Tinner, Willy

2009-12-01

It has been hypothesized that refugia of thermophilous tree species were located in Northern Italy very close to the Alps, though, this hypothesis has yet to be tested thoroughly. In contrast to Central and Southern Italy with its relative wealth of data, only a few fragmentary records are currently available from Northern Italy for the last Glacial (Würm, Weichselian). Our new study site Lago della Costa lies adjacent to the catchment of the megafans of the Alpine forelands and the braided rivers of the Northeastern Po Plain that have so far inhibited the recovery of continuous Glacial and Late-Glacial records. We analyze pollen, plant macrofossils, charcoal and ostracods to reconstruct the vegetation, fire and lake history for the period 33,000-16,000 cal. BP. We compare our data with Glacial records from Southern Europe to discuss similarities and dissimilarities between these potential refugial areas. A comparison with independent paleoclimatic proxies allows to assess potential linkages between environmental and climatic variability. New macrofossil and pollen data at Lago della Costa unambiguously document the local persistence of boreal tree taxa such as Larix decidua and Betula tree species around the study site during the last Glacial. The regular occurrence of pollen of temperate trees in the organic lake sediments (fine-detritus calcareous gyttja) suggests that temperate taxa such as Corylus avellana, Quercus deciduous, Tilia, Ulmus, Fraxinus excelsior, Carpinus, Abies alba and Fagus sylvatica, most likely survived the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) at favorable sites in the Euganean Hills. The percentage values of temperate trees are comparable with those from Southern Europe (e.g. Monticchio in Southern Italy). We conclude that the Euganean Hills were one of the northernmost refugial areas of temperate taxa in Europe. However, the relative and absolute abundances of pollen of temperate trees are highly variable. Pollen-inferred declines of temperate tree

[Ten year cardio-cerebro-vascular mortality and morbidity in a Southern Italy cohort: the VIP Project data].

PubMed

Capuano, Vincenzo; Lamaida, Norman; Torre, Sergio; Capuano, Ernesto; Borrelli, Maria Immacolata; Capuano, Eduardo; Clarizia, Maria Maddalena; Capuano, Rocco; De Rosa, Carmela

2013-03-01

In Italy the mortality data were obtained almost exclusively from the data RENCAM (Name Causes of Death Register), while there are few prospective surveys. In order to assess whether there are particular epidemiological conditions in the geographical area of Mercato S. Severino, in Southern Italy, we have studied, and reassessed at ten years (1998/99 - 2008/09), a cohort of adult general population in a project of cardiovascular epidemiology and prevention. We calculated the rates of mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular events covering the period 1998/99 - 2008/09, in a cohort of 1200 persons (600 men and 600 women) aged 25 to 74 years. Data were standardized using the European standard population. Mortality from cardiovascular causes was 46.5% in men and 48.7% in women; it was mainly concentrated in the age group 65-74 years where it occurred on 62.9% of deaths in men and 66.7% in women. Regarding morbidity, the incidence of events to ten years of non-fatal myocardial infarction was 2.2% in men and of 1.8% in women. PTCA interventions to ten year have been 3.3% in men and 3.4% in women, the interventions of aorto-coronary bypass have been 2.4% and 0.5% for men and women respectively. While all major cardiovascular events have been more frequent in men, in women there was a higher incidence of stroke (1.6% vs 0.9%). Although by comparison with other European countries Italy is among the countries considered at low-risk of coronary heart disease, in Campania cardiovascular diseases reach higher rates than the rest of the country. Our results are in line with the literature data and confirm that cardiovascular diseases are a major public health problem. Local analysis to propose means to provide useful information for planning prevention interventions targeted to their own territory.

[Survey on computerized immunization registries in Italy].

PubMed

Alfonsi, V; D'Ancona, F; Ciofi degli Atti, M L

2008-01-01

Computerized immunization registries are essential for conducting and monitoring vaccination programs. In fact, they enable to improve vaccine offering to target population, generating needed-immunization lists and assessing levels of vaccination coverage. In 2007, a national survey on immunization registries was conducted in Italy. In February 2007, all the 21 Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) completed and returned an ad hoc questionnaire. In June 2007, RHAs were further contacted by telephone in order to verify and update the information provided in questionnaires. In 9 Italian Regions (42.8%), vaccination registries are computerized in all Local Health Units (LHUs). In five of these Regions, all LHUs use the same software, while in the remaining four Regions, different softwares are in use. In six additional Regions (28.6%), only some LHUs use computerized immunization registries (range 61.5%-95%). In the remaining 6 Regions (28.6%), which are all in Southern Italy, there are no computerised immunization registries at all. In total, computerised immunization registries cover 126/180 Italian LHUs (70%); in 76/126 (60%) of these LUHs, immunization registries are linked with population registries. This survey shows the need to improve the implementation of computerised immunization registries in Italy, especially in Southern Regions.

The Earthquake Early Warning System In Southern Italy: Performance Tests And Next Developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zollo, A.; Elia, L.; Martino, C.; Colombelli, S.; Emolo, A.; Festa, G.; Iannaccone, G.

2011-12-01

PRESTo (PRobabilistic and Evolutionary early warning SysTem) is the software platform for Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) in Southern Italy, that integrates recent algorithms for real-time earthquake location, magnitude estimation and damage assessment, into a highly configurable and easily portable package. The system is under active experimentation based on the Irpinia Seismic Network (ISNet). PRESTo processes the live streams of 3C acceleration data for P-wave arrival detection and, while an event is occurring, promptly performs event detection and provides location, magnitude estimations and peak ground shaking predictions at target sites. The earthquake location is obtained by an evolutionary, real-time probabilistic approach based on an equal differential time formulation. At each time step, it uses information from both triggered and not-yet-triggered stations. Magnitude estimation exploits an empirical relationship that correlates it to the filtered Peak Displacement (Pd), measured over the first 2-4 s of P-signal. Peak ground-motion parameters at any distance can be finally estimated by ground motion prediction equations. Alarm messages containing the updated estimates of these parameters can thus reach target sites before the destructive waves, enabling automatic safety procedures. Using the real-time data streaming from the ISNet network, PRESTo has produced a bulletin for about a hundred low-magnitude events occurred during last two years. Meanwhile, the performances of the EEW system were assessed off-line playing-back the records for moderate and large events from Italy, Spain and Japan and synthetic waveforms for large historical events in Italy. These tests have shown that, when a dense seismic network is deployed in the fault area, PRESTo produces reliable estimates of earthquake location and size within 5-6 s from the event origin time (To). Estimates are provided as probability density functions whose uncertainty typically decreases with time

Comparative Medical Ethnobotany of the Senegalese Community Living in Turin (Northwestern Italy) and in Adeane (Southern Senegal)

PubMed Central

Ellena, Rachele; Quave, Cassandra L.; Pieroni, Andrea

2012-01-01

A medico-ethnobotanical survey was conducted among the Senegalese migrant communities of Turin (Piedmont, NW Italy) and their peers living in Adeane (Casamance, Southern Senegal), both among healers and laypeople. Through 27 in-depth interviews, 71 medicinal plant taxa were recorded and identified in Adeane and 41 in Turin, for a total of 315 different folk remedies recorded in Senegal and 62 in Turin. The large majority of the medicinal plants recorded among Senegalese migrants in Turin were also used in their country of origin. These findings demonstrate the resilience of home remedies among migrants and consequently the role they should have in shaping public health policies devoted to migrant groups in Western Countries, which seek to seriously take into account culturally sensitive approaches, that is, emic health-seeking strategies. PMID:22761638

Numerical modeling of groundwater flow in the coastal aquifer system of Taranto (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Filippis, Giovanna; Giudici, Mauro; Negri, Sergio; Margiotta, Stefano; Cattaneo, Laura; Vassena, Chiara

2014-05-01

The Mediterranean region is characterized by a strong development of coastal areas with a high concentration of water-demanding human activities, resulting in weakly controlled withdrawals of groundwater which accentuate the saltwater intrusion phenomenon. The worsening of groundwater quality is a huge problem especially for those regions, like Salento (southern Italy), where a karst aquifer system represents the most important water resource because of the deficiency of a well developed superficial water supply. In this frame, the first 2D numerical model describing the groundwater flow in the karst aquifer of Salento peninsula was developed by Giudici et al. [1] at the regional scale and then improved by De Filippis et al. [2]. In particular, the estimate of the saturated thickness of the deep aquifer highlighted that the Taranto area is particularly sensitive to the phenomenon of seawater intrusion, both for the specific hydrostratigraphic configuration and for the presence of highly water-demanding industrial activities. These remarks motivate a research project which is part of the research program RITMARE (The Italian Research for the Sea), within which a subprogram is specifically dedicated to the problem of the protection and preservation of groundwater quality in Italian coastal aquifers and in particular, among the others, in the Taranto area. In this context, the CINFAI operative unit aims at providing a contribution to the characterization of groundwater in the study area. The specific objectives are: a. the reconstruction of the groundwater dynamic (i.e., the preliminary identification of a conceptual model for the aquifer system and the subsequent modeling of groundwater flow in a multilayered system which is very complex from the hydrostratigraphical point of view); b. the characterization of groundwater outflows through submarine and subaerial springs and the water exchanges with the shallow coastal water bodies (e.g. Mar Piccolo) and the off

Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-18

to have received a Papal blessing by Pope John Paul II in Naples, Italy, on September 4, 1981. (9) The U.S.S. Capodanno was decommissioned on July...It is the only Naval vessel to date to have received a Papal blessing by Pope John Paul II in Naples, Italy, on September 4, 1981...Island, preventing the young officers and the esteemed ship from falling into Confederate hands. (13) In 1896, Congressman John F. ‘‘Honey Fitz

The XIX century smallpox prevention in Naples and the risk of transmission of human blood-related pathogens.

PubMed

Buonaguro, Franco Maria; Tornesello, Maria Lina; Buonaguro, Luigi

2015-01-27

Vaccines are the most successful strategy developed in Medicine to prevent and even eradicate the most dreadful epidemic infectious diseases. The history of smallpox vaccination in Naples is quite unique. Although Galbiati established the retro-vaccination (1803) and developed the "calf" lymph vaccine, recognized and implemented since 1864 as the optimal smallpox vaccine in the following hundred years, Naples general population was mainly vaccinated with "human" lymph from abandoned children until 1893. Mini-epidemics of syphilis and serum hepatitis were periodically reported as results of arm-to-arm procedure. The risk of transmission of blood-related pathogens was higher in Naples where >80% of abandoned children, used as repository of cowpox virus, were dying in their first year of life. Recent vaccinology standards finally eliminated the risk of adventitious contaminating pathogens. Implementation of hepatitis B vaccination since 1991 eventually contributed to current HBV prevalence in Campania region <1%, within the range of the European Countries.

A critical evaluation of the local-equilibrium assumption in modeling NAPL-pool dissolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seagren, Eric A.; Rittmann, Bruce E.; Valocchi, Albert J.

1999-07-01

An analytical modeling analysis was used to assess when local equilibrium (LE) and nonequilibrium (NE) modeling approaches may be appropriate for describing nonaqueous-phase liquid (NAPL) pool dissolution. NE mass-transfer between NAPL pools and groundwater is expected to affect the dissolution flux under conditions corresponding to values of Sh'St (the modified Sherwood number ( Lxkl/ Dz) multiplied by the Stanton number ( kl/ vx))<≈400. A small Sh'St can be brought about by one or more of: a large average pore water velocity ( vx), a large transverse dispersivity ( αz), a small pool length ( Lx), or a small mass-transfer coefficient ( kl). On the other hand, at Sh'St>≈400, the NE and LE solutions converge, and the LE assumption is appropriate. Based on typical groundwater conditions, many cases of interest are expected to fall in this range. The parameter with the greatest impact on Sh'St is kl. The NAPL pool mass-transfer coefficient correlation of Pfannkuch [Pfannkuch, H.-O., 1984. Determination of the contaminant source strength from mass exchange processes at the petroleum-ground-water interface in shallow aquifer systems. In: Proceedings of the NWWA/API Conference on Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water—Prevention, Detection, and Restoration, Houston, TX. Natl. Water Well Assoc., Worthington, OH, Nov. 1984, pp. 111-129.] was evaluated using the toluene pool data from Seagren et al. [Seagren, E.A., Rittmann, B.E., Valocchi, A.J., 1998. An experimental investigation of NAPL-pool dissolution enhancement by flushing. J. Contam. Hydrol., accepted.]. Dissolution flux predictions made with kl calculated using the Pfannkuch correlation were similar to the LE model predictions, and deviated systematically from predictions made using the average overall kl=4.76 m/day estimated by Seagren et al. [Seagren, E.A., Rittmann, B.E., Valocchi, A.J., 1998. An experimental investigation of NAPL-pool dissolution enhancement by flushing. J. Contam

Preliminary study of plants used in ethnoveterinary medicine in Tunisia and in Italy.

PubMed

Viegi, Lucia; Ghedira, Kamel

2014-01-01

A survey relative to the use of plants for the cure of animals in Tunisia was conducted in order to make a comparison with the same species (or similar ones) in central and southern Italy. available bibliographical data both for Italy and for Tunisia were consulted. Thirty-nine plants, representing 22 families, used in Tunisia in ethnoveterinary medicine were reported, and comparisons made with close species used in Central and Southern Italy. Seven of the 39 species (about the 18% of the total) are not present in Italian flora. Fourteen of the 39 species (35% of the total) are also used in Italy. Camelidae (dromedaries and camels) are the most valuable types of domestic animals cured in Tunisia, but ovines, horses, bulls, dogs are also treated. Some uses coincide with those existing in different Italian regions. The plants used are the most common and most easily found in these areas. The present study confirms the convergence in ethnoveterinary medicine between Tunisia and Italy, even if it appears less significant than in human ethnobotany. Further studies are required in areas of Tunisia that have not yet been studied, in order to get the possibility of an evaluation of active compounds.

New biostratigraphic data on an Upper Hauterivian–Upper Barremian ammonite assemblage from the Dolomites (Southern Alps, Italy)

PubMed Central

Lukeneder, Alexander

2012-01-01

A biostratigraphic subdivision, based on ammonites, is proposed for the Lower Cretaceous pelagic to hemipelagic succession of the Puez area (Southern Alps, Italy). Abundant ammonites enable recognition of recently established Mediterranean ammonite zones from the upper Hauterivian Balearites balearis Zone (Crioceratites krenkeli Subzone) to the upper Barremian Gerhardtia sartousiana Zone (Gerhardtia sartousiana Subzone). Ammonites are restricted to the lowermost part of the Puez Formation, the Puez Limestone Member (ca. 50 m; marly limestones; Hauterivian–Barremian). Numerous ammonite specimens are documented for the first time from the Southern Alps (e.g., Dolomites). Ammonite abundances are clearly linked to sea-level changes from Late Hauterivian to mid Late Barremian times. Abundance and diversity peaks occur during phases of high sea-level pulses and the corresponding maximum flooding surfaces (P. mortilleti/P. picteti and G. sartousiana zones). The ammonite composition of the Puez Formation sheds light on the Early Cretaceous palaeobiogeography of the Dolomites. It also highlights the palaeoenvironmental evolution of basins and plateaus and provides insights into the faunal composition and distribution within the investigated interval. The intermittent palaeogeographic situation of the Puez locality during the Early Cretaceous serves as a key for understanding Mediterranean ammonite distribution. PMID:27087716

Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

17, 1973. It is the only Naval vessel to date to have received a Papal blessing by Pope John Paul II in Naples, Italy, on September 4, 1981...received a Papal blessing by Pope John Paul II in Naples, Italy, on September 4, 1981. (9) The U.S.S. Capodanno was decommissioned on July 30, 1993...young officers and the esteemed ship from falling into Confederate hands. (13) In 1896, Congressman John F. ‘‘Honey Fitz ’’ Fitzgerald introduced

An immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann model for biofilm growth and its impact on the NAPL dissolution in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benioug, M.; Yang, X.

2017-12-01

The evolution of microbial phase within porous medium is a complex process that involves growth, mortality, and detachment of the biofilm or attachment of moving cells. A better understanding of the interactions among biofilm growth, flow and solute transport and a rigorous modeling of such processes are essential for a more accurate prediction of the fate of pollutants (e.g. NAPLs) in soils. However, very few works are focused on the study of such processes in multiphase conditions (oil/water/biofilm systems). Our proposed numerical model takes into account the mechanisms that control bacterial growth and its impact on the dissolution of NAPL. An Immersed Boundary - Lattice Boltzmann Model (IB-LBM) is developed for flow simulations along with non-boundary conforming finite volume methods (volume of fluid and reconstruction methods) used for reactive solute transport. A sophisticated cellular automaton model is also developed to describe the spatial distribution of bacteria. A series of numerical simulations have been performed on complex porous media. A quantitative diagram representing the transitions between the different biofilm growth patterns is proposed. The bioenhanced dissolution of NAPL in the presence of biofilms is simulated at the pore scale. A uniform dissolution approach has been adopted to describe the temporal evolution of trapped blobs. Our simulations focus on the dissolution of NAPL in abiotic and biotic conditions. In abiotic conditions, we analyze the effect of the spatial distribution of NAPL blobs on the dissolution rate under different assumptions (blobs size, Péclet number). In biotic conditions, different conditions are also considered (spatial distribution, reaction kinetics, toxicity) and analyzed. The simulated results are consistent with those obtained from the literature.

Severe Weather Guide - Mediterranean Ports. 2. Naples

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

Include Security Classification) S^ere Weather Guide - Mediterranean Ports - 2. Naples (U) ? SONAi <^UTHOR(S) .■/ L,^glebretson, Ronald E. (LCDR...AN ( j. ) HIJ-H F’B (2i 040200 ■ CI ’ 3) (U) C A (b) o I..; i E W C E A F’ P L. IC A T.[ G N Ei IN ! E R N...threatened try actual or -forecast 51 r D n q w i n d s , n i g n a e a s , r s s t r i c t e d v i s i D1111 y o i- thunderstcjrms m the port

Evaluation of Trace Elements in Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) from a Suburban Area of Naples, Italy: The "Triangle of Death".

PubMed

Roma, Antonella De; Abete, Maria Cesarina; Brizio, Paola; Picazio, Giuseppe; Caiazzo, Marcello; D'auria, Jacopo Luigi; Esposito, Mauro

2017-07-01

Human exposure to contaminated food is a general health concern worldwide; it is necessary to evaluate food safety with respect to contaminants present in the edible parts of major food crops. This study evaluated the concentrations of 17 trace elements (As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Tl, V, and Zn) from 51 potato plantations in the Campania region, inside the area known as the "Triangle of Death," with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis. Results confirm that the potatoes collected from the suburban area of Naples contained concentrations of trace elements below the safe limits prescribed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization. The concentrations of elements were similar to those reported for potatoes grown in other countries. Monitoring the content of toxic and potentially toxic elements is one of the most important aspects of food quality assurance. The environmental persistence of metals may result in the accumulation of significant levels of these contaminants in plants. They are absorbed to different extents, depending on their source, soil and climatic factors, plant genotype, and agrotechnical conditions, thereby entering the food chain and representing a risk to human health.

Severe Weather Guide - Mediterranean Ports. 8. Toulon

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-01

CA 93943-5006 9. PROCUREMENT INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER N00228-84-D-3187 10 SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS PROGRAM ELEMENT NO. PROJECT NO...1990 PORT GAETA, ITALY NAPLES, ITALY CATANIA, ITALY AUGUSTA BAY, ITALY CAGLIARI, ITALY LA MADDALENA, ITALY MARSEILLE, FINANCE TOULON, FRANCE ...VILLEFRANCHE, FRANCE 10 MALAGA, SPAIN 11 NICE, FRANCE 12 CANNES, FRANCE MONACO ASHDOD, ISRAEL HAIFA, ISRAEL BARCELONA, SPAIN PALMA

Association study between four polymorphisms in the HFE, TF and TFR genes and Parkinson's disease in southern Italy.

PubMed

Greco, Valentina; De Marco, Elvira Valeria; Rocca, Francesca Emanuela; Annesi, Ferdinanda; Civitelli, Donatella; Provenzano, Giovanni; Tarantino, Patrizia; Scornaienchi, Vittorio; Pucci, Franco; Salsone, Maria; Novellino, Fabiana; Morelli, Maurizio; Paglionico, Sandra; Gambardella, Antonio; Quattrone, Aldo; Annesi, Grazia

2011-06-01

Iron overload may lead to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and alterations of iron-related genes might be involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. The gene of haemochromatosis (HFE) encodes the HFE protein which interacts with the transferrin receptor (TFR), lowering its affinity for iron-bound transferrin (TF). We examined four known polymorphisms, C282Y and H63D in the HFE gene, G258S in the TF gene and S82G in the TFR gene, in 181 sporadic PD patients and 180 controls from Southern Italy to investigate their possible role in susceptibility to PD. No significant differences were found in genotype and allele frequencies between PD and controls for all the polymorphisms studied, suggesting that these variants do not contribute significantly to the risk of PD.

From Extension to Transcurrence: Regime Transition as a new key to Interpret Seismogenesis in the Southern Apennines (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fracassi, U.; Vannoli, P.; Burrato, P.; Basili, R.; Tiberti, M. M.; di Bucci, D.; Valensise, G.

2006-12-01

The backbone of the Southern Apennines is perhaps the largest seismic moment release area in Italy. The region is dominated by an extensional regime dating back to the Middle Pleistocene, with maximum extension striking SW-NE (i.e. orthogonal to the mountain belt). The full length (~ 200 km) of the mountain range has been the locus of several destructive earthquakes occurring in the uppermost 10-12 km of the crust. This seismicity is due to a well documented normal faulting mechanism. Instrumental earthquakes (e.g. 5 May 1990, 31 Oct 2002, 1 Nov 2002; all M 5.8) that have occurred in the foreland, east of the Southern Apennines, have posed new questions concerning seismogenic processes in southern Italy. Although of moderate magnitude, these events unveiled the presence of E-W striking, deeper (13-25 km) strike-slip faults. Recent studies suggest that these less known faults belong to inherited shear zones with a multi-phase tectonic history, the most recent phase being a right-lateral reactivation. The direction of the maximum horizontal extension of these faults (in a transcurrent regime) coincides with the maximum horizontal extension in the core of the Southern Apennines (in an extensional regime) and both are compatible with the general framework provided by the Africa-Europe convergence. However, the regional extent along strike of the E-W shear zones poses the issue of their continuity from the foreland towards the thrust-belt. The 1456 (M 6.9) and 1930 (M 6.7) earthquakes, that occurred just east of the main extensional axis, were caused by faults having a strike intermediate between the E-W, deeper strike-slip faults in the foreland and the NW-SE-trending, shallower normal faults in the extensional belt. Hence, the location and geometry of these seismogenic sources suggests that there could be a transition zone between the crustal volumes affected by the extensional and transcurrent regimes. To image such transition, we built a 3D model that incorporates

USING PHASE DIAGRAMS TO PREDICT THE PERFORMANCE OF COSOLVENT FLOODS FOR NAPL REMEDIATION

EPA Science Inventory

Cosolvent flooding using water miscible solvents such as alcohols has been proposed as an in-situ NAPL remediation technique. This process is conceptually similar to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) using alcohols and some surfactant formulations. As a result of interest in the EOR ...

FLOTAC for diagnosis of endo-parasites in pet squirrels in southern Italy.

PubMed

d'Ovidio, D; Rinaldi, L; Ianniello, D; Donnelly, T M; Pepe, P; Capasso, M; Cringoli, G

2014-02-24

The present study investigated the occurrence of endoparasites in pet squirrels in southern Italy. Fresh fecal samples were collected from 50 asymptomatic pet squirrels belonging to five different species (Callosciurus finlaysonii, n=6, C. prevosti, n=6; Tamias striatus, n=26, T. sibiricus, n=10; Sciurus carolinensis, n=2) housed both in pet shops and/or in private residences. All fecal samples were processed using the FLOTAC pellet technique to identify and count helminth eggs/larvae and protozoan cysts/oocysts. In addition, to detect Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. the samples were analyzed by the Remel Xpect(®) immunoassay. Helminth eggs were detected in 9 out of 50 squirrels. Specifically, eggs of Dicrocoelium dendriticum were found in 5 squirrels (C. finlaysonii, n=2; C. prevosti, n=2; T. striatus, n=1); eggs of the pinworm Syphacia spp. in 3 squirrels (C. prevosti, n=2; T. striatus, n=1); and eggs of gastrointestinal nematoda (Nippostrongylus-like) were found in 1 subject (C. prevosti). Finally, two squirrels (C. prevosti) had multiple parasitic infections with D. dendriticum and Capillaria hepatica, and with D. dendriticum and Strongyloides spp., respectively. None of the samples were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. or Giardia spp. or any other protozoa (e.g. Eimeria). To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a D. dendriticum natural infection in pet rodents. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implications of soil mixing for NAPL source zone remediation: Column studies and modeling of field-scale systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, Mitchell R.; Sale, Tom C.

2015-06-01

Soil remediation is often inhibited by subsurface heterogeneity, which constrains contaminant/reagent contact. Use of soil mixing techniques for reagent delivery provides a means to overcome contaminant/reagent contact limitations. Furthermore, soil mixing reduces the permeability of treated soils, thus extending the time for reactions to proceed. This paper describes research conducted to evaluate implications of soil mixing on remediation of non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) source zones. The research consisted of column studies and subsequent modeling of field-scale systems. For column studies, clean influent water was flushed through columns containing homogenized soils, granular zero valent iron (ZVI), and trichloroethene (TCE) NAPL. Within the columns, NAPL depletion occurred due to dissolution, followed by either column-effluent discharge or ZVI-mediated degradation. Complete removal of TCE NAPL from the columns occurred in 6-8 pore volumes of flow. However, most of the TCE (> 96%) was discharged in the column effluent; less than 4% of TCE was degraded. The low fraction of TCE degraded is attributed to the short hydraulic residence time (< 4 days) in the columns. Subsequently, modeling was conducted to scale up column results. By scaling up to field-relevant system sizes (> 10 m) and reducing permeability by one-or-more orders of magnitude, the residence time could be greatly extended, potentially for periods of years to decades. Model output indicates that the fraction of TCE degraded can be increased to > 99.9%, given typical post-mixing soil permeability values. These results suggest that remediation performance can be greatly enhanced by combining contaminant degradation with an extended residence time.

Spectroscopic, microchemical and petrographic analyses of plasters from ancient buildings in Lamezia Terme (Calabria, Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Luca, Raffaella; Gigliotti, Valentina; Panarello, Mario; Bloise, Andrea; Crisci, Gino M.; Miriello, Domenico

2016-01-01

This work shows the results of the spectroscopic, microchemical and petrographic study carried out on six plasters coming from three important residential buildings of the 18th century, located in Lamezia Terme (Catanzaro, Southern Italy). To study the provenance of the raw materials used to make the plasters, one sample of limestone and two samples of sand were also collected from the quarries near Lamezia Terme and compared with the historical plasters. Samples were studied by polarized optical microscopy (OM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Raman spectroscopy. The results of these analyses allowed to determine the mineralogical, petrographical and chemical characteristics of the plasters, identify the pigments used for their coloration and provide useful information about the building techniques, the raw materials employed and the production technology of plasters during the 18th century in Lamezia Terme. SEM-EDS microanalysis also revealed the presence of gold and silver on the surface of two samples.

Variability of mass-wasting processes in the tectonically-controlled Calabro Tyrrhenian continental margin (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casalbore, D.; Bosman, A.; Casas, D.; Chiocci, F. L.; Martorelli, E.; Ridente, D.

2017-12-01

The recent collection of multibeam bathymetry and single-channel seismic profiles on the Calabro-Tyrrhenian continental margin in Southern Italy allowed us to depict a large suite of mass-wasting processes, ranging from gullies up to shelf-indenting canyon system along with over 400 landslide scars, affecting the 52% of the entire area. In detail, slide scars occur from the coast down to -1700 m, with mobilized volumes ranging from some hundreds of m3 up to tens of millions of m3. On the whole, they affect an area of >85 km2, being able to mobilize approximately 1.4 km3. These slides also show a large variability of features both in the headwall, translational and toe domain, thus providing useful insights for a better understanding of their failure and post-failure behavior. The aim of this study is to show the magnitude-frequency relationship of this large amount of slides in order to quantify a range of probabilities for the occurrence of new landslide events as well as to illustrate the main mechanisms that control their development and emplacement.

Myth and Reality: A Response to Lynn on the Determinants of Italy's North-South Imbalances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felice, Emanuele; Giugliano, Ferdinando

2011-01-01

In his article "In Italy, North-South differences in IQ predict differences in income, education, infant mortality, stature, and literacy," Richard Lynn claims to have found the reason causing the divergence between the Northern and the Southern regions of Italy. This article identifies the four main hypotheses formulated in his paper…

Non-volcanic CO2 Earth degassing: Case of Mefite d'Ansanto (southern Apennines), Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiodini, G.; Granieri, D.; Avino, R.; Caliro, S.; Costa, A.; Minopoli, C.; Vilardo, G.

2010-06-01

Mefite d'Ansanto, southern Apennines, Italy is the largest natural emission of low temperature CO2 rich gases, from non-volcanic environment, ever measured in the Earth. The emission is fed by a buried reservoir, made up of permeable limestones and covered by clayey sediments. We estimated a total gas flux of ˜2000 tons per day. Under low wind conditions, the gas flows along a narrow natural channel producing a persistent gas river which has killed over a period of time people and animals. The application of a physical numerical model allowed us to define the zones which potentially can be affected by dangerous CO2 concentration at breathing height for humans. The geometry of the Mefite gas reservoir is similar to those designed for sequestering CO2 in geological storage projects where huge amounts of CO2 should be injected in order to reduce atmospheric CO2 concentration. The approach which we have used at Mefite to define hazardous zones for the human health can be applied also in case of large CO2 leakages from storage sites, a phenomena which, even if improbable, can not be ruled out.

Serpentinite Carbonation in the Pollino Massif (southern Italy) for CO2 Sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmela Dichicco, Maria; Mongelli, Giovanni; Paternoster, Michele; Rizzo, Giovanna

2015-04-01

Anthropogenic gas emissions are projected to change future climates with potentially nontrivial impacts (Keller et al., 2008 and references therein) and the impacts of the increased CO2 concentration are, among others, the greenhouse effect, the acidification of the surface of the ocean and the fertilization of ecosystems (e.g. Huijgen and Comans, 2003). Geologic Sequestration into subsurface rock formations for long-term storage is part of a process frequently referred to as "carbon capture and storage" or CCS. A major strategy for the in situ geological sequestration of CO2 involves the reaction of CO2 with Mg-silicates, especially in the form of serpentinites, which are rocks: i) relatively abundant and widely distributed in the Earth's crust, and ii) thermodynamically convenient for the formation of Mg-carbonates (e.g., Brown et al., 2011). In nature, carbonate minerals can form during serpentinization or during hydrothermal carbonation and weathering of serpentinites whereas industrial mineral carbonation processes are commonly represented by the reaction of olivine or serpentine with CO2 to form magnesite + quartz ± H2O (Power et al., 2013). Mineral carbonation occurs naturally in the subsurface as a result of fluid-rock interactions within serpentinite, which occur during serpentinization and carbonate alteration. In situ carbonation aims to promote these reactions by injecting CO2 into porous, subsurface geological formations, such as serpentinite-hosted aquifers. In the northern sector of the Pollino Massif (southern Italy) extensively occur serpentinites (Sansone et. al., 2012) and serpentinite-hosted aquifers (Margiotta et al., 2012); both serpentinites and serpentinite-hosted aquifers are the subject of a comprehensive project devoted to their possible use for in situ geological sequestration of CO2. The serpentinites derived from a lherzolitic and subordinately harzburgitic mantle, and are within tectonic slices in association with metadolerite dykes

Hepatitis B Virus Genotype D Isolates Circulating in Chapecó, Southern Brazil, Originate from Italy

PubMed Central

Gusatti, Carolina Souza; Costi, Cintia; Halon, Maria Laura; Grandi, Tarciana; Medeiros, Arlete Ferrari Rech; Silva, Cláudia Maria Dornelles; Gomes, Selma Andrade; Silva, Marcia Susana Nunes; Niel, Christian; Rossetti, Maria Lucia Rosa

2015-01-01

Hepatitis B virus genotype A1 (HBV/A1), of African origin, is the most prevalent genotype in Brazil, while HBV/F predominates in the other South American countries. However, HBV/D is the most common in the three states of southern Brazil, where ‘islands’ of elevated prevalence, as Chapecó and other cities, have been described. In this study, 202 HBV chronic carriers attending in 2013 the viral hepatitis ambulatory of Chapecó, were investigated. In comparison with previous studies performed in the same ambulatory, a rapid aging of the HBV infected population was observed (mean age of the newly diagnosed patients increasing from 29.9 ± 10.3 years in 1996 to 44.4 ± 13.3 years in 2013), probably due to a singular vaccination schedule at Chapecó that included not only children but also adolescents. Phylogenetic and BLAST analyses (S region) classified 91 HBV isolates into genotypes A (n = 3) and D (n = 88). The majority of HBV/D isolates were closely related to D3 sequences. To understand the reasons for the absence or near absence of genotypes A and F, and how HBV/D was introduced in the south of Brazil, HBV/D infected patients were inquired about their genealogical and geographical origins. Forty-three (52%) patients have their four grandparents of Italian origin, vs. seven (8%) who have their four grandparents of Brazilian origin. At all, 65 out of 83 (78%) patients had at least one grandparent originating from Italy. Taking into consideration the fact that Italy is one of the few countries where subgenotype D3 is predominant, the results strongly suggested that HBV/D was introduced in Brazil through Italian immigration which culminated between 1870 and 1920. PMID:26275046

Insights on the seismotectonics of the western part of northern Calabria (southern Italy) by integrated geological and geophysical data: Coexistence of shallow extensional and deep strike-slip kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferranti, L.; Milano, G.; Pierro, M.

2017-11-01

We assess the seismotectonics of the western part of the border area between the Southern Apennines and Calabrian Arc, centered on the Mercure extensional basin, by integrating recent seismicity with a reconstruction of the structural frame from surface to deep crust. The analysis of low-magnitude (ML ≤ 3.5) events occurred in the area during 2013-2017, when evaluated in the context of the structural model, has revealed an unexpected complexity of seismotectonics processes. Hypocentral distribution and kinematics allow separating these events into three groups. Focal mechanisms of the shallower (< 9 km) set of events show extensional kinematics. These results are consistent with the last kinematic event recorded on outcropping faults, and with the typical depth and kinematics of normal faulting earthquakes in the axial part of southern Italy. By contrast, intermediate ( 9-17 km) and deep ( 17-23 km) events have fault plane solutions characterized by strike- to reverse-oblique slip, but they differ from each other in the orientation of the principal axes. The intermediate events have P axes with a NE-SW trend, which is at odds with the NW-SE trend recorded by strike-slip earthquakes affecting the Apulia foreland plate in the eastern part of southern Italy. The intermediate events are interpreted to reflect reactivation of faults in the Apulia unit involved in thrust uplift, and appears aligned along an WNW-ESE trending deep crustal, possibly lithospheric boundary. Instead, deep events beneath the basin, which have P-axis with a NW-SE trend, hint to the activity of a deep overthrust of the Tyrrhenian back-arc basin crust over the continental crust of the Apulia margin, or alternatively, to a tear fault in the underthrust Apulia plate. Results of this work suggest that extensional faulting, as believed so far, does not solely characterizes the seismotectonics of the axial part of the Southern Apennines.

Biological Correlates of Northern-Southern Italy Differences in IQ

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Templer, Donald I.

2012-01-01

The present study was intended to provide perspective, albeit less than unequivocal, on the research of Lynn (2010) who reported higher IQs in the northern than southern Italian regions. He attributes this to northern Italians having a greater genetic similarity to middle Europeans and southern Italians to Mediterranean people. Higher regional IQ…

Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, and D. immitis in hunting dogs from southern Italy.

PubMed

Piantedosi, Diego; Neola, Benedetto; D'Alessio, Nicola; Di Prisco, Francesca; Santoro, Mario; Pacifico, Laura; Sgroi, Giovanni; Auletta, Luigi; Buch, Jesse; Chandrashekar, Ramaswamy; Breitschwerdt, Edward B; Veneziano, Vincenzo

2017-10-01

Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are caused by a range of pathogens transmitted to dogs by arthropods. The present study investigates Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, and Dirofilaria immitis seroprevalences in hunting dogs from southern Italy. Dogs (no. 1335) were tested using a commercial in-clinic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated by logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors. Overall, 138/1335 dogs (10.3%) were seroreactive to at least one CVBD pathogen. E. canis, Anaplasma spp., B. burgdorferi s.l., and D. immitis seroprevalences were 7.6, 4.4, 0.3, and 0.2%, respectively. E. canis and Anaplasma spp. co-exposures were found in 30 dogs (2.2%), compared with Anaplasma spp. and B. burgdorferi s.l. co-exposures in 2 dogs (0.1%). Adult age was a risk factor for E. canis (OR 2.35) seroreactivity whereas hunting fur-bearing animals for E. canis (OR 4.75) and Anaplasma spp. (OR 1.87), respectively. The historical presence of tick infestation was identified as a risk factor for positivity to E. canis (OR 2.08) and Anaplasma spp. (OR 2.15). Finally, larger dog pack size was significantly associated with E. canis (OR 1.85) and Anaplasma spp. (OR 2.42) exposures. The results of the present survey indicated that hunting dog populations are at relative risk of CVBDs in southern Italy. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of hunting dogs in the epidemiology of vector-borne organisms due to sharing common environments with wild, sympatric animal populations.

Implications of soil mixing for NAPL source zone remediation: Column studies and modeling of field-scale systems.

PubMed

Olson, Mitchell R; Sale, Tom C

2015-01-01

Soil remediation is often inhibited by subsurface heterogeneity, which constrains contaminant/reagent contact. Use of soil mixing techniques for reagent delivery provides a means to overcome contaminant/reagent contact limitations. Furthermore, soil mixing reduces the permeability of treated soils, thus extending the time for reactions to proceed. This paper describes research conducted to evaluate implications of soil mixing on remediation of non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) source zones. The research consisted of column studies and subsequent modeling of field-scale systems. For column studies, clean influent water was flushed through columns containing homogenized soils, granular zero valent iron (ZVI), and trichloroethene (TCE) NAPL. Within the columns, NAPL depletion occurred due to dissolution, followed by either column-effluent discharge or ZVI-mediated degradation. Complete removal of TCE NAPL from the columns occurred in 6-8 pore volumes of flow. However, most of the TCE (>96%) was discharged in the column effluent; less than 4% of TCE was degraded. The low fraction of TCE degraded is attributed to the short hydraulic residence time (<4 days) in the columns. Subsequently, modeling was conducted to scale up column results. By scaling up to field-relevant system sizes (>10 m) and reducing permeability by one-or-more orders of magnitude, the residence time could be greatly extended, potentially for periods of years to decades. Model output indicates that the fraction of TCE degraded can be increased to >99.9%, given typical post-mixing soil permeability values. These results suggest that remediation performance can be greatly enhanced by combining contaminant degradation with an extended residence time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dietary Consumption of Phenolic Acids and Prostate Cancer: A Case-Control Study in Sicily, Southern Italy.

PubMed

Russo, Giorgio Ivan; Campisi, Daniele; Di Mauro, Marina; Regis, Federica; Reale, Giulio; Marranzano, Marina; Ragusa, Rosalia; Solinas, Tatiana; Madonia, Massimo; Cimino, Sebastiano; Morgia, Giuseppe

2017-12-05

Dietary polyphenols gained the interest of the scientific community due to their wide content in a variety of plant-derived foods and beverages commonly consumed, such as fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, and cocoa . We aimed to investigate whether there was an association between dietary phenolic acid consumption and prostate cancer (PCa) in South Italy. We conducted a population-based case-control study from January 2015 to December 2016 in a single institution of the municipality of Catania, southern Italy (Registration number: 41/2015). Patients with elevated PSA and/or suspicious PCa underwent transperineal prostate biopsy. A total of 118 histopathological-verified PCa cases were collected and a total of 222 controls were selected from a sample of 2044 individuals. Dietary data were collected by using two food frequency questionnaires and data on the phenolic acids content in foods was obtained from the Phenol-Explorer database (www.phenol-explorer.eu). Association between dietary intake of phenolic acids and PCa was calculated through logistic regression analysis. We found lower levels of caffeic acid (2.28 mg/day vs. 2.76 mg/day; p < 0.05) and ferulic acid (2.80 mg/day vs. 4.04 mg/day; p < 0.01) in PCa when compared to controls. The multivariate logistic regression showed that both caffeic acid (OR = 0.32; p < 0.05) and ferulic acid (OR = 0.30; p < 0.05) were associated with reduced risk of PCa. Higher intake of hydroxybenzoic acids and caffeic acids were associated with lower risk of advanced PCa. High intake of caffeic acid and ferulic acid may be associated with reduced risk of PCa.

Soil discontinuities as potential factors of shallow landslides: a case study from Calabria, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scarciglia, Fabio; Morrone, Fabio; Pelle, Teresa; Buttafuoco, Gabriele; Conforti, Massimo; Muto, Francesco; Critelli, Salvatore; Fabbricatore, Davide; Filomena, Luciana; Rago, Valeria; Robustelli, Gaetano; Tripodi, Vincenzo; Versace, Pasquale

2015-04-01

Effects of chemical and physical weathering processes on different rock types as predisposing factors of a number of landslides are often investigated in detail. Conversely, very few research studies on triggering mechanisms of shallow landslides and related risk assessment are focused on evaluation of morphological and physical discontinuities caused by pedogenetic processes affecting parent materials. Also sampling strategies for geotechnical or hydrological laboratory analyses can be biased by the lack of detailed information about the soil spatial variability and of a consequent horizon-wise selection of samples from soil profiles. In this work we summarize the main results on the assessment of shallow landslide susceptibility along the A3 highway section between Cosenza Sud and Altilia in northern Calabria (southern Italy). This research is part of a wider project (PON01-01503: "Integrated systems for hydrogeological risk monitoring, early warning and mitigation along the main lifelines"), aimed at hydro-geological risk mitigation and early warning along three highway sections of southern Italy. Based on a detailed geological and geomorphological survey, the main lithological, structural and relief features of the landscape were mapped, with a special emphasis on active, dormant and inactive landslides and their geo-lithological control factors. A soil survey was also carried out in the field, showing a dominance of Entisols and Inceptisols on steep slopes, and Mollisols and Alfisols on gentle landforms. Soil observations were focused on the identification of pedological discontinuities as potential factors that might trigger shallow landslides. A number of soil profiles, often close to landslide scarps, evidenced significant morphological changes of the parent materials, such as texture, pedogenic structure, dry consistence and moisture, or hydromorphic features caused by transient water-logging conditions, and clay-illuviated horizons. Buried soils were

Microearthquake sequences along the Irpinia normal fault system in Southern Apennines, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orefice, Antonella; Festa, Gaetano; Alfredo Stabile, Tony; Vassallo, Maurizio; Zollo, Aldo

2013-04-01

Microearthquakes reflect a continuous readjustment of tectonic structures, such as faults, under the action of local and regional stress fields. Low magnitude seismicity in the vicinity of active fault zones may reveal insights into the mechanics of the fault systems during the inter-seismic period and shine a light on the role of fluids and other physical parameters in promoting or disfavoring the nucleation of larger size events in the same area. Here we analyzed several earthquake sequences concentrated in very limited regions along the 1980 Irpinia earthquake fault zone (Southern Italy), a complex system characterized by normal stress regime, monitored by the dense, multi-component, high dynamic range seismic network ISNet (Irpinia Seismic Network). On a specific single sequence, the May 2008 Laviano swarm, we performed accurate absolute and relative locations and estimated source parameters and scaling laws that were compared with standard stress-drops computed for the area. Additionally, from EGF deconvolution, we computed a slip model for the mainshock and investigated the space-time evolution of the events in the sequence to reveal possible interactions among earthquakes. Through the massive analysis of cross-correlation based on the master event scanning of the continuous recording, we also reconstructed the catalog of repeated earthquakes and recognized several co-located sequences. For these events, we analyzed the statistical properties, location and source parameters and their space-time evolution with the aim of inferring the processes that control the occurrence and the size of microearthquakes in a swarm.

Ethnobotanical investigation on medicinal plants in the Vesuvio National Park (Campania, Southern Italy).

PubMed

Menale, Bruno; De Castro, Olga; Cascone, Ciro; Muoio, Rosa

2016-11-04

This paper illustrates the results of an ethnobotanical study carried out in the Vesuvio National Park (VNP) (Campania, Southern Italy). It describes the medicinal uses of the plants in an ancient area rich in ethnobiodiversity investigated for the first time. The main aim of the study was to understand at what extent current knowledge on medicinal plant uses is still alive in VNP. The informations were collected using semi-structured and unstructured interviews performed on 136 persons living in the investigated area from March to November 2014 and from April to October 2015. The age of the informants ranged from 47 to 85 years old; more than half of the informants aged between 61 and 70. Local plant uses were listed and analyzed in a table and compared with uses in other localities in Italy and in other regions of the Mediterranean basin. In VNP were recorded a total number of 132 plant species, belonging to 110 genera and 51 families mentioned for medicinal purposes. Among the recorded 132 plant species, 70 are spontaneous or subspontaneous and 62 are cultivated above all in the kitchen gardens or in the apartments, as food or as ornamental. Herbs represent the majority, followed by trees and shrubs or subshrubs. The investigated plants were used to cure 116 different human health diseases and 4 veterinary problems. The majority of plants are used in the treatment of gastrointestinal, skin and respiratory problems. The number of medicinal plants reported in this paper reflects a well-preserved traditional popular knowledge (TPK) of the elderly people living in the rural areas and in the small villages of VNP. The conservation of TPK is owed to the persistence of an oral tradition that safeguard the use of plants as herbal medicine. We realized that while the use of some wild plants is decreasing, people continue to gather some cultivated and invasive plants for preparing remedies. Researches like this are necessary to protect ancient memories, to promote the

If You Don't Have a Good Laboratory, Find a Good Volcano: Mount Vesuvius as a Natural Chemical Laboratory in Eighteenth-Century Italy.

PubMed

Guerra, Corinna

2015-08-01

This essay that examines the role of the volcano as a chemical site in the late eighteenth century, as the "new chemistry" spread throughout the southern Italian Kingdom of Naples, resulting in lively debates. In Naples itself, these scientific debates were not confined to academies, courts, and urban spaces. In the absence of well-equipped chemical laboratories, Neapolitan scholars also carried out research on chemistry on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, a natural site that furnished them with all the tools and substances necessary for practising chemistry. By examining various Neapolitan publications on Vesuvius and the chemical reactions and products associated with its periodic eruptions, I argue that the volcano's presence contributed to a distinctive, local approach to chemical theory and practice. Several case studies examine the ways in which proximity to Vesuvius was exploited by Neapolitan scholars as they engaged with the new chemistry, including Giuseppe Vairo, Michele Ferrara, Francesco Semmola, and Emanuele Scotti.

Increasing CO2 flux at Pisciarelli, Campi Flegrei, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Queißer, Manuel; Granieri, Domenico; Burton, Mike; Arzilli, Fabio; Avino, Rosario; Carandente, Antonio

2017-09-01

The Campi Flegrei caldera is located in the metropolitan area of Naples (Italy) and has been undergoing different stages of unrest since 1950, evidenced by episodes of significant ground uplift followed by minor subsidence, increasing and fluctuating emission strengths of water vapor and CO2 from fumaroles, and periodic seismic crises. We deployed a scanning laser remote-sensing spectrometer (LARSS) that measured path-integrated CO2 concentrations in the Pisciarelli area in May 2017. The resulting mean CO2 flux is 578 ± 246 t d-1. Our data suggest a significant increase in CO2 flux at this site since 2015. Together with recent geophysical observations, this suggests a greater contribution of the magmatic source to the degassing and/or an increase in permeability at shallow levels. Thanks to the integrated path soundings, LARSS may help to give representative measurements from large regions containing different CO2 sources, including fumaroles, low-temperature vents, and degassing soils, helping to constrain the contribution of deep gases and their migration mechanisms towards the surface.

Leveraging social media for flood emergency management: an experience in Campania region (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biafore, Mauro

2017-04-01

Campania is the Italian region with the highest population density (419 inhabitants/km2). Almost 20% of its territory (13669 km2) is exposed to severe hydrogeological risk scenarios, triggered by extreme rainfall events with duration ranging from a few tens of minutes to several hours. Many of these risk scenarios can only be mitigated by non-structural measures, which are mainly designed to increase the resilience of the exposed communities. Several studies have evidenced that the effectiveness of civil protection actions can be enhanced by using social media for disseminating and collecting information relevant for crisis preparedness, response and recovery. However, the application of social media in the management of hydrogeological risks is still in its infancy. The civil protection of Campania Region, as part of a FP7 project called SUPER (Social sensors for secUrity Assessments and Proactive EmeRgencies management), has been validating an integrated framework enabling optimal blending of social media in the emergency management processes. The SUPER project is a joint effort of social media experts (including social network providers) and security experts (including security and civil protection agencies), towards introducing an integrated and privacy-friendly approach to the use of social media in emergencies and security incidents. As part of the project outcomes, the "SUPER platform" has been developed. It consists of a set of social media processing components integrated in a Common Operational Picture, designed for supporting security and emergency management. A demonstration was primarily setup to evaluate how the SUPER platform can effectively facilitate the exploitation of social media data for improving civil protection actions during a simulated emergency scenario. To this purpose, a civil protection exercise took place in the city of Sorrento (Naples, Italy), involving tens of volunteers and emergency operators. The simulated emergency scenario was

Tsunamigenic potential of a newly discovered active fault zone in the outer Messina Strait, Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Lili; Heidarzadeh, Mohammad; Cukur, Deniz; Chiocci, Francesco L.; Ridente, Domenico; Gross, Felix; Bialas, Jörg; Krastel, Sebastian

2017-03-01

The 1908 Messina tsunami was the most catastrophic tsunami hitting the coastline of Southern Italy in the younger past. The source of this tsunami, however, is still heavily debated, and both rupture along a fault and a slope failure have been postulated as potential origin of the tsunami. Here we report a newly discovered active Fiumefreddo-Melito di Porto Salvo Fault Zone (F-MPS_FZ), which is located in the outer Messina Strait in a proposed landslide source area of the 1908 Messina tsunami. Tsunami modeling showed that this fault zone would produce devastating tsunamis by assuming slip amounts of ≥5 m. An assumed slip of up to 17 m could even generate a tsunami comparable to the 1908 Messina tsunami, but we do not consider the F-MPS_FZ as a source for the 1908 Messina tsunami because its E-W strike contradicts seismological observations of the 1908 Messina earthquake. Future researches on the F-MPS_FZ, however, may contribute to the tsunami risk assessment in the Messina Strait.

Familial temporal lobe epilepsy autosomal dominant inheritance in a large pedigree from southern Italy.

PubMed

Gambardella, A; Messina, D; Le Piane, E; Oliveri, R L; Annesi, G; Zappia, M; Andermann, E; Quattrone, A; Aguglia, U

2000-02-01

To further elucidate the inheritance pattern and range of phenotypic manifestations of benign familial temporal lobe epilepsy (FTLE), we report a large family recently identified in southern Italy. There were 8 patients (4 men), ranging in age from 31 to 68 years in three generations. One affected patient was deceased at the time of the study. Genealogical study strongly supported autosomal dominant inheritance with incomplete penetrance, as three unaffected individuals transmitted the disease. Clinical anticipation could not be assessed because of the ascertainment method. Male to male transmission occurred. Identifiable antecedents for seizures were present in only two patients, who had a simple febrile convulsion and a closed head trauma, respectively. Migraine was overrepresented in this family. Onset of seizures ranged from 17 to 52 years (mean: 27 years). All patients had weekly simple partial seizures suggestive of temporal origin with vegetative or experiential phenomena. Very rare partial complex seizures occurred in 6/7 patients. One had two generalized nocturnal seizures as well. Two had previously been misdiagnosed as having gastritis or panic attacks, and one had not been diagnosed. Interictal anteromesiotemporal spiking was seen in 5/7 patients, and occurred mostly during NREM sleep. Neurological examination, brain CT or MR scans were normal. Antiepileptic medication always controlled the seizures.

Endophytic fungi occurring in fennel, lettuce, chicory, and celery--commercial crops in southern Italy.

PubMed

D'Amico, Margherita; Frisullo, Salvatore; Cirulli, Matteo

2008-01-01

The occurrence of endophytic fungi in fennel, lettuce, chicory, and celery crops was investigated in southern Italy. A total of 186 symptomless plants was randomly collected and sampled at the stage of commercial ripeness. Fungal species of Acremonium, Alternaria, Fusarium, and Plectosporium were detected in all four crops; Plectosporium tabacinum was the most common in all crop species and surveyed sites. The effect of eight endophytic isolates (five belonging to Plectosporium tabacinum and three to three species of Acremonium) inoculated on lettuce plants grown in gnotobiosis was assessed by recording plant height, root length and dry weight, collar diameter, root necrosis, and leaf yellowing. P. tabacinum and three species of Acremonium, inoculated on gnotobiotically grown lettuce plants, showed pathogenic activity that varied with the fungal isolate. Lettuce plants inoculated with the isolates Ak of Acremonium kiliense, Ac of Acremonium cucurbitacearum, and P35 of P. tabacinum showed an increased root growth, compared to the non-inoculated control. The high frequency of P. tabacinum isolation recorded in lettuce plants collected in Bari and Metaponto, and in fennel plants from Foggia agricultural districts, suggests a relationship not only between a crop species and P. tabacinum, but also between the occurrence of the endophyte and the crop rotation history of the soil.

Survival After Surgical Treatment of Lung Cancer Arising in the Population Exposed to Illegal Dumping of Toxic Waste in the Land of Fires ('Terra dei Fuochi') of Southern Italy.

PubMed

Rocco, Gaetano; Petitti, Tommasangelo; Martucci, Nicola; Piccirillo, Maria Carmela; LA Rocca, Antonello; LA Manna, Carmine; DE Luca, Giuseppe; Morabito, Alessandro; Chirico, Andrea; Franco, Renato; Accardo, Rosanna; Normanno, Nicola; Botti, Gerardo; Lodato, Sergio; Ciliberto, Gennaro; Pedicini, Tonino; Giordano, Antonio

2016-05-01

Terra dei Fuochi (TdF), the so-called 'Land of Fires' in Southern Italy, is an agricultural territory characterized by illegal dumping of toxic waste known to occur since the 1980s. It is unknown whether prognosis of patients developing cancer and living in that area may differ compared to those living in areas not exposed to this specific type of pollution. We retrospectively analyzed the 5-year survival rates of patients originating from the TdF diagnosed with lung cancer compared to patients from other areas. Patients consecutively operated on for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) between November 2004 and April 2013 at the Division of Thoracic Surgery of the National Cancer Institute of Naples were eligible. The study outcome was overall survival (OS). In addition, the TdF and non-TdF groups were compared through propensity score matching (PSM). Overall, 439 patients with resectable NSCLC were operated on, 123 (28%) from the TdF and 316 (72%) from other referral centers of our catchment area. There were 301 males and 138 females; the median age of the entire surgical population was 65 years (range=25-83) years. Apart from a different prevalence of hypertension and underweight patients, preoperative factors were evenly distributed between the two groups. At univariate analysis, OS was not different between the TdF and non TdF group (median 72 and 68 months, respectively; p=0.75 log-rank test). Multivariable analysis confirmed that living in the TdF area had no prognostic impact (hazard ratio=1.05; 95% confidence interval=0.70-1.57; p=0.78) on OS. PSM confirmed no statistically significant difference of OS (hazard ratio=1.01, 95% confidence interval=0.67-1.52; p=0.93). Following surgery for lung cancer, TdF and non-TdF surgical candidates had similar long-term survival. Originating from the TdF does not seem to be associated with worse outcomes after surgical treatment of patients with lung cancer. Copyright© 2016 International Institute of Anticancer Research

Multistep food plant processing at Grotta Paglicci (Southern Italy) around 32,600 cal B.P.

PubMed Central

Mariotti Lippi, Marta; Foggi, Bruno; Aranguren, Biancamaria; Ronchitelli, Annamaria; Revedin, Anna

2015-01-01

Residue analyses on a grinding tool recovered at Grotta Paglicci sublayer 23A [32,614 ± 429 calibrated (cal) B.P.], Southern Italy, have demonstrated that early modern humans collected and processed various plants. The recording of starch grains attributable to Avena (oat) caryopses expands our information about the food plants used for producing flour in Europe during the Paleolithic and about the origins of a food tradition persisting up to the present in the Mediterranean basin. The quantitative distribution of the starch grains on the surface of the grinding stone furnished information about the tool handling, confirming its use as a pestle-grinder, as suggested by the wear-trace analysis. The particular state of preservation of the starch grains suggests the use of a thermal treatment before grinding, possibly to accelerate drying of the plants, making the following process easier and faster. The study clearly indicates that the exploitation of plant resources was very important for hunter–gatherer populations, to the point that the Early Gravettian inhabitants of Paglicci were able to process food plants and already possessed a wealth of knowledge that was to become widespread after the dawn of agriculture. PMID:26351674

Multistep food plant processing at Grotta Paglicci (Southern Italy) around 32,600 cal B.P.

PubMed

Mariotti Lippi, Marta; Foggi, Bruno; Aranguren, Biancamaria; Ronchitelli, Annamaria; Revedin, Anna

2015-09-29

Residue analyses on a grinding tool recovered at Grotta Paglicci sublayer 23A [32,614 ± 429 calibrated (cal) B.P.], Southern Italy, have demonstrated that early modern humans collected and processed various plants. The recording of starch grains attributable to Avena (oat) caryopses expands our information about the food plants used for producing flour in Europe during the Paleolithic and about the origins of a food tradition persisting up to the present in the Mediterranean basin. The quantitative distribution of the starch grains on the surface of the grinding stone furnished information about the tool handling, confirming its use as a pestle-grinder, as suggested by the wear-trace analysis. The particular state of preservation of the starch grains suggests the use of a thermal treatment before grinding, possibly to accelerate drying of the plants, making the following process easier and faster. The study clearly indicates that the exploitation of plant resources was very important for hunter-gatherer populations, to the point that the Early Gravettian inhabitants of Paglicci were able to process food plants and already possessed a wealth of knowledge that was to become widespread after the dawn of agriculture.

Soil moisture monitoring in Candelaro basin, Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campana, C.; Gigante, V.; Iacobellis, V.

2012-04-01

The signature of the hydrologic regime can be investigated, in principle, by recognizing the main mechanisms of runoff generation that take place in the basin and affect the seasonal behavior or the rainfall-driven events. In this framework, besides the implementation of hydrological models, a crucial role should be played by direct observation of key state variables such as soil moisture at different depths and different distances from the river network. In fact, understanding hydrological systems is often limited by the frequency and spatial distribution of observations. Experimental catchments, which are field laboratories with long-term measurements of hydrological variables, are not only sources of data but also sources of knowledge. Wireless distributed sensing platforms are a key technology to address the need for overcoming field limitations such as conflicts between soil use and cable connections. A stand-alone wireless network system has been installed for continuous monitoring of soil water contents at multiple depths along a transect located in Celone basin (sub-basin of Candelaro basin in Puglia, Southern Italy). The transect consists of five verticals, each one having three soil water content sensors at multiple depths: 0,05 m, 0,6 m and 1,2 m below the ground level. The total length of the transect is 307 m and the average distance between the verticals is 77 m. The main elements of the instrumental system installed are: fifteen Decagon 10HS Soil Moisture Sensors, five Decagon Em50R Wireless Radio Data Loggers, one Rain gauge, one Decagon Data Station and one Campbell CR1000 Data Logger. Main advantages of the system as described and presented in this work are that installation of the wireless network system is fast and easy to use, data retrieval and monitoring information over large spatial scales can be obtained in (near) real-time mode and finally other type of sensors can be connected to the system, also offering wide potentials for future

Siderite deposits in northern Italy: Early Permian to Early Triassic hydrothermalism in the Southern Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Silvana; Toffolo, Luca; Moroni, Marilena; Montorfano, Carlo; Secco, Luciano; Agnini, Claudia; Nimis, Paolo; Tumiati, Simone

2017-07-01

We present a minero-petrographic, geochemical and geochronological study of siderite orebodies from different localities of the Southern Alps (northern Italy). Siderite occurs as veins cutting the Variscan basement and the overlying Lower Permian volcano-sedimentary cover (Collio Fm.), and as both veins and conformable stratabound orebodies in the Upper Permian (Verrucano Lombardo and Bellerophon Fms.) and Lower Triassic (Servino and Werfen Fms.) sedimentary sequences of the Lombardian and the Venetian Alps. All types of deposits show similar major- and rare-earth (REE)-element patterns, suggesting a common iron-mineralizing event. The compositions of coexisting siderite, Fe-rich dolomite and calcite suggest formation from hydrothermal fluids at relatively high temperature conditions (≥ 250 °C). Geochemical modelling, supported by REE analyses and by literature and new δ13C and δ18O isotopic data, suggests that fluids responsible for the formation of siderite in the Variscan basement and in the overlying Lower Permian cover were derived from dominant fresh water, which leached Fe and C from volcanic rocks (mainly rhyolites/rhyodacites) and organic carbon-bearing continental sediments. On the basis of U-Th-Pb microchemical dating of uraninite associated with siderite in the Val Vedello and Novazza deposits (Lombardian Alps), the onset of hydrothermalism is constrained to 275 ± 13 Ma (Early-Mid Permian), i.e., it was virtually contemporaneous to the plutonism and the volcanic-sedimentary cycle reported in the same area (Orobic Basin). The youngest iron-mineralizing event is represented by siderite veins and conformable orebodies hosted in Lower Triassic shallow-marine carbonatic successions. In this case, the siderite-forming fluids contained a seawater component, interacted with the underlying Permian successions and eventually replaced the marine carbonates at temperatures of ≥ 250 °C. The absence of siderite in younger rocks suggests an Early Triassic

Hepatitis A virus strains circulating during 1997-2015 in Campania, a Southern Italy region with periodic outbreaks.

PubMed

Costantino, Angela; Coppola, Nicola; Spada, Enea; Bruni, Roberto; Taffon, Stefania; Equestre, Michele; Marcantonio, Cinzia; Sagnelli, Caterina; Dell'Isola, Chiara; Tosone, Grazia; Mascolo, Silvia; Sagnelli, Evangelista; Ciccaglione, Anna Rita

2017-11-01

In Italy, the incidence of hepatitis A has progressively declined over the last 30 years, though not homogeneously throughout the country. In Campania, Southern Italy, high annual incidence rates have been reported and several periodic outbreaks have occurred. To investigate the phylogenetic and epidemiologic relationships among HAV strains circulating in Campania over the period 1997-2015, 87 hepatitis A cases were investigated. The most frequent risk factor was the consumption of raw/undercooked shellfish (75/87, 86.2%). During 1997-2002 most viral strains were subtype IA (16/23, 70%); the phylogenetic pattern suggests that the incidence peaks observed in 2000-2001 had likely been caused by multiple strains. During a large 2004 outbreak, almost all viral variants were subtype IB (38/41, 93%); most of them (22/38, 58%) were recognized to be one of two main strains (differing for just a single nucleotide), the remaining sequences were strictly related variants. In 2014/2015, only IA strains were observed; two phylogenetically related but distinct strains were responsible, respectively, for a small cluster in 2014 and an outbreak in 2015. In each outbreak, several strains unrelated to those responsible for most cases were detected in a minority of patients, documenting a background of sporadic cases occurring even in the course of outbreaks; some of them proved to be identical to strains detected 11-14 years previously. Overall, the data suggest that several related and unrelated HAV strains have endemically circulated over the last 15 years in Campania, with some strains gaining epidemic transmission likely because of a local combination of multiple factors, including inadequate waste water purification and dietary habits. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Managing patients with prostate cancer in Italy during the first year after diagnosis. A cost description based on a sample of 8 urological wards].

PubMed

Lazzaro, Carlo

2003-09-01

The aim of the paper is to report of an empirical retrospective study (1994-1999) on the cost of managing patient with prostate cancer (PC) during the first year after diagnosis in Italy. In January 2000, a questionnaire on qualitative, quantitative and economic data concerning the clinical path expected for patients with PC (diagnosis; staging; follow-up; drug; surgery; chemotherapy and radiotherapy) was sent to 14 Italian urological wards (UWs), 5 school of medicine-based (Northern Italy: 2; Central Italy: 1; Southern Italy: 2), 4 self-governing hospital-based (Northern Italy: 1; Southern Italy: 3), 5 Health Authorities hospital-based (Northern Italy: 2; Central Italy: 2; Southern Italy: 1). UWs were expected to contribute to analysis with 15 patients' records per year each, for a total amount of 1.260 filled questionnaires. Only medical costs related to patient management have been considered; hospitals and Health Authorities overheads were not taken into account. A cost description was performed considering the hospital viewpoint. We received 416 out of 1.260 expected questionnaires (redemption rate: 33%) from 8 out of 14 UWs: 2 school of medicine-based (Central Italy: 1; Southern Italy: 1); 2 self-governing hospital-based (Southern Italy: 2); 4 Health Authorities hospital-based (Northern Italy: 1; Central Italy: 3). Only 411 out of 416 questionnaires were included in data analysis. Patients' average age at the time of diagnosis was 74.1 years (range: 68.6-76.7). A moderate percentage of neoplasms in patients' relatives was reported (17.8%; 5.6% for PC). The average cost per patient with CP during the first year after diagnosis was Euro 6,575.31 (range: Euro 5,035.65-Euro 12,367.69). The cost-driver was drug therapy (43.07%), followed by surgery (26.41%), diagnosis (12.39%), staging (8.58%); follow-up (8.25%) and radiotherapy (1.30%); no data on chemotherapy was reported. Diagnosis, staging and follow-up tests and procedures were performed mainly in outpatient

Floods, landslides and erosion from severe meteorological events in the Benevento Province, southern Italy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mascellaro, Neri; Guerriero, Luigi; Revellino, Paola; Grelle, Gerardo; Guadagno, Francesco M.

2017-04-01

As effect of the ongoing climate change, heavy meteorological events are increasing in frequency all over the world. The Campania Region in southern Italy is among the areas mostly affected by severe rainstorms and is periodically hit by their effect like floods and landslides. In October 2015, two intense rainfall events hit the central and southern regions of Italy but the most destructive effects occurred in the Benevento province (Campania region). The first storm, a self-healing V-shaped storm, began around at 7 p.m. of 14th October and stopped around at 3:00 a.m. of 15th October and was originated by the development of a cyclogenesis. The rain gages recorded a maximum cumulative value of 415.6 mm of rain in Paupisi (BN) and a strong increase in temperature; the maxima for the Benevento province was 24°C. The second storm began around at 12 a.m. of 19th October and stopped around at 7 p.m. of 20th October with a maximum cumulative value of 146.8 mm of rain in Colle Sannita(BN). These storms triggered a set of different effects that devastated more than 60 municipalities of the Sannio Province and were responsible for two casualties, €700 million of damage to infrastructures (estimates from Campania region) and about €1 billion damages to agriculture (Italian farmer Confederation). The the Calore river of the Benevento province and some of its tributaries overflowed destroying the surrounding area; major damages were recorded in the industrial area of the Benevento town. In the central and in the eastern sectors of the Benevento Province characterized by the outcropping of flyschoid units, the heavy rain triggered shallow earth flows, debris flows induced by rilling and soil slides. Debris avalanches and runoff-initiated debris flows reshaped the creeks of the Taburno-Camposauro massif and damaged a lot of infrastructure of the surrounding area. Flood events from the Calore river in the Benevento district have significant historical precedents. The most

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Neospora spp. in donkeys from Southern Italy.

PubMed

Machačová, T; Bártová, E; Di Loria, A; Sedlák, K; Guccione, J; Fulgione, D; Veneziano, V

2013-11-15

In some European countries there is an increasing interest on donkey. Despite there are few data regarding the donkey's parasitic diseases especially those with a protozoal etiology as neosporosis. Samples used in the study were collected from 238 domestic donkeys during year 2010 in Southern Italy from 207 females and 31 males of five breeds (Martina-Franca, Amiata, Sicilian-Grey, Ragusano, Sardinian) and crossbreeds with the average age 9 years (1 month - 24 year). Sera were tested by a competitive-inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies against Neospora caninum; the sera were marked positive, if more than 30% inhibition was found. Out of a total 238 donkeys, 28 (11.8%) were found positive for Neospora antibodies with 12% in females and 6% in males. Different seroprevalence 15.4%, 16%, 12% and 8.8% were found in age categories <1 year, 1-4 years, 5-9 years and ≥10 years, respectively. The seroprevalence ranged in different breeds from 36% (Sicilian-Grey) to 0% (Sardinian) and in different use from 17% (for breeding) to 0% (for meat production). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated evidence of a significant (P<0.05) association between crossbreed origin of samples and risk of protozoan infection; age of donkeys was also significant risk factor for protozoan infection. No statistical significant difference (P>0.05) was found among genders and use of donkeys and risk of N. caninum infection. This is the first serological survey for Neospora spp. performed in donkeys. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pleistocene volcaniclastic units from North-Eastern Sicily (Italy): new evidence for calc-alkaline explosive volcanism in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Bella, Marcella; Italiano, Francesco; Sabatino, Giuseppe; Tripodo, Alessandro; Baldanza, Angela; Casella, Sergio; Pino, Paolo; Rasa', Riccardo; Russo, Selma

2016-08-01

A well-preserved volcaniclastic sequence crops out in Pleistocene marine sediments along the Tyrrhenian coastline of the Calabrian-Peloritani arc (Sicily, Italy), testifying the occurrence of Lower-Middle Pleistocene volcanic activity in Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. The presence of dominant highly vesicular and minor blocky glassy particles indicates that the volcanic clasts were originated by explosive events related to the ascent and violent emission of volatile-rich magmas accompanied by and/or alternated with hydromagmatic fragmentation due to magma-sea water interaction. Field investigations and sedimentological features of the studied volcaniclastic units suggest a deposition from sediment-water density flows. The chemical classification of the pumice clasts indicates prevalent rhyolitic and dacitic compositions with calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline affinity. The geochemical features of immobile trace elements together with the presence of orthopyroxene are indicative of a provenance from an arc-type environment. The age (from 980-910 to 589 ka), the chemical composition and the evidence of subaerial explosive volcanic activity constrain the origin nature and temporal evolution of the arc-type volcanism in the Southern Tyrrhenian domain. Finally, the new information here provided contribute to a better understanding of the temporal geodynamic evolution of this sector of the Mediterranean domain.

Geoelectrical Tomographies for the study of some landslide areas in the Lucanian Apennine Chain (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perrone, A.; Lapenna, V.; Piscitelli, S.; Rizzo, E.; Sdao, F.

2003-04-01

In the frame of the two projects supported by the Italian Ministry of Research: "Design of geophysical monitoring network in areas of the Basilicata Region characterized by a high hydrogeological hazard" and "Geomorphological study and landslides control in some areas of the Basilicata region characterized by historical-cultural heritage", we developed a research activity focussed on a 2D electromagnetic monitoring and modelling of landslide bodies. Basilicata region (Southern Italy), being dissected by numerous and often significant rivers and characterized by the outcrop of terrains with bad mechanical properties, is one of the more exposed regions of the southern Apennine chain to hydrogeologic hazard and shows a complete panorama of mass movements. In order to study some landslide areas located in the Basilicata region, such as Varco Izzo, Latronico, Campomaggiore and Maratea, we carried out 2D electrical resistivity imaging (ERI), 2D-3D self-potential tomographies and maps, combining advanced technologies for data acquisition and new methods for data inversion (Loke and Barker, 1996; McCann and Forster, 1990; Patella, 1997). The geophysical results allowed us: to outline the discontinuity between landslide material and bedrock, to identify the possible reactivation surfaces, to obtain useful information about the thickness of the mobilised material and the main patterns of the underground fluid flow. Geophysical results were compared with the data coming from geological and hydrogeological surveys and from the analysis of aerial photo and boreholes. The good correlation between the main anomalous geoelectrical zones, the main structural lineaments and hydrogeological characteristics of the investigated areas, allowed us to consider the used geoelectrical methods as a possible powerful tool to investigate landslide areas characterised by very complex geology.

Effect of viticulture practices on concentration of polyphenolic compounds and total antioxidant capacity of Southern Italy red wines.

PubMed

Coletta, Antonio; Berto, Silvia; Crupi, Pasquale; Cravero, Maria Carla; Tamborra, Pasquale; Antonacci, Donato; Daniele, Pier Giuseppe; Prenesti, Enrico

2014-01-01

This study aims to assess the effect of three wine grape varieties, three training systems and two bud loads on the Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and polyphenolic composition of Southern Italy red wines produced, during two vintages. Overall, Primitivo, Malvasia nera of Brindisi-Lecce and Montepulciano as grape varieties, single Guyot (SG), single spur pruned low cordon (SLC) and single spur pruned high wire cordon (HSLC) as training systems, 8 and 12 buds/plant as bud loads were compared. Significant differences in the polyphenolic families were shown by the grape varieties and by modifying the vine growing practices. Moreover, the results demonstrated that varieties influenced the TAC (indicating the Malvasia as the more effective one), that SLC led to the lowest level of TAC and that 8 buds/plant increased it. The relationship between antioxidant indexes and the concentration of single polyphenolic families was evaluated and the highest correlation was found between the total polyphenols and the proanthocyanidins family. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

COMPATIBILITY OF NAPLS AND OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS WITH MATERIALS UED IN WELL CONSTRUCTION, SAMPLING, AND REMEDIATION

EPA Science Inventory

Structural integrity of well construction, sampling, and remediation materials may be compromised at many hazardous sites by nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) and their dissolved constituents. A literature review of compatibility theory and qualitative field experiences are provid...

Modeling Fire Emissions across Central and Southern Italy: Implications for Land and Fire Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bacciu, V. M.; Salis, M.; Spano, D.

2015-12-01

Fires play a relevant role in the global and regional carbon cycle, representing a remarkable source of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHG) that influence atmosphere budgets and climate. In addition, the wildfire increase projected in Southern Europe due to climate change (CC) and concurrent exacerbation of extreme weather conditions could also lead to a significant rise in GHG. Recently, in the context of the Italian National Adaptation Strategy to Climate Change (SNAC), several approaches were identified as valuable tools to adapt and mitigate the impacts of CC on wildfires, in order to reduce landscape susceptibility and to contribute to the efforts of carbon emission mitigation proposed within the Kyoto protocol. Active forest and fuel management (such as prescribed burning, fuel reduction and removal, weed and flammable shrub control, creation of fuel discontinuity) is recognised to be a key element to adapt and mitigate the impacts of CC on wildfires. Despite this, overall there is a lack of studies about the effectiveness of fire emission mitigation strategies. The current work aims to analyse the potential of a combination of fuel management practices in mitigating emissions from forest fires and evaluate valuable and viable options across Central and Southern Italy. These objectives were achieved throughout a retrospective application of an integrated approach combining a fire emission model (FOFEM - First Order Fire Effect Model) with spatially explicit, comprehensive, and accurate fire, vegetation and weather data for the period 2004-2012. Furthermore, a number of silvicultural techniques were combined to develop several fuel management scenarios and then tested to evaluate their potential in mitigating fire emissions.The preliminary results showed the crucial role of appropriate fuel, fire behavior, and weather data to reduce bias in quantifying the source and the composition of fire emissions and to attain reasonable estimations. Also, the current

The importance of a taste. A comparative study on wild food plant consumption in twenty-one local communities in Italy

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

A comparative food ethnobotanical study was carried out in twenty-one local communities in Italy, fourteen of which were located in Northern Italy, one in Central Italy, one in Sardinia, and four in Southern Italy. 549 informants were asked to name and describe food uses of wild botanicals they currently gather and consume. Data showed that gathering, processing and consuming wild food plants are still important activities in all the selected areas. A few botanicals were quoted and cited in multiple areas, demonstrating that there are ethnobotanical contact points among the various Italian regions (Asparagus acutifolius, Reichardia picroides, Cichorium intybus, Foeniculum vulgare, Sambucus nigra, Silene vulgaris, Taraxacum officinale, Urtica dioica, Sonchus and Valerianella spp.). One taxon (Borago officinalis) in particular was found to be among the most quoted taxa in both the Southern and the Northern Italian sites. However, when we took into account data regarding the fifteen most quoted taxa in each site and compared and statistically analysed these, we observed that there were a few differences in the gathering and consumption of wild food plants between Northern and Southern Italy. In the North, Rosaceae species prevailed, whereas in the South, taxa belonging to the Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, and Liliaceae s.l. families were most frequently cited. We proposed the hypothesis that these differences may be due to the likelihood that in Southern Italy the erosion of TK on wild vegetables is taking place more slowly, and also to the likelihood that Southern Italians' have a higher appreciation of wild vegetables that have a strong and bitter taste. A correspondence analysis confirmed that the differences in the frequencies of quotation of wild plants within the Northern and the Southern Italian sites could be ascribed only partially to ethnic/cultural issues. An additional factor could be recent socio-economic shifts, which may be having a continued effort on

Lake Garda, Italy

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-07-21

This ASTER image was acquired on July 29, 2000 and covers an area of 30 by 57 km in northern Italy. Lake Garda was formed by glaciers during the last Ice Age, and is Italy's largest lake. Lago di Garda lies in the provinces of Verona, Brescia, and Trento, and is 51 kilometers (32 miles) long and from 3 to 18 kilometers (2 to 11 miles) wide. The Sarca is its chief affluent, and the lake is drained southward by the Mincio, which discharges into the Po River. Many villas are situated on its shores. On the peninsula of Sirmione, at the southern end of the lake, are the ruins of a Roman villa and a castle of the Scaligers, an Italian family of the 16th century. The RIGHT image has the land area masked out, and a harsh stretch was applied to the lake values to display variations in sediment load. Also visible are hundreds of boats and their wakes, criss-crossing the lake. The image is centered at 45.6 degrees north latitude, 10.6 degrees east longitude. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02671

In Italy, North-South Differences in IQ Predict Differences in Income, Education, Infant Mortality, Stature, and Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynn, Richard

2010-01-01

Regional differences in IQ are presented for 12 regions of Italy showing that IQs are highest in the north and lowest in the south. Regional IQs obtained in 2006 are highly correlated with average incomes at r = 0.937, and with stature, infant mortality, literacy and education. The lower IQ in southern Italy may be attributable to genetic…

New seismogenic stress fields for southern Italy from a Bayesian approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Totaro, Cristina; Orecchio, Barbara; Presti, Debora; Scolaro, Silvia; Neri, Giancarlo

2017-04-01

A new database of high-quality waveform inversion focal mechanism has been compiled for southern Italy by integrating the highest quality solutions, available from literature and catalogues, and 146 newly-computed ones. All the selected focal mechanisms are (i) coming from the Italian CMT, Regional CMT and TDMT catalogues (Pondrelli et al., PEPI 2006, PEPI 2011; http://www.ingv.it), or (ii) computed by using the Cut And Paste (CAP) method (Zhao & Helmberger, BSSA 1994; Zhu & Helmberger, BSSA 1996). Specific tests have been carried out in order to evaluate the robustness of the obtained solutions (e.g., by varying both seismic network configuration and Earth structure parameters) and to estimate uncertainties on the focal mechanism parameters. Only the resulting highest-quality solutions have been enclosed in the database, that has then been used for computation of posterior density distributions of stress tensor components by a Bayesian method (Arnold & Townend, GJI 2007). This algorithm furnishes the posterior density function of the principal components of stress tensor (maximum σ1, intermediate σ2, and minimum σ3 compressive stress, respectively) and the stress-magnitude ratio (R). Before stress computation, we applied the k-means clustering algorithm to subdivide the focal mechanism catalog on the basis of earthquake locations. This approach allows identifying the sectors to be investigated without any "a priori" constraint from faulting type distribution. The large amount of data and the application of the Bayesian algorithm allowed us to provide a more accurate local-to-regional scale stress distribution that has shed new light on the kinematics and dynamics of this very complex area, where lithospheric unit configuration and geodynamic engines are still strongly debated. The new high-quality information here furnished will then represent very useful tools and constraints for future geophysical analyses and geodynamic modeling.

Interactions between soil consumption and archaeological heritage: spatial analysis for hydrogeological risk evaluation and urban sprawl in the Tavoliere di Puglia (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danese, Maria; Gioia, Dario; Masini, Nicola

2015-04-01

The soil consumption is a complex phenomenon because it is due to different causes and it also produces many consequences on landscape and related human activities. In low-relief areas of the Mediterranean regions such as the foredeep of the southern Italian chain, alluvional processes and flooding can play an important role on the amount of available soil, especially if one consider the recent climate changes and the recurrence of extreme events. Moreover the uncontrolled growth of the cities is a cause of soil consumption too. Consequently occurrence of flood events in low-relief areas, erosion processes and urban sprawl have a strong impact on agricultural activities and real estate market, but also in research activities about archaeological heritage, with the risk to loose signs of the past. To consider this phenomenon from a spatial point of view is essential to determine protection policies, but it is nowadays still a problem. In this contribution, we performed a detailed study of the geological and geomorphological features of the drainage network of the Tavoliere di Puglia plain in order to investigate erosional and depositional processes. GIS-supported statistical analysis of the drainage network features allow us to compile a map of the hydrogeological hazard [1]. The map has been used as a basic tool useful to consider areal distribution in soil consumption coming from alluvional processes, erosional phenomena and the urban sprawl of the Tavoliere di Puglia plain (Southern Italy). Moreover, we investigated the relationships between sectors of the Tavoliere di Puglia plain featured by higher hydrogeological risk and archaeological sensibility areas, such as places with existing or with not yet discovered archaeological sites or areas characterized by crop marks [2]. [1] Danese M., Gioia D., Biscione M., Masini N. 2014. Spatial Methods for Archaeological Flood Risk: The Case Study of the Neolithic Sites in the Apulia Region (Southern Italy). Computational

[The abdominal typhus outbreak in Civitella del Tronto (Teramo, Italy) during the first half of 1817].

PubMed

Capasso, Lorenzo; Vecchiet, Jacopo; D'Anastasio, Ruggero

2012-01-01

The authors describe the characteristics of the large outbreak of typhoid fever in Civitella del Tronto (Italy) in the year 1817. As reported in the "Rapporti Periodici sulla Salute Pubblica" ("Public Health Reports") periodically written by general practitioners, from March to June 1817 the morbidity rate was over 1% and both genders were equally affected. The most affected age group was the 30 to 40 year-old. Only 13% of the cases involved children aged 0 to 10 years. Epidemiological data suggest that the disease was not very infectious: it affected a slight number of individuals and only marginally infected the inhabitants of the areas around the main town of Civitella del Tronto. Public Health authorities of the Kingdom of Naples were likely able to efficiently control the sanitary conditions of the territories bordering the state.

Orographic barriers GIS-based definition of the Campania-Lucanian Apennine Range (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuomo, Albina; Guida, Domenico

2010-05-01

The presence of mountains on the land surfaces plays a central role in the space-time dynamics of the hydrological, geomorphic and ecological systems (Roe G. H., 2005). The aim of this paper is to identify, delimitate and classify the orographic relief in the Campania - Lucanian Apennine (Southern Italy) to investigate the effects of large-scale orographic and small-scale windward-leeward phenomena on distribution, frequency and duration of rainfall. The scale-dependent effects derived from the topographic relief favor the utilization of a hierarchical and multi-scale approach. The approach is based on a GIS procedure applied on Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with 20 meters cell size and derived from Regional Technical Map (CTR) of Campania region (1:5000). The DEM has been smoothed from data spikes and pits and we have then proceed to: a) Identify the three basic landforms of the relief (summit, hillslope and plain) by generalizing a previous 10-type landforms using the TPI method (Weiss A. 2001) and by simplifying the established rules of the differential geometry on topographic surface; b) Delimitate the mountain relief by modifying the method proposed by O. Z. Chaudhry and W. A. Mackaness (2008). It is based on three concepts: prominence , morphological variability and parent-child relationship. Graphical results have shown a good spatial correspondence between the digital definition of mountains and their morpho-tectonic structure derived from tectonic geomorphological studies; c) Classify, by using a set rules of spatial statistics (Cluster analysis) on geomorphometric parameters (elevation, curvature, slope, aspect, relative relief and form factor). Finally, we have recognized three prototypal orographic barriers shapes: cone, tableland and ridge, which are fundamental to improve the models of orographic rainfall in the Southern Apennines. References Chaudhry O. Z.and Mackaness W. A. (2008). Creating Mountains out of Mole Hills: Automatic Identification of

A multidisciplinary approach to characterize the geometry of active faults: the example of Mt. Massico, Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luiso, P.; Paoletti, V.; Nappi, R.; La Manna, M.; Cella, F.; Gaudiosi, G.; Fedi, M.; Iorio, M.

2018-06-01

We present the results of a multidisciplinary and multiscale study at Mt. Massico, Southern Italy. Mt. Massico is a carbonate horst located along the Campanian-Latial margin of the Tyrrhenian basin, bordered by two main NE-SW systems of faults, and by NW-SE and N-S trending faults. Our analysis deals with the modelling of the main NE-SW faults. These faults were capable during Plio-Pleistocene and are still active today, even though with scarce and low-energy seismicity (Mw maximum = 4.8). We inferred the pattern of the fault planes through a combined interpretation of 2-D hypocentral sections, a multiscale analysis of gravity field and geochemical data. This allowed us to characterize the geometry of these faults and infer their large depth extent. This region shows very striking gravimetric signatures, well-known Quaternary faults, moderate seismicity and a localized geothermal fluid rise. Thus, this analysis represents a valid case study for testing the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary approach, and employing it in areas with buried and/or silent faults of potential high hazard, such as in the Apennine chain.

Evaluation of cadmium, lead and metallothionein contents in the tissues of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Campania coast (Italy): levels and seasonal trends.

PubMed

Scudiero, Rosaria; Cretì, Patrizia; Trinchella, Francesca; Grazia Esposito, Maria

2014-01-01

The biological effect of seasonality on cadmium, lead and metallothionein contents was assessed in mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis from natural banks located along the coastline of the Gulf of Naples (Campania, Italy). Heavy metals and metallothionein concentrations were measured in digestive and reproductive glands. The results showed a clear correlation between metallothionein content and the reproductive gland status determined during the seasons; on the contrary, no correlation was found between metallothionein and metal contents. Data allow us to hypothesize that metallothionein functions go beyond metal detoxification, thus opening new scenarios for these proteins in invertebrates. The effect of seasons on metals concentration in mussel tissues showed similar seasonal patterns between the sites, regardless of their anthropogenic impacts. Cadmium content was not strictly related to seasonal periods, whereas lead content was significantly lower in summer. The results also indicate that the metal contents in mussels from the Gulf of Naples do not represent a risk to human health, even in the period of their maximum accumulation, and that the relaying of mussels before marketing could improve the animal stress conditions, but having a slight effect on metal excretion. Copyright © 2014 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Developing Custom Fire Behavior Fuel Models for Mediterranean Wildland-Urban Interfaces in Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elia, Mario; Lafortezza, Raffaele; Lovreglio, Raffaella; Sanesi, Giovanni

2015-09-01

The dramatic increase of fire hazard in wildland-urban interfaces (WUIs) has required more detailed fuel management programs to preserve ecosystem functions and human settlements. Designing effective fuel treatment strategies allows to achieve goals such as resilient landscapes, fire-adapted communities, and ecosystem response. Therefore, obtaining background information on forest fuel parameters and fuel accumulation patterns has become an important first step in planning fuel management interventions. Site-specific fuel inventory data enhance the accuracy of fuel management planning and help forest managers in fuel management decision-making. We have customized four fuel models for WUIs in southern Italy, starting from forest classes of land-cover use and adopting a hierarchical clustering approach. Furthermore, we provide a prediction of the potential fire behavior of our customized fuel models using FlamMap 5 under different weather conditions. The results suggest that fuel model IIIP (Mediterranean maquis) has the most severe fire potential for the 95th percentile weather conditions and the least severe potential fire behavior for the 85th percentile weather conditions. This study shows that it is possible to create customized fuel models directly from fuel inventory data. This achievement has broad implications for land managers, particularly forest managers of the Mediterranean landscape, an ecosystem that is susceptible not only to wildfires but also to the increasing human population and man-made infrastructures.

Modelling seasonal variations of natural radioactivity in soils: A case study in southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guagliardi, Ilaria; Rovella, Natalia; Apollaro, Carmine; Bloise, Andrea; Rosa, Rosanna De; Scarciglia, Fabio; Buttafuoco, Gabriele

2016-12-01

The activity of natural radionuclides in soil has become an environmental concern for local public and national authorities because of the harmful effects of radiation exposure on human health. In this context, modelling and mapping the activity of natural radionuclides in soil is an important research topic. The study was aimed to model, in a spatial sense, the soil radioactivity in an urban and peri-urban soils area in southern Italy to analyse the seasonal influence on soil radioactivity. Measures of gamma radiation naturally emitted through the decay of radioactive isotopes (potassium, uranium and thorium) were analysed using a geostatistical approach to map the spatial distribution of soil radioactivity. The activity of three radionuclides was measured at 181 locations using a high-resolution ?-ray spectrometry. To take into account the influence of season, the measurements were carried out in summer and in winter. Activity data were analysed by using a geostatistical approach and zones of relatively high or low radioactivity were delineated. Among the main processes which influence natural radioactivity such as geology, geochemical, pedological, and ecological processes, results of this study showed a prominent control of radio-emission measurements by seasonal changes. Low natural radioactivity levels were measured in December associated with winter weather and moist soil conditions (due to high rainfall and low temperature), and higher activity values in July, when the soil was dry and no precipitations occurred.

Mapping, cluster detection and evaluation of risk factors of ovine toxoplasmosis in Southern Italy.

PubMed

Condoleo, Roberto; Musella, Vincenzo; Maurelli, Maria Paola; Bosco, Antonio; Cringoli, Giuseppe; Rinaldi, Laura

2016-05-31

Toxoplasmosis, an important cause of reproductive failure in sheep, is responsible for significant economic losses to the ovine industry worldwide. Moreover, ovine meat contaminated by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii is considered as a common source of infection for humans. The aim of this study was to develop point and risk profiling maps of T. gondii seroprevalence in sheep bred in Campania Region (Southern Italy) and analyse risk factors associated at the flock-level. We used serological data from a previous survey of 117 sheep flocks, while environmental and farm management information were obtained from an analysis based on geographical information systems and a questionnaire purveyance, respectively. An univariate Poisson regression model revealed that the type of farm production (milk and meat vs only meat) was the only independent variable associated with T. gondii positivity (P<0.02); the higher within-flock seroprevalence in milking herds suggests that milking practices might influence the spread of the infection on the farm. Neither environmental nor other management variables were significant. Since a majority of flocks were seasonally or permanently on pasture, the animals have a high exposure to infectious T. gondii oocysts, so the high within-flock seroprevalence might derive from this management factor. However, further studies are needed to better assess the actual epidemiological situation of toxoplasmosis in sheep and to clarify the factors that influence its presence and distribution.

Developing Custom Fire Behavior Fuel Models for Mediterranean Wildland-Urban Interfaces in Southern Italy.

PubMed

Elia, Mario; Lafortezza, Raffaele; Lovreglio, Raffaella; Sanesi, Giovanni

2015-09-01

The dramatic increase of fire hazard in wildland-urban interfaces (WUIs) has required more detailed fuel management programs to preserve ecosystem functions and human settlements. Designing effective fuel treatment strategies allows to achieve goals such as resilient landscapes, fire-adapted communities, and ecosystem response. Therefore, obtaining background information on forest fuel parameters and fuel accumulation patterns has become an important first step in planning fuel management interventions. Site-specific fuel inventory data enhance the accuracy of fuel management planning and help forest managers in fuel management decision-making. We have customized four fuel models for WUIs in southern Italy, starting from forest classes of land-cover use and adopting a hierarchical clustering approach. Furthermore, we provide a prediction of the potential fire behavior of our customized fuel models using FlamMap 5 under different weather conditions. The results suggest that fuel model IIIP (Mediterranean maquis) has the most severe fire potential for the 95th percentile weather conditions and the least severe potential fire behavior for the 85th percentile weather conditions. This study shows that it is possible to create customized fuel models directly from fuel inventory data. This achievement has broad implications for land managers, particularly forest managers of the Mediterranean landscape, an ecosystem that is susceptible not only to wildfires but also to the increasing human population and man-made infrastructures.

Space Radar Image of Vesuvius, Italy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Mt. Vesuvius, one of the best known volcanoes in the world primarily for the eruption that buried the Roman city of Pompeii, is shown in the center of this radar image. The central cone of Vesuvius is the dark purple feature in the center of the volcano. This cone is surrounded on the northern and eastern sides by the old crater rim, called Mt. Somma. Recent lava flows are the pale yellow areas on the southern and western sides of the cone. Vesuvius is part of a large volcanic zone which includes the Phalagrean Fields, the cluster of craters seen along the left side of the image. The Bay of Naples, on the left side of the image, is separated from the Gulf of Salerno, in the lower left, by the Sorrento Peninsula. Dense urban settlement can be seen around the volcano. The city of Naples is above and to the left of Vesuvius; the seaport of the city can be seen in the top of the bay. Pompeii is located just below the volcano on this image. The rapid eruption in 79 A.D. buried the victims and buildings of Pompeii under several meters of debris and killed more than 2,000 people. Due to the violent eruptive style and proximity to populated areas, Vesuvius has been named by the international scientific community as one of fifteen Decade Volcanoes which are being intensively studied during the 1990s. The image is centered at 40.83 degrees North latitude, 14.53 degrees East longitude. It shows an area 100 kilometers by 55 kilometers (62 miles by 34 miles.) This image was acquired on April 15, 1994 by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.

Space Radar Image of Vesuvius, Italy

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-04-15

Mt. Vesuvius, one of the best known volcanoes in the world primarily for the eruption that buried the Roman city of Pompeii, is shown in the center of this radar image. The central cone of Vesuvius is the dark purple feature in the center of the volcano. This cone is surrounded on the northern and eastern sides by the old crater rim, called Mt. Somma. Recent lava flows are the pale yellow areas on the southern and western sides of the cone. Vesuvius is part of a large volcanic zone which includes the Phalagrean Fields, the cluster of craters seen along the left side of the image. The Bay of Naples, on the left side of the image, is separated from the Gulf of Salerno, in the lower left, by the Sorrento Peninsula. Dense urban settlement can be seen around the volcano. The city of Naples is above and to the left of Vesuvius; the seaport of the city can be seen in the top of the bay. Pompeii is located just below the volcano on this image. The rapid eruption in 79 A.D. buried the victims and buildings of Pompeii under several meters of debris and killed more than 2,000 people. Due to the violent eruptive style and proximity to populated areas, Vesuvius has been named by the international scientific community as one of fifteen Decade Volcanoes which are being intensively studied during the 1990s. The image is centered at 40.83 degrees North latitude, 14.53 degrees East longitude. It shows an area 100 kilometers by 55 kilometers (62 miles by 34 miles.) This image was acquired on April 15, 1994 by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01780

Allelic distribution of human leucocyte antigen in historical and recently diagnosed tuberculosis patients in Southern Italy.

PubMed

Ruggiero, Giuseppina; Cosentini, Elena; Zanzi, Delia; Sanna, Veronica; Terrazzano, Giuseppe; Matarese, Giuseppe; Sanduzzi, Alessandro; Perna, Francesco; Zappacosta, Serafino

2004-03-01

This study addresses the analysis of the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) allele distribution in 54 historical and in 68 recently diagnosed tuberculosis (TB) patients. The historical cohort was characterized by the presence of large fibrocavernous lesions effectively treated with therapeutic pneumothorax during the period 1950-55. Patients and healthy controls enrolled in the study were from the Campania region of southern Italy. No significant association between HLA alleles and TB in the population of recently diagnosed TB patients was observed. On the contrary, among the historical TB patients there was a strong association with an increased frequency of the HLA-DR4 allele alone and/or in the presence of the HLA-B14 allele (P = 0.000004; Pc = 0.0008), as well as with a decreased frequency of the HLA-A2+,-B14-,DR4- allele association (P = 0.00005; Pc = 0.01). In order to exclude any interference from age-related factors, these results were confirmed by comparing the historical cohort of TB patients with an age-matched healthy control population of the same ethnic origin (P = 0.00004; Pc = 0.008; and P = 0.0001; and Pc = 0.02, respectively).

Characterization of non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica strains of human origin in central and southern Italy

PubMed Central

Proroga, Yolande T.R.; Capuano, Federico; Capparelli, Rosanna; Bilei, Stefano; Bernardo, Mariano; Cocco, Maria Pia; Campagnuolo, Rosalba; Pasquale, Vincenzo

2018-01-01

Non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica infection is a significant public health problem worldwide. The aim of this study was to characterize Salmonella enterica strains isolated from human specimens in central and southern Italy, for epidemiological studies. One hundred and fifty S. enterica strains were serotyped. Isolates were tested for their antimicrobial susceptibility, by disk diffusion method. The molecular characterizations, based on PCR, were carried out for the detection of invA gene and other virulence elements and phage marker genes. Eighteen different Salmonella serotypes were identified. The most common serotypes detected were S. Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis, the monophasic variant of S. Typhimurium (S. 4,[5],12:i:-), and S. Napoli. High resistance rates were recorded for tetracycline (64%), streptomycin (62%), sulphonamide (57%), and ampicillin (56%). The ASSuT R-type, also associated to resistance to other antibiotics, was highly prevalent in S. 4,[5],12:i:- (97%) and S. Typhimurium (55%), while the ACSSuT R-type, also associated to other antibiotics, was observed prevalently in S. Typhimurium (20.4%). The genes of more common detection were invA (100%), sspH2 (86.6%), gtgB (84.6%), g8 (80%), sodC1 (77.3%), gipA (52.6%), sspH1 (52.6%). PMID:29732321

"Willing to Pay?" Tax Compliance in Britain and Italy: An Experimental Analysis

PubMed Central

Zhang, Nan; Andrighetto, Giulia; Ottone, Stefania; Ponzano, Ferruccio; Steinmo, Sven

2016-01-01

As shown by the recent crisis, tax evasion poses a significant problem for countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy. While these societies certainly possess weaker fiscal institutions as compared to other EU members, might broader cultural differences between northern and southern Europe also help to explain citizens’ (un)willingness to pay their taxes? To address this question, we conduct laboratory experiments in the UK and Italy, two countries which straddle this North-South divide. Our design allows us to examine citizens’ willingness to contribute to public goods via taxes while holding institutions constant. We report a surprising result: when faced with identical tax institutions, redistribution rules and audit probabilities, Italian participants are significantly more likely to comply than Britons. Overall, our findings cast doubt upon “culturalist” arguments that would attribute cross-country differences in tax compliance to the lack of morality amongst southern European taxpayers. PMID:26919201

"Willing to Pay?" Tax Compliance in Britain and Italy: An Experimental Analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Nan; Andrighetto, Giulia; Ottone, Stefania; Ponzano, Ferruccio; Steinmo, Sven

2016-01-01

As shown by the recent crisis, tax evasion poses a significant problem for countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy. While these societies certainly possess weaker fiscal institutions as compared to other EU members, might broader cultural differences between northern and southern Europe also help to explain citizens' (un)willingness to pay their taxes? To address this question, we conduct laboratory experiments in the UK and Italy, two countries which straddle this North-South divide. Our design allows us to examine citizens' willingness to contribute to public goods via taxes while holding institutions constant. We report a surprising result: when faced with identical tax institutions, redistribution rules and audit probabilities, Italian participants are significantly more likely to comply than Britons. Overall, our findings cast doubt upon "culturalist" arguments that would attribute cross-country differences in tax compliance to the lack of morality amongst southern European taxpayers.

The unusual wet summer (July) of 2014 in Southern Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratna, Satyaban B.; Ratnam, J. V.; Behera, Swadhin K.; Cherchi, Annalisa; Wang, Wanqiu; Yamagata, Toshio

2017-06-01

Southern Europe (Italy and the surrounding countries) experienced an unusual wet summer in 2014. The monthly rainfall in July 2014 was 84% above (more than three standard deviation) normal with respect to the 1982-2013 July climatology. The heavy rainfall damaged agriculture, and affected tourism and overall economy of the region. In this study, we tried to understand the physical mechanisms responsible for such abnormal weather by using model and observed datasets. The anomalously high precipitation over Italy is found to be associated with the positive sea surface temperature (SST) and convective anomalies in the tropical Pacific through the atmospheric teleconnection. Rossby wave activity flux at upper levels shows an anomalous tropospheric quasi-stationary Rossby wave from the Pacific with an anomalous cyclonic phase over southern Europe. This anomalous cyclonic circulation is barotropic in nature and seen extending to lower atmospheric levels, weakening the seasonal high and causing heavy precipitation over the Southern Europe. The hypothesis is verified using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) coupled forecast system model (CFSv2) seasonal forecasts. It is found that two-month lead forecast of CFSv2 was able to capture the wet summer event of 2014 over Southern Europe. The teleconnection pattern from Pacific to Southern Europe was also forecasted realistically by the CFSv2 system.

Geohazard assessment through the analysis of historical alluvial events in Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esposito, Eliana; Violante, Crescenzo

2015-04-01

The risk associated with extreme water events such as flash floods, results from a combination of overflows and landslides hazards. A multi-hazard approach have been utilized to analyze the 1773 flood that occurred in conjunction with heavy rainfall, causing major damage in terms of lost lives and economic cost over an area of 200 km2, including both the coastal strip between Salerno and Maiori and the Apennine hinterland, Campania region - Southern Italy. This area has been affected by a total of 40 flood events over the last five centuries, 26 of them occurred between 1900 and 2000. Streamflow events have produced severe impacts on Cava de' Tirreni (SA) and its territory and in particular four catastrophic floods in 1581, 1773, 1899 and 1954, caused a pervasive pattern of destruction. In the study area, rainstorm events typically occur in small and medium-sized fluvial system, characterized by small catchment areas and high-elevation drainage basins, causing the detachment of large amount of volcaniclastic and siliciclastic covers from the carbonate bedrock. The mobilization of these deposits (slope debris) mixed with rising floodwaters along the water paths can produce fast-moving streamflows of large proportion with significant hazardous implications (Violante et al., 2009). In this context the study of 1773 historical flood allows the detection and the definition of those areas where catastrophic events repeatedly took place over the time. Moreover, it improves the understanding of the phenomena themselves, including some key elements in the management of risk mitigation, such as the restoration of the damage suffered by the buildings and/or the environmental effects caused by the floods.

The biological response chain to pollution: a case study from the "Italian Triangle of Death" assessed with the liverwort Lunularia cruciata.

PubMed

Basile, Adriana; Loppi, Stefano; Piscopo, Marina; Paoli, Luca; Vannini, Andrea; Monaci, Fabrizio; Sorbo, Sergio; Lentini, Marco; Esposito, Sergio

2017-12-01

The liverwort Lunularia cruciata, known for being a species tolerant to pollution able to colonize urban areas, was collected in the town of Acerra (South Italy) to investigate the biological effects of air pollution in one of the three vertices of the so-called Italian Triangle of Death. The ultrastructural damages observed by transmission electron microscopy in specimens collected in Acerra were compared with samples collected in the city center of Naples and in a small rural site far from sources of air pollution (Riccia, Molise, Southern Italy). The biological response chain to air pollution was investigated considering vitality, photosynthetic efficiency, heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) induction and gene expression levels, and chlorophyll degradation and related ultrastructural alterations. Particularly, a significant increment in Hsp70 expression and occurrence, and modifications in the chloroplasts' ultrastructure can be strictly related to the environmental pollution conditions in the three sites. The results could be interpreted in relation to the use of these parameters as biomarkers for environmental pollution.

Poetry or pathology? Jesuit hypochondria in early modern Naples.

PubMed

Haskell, Yasmin

2007-01-01

In their didactic poems on fishing and chocolate, both published in 1689, two Neapolitan Jesuits digressed to record and lament a devastating 'plague' of 'hypochondria'. The poetic plagues of Niccolò Giannettasio and Tommaso Strozzi have literary precedents in Lucretius, Vergil, and Fracastoro, but it will be argued that they also have a real, contemporary significance. Hypochondria was considered to be a serious (and epidemic) illness in the seventeenth century, with symptoms ranging from depression to delusions. Not only did our Jesuit poets claim to have suffered from it, but so did prominent members of the 'Accademia degl'Investiganti', a scientific society in Naples that was at odds with both the religious and medical establishments.

Development of radon-222 as a natural tracer for monitoring the remediation of NAPL contamination in the subsurface. 1998 annual progress report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Semprini, L.; Istok, J.

'The objective of this research is to develop a unique method of using naturally occurring radon-222 as a tracer for locating and quantitatively describing the presence of subsurface NAPL contamination. The research will evaluate using radon as an inexpensive, yet highly accurate, means of detecting NAPL contamination and assessing the effectiveness of NAPL remediation. Laboratory, field, and modeling studies are being performed to evaluate this technique, and to develop methods for its successful implementation in practice. This report summarizes work that has been accomplished after 1-year of a 3-year project. The research to date has included radon tracer tests inmore » physical aquifer models (PAMs) and field studies at Site 300 of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, CA, and Site 100D at Hanford DOE Facility, WA. The PAM tests have evaluated the ability of radon as a tracer to monitor the remediation of TCE NAPL contamination using surfactant treatment, and oxidation with permanganate. The surfactant tests were performed in collaboration with Dr. Jack Istok and Dr. Jennifer Field and their EMSP project ``In-situ, Field-Scale Evaluation of Surfactant Enhanced DNAPL Recovery Using a Single-Well-Push-Pull Test.'''' This collaboration enabled the EMSP radon project to make rapid progress. The PAM surfactant tests were performed in a radial flow geometry to simulate the push-pull-method that is being developed for surfactant field tests. The radon tests were easily incorporated into these experiments, since they simply rely on measuring the natural radon present in the subsurface fluids. Two types of radon tests were performed: (1) static tests where radon was permitted to build-up to steady-state concentrations in the pore fluids and the groundwater concentrations were monitored, and (2) dynamic tests were the radon response during push-pull surfactant tests was measured. Both methods were found to be useful in determining how NAPL remediation was

Dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in human breast milk collected in the area of Taranto (Southern Italy): first case study.

PubMed

Bianco, Giuliana; Zianni, Rosalia; Anzillotta, Giuseppe; Palma, Achille; Vitacco, Vincenzo; Scrano, Laura; Cataldi, Tommaso R I

2013-03-01

We report on the content of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in 15 breast milk samples of nursing women living in the city of Taranto (Southern, Italy) or nearby. Breast milk samples were collected over the 2008-2009 period and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) upon accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) using acetone/n-hexane mixture 1:1 (v/v). The method was validated demonstrating good performing features. Profiles of PCDD/PCDF congeners in breast milk samples exhibited a prevalence of PCDFs compared to PCDDs. Toxic equivalents (TEQs in picogram per gram fat) of four breast milk were far above the legal limit for human consumption of 3.0 pg/g; their estimated daily and weekly dietary intake were almost 5-20 and 10-40 times higher, respectively, than the tolerable intake values established by the World Health Organization.

Negative effects of land-use changes in the karst setting of Apulia, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parise, Mario

2010-05-01

Apulia is an almost entirely carbonate region in south-eastern Italy, representing the heel of the boot-shaped Italian peninsula. Due to its location in the heart of the Mediterranean basin, and its geographical configuration, which in some way connects the Italian territory to the eastward lands, it had a long history of human settlements, as shown by the many remarkable prehistoric findings that have been recorded in this area during the last century. The flatness of the region, derived from the geologic origin of Apulia as the undeformed foreland of the Southern Apenninic Chain of Italy, together with its NW-SE oriented peninsula configuration and the long coastlines, are at the origin of the good-continuity occupation by man during the different phases of human history. The original karst landscape, characterized by absence of surface runoff, due to rapid infiltration of surface water into the network of karst conduits and fissures within the carbonate rock mass, was with time modified by man. Agriculture initially developed in the narrow strips of land where the presence of residual deposits (terre rosse) allowed the establishment of thin soil layers, and/or in small depressions where water was able to be kept for a longer time within the epikarst. Outside of these sites, the karst landscape typically consisted of stony plateaus and subdued rounding hills. To gain further space to agricultural practices, part of the surrounding stony areas was cleared of rocks: the latter were extracted by hand, and used to build dry stone walls to delimitate the properties, and/or to act as a barrier to soil erosion or to work as terrace walls in the sectors with higher gradients. At the same time, extraction and re-use of carbonate rocks originated some of the typical rural architecture common in Apulia, from "trulli" to "pagliare" and, later on, to "masserie" (the old countryside mansions). In the last decades of XX century, thanks to the use of modern technologies and

Probabilistic-numerical assessment of pyroclastic current hazard at Campi Flegrei and Naples city: Multi-VEI scenarios as a tool for "full-scale" risk management.

PubMed

Mastrolorenzo, Giuseppe; Palladino, Danilo M; Pappalardo, Lucia; Rossano, Sergio

2017-01-01

The Campi Flegrei volcanic field (Italy) poses very high risk to the highly urbanized Neapolitan area. Eruptive history was dominated by explosive activity producing pyroclastic currents (hereon PCs; acronym for Pyroclastic Currents) ranging in scale from localized base surges to regional flows. Here we apply probabilistic numerical simulation approaches to produce PC hazard maps, based on a comprehensive spectrum of flow properties and vent locations. These maps are incorporated in a Geographic Information System (GIS) and provide all probable Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) scenarios from different source vents in the caldera, relevant for risk management planning. For each VEI scenario, we report the conditional probability for PCs (i.e., the probability for a given area to be affected by the passage of PCs in case of a PC-forming explosive event) and related dynamic pressure. Model results indicate that PCs from VEI<4 events would be confined within the Campi Flegrei caldera, PC propagation being impeded by the northern and eastern caldera walls. Conversely, PCs from VEI 4-5 events could invade a wide area beyond the northern caldera rim, as well as part of the Naples metropolitan area to the east. A major controlling factor of PC dispersal is represented by the location of the vent area. PCs from the potentially largest eruption scenarios (analogous to the ~15 ka, VEI 6 Neapolitan Yellow Tuff or even the ~39 ka, VEI 7 Campanian Ignimbrite extreme event) would affect a large part of the Campanian Plain to the north and the city of Naples to the east. Thus, in case of renewal of eruptive activity at Campi Flegrei, up to 3 million people will be potentially exposed to volcanic hazard, pointing out the urgency of an emergency plan. Considering the present level of uncertainty in forecasting the future eruption type, size and location (essentially based on statistical analysis of previous activity), we suggest that appropriate planning measures should face at

Biochemical Characterization and Antimicrobial and Antifungal Activity of Two Endemic Varieties of Garlic (Allium sativum L.) of the Campania Region, Southern Italy.

PubMed

Fratianni, Florinda; Riccardi, Riccardo; Spigno, Patrizia; Ombra, Maria Neve; Cozzolino, Autilia; Tremonte, Patrizio; Coppola, Raffaele; Nazzaro, Filomena

2016-07-01

Extracts of the bulbs of the two endemic varieties "Rosato" and "Caposele" of Allium sativum of the Campania region, Southern Italy, were analyzed. The phenolic content, ascorbic acid, allicin content, and in vitro antimicrobial and antifungal activity were determined. Ultra performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector performed polyphenol profile. The polyphenolic extracts showed antioxidant activity (EC50) lower than 120 mg. The amount of ascorbic acid and allicin in the two extracts was similar. Polyphenol extract exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and (only by the extract of Rosato) against Bacillus cereus. The extract of Caposele was more effective in inhibiting the growth of Aspergillus versicolor and Penicillum citrinum. On the other hand, the extract of Rosato was effective against Penicillium expansum.

Effect of dissolved oxygen manipulation on diffusive emissions from NAPL-impacted low permeability soil layers.

PubMed

Clifton, Lisa M; Dahlen, Paul R; Johnson, Paul C

2014-05-06

Aquifer physical model experiments were performed to investigate if diffusive emissions from nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL)-impacted low-permeability layers into groundwater moving through adjacent NAPL-free high-permeability layers can be reduced by creating an aerobic biotreatment zone at the interface between the two, and if over time that leads to reduced emissions after treatment ceases. Experiments were performed in two 1.2-m long × 1.2-m high × 5.4 cm wide stainless steel tanks; each with a high-permeability sand layer overlying a low-permeability crushed granite layer containing a NAPL mixture of indane and benzene. Each tank was water-saturated with horizontal flow primarily through the sand layer. The influent water was initially deoxygenated and the emissions and concentration distributions were allowed to reach near-steady conditions. The influent dissolved oxygen (DO) level was increased stepwise to 6.5-8.5 mg/L and 17-20 mg/L, and then decreased back to deoxygenated conditions. Each condition was maintained for at least 45 days. Relative to the near-steady benzene emission at the initial deoxygenated condition, the emission was reduced by about 70% when the DO was 6.5-8.5 mg/L, 90% when the DO was 17-20 mg/L, and ultimately 60% when returning to low DO conditions. While the reductions were substantial during treatment, longer-term reductions after 120 d of elevated DO treatment, relative to an untreated condition predicted by theory, were low: 29% and 6% in Tank 1 and Tank 2, respectively. Results show a 1-2 month lag between the end of DO delivery and rebound to the final near-steady emissions level. This observation has implications for post-treatment performance monitoring sampling at field sites.

Graduates in Economics and Educational Mismatch: The Case Study of the University of Naples "Parthenope"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quintano, Claudio; Castellano, Rosalia; D'Agostino, Antonella

2008-01-01

The quality of jobs of economics graduates was studied in terms of educational mismatch. The returns of over-education on earnings and on the job-search were also investigated. The discussion regards the second wave of a longitudinal survey of a random sample of economics graduates from the University of Naples "Parthenope", a major…

[The new migratory deal in Southern Europe].

PubMed

Simon, G

1986-09-01

The author examines migration patterns in Southern Europe during the 1970s and early 1980s, noting particularly the reduction in migration northward from this region. It is noted that "departure potential remains sizable in certain areas of Portugal, Spain, Southern Italy, and most particularly, of Turkey and Yugoslavia. Transoceanic migrations have by no means ceased, as new flows of skilled labor have, since 1974, gone towards Arab states endowed with petrol (oil) revenues. And yet, the paramount fact is most surely the emergence and the proliferation in Greece, Spain, and (especially) in Italy, of basically clandestine (illegal) immigration. This movement is due to the convergence of several factors: economic and demographic disparities between northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the sealing-off of borders in Northwestern Europe and the 'carry-over' effect upon nations of 'transit', the extent of the flow of refugees, and--most particularly--the appeal provided by the development, in these new employer countries, of an underground economy accompanied by the extension into industry of the practice of 'undeclared' work. And notwithstanding the series of rules lastly drawn up in Spain and in Greece, such forms of clandestine (unauthorized) migration appear highly likely--to say the least--to persist." (SUMMARY IN ENG AND SPA) excerpt

Information sources and knowledge on vaccination in a population from southern Italy: The ESCULAPIO project.

PubMed

Tabacchi, Garden; Costantino, Claudio; Cracchiolo, Manuela; Ferro, Antonio; Marchese, Valentina; Napoli, Giuseppe; Palmeri, Sara; Raia, Daniele; Restivo, Vincenzo; Siddu, Andrea; Vitale, Francesco; Casuccio, Alessandra

2017-02-01

Vaccine knowledge of the general population is shaped by different information sources and strongly influences vaccination attitudes and uptake. The CCM-Italian Ministry of Health ESCULAPIO project attempted to identify the role of such information sources, in order to address adequate strategies to improve information on vaccines and vaccine preventable diseases. In the present study, data on 632 adults from Southern Italy regarding information sources were collected, and their perceived and actual knowledge on vaccinations were compared and analyzed in relation to socio-demographic characteristics and information sources. The main reported reference sources were general practitioners (GPs) (42.5%) and pediatricians (33.1%), followed by mass media (24.1%) and the Internet (17.6%). A total of 45.4% reported they believed to be informed (45.4%), while those estimated to be truly informed were 43.8%. However, as showed in the multivariate logistic regression, people having the perception to be correctly informed ascribed their good knowledge to their profession in the health sector (Adj OR 2.28, CI 1.09-4.77, p < 0.05) and to friends/relatives/colleagues (AdjOR 6.25, CI 2.38-16.44, p < 0.001), while the non-informed population thought the responsibility had to be attributed to mass media (AdjOR 0.45, CI 0.22-0.92, p < 0.05). Those showing the real correct information, instead, were younger (AdjOR 1.64, CI 1.04-2.59, p < 0.05), and their main reference sources were pediatricians (AdjOR 1.63, CI 1.11-2.39, p < 0.05) and scientific magazines (Adj OR 3.39, CI 1.51-7.59, p < 0.01). Only 6% knew the "VaccinarSì" portal, developed to counter the widespred antivaccine websites in Italy. The post-survey significant increase of connections to "VaccinarSi" could be ascribed to the counselling performed during questionnaire administration. Strategies to improve information about vaccination should be addressed to fortifying healthcare workers knowledge in order to make them

Geomorphic evidence of Quaternary tectonics within an underlap fault zone of southern Apennines, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giano, Salvatore Ivo; Pescatore, Eva; Agosta, Fabrizio; Prosser, Giacomo

2018-02-01

A composite seismic source, the Irpinia - Agri Valley Fault zone, located in the axial sector of the fold-and-thrust belt of southern Apennines, Italy, is investigated. This composite source is made up of a series of nearly parallel, NW-striking normal fault segments which caused many historical earthquakes. Two of these fault segments, known as the San Gregorio Magno and Pergola-Melandro, and the fault-related mountain fronts, form a wedge-shaped, right-stepping, underlap fault zone. This work is aimed at documenting tectonic geomorphology and geology of this underlap fault zone. The goal is to decipher the evidence of surface topographic interaction between two bounding fault segments and their related mountain fronts. In particular, computation of geomorphic indices such as mountain front sinuosity (Smf), water divide sinuosity (Swd), asymmetry factor (AF), drainage basin elongation (Bs), relief ratio (Rh), Hypsometry (HI), normalized steepness (Ksn), and concavity (θ) is integrated with geomorphological analysis, the geological mapping, and structural analysis in order to assess the recent activity of the fault scarp sets recognized within the underlap zone. Results are consistent with the NW-striking faults as those showing the most recent tectonic activity, as also suggested by presence of related slope deposits younger than 38 ka. The results of this work therefore show how the integration of a multidisciplinary approach that combines geomorphology, morphometry, and structural analyses may be key to solving tectonic geomorphology issues in a complex, fold-and-thrust belt configuration.

Antibiotic susceptibility of Legionella pneumophila strains isolated from hospital water systems in Southern Italy.

PubMed

De Giglio, Osvalda; Napoli, Christian; Lovero, Grazia; Diella, Giusy; Rutigliano, Serafina; Caggiano, Giuseppina; Montagna, Maria Teresa

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the susceptibility of environmental strains of Legionella spp. to 10 antimicrobials commonly used for legionellosis therapy. A study of environmental strains could be useful to timely predict the onset of antibiotic resistance in the environment before it is evidenced in clinical specimens. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 100 environmental Legionella pneumophila (Lpn) strains belonging to serogroups (sgs) 1, 6, 8, and 10 were tested using the E-test methodology on buffered charcoal yeast extract agar supplemented with α-ketoglutarate. The most frequent sgs were selected from those obtained during microbiological surveillance conducted in 2014 in a hospital in Southern Italy. The MICs were read after 2 days of incubation at 35 °C in a humidified atmosphere without CO2. All isolates were inhibited by low concentrations of fluoroquinolones and macrolides. Rifampicin was the most active drug against the isolates in vitro. All Lpn isolates were inhibited by the following drugs (in decreasing order of their MICs): doxycycline>tigecycline>cefotaxime. The MICs of azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and tigecycline were significantly lower for Lpn non-sg 1 than Lpn sg 1 isolates. Susceptibility testing of Legionella strains to appropriate antibiotics should be performed often to evaluate the possible emergence of resistance, to improve the outcomes of patients, and to reduce the direct costs associated with hospitalization. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Laboratory study of polymer solutions used for mobility control during in situ NAPL recovery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martel, K.E.; Martel, R.; Lefebvre, R.

1998-12-31

The use of surfactant solutions for the in situ recovery of residual NAPL in aquifers is increasingly considered as a viable remediation technique. The injection of a few pore volumes of high-concentration surfactant solutions can mobilize or solubilize most of the residual NAPL contacted by the solutions. However, the washing solutions` physico-chemical properties (low density and high viscosity), combined with the natural porous media heterogeneity, can prevent a good sweep of the entire contaminated volume. The objective of this laboratory study is first to select and characterize polymers that would be suitable for aquifer restoration. Their experiments showed that amongmore » several polymers, xanthan gum is the most suitable for aquifer remediation. An evaluation of xanthan gum solution rheology was made in order to predict shear rates, xanthan gum concentrations, salinity, and temperature effects on solution viscosity. The second set of experiments were made with a sand box which was designed to reproduce a simple heterogeneous media consisting of layers of sand with different permeability. These tests illustrate the xanthan gum solution`s ability to increase surfactant solution`s sweep efficiency and limit viscous fingering.« less

Effect of travel restriction on PM10 concentrations in Naples: One year of experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polichetti, Giuliano

2017-02-01

The PM10 is an ubiquitarian and most common pollutant in the world, especially in the Western countries, and it is responsible onset of many pathologies from cancer to cardiorespiratory diseases and human reproduction, on the pregnant women and birth outcomes, in addition to recently has been associated with metabolic diseases (like diabetes). In the light of this scenario, the city of Naples decided in 2010, attempting to reduce PM10 concentrations, to establish a travel restriction for the cars over the city to time slots and on alternate days. We have analyzed the PM10 data from eight monitoring stations dislocated on the city ground. The period of analysis was a year, from July 2010 to July 2011. The results were not absolutely close to expectations, having practically demonstrated that there is no statistically significant difference between the days and hours when the travel restriction was active and those where no have the travel restriction. In conclusion, the travel restriction at time slots and alternate days as structured in the city of Naples seems have not significant improvement of air quality but should need further studies to obtain more reliable data.

New constraints shed light on strike-slip faulting beneath the southern Apennines (Italy): The 21 August 1962 Irpinia multiple earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vannoli, Paola; Bernardi, Fabrizio; Palombo, Barbara; Vannucci, Gianfranco; Console, Rodolfo; Ferrari, Graziano

2016-11-01

On 21 August 1962 an earthquake sequence set off near the city of Benevento, in Italy's southern Apennines. Three earthquakes, the largest having Mw 6.1, struck virtually the same area in less than 40 min (at 18:09, 18:19 and 18:44 UTC, respectively). Several historical earthquakes hit this region, and its seismic hazard is accordingly among the highest countrywide. Although poorly understood in the past, the seismotectonics of this region can be revealed by the 1962 sequence, being the only significant earthquake in the area for which modern seismograms are available. We determine location, magnitude, and nodal planes of the first event (18:09 UTC) of the sequence. The focal mechanism exhibits dominant strike-slip rupture along a north-dipping, E-W striking plane or along a west-dipping, N-S striking plane. Either of these solutions is significantly different from the kinematics of the typical large earthquakes occurring along the crest of the Southern Apennines, such as the 23 November 1980 Irpinia earthquake (Mw 6.9), caused by predominant normal faulting along NW-SE-striking planes. The epicentre of the 21 August 1962, 18:09 event is located immediately east of the chain axis, near one of the three north-dipping, E-W striking oblique-slip sources thought to have caused one of the three main events of the December 1456 sequence (Io XI MCS), the most destructive events in the southern Apennines known to date. We maintain that the 21 August 1962, 18:09 earthquake occurred along the E-W striking fault system responsible for the southernmost event of the 1456 sequence and for two smaller but instrumentally documented events that occurred on 6 May 1971 (Mw 5.0) and 27 September 2012 (Mw 4.6), further suggesting that normal faulting is not the dominant tectonic style in this portion of the Italian peninsula.

Seasonal variability of carbonaceous aerosols in an urban background area in Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cesari, D.; Merico, E.; Dinoi, A.; Marinoni, A.; Bonasoni, P.; Contini, D.

2018-02-01

Organic (OC) and Elemental Carbon (EC) are important components of atmospheric aerosol particles, playing a key role in climate system and potentially affecting human health. There is a lack of data reported for Southern Italy and this work aims to fill this gap, focusing the attention on the long-term trends of OC and EC concentrations in PM2.5 and PM10, and on atmospheric processes and sources influencing seasonal variability. Measurements were taken at the Environmental-Climate Observatory of Lecce (SE Italy, 40°20‧8″N-18°07‧28″E, 37 m a.s.l.), regional station of the Global Atmosphere Watch program (GAW-WMO). Daily PM10 and PM2.5 samples were collected between July 2013 and July 2016. In addition, starting in December 2014, simultaneous equivalent Black Carbon (eBC) concentrations in PM10 were measured using a Multi Angle Absorption Photometer. A subset of 722 PM samples (361 for each size fraction) was analysed by using a thermo-optical method with a Sunset Laboratory OC/EC analyser, to determine elemental and organic carbon concentrations. The average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were 28.8 μg/m3 and 17.5 μg/m3. The average OC and EC concentrations in PM10 were 5.4 μg/m3 and 0.8 μg/m3, in PM2.5 these were 4.7 μg/m3 and 0.6 μg/m3. Carbonaceous content was larger during cold season with respect to warm season as well as secondary organic carbon (SOC) that was evaluated using the OC/EC minimum ratio method. SOC was mainly segregated in PM2.5 and represented 53% - 75% of the total OC. A subset of EC data was compared with eBC measurements, showing a good correlation (R2 = 0.80), however, eBC concentrations were higher than EC concentrations of an average factor of 1.95 (+/- 0.55 standard deviation). This could be explained by the presence of a contribution of Brown Carbon (BrC), for example from biomass burning, in eBC measurements. Weekly patterns showed a slight decrease of carbon content during weekends with respect to weekdays especially

Methane production and consumption in an active volcanic environment of Southern Italy.

PubMed

Castaldi, Simona; Tedesco, Dario

2005-01-01

Methane fluxes were measured, using closed chambers, in the Crater of Solfatara volcano, Campi Flegrei (Southern Italy), along eight transects covering areas of the crater presenting different landscape physiognomies. These included open bare areas, presenting high geothermal fluxes, and areas covered by vegetation, which developed along a gradient from the central open area outwards, in the form of maquis, grassland and woodland. Methane fluxes decreased logarithmically (from 150 to -4.5 mg CH4 m(-2)day(-1)) going from the central part of the crater (fangaia) to the forested edges, similarly to the CO2 fluxes (from 1500 g CO2 m(-2)day(-1) in the centre of the crater to almost zero flux in the woodlands). In areas characterized by high emissions, soil presented elevated temperature (up to 70 degrees C at 0-10 cm depth) and extremely low pH (down to 1.8). Conversely, in woodland areas pH was higher (between 3.7 and 5.1) and soil temperature close to air values. Soil (0-10 cm) was sampled, in two different occasions, along the eight transects, and was tested for methane oxidation capacity in laboratory. Areas covered by vegetation mostly consumed CH4 in the following order woodland>macchia>grassland. Methanotrophic activity was also measured in soil from the open bare area. Oxidation rates were comparable to those measured in the plant covered areas and were significantly correlated with field CH4 emissions. The biological mechanism of uptake was demonstrated by the absence of activity in autoclaved replicates. Thus results suggest the existence of a population of micro-organisms adapted to this extreme environment, which are able to oxidize CH4 and whose activity could be stimulated and supported by elevated concentrations of CH4.

Natural and anthropogenic phenomena affecting the historical landslide trend in the Subappennino Dauno (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lonigro, Teresa; Santaloia, Francesca; Polemio, Maurizio

2014-05-01

The aim of this work is to present a methodology, based both on the use methods of time series analyses and of geospatial analyses of monthly climatic data (rainfall, wet days, rainfall intensity, and temperature), annual maximum of short-duration rainfall (from 1 hour to 5 days), historical modification of land use, and population variations in order to characterise the effects of these variables on the occurrence of landsliding in Daunia area, located on the eastern margin of the Southern Apennines thrust belt (southern Italy). Rock strata (mainly) interbedded with clayey marls, clays and silty-clays outcrop in this area. Due to the intense strain history, these successions are found to be from stratified to deeply fractured, up to be disrupted and floating as blocks in a clayey matrix. In turn, the clay units are laminated to intensely fissured and characterised by very poor mechanical properties (Santaloia et al., 2012). The statistical analyses deal with data coming from published databases, integrated by public and private documents, referring to a wide time span. Climate data records from 1877 to 2008 were elaborated, in particular the data coming from sixteen rainfall gauges, ten of which were also thermometric. Moreover, some monthly indices of rainfall, wet days, rainfall intensity, temperature, and landslide occurrence were introduced to simplify the analysis of parameters, characterised by spatial and temporal variability. The population records are from the 19th century up to now while the time period of reference for the land use data is from 1930 up to now. As concerns the landslide events, they were collected from 1918 to 2006. The main source of these records is the AVI database, an existing Italian database that collects data about damaging floods and landslides from 1918 to 1996. This dataset was integrated up to 2006 by consulting newspapers, scientific publications, technical reports, written by the researchers of the CNR-IRPI for the Civil

Hypersaline groundwater genesis assessment through a multidisciplinary approach: the case of Pozzo del Sale Spring (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Celico, Fulvio; Capuano, Paolo; de Felice, Vincenzo; Naclerio, Gino

2008-11-01

A tool, based on a multidisciplinary field investigation approach for studying the characteristics of a hypersaline spring, was developed and its effectiveness tested on a spring in southern Italy; a preliminary model of the aquifer system at medium and local scale was derived. Hydrologic measurements, vertical electric soundings, and chemical and isotopic (δ18O, δ2H, 3H) analyses were undertaken, along with microbiological analyses and species identification. These demonstrate the coexistence of hypersaline and fresh water, generating a significant diversification of the groundwater hydrochemical signature. The isotopic signature shows that both types of water have a meteoric origin. Microbial contamination of fecal origin indicates the mixing of hyper- and low- saline water related to local infiltration. The hypersaline groundwater flows in confined horizons within a sequence that is mainly of fractured clays. These horizons are probably concentrated where well-developed fracture network and dissolution openings within evaporitic rocks enhance fluid flow. In a wider context, this study determines that microbiological pollution of saline groundwater may not be detected if using nonhalophilic bacterial indicators such as fecal coliforms. Fecal enterococci are better indicators, due to their higher halotolerance.

Texture and composition of the Rosa Marina beach sands (Adriatic coast, southern Italy): a sedimentological/ecological approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moretti, Massimo; Tropeano, Marcello; Loon, A. J. (Tom) van; Acquafredda, Pasquale; Baldacconi, Rossella; Festa, Vincenzo; Lisco, Stefania; Mastronuzzi, Giuseppe; Moretti, Vincenzo; Scotti, Rosa

2016-06-01

Beach sands from the Rosa Marina locality (Adriatic coast, southern Italy) were analysed mainly microscopically in order to trace the source areas of their lithoclastic and bioclastic components. The main cropping out sedimentary units were also studied with the objective to identify the potential source areas of lithoclasts. This allowed to establish how the various rock units contribute to the formation of beach sands. The analysis of the bioclastic components allows to estimate the actual role of organisms regarding the supply of this material to the beach. Identification of taxa that are present in the beach sands as shell fragments or other remains was carried out at the genus or family level. Ecological investigation of the same beach and the recognition of sub-environments (mainly distinguished on the basis of the nature of the substrate and of the water depth) was the key topic that allowed to establish the actual source areas of bioclasts in the Rosa Marina beach sands. The sedimentological analysis (including a physical study of the beach and the calculation of some statistical parameters concerning the grain-size curves) shows that the Rosa Marina beach is nowadays subject to erosion.

Joint geophysical measurements to investigate the Rossano of Vaglio archaeological site affected by landslide phenomena (Basilicata region, Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perrone, A.; Chianese, D.; Lapenna, V.; Lorenzo, P.; Piscitelli, S.; Rizzo, E.; Sdao, F.

2003-04-01

In the frame of a project supported by the Italian Ministry of Research: "Geomorphological study and landslides control in some areas of the Basilicata region characterized by historical-cultural heritage", the I.M.A.A. of the CNR (Tito Scalo, Potenza) and the Di.S.G.G. of the Basilicata University, developed a research activity focussed on the realization of combined geophysical measurements for the study of archaeological areas affected by landslide phenomena in Basilicata region (Southern Italy). Since IV century b.C., the birth and the evolution of many religious places is observed in the Basilicata region. Location and construction of these sanctuaries were influenced by the geological and geomorphological setting: many of them were built near important springs; others on morphological terraces, representing the main effect of the large and ancient landslides, often reactivated during the years. In this work we report the results regarding the application of 2D electrical resistivity tomographies, electromagnetic and magnetic measurements carried out in the Rossano of Vaglio (Potenza, Italy), where in the late IV century b.C. raised a sanctuary devoted to the Mephitis goddess (Adamasteanu and Dilthey, 1992; Masseria and D'Anisi, 2001). The sacred area was affected by a multiple and retrogressive rototranslational slide, historically and actually subject to reactivation. The geophysical results, obtained combining advanced technologies for data acquisition and new methods for data inversion (Loke and Barker, 1996; Ciminale and Loddo, 2001; Nuzzo et al, 2002), allowed us to define the geometrical characteristics of the landslide body, to outline the sliding surfaces and to individuate the buried structures of the sanctuary.

The occurrence and pathogenicity of Serratospiculum tendo (Nematoda: Diplotriaenoidea) in birds of prey from southern Italy.

PubMed

Santoro, M; D'Alessio, N; Di Prisco, F; Kinsella, J M; Barca, L; Degli Uberti, B; Restucci, B; Martano, M; Troisi, S; Galiero, G; Veneziano, V

2016-05-01

The air sacs of free-ranging birds of prey (n= 652) from southern Italy, including 11 species of Accipitriformes and six of Falconiforms, were examined for infections with Serratospiculum tendo (Nematoda: Diplotriaenoidea). Of the 17 species of birds examined, 25 of 31 (80.6%) peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) from Calabria Region and a single northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) from Campania Region were infected with S. tendo, suggesting a strong host specificity for the peregrine falcon. The northern goshawk and 18 of 25 infected peregrine falcons showed cachexia and all infected birds had bone fractures. At gross examination, air sacculitis and pneumonia were the most common lesions in infected birds. Microscopically, the air-sac walls showed thickening of the smooth muscle cells, resulting in a papillary appearance, along with hyperplasia of the mesothelium and epithelium, and foci of plasma cell infiltration and macrophages associated with several embryonated eggs and adult parasites. Extensive areas of inflammation were found in the lungs, characterized by lymphocytes, macrophages and fibroblasts surrounding embryonated eggs. The northern goshawk also had detachment of the dextral lung with several necrotic foci. In this case, the death of the bird was directly attributed to S. tendo infection. Lesions and pathological changes observed here suggest that S. tendo can cause disease.

A three-dimensional multiphase flow model for assesing NAPL contamination in porous and fractured media, 1. Formulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huyakorn, P. S.; Panday, S.; Wu, Y. S.

1994-06-01

A three-dimensional, three-phase numerical model is presented for stimulating the movement on non-aqueous-phase liquids (NAPL's) through porous and fractured media. The model is designed for practical application to a wide variety of contamination and remediation scenarios involving light or dense NAPL's in heterogeneous subsurface systems. The model formulation is first derived for three-phase flow of water, NAPL and air (or vapor) in porous media. The formulation is then extended to handle fractured systems using the dual-porosity and discrete-fracture modeling approaches The model accommodates a wide variety of boundary conditions, including withdrawal and injection well conditions which are treated rigorously using fully implicit schemes. The three-phase of formulation collapses to its simpler forms when air-phase dynamics are neglected, capillary effects are neglected, or two-phase-air-liquid, liquid-liquid systems with one or two active phases are considered. A Galerkin procedure with upstream weighting of fluid mobilities, storage matrix lumping, and fully implicit treatment of nonlinear coefficients and well conditions is used. A variety of nodal connectivity schemes leading to finite-difference, finite-element and hybrid spatial approximations in three dimensions are incorporated in the formulation. Selection of primary variables and evaluation of the terms of the Jacobian matrix for the Newton-Raphson linearized equations is discussed. The various nodal lattice options, and their significance to the computational time and memory requirements with regards to the block-Orthomin solution scheme are noted. Aggressive time-stepping schemes and under-relaxation formulas implemented in the code further alleviate the computational burden.

Probabilistic-numerical assessment of pyroclastic current hazard at Campi Flegrei and Naples city: Multi-VEI scenarios as a tool for “full-scale” risk management

PubMed Central

Mastrolorenzo, Giuseppe; Palladino, Danilo M.; Pappalardo, Lucia; Rossano, Sergio

2017-01-01

The Campi Flegrei volcanic field (Italy) poses very high risk to the highly urbanized Neapolitan area. Eruptive history was dominated by explosive activity producing pyroclastic currents (hereon PCs; acronym for Pyroclastic Currents) ranging in scale from localized base surges to regional flows. Here we apply probabilistic numerical simulation approaches to produce PC hazard maps, based on a comprehensive spectrum of flow properties and vent locations. These maps are incorporated in a Geographic Information System (GIS) and provide all probable Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) scenarios from different source vents in the caldera, relevant for risk management planning. For each VEI scenario, we report the conditional probability for PCs (i.e., the probability for a given area to be affected by the passage of PCs in case of a PC-forming explosive event) and related dynamic pressure. Model results indicate that PCs from VEI<4 events would be confined within the Campi Flegrei caldera, PC propagation being impeded by the northern and eastern caldera walls. Conversely, PCs from VEI 4–5 events could invade a wide area beyond the northern caldera rim, as well as part of the Naples metropolitan area to the east. A major controlling factor of PC dispersal is represented by the location of the vent area. PCs from the potentially largest eruption scenarios (analogous to the ~15 ka, VEI 6 Neapolitan Yellow Tuff or even the ~39 ka, VEI 7 Campanian Ignimbrite extreme event) would affect a large part of the Campanian Plain to the north and the city of Naples to the east. Thus, in case of renewal of eruptive activity at Campi Flegrei, up to 3 million people will be potentially exposed to volcanic hazard, pointing out the urgency of an emergency plan. Considering the present level of uncertainty in forecasting the future eruption type, size and location (essentially based on statistical analysis of previous activity), we suggest that appropriate planning measures should face at

Using a new incentive mechanism to improve wastewater sector performance: the case study of Italy.

PubMed

De Gisi, Sabino; Petta, Luigi; Farina, Roberto; De Feo, Giovanni

2014-01-01

The system of "Service Objectives", introduced by the Italian National Strategic Framework 2007-2013, is an innovative results-oriented programme concerning 4 thematic areas (education, care for the elderly and children, management of municipal solid wastes and integrated water service) in which the Ministry of Economic Development and eight Southern Italy districts are involved. The system was initially associated to an incentive mechanism which provided subsidies for a total amount of EUR 3 billion from the national Underdeveloped Areas Fund, according to the achievement of specific targets set for 11 service indicators in 2013. The indicators used for the integrated water service refer to the efficiency in water supply service as well as the coverage of wastewater treatment service. The aim of the study is to describe the activities carried out in Italy by the ENEA Agency in order to define a new performance indicator for wastewater treatment service taking into account the appropriateness and efficiency of existing plants equipment and, consequently, evaluating economic incentives. The proposed procedure takes into account both wastewater treatment demand and quality of wastewater treatment service offered to citizens. Input data, provided by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), were elaborated in order to define appropriate parameters, with a multi-criteria analysis being used to define the new performance indicator. The applicability of the proposed procedure was verified considering all the 8 Southern Italy and Island districts (Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia) involved in the programme. The obtained results show that the quality of municipal wastewater may influence the calculation of the incentive amount. The performance indicators defined in this work might be conveniently extended to other contexts similar to the assessed geographical area (Southern Italy and Islands). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd

First compositional evidences on the local production of Dressel 2-4 amphorae in Calabria (Southern Italy): characterization and mixing simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miriello, D.; Bloise, A.; De Luca, R.; Apollaro, C.; Crisci, G. M.; Medaglia, S.; Taliano Grasso, A.

2015-06-01

Dressel 2-4 amphorae are a type of pottery, which was used to transport wine and produced in the Mediterranean area between the first century BC and the second century AD. This study shows, for the first time, that their production also occurred in Ionian Calabria. These results were achieved by studying 11 samples of archaeological pottery (five samples of Dressel 2-4 and six samples of other ceramic types) taken from Cariati (Calabria—Southern Italy). The composition of the pottery was compared with that of the local raw materials (clays and sands) potentially usable for their production. Samples were studied by polarized optical microscopy and analysed by XRF, XRPD and Raman spectroscopy. An innovative approach, based on Microsoft Excel optimizer "Solver" add-in on geochemical data, was used to define the provenance of archaeological pottery and to calculate the mixtures of local clay and sand needed for the production of the pottery itself.

Assessing chronological age of unaccompanied minors in southern Italy.

PubMed

Nuzzolese, Emilio; Solarino, Biagio; Liuzzi, Claudia; Di Vella, Giancarlo

2011-09-01

The increasing volume of, and subsequent complexities resulting from, migratory flows in the broader context of globalization has led to a range of problems, not only the protection of human rights and disease control but also the identification of those with the right to apply for refugee status and the age assessment of unaccompanied minors. Italy is a magnet for immigration from other countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea because the Italian coasts are within easy reach. In Italy, as in other western countries, unaccompanied asylum seekers deemed to be younger than 18 years face a very different path through the immigration system from that experienced by adults. Generally, adults are subject to immediate deportation or detention in jail. Minors are processed through the juvenile system, where detection is not mandatory; they will often have access to educational programs and may be granted a residency permit. The Section of Legal Medicine of the University of Bari was approached by immigration police authorities and judges to explore the possibility of examining unaccompanied asylum seekers, who claim do be younger than 18 years, to assess their age. A group of forensic pathologists and odontologists performed this evaluation relying on the skeletal maturation as seen on radiographs of the wrist and the pelvis for iliac crests and on an orthopantomograph, together with background information and clinical examination of each individual. Case studies are presented. This article does not attempt to give a definitive account of the different scientific methods for the assessment of age. It is important to understand some of the methods that may be used in an attempt to assess developmental maturity and from which it may be possible to "read off" an approximate chronological age.

A Feasibility Study for Earthquake Early Warning in a School in Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emolo, A.; Martino, C.; Picozzi, M.; Zollo, A.; Elia, L.; Festa, G.; Colombelli, S.; Caruso, A.; Brondi, P.; Miranda, N.

2015-12-01

We present the results of a feasibility study on the application of earthquake early-warning procedures in the high school ITIS E. Majorana, Somma Vesuviana, Naples, located about 80 km far from the seismogenic Irpinia region. The study was performed in the framework of the European REAKT project. The school was equipped with an EEWS composed of: a small seismic network of accelerometers, the PRESToPlus software platform, and an actuator, named Sentinel. The Sentinel is made up of low-cost hardware (i.e., Arduino®) programmed to accomplish three main tasks: 1) listen and interpret messages delivered by the EEW system PRESToPlus on the ground motion severity expected at the target site; 2) provides different warnings as alert levels by the control of different hardware (i.e., alarm bells, emergency lights, and so on); 3) declare the end of the most threatening condition, which will assist the emergency coordinator starting the evacuation plan defined by the current legislation. The Sentinel was developed within REAKT in close collaboration with the students and the teachers of the school. The EEW system and the Sentinel were successfully tested during some blind drills performed during normal school activities.

Distinctiveness and Sense of Community in the Historical Center of Naples: A Piece of Participatory Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arcidiacono, Caterina; Procentese, Fortuna

2005-01-01

Inspired by the impact of an increase in tourism in the Old Center of Naples, Fondazione Laboratorio Mediterraneo, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable town development and encourages participation, has undertaken the participatory action research described in this article. The inhabitants' sense of community (McMillan & Chavis,…

New seismo-stratigraphic and marine magnetic data of the Gulf of Pozzuoli (Naples Bay, Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy): inferences for the tectonic and magmatic events of the Phlegrean Fields volcanic complex (Campania)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aiello, Gemma; Marsella, Ennio; Fiore, Vincenzo Di

2012-06-01

A detailed reconstruction of the stratigraphic and tectonic setting of the Gulf of Pozzuoli (Naples Bay) is provided on the basis of newly acquired single channel seismic profiles coupled with already recorded marine magnetics gathering the volcanic nature of some seismic units. Inferences for the tectonic and magmatic setting of the Phlegrean Fields volcanic complex, a volcanic district surrounding the western part of the Gulf of Naples, where volcanism has been active since at least 50 ka, are also discussed. The Gulf of Pozzuoli represents the submerged border of the Phlegrean caldera, resulting from the volcano-tectonic collapse induced from the pyroclastic flow deposits of the Campanian Ignimbrite (35 ka). Several morpho-depositional units have been identified, i.e., the inner continental shelf, the central basin, the submerged volcanic banks and the outer continental shelf. The stratigraphic relationships between the Quaternary volcanic units related to the offshore caldera border and the overlying deposits of the Late Quaternary depositional sequence in the Gulf of Pozzuoli have been highlighted. Fourteen main seismic units, both volcanic and sedimentary, tectonically controlled due to contemporaneous folding and normal faulting have been revealed by geological interpretation. Volcanic dykes, characterized by acoustically transparent sub-vertical bodies, locally bounded by normal faults, testify to the magma uprising in correspondence with extensional structures. A large field of tuff cones interlayered with marine deposits off the island of Nisida, on the western rim of the gulf, is related to the emplacement of the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff deposits. A thick volcanic unit, exposed over a large area off the Capo Miseno volcanic edifice is connected with the Bacoli-Isola Pennata-Capo Miseno yellow tuffs, cropping out in the northern Phlegrean Fields.

Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection and associated risk factors among 3,374 healthcare students in Italy.

PubMed

Lamberti, Monica; Muoio, Mariarosaria; Monaco, Maria Grazia Lourdes; Uccello, Rossella; Sannolo, Nicola; Mazzarella, Gennaro; Garzillo, Elpidio Maria; Arnese, Anonio; La Cerra, Giuseppe; Coppola, Nicola

2014-01-01

The risk of tuberculosis (TB) in healthcare personnel (HCP) is related to its incidence in the general population. Healthcare students involved in clinical training could be exposed to occupational risks similar to those that HCP face. The prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among undergraduate healthcare students with different working seniority in Italy was analysed. A cross-sectional study under a screening programme for LTBI among undergraduate and postgraduate students attending Medical School at the Second University of Naples was conducted between January 2012 and December 2013 with clinical evaluations, tuberculin skin testing (TST) and, in positive TST students, Interferon-γ release assays (IGRA). Putative risk factors for LTBI were assessed by means of a standardised questionnaire. 3,374 students attending the Medical School of the Second University of Naples were submitted to a screening programme for TBC. 3,331 performed TST as a first-level test and 43 performed a Quantiferon test (QFT). 128 students were TST-positive and continued the diagnostic work with QFT, which was positive in 34 students. Of the 43 subjects who took the QFT as a first-level test only 1 was positive. In 35 students positive to the QFT test we formulated the diagnosis of LTBI by clinical and radiographic results. A correlation was found between age, non-Italian born persons, studying age, post-medical school status and LTBI. The prevalence of LTBI among healthcare students in our study was very low. In countries with a low incidence of TB, the screening programmes of healthcare students can be useful for early identification and treatment of sporadic cases of LTBI.

Rainstorms able to induce flash floods in a Mediterranean-climate region (Calabria, southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terranova, O. G.; Gariano, S. L.

2014-03-01

Heavy rainstorms often induce flash flooding, one of the natural disasters most responsible for damage to man-made infrastructure and loss of lives, adversely affecting also the opportunities for socio-economic development of Mediterranean Countries. The frequently dramatic damage of flash floods are often detected with sufficient accuracy by post-event surveys, but rainfall causing them are still only roughly characterized. With the aim of improving the understanding of the temporal structure and spatial distribution of heavy rainstorms in the Mediterranean context, a statistical analysis was carried out in Calabria (southern Italy) concerning rainstorms that mainly induced flash floods, but also shallow landslides and debris-flows. Thus a method is proposed - based on the overcoming of heuristically predetermined threshold values of cumulated rainfall, maximum intensity, and kinetic energy of the rainfall event - to select and characterize the rainstorms able to induce flash floods in the Mediterranean-climate Countries. Therefore the obtained (heavy) rainstorms were automatically classified and studied according to their structure in time, localization and extension. Rainfall-runoff watershed models can consequently benefit from the enhanced identification of design storms, with a realistic time structure integrated with the results of the spatial analysis. A survey of flash flood events recorded in the last decades provides a preliminary validation of the method proposed to identify the heavy rainstorms and synthetically describe their characteristics. The notable size of the employed sample, including data with a very detailed resolution in time, that relate to several rain gauges well-distributed throughout the region, give robustness to the obtained results.

Rainstorms able to induce flash floods in a Mediterranean-climate region (Calabria, southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terranova, O. G.; Gariano, S. L.

2014-09-01

Heavy rainstorms often induce flash flooding, one of the natural disasters most responsible for damage to man-made infrastructures and loss of lives, also adversely affecting the opportunities for socio-economic development of Mediterranean countries. The frequently dramatic damage of flash floods are often detected, with sufficient accuracy, by post-event surveys, but rainfall causing them are still only roughly characterized. With the aim of improving the understanding of the temporal structure and spatial distribution of heavy rainstorms in the Mediterranean context, a statistical analysis was carried out in Calabria (southern Italy) concerning rainstorms that mainly induced flash floods, but also shallow landslides and debris flows. Thus, a method is proposed - based on the overcoming of heuristically predetermined threshold values of cumulated rainfall, maximum intensity, and kinetic energy of the rainfall event - to select and characterize the rainstorms able to induce flash floods in the Mediterranean-climate countries. Therefore, the obtained (heavy) rainstorms were automatically classified and studied according to their structure in time, localization, and extension. Rainfall-runoff watershed models can consequently benefit from the enhanced identification of design storms, with a realistic time structure integrated with the results of the spatial analysis. A survey of flash flood events recorded in the last decades provides a preliminary validation of the method proposed to identify the heavy rainstorms and synthetically describe their characteristics. The notable size of the employed sample, including data with a very detailed resolution in time that relate to several rain gauges well-distributed throughout the region, gives robustness to the obtained results.

Why is the central area of the Alburni Mts in southern Italy so full of caves?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cafaro, Simona; Gueguen, Erwan; Parise, Mario; Schiattarella, Marcello

2016-04-01

The Alburni Mts represent one of the most important karst area of southern Italy, with about 250 registered caves. Located in the southern Apennines, they constitute an impressive carbonate massif within the Mesozoic-Cenozoic Campania-Lucania platform. The study area is located inside the National Park of Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni, and is bounded by two major rivers: the Calore and Tanagro rivers. This area has been repeatedly affected during Pleistocene by the activity of a regional, partly blind, NW-SE-striking fault system responsible for several huge earthquakes. The massif is limited to the north by an important normal fault zone (Alburni Line), whereas towards the E-SE it is bounded by a complex fault system linking the Alburni Mts to the Maddalena Mts across the Auletta basin and the Vallo di Diano valley. The entire massif is structured by NW-SE trending transtensional faults delimiting half-graben basins, and offset also by NE-SW trending faults. In particular, structural and geomorphological data have shown that the central area of the calcareous ridge is characterized by a relative structural low rhombic-shaped in planimetric view. Approximately 180 karst caves of the known 250, including some of the most significant from a speleological viewpoint, are located in this area. Is this simply due to repeated exploration activity in the last 25 years in this specific sector or might it be related to geological matter? New morphometric and structural data suggest that a relevant transversal structure, consisting of a complex NE-SW fault system, responsible for the genesis of the downthrown area in the central sector of the flat-topped ridge, was able to create the tectonic framework for the development of a great number of karst caves which present peculiar features and hydrological behaviour due to such structural controls. In this contribution we present and discuss these data, aimed at contributing to increase the knowledge on an area of sure

Structural Support, Networking and Individual Survival: Career Changes in Italy and Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barabasch, Antje; Merrill, Barbara; Zanazzi, Silvia

2015-01-01

Southern European countries, like Italy and Spain, have been severely affected by the recent economic crisis. This has affected their labour market in terms of increased unemployment, while many of those in employment feel more insecure. As a consequence, many individuals turn to education as a step to making a career change. The opportunities and…

NATO’S Southern Flank: A Strategic Assessment.

DTIC Science & Technology

The study conducts a critical evaluation of the Southern Flank members of NATO (Italy, Greece, and Turkey), to include the political, cultural, and economic stability of each, as well as the capability of their armed forces to contribute to the NATO mission, and within this context, to assess the NATO mid-range strategy for the ’Southern Region.’ A brief assessment was also made of the entire Mediterranean littoral as well as other factors that might influence the mid-range strategy, e.g., the Arab-Israeli conflict, MBFR, etc.

Conservation and genetic characterisation of common bean landraces from Cilento region (southern Italy): high differentiation in spite of low genetic diversity.

PubMed

De Luca, Daniele; Cennamo, Paola; Del Guacchio, Emanuele; Di Novella, Riccardo; Caputo, Paolo

2018-02-01

Since its introduction from Central-South America to Italy almost 500 years ago, the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was largely cultivated across the peninsula in hundreds of different landraces. However, globalisation and technological modernisation of agricultural practices in the last decades promoted the cultivation of few varieties at the expense of traditional and local agro-ecotypes, which have been confined to local markets or have completely disappeared. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity and differentiation in 12 common bean landraces once largely cultivated in the Cilento region (Campania region, southern Italy), and now the object of a recovery program to save them from extinction. The analysis conducted using 13 nuclear microsatellite loci in 140 individuals revealed a high degree of homozygosity within each landrace and a strong genetic differentiation that was reflected in the success in assigning individuals to the source landrace. On the contrary, internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2, analysed in one individual per landrace, were highly similar among common bean landraces but allowed the identification of a cowpea variety (Vigna unguiculata Walp.), a crop largely cultivated in the Old World before the arrival of common bean from Americas. In conclusion, our study highlighted that conservation of landraces is important not only for the cultural and socio-economic value that they have for local communities, but also because the time and conditions in which they have been selected have led to that genetic distinctiveness that is at the basis of many potential agronomical applications and dietary benefits.

Mineralogical, geochemical and isotopic characteristics of alkaline mafic igneous rocks from Punta delle Pietre Nere (Gargano, Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzeo, F. C.; Arienzo, I.; Aulinas, M.; Casalini, M.; Di Renzo, V.; D'Antonio, M.

2018-05-01

The Punta delle Pietre Nere (Gargano, Southern Italy) igneous body is constituted by gabbroic and syenitic rocks with lamprophyric affinity of different age (58 and 62 Ma, respectively). The chemical composition of the minerals clearly indicates that there is no genetic relationship between the two lithotypes, in agreement with their significant age difference. The chemical (trace elements) and Sr-Nd-Pb-isotopic composition of these rocks highlights an "anorogenic" geochemical affinity derived from mixed DMM-HIMU-EM mantle reservoirs, similarly to other Paleogene-Oligocene magmatic provinces in the Circum-Mediterranean Area. In past literature, these features were interpreted as evidences for enriched asthenospheric mantle plume upwelling from deep regions beneath the Western Europe. Here we suggest that the HIMU-like composition of Punta delle Pietre Nere rocks is related to a lithospheric mantle source bearing amphibole-rich veins, resulting from crystallization of melts within the amphibole stability field in presence of H2O, as shown by several experimental works. Our results suggests partial melting at 70-90 km depth, which corresponds to the spinel-garnet transition (2.5-3.5 GPa) close to the amphibole stability limit ( 90-110 km and 2.5-3.5 GPa).

Meningococcal serogroup B vaccine: Knowledge and acceptability among parents in Italy.

PubMed

Morrone, Teresa; Napolitano, Francesco; Albano, Luciana; Di Giuseppe, Gabriella

2017-08-03

This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes about Meningococcal meningitis B and the relative vaccine for children among a sample of parents in Italy. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted from October to December 2015 among a sample of 910 parents in the geographic area of Naples and Salerno (Italy). In total, 543 of 910 parents returned a completed questionnaire for a response rate of 59.7%. Almost all parents had heard about meningitis (95.8%), 79.8% of these knew the mode of transmission (through respiratory droplets) and 62.5% knew the susceptible population (infants, children and adolescents). Moreover, a large percentage (86%) knew that the vaccine is a preventive measure. Parents who were married, those who had one child, those who did not have information about the MenB vaccine by physicians and those who needed additional information about the MenB vaccine were more likely to know the vaccine as a preventive measure of meningitis. Regarding attitudes toward the MenB vaccine, approximately two thirds of parents considered the vaccine useful (67.2%) and said that they would vaccinate their children (64.1%). Parents who had administered at least one recommended vaccination to their children, those who considered the vaccine useful, those with need for additional information about the vaccine and those who knew that the vaccine was a preventive measure of meningitis were more likely to have a positive attitude to vaccinating their children. Considering the results of our study, it looks appropriate that the knowledge of the population about meningitis and its related vaccinations is improved through correct health education and effective vaccine strategies that are implemented by policy makers.

Radon Levels in Indoor Environments of the University Hospital in Bari-Apulia Region Southern Italy

PubMed Central

Fucilli, Fulvio; Cavone, Domenica; De Maria, Luigi; Birtolo, Francesco; Ferri, Giovanni Maria; Soleo, Leonardo

2018-01-01

Since 1988, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified radon among the compounds for which there is scientific evidence of carcinogenicity for humans (group 1). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a reference radon level between 100 and 300 Bq/m3 for homes. The objective of this study is to measure the radon concentrations in 401 workplaces, different from the patient rooms, in 28 different buildings of the university hospital in Bari (Apulia region, Southern Italy) to evaluate the exposure of health care workers. Radon environmental sampling is performed over two consecutive six-month periods via the use of passive dosimeters of the CR-39 type. We find an average annual radon concentration expressed as median value of 48.0 Bq/m3 (range 6.5–388.0 Bq/m3) with a significant difference between the two six-month periods (median value: February/July 41.0 Bq/m3 vs. August/January 55.0 Bq/m3). An average concentration of radon lower than the WHO reference level (100 Bq/m3) is detected in 76.1% of monitored environments, while higher than 300 Bq/m3 only in the 0.9%. Most workplaces report radon concentrations within the WHO reference level, therefore, the risk to workers’ health deriving from occupational exposure to radon can be considered to be low. Nevertheless, the goal is to achieve near-zero exposures to protect workers’ health. PMID:29642436

Use of molecular approaches in hydrogeological studies: the case of carbonate aquifers in southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bucci, Antonio; Petrella, Emma; Celico, Fulvio; Naclerio, Gino

2017-06-01

Waterborne pathogens represent a significant health risk in both developed and developing countries with sensitive sub-populations including children, the elderly, neonates, and immune-compromised people, who are particularly susceptible to enteric infections. Annually, approximately 1.8 billion people utilize a faecally contaminated water source, and waterborne diseases are resulting in up to 2.1 million human mortalities globally. Although groundwater has traditionally been considered less susceptible to contamination by enteric pathogens than surface water due to natural attenuation by overlying strata, the degree of microbial removal attributable to soils and aquifers can vary significantly depending on several factors. Thus, accurate assessment of the variable presence and concentration of microbial contaminants, and the relative importance of potentially causative factors affecting contaminant ingress, is critical in order to develop effective source (well) and resource (aquifer) protection strategies. "Traditional" and molecular microbiological study designs, when coupled with hydrogeological, hydrochemical, isotopic, and geophysical methods, have proven useful for analysis of numerous aspects of subsurface microbial dynamics. Accordingly, this overview paper presents the principal microbial techniques currently being employed (1) to predict and identify sources of faecal contamination in groundwater, (2) to elucidate the dynamics of contaminant migration, and (3) to refine knowledge about the hydrogeological characteristics and behaviours of aquifer systems affected by microbial contamination with an emphasis on carbonate aquifers, which represent an important global water supply. Previous investigations carried out in carbonate aquifers in southern Italy are discussed.

Field-scale permeability and temperature of volcanic crust from borehole data: Campi Flegrei, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlino, Stefano; Piochi, Monica; Tramelli, Anna; Mormone, Angela; Montanaro, Cristian; Scheu, Bettina; Klaus, Mayer

2018-05-01

We report combined measurements of petrophysical and geophysical parameters for a 501-m deep borehole located on the eastern side of the active Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy), namely (i) in situ permeability by pumping tests, (ii) laboratory-determined permeability of the drill core, and (iii) thermal gradients by distributed fiber optic and thermocouple sensors. The borehole was drilled during the Campi Flegrei Deep Drilling Project (in the framework of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program) and gives information on the least explored caldera sector down to pre-caldera deposits. The results allow comparative assessment of permeability obtained from both borehole (at depth between 422 a 501 m) and laboratory tests (on a core sampled at the same depth) for permeability values of 10-13 m2 (borehole test) and 10-15 m2 (laboratory test) confirm the scale-dependency of permeability at this site. Additional geochemical and petrophysical determinations (porosity, density, chemistry, mineralogy and texture), together with gas flow measurements, corroborate the hypothesis that discrepancies in the permeability values are likely related to in-situ fracturing. The continuous distributed temperature profile points to a thermal gradient of about 200 °C km-1. Our findings (i) indicate that scale-dependency of permeability has to be carefully considered in modelling of the hydrothermal system at Campi Flegrei, and (ii) improve the understanding of caldera dynamics for monitoring and mitigation of this very high volcanic risk area.

Healthcare usage and economic impact of non-treated obesity in Italy: findings from a retrospective administrative and clinical database analysis.

PubMed

Colao, Annamaria; Lucchese, Marcello; D'Adamo, Monica; Savastano, Silvia; Facchiano, Enrico; Veronesi, Chiara; Blini, Valerio; Degli Esposti, Luca; Sbraccia, Paolo

2017-02-24

Investigate the prevalence of obesity in Italy and examine its resource consumption and economic impact on the Italian national healthcare system (NHS). Retrospective, observational and real-life study. Data from three health units from Northern (Bergamo, Lombardy), Central (Grosseto, Tuscany) and Southern (Naples, Campania) Italy. All patients aged ≥18 years with at least one recorded body mass index (BMI) measurement between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2012 were included. Information retrieved from the databases included primary care data, medical prescriptions, specialist consultations and hospital discharge records from 2009-2013. Costs associated with these data were also calculated. Data are presented for two time periods (1 year after BMI measurement and study end). Primary-to estimate health resources consumption and the associated economic impact on the Italian NHS. Secondary-the prevalence and characteristics of subjects by BMI category. 20 159 adult subjects with at least one documented BMI measurement. Subjects with BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 were defined as obese. The prevalence of obesity was 22.2% (N=4471) and increased with age. At the 1-year observation period, obese subjects who did not receive treatment for their obesity experienced longer durations of hospitalisation (median length: 5 days vs 3 days), used more prescription drugs (75.0% vs 57.7%), required more specialised outpatient healthcare (mean number: 5.3 vs 4.4) and were associated with greater costs, primarily owing to prescription drugs and hospital admissions (mean annual cost per year per patient: €460.6 vs €288.0 for drug prescriptions, €422.7 vs € 279.2 for hospitalisations and €283.2 vs €251.7 for outpatient care), compared with normal weight subjects. Similar findings were observed for the period up to data cut-off (mean follow-up of 2.7 years). Untreated obesity has a significant economic impact on the Italian healthcare system, highlighting the need to

Validating the use of 137Cs and 210Pbex measurements to estimate rates of soil loss from cultivated land in southern Italy.

PubMed

Porto, Paolo; Walling, Des E

2012-04-01

Soil erosion represents an important threat to the long-term sustainability of agriculture and forestry in many areas of the world, including southern Italy. Numerous models and prediction procedures have been developed to estimate rates of soil loss and soil redistribution, based on the local topography, hydrometeorology, soil type and land management. However, there remains an important need for empirical measurements to provide a basis for validating and calibrating such models and prediction procedures as well as to support specific investigations and experiments. In this context, erosion plots provide useful information on gross rates of soil loss, but are unable to document the efficiency of the onward transfer of the eroded sediment within a field and towards the stream system, and thus net rates of soil loss from larger areas. The use of environmental radionuclides, particularly caesium-137 ((137)Cs) and excess lead-210 ((210)Pb(ex)), as a means of estimating rates of soil erosion and deposition has attracted increasing attention in recent years and the approach has now been recognised as possessing several important advantages. In order to provide further confirmation of the validity of the estimates of longer-term erosion and soil redistribution rates provided by (137)Cs and (210)Pb(ex) measurements, there is a need for studies aimed explicitly at validating the results obtained. In this context, the authors directed attention to the potential offered by a set of small erosion plots located near Reggio Calabria in southern Italy, for validating estimates of soil loss provided by (137)Cs and (210)Pb(ex) measurements. A preliminary assessment suggested that, notwithstanding the limitations and constraints involved, a worthwhile investigation aimed at validating the use of (137)Cs and (210)Pb(ex) measurements to estimate rates of soil loss from cultivated land could be undertaken. The results demonstrate a close consistency between the measured rates of soil

Arterial blood pressure and serum lipids in a population of children and adolescents from Southern Italy: the Calabrian Sierras Community Study (CSCS).

PubMed

Martino, Francesco; Puddu, Paolo Emilio; Pannarale, Giuseppe; Colantoni, Chiara; Zanoni, Cristina; Martino, Eliana; Barillà, Francesco

2013-09-30

Lipid standards in Italy are lacking in children and adolescents whereas those for blood pressure (BP) were derived from US surveys. In a 14-town community in Southern Italy 1657 (64%) of 2594 children aged 6-14 years were enrolled and anthropometric, BP, lipid and glucose serum levels were obtained. Average systolic BP was 101 ± 11 (60-150) mm Hg and cholesterol (CholT) level was 156 ± 28 (57-264) mg/dl. There were positive (p<0.00001) age-trends for systolic BP and body mass index (BMI) in both genders whereas age-trends for CholT and heart rate were negative (p<0.00001). A negative age-trend in both genders was also seen for non-HDL cholesterol (p<0.03). Based on 95% percentile gender and age distributions, there were 177 (10.68%) hypertensive (HT) and 82 (4.94%) hypercholesterolemic (HC) children or adolescents. Univariately, HT had higher (p<0.00001) height, weight, BMI, arm circumference, hips, waist, diastolic BP and waist/height, whereas HC had higher LDL-, HDL and non-HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides (p<0.01). Systolic BP was predicted (r(2)=0.2810, p=0.00001) by age (t=2.319, p<0.0205), male gender (t=3.179, p<0.0015), glucose (t=2.357, p<0.0186), height (t=2.473, p<0.0135), arm circumference (t=3.313, p<0.0009) and heart rate (t=4.161, p<0.00001). CholT was related inversely (r(2)=0.1399, p=0.00001) to height (t=-3.928, p<0.0001), weight (t=-3.922, p<0.0001) and waist/height (t=-4.797, p<0.00001) and directly to BMI (t=3.064, p<0.0022), waist (t=5.149, p<0.0000), triglycerides (t=11.332, p<0.00001) and female gender (t=-2.041, p<0.0414). In these Southern Italian children and adolescents systolic BP and CholT are related with anthropometric and other variables, not confined to height. BP is lower than previously reported. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Holocene environmental and climatic changes at Gorgo Basso, a coastal lake in southern Sicily, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinner, Willy; van Leeuwen, Jacqueline F. N.; Colombaroli, Daniele; Vescovi, Elisa; van der Knaap, W. O.; Henne, Paul D.; Pasta, Salvatore; D'Angelo, Stefania; La Mantia, Tommaso

2009-07-01

We used a new sedimentary record to reconstruct the Holocene vegetation and fire history of Gorgo Basso, a coastal lake in south-western Sicily (Italy). Pollen and charcoal data suggest a fire-prone open grassland near the site until ca 10,000 cal yr BP (8050 cal BC), when Pistacia shrubland expanded and fire activity declined, probably in response to increased moisture availability. Evergreen Olea europaea woods expanded ca 8400 to decline abruptly at 8200 cal yr BP, when climatic conditions became drier at other sites in the Mediterranean region. Around 7000 cal yr BP evergreen broadleaved forests ( Quercus ilex, Quercus suber and O. europaea) expanded at the cost of open communities. The expansion of evergreen broadleaved forests was associated with a decline of fire and of local Neolithic ( Ficus carica-Cerealia based) agriculture that had initiated ca 500 years earlier. Vegetational, fire and land-use changes ca 7000 cal yr BP were probably caused by increased precipitation that resulted from (insolation-forced) weakening of the monsoon and Hadley circulation ca 8000-6000 cal yr BP. Low fire activity and dense coastal evergreen forests persisted until renewed human activity (probably Greek, respectively Roman colonists) disrupted the forest ca 2700 cal yr BP (750 BC) and 2100 cal yr BP (150 BC) to gain open land for agriculture. The intense use of fire for this purpose induced the expansion of open maquis, garrigue, and grassland-prairie environments (with an increasing abundance of the native palm Chamaerops humilis). Prehistoric land-use phases after the Bronze Age seem synchronous with those at other sites in southern and central Europe, possibly as a result of climatic forcing. Considering the response of vegetation to Holocene climatic variability as well as human impact we conclude that under (semi-)natural conditions evergreen broadleaved Q. ilex- O. europaea (s.l.) forests would still dominate near Gorgo Basso. However, forecasted climate change and

Surveillance of human influenza A(H3N2) virus from 1999 to 2009 in southern Italy.

PubMed

DE Donno, A; Idolo, A; Quattrocchi, M; Zizza, A; Gabutti, G; Romano, A; Grima, P; Donatelli, I; Guido, M

2014-05-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of influenza virus co-infections in humans and changes in the genetic variability of A(H3N2) virus strains in southern Italy from 1999 to 2009. A partial sequence of the haemagglutinin (HA) gene by human influenza H3N2 strains identified in oropharyngeal swabs from patients with influenza-like illness was analysed by DNA sequencing and a phylogenetic analysis was performed. During the seasons 1999-2000, 2002-2003, 2004-2005 and 2008-2009, the influenza viruses circulating belonged to subtype H3N2. However, A(H1N1) subtype virus and B type were respectively prevalent during the 2000-2001, 2006-2007, 2007-2008 and 2001-2002, 2003-2004, 2005-2006 seasons. The HA sequences appeared to be closely related to the sequence of the influenza A vaccine strain. Only the 2002-2003 season was characterized by co-circulation of two viral lineages: A/New York/55/01(H3N2)-like virus of the previous season and A/Fujian/411/02(H3N2)-like virus, a new H3 variant. In this study, over the decade analysed, no significant change was seen in the sequences of the HA gene of H3 viruses isolated.

Continental and marine surficial water - groundwater interactions: the case of the southern coastland of Venice (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tosi, Luigi; Da Lio, Cristina; Teatini, Pietro; Menghini, Antonio; Viezzoli, Andrea

2018-06-01

Understanding the continental-marine surficial water-groundwater exchanges in transitional coastal environments is really challenging at large scale. It requires an image of the saltwater-freshwater relationship which is difficult to be obtained especially in wetlands, lagoons, and marine areas. This study is focused on the coastland of the southern Venice lagoon - northern Po river delta (Italy), a precarious environment subject to both natural changes and anthropogenic pressures. Here, saltwater severely affects farmlands and aquifers. We used an airborne electromagnetics (AEM) survey with the goal of characterizing the continental and marine surficial water-groundwater interactions in such coastal region. The AEM survey allowed depicting a clear image of the fresh water-saltwater occurrence in shallow aquifers along mainland-lagoon - littoral-sea profiles, up to 20 km long. The results reveal that continental groundwater is located in the lagoon subsoil below a 10-20 m thick saline aquifer and extends down to 70 m depth. The whole low-lying farmland located south of the lagoon margin is seriously affected by saltwater contamination, which occurs from a few to about 50 m depth. The integrated analysis of AEM, seismic and borehole data shows that buried morpho-geological structures, such as paleo-channels and over-consolidated clay units control the saline contamination from the lagoon and the sea into the coastal aquifer system.

Information sources and knowledge on vaccination in a population from southern Italy: The ESCULAPIO project

PubMed Central

Costantino, Claudio; Cracchiolo, Manuela; Ferro, Antonio; Marchese, Valentina; Napoli, Giuseppe; Palmeri, Sara; Raia, Daniele; Restivo, Vincenzo; Siddu, Andrea; Vitale, Francesco; Casuccio, Alessandra

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Vaccine knowledge of the general population is shaped by different information sources and strongly influences vaccination attitudes and uptake. The CCM-Italian Ministry of Health ESCULAPIO project attempted to identify the role of such information sources, in order to address adequate strategies to improve information on vaccines and vaccine preventable diseases. In the present study, data on 632 adults from Southern Italy regarding information sources were collected, and their perceived and actual knowledge on vaccinations were compared and analyzed in relation to socio-demographic characteristics and information sources. The main reported reference sources were general practitioners (GPs) (42.5%) and pediatricians (33.1%), followed by mass media (24.1%) and the Internet (17.6%). A total of 45.4% reported they believed to be informed (45.4%), while those estimated to be truly informed were 43.8%. However, as showed in the multivariate logistic regression, people having the perception to be correctly informed ascribed their good knowledge to their profession in the health sector (Adj OR 2.28, CI 1.09–4.77, p < 0.05) and to friends/relatives/colleagues (AdjOR 6.25, CI 2.38–16.44, p < 0.001), while the non-informed population thought the responsibility had to be attributed to mass media (AdjOR 0.45, CI 0.22–0.92, p < 0.05). Those showing the real correct information, instead, were younger (AdjOR 1.64, CI 1.04–2.59, p < 0.05), and their main reference sources were pediatricians (AdjOR 1.63, CI 1.11–2.39, p < 0.05) and scientific magazines (Adj OR 3.39, CI 1.51–7.59, p < 0.01). Only 6% knew the “VaccinarSì” portal, developed to counter the widespred antivaccine websites in Italy. The post-survey significant increase of connections to “VaccinarSi” could be ascribed to the counselling performed during questionnaire administration. Strategies to improve information about vaccination should be addressed to fortifying healthcare workers

Probabilistic tephra hazard maps for the Neapolitan area: Quantitative volcanological study of Campi Flegrei eruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastrolorenzo, G.; Pappalardo, L.; Troise, C.; Panizza, A.; de Natale, G.

2008-07-01

Tephra fall is a relevant hazard of Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy), due to the high vulnerability of Naples metropolitan area to such an event. Here, tephra derive from magmatic as well as phreatomagmatic activity. On the basis of both new and literature data on known, past eruptions (Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), grain size parameters, velocity at the vent, column heights and erupted mass), and factors controlling tephra dispersion (wind velocity and direction), 2D numerical simulations of fallout dispersion and deposition have been performed for a large number of case events. A bayesian inversion has been applied to retrieve the best values of critical parameters (e.g., vertical mass distribution, diffusion coefficients, velocity at the vent), not directly inferable by volcanological study. Simulations are run in parallel on multiple processors to allow a fully probabilistic analysis, on a very large catalogue preserving the statistical proprieties of past eruptive history. Using simulation results, hazard maps have been computed for different scenarios: upper limit scenario (worst-expected scenario), eruption-range scenario, and whole-eruption scenario. Results indicate that although high hazard characterizes the Campi Flegrei caldera, the territory to the east of the caldera center, including the whole district of Naples, is exposed to high hazard values due to the dominant westerly winds. Consistently with the stratigraphic evidence of nature of past eruptions, our numerical simulations reveal that even in the case of a subplinian eruption (VEI = 3), Naples is exposed to tephra fall thicknesses of some decimeters, thereby exceeding the critical limit for roof collapse. Because of the total number of people living in Campi Flegrei and the city of Naples (ca. two million of inhabitants), the tephra fallout risk related to a plinian eruption of Campi Flegrei largely matches or exceeds the risk related to a similar eruption at Vesuvius.

Quantitative models for magma degassing and ground deformation (bradyseism) at Campi Flegrei, Italy: Implications for future eruptions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bodnar, R.J.; Cannatelli, C.; de Vivo, B.; Lima, A.; Belkin, H.E.; Milia, A.

2007-01-01

Campi Flegrei (Phlegrean Fields) is an active volcanic center near Naples, Italy. Numerous eruptions have occurred here during the Quaternary, and repeated episodes of slow vertical ground movement (bradyseism) have been documented since Roman times. Here, we present a quantitative model that relates deformation episodes to magma degassing and fracturing at the brittle-ductile transition in a magmatic-hydrothermal enviromnent. The model is consistent with field and laboratory observations and predicts that uplift between 1982 and 1984 was associated with crystallization of ???0.83 km3 of H2O-saturated magma at 6 km depth. During crystallization, ???6.2 ?? 1010 kg of H2O and 7.5 ?? 108 kg of CO2, exsolved from the magma and generated ???7 ?? 1015 J of mechanical (P??V) energy to drive the observed uplift. For comparison, ???1017 J of thermal energy was released during the 18 May 1980 lateral blast at Mount St. Helens. ?? 2007 The Geological Society of America.

A plastic flow model for the Acquara - Vadoncello landslide in Senerchia, Southern Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Savage, W.; Wasowski, J.

2006-01-01

A previously developed model for stress and velocity fields in two-dimensional Coulomb plastic materials under self-weight and pore pressure predicts that long, shallow landslides develop slip surfaces that manifest themselves as normal faults and normal fault scarps at the surface in areas of extending flow and as thrust faults and thrust fault scarps at the surface in areas of compressive flow. We have applied this model to describe the geometry of slip surfaces and ground stresses developed during the 1995 reactivation of the Acquara - Vadoncello landslide in Senerchia, southern Italy. This landslide is a long and shallow slide in which regions of compressive and extending flow are clearly identified. Slip surfaces in the main scarp region of the landslide have been reconstructed using surface surveys and subsurface borehole logging and inclinometer observations made during retrogression of the main scarp. Two of the four inferred main scarp slip surfaces are best constrained by field data. Slip surfaces in the toe region are reconstructed in the same way and three of the five inferred slip surfaces are similarly constrained. The location of the basal shear surface of the landslide is inferred from borehole logging and borehole inclinometry. Extensive data on material properties, landslide geometries, and pore pressures collected for the Acquara - Vadoncello landslide give values for cohesion, friction angle, and unit weight, plus average basal shear-surface slopes, and pore-pressures required for modelling slip surfaces and stress fields. Results obtained from the landslide-flow model and the field data show that predicted slip surface shapes are consistent with inferred slip surface shapes in both the extending flow main scarp region and in the compressive flow toe region of the Acquara - Vadoncello landslide. Also predicted stress distributions are found to explain deformation features seen in the toe and main scarp regions of the landslide. ?? 2005 Elsevier

A review of recent studies of goitre in Italy

PubMed Central

Costa, Aurelio; Mortara, Marcello

1960-01-01

The prevalence and distribution of both epidemic and endemic goitre in Italy since 1940 are reviewed and the main results of recent research into these two forms of the disease are specified. A number of epidemic outbreaks occurred between 1940 and 1948, all originally in areas of endemic goitre but sometimes spreading to localities from which endemic goitre had practically disappeared. Both persons long resident in these areas and new arrivals were affected, as were domestic animals. Acute goitres showed the same histological features as in the endemic form of the disease. Extrathyroid symptoms were sometimes noted. Studies of endemic goitre have failed to show any clear indication that lack of iodine is responsible for the condition. Epidemiologically, endemic goitre, which remains a predominantly rural disease, seems to be shifting gradually from northern to southern Italy. PMID:13849448

Database for the degradation risk assessment of groundwater resources (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polemio, M.; Dragone, V.; Mitolo, D.

2003-04-01

The risk characterisation of quality degradation and availability lowering of groundwater resources has been pursued for a wide coastal plain (Basilicata region, Southern Italy), an area covering 40 km along the Ionian Sea and 10 km inland. The quality degradation is due two phenomena: pollution due to discharge of waste water (coming from urban areas) and due to salt pollution, related to seawater intrusion but not only. The availability lowering is due to overexploitation but also due to drought effects. To this purpose the historical data of 1,130 wells have been collected. Wells, homogenously distributed in the area, were the source of geological, stratigraphical, hydrogeological, geochemical data. In order to manage space-related information via a GIS, a database system has been devised to encompass all the surveyed wells and the body of information available per well. Geo-databases were designed to comprise the four types of data collected: a database including geometrical, geological and hydrogeological data on wells (WDB), a database devoted to chemical and physical data on groundwater (CDB), a database including the geotechnical parameters (GDB), a database concering piezometric and hydrological (rainfall, air temperature, river discharge) data (HDB). The record pertaining to each well is identified in these databases by the progressive number of the well itself. Every database is designed as follows: a) the HDB contains 1,158 records, 28 of and 31 fields, mainly describing the geometry of the well and of the stratigraphy; b) the CDB encompasses data about 157 wells, based on which the chemical and physical analyses of groundwater have been carried out. More than one record has been associated with these 157 wells, due to periodic monitoring and analysis; c) the GDB covers 61 wells to which the geotechnical parameters obtained by soil samples taken at various depths; the HDB is designed to permit the analysis of long time series (from 1918) of piezometric

Sediment yield estimation in mountain catchments of the Camastra reservoir, southern Italy: a comparison among different empirical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazzari, Maurizio; Danese, Maria; Gioia, Dario; Piccarreta, Marco

2013-04-01

Sedimentary budget estimation is an important topic for both scientific and social community, because it is crucial to understand both dynamics of orogenic belts and many practical problems, such as soil conservation and sediment accumulation in reservoir. Estimations of sediment yield or denudation rates in southern-central Italy are generally obtained by simple empirical relationships based on statistical regression between geomorphic parameters of the drainage network and the measured suspended sediment yield at the outlet of several drainage basins or through the use of models based on sediment delivery ratio or on soil loss equations. In this work, we perform a study of catchment dynamics and an estimation of sedimentary yield for several mountain catchments of the central-western sector of the Basilicata region, southern Italy. Sediment yield estimation has been obtained through both an indirect estimation of suspended sediment yield based on the Tu index (mean annual suspension sediment yield, Ciccacci et al., 1980) and the application of the Rusle (Renard et al., 1997) and the USPED (Mitasova et al., 1996) empirical methods. The preliminary results indicate a reliable difference between the RUSLE and USPED methods and the estimation based on the Tu index; a critical data analysis of results has been carried out considering also the present-day spatial distribution of erosion, transport and depositional processes in relation to the maps obtained from the application of those different empirical methods. The studied catchments drain an artificial reservoir (i.e. the Camastra dam), where a detailed evaluation of the amount of historical sediment storage has been collected. Sediment yield estimation obtained by means of the empirical methods have been compared and checked with historical data of sediment accumulation measured in the artificial reservoir of the Camastra dam. The validation of such estimations of sediment yield at the scale of large catchments

Xylella fastidiosa CoDiRO strain associated with the olive quick decline syndrome in southern Italy belongs to a clonal complex of the subspecies pauca that evolved in Central America.

PubMed

Marcelletti, Simone; Scortichini, Marco

2016-12-01

Xylella fastidiosa, a xylem-limited bacterium transmitted by xylem-fluid-feeding Hemiptera insects, causes economic losses of both woody and herbaceous plant species. A Xyl. fastidiosa subsp. pauca strain, namely CoDiRO, was recently found to be associated with the 'olive quick decline syndrome' in southern Italy (i.e. Apulia region). Recently, some Xyl. fastidiosa strains intercepted in France from Coffea spp. plant cuttings imported from Central and South America were characterized. The introduction of infected plant material from Central America in Apulia was also postulated even though an ad hoc study to confirm this hypothesis is lacking. In the present study, we assessed the complete and draft genome of 27 Xyl. fastidiosa strains. Through a genome-wide approach, we confirmed the occurrence of three subspecies within Xyl. fastidiosa, namely fastidiosa, multiplex and pauca, and demonstrated the occurrence of a genetic clonal complex of four Xyl. fastidiosa strains belonging to subspecies pauca which evolved in Central America. The CoDiRO strain displayed 13 SNPs when compared with a strain isolated in Costa Rica from Coffea sp. and 32 SNPs when compared with two strains obtained from Nerium oleander in Costa Rica. These results support the close relationships of the two strains. The four strains in the clonal complex contain prophage-like genes in their genomes. This study strongly supports the possibility of the introduction of Xyl. fastidiosa in southern Italy via coffee plants grown in Central America. The data also stress how the current global circulation of agricultural commodities potentially threatens the agrosystems worldwide.

Temporal evolution of the Roccamonfina volcanic complex (Pleistocene), Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouchon, V.; Gillot, P. Y.; Quidelleur, X.; Chiesa, S.; Floris, B.

2008-10-01

The Roccamonfina volcanic complex (RVC), in southern Italy, is an Early to Middle Pleistocene stratovolcano sharing temporal and morphological characteristics with the Somma-Vesuvius and the Alban Hills; both being associated with high volcanic hazard for the cities of Naples and Rome, respectively. The RVC is important for the understanding of volcanic evolution in the Roman and Campanian volcanic provinces. We report a comprehensive study of its evolution based on morphological, geochemical and K-Ar geochronological data. The RVC was active from c.a. 550 ka to 150 ka. Its evolution is divided into five stages, defining a volcanic pulse recurrence time of c.a. 90-100 kyr. The two initial stages, consisted in the construction of two successive stratovolcanoes of the tephrite-phonolite, namely "High-K series". The first stage was terminated by a major plinian eruption emplacing the trachytic Rio Rava pumices at 439 ± 9 ka. At the end of the second stage, the last High-K series stratovolcano was destroyed by a large sector collapse and the emplacement of the Brown Leucitic Tuff (BLT) at 353 ± 5 ka. The central caldera of the RVC is the result of the overlapping of the Rio Rava and of the BLT explosions. The plinian eruption of the BLT is related to the emptying of a stratified, deep-seated HKS magma chamber during the upwelling of K series (KS) magma, marking a major geochemical transition and plumbing system re-organization. The following stage was responsible for the emplacement of the Lower White Trachytic Tuff at 331 ± 2 ka, and of basaltic-trachytic effusive products erupted through the main vent. The subsequent activity was mainly restricted to the emplacement of basaltic-shoshonitic parasitic cones and lava flows, and of minor subplinian deposits of the Upper White Trachytic Tuff between 275 and 230 ka. The northern crater is most probably a maar that formed by the phreatomagmatic explosion of the Yellow Trachytic Tuff at 230 ka. The latest stage of

Seismic and gravity signature of the Ischia Island Caldera (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capuano, P.; de Matteis, R.; Russo, G.

2009-04-01

The Campania (Italy) coasts are characterized by the presence of several volcanoes. The island of Ischia, located at the northwestern end of the Gulf of Naples, belongs to the Neapolitan Volcanic District together with Phlegrean Fields and Vesuvius, having all these Pleistocene volcanoes erupted in historical times, and it is characterized by diffuse hydrothermal phenomena The island represents the emergent part of a more extensive volcanic area developed mainly westward of the island, with underwater volcanoes aligned along regional fault patterns. The activity of Ischia volcano is testified by the occurrence of eruptions in historical times, the presence of intense hydrothermal phenomena, and by seismic activity (e.g. the 1883 Casamicciola earthquake). Ischia is populated by about 50,000 inhabitants increasing, mainly in the summer, due to thriving tourism business, partially due to its active volcanic state. Hazard assessment at active, densely populated volcanoes is critically based on knowledge of the volcanoes past behavior and the definition of its present state. As a contribution to the definition of the present state of the Ischia island volcano, we obtain a model of the shallow crust using geophysical observables through seismic tomography and 3D gravity inversion. In particular we use travel times collected during the Serapis experiment on the island and its surroundings and free air anomaly. A new 3D gravity inversion procedure has been developed to take better into account the shape and the effects of topography approximating it by a triangular mesh. Below each triangle, a sequence of triangular prisms is built, the uppermost prism having the upper face coincident with the triangle following the topography. The inversion is performed searching for a regularized solution using the minimum norm stabilizer. The main results inferable from the 3D seismic and gravity images are the definition of the caldera rims hypothesize by many authors along the

Influence of climate variability and urban areas on the flood events in Bari (Apulia, southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lonigro, Teresa; Polemio, Maurizio

2014-05-01

The Damaging Hydrogeological Events (DHEs) can be defined as the occurrence of one or more simultaneous phenomena, such as droughts, windstorms, heat waves, landslides, floods and secondary floods (i.e. rapid accumulation or pounding of surface water with very low flow velocity), causing damages. They represent a serious problem, especially in DHE-prone areas with growing urbanization, where the infiltration capability is limited by buildings and where the vulnerability is higher than other areas. The paper proposes a methodology, based on both historical and time series approaches, used for describing the influence of climatic variability and urban development on the number of phenomena observed. The historical approach is finalised to collect phenomenon historical data, very important for the comprehension of the evolution of a study area. Phenomenon historical data is useful for expanding the historical period of investigation in order to assess the occurrence trend of DHEs. The historical analysis of DHEs can support decision making and land-use planning, ultimately reducing natural risks. The time series approach includes the collection and the statistical analysis of climatic data (monthly rainfall, wet days, rainfall intensity, and temperature), useful to characterise the climate variations and trends and to roughly assess the effects of these trends on river discharge and on the triggering of landslides. The time series approach is completed by tools to analyse simultaneously all data types. The study of land use variations, with a special emphasis on the urban areas, is important to understand how the modifications occurred in the territory, especially in terms of vulnerability, could influence the occurrence of DHEs. The methodology can be applied simultaneously to floods and landslides and was tested considering the municipality of Bari (southern Italy), particularly affected by flood events. Since the climate trend (decreasing trend of rainfall and

Patterns of ecology and distribution of the tree crickets Oecanthus dulcisonans and O. pellucens (Orthoptera: Gryllidae; Oecanthinae) in southern Italy.

PubMed

Labadessa, Rocco; Todisco, Simone

2016-09-21

Ecological proclivities of the tree cricket Oecanthus dulcisonans, which has been recently separated from the well known O. pellucens, have been poorly investigated. Moreover, studies on the patterns driving niche segregation between these related species are still needed. This study aims to explore the role of macro-habitat in shaping the distribution of O. dulcisonans and O. pellucens in southern Italy. Occurrence data were sampled by means of a rapid acoustic survey scheme at a regional scale. The significance of difference in ecological and habitat parameters was tested between the two species. While confirming species behavioural patterns, new findings are provided with regard to their ecological difference. Species distribution proves to be primarily driven by elevation gradient and temperature variation, with O. dulcisonans common and widespread in warmer lowlands and O. pellucens limited to higher altitudes. The two species also show significant spatial segregation within vegetation layers. These findings also provide cues for future studies on species interaction, as well as for the assessment of a monitoring scheme which may help interpreting the effects of broad environmental changes.

Calibration and validation of rainfall thresholds for shallow landslide forecasting in Sicily, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gariano, S. L.; Brunetti, M. T.; Iovine, G.; Melillo, M.; Peruccacci, S.; Terranova, O.; Vennari, C.; Guzzetti, F.

2015-01-01

Empirical rainfall thresholds are tools to forecast the possible occurrence of rainfall-induced shallow landslides. Accurate prediction of landslide occurrence requires reliable thresholds, which need to be properly validated before their use in operational warning systems. We exploited a catalogue of 200 rainfall conditions that have resulted in at least 223 shallow landslides in Sicily, southern Italy, in the 11-year period 2002-2011, to determine regional event duration-cumulated event rainfall (ED) thresholds for shallow landslide occurrence. We computed ED thresholds for different exceedance probability levels and determined the uncertainty associated to the thresholds using a consolidated bootstrap nonparametric technique. We further determined subregional thresholds, and we studied the role of lithology and seasonal periods in the initiation of shallow landslides in Sicily. Next, we validated the regional rainfall thresholds using 29 rainfall conditions that have resulted in 42 shallow landslides in Sicily in 2012. We based the validation on contingency tables, skill scores, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for thresholds at different exceedance probability levels, from 1% to 50%. Validation of rainfall thresholds is hampered by lack of information on landslide occurrence. Therefore, we considered the effects of variations in the contingencies and the skill scores caused by lack of information. Based on the results obtained, we propose a general methodology for the objective identification of a threshold that provides an optimal balance between maximization of correct predictions and minimization of incorrect predictions, including missed and false alarms. We expect that the methodology will increase the reliability of rainfall thresholds, fostering the operational use of validated rainfall thresholds in operational early warning system for regional shallow landslide forecasting.

Anthropogenic vs. natural pollution: An environmental study of an industrial site under remediation (Naples, Italy)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tarzia, M.; de Vivo, B.; Somma, R.; Ayuso, R.A.; McGill, R.A.R.; Parrish, R.R.

2002-01-01

Heavy metal concentrations and Pb isotopic composition were determined in the soils, slags, scums and landfill materials from a shut down industrial (brownfield) site. This was the second largest integrated steelworks in Italy, and is now under remediation by a Government project. It is located in the outskirts of Napoli on the Bagnoli-Fuorigrotta plain (BFP), which is part of the Campi Flegrei (CF) volcanic caldera, where many spas and geothermal springs occur. The purpose of this work is to distinguish the natural (geogenic) component, originated by hydrothermal activity, from anthropogenic contamination owing to industrial activity. 'In-situ sediments' (soils), slags, scums and landfill materials from 20 drill-cores were selected from a network of 197 drills carried out on a 100 ?? 100 m grid, covering the entire brownfield site. In general, heavy metal enrichments in the upper 3 m of the cores strongly suggest mixing between natural (geogenic) and anthropogenic components. Pb isotopic data are suggestive of three potential end members, and confirm the existence of a strong natural component in addition to contamination from anthropogenic activities. The slags, scums and landfill materials have been proved, through mineralogy and leachate experiments, to be geochemically stable; this shows that metal pollutants are not bio-available and, hence, do not pose a risk to future developments on this site. The natural contribution of hydrothermal fluids to soil pollution, in addition to the non-bio-availability of metal pollutants from industrial materials, indicate that heavy metal remediation of soils in this area would be of little use. Continuous discharge from mineralized hydrothermal solutions would cancel out any remediation effort.

Sediment-palaeosol successions in Calabria and Sardinia suggest spatially differentiated palaeo-vegetation patterns in southern Italy during the Last Glacial period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauer, Daniela; Zucca, Claudio; Al-Sharif, Riyad; Zwanzig, Lisa; Madrau, Salvatore; Andreucci, Stefano; Pascucci, Vincenzo; Kadereit, Annette; Scarciglia, Fabio; Brückner, Helmut

2016-04-01

Several lakes on the southern Italian peninsula provide valuable palaeoenvironmental archives of the Last Glacial period. These archives include, e.g., the long high-resolution record from varved lake sediments of Lago Grande di Monticchio, the bigger one of two maar lakes situated on top of Mt. Vulture. Its pollen record indicates (1) temperate deciduous forest during MIS5.2-MIS5.1 (St. Germain 2); (2) frequent vegetation fluctuations, then Artemisia steppe during MIS5.1-MIS4; (3) alternations between open steppe (stadials) and wooded steppe (interstadials) during MIS3; and (4) open steppe during MIS2 (Last Glacial Maximum). However, only few palaeosol records of this period have been reported from southern Italy in the literature so far. Such records would allow for gaining insight also into spatial patterns of the vegetation cover during this period that should have formed, e.g., according to relief, elevation, and continentality gradient (related to the much lower coastline during the last glacial period). So far, we have studied three sediment-palaeosol successions in southern Italy, two in the Calabria region, and one in north-western Sardinia. All of them have developed in alluvial fan deposits resting on littoral sediments of the Last Interglacial period (MIS 5). The southernmost succession studied is located near Lazzaro (south of Reggio di Calabria). It is exposed in an alluvial fan overlying the MIS5.5 terrace. Due to strong tectonic uplift (1.3 m ka-1) the alluvial fan has been dissected by the same creek which previously had built it up. Therefore, its internal structure is exposed, exhibiting a detailed sediment-palaeosol sequence. The palaeosols are mainly characterized by accumulation of soil organic matter (SOM), bioturbation and secondary carbonates. They represent Chernozem- and Phaeozem-like soils that most likely formed under steppe to forest steppe. SOM of the two uppermost Lazzaro palaeosols was 14C-dated to 26.8-28.8 ka cal BP and 28

Effects of selected soil properties on phytoremediation applicability for heavy-metal-contaminated soils in the Apulia region, Southern Italy.

PubMed

Farrag, K; Senesi, N; Rovira, P Soler; Brunetti, G

2012-11-01

Phytoremediation is a well-known promising alternative to conventional approaches used for the remediation of diffused and moderated contaminated soils. The evaluation of the accumulation, availability, and interactions of heavy metals in soil is a priority objective for the possible use of phytoremediation techniques such as phytoextraction and phytostabilization. The soils used in this work were collected from a number of sites inside a protected area in the Apulia region (Southern Italy), which were contaminated by various heavy metals originated from the disposal of wastes of different sources of origin. Soils examined contained Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in amounts exceeding the critical limits imposed by EU and Italian laws. However, the alkaline conditions, high organic matter content, and silty to silty loamy texture of soils examined would suggest a reduced availability of heavy metals to plants. Due to the high total content but the low available fraction of heavy metals analyzed, especially Cr, phytoextraction appears not to be a promising remediation approach in the sites examined, whereas phytostabilization appears to be the best technique for metal decontamination in the studied areas.

Forest fires in Italy: An econometric analysis of major driving factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michetti, Melania; Pinar, Mehmet

2013-04-01

Despite the relevant fire risk to which Italy is subject from north to south, very few analysis focus on this area. This article investigates the causes of forest fires frequency and intensity in Italy during the first decade of the XXI century. The dynamical aspects of fire danger are explored through the use of panel data techniques which fully capture the impacts on forest fires of changes in both socio-economic and climatic conditions. Italy is treated as a unique region in a first model specification, while it is then split into 3 geographical areas (north, centre, and south) to capture locally specific aspects. Two different dependent variables are alternatively employed and a number of ad hoc tests are performed to corroborate the robustness of our estimates. Results highlight the importance of considering the fire situation separately for the northern, central, and southern parts of Italy. While the presence of railway networks positively affects fire risk, the impact of livestock depends on its specific composition. Favourable effects in fire reduction are represented by the increase in education levels (north and centre) and touristic flows (north and south), and by the containment of illegal activities (south). Weather patterns appear to be important determinants all over the Italian peninsula.

Reactive-transport modelling of gypsum dissolution in a coastal karst aquifer in Puglia, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campana, Claudia; Fidelibus, Maria Dolores

2015-11-01

The gypsum coastal aquifer of Lesina Marina (Puglia, southern Italy) has been affected by sinkhole formation in recent decades. Previous studies based on geomorphologic and hydrogeological data ascribed the onset of collapse phenomena to the erosion of material that fills palaeo-cavities (suffosion sinkholes). The change in the hydrodynamic conditions of groundwater induced by the excavation of a canal within the evaporite formation nearly 100 years ago was identified as the major factor in triggering the erosion, while the contribution of gypsum dissolution was considered negligible. A combined reactive-transport/density-dependent flow model was applied to the gypsum aquifer to evaluate whether gypsum dissolution rate is a dominant or insignificant factor in recent sinkhole formation under current hydrodynamic conditions. The conceptual model was first defined with a set of assumptions based on field and laboratory data along a two-dimensional transect of the aquifer, and then a density-dependent, tide-influenced flow model was set up and solved using the numerical code SEAWAT. Finally, the resulting transient flow field was used by the reactive multicomponent transport model PHT3D to estimate the gypsum dissolution rate. The validation tests show that the model accurately represents the real system, and the multi-disciplinary approach provides consistent information about the causes and evolution time of dissolution processes. The modelled porosity development rate is too low to represent a significant contribution to the recent sinkhole formation in the Lesina Marina area, although it justifies cavity formation and cavity position over geological time.

Seroprevalence and occupational risk survey for Coxiella burnetii among exposed workers in Sicily, Southern Italy.

PubMed

Fenga, Concettina; Gangemi, Silvia; De Luca, Annamaria; Calimeri, Sebastiano; Lo Giudice, Daniela; Pugliese, Michela; Licitra, Francesca; Alibrandi, Angela; Costa, Chiara

2015-01-01

The aim of this survey was to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) in subjects at risk of exposure in Sicily, Southern Italy. Prevalence of IgG antibodies to C. burnetii phase II antigens was evaluated by ELISA in a group of 140 workers at risk of exposure (38 veterinarians, 38 slaughterhouse workers, 44 livestock handlers, 20 laboratory and technical personnel) included in a medical surveillance program and in 42 control subjects. Positive samples were classified as suggestive of prior exposure to C. burnetii. Antibodies against C. burnetii were detected in 88 out of 140 (62.9%) exposed workers and in 6 out of 42 (14.3%) subjects of the control group. The variables evaluated did not seem to have a significant effect on seropositivity to Coxiella with the exception of symptoms in the last 6 months preceding the survey. Our study demonstrated a high seroprevalence of C. burnetii in the group of exposed workers in comparison to non-exposed subjects of the control group. Clinical illness appears to be rare; nevertheless, physicians should consider Q fever in patients with compatible symptoms and occupational exposure to animals and their products. As aerosols represent the main route of infection in animals and humans, these workers are strongly advised to wear respiratory masks. In addition, occupational physicians should consider routine serologic evaluation and vaccination of occupationally exposed workers. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Assessing the Risk of Aquifer Salinization in a Large-Scale Coastal Irrigation Scheme in Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaccaria, Daniele; Passarella, Giuseppe; D'Agostino, Daniela; Giordano, Raffaele; Sandoval-Solis, Samuel; Maggi, Sabino; Bruno, Delia; Foglia, Laura

2017-04-01

A research study was conducted on a coastal irrigated agricultural area of southern Italy to assess the risks of aquifer degradation likely resulting from the intensive groundwater pumping from individual farm wells and reduced aquifer recharge. Information were collected both from farmers and delivery system's operators during a survey conducted in 2012 revealing that farmers depend mainly on groundwater with the aim to achieve flexible irrigation management as opposed to the rigid rotational delivery service of surface water supply provided by the local water management agency. The study area is intensively farmed by small land-holding growers with high-value micro-irrigated horticultural crops. Our team appraised the soil and aquifer degradation hazards using a simplified procedure for environmental risk assessment that allowed identifying the risk-generating processes, evaluating the magnitude of impacts, and estimating the overall risks significance. We also collected the stakeholders' perceptions on agricultural water management and use through field interviews, whereas parallel investigations revealed significant aquifer salinity increase during the recent years. As a final step, some preliminary risk mitigation options were appraised by exploring the growers' response to possible changes of irrigation deliveries by the water management agency. The present study integrated multi-annual observations, data interpretation, and modelling efforts, which jointly enabled the analysis of complex water management scenarios and the development of informed decisions. Keywords: Environmental risk assessment, Fuzzy cognitive maps, Groundwater degradation, Seawater intrusion

River channel adjustments in Southern Italy over the past 150 years and implications for channel recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scorpio, Vittoria; Aucelli, Pietro P. C.; Giano, Salvatore I.; Pisano, Luca; Robustelli, Gaetano; Rosskopf, Carmen M.; Schiattarella, Marcello

2015-12-01

Multi-temporal GIS analysis of topographic maps and aerial photographs along with topographic and geomorphological surveys are used to assess evolutionary trends and key control factors of channel adjustments for five major rivers in southern Italy (the Trigno, Biferno, Volturno, Sinni and Crati rivers) to support assessment of channel recovery and river restoration. Three distinct phases of channel adjustment are identified over the past 150 years primarily driven by human disturbances. Firstly, slight channel widening dominated from the last decades of the nineteenth century to the 1950s. Secondly, from the 1950s to the end of the 1990s, altered sediment fluxes induced by in-channel mining and channel works brought about moderate to very intense incision (up to 6-7 m) accompanied by strong channel narrowing (up to 96%) and changes in channel configuration from multi-threaded to single-threaded patterns. Thirdly, the period from around 2000 to 2015 has been characterized by channel stabilization and local widening. Evolutionary trajectories of the rivers studied are quite similar to those reconstructed for other Italian rivers, particularly regarding the second phase of channel adjustments and ongoing transitions towards channel recovery in some reaches. Analyses of river dynamics, recovery potential and connectivity with sediment sources of the study reaches, framed in their catchment context, can be used as part of a wider interdisciplinary approach that views effective river restoration alongside sustainable and risk-reduced river management.

Direct measurement of 3D elastic anisotropy on rocks from the Ivrea zone (Southern Alps, NW Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pros, Z.; Lokajíček, T.; Přikryl, R.; Klíma, K.

2003-07-01

Lower crustal and upper mantle rocks exposed at the earth's surface present direct possibility to measure their physical properties that must be, in other cases, interpreted using indirect methods. The results of these direct measurements can be then used for the corrections of models based on the indirect data. Elastic properties are among the most important parameters studied in geophysics and employed in many fields of earth sciences. In laboratory, dynamic elastic properties are commonly tested in three mutually perpendicular directions. The spatial distribution of P- and S-wave velocities are then computed using textural data, modal composition, density and elastic constants. During such computation, it is virtually impossible to involve all microfabric parameters like different types of microcracking, micropores, mineral alteration or quality of grain boundaries. In this study, complete 3D ultrasonic transmission of spherical samples in 132 independent directions at several levels of confining pressure up to 400 MPa has been employed for study of selected mafic and ultrabasic rocks sampled in and nearby Balmuccia ultrabasic massif (Ivrea zone, Southern Alps, NW Italy). This method revealed large directional variance of maximum P-wave velocity and different symmetries (orthorhombic vs. transversal isotropic) of elastic waves 3D distribution that has not been recorded on these rocks before. Moreover, one dunite sample exhibits P-wave velocity approaching to that of olivine single crystal being interpreted as influence of CPO.

Meningococcal serogroup B vaccine: Knowledge and acceptability among parents in Italy

PubMed Central

Morrone, Teresa; Napolitano, Francesco; Albano, Luciana; Di Giuseppe, Gabriella

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes about Meningococcal meningitis B and the relative vaccine for children among a sample of parents in Italy. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted from October to December 2015 among a sample of 910 parents in the geographic area of Naples and Salerno (Italy). In total, 543 of 910 parents returned a completed questionnaire for a response rate of 59.7%. Almost all parents had heard about meningitis (95.8%), 79.8% of these knew the mode of transmission (through respiratory droplets) and 62.5% knew the susceptible population (infants, children and adolescents). Moreover, a large percentage (86%) knew that the vaccine is a preventive measure. Parents who were married, those who had one child, those who did not have information about the MenB vaccine by physicians and those who needed additional information about the MenB vaccine were more likely to know the vaccine as a preventive measure of meningitis. Regarding attitudes toward the MenB vaccine, approximately two thirds of parents considered the vaccine useful (67.2%) and said that they would vaccinate their children (64.1%). Parents who had administered at least one recommended vaccination to their children, those who considered the vaccine useful, those with need for additional information about the vaccine and those who knew that the vaccine was a preventive measure of meningitis were more likely to have a positive attitude to vaccinating their children. Considering the results of our study, it looks appropriate that the knowledge of the population about meningitis and its related vaccinations is improved through correct health education and effective vaccine strategies that are implemented by policy makers. PMID:28441109

Analysis of extreme hydrological phenomena in southern Italy (Calabria region)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caloiero, Tommaso; Aceto, Luigi; Aurora Pasqua, A.; Petrucci, Olga

2017-04-01

Calabria (southern Italy) is a region exposed to the effects of contrasting climatic and hydrological phenomena. In fact, due to its oblong shape, to its position in the middle of the Mediterranean Basin, and for its mountainous nature, Calabria shows a high spatial variability of the climatic features and of related phenomena such as floods and drought. The present paper is based on the historical database ASICal (Historically flooded areas in Calabria), a catalogue of effects of floods and rain-related landslides that occurred in the region since the XIX Century. The catalogue has been built using the typical historical data sources as chronicles, diaries, historical books, local and regional agencies, press archives, scientific papers, and documents of civil protection offices. From these sources, we selected information on damage caused by rain related phenomena at a municipal scale and chronologically sorted by year, month and day. The analysis of the entire catalogue allows highlighting the regional Damaging Hydrogeological Events (DHE), defined as periods of intense rain causing damage on regional sectors conventionally selected as larger than 30% of the entire regional territory. For each event, as a measure of the magnitude of rainfall, the return period of the daily rainfall recorded during the event has been evaluated. In addition, we recently carried out a similar historical research to identify the main drought events affecting the region. In this case, due to the spatial and temporal characteristics of drought, data are collected both at municipal and regional scale, and the temporal scale is generally monthly or annual. For each event, we used as climatic descriptors a drought index for monitoring drought phenomena. Among drought indices, we used the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) which can be considered the most robust and effective, since it can be calculated for different time-scales and can be used to analyse different drought categories

A preliminary census of engineering activities located in Sicily (Southern Italy) which may "potentially" induce seismicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aloisi, Marco; Briffa, Emanuela; Cannata, Andrea; Cannavò, Flavio; Gambino, Salvatore; Maiolino, Vincenza; Maugeri, Roberto; Palano, Mimmo; Privitera, Eugenio; Scaltrito, Antonio; Spampinato, Salvatore; Ursino, Andrea; Velardita, Rosanna

2015-04-01

The seismic events caused by human engineering activities are commonly termed as "triggered" and "induced". This class of earthquakes, though characterized by low-to-moderate magnitude, have significant social and economical implications since they occur close to the engineering activity responsible for triggering/inducing them and can be felt by the inhabitants living nearby, and may even produce damage. One of the first well-documented examples of induced seismicity was observed in 1932 in Algeria, when a shallow magnitude 3.0 earthquake occurred close to the Oued Fodda Dam. By the continuous global improvement of seismic monitoring networks, numerous other examples of human-induced earthquakes have been identified. Induced earthquakes occur at shallow depths and are related to a number of human activities, such as fluid injection under high pressure (e.g. waste-water disposal in deep wells, hydrofracturing activities in enhanced geothermal systems and oil recovery, shale-gas fracking, natural and CO2 gas storage), hydrocarbon exploitation, groundwater extraction, deep underground mining, large water impoundments and underground nuclear tests. In Italy, induced/triggered seismicity is suspected to have contributed to the disaster of the Vajont dam in 1963. Despite this suspected case and the presence in the Italian territory of a large amount of engineering activities "capable" of inducing seismicity, no extensive researches on this topic have been conducted to date. Hence, in order to improve knowledge and correctly assess the potential hazard at a specific location in the future, here we started a preliminary study on the entire range of engineering activities currently located in Sicily (Southern Italy) which may "potentially" induce seismicity. To this end, we performed: • a preliminary census of all engineering activities located in the study area by collecting all the useful information coming from available on-line catalogues; • a detailed compilation

Aseismic transient during the 2010-2014 seismic swarm: evidence for longer recurrence of M ≥ 6.5 earthquakes in the Pollino gap (Southern Italy)?

PubMed

Cheloni, Daniele; D'Agostino, Nicola; Selvaggi, Giulio; Avallone, Antonio; Fornaro, Gianfranco; Giuliani, Roberta; Reale, Diego; Sansosti, Eugenio; Tizzani, Pietro

2017-04-12

In actively deforming regions, crustal deformation is accommodated by earthquakes and through a variety of transient aseismic phenomena. Here, we study the 2010-2014 Pollino (Southern Italy) swarm sequence (main shock M W 5.1) located within the Pollino seismic gap, by analysing the surface deformation derived from Global Positioning System and Synthetic Aperture Radar data. Inversions of geodetic time series show that a transient slip, with the same mechanism of the main shock, started about 3-4 months before the main shock and lasted almost one year, evolving through time with acceleration phases that correlate with the rate of seismicity. The moment released by the transient slip is equivalent to M W 5.5, significantly larger than the seismic moment release revealing therefore that a significant fraction of the overall deformation is released aseismically. Our findings suggest that crustal deformation in the Pollino gap is accommodated by infrequent "large" earthquakes (M W  ≥ 6.5) and by aseismic episodes releasing a significant fraction of the accrued strain. Lower strain rates, relative to the adjacent Southern Apennines, and a mixed seismic/aseismic strain release are in favour of a longer recurrence for large magnitude earthquakes in the Pollino gap.

Comparative Study on Oxidative Treatments of NAPL Containing Chlorinated Ethanes and Ethenes using Hydrogen Peroxide and Persulfate in Soils

EPA Science Inventory

The goal of this study was to assess the oxidation of NAPL in soil, 30% of which were composed of chlorinated ethanes and ethenes, using catalyzed hydrogen peroxide (CHP), activated persulfate (AP), and H2O2–persulfate (HP) co-amendment systems. Citrate, a buffer and iron ligand,...

Radon-222 as Natural Tracer for Monitoring the Remediation of NAPL Contamination in the Subsurface

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

aquifer interrogated during the test using: w NAPL S S K1R +== radon tracer V V (3) where R is the retardation factor (dimensionless), Vtracer is...NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S ) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME( S ) AND...MONITORING AGENCY NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM( S ) 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT NUMBER( S ) 12. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Genetic Drift: the Salernitan school of medicine: women, men, and children. A syndromological review of the oldest medical school in the western world.

PubMed

Della Monica, Matteo; Mauri, Roberto; Scarano, Francesca; Lonardo, Fortunato; Scarano, Gioacchino

2013-04-01

Ever since the 9th century during the High Middle Ages, the "Schola Medica Salernitana," believed to be the first medical school in the western world, flourished in Salerno, a city in southern Italy. Although an important role is attributed to several men of this school, who were recognized as wise and learned doctors, modern historiography has also reevaluated and extolled the praiseworthy role of women. Contrary to the common beliefs and expectations of a woman's "place" at the time, these women were fully titled physicians. Attention was also paid to the health and welfare of children. However, there are no apparent references to physical disabilities, a mysterious omission that seems incompatible with an institution that stood as a beacon of knowledge for centuries. Mysteries, discoveries, and potential hidden messages are mingled in a fascinating medieval codex yet to be fully deciphered. The medical school reached its maximum splendor between the years of 1000 and 1300 AD. After alternating fortunes, the Salernitan institution began a slow decline due to the explosive development of other universities, such as those in Paris, Bologna, Padua, and most significantly, the nearby University of Naples. It was eventually closed by the King of Naples, Joachim Murat, November 29, 1811. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Role of lichens in weathering of granodiorite in the Sila uplands (Calabria, southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scarciglia, Fabio; Saporito, Natalina; La Russa, Mauro F.; Le Pera, Emilia; Macchione, Maria; Puntillo, Domenico; Crisci, Gino M.; Pezzino, Antonino

2012-12-01

This paper explores the role of five recurrent epilithic lichen species (Aspicilia intermutans (Nyl.) Arnold, Xanthoparmelia pulla (Ach.) O. Blanco, A. Crespo, Elix, D. Hawksw. & Lumbsch, Rhizocarpon lecanorinum Anders, Tephromela atra (Huds.) Hafellner and Lecanora bolcana (Pollini) Poelt), which encrust granodiorite spheroidal boulders exposed in the Sila uplands (Calabria, southern Italy), in weathering of plutonic rocks in a typical mountainous Mediterranean environment. A detailed investigation was carried out on the lichen-rock interface of each species, by comparing them mutually and with lichen-free granodiorite samples. For this purpose, the lichen species were sampled together with the encrusted rock surface for detailed mineral-petrographic analyses performed in thin and ultra-thin sections. Optical and scanning electron microscopy of these sections and of bulk samples permitted us to highlight the peculiar modes of physical and chemical attacks of lichen thalli and hyphae on and into the substratum for each species. Crack systems often parallel to the outer rock surface appear often intruded by hyphae, which cause rupture of primary minerals, with detachment and progressive incorporation of their fragments into the thallus. In particular, the species L. bolcana and T. atra revealed an unexpected, partly endolithic behavior, presumably enhanced by the presence of rock fractures earlier generated by other physical breakage processes already affecting the spheroidal boulders in the Sila mountains. Dissolution features often affect primary minerals (even quartz), that may show very peculiar patterns which are suggestive of a biologically-induced control. Various phyllosilicate clay minerals were identified using SEM-EDS microprobe analyses and FT-IR spectroscopy, which also enabled the identification of possible amorphous silica (or quartz micrograins), rhizocarpic acid and carotenoid at the encrusted granodiorite interface. In contrast, neither oxalic

Coastline shifts and probable ship landing site submerged off ancient Locri-Epizefiri, southern Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tennent, J.M.; Stanley, J.-D.; Hart, P.E.; Bernasconi, M.P.

2009-01-01

A geophysical survey provides new information on marine features located seaward of Locri-Epizefiri (Locri), an ancient Greek settlement on the Ionian coastal margin in southern Italy. The study supplements previous work by archaeologists who long searched for the site's harbor and recently identified what was once a marine basin that is now on land next to the city walls of Locri. Profiles obtained offshore, between the present coast and outer shelf, made with a high-resolution, seismic subbottom-profiling system, record spatial and temporal variations of buried Holocene deposits. Two of these submerged features are part of a probable now-submerged ship landing facility. The offshore features can be linked to coastline displacements that occurred off Locri: a sea-to-land shift before Greek settlement, followed by a shoreline reversal from the archaeological site back to sea, and more recently, a return landward. The seaward directed coastal shift that occurred after Locri's occupation by Greeks was likely caused by land uplift near the coastal margin and tectonic seaward shift of the coast, as documented along this geologically active sector of the Calabrian Arc. The seismic survey records an angular, hook-shaped, low rise that extends from the present shore and is now buried on the inner shelf. The rise, enclosing a core lens of poorly stratified to transparent acoustic layers, bounds a broad, low-elevation zone positioned immediately seaward of the shoreline. Close proximity of the raised feature to the low-elevation area suggests it may have been a fabricated structure that functioned as a wave-break for a ship-landing site. The study indicates that the basin extended offshore as a function of the coastline's seaward migration during and/or after Greek occupation of Locri.

Influence of slip-surface geometry on earth-flow deformation, Montaguto earth flow, southern Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guerriero, L.; Coe, Jeffrey A.; Revellio, P.; Grelle, G.; Pinto, F.; Guadagno, F.

2016-01-01

We investigated relations between slip-surface geometry and deformational structures and hydrologic features at the Montaguto earth flow in southern Italy between 1954 and 2010. We used 25 boreholes, 15 static cone-penetration tests, and 22 shallow-seismic profiles to define the geometry of basal- and lateral-slip surfaces; and 9 multitemporal maps to quantify the spatial and temporal distribution of normal faults, thrust faults, back-tilted surfaces, strike-slip faults, flank ridges, folds, ponds, and springs. We infer that the slip surface is a repeating series of steeply sloping surfaces (risers) and gently sloping surfaces (treads). Stretching of earth-flow material created normal faults at risers, and shortening of earth-flow material created thrust faults, back-tilted surfaces, and ponds at treads. Individual pairs of risers and treads formed quasi-discrete kinematic zones within the earth flow that operated in unison to transmit pulses of sediment along the length of the flow. The locations of strike-slip faults, flank ridges, and folds were not controlled by basal-slip surface topography but were instead dependent on earth-flow volume and lateral changes in the direction of the earth-flow travel path. The earth-flow travel path was strongly influenced by inactive earth-flow deposits and pre-earth-flow drainages whose positions were determined by tectonic structures. The implications of our results that may be applicable to other earth flows are that structures with strikes normal to the direction of earth-flow motion (e.g., normal faults and thrust faults) can be used as a guide to the geometry of basal-slip surfaces, but that depths to the slip surface (i.e., the thickness of an earth flow) will vary as sediment pulses are transmitted through a flow.

Geophysical investigations of the Southeast Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy): high resolution DTM of the Marsili seamount

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milano, G.; Passaro, S.; Marsella, E.

2009-04-01

The Tyrrhenian Sea is the small extensional back-arc basin in the Central Mediterranean Sea characterized by a peculiar volcanic activity due to the presence of two sub-basin: Vavilov and Marsili. The central sector of the Marsili sub-basin, younger than the Valilov, is occupied by the Marsili Volcano. On November 2007, a geophysical survey was carried out by IAMC-CNR research institute (Naples, Italy) in the southeastern Tyrrhenian Sea within the "Aeolian_2007" cruise onboard the Urania oceanographic vessel. During the second Leg of the survey, detailed multibeam data acquisition was carried out in order to obtain high resolution DTM of the major Seamounts of the southeast Tyrrhenian Sea. Here, we report a new, very high resolution Digital Terrain Model (DTM) of the summit area of the Marsili Seamount. Multibeam data acquisition was carried out with the use of the Reson Seabat 8160 multibeam sonar system, which properly works in the 50-3500 m depth range. The system, interfaced with a Differential Global Positioning System, is mounted on keel of the R/V Urania and is composed of a ping source of 50 KHz, 150° degree for the whole opening of the transmitted pulse and a 126 beams-receiver. The whole dataset has been processed with the use of the PDS2000 swath editor tool, in accordance with the International Hydrographic Organization standard, and subsequently reorganized in an MXN matrix (Digital Terrain Model, DTM) of 25X25 m of grid cell size. The total amount of area coverage consists in more than 500 squared Km of multibeam sonar data. The Marsili volcano shows a global sigmoidal trend extending for about 55 km in the N10°E direction. Both the eastern and the western sides shows equal average slopes. Throughout the framework, crater-like morphologies are not clearly visible. The western side of the seamount reveals furrowed channels showing peculiar rounded sections. The northern sector morphologically differs from the rest of the seamount and seems separated

Geoethics and hazard education. A comparison between Calabria (Southern Italy) and Malta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Pascale, Francesco; Bernardo, Marcello; Muto, Francesco; D'Amico, Sebastiano; Zumbo, Rosarianna

2015-04-01

reactions. The design, the game and handling are a key to access the mental representation of the traumatic event that the child has formed. They are also used as indicators of the child experience and how he solves the traumatic elements of the event. The present work aims to collect testimonies and mental maps of drawn by Calabria (Southern Italy) and Malta students. A critical comparison was made on the natural disasters experiences reported by students.

An Early Warning System Based on Syndromic Surveillance to Detect Potential Health Emergencies among Migrants: Results of a Two-Year Experience in Italy

PubMed Central

Napoli, Christian; Riccardo, Flavia; Declich, Silvia; Dente, Maria Grazia; Pompa, Maria Grazia; Rizzo, Caterina; Rota, Maria Cristina; Bella, Antonino

2014-01-01

Profound geopolitical changes have impacted the southern and eastern Mediterranean since 2010 and defined a context of instability that is still affecting several countries today. Insecurity combined with the reduction of border controls has led to major population movements in the region and to migration surges from affected countries to southern Europe, especially to Italy. To respond to the humanitarian emergency triggered by this migration surge, Italy implemented a syndromic surveillance system in order to rapidly detect potential public health emergencies in immigrant reception centres. This system was discontinued after two years. This paper presents the results of this experience detailing its strengths and weaknesses in order to document the applicability and usefulness of syndromic surveillance in this specific context. PMID:25140999

Assessment of Impacts Produced by Anthropogenic Sources in a Little City near an Important Industrial Area (Modugno, Southern Italy)

PubMed Central

de Gennaro, Gianluigi; Marzocca, Annalisa; Trizio, Livia; Tutino, Maria

2013-01-01

An annual monitoring campaign of VOCs, consisting of twelve sampling periods, was carried out from June 2008 to June 2009 in Modugno, a city located in the Apulia region (Southern Italy), in order to assess the urban air quality, identify the main emission sources, and quantify the cancer and no-cancer risk attributable to inhalation exposures. Monitoring, carried out by using the Radiello diffusive samplers, was conducted in eleven sampling sites throughout the city taking into account the traffic density and the architecture of the city. From the study of the data, it was found that, among all considered VOCs, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) are the pollutants at higher concentration. The analysis of VOC concentrations, the study of the topography of the city, and the use of different diagnostic ratios between the BTEX species showed that the vehicular traffic emissions were the predominant source of VOCs in the urban area of Modugno. Despite that the annual concentration of benzene is lower than the regulatory limit, the estimation of cancer risk showed that the global lifetime cancer risk attributed to the investigated VOC exposure was not negligible and therefore should be taken into account in future regulatory approaches. PMID:23476120

Stable isotopes of pedogenic carbonates from the Somma-Vesuvius area, southern Italy, over the past 18 kyr: palaeoclimatic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanchetta, G.; di Vito, M.; Fallick, A. E.; Sulpizio, R.

2000-12-01

Stable isotopes were measured in the carbonate and organic matter of palaeosols in the Somma-Vesuvius area, southern Italy in order to test whether they are suitable proxy records for climatic and ecological changes in this area during the past 18000 yr. The ages of the soils span from ca. 18 to ca. 3 kyr BP. Surprisingly, the Last Glacial to Holocene climate transition was not accompanied by significant change in 18O of pedogenic carbonate. This could be explained by changes in evaporation rate and in isotope fractionation between water and precipitated carbonate with temperature, which counterbalanced the expected change in isotope composition of meteoric water. Because of the rise in temperature and humidity and the progressive increase in tree cover during the Holocene, the Holocene soil carbonates closely reflect the isotopic composition of meteoric water. A cooling of about 2°C after the Avellino eruption (3.8 ka) accounts for a sudden decrease of about 1 in 18O of pedogenic carbonate recorded after this eruption. The 13C values of organic matter and pedogenic carbonate covary, indicating an effective isotope equilibrium between the organic matter, as the source of CO2, and the pedogenic carbonate. Carbon isotopes suggest prevailing C3 vegetation and negligible mixing with volcanogenic or atmospheric CO2.

Application of Skylab imagery to some geological and environmental problems in Italy. [and Sicily

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cassinis, R.; Lechi, G. M.; Tonelli, A. M.

1975-01-01

Four topics are considered: regional geology of Sicily, volcanic surveillance in southern Italy, hydrogeology (with special regard given to the discovery and mapping of paleoriverbeds), and crop investigation. The discovery of unknown lineaments and structures in Sicily contributes to the geological knowledge of this region and in particular to the mechanical phenomena involving the upper part of the crust. An attempt was made to relate the status of vegetation surrounding Etna volcano to the magmatic gas escapes filtering through the soil. False-color Skylab images were used to analyze the vigor of the Etnean forestal belt vegetation canopy in order to map possible gas-vent ways as well as the 'active' microfractures. In northern Italy, buried channels were mapped in the Venetian Plain, and a tentative cost-benefit evaluation was done in the field of vegetational studies, both disease detection and species inventory were performed in the Po River Delta and in northwestern Italy.

Extending the temporal context of ethnobotanical databases: the case study of the Campania region (southern Italy)

PubMed Central

De Natale, Antonino; Pezzatti, Gianni Boris; Pollio, Antonino

2009-01-01

Background Ethnobotanical studies generally describe the traditional knowledge of a territory according to a "hic et nunc" principle. The need of approaching this field also embedding historical data has been frequently acknowledged. With their long history of civilization some regions of the Mediterranean basin seem to be particularly suited for an historical approach to be adopted. Campania, a region of southern Italy, has been selected for a database implementation containing present and past information on plant uses. Methods A relational database has been built on the basis of information gathered from different historical sources, including diaries, travel accounts, and treatises on medicinal plants, written by explorers, botanists, physicians, who travelled in Campania during the last three centuries. Moreover, ethnobotanical uses described in historical herbal collections and in Ancient and Medieval texts from the Mediterranean Region have been included in the database. Results 1672 different uses, ranging from medicinal, to alimentary, ceremonial, veterinary, have been recorded for 474 species listed in the data base. Information is not uniformly spread over the Campanian territory; Sannio being the most studied geographical area and Cilento the least one. About 50 plants have been continuously used in the last three centuries in the cure of the same affections. A comparison with the uses reported for the same species in Ancient treatises shows that the origin of present ethnomedicine from old learned medical doctrines needs a case-by-case confirmation. Conclusion The database is flexible enough to represent a useful tool for researchers who need to store and compare present and previous ethnobotanical uses from Mediterranean Countries. PMID:19228384

Radio Frequency Tomography for Tunnel Detection

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

F. Soldovieri is with the Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell’Ambiente, Italian National Research Council (CNR), 80124 Naples, Italy ...both directions. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors would like to thank J. Parker and Dr. M. Ferrara , Air Force Research Laboratory, Prof. R. Ansari...Monte, D. Erricolo, and M. C. Wicks, “Propagation model, optimal geometry and receiver design for RF geotomography,” in Proc. IEEE RadarCon, Rome, Italy

The 9 September 2010 torrential rain and flash flood in the Dragone catchment, Atrani, Amalfi Coast (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Violante, C.; Braca, G.; Esposito, E.; Tranfaglia, G.

2015-08-01

In this paper we use a multi-hazard approach to analyse the 9 September 2010 flash-flood occurred in the Dragone basin, a 9 km2 catchment located along the Amalfi rocky coastal range, Southern Italy. In this area, alluvial-fan-flooding is the most frequent and destructive geologic hazards since Roman time. Sudden torrent of waters (flash flood) are caused by high-intensity and very localized cloudbursts of short duration inducing slope erosion and sediment delivery from slope-to-stream. The elevated bed load transport produces fast-moving hyperconcentrated flows with significant catastrophic implications for communities living at stream mouth. The 9 September 2010 rainstorm event lasted 1 h with an intensity rainfall peak nearly to 120 mm h-1. High topographic relief of the Amalfi coastal range and positive anomalies of the coastal waters conditioned the character of the convective system. Based on geological data and post-event field evidence and surveys, as well as homemade-videos, and eyewitness accounts the consequent flash-flood mobilized some 25 000 m3 of materials with a total (water and sediment) peak flow of 80 m3 s-1. The estimated peak discharge of only clear water was about 65 m3 s-1. This leads to a sediment bulking factor of 1.2 that corresponds to a flow with velocities similar to those of water during a flood.

Integration of rainfall/runoff and geomorphological analyses flood hazard in small catchments: case studies from the southern Apennines (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palumbo, Manuela; Ascione, Alessandra; Santangelo, Nicoletta; Santo, Antonio

2017-04-01

We present the first results of an analysis of flood hazard in ungauged mountain catchments that are associated with intensely urbanized alluvial fans. Assessment of hydrological hazard has been based on the integration of rainfall/runoff modelling of drainage basins with geomorphological analysis and mapping. Some small and steep, ungauged mountain catchments located in various areas of the southern Apennines, in southern Italy, have been chosen as test sites. In the last centuries, the selected basins have been subject to heavy and intense precipitation events, which have caused flash floods with serious damages in the correlated alluvial fan areas. Available spatial information (regional technical maps, DEMs, land use maps, geological/lithological maps, orthophotos) and an automated GIS-based procedure (ArcGis tools and ArcHydro tools) have been used to extract morphological, hydrological and hydraulic parameters. Such parameters have been used to run the HEC (Hydrologic Engineering Center of the US Army Corps of Engineers) software (GeoHMS, GeoRAS, HMS and RAS) based on rainfall-runoff models, which have allowed the hydrological and hydraulic simulations. As the floods occurred in the studied catchments have been debris flows dominated, the solid load simulation has been also performed. In order to validate the simulations, we have compared results of the modelling with the effects produced by past floods. Such effects have been quantified through estimations of both the sediment volumes within each catchment that have the potential to be mobilised (pre-event) during a sediment transfer event, and the volume of sediments delivered by the debris flows at basins' outlets (post-event). The post-event sediment volume has been quantified through post-event surveys and Lidar data. Evaluation of the pre-event sediment volumes in single catchments has been based on mapping of sediment storages that may constitute source zones of bed load transport and debris flows. For

Northerners versus southerners: Italian anthropology and psychology faced with the "southern question".

PubMed

Cimino, Guido; Foschi, Renato

2014-11-01

Following the Unification of Italy (1861), when confronted with the underdevelopment problems of the south that had given rise to the so-called "southern question," some Italian anthropologists and psychologists began to study the populations of the south from the psycho-anthropological point of view. These scientists, at times subject to preconceived ideas toward the southerners, conveyed observations and descriptions of the southern character traits that, in general, were considered different, in a negative sense, with respect to those of the northern peoples. To explain such diversity in the "psychological" characteristics between the north and south of the country (presumed cause also of the south's backwardness), various hypotheses were advanced related to the kind of heredity theory adopted, which could be of, more or less, an "innatist" or "transformist" or "environmentalist" kind. The distinction proposed in this article between at least 2 different "hereditarian" theories formulated by the Italian scientists, and the confrontation of these theories with the hypotheses expressed by the "southernist" sociologists, contrary to the idea of "racial varieties" present in the Italian population, allows one to understand in what way and in what sense, at the threshold of the 20th century, there arose the ideology of "Nordicism" and the roots of racism were planted.

REE in karst bauxites: the Campania example (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondillo, N.; Boni, M.; Balassone, G.; Rollinson, G.

2012-04-01

Global production of Rare Earth Element (REE) has dramatically increased in the last years, hence the strong interest to identify new deposits and to understand the processes responsible for their formation. Among REE concentrations related to weathering, the current targets are represented by the ion-adsorption deposit-types, occurring in China, in which REEs are adsorbed onto the surface of clays. Laterites have been also intensively investigated since the discovery of the secondary deposit of Mount Weld (Australia). Most REEs behave as immobile elements in laterites, and tend to be enriched compared to the underlying parent rocks. Many authors debate on a possible REE fractionation along the laterite profiles, resulting in the formation of supergene LREE-minerals. Bauxites are economic Al accumulations, derived from the weathering of alumosilicate-rich parent rocks resulting in the development of laterite profiles. Components as Ca, Mg, K, Si are leached and residual Fe, Al and Ti precipitate in form of hematite>>goethite, gibbsite [Al(OH)3] or amorphous Al hydroxides and anatase. Metabauxites can contain boehmite or diaspore [AlO(OH)]. Chemical composition (including REEs content) of lateritic bauxites generally mirrors the original composition of the parent rock. Geochemistry of REEs in karst bauxites, which lay on carbonate bedrocks and may be also allochthonous to them, is not so straightforward. Cretaceous karst bauxite deposits in the Apennine chain (Southern Italy) are presently uneconomic. A full mineralogical and geochemical study has been performed on several deposits of the Campania district, and three representative profiles have been sampled. In all deposits the bauxite ore has an oolitic-pisolitic texture, but contains also detrital intervals. The mineral association consists of boehmite, kaolinite and hematite, with less goethite and anatase. The main REE-bearing mineral is detrital monazite. In detail, we could detect (SEM) other LREE

A methodology using GIS, aerial photos and remote sensing for loss estimation and flood vulnerability analysis in the Supersano-Ruffano-Nociglia Graben, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forte, F.; Strobl, R. O.; Pennetta, L.

2006-07-01

The impact of calamitous meteoric events and their interaction with the geological and geomorphological environment represent a current problem of the Supersano-Ruffano-Nociglia Graben in southern Italy. Indeed, severe floods take place on a frequent basis not only in autumn and winter, but in summer also. These calamities are not only triggered by exceptional events, but are also amplified by peculiar geological and morpho-structural characteristics of the Graben. Flooding often affects vast agricultural areas and consequently, water-scooping machines cannot remove the rainwater. These events cause warnings and emergency states, involving people as well as socio economic goods. This study represents an application of a vanguard technique for loss estimation and flood vulnerability analysis, integrating a geographic information system (GIS) with aerial photos and remote sensing methods. The analysis results clearly show that the Graben area is potentially at greatest flood vulnerability, while along the Horsts the flood vulnerability is lower.

Adaptation options to future climate of maize crop in Southern Italy examined using thermal sums

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Tommasi, P.; Alfieri, S. M.; Bonfante, A.; Basile, A.; De Lorenzi, F.; Menenti, M.

2012-04-01

Future climate scenarios predict substantial changes in air temperature within a few decades and agriculture needs to increase the capacity of adaptation both by changing spatial distribution of crops and shifting timing of management. In this context the prediction of future behaviour of crops with respect to present climate could be useful for farm and landscape management. In this work, thermal sums were used to simulate a maize crop in a future scenario, in terms of length of the growing season and of intervals between the main phenological stages. The area under study is the Sele plain (Campania Region), a pedo-climatic homogeneous area, one of the most agriculturally advanced and relevant flatland in Southern Italy. Maize was selected for the present study since it is extensively grown in the Sele Plain for water buffalofeeding,. Daily time-series of climatic data of the area under study were generated within the Italian project AGROSCENARI, and include maximum and minimum temperature and precipitation. The 1961-1990 and the 1998-2008 periods were compared to a future climate scenario (2021-2050). Future time series were generated using a statistical downscaling technique (Tomozeiu et al., 2007) from general circulation models (AOGCM). Differences in crop development length were calculated for different maize varieties under 3 management options for sowing time: custom date (typical for the area), before and after custom date. The interactions between future thermal regime and the length of growing season under the different management options were analyzed. Moreover, frequency of spells of high temperatures during the anthesis was examined. The feasibility of the early sowing option was discussed in relation with field trafficability at the beginning of the crop cycle. The work was carried out within the Italian national project AGROSCENARI funded by the Ministry for Agricultural, Food and Forest Policies (MIPAAF, D.M. 8608/7303/2008)

Fissumella motolae new genus new species from the late Aptian-early Albian of Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz, Erzika; Consorti, Lorenzo; Di Lucia, Matteo; Parente, Mariano; Ciria, Alex; Caus, Esmeralda

2016-04-01

Benthic foraminifera, together with calcareous algae and rudist bivalves, play a key role in the biostratigraphy of Cretaceous carbonate platforms of the peri-Adriatic area. In the biozonation currently adopted for the carbonate platforms of central and southern Apennines (Italy) there is a stratigraphic interval, roughly corresponding to most of the Albian stage, which is poorly defined and assigned to a single biozone, called "Ostracoda and Miliolidae" biozone (Chiocchini et al., 2008). We describe here a new peneropliform benthic foraminifer, Fissumella motolae n. gen., n. sp. which could be used for a finer biostratigraphic subdivision of this interval. Its porcelaneous test shows a peneropliform shape with rounded margins. In the early stage of growth the chambers are streptospirally arranged, becoming later planispiral involute. The aperture is single, migrating during ontogeny from an interiomarginal position to the center of septa. The chamber lumina are traversed by few and short radial septula. Fissumella motolae is a common constituent of benthic foraminiferal assemblages of the Apennine Carbonate Platform. We have found it in the same stratigraphic interval in several stratigraphic sections distributed along a NW-SE transect from Monte Croce (in the Aurunci Mts.) to Monte Tobenna (in the Picentini Mts.) to Monte Motola (in the Cilento Promontory). It first appears in the levels with Archaeoalveolina reicheli, close to Aptian-Albian boundary, and then continues for some tens of meters, associated with Praechrysalidina infracretacea, Cuneolina parva, Sabaudia minuta, conical imperforate foraminifers, miliolids, textularids, nezzazzatids, dasycladalean green algae and ostracods. Carbon isotope stratigraphy has been used to better constrain the correlation between the studied sections and their chronostratigraphic calibration. Chiocchini, M., Chiocchini, R. A., Didaskalou, P., and Potetti, M., 2008. Microbiostratigrafia del Triassico superiore, Giurassico e

Nutritional values and metabolic profile with and without boiled treatment of 'Gallo Matese' beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), a landrace from Southern Italy.

PubMed

Landi, Nicola; Ragucci, Sara; Fiorentino, Michelina; Guida, Vincenzo; Di Maro, Antimo

2017-01-01

'Gallo Matese' beans are known as a typical legume of Southern Italy and continue to be consumed as a traditional food preserving the diversity of this region. Nonetheless, no information about the nutritional values of this legume is available. The objective of the present investigation was to determine the nutritional value and metabolic profile of 'Gallo Matese' beans. Results. 'Gallo Matese' beans contain high levels of proteins (22.64 g/100 g) and essential amino acids  (8.3 g/100 g). Furthermore, differentunsaturated fatty acidscontributetothetotalamountoflipids (0.97 g/100 g); among them, the essential PUFA α-linolenic (0.48 g/100 g) and linoleic (0.39 g/100 g) acids are the most abundant. The total phenol content was revealed and ABTS and ORAC-fluorescein methods were applied to determine the radical scavenging capabilities of the extract with and without boiled treatment. Finally, a de- crease in trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activities was estimated before and after the boiling procedure. Conclusion. The data obtained show that 'Gallo Matese' beans are a functional food with healthy qualities. Overall, these results are useful to promote their cultivation and consumption, thus preserving Italian beans biodiversity due to consumer interest in choosing a healthy diet, such as the Mediterran. nd. 'Gallo Matese' beans are known as a typical legume of Southern Italy and continue to be consumed as a traditional food preserving the diversity of this region. Nonetheless, no information about the nutritional values of this legume is available. The objective of the present investigation was to determine the nutritional value and metabolic profile of 'Gallo Matese' beans. 'Gallo Matese' beans contain high levels of proteins (22.64 g/100 g) and essential amino acids  (8.3 g/100 g). Furthermore, differentunsaturated fatty acidscontributetothetotalamountoflipids (0.97 g/100 g); among them, the essential PUFA α-linolenic (0.48 g/100 g) and linoleic (0.39 g/100

Determination of total and available fractions of PAHs by SPME in oily wastewaters: overcoming interference from NAPL and NOM.

PubMed

Gomes, Rui B; Nogueira, Regina; Oliveira, José M; Peixoto, João; Brito, António G

2009-09-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are often found in oily wastewaters. Their presence is usually the result of human activities and has a negative effect on the environment. One important step in addressing this problem is to evaluate the effectiveness of PAH removal by biological processes since these are the most cost-effective treatments known today. Many techniques are presently available for PAH determination in wastewaters. Solid phase microextracion (SPME) is known to be one of the most effective techniques for this purpose. When analyzing complex matrices with substances such as natural organic matter (NOM) and non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL), it is important to differentiate the free dissolved PAH from matrix-bonded PAH. PAHs associated with the bonded fraction are less susceptible to biological treatment. The present study concerns the development of a simple and suitable methodology for the determination of the freely dissolved and the total fraction of PAHs present in oily wastewaters. The methodology was then applied to an oily wastewater from a fuel station retention basin. Headspace SPME was used for analyzing PAH since the presence of a complex or dirty matrix in direct contact with the fiber may damage it. Four model PAHs-anthracene, fluorene, phenanthrene, and pyrene-were analyzed by GC-MS. Negligible depletion SPME technique was used to determine the free fraction. Total PAH was determined by enhancing the mass transfer from the bonded phase to the freely dissolved phase by temperature optimization and the use of the method of standard additions. The PAH absorption kinetics were determined in order to define the optimal sampling conditions for this method. The fitting of the experimental data to a mathematical model was accomplished using Berkeley Madonna software. Humic acid and silicon oil were used as model NOM and NAPL, respectively, to study the effect of these compounds on the decrease of SPME response. Then, the method was evaluated

A lead isotope perspective on urban development in ancient Naples.

PubMed

Delile, Hugo; Keenan-Jones, Duncan; Blichert-Toft, Janne; Goiran, Jean-Philippe; Arnaud-Godet, Florent; Romano, Paola; Albarède, Francis

2016-05-31

The influence of a sophisticated water distribution system on urban development in Roman times is tested against the impact of Vesuvius volcanic activity, in particular the great eruption of AD 79, on all of the ancient cities of the Bay of Naples (Neapolis). Written accounts on urbanization outside of Rome are scarce and the archaeological record sketchy, especially during the tumultuous fifth and sixth centuries AD when Neapolis became the dominant city in the region. Here we show that isotopic ratios of lead measured on a well-dated sedimentary sequence from Neapolis' harbor covering the first six centuries CE have recorded how the AD 79 eruption was followed by a complete overhaul of Neapolis' water supply network. The Pb isotopic signatures of the sediments further reveal that the previously steady growth of Neapolis' water distribution system ceased during the collapse of the fifth century AD, although vital repairs to this critical infrastructure were still carried out in the aftermath of invasions and volcanic eruptions.

A lead isotope perspective on urban development in ancient Naples

PubMed Central

Delile, Hugo; Keenan-Jones, Duncan; Goiran, Jean-Philippe; Arnaud-Godet, Florent; Romano, Paola; Albarède, Francis

2016-01-01

The influence of a sophisticated water distribution system on urban development in Roman times is tested against the impact of Vesuvius volcanic activity, in particular the great eruption of AD 79, on all of the ancient cities of the Bay of Naples (Neapolis). Written accounts on urbanization outside of Rome are scarce and the archaeological record sketchy, especially during the tumultuous fifth and sixth centuries AD when Neapolis became the dominant city in the region. Here we show that isotopic ratios of lead measured on a well-dated sedimentary sequence from Neapolis’ harbor covering the first six centuries CE have recorded how the AD 79 eruption was followed by a complete overhaul of Neapolis’ water supply network. The Pb isotopic signatures of the sediments further reveal that the previously steady growth of Neapolis’ water distribution system ceased during the collapse of the fifth century AD, although vital repairs to this critical infrastructure were still carried out in the aftermath of invasions and volcanic eruptions. PMID:27185923

Ethnobotanical notes about some uses of medicinal plants in Alto Tirreno Cosentino area (Calabria, Southern Italy).

PubMed

Leporatti, Maria Lucia; Impieri, Massimo

2007-11-05

The present paper contributes to enrich the ethnobotanical knowledge of Calabria region (Southern Italy). Research was carried out in Alto Tirreno Cosentino, a small area lying between the Tyrrhenian coast and the Pollino National Park. In the area studied medicinal plants still play a small role among farmers, shepherds and other people who live far from villages and built-up areas. Information was collected by interviewing native people, mainly elderly - engaged in farming and stock-raising activities - and housewives. The plants collected, indicated by the locals, have been identified according to "Flora d'Italia". The exsiccata vouchers are preserved in the authors' own herbaria. 52 medicinal species belonging to 35 families are listed in this article. The family, botanical and vernacular name, part of the plant used and respective manipulation are reported there and, when present, similar or identical uses in different parts of Calabria or other Italian regions are also indicated. Labiatae, Rosaceae and Leguminosae are the families most frequently present, whilst Compositae and Brassicaceae are almost absent. The uses of the recorded species relate to minor ailments, mainly those of the skin (15 species), respiratory apparatus diseases (11), toothache, decay etc. (10) and rheumatic pains (8). The easy availability of these remedies provides a quick way of curing various minor complaints such as tooth-ache, belly and rheumatic pain and headaches and can also serve as first aid as cicatrizing, lenitive, haemostatic agents etc. The role in veterinary medicine is, on the contrary, more important: sores, ulcers, tinea, dermatitis, gangrenous wounds of cattle, and even respiratory ailments are usually cured by resort to plants.

Relation between Oceanographic parameters and Optical properties in 5 coastal areas of Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campanelli, Alessandra; Braga, Federica; Betti, Mattia; Cavalli, Rosa Maria; Grilli, Federica; Pascucci, Simone; Marini, Mauro

2014-05-01

In the framework of the CLAM-PHYM (Coasts-and-Lake-Assessment-and-Monitoring-by-Prisma-Hyperspectral-Mission) project it was carried out an oceanographic cruise (27/08-13/09/2010) along the coasts of southern Italy in order to analyze the physical, biochemical and optical properties of some coastal areas. The sampling areas are: the Gulf of Taranto, the Policoro area, the Cetraro Bay, the Gulf of Augusta and the Gulf of Gela. CTD profiles and reflectance measurements of the sea surface and along the water column with portable field spectroradiometers were collected. Water samples were also collected for the analysis of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and CDOM. These optically active substances interact with solar radiation along the water column through absorption and scattering phenomena. The collected data were analyzed to identify the relationship between the bio-optical concentrations of optically-active-substances and the surface reflectance spectra measured in situ; this relation, if reversed, can be used to map the concentrations of optically-active-substances from hyperspectral-satellite-data. Results stress high biological activity in the Gulf of Taranto and in the Gulf of Gela showing the highest values of chlorophyll-a and aCDOM440. These areas are characterized by the presence of important industrial and port sites. The Gela's gulf, where we found the highest concentrations of chlorophyll a and CDOM, is also characterized by the runoff of the Salso river increasing the biological activity. The correlations found in the Gulf of Taranto between Kd, chlorophyll a and aCDOM440 indicate that the high concentrations of CDOM are primarily due to phytoplankton rather than from terrestrial source. The Gulf of Taranto shows the best site among those investigated where to identify bio-optical relationships between the concentrations of optically active substances and the surface reflectance spectra measured in situ. The preliminary results encourage the combined use of

Contrasting fault fluids along high-angle faults: a case study from Southern Apennines (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinisi, Rosa; Petrullo, Angela Vita; Agosta, Fabrizio; Paternoster, Michele; Belviso, Claudia; Grassa, Fausto

2016-10-01

This work focuses on two fault-controlled deposits, the Atella and Rapolla travertines, which are associated with high-angle extensional faults of the Bradano Trough, southern Apennines (Italy). The Atella travertine is along a NW-SE striking, deep-seated extensional fault, already described in literature, which crosscuts both Apulian carbonates and the overlying foredeep basin infill. The Rapolla travertine is on top of a NE-SW striking, shallow-seated fault, here described for the first time, which is interpreted as a tear fault associated with a shallow thrust displacing only the foredeep basin infill. The results of structural, sedimentological, mineralogical, and C and O isotope analyses are here reported and discussed to assess the provenance of mineralizing fluids, and to evaluate the control exerted by the aforementioned extensional faults on deep, mantle-derived and shallow, meteoric fluids. Sedimentological analysis is consistent with five lithofacies in the studied travertines, which likely formed in a typical lacustrine depositional environment. Mineralogical analysis show that travertines mainly consist of calcite, and minor quartz, feldspar and clay minerals, indicative of a terrigenous supply during travertine precipitation. The isotope signature of the two studied travertines shows different provenance for the mineralizing fluids. At the Atella site, the δ13CPDB values range between + 5.2 and + 5.7‰ and the δ18OPDB values between - 9.0 and - 7.3‰, which are consistent with a mantle-derived CO2 component in the fluid. In contrast, at the Rapolla site the δ13CPDB values vary from - 2.7 to + 1.5‰ and the δ18OPDB values from - 6.8 to - 5.4‰, suggesting a mixed CO2 source with both biogenic-derived and mantle-derived fluids. The results of structural analyses conducted along the footwall damage zone of the fault exposed at the Rapolla site, show that the whole damage zone, in which fractures and joints likely channeled the mixed fluids, acted

Species-abundance distribution patterns of soil fungi: contribution to the ecological understanding of their response to experimental fire in Mediterranean maquis (southern Italy).

PubMed

Persiani, Anna Maria; Maggi, Oriana

2013-01-01

Experimental fires, of both low and high intensity, were lit during summer 2000 and the following 2 y in the Castel Volturno Nature Reserve, southern Italy. Soil samples were collected Jul 2000-Jul 2002 to analyze the soil fungal community dynamics. Species abundance distribution patterns (geometric, logarithmic, log normal, broken-stick) were compared. We plotted datasets with information both on species richness and abundance for total, xerotolerant and heat-stimulated soil microfungi. The xerotolerant fungi conformed to a broken-stick model for both the low- and high intensity fires at 7 and 84 d after the fire; their distribution subsequently followed logarithmic models in the 2 y following the fire. The distribution of the heat-stimulated fungi changed from broken-stick to logarithmic models and eventually to a log-normal model during the post-fire recovery. Xerotolerant and, to a far greater extent, heat-stimulated soil fungi acquire an important functional role following soil water stress and/or fire disturbance; these disturbances let them occupy unsaturated habitats and become increasingly abundant over time.

Contamination by hazardous substances in the Gulf of Naples and nearby coastal areas: a review of sources, environmental levels and potential impacts in the MSFD perspective.

PubMed

Tornero, Victoria; Ribera d'Alcalà, Maurizio

2014-01-01

During the 7th FW EU Programme, a large group of research institutions with a strong tradition in marine science designed PERSEUS, a policy-oriented, marine research project aimed at identifying human-derived pressures and their impacts in the Southern European Seas. PERSEUS is about gathering and analyzing the data on our marine ecosystems and developing recommendations to assist policy makers in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). In its initial phase, the project focuses on the analysis and evaluation of human pressures in selected coastal areas across the Mediterranean and Black Seas. This paper reports on the results about the chemical pollution pressure in the Gulf of Naples, one of the sites selected for the analysis, and surrounding waters of the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. Based on a systematic up-to-date literature review, the paper brings together for the first time the available information on the presence, severity and distribution of contaminants on the site. In spite of methodological and sampling heterogeneity among studies, this review compiles the data in a harmonized and effective way, so that the current status, knowledge gaps and research priorities can be established. Thus, the review wishes not only to provide a contribution to the scientific community, but also to help to extract recommendations for mitigating pollution sources and risks in the area of concern. A similar process of analysis may be carried out for other areas and pressures in order to facilitate policy making at the European level. © 2013.

Active deformation and seismicity in the Southern Alps (Italy): The Montello hill as a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danesi, Stefania; Pondrelli, Silvia; Salimbeni, Simone; Cavaliere, Adriano; Serpelloni, Enrico; Danecek, Peter; Lovati, Sara; Massa, Marco

2015-06-01

The Montello anticline is a morphotectonic feature of the east pede-mountain of the South Alpine Chain in northern Italy, which lies ca. 40 km northwest of Venice, Italy. The purpose of this study is to characterize the present-day crustal deformation and seismotectonics of the Montello area through multi-parametric geophysical observations. We used new data obtained from the installation of a temporary network of 12 seismic stations and 6 GPS sites. The GPS observations indicate that there is ~ 1 mm/yr shortening across the Montello thrust. Sites located north of the Montello thrust front deviate from the ~ NNW-ward Adria-Eurasia convergence direction, as they are constrained by a relative rotation pole in northwestern Italy that has a NNE-ward motion trend. Over 18 months, seismographic recordings allowed us to locate 142 local seismic events with Ml 0.5-3.5 with good reliability (rms < 0.5). After cross-correlation analysis, we classified 42 of these events into six clusters, with cross-correlation thresholds > 0.80. The source focal solutions indicate that: (i) there is thrusting seismic activity on the basal, sub-horizontal, portion of the Montello structure; and (ii) strike-slip source kinematics prevail on the western edge of the Montello hill. Our observations on the source mechanisms and the measured crustal deformation confirm that the Montello thrust is tectonically active.

Assessment of potentially harmful elements pollution in the Calore River basin (Southern Italy).

PubMed

Zuzolo, Daniela; Cicchella, Domenico; Catani, Vittorio; Giaccio, Lucia; Guagliardi, Ilaria; Esposito, Libera; De Vivo, Benedetto

2017-06-01

The geographical distribution of concentration values for harmful elements was determined in the Campania region, Italy. The study area consists of the drainage basin of the River Calore, a tributary of the river Volturno, the largest Southern Italian river. The results provide reliable analytical data allowing a quantitative assessment of the trace element pollution threat to the ecosystem and human health. Altogether 562 stream sediment samples were collected at a sampling density of 1 site per 5 km 2 . All samples were air-dried, sieved to <100 mesh fraction and analyzed for 37 elements after an aqua regia extraction by a combination of ICP-AES and ICP-MS. In addition to elemental analysis, gamma-ray spectrometry data were collected (a total of 562 measurements) using a hand-held Scintrex GRS-500 spectrometer. Statistical analyses were performed to show the single-element distribution and the distribution of elemental association factor scores resulting from R-mode factor analyses. Maps showing element distributions were made using GeoDAS and ArcGIS software. Our study showed that, despite evidence from concentrations of many elements for enrichment over natural background values, the spatial distribution of major and trace elements in Calore River basin is determined mostly by geogenic factors. The southwestern area of the basin highlighted an enrichment of many elements potentially harmful for human health and other living organisms (Al, Fe, K, Na, As, Cd, La, Pb, Th, Tl, U); however, these anomalies are due to the presence of pyroclastic and alkaline volcanic lithologies. Even where sedimentary lithologies occur, many harmful elements (Co, Cr, Mn, Ni) showed high concentration levels due to natural origins. Conversely, a strong heavy metal contamination (Pb, Zn, Cu, Sb, Ag, Au, Hg), due to an anthropogenic contribution, is highlighted in many areas characterized by the presence of road junctions, urban settlements and industrial areas. The enrichment factor

Modifications of natural hazard impacts and hydrological extremes in previous centuries (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrucci, Olga; Pasqua, Aurora Angela; Polemio, Maurizio

2013-04-01

The present work is based on the use of a wide historical database concerning floods and landslides which occurred in Calabria, a region of southern Italy, since the seventeenth century, and including more than 11,000 records. This database has been built by collecting data coming from different information sources as newspapers, archives of regional and national agencies, scientific and technical reports, on-site surveys reports and information collected by interviewing both people involved and local administrators. This database has been continuously updated by both the results of local historical research and data coming from the daily survey of regional newspapers. Similarly, a wide archive of rainfall data for the same period and the same region has been implemented. In this work, basing on the abovementioned archives, a comparative analysis of floods that occurred in a regional sector over a long period and the climatic data characterizing the same period has been carried out, focusing on the climate trend and aiming to investigate the potential effect of climate variation on the damaging floods trend. The aim was to assess whether the frequency of floods is changing and, if so, whether these changes can be related to either rainfall and/or anthropogenic modifications. In order to assess anthropogenic modifications, the evolution of urbanized sectors of the study area in the last centuries has been reenacted by mean of comparisons, in GIS environment, of historical maps of different epochs. The annual variability of rainfall was discussed using an annual index. Short duration-high intensity rainfalls were characterized considering time series of annual maxima of 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours and daily rainfall. The analysis indicates that, despite a rainfall trend favorable towards a reduction in flood occurrence, floods damage has not decreased. This seems to be mainly the effect of mismanagement of land use modifications. Moreover, the long historical series

Landslides, floods and sinkholes in a karst environment: the 1-6 September 2014 Gargano event, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinotti, Maria Elena; Pisano, Luca; Marchesini, Ivan; Rossi, Mauro; Peruccacci, Silvia; Brunetti, Maria Teresa; Melillo, Massimo; Amoruso, Giuseppe; Loiacono, Pierluigi; Vennari, Carmela; Vessia, Giovanna; Trabace, Maria; Parise, Mario; Guzzetti, Fausto

2017-03-01

In karst environments, heavy rainfall is known to cause multiple geohydrological hazards, including inundations, flash floods, landslides and sinkholes. We studied a period of intense rainfall from 1 to 6 September 2014 in the Gargano Promontory, a karst area in Puglia, southern Italy. In the period, a sequence of torrential rainfall events caused severe damage and claimed two fatalities. The amount and accuracy of the geographical and temporal information varied for the different hazards. The temporal information was most accurate for the inundation caused by a major river, less accurate for flash floods caused by minor torrents and even less accurate for landslides. For sinkholes, only generic information on the period of occurrence of the failures was available. Our analysis revealed that in the promontory, rainfall-driven hazards occurred in response to extreme meteorological conditions and that the karst landscape responded to the torrential rainfall with a threshold behaviour. We exploited the rainfall and the landslide information to design the new ensemble-non-exceedance probability (E-NEP) algorithm for the quantitative evaluation of the possible occurrence of rainfall-induced landslides and of related geohydrological hazards. The ensemble of the metrics produced by the E-NEP algorithm provided better diagnostics than the single metrics often used for landslide forecasting, including rainfall duration, cumulated rainfall and rainfall intensity. We expect that the E-NEP algorithm will be useful for landslide early warning in karst areas and in other similar environments. We acknowledge that further tests are needed to evaluate the algorithm in different meteorological, geological and physiographical settings.

A new-old approach for shallow landslide analysis and susceptibility zoning in fine-grained weathered soils of southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cascini, Leonardo; Ciurleo, Mariantonietta; Di Nocera, Silvio; Gullà, Giovanni

2015-07-01

Rainfall-induced shallow landslides involve several geo-environmental contexts and different types of soils. In clayey soils, they affect the most superficial layer, which is generally constituted by physically weathered soils characterised by a diffuse pattern of cracks. This type of landslide most commonly occurs in the form of multiple-occurrence landslide phenomena simultaneously involving large areas and thus has several consequences in terms of environmental and economic damage. Indeed, landslide susceptibility zoning is a relevant issue for land use planning and/or design purposes. This study proposes a multi-scale approach to reach this goal. The proposed approach is tested and validated over an area in southern Italy affected by widespread shallow landslides that can be classified as earth slides and earth slide-flows. Specifically, by moving from a small (1:100,000) to a medium scale (1:25,000), with the aid of heuristic and statistical methods, the approach identifies the main factors leading to landslide occurrence and effectively detects the areas potentially affected by these phenomena. Finally, at a larger scale (1:5000), deterministic methods, i.e., physically based models (TRIGRS and TRIGRS-unsaturated), allow quantitative landslide susceptibility assessment, starting from sample areas representative of those that can be affected by shallow landslides. Considering the reliability of the obtained results, the proposed approach seems useful for analysing other case studies in similar geological contexts.

Source origin and parameters influencing levels of heavy metals in TSP, in an industrial background area of Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragosta, Maria; Caggiano, Rosa; D'Emilio, Mariagrazia; Macchiato, Maria

In this paper, we investigate the relationships among atmospheric concentration of trace elements and some meteorological parameters. In particular, the effects of different meteorological conditions on heavy metal levels are interpreted by means of a multivariate statistical approach. The analysed variables were measured during a monitoring survey that started in 1997, and this survey was carried out in order to evaluate the atmospheric concentrations of heavy metals in the industrial area of Tito Scalo (Basilicata Region, Southern Italy). Here we present and analyse the data set collected from 1997 to 1999. The data set includes daily concentrations of total suspended particulates (TSP), daily concentrations of eight metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in TSP and daily meteoclimatic data (temperature, rainfall, speed and wind directions). Both the concentration level and the occurrence of peak concentration events are consistent with the characteristics of the study area: abundant small and medium industrial plants in a mountainous and unpolluted zone. Regarding the origin of sources of heavy metals in TSP, the statistical procedure allows us to identify three profiles: SP 1 and SP 2 related to industrial sources and SP 3 related to other sources (natural and/or anthropogenic). In particular, taking into account the effect of different meteorological conditions, we are able to distinguish the contribution of different fractions of the same metal in the detected source profiles.

Prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility and molecular typing of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in bulk tank milk from southern Italy.

PubMed

Parisi, A; Caruso, M; Normanno, G; Latorre, L; Sottili, R; Miccolupo, A; Fraccalvieri, R; Santagada, G

2016-09-01

This paper assesses the prevalence of MRSA in bulk tank milk (BTM) samples from southern Italy, and the relationship between the Coagulase Positive Staphylococci count (CPS) and MRSA prevalence. Of 486 BTM samples tested, 12 samples (2.5%) resulted positive for the presence of MRSA. Great genetic diversity was found among the isolates: ST1/t127 and t174/IVa, ST5/t688/V, ST8/t unknown/IVa/V, ST45/t015/IVa, ST71/t524/V, ST88/t786/Iva, ST398/t011 and t899/IVa/V and ST2781/t1730/V. All isolates were pvl-negative and icaA positive. The majority of strains (58%) carried the ses (sec, seh, seg, seo, sem and sen) genes. All tested strains resulted susceptible to amikacin, cephalotin, cloramphenicol, gentamycin, trimethoprim - sulfamethoxazole, tobramycin and vancomycin, and variably resistant to ampicillin, oxacillin and tetracycline. No statistical association between the CPS count and MRSA detection was found in the MRSA-positive samples. Although some of the spa-types and STs detected in our survey are known to cause human infections, raw milk from Italian herds in the considered area is not a common source of MRSA. Nonetheless, it is necessary to assess the risk of foodborne infection and the risk related to the handling of milk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Portable Raman, DRIFTS, and XRF Analysis to Diagnose the Conservation State of Two Wall Painting Panels from Pompeii Deposited in the Naples National Archaeological Museum (Italy).

PubMed

Madariaga, Juan Manuel; Maguregui, Maite; Castro, Kepa; Knuutinen, Ulla; Martínez-Arkarazo, Irantzu

2016-01-01

This work presents a methodology that combines spectroscopic speciation, performed through portable Raman spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (ED-XRF) working in situ, and thermodynamic speciation to diagnose the environmental impacts, induced by past and current events, on two wall painting panels (Nos. 9103 and 9255) extracted more than 150 years ago from the walls of a Pompeian house (Marcus Lucretius House, Regio IX, Insula 3, House 5/24) and deposited in the Naples National Archaeological Museum (MANN). The results show a severe chemical attack of the acid gases that can be explained only by the action of H2S during and just after the eruption of the Vesuvius volcano, that expelled a high concentration of sulfur gases. This fact can be considered as the most important process impacting the wall painting panels deposited in the museum, while the rain-wash processes and the colonization of microorganisms have not been observed in contrast to the impacts shown by the wall paintings left outside in the archaeological site of Pompeii. Moreover, the systematic presence of lead traces and strontium in both wall paintings suggests their presence as impurities of the calcite mortars (intonacco) or calcite binder of these particular fresco Pompeian murals. © The Author(s) 2015.

Nardo Ring, Italy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

The Nardo Ring is a striking visual feature from space, and astronauts have photographed it several times. The Ring is a race car test track; it is 12.5 kilometers long and steeply banked to reduce the amount of active steering needed by drivers. The Nardo Ring lies in a remote area on the heel of Italy's 'boot,' 50 kilometers east of the naval port of Taranto. The Ring encompasses a number of active (green) and fallow (brown to dark brown) agricultural fields. In this zone of intensive agriculture, farmers gain access to their fields through the Ring via a series of underpasses. Winding features within the southern section of the Ring appear to be smaller, unused race tracks.

The image covers an area of 18.8 x 16.4 km, was acquired on August 17. 2007, and is located at 49.3 degrees north latitude, 17.8 degrees east longitude.

The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

The 9 September 2010 torrential rain and flash flood in the Dragone catchment, Atrani, Amalfi Coast (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Violante, C.; Braca, G.; Esposito, E.; Tranfaglia, G.

2016-02-01

In this paper we use a multi-hazard approach to analyse the 9 September 2010 flash flood in the Dragone basin, a 9 km2 catchment located along the Amalfi rocky coastal range, southern Italy. In this area, alluvial fan flooding has been the most frequent and destructive geologic hazard since Roman times. Sudden torrents of water (flash floods) are caused by high-intensity and very localized cloudbursts of short duration, inducing slope erosion and sediment delivery from slope to stream. The elevated bed load transport produces fast-moving hyperconcentrated flows with significant catastrophic implications for communities living at the stream mouth. The 9 September 2010 rainstorm event lasted 1 h with an intensity rainfall peak of nearly 120 mm h-1. High topographic relief of the Amalfi coastal range and positive anomalies of the coastal waters conditioned the character of the convective system. Based on geological data and post-event field evidence and surveys, as well as homemade videos and eyewitness accounts, it is reported that the flash flood mobilized some 25 000 m3 of materials with a total (water and sediment) peak flow of 80 m3 s-1. The estimated peak discharge of only clear water was about 65 m3 s-1. This leads to a sediment bulking factor of 1.2 that corresponds to a flow with velocities similar to those of water during a flood.

Civil protection and Damaging Hydrogeological Events: comparative analysis of the 2000 and 2015 events in Calabria (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrucci, Olga; Caloiero, Tommaso; Aurora Pasqua, Angela; Perrotta, Piero; Russo, Luigi; Tansi, Carlo

2017-11-01

Calabria (southern Italy) is a flood prone region, due to both its rough orography and fast hydrologic response of most watersheds. During the rainy season, intense rain affects the region, triggering floods and mass movements that cause economic damage and fatalities. This work presents a methodological approach to perform the comparative analysis of two events affecting the same area at a distance of 15 years, by collecting all the qualitative and quantitative features useful to describe both rain and damage. The aim is to understand if similar meteorological events affecting the same area can have different outcomes in terms of damage. The first event occurred between 8 and 10 September 2000, damaged 109 out of 409 municipalities of the region and killed 13 people in a campsite due to a flood. The second event, which occurred between 30 October and 1 November 2015, damaged 79 municipalities, and killed a man due to a flood. The comparative analysis highlights that, despite the exceptionality of triggering daily rain was higher in the 2015 event, the damage caused by the 2000 event to both infrastructures and belongings was higher, and it was strongly increased due to the 13 flood victims. We concluded that, in the 2015 event, the management of pre-event phases, with the issuing of meteorological alert, and the emergency management, with the preventive evacuation of people in hazardous situations due to landslides or floods, contributed to reduce the number of victims.

Prevalence of prelingual deafness in Italy

PubMed Central

Bubbico, L; Rosano, A; Spagnolo, A

2007-01-01

(Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily). For the southern regions of Italy, the rate observed in the 50-64 and > 64 age groups reached 1.27 and 1.15, respectively. This phenomenon may have been due, in part, to the epidemic incidence of maternal rubella which occurred in the 40’s and 50’s (in Italy, the rubella vaccination was only recommended starting from 1972), and, in part, to the habit of contracting consanguineous marriages. Data from the Vatican Archives on 520,492 consanguineous marriages, for which dispensation was requested in the period 1911-1964, indicate that in the years 1935-1939, in small villages in South Italy (Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily) consanguineous marriages accounted for over 40% of marriages. PMID:17601206

Geographic and socioeconomic variation of sodium and potassium intake in Italy: results from the MINISAL-GIRCSI programme

PubMed Central

Cappuccio, Francesco P; Ji, Chen; Donfrancesco, Chiara; Palmieri, Luigi; Ippolito, Renato; Vanuzzo, Diego; Giampaoli, Simona; Strazzullo, Pasquale

2015-01-01

Objectives To assess geographic and socioeconomic gradients in sodium and potassium intake in Italy. Setting Cross-sectional survey in Italy. Participants 3857 men and women, aged 39–79 years, randomly sampled in 20 regions (as part of a National cardiovascular survey of 8714 men and women). Primary outcome measures Participants’ dietary sodium and potassium intakes were measured by 24 h urinary sodium and potassium excretions. 2 indicators measured socioeconomic status: education and occupation. Bayesian geoadditive models were used to assess spatial and socioeconomic patterns of sodium and potassium intakes accounting for sociodemographic, anthropometric and behavioural confounders. Results There was a significant north-south pattern of sodium excretion in Italy. Participants living in southern Italy (eg, Calabria, Basilicata and Puglia >180 mmol/24 h) had a significantly higher sodium excretion than elsewhere (eg, Val d'Aosta and Trentino-Alto Adige <140 mmol/24 h; p<0.001). There was a linear association between occupation and sodium excretion (p<0.001). When compared with occupation I (top managerial), occupations III and IV had a 6.5% higher sodium excretion (coefficients: 0.054 (90% credible levels 0.014, 0.093) and 0.064 (0.024, 0.104), respectively). A similar relationship was found between educational attainment and sodium excretion (p<0.0001). When compared with those with a university degree, participants with primary and junior school education had a 5.9% higher urinary sodium (coefficients: 0.074 (0.031, 0.116) and 0.038 (0.001, 0.075), respectively). The socioeconomic gradient explained the spatial variation. Potassium excretion was higher in central regions and in some southern regions. Those in occupation V (low-skill workers) showed a 3% lower potassium excretion compared with those in occupation I. However, the socioeconomic gradient only partially explained the spatial variation. Conclusions Salt intake in Italy is significantly

Cystic Echinococcosis in a Single Tertiary Care Center in Rome, Italy

PubMed Central

Cuzzi, Gilda; Ettorre, Giuseppe Maria; Busi-Rizzi, Elisa; Schininà, Vincenzo; Pucillo, Leopoldo; Pane, Stefania; Bordi, Eugenio; Pozio, Edoardo; Corpolongo, Angela; Teggi, Antonella; Brunetti, Enrico

2013-01-01

Background. Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic, clinically complex, and neglected disease. Its prevalence in Italy, a country of medium to high endemicity, remains poorly defined, as notification has long ceased to be mandatory. Methods. We set up a retrospective cohort study involving all CE patients followed at our institute between January 2005 and December 2012. Demographical and clinical features were recorded and analyzed. Results. CE was found in 28 patients (64.3%), mostly Italians from the central regions (50%), followed by subjects from the islands (33.3%) and Southern Italy (16.7%). Their median age was 45 years (IQR: 38.5–66.5), with Eastern Europeans being significantly younger (28 years, IQR: 19–39) than other patients (P ≤ 0.0001). A total of 149 cysts, mostly with hepatic localization (96%), were described. Based on the WHO classification, the cysts were mainly small (80.5%) and active (CE1 (73.8%); CE2 (7.4%)). Active cysts were more common in Eastern Europeans (85.7%) than Italians (66.7%). Conclusion. Our data confirm CE occurrence in Italy. We emphasize the importance to have a national CE registry, opportunely recently introduced. This is essential to assess CE prevalence in this country, implement appropriate control measures, and improve patient management. PMID:24151631

Migration, violence, and the role of psychiatry in Italy.

PubMed

Ventriglio, Antonio; Bellomo, Antonello; Vitrani, Giovanna; Stella, Eleonora; Gentile, Alessandro; Bhugra, Dinesh

2017-08-01

Immigration to Italy has been increasing exponentially in the last decades due to the international political changes and conflicts in the Middle East. The relationship between immigration and crimes is a debated issue, and violent radicalization of second or third generations of migrants is under increased scrutiny. Consequently, many politicians and political parties use nationalist and xenophobic language. Inevitably, this will have an impact on reactions of the larger population, as well as that of migrants. Psychiatry can have a major role in dealing with immigrants' health needs, and also assessing risk and preventing violent behaviours due to mental disorders. It is possible to prevent some radicalization by employing strategies of education, leading to better integration of immigrants in the community (based on education, housing, work, etc.). However, often specialist services for migrants are lacking, and mental healthcare professionals may remain poorly trained. Italy is one of the major countries in Southern Europe with a large number of illegal and legal migrants; thereby, creating a major pressure on the resources. It is important to understand the links between globalization, migration, and violence in Italy, in order to prevent future radicalization. It is also useful for psychiatrists to act as advocates for migrants to help reduce xenophobia and discrimination supported by some national cultural and political movements. Ethno-psychiatric facilities should be promoted, as well as policies of support, integration, and prevention should be employed to promote legal migration through the European countries.

Mitochondrial lineage sorting in action – historical biogeography of the Hyles euphorbiae complex (Sphingidae, Lepidoptera) in Italy

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Mitochondrial genes are among the most commonly used markers in studies of species’ phylogeography and to draw conclusions about taxonomy. The Hyles euphorbiae complex (HEC) comprises six distinct mitochondrial lineages in the Mediterranean region, of which one exhibits a cryptic disjunct distribution. The predominant mitochondrial lineage in most of Europe, euphorbiae, is also present on Malta; however, it is nowadays strangely absent from Southern Italy and Sicily, where it is replaced by 'italica'. A separate biological entity in Italy is further corroborated by larval colour patterns with a congruent, confined suture zone along the Northern Apennines. By means of historic DNA extracted from museum specimens, we aimed to investigate the evolution of the mitochondrial demographic structure of the HEC in Italy and Malta throughout the Twentieth Century. Results At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, the European mainland lineages were also present at a moderate frequency in Southern Italy and Sicily. The proportion of 'italica' then steadily increased in this area from below 60 percent to near fixation in about 120 years. Thus, geographical sorting of mitochondrial lineages in the HEC was not as complete then as the current demography suggests. The pattern of an integral 'italica' core region and a disjunct euphorbiae distribution evolved very recently. To explain these strong demographic changes, we propose genetic drift due to anthropogenic habitat loss and fragmentation in combination with an impact from recent climate warming that favoured the spreading of the potentially better adapted 'italica' populations. Conclusions The pattern of geographically separated mitochondrial lineages is commonly interpreted as representing long term separated entities. However, our results indicate that such a pattern can emerge surprisingly quickly, even in a widespread and rather common taxon. We thus caution against drawing hasty taxonomic conclusions from

Characterisation and reproduction of yellow pigments used in central Italy for decorating ceramics during Renaissance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bultrini, G.; Fragalà, I.; Ingo, G. M.; Lanza, G.

2006-06-01

This study presents the characterisation of prototypical yellow pigments used during the Renaissance period in Italy and the successful reproduction of homologous materials in accordance with the ancient recipes. Moreover, a large number of yellow decorative layers of Sicilian ceramic artefacts dated back from 13th to the 19th century have been selected and the main chemical, structural and minero-petrografic features have been studied by X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry. These results have been compared with literature data of some yellow decorations of Renaissance ceramics made in central Italy. Comparison has also been made with homologous materials that have been successfully reproduced in accordance with ancient recipes described by Cipriano Piccolpasso in the textbook: “I Tre Libri dell’Arte del Vasaio” using the same ingredients proposed by this artist. Such yellow materials reproduce the typical yellow colorants used by craftsmen of relevant sites for ceramic fabrication in central Italy, namely Città di Castello, Urbino and Castel Durante, during the 16th century. Comparative arguments have shown some intriguing differences that are indicators of both technological transfer processes between central and southern Italy as well as of some local implementations likely due to specific raw materials locally available.

PrP genotype frequencies and risk evaluation for scrapie in dairy sheep breeds from southern Italy.

PubMed

Martemucci, Giovanni; Iamartino, Daniela; Blasi, Michele; D'Alessandro, Angela Gabriella

2015-12-01

Concerns regarding scrapie in sheep breeding have increased in the last few decades. The present study was carried out in dairy sheep breeds from southern Italy. In order to find breeding animals resistant to scrapie, the PrP genes of 1,205 animals from entire flocks of dairy native Apulian Leccese and Altamurana breeds, and Sicilian Comisana breed, were analysed for polymorphisms at codons 136, 154, and 171 related to scrapie resistance/susceptibility. The Altamurana breed was considered as two populations (Alt-Cav and Alt-Cra-Zoe), based on presumed cross-breeding. A total of five alleles and ten different genotypes were found. The ARQ allele was predominant for all breeds followed by ARR, the most resistant allele to scrapie, which was highly prevalent in Comisana (50%) and in native Alt-Cav (42.4%). The VRQ allele, associated with the highest susceptibility to scrapie, was detected at not negligeable levels in allocthonous Comisana (3.5%), at a low frequency (0.2%) in native Leccese and Alt-Cra-Zoe, while it was absent in Alt-Cav. The frequencies of PrP genotypes with a very low susceptibility risk to scrapie (R1) was higher in Comisana and Alt-Cav. The most susceptible genotype, ARQ/VRQ, was found only in Comisana. Within the Altamurana breed, there were notable differences between Alt-Cav and Alt-Cra-Zoe sheep. The Alt-Cav was characterised by the absence of VRQ and AHQ alleles and by the higher frequency of the ARR/ARR genotype (18.7%). Breeding programs, mainly in endangered breeds such as Altamurana, should be conducted gradually, combining resistance to scrapie, maintenance of genetic variability, and production. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Italy Country Analysis Brief

EIA Publications

2016-01-01

Italy is the fourth largest energy consumer in Europe, after Germany, France, and United Kingdom. Italy's primary energy consumption is driven by oil and gas, which contributed to over three-quarters of Italy's total consumption. The remaining portion is made up of coal, hydro, and other renewable energy sources. Renewable energy sources, excluding hydroelectricity, have increased their share in Italy's energy consumption from less than 2% in 2005 to nearly 10% in 2015. As a net importer of crude oil and natural gas, Italy is heavily dependent on imports to meet about 90% of its oil and gas needs and to maintain its exports of refined petroleum products.

A geochemical and geophysical reappraisal to the significance of the recent unrest at Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moretti, Roberto; De Natale, Giuseppe; Troise, Claudia

2017-03-01

Volcanic unrest at calderas involves complex interaction between magma, hydrothermal fluids, and crustal stress and strain. Campi Flegrei caldera (CFc), located in the Naples (Italy) area and characterized by the highest volcanic risk on Earth for the extreme urbanization, undergoes unrest phenomena involving several meters of uplift and intense shallow microseismicity since several decades. Despite unrest episodes display in the last decade only moderate ground deformation and seismicity, current interpretations of geochemical data point to a highly pressurized hydrothermal system. We show that at CFc, the usual assumption of vapor-liquid coexistence in the fumarole plumes leads to largely overestimated hydrothermal pressures and, accordingly, interpretations of elevated unrest. By relaxing unconstrained geochemical assumptions, we infer an alternative model yielding better agreement between geophysical and geochemical observations. The model reconciles discrepancies between what observed (1) for two decades since the 1982-1984 large unrest, when shallow magma was supplying heat and fluids to the hydrothermal system, and (2) in the last decade. Compared to the 1980's unrest, the post-2005 phenomena are characterized by much lower aquifers overpressure and magmatic involvement, as indicated by geophysical data and despite large changes in geochemical indicators. Our interpretation points out a model in which shallow sills, intruded during 1969-1984, have completely cooled, so that fumarole emissions are affected now by deeper, CO2-richer, magmatic gases producing the modest heating and overpressure of the hydrothermal system. Our results have important implications on the short-term eruption hazard assessment and on the best strategies for monitoring and interpreting geochemical data.